It's a double celebration for Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike who is celebrating his birthday today March 21 as well as the birth of his daughter, Comfort. T he veteran actor disclosed that his baby girl was named after his late mum, Madam Comfort Okwuchi Ike. Posting photos of himself, his South African wife and their new-born, an elated Emeka wrote; ITS A DOUBLE BLESSING FOR ONE LOSS Happy *BIRTHDAY* to me and WELCOME to baby, Chidera COMFORT Thando Ike The good LORD has filled the huge vacuum that Mama COMFORT Okwuchi Ike left behind, with another COMFORT Chidera T Ike My family and l are COMFORTED and can't ask for any better, this solemn times Thank you to my beautiful wife for taking the pains, of this wonderful gift I THANK YOU GOD!!!'' Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) appealed to the citizens regarding the virtual "papaqatti" hat throwing in the Novruz holiday. According to Azernews, Zeyni Huseynov, deputy head of the Press Service Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), wrote about this on his social account. "On Nowruz holiday, our citizens share a photo of a hat with card information written on it en masse, and our traditional "papaqatti" is transferred to the virtual space. Dear citizens, please keep your card information confidential in order not to create a new challenge for cyber fraudsters," he said. A 17-year-old boy from Philadelphia wanted in connection to a shooting in York County earlier this week turned himself in to authorities on Friday afternoon, the Northern York County Regional Police Department announced. Lysias Jesus Delgado, who goes by Kato, was living at the Meadow Run Mobile Home Park, located at 5145 Susquehanna Trail, when he got into an argument with a 38-year-old man early Thursday morning. During the argument, the man told Delgado he needed to leave. Delgado then left the area before returning with two other people in a white Dodge Durango at 5:16 p.m., police said. A fight broke out between the 38-year-old victim, Delgado, and a woman who was with Delgado, which ended when Delgado aimed a pistol at the mans head and fired a shot around 5:17 p.m. Delgado is charged as an adult with criminal attempted homicide, aggravated assault, firearms not to be carried without a license, possession of a firearm by a minor, recklessly endangering another person, and simple assault with a deadly weapon. The 38-year-old victim who was shot in his left arm near his shoulder was in stable condition at York Hospital as of Thursday. Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to call 911 or Northern York County Regional police tip line at 717-467-8355 or email tips@nycrpd.org. Staff writer Zahriah Balentine contributed to this report. By SYLVIA HUI, Associated Press LONDON (AP) Support poured in from around the world Saturday for Kate, the Princess of Wales, after she revealed in a candid video message that she is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer following major abdominal surgery. The princesss poignant video, in which she spoke about the huge shock and incredibly tough couple of months for her family after her diagnosis, came after weeks of frenzied speculation on social media about her health and well-being. This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family, Kate said in the video, which was recorded Wednesday in Windsor. It has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK, she added, referring to her three young children. Kate, 42, did not say what type of cancer was discovered after she underwent what she described as major abdominal surgery. She said she is now in the early stages of preventative chemotherapy, and is getting stronger every day. The royal said it had been thought that her condition was non-cancerous, until post-surgery tests revealed the diagnosis. The announcement will at least partly tamp down the intense and sometimes fantastical speculation and conspiracy theories about Kates condition that have multiplied on social media since Kensington Palace announced in mid-January that she had been hospitalized for unspecified abdominal surgery. Hashtags including WeLoveYouCatherine and GetWellSoonCatherine were trending Friday on X, formerly Twitter, while political leaders, celebrities and cancer survivors sent messages of support. She has been subjected to intense scrutiny and has been unfairly treated by certain sections of the media around the world and on social media, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. She has shown tremendous bravery with her statement. Britain's Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, arrive at Boston Logan International Airport, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via AP, file)AP U.S. President Joe Biden posted on social media, saying he and first lady Jill Biden join millions around the world in praying for your full recovery, Princess Kate. King Charles III, who is also undergoing treatment for an unspecified type of cancer, said in a statement that he was so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who have been estranged from the royal family since their move to California in 2020, said they wished health and healing for Kate and the family. Until Friday there had been little information about Kates condition, and her months-long disappearance from public view fueled a flurry of rumor-mongering about the missing future queen. Officials had only said that Kates surgery in January was successful and recuperation would keep the princess away from public duties until April. Feelings of distrust about the royals gained ground earlier this month after Kate acknowledged that she had edited an official photo released to mark Mothers Day in the U.K. The photo, which was meant to calm and reassure the public, triggered a backlash after The Associated Press and other news agencies retracted the image over concerns it was manipulated. Even a video published last week by The Sun and TMZ that appeared to show Kate and William shopping near their home did not dispel the negative coverage, with some armchair detectives refusing to believe the video showed Kate at all. In contrast, many of Saturdays newspaper frontpages featured sympathetic headlines, with The Sun proclaiming: Kate, you are not alone. The Daily Telegraph featured an opinion piece that read: Sickening online trolls revelling in Princesss misery ought to be ashamed. The news also featured prominently in international newspapers from Italy to France. I understand why she was keeping it a secret, but I am glad everyone knows now so they can not make assumptions, said Madeleine Pullitzer, an American student in Paris. Well-wishers and royal fans visiting Windsor and Kensington Palace expressed their support for Kate and the royal family. I hope that they can find hope and some togetherness in their family, said Andrea Stunz, who was visiting London from Texas when she heard the news. Well be praying for them. We will be praying for the family. Like Charles before her, Kates decision to disclose her condition was praised for encouraging the public to think more about their own health and get worrying symptoms checked. Kate directly addressed all those affected by cancer in her video, saying: Please do not lose faith or hope. This announcement is a stark and shocking reminder that cancer is no respecter of age or social status, said oncologist and cancer awareness campaigner Pat Price. A cancer diagnosis is always deeply concerning, but the fact that the princess is so young and very much in the prime of her life makes this news all the more upsetting and unsettling. Its not immediately clear when Kate will be able to return to public life. Kate and William are not expected to join other royals for the traditional Easter Sunday service in Windsor. The Princess will return to official duties when she is cleared to do so by her medical team, a Kensington Palace spokesperson said. She is in good spirits and is focused on making a full recovery. A federal judge has temporarily blocked plans to build a high-voltage power line across a Mississippi River wildlife refuge, saying he wants to see documents detailing the lead-up to the projects approval. U.S. District Judge William Conley issued a preliminary injunction on Thursday preventing American Transmission Co., ITC Midwest and Dairyland Power Cooperative from beginning construction on a 1-mile portion of the Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line that would cross the refuge. He extended the injunction indefinitely after a hearing in Madison on Friday morning. The 345-kilovolt power line would run 102 miles between Iowas Dubuque County and Wisconsins Dane County. A section of the line would cross the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge near Cassville, Wisconsin. The refuge serves as a haven for fish, wildlife and migratory birds that use it as breeding grounds. It is one of the only stopping points left for many migratory birds that use the Mississippi Flyway. Conservationists fear the transmission line will damage the refuge and have been working for years to stop the project in court. The National Wildlife Refuge Association, the Driftless Area Land Conservancy and the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation filed a federal lawsuit earlier this month. The groups allege the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued final approvals for the refuge crossing in February without giving the public a chance to comment. They also argue that the agency and the utilities improperly reached a deal calling for the utilities to transfer about 36 acres south of Cassville to the refuge in exchange for 19 acres within the refuge for the power line. The conservationists told the judge they needed an injunction quickly because the land deal was set to close Friday and the utilities have already positioned construction equipment on the edges of the refuge. Attorneys for both sides sparred for about 90 minutes in front of Conley on Friday morning. The conservationists lawyer, Howard Learner, told Conley that FWS released final documents this past February that found the land deal would have no significant impact on the refuge without offering the public a chance to comment on it. He also argued that FWS never considered whether the power line would be a compatible use for refuge land as required by the 1997 National Wildlife Refuge System Act. Reade Wilson, a U.S. Department of Justice attorney representing FWS, countered that the conservation groups commented on an environmental assessment of the project released in September and the agency was under no obligation to open up the no-impact finding for public comment. She went on to contend that the compatibility test doesnt apply to a land exchange. Conley seemed incredulous, saying she was asking him to ignore that a power line would be running across the land. In the end, Conley said he would extend the injunction until the parties provide him with a more extensive record of what steps were and werent taken during the run-up to the final approval in February. He said once the record was made available, the attorneys would have 30 days to submit briefs. Outside of court, Learner said the conservationists were pleased to see Conley extend the injunction. Wilson didnt immediately respond to an email sent after the hearing requesting comment. Rod Pritchard, a spokesperson for ITC Midwest, called the injunction extension disappointing. He pointed to a statement ITC Midwest and Dairyland Power released on Thursday saying the line is crucial for getting more electricity from renewable sources to market and the land exchange would add high-quality wildlife habitat to the refuge. Katie Thomson, a spokesperson for Dairyland Power, and ATC media officials didnt immediately respond to emails sent after the hearing seeking comment. Columbus Community Hospital will begin a new chapter of health and wellness with the opening of Columbus Massage Therapy Clinic. The hospital invites the public to attend the Columbus Massage Therapy Clinic open house on Tuesday, April 16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The open house will be at the clinic, located at 4508 38th St., Suite 230, in Columbus. During the event, members of the public can take tours of the space and meet the clinics licensed massage therapist, Jasmine Karakatsanis. Attendees can also enter to win a 60-minute Swedish massage, 60-minute hot stone massage, facial massage or Columbus Massage Therapy merchandise. To learn more about Columbus Community Hospitals Columbus Massage Therapy Clinic, visit columbushosp.org. The 888poker Room Bucharest was buzzing all day, as the final two flights of the 560 Main Event were contested over 12 levels of action. With late registration still open until the start of Day 2 on Saturday, the tournament has seen a total of 381 entries so far at 888poker LIVE Bucharest. Among the 202 entrants that took part on Day 1c and 1d, Dan Galinschi charged up the leaderboard late in the night to bag the largest stack with 310,000 chips. That puts the Romanian in seventh place overall, heading into Day 2 with 155 big blinds. In all, 79 players survived the opening flights on Friday, bringing the total Day 2 field to 138. Ran Shahar remains the tournament chip leader after collecting 427,500 chips on Day 1a, sitting as the only player to earn more than 200 big blinds thus far. Stefan Toderita sits in second spot, leading the way on Day 1b with 369,000 chips. Day 1c/1d Top 10 Chip Counts Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Dan Galinschi Romania 310,000 155 2 Rares Popa Romania 303,500 152 3 Tiberiu Dinu Romania 282,500 141 4 Ciprian Iamandache Romania 263,000 132 5 Stefan Raicu Romania 255,000 128 6 Ionut Zanfirache Romania 245,500 123 7 Mihail Cuza Romania 245,000 123 8 Yosef Avneya Israel 230,000 115 9 Terence Sanders United Kingdom 214,500 107 10 Dominick French Canada 213,000 107 Dominick French Among the notable names inside Friday's top 10 is Canadian Dominick French, who had already bagged 163,000 chips on Day 1a. With players allowed to carry their largest stack forward, Frenchs gameplan worked nicely as he amassed a new total of 213,000. 888poker Ambassador Ian Simpson was also taking a second shot on Friday after busting late in Day 1b. This time is was mission accomplished for Simpson, who collected 124,000 chips to join fellow Ambassadors Vivian Saliba and Lucia Navarro on Day 2. The turbo Day 1d flight provided a second chance for 888poker Stream Team member Nick Eastwood, who busted Day 1c before running up a stack in the nightcap. Eastwood finished with 205,000, good for 103 big blinds for action on Saturday. Fellow streamer Andrei Cosmin was unable to survive the day and is expected to join the action before late registration closes at the start of play on Day 2. Andrei Cosmin Saturday should be equally exciting at 888poker Room Bucharest, as the money bubble looms for all of the remaining players. Day 2 begins at 3 p.m. local time, when registration will close and the final prize pool will be set. The day is scheduled for twelve more levels of 50 minutes each, starting with blinds of 1,000/2,000 and a 2,000 big blind ante. Breaks will be 15 minutes long at the conclusion of every three levels of play. All of the action will once again be streamed on the 888poker Twitch and YouTube channels, beginning at 3:30 p.m. local time. The series continues for two more days of action in Bucharest, and the PokerNews live reporting team will follow all of the action until a champion is crowned so stay tuned! The opening flights of the 560 Main Event are finished and its finally time for the field to combine into a single room at 888poker LIVE Bucharest. A total of 138 players survived the four starting flights, and theyll be joined by Day 2 entrants as the temperature rises at 888poker Room Bucharest. Action resumes at 3 p.m. local time, where the remaining players will battle through the bubble and into the money over another 11 levels of play today. Full prize pool and payout information will be announced shortly after play begins. Sitting atop the leaderboard is Ran Shahar, who remains the only player above 200 big blinds after collecting 427,500 chips on Day 1a. Romanias Stefan Toderita next after bagging 185 big blinds on Day 1b. Fridays exciting day of two starting flights saw Dan Galinschi take top spot on Day 1c with 310,000, while Mihail Cuza finished with 245,000 to lead Day 1d. Day 1 Top 10 Chip Counts Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Ran Shahar Israel 427,500 214 2 Stefan Toderita Romania 369,000 185 3 Cristian Tabac Romania 366,000 183 4 Jack Sharpe United Kingdom 336,000 168 5 Dumitru Barta Romania 335,000 168 6 Gheorghe Alexutan Romania 326,500 163 7 Dan Galinschi Romania 310,000 155 8 Rares Popa Romania 303,500 152 9 Tiberiu Dinu Romania 282,500 141 10 Andreas Popa Romania 281,000 141 Vivian Saliba After bagging on Day 1b, Vivian Saliba brings 144,500 chips into play to lead a trio of 888poker Ambassadors back into action. Ian Simpson (124,000) and Lucia Navarro (105,500) will return to the felt, looking to gain some ground and position themselves for a deep run into the money. 888poker Stream Team member Nick Eastwood carries 205,000 into Day 2, while fellow streamer Andrei Cosmin is expected to rejoin the field ahead of the 3 p.m. start time. Day 2 is scheduled to see players navigate twelve more 50-minute levels, beginning with blinds of 1,000/2,000 and a 2,000 big blind ante. The field will get 15-minute breaks after every three levels, and late registration will close at the start of play. You can watch the action on the 888poker Twitch and YouTube channels, beginning at 3:30 p.m. local time, and be sure to follow along as the PokerNews team continues to cover everything from the Main Event in Bucharest. Day 1b of the $1,200 Destination RunGood: Jacksonville Main Event has come to an end and Le Tieu is the chip leader after 14 levels of play. The surviving 25 players will return on Sunday to bestbet Jacksonville to join the other two flights and play down to a winner. The second of three flights drew 185 entries and contributed $192,400 towards the $300,000 guarantee. The grand total after two flights is now at 244 entries with 59 of them turning out for Thursdays opener. Tieu bagged just over a half-million chips and hes followed by Ron Slucker, who held the chip lead in the later levels until he ceded it to Tieu. Slucker, a native of Chicago who lives in Ponte Vedra, nearly bagged the lead after a late charge that included the elimination of Caitlin Comeskey in the final level of the evening. Tieu and Slucker are followed by Jared Reinstein in third and Jason Isbell in fourth, while TK Miles rounded out the top five. RGPS Jacksonville Main Event Day 1b Top 10 Chip Counts Rank Player Hometown Chip Count 1 Le Tieu Jacksonville, FL 501,000 2 Ron Slucker Ponte Vedra, FL 464,000 3 Jared Reinstein Tallahasse, FL 392,000 4 Jason Isbell Peachtree City, GA 357,000 5 TK Miles Miami Beach, FL 347,000 6 Deborah Miller Jacksonville, FL 327,000 7 Ray Henson Houston, TX 312,000 8 Joey Burns Brooklyn, NY 308,000 9 Mark McGarity Holden Beach, NC 305,000 10 Joseph Jordan Greenville, SC 252,000 Ron Slucker Day 1b Highlights The day kicked off with 45 players in their seats and it swelled quickly throughout the afternoon. Among the early favorites was Elanit Hasas, who entered the day with over $564,000 in earnings, according to the Hendon Mob. Hasas stayed in it throughout the day, but ultimately fell short of Day 2 after Isbell sent her to the rail with Big Slick in Level 13. Isbell, one of the players who joined the tournament at the start of the day, bagged a top-five stack of 357,000 for Day 2. Hes joined by Deborah Miller, one of the other earlier risers in the flight. Miller built up a steady stack all day but suffered a setback when Mark McGarity got it all in with pocket aces after a flop that gave her two pair. The river paired the board and McGarity scored a big double that helped to propel him to the top ten. Deborah Miller Miller bounced back quickly and put 327,000 in the bag for Sundays finale. Also bagging for Day 2 was Judith Bielan, who rode the short stack in the final level before she doubled with queens to secure her spot. Nancy Birnbaum joins them as the third woman from the flight to find a bag. Other Day 2 qualifiers include Ray Henson, Kris Burchfield, Chris Conrad, Edward Mroczkowski, and Thad McNulty, who lived to see another day thanks to a rivered straight flush that beat quad sevens. The third and final flight goes off on Saturday at 12 p.m. The surviving players will return to bestbet on Sunday at 12 p.m. to play down to a winner. Be sure to keep it with the PokerNews team all weekend long for live updates from the floor of the RGPS Main Event at bestbet Jacksonville. Trumps lawyer, Alina Habba, didnt deny that Trump was trying to get $454 million for his fraud bond from Russia or Saudi Arabia. Habba said on Fox News, Theres rules and regulations that are public. I cant speak about strategy that requires certain things and we have to follow those rules. Like I said, this is manifest injustice. It is impossible. Its an impossibility. I believe they knew that. I think thats why mid trial, frankly, they changed their ask from 250 million to the ridiculous amount of money that theyve asked for. I think everything is done intentionally. I do not doubt that the witch hunt that the Election interference goal is what was ringing steady and loudly and true throughout all these trials, frankly, and were seeing it. Video: Fox host asks whether Trump is trying to get his bond money from Saudi Arabia or Russia To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily. Trumps lawyer says she cant answer that question. pic.twitter.com/uirBMqEAhj Lis Power (@LisPower1) March 20, 2024 It would have been easy for Habba to say no, Trump is not looking for any foreign government to post his bond, but that is not what she said. Habba had to speak carefully because Special Counsel Jack Smith and the Department of Justice are watching right now. Trump is desperate for money, and he would probably take it from anyone, anywhere. The former president has never been concerned about protecting national security or jeopardizing the nation if it will benefit his personal interests. Due to the amount of fraud, and the self-reported wealth of the defendant, there is nothing wrong with the judgment in the fraud case. Trump has claimed that he is a billionaire for decades, so the idea that is now claiming that the judgment is unjust is not plausible. Americas national security is in danger, which is why the federal government needs to be alert for any large foreign funds transfers to Donald Trump. A Special Message From PoliticusUSA If you are in a position to donate purely to help us keep the doors open on PoliticusUSA during what is a critical election year, please do so here. We have been honored to be able to put your interests first for 14 years as we only answer to our readers and we will not compromise on that fundamental, core PoliticusUSA value. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer admitted impeachment isnt the best path and suggested DOJ criminal referrals instead. Comer said on Newsmax, I want to hold accountability, thats what we said all along. We said when we launched the investigation, we wanted to provide the truth to the American people and then provide real accountability. So what does real accountability look like? Does it look like impeaching Joe Biden in the House and then the Senate tabling it like theyre going to do with the Merrick Garland impeachment, or does it mean providing real criminal referrals to the Department of Justice? I think the latter. I would vote to impeach Joe Biden right now. The impeachment inquiry was meant to give us more tools to be able to gather more information to be able to win in court when the Bidens challenged our lawful subpoenas. Weve done all that. Video of Comer: I believe that the best path to accountability is criminal referrals Comer indicates on Newsmax that House Republicans will not impeach Biden after all and instead will opt for criminal referrals pic.twitter.com/0Tp7aEBAlf To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily. Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 22, 2024 Comer was talking about the Mayorkas impeachment. Merrick Garland has not been impeached. The answer from the House Oversight Committee chair was an admission that Biden impeachment is dead. There will never be an impeachment vote or formal articles of impeachment. The investigation into President Biden was a stunt that massively failed. James Comer and Jim Jordan thought they could bluff and fool America into buying a Biden impeachment. Comers big problem is that Donald Trump is demanding that President Biden be impeached. It will be tough to sell Trump on criminal referrals to the DOJ for Hunter Biden. The Biden investigation has been an absurd abuse of congressional investigative authority. Impeachment is dead, and Chair Comer is looking for a way out. A Special Message From PoliticusUSA If you are in a position to donate purely to help us keep the doors open on PoliticusUSA during what is a critical election year, please do so here. We have been honored to be able to put your interests first for 14 years as we only answer to our readers and we will not compromise on that fundamental, core PoliticusUSA value. Lawrence ODonnell explained that Trumps wealth is the fundamental lie behind his political success and that lie has been destroyed. Transcript via MSNBC/The Last Word with Lawrence ODonnell: ODONNELL: The Trump lawyers explained to the court just how thoroughly Donald Trump failed in coming up with the money. The lawyer said, quote: These diligent efforts have included approaching about 30 surety companies through four separate brokers. A bond requirement of this enormous magnitude effectively requiring cash reserves approaching $1 billion is unprecedented for a private company. So, in a Manhattan courtroom on Monday, the foundational lie of Donald Trumps image building as a politician will be exposed. To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT & 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I dont need anybodys money. Its nice. I dont need anybodys money. Im using my own money. Im not using the lobbyist, Im not using donors. I dont care. Im really rich. (END VIDEO CLIP) ODONNELL: That was an enormous part of Donald Trumps initial appeal when he began as a candidate. He mounted other appeals including direct appeals to racists to expand his base of support. But many Trump voters in Iowa believed then and said then in interviews that the Trump wealth that they believed he had was a virtue. They believed he would be incorruptible because he had too much money already to be corrupted. Donald Trump was lying about that. And his voters were wrong to believe it. But they have forgiven or overlooked every Trump lie that has been exposed. And so, at the end of the day on Monday, most of them might still be willing to believe that Donald Trump is as rich as he always pretended to be. But Donald Trump knows better. And Donald Trump has proved how rich he isnt to anyone who can think. Video: Lawrence ODonnell So, in a Manhattan courtroom on Monday, the foundational lie of Donald Trumps image building as a politician will be exposed. pic.twitter.com/44OYVVeLEI Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 23, 2024 The fundamental lie of Donald Trumps political career is that he is rich. Trump has sold himself to Republican voters as smarter, more talented, and better than other people because of his wealth, but it turns out that his wealth wasnt real. Trump would not have gotten very far in Republican politics if he had run as a multiple time business failure who cant manage money and who can only make a dime by committing fraud, Donald Trump would say that he was selling a brand, but really he was selling a lie, and Lawrence ODonnell showed why that lie is about to be shattered into a million little pieces. A Special Message From PoliticusUSA If you are in a position to donate purely to help us keep the doors open on PoliticusUSA during what is a critical election year, please do so here. We have been honored to be able to put your interests first for 14 years as we only answer to our readers and we will not compromise on that fundamental, core PoliticusUSA value. President Biden hits Trump for calling Latinos rapists and echoing Hitler while telling Latinos that together we will change the world. President Biden says in the new ad from the Biden campaign, This election is an election between me and a guy named Trump. This is a guy who called Latinos criminal drug dealers and rapists. Now he says immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country. What the hell is he talking about? The reason were as good as we are is because we are the most diverse country in the world, and with you all were going to work together and change the world. Watch the ad: To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily. President Biden and Vice President Harris are running on a positive message of unity, while Donald Trump speaks of nothing but negativity and division. Positive campaign messages traditionally appeal more to voters than negativity. One of the main reasons why Donald Trumps campaign is failing to raise money is that even the most committed supporters will begin to tune out a political message if it is all negative all of the time. Biden and Harris are following a different path. The President and Vice President are emphasizing the success that the nation has had during their term in office while stressing that there is even more the country can accomplish together. Candidates like Trump can only be successful when voters are distracted, disinterested, unengaged, and demoralized. From Ronald Reagan to Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, positive messages get incumbent presidents reelected. While the pundit class may dismiss it, never underestimate the power of positivity with voters. A Special Message From PoliticusUSA If you are in a position to donate purely to help us keep the doors open on PoliticusUSA during what is a critical election year, please do so here. We have been honored to be able to put your interests first for 14 years as we only answer to our readers and we will not compromise on that fundamental, core PoliticusUSA value. President Obama released an inspiring message to commemorate the 14th anniversary of his signature legislative accomplishment, The Affordable Care Act. What Did President Obama Say On The 14th Anniversary Of Obamacare? President Obama said in a statement: Fourteen years ago today, I signed the Affordable Care Act into law. Afterwards, one Republican member of the House called the ACA the most dangerous piece of legislation ever passed in Congress. Another predicted the country would never recover from it. But then something else happened: it actually worked. To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily. Since the ACA was passed, the percentage of uninsured Americans has been cut in half. And thanks to the investments the Biden-Harris Administration has made to build on the ACA, more than 21 million Americans now have access to quality, affordable health care. Today, young people are staying on their parents plans until theyre 26. Americans with pre-existing conditions are no longer being denied coverage. Seniors and people with disabilities are paying less for prescription drugs. And Americans everywhere are switching jobs and starting their own businesses without worrying about losing their insurance. In so many ways, the Affordable Care Act has become part of our lives, changing the way we think about health insurance. But that doesnt mean we can take it for granted. Right now, some Republicans are still trying to repeal and gut the ACA including calling for cuts that could put insurance out of reach for tens of millions of Americans. Weve come too far to let that happen. President Biden has proven that hell keep fighting to build on the ACA, and we need to fight with him. Because health care is not, and never will be, a privilege. Its a right and theres so much more we can do to make it more affordable and effective for everyone. Obamacare is President Obamas legacy-defining policy accomplishment. The ACA (Obamacare) has stood the test of time and made the lives of the American people better. For those who are either too young to remember or may have forgotten, it was a fight to get the ACA signed into law. Republicans still plan today to repeal the law. There were town halls and protests for and against the legislation. Barack Obama staked his political capital on getting the healthcare law passed. America is infinitely better off because he took the risk and dared to keep fighting until the bill was signed into law. Barack Obama transformed the way that the American people view healthcare. Healthcare is right, and this belief has allowed progress to be made toward universal healthcare and lower prescription drug costs. Obama was correct. The work is not over. There is still more to be done. The ACA must be defended, as it is a matter of life and death that Americans never allow Republicans to take the health insurance system back to what it was. A Special Message From PoliticusUSA If you are in a position to donate purely to help us keep the doors open on PoliticusUSA during what is a critical election year, please do so here. We have been honored to be able to put your interests first for 14 years as we only answer to our readers and we will not compromise on that fundamental, core PoliticusUSA value. Isabella Marie Hash, Ayla Dawn Janssen, Lauren L. Vasicek and Quinn Kacey VunCannon, all of Columbus, have been selected to attend American Legion Auxiliary Cornhusker Girls State June 2-8 on the campus of the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. The four students were selected based on recommendations from their high school and an interview with Auxiliary Unit 84. They will study local, county and state government processes in this nonpartisan political learning experience. Every spring, the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State Program provide approximately 25,000 young women with a hands-on educational opportunity designed to instruct tomorrows leaders in the privileges and duties of responsible citizenship. Delegates receive special instruction in parliamentary procedure and organize themselves into two mythical political parties. They then campaign, hold rallies, debate, and ultimately vote to elect city, county, and state officials. One elected to office, delegates are sworn in and perform their prescribed duties. Citizens not elected to office are given appointments and will attend meetings with the offices of their elected or appointed counterparts in actual state, county, and city government. Two outstanding citizens, known as senators, are selected at each of the 50 Girls State sessions held across the country to represent their state at American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation held in Washington, D.C., in July. Founded in 1919, the American Legion Auxiliary is the worlds largest patriotic womens service organization. With a membership of nearly 850,000, local Auxiliary units have a strong presence in more than 9,500 communities nationwide. The Auxiliarys mission to serve veterans, their families, and their communities is carried out through its hundreds of outreach programs delivered by its members, volunteers, and National Headquarters. Iowa and LSU would rather not be playing each other on Monday night. LSU coach Kim Mulkey says the Elite Eight game would have been better as a Final Four matchup. The storylines are plentiful. Its not just a rematch, its last years champion against a No. 1 seed. And its two of the games biggest and most competitive stars in Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark going head to head again. The Tigers won 102-85 last year and have added transfers Aneesah Morrow and Hailey Van Lith to those back from that team. Clark says she plans to be more aggressive this time around after settling for 19 3-point attempts on 22 shots last year. Read moreIowa and LSU are ready to meet again in a rematch of the 2023 national championship game At the risk of unleashing a tsunami of irresponsible, misleading and even fabricated claims from less-than-responsible elected officials, I need to tell you about absolute legislative immunity. I need to tell you about it because S.C. elected officials at all levels need to know about it. And the Legislature needs to understand it because as I was reminded when the Sullivan's Island Town Council paid its police chief to go away without explaining why understanding it could be key to eliminating some of the most persistent efforts to keep us in the dark about what our government is doing. And if it doesn't eliminate that secrecy, lawmakers should change the Freedom of Information Act to do that more directly. As youve probably surmised, absolute legislative immunity is not a super-effective vaccine that legislators took themselves but hid from the rest of us although if we could get some buzz on that on social media, maybe more people would get vaccinated against COVID or the flu or one of the more serious viruses that are on their way back because of the upsurge in conspiracists who believe vaccines are part of a vast conspiracy to destroy America. It is, instead, a legal principle rooted in English common law dating to the 16th century and recognized expansively by our state Supreme Court; it's designed to ensure that public officials can have robust public discussions about the publics business. The court expands immunity I first heard about legislative immunity when I started covering the Legislature, but I thought it applied only to state legislators and then only when they were speaking from the floor of the House or Senate. That's pretty close to how it was interpreted in South Carolina until the landmark S.C. Supreme Court opinion in Richardson v. McGill, which expanded it far beyond formal meetings; a subsequent string of rulings expanded it far beyond the Legislature. There is of course a quintessentially South Carolina backstory to the 1975 ruling, which we'll get to in a moment. A Sullivans Island home with historical significance predating World War II has sold for $9 million. The five-bedroom, 3.5-bath, 7,344-square-foot residence at 1702 Ion Ave. was originally built as the Base Commandants Quarters and is one of the most elaborate surviving structures at Fort Moultrie, according to Charleston real estate company The Cassina Group. The home became the residence of Gen. George C. Marshall, chief of staff during WWII who was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to help the Army prepare for war and coordinate allied operations overseas. Jimmy Dye, founding partner and broker in charge, represented the sellers, said the home has a rich history and timeless elegance. Though not quite the islands priciest transaction that remains with the $10.1 million sale of 2411 Atlantic Ave. in March 2023 the deal punctuates not only the growing interest in Sullivans but in high-value homes, Dye said. The home went under contract within seven days, enhanced by its unique features of tin-printed ceilings, a renovated kitchen, private pool, multiple fireplaces and large wraparound porches. The buyer was not identified. The sellers were Charles Stockdale and Caroline Stockdale, who had owned the home since 2015, according to public land records. New neighbors A North Charleston shopping center is getting a boost with two new tenants. Savannah-based Parkers Kitchen plans to add a new convenience store at 5101 Ashley Phosphate Road, within the Festival Centre retail complex. iHeart CBD is planning to open a shop in the same center. With plenty of retail spaces currently up for grabs, Festival Centre is home to other tenants such as CVS, AutoZone, Pizza Hut and two banks. Lets see, since we met in this space a week ago, St. Patricks Day has passed as well as the International Day of Happiness. My guess is that while you might have been aware of one of those, theres a pretty good chance the Day of Happiness on March 20 did not show up on your radar. Were you just too grumpy to notice? Theres something else that coincided with the day nobody noticed: the U.S. is no longer one of the 20 happiest countries in the world. This poll started 12 years ago. That would put it just after a recession and just before a pandemic. A year ago, the U.S. was 15th in the poll, but this year weve dropped to 23rd. Its the first year weve ever been out of the top 20. Should we be concerned? The primary reason for the drop? The research shows there is a decline in how Americans under 30 feel about their lives. How much of this is driven by social and other sources that may promote division or prevent understanding? Whos No. 1? For the seventh consecutive year, Finland occupies first place as the happiest country in the world. Arent they in the dark for a large part of the year? Why would they be so content, or happier, than the rest of us? While attempting to discover Finlands secret sauce, I discovered a handful of things where they really excel. Their education system is one of the best in the world. They provide long maternity leave, and theyre also known as one of the safest destinations for tourists. In addition, they were the first European country to give women the right to vote. The country has elected three female prime ministers and one woman as president. This poll that ranks them No. 1 gives high marks for healthy life expectancy, generosity and low levels of corruption. Sign up for our opinion newsletter Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings. Email Sign Up! Aside from our giving spirit, our country definitely seems to be on the short end of some of the other desired qualities. Heres what bothers me more than anything else at the moment. I dont even compare what we do to how another country might approach their problems. I compare us to now versus how we once were. Federal agents arrested a Charleston man accused of assaulting police officers with weapons, including their own "chemical irritant sprayers," during the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Justin Daniel Perrou, 44, faces five felonies and two misdemeanor charges for his role in the storming of the U.S. Capitol. The charges were filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C., according to a news release. The FBI arrested Perrou on March 21. He is slated for an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Charleston at a future date. Perrou faces felony charges for civil disorder, assaulting police with a dangerous weapon, trespassing on restricted grounds with a dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct on restricted grounds with a dangerous weapon and engaging in violence with a dangerous weapon on restricted grounds. His two misdemeanor charges involve disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and engaging in violence with a dangerous weapon on Capitol grounds. Federal prosecutors identified Perrou using open-source video footage. Perrou appears in the footage on the West Plaza near rioters attacking police officers using various weapons, according to the news release. Prosecutors said video shows Perrou observing the scene with a black bullhorn in hand and yelling obscenities at police. They said he threw the bullhorn in the direction of officers and pushed to the front of the rioting crowd where he fought with the police line, according to the news release. As rioters attempted to tear down bike-rack barriers and a brawl erupted, Perrou allegedly pushed forward toward police and grabbed an officer's face shield, yanking it down. The broader struggle Perrou is accused of participating in lasted for an hour-and-a-half at which point police retreated as the rioters broke through their line. Prosecutors said Perrou was among the group that then surged forward and pursued police. They accused Perrou of throwing a long pole and folding chair at officers. NORTH CHARLESTON A suspect in a 2008 fatal stabbing who spent more than a decade in a New York prison for his role in robbing and stabbing a man in New York City is back to face a murder charge. Raymond Prince, now 51, was booked into the Charleston County jail March 20. He was named as a suspect in the Nov. 17, 2008, slaying of 36-year-old Delbert Cooper not long after the fatal stabbing. But Prince left the area before North Charleston Police detectives could take him into custody. Prince's name surfaced again in July 2009 when New York City police arrested him in the robbery of a Brooklyn bodega. The 24-year-old employee who was stabbed multiple times was hospitalized afterward, according to a Post and Courier news report. Prison records from New York's Department of Corrections show Prince was convicted of robbery and sentenced to 16 years. He was tentatively set for early release on July 10, 2024. On Nov. 17, 2008, just before midnight, North Charleston police were send to investigate a report of an unconscious person on the 2300 block of Elder Avenue. Inside a house they found Cooper's body. He had been stabbed multiple times in his home. Cooper had lived in the Liberty Park neighborhood most of his life and was known as a kind man who would volunteer to help neighbors with chores, according to earlier Post and Courier reports. Robert Boessenecker is a rising star in the field of paleontology. He's made headlines by discovering new species of ancient sea creatures and appearing on Discovery Channel's Shark Week. Now, the paleontologist is at the center of an investigation about rare fossils that disappeared from the College of Charleston's Mace Brown Museum, where he used to work. Campus police launched an investigation in early March after a rare dolphin jaw fossil was discovered to be missing from the Calhoun Street museum's collection, according to an incident report. Investigators soon turned their attention to Boessenecker and his wife, who also worked at the museum, as the tally of missing items grew, the report stated. Among the unaccounted items was a 3D printed whale skull, which a detective spotted in a photo on the website of Boessenecker's most recent employer, the Charleston Center for Paleontology in Mount Pleasant, authorities said. Based on that find, campus police obtained warrants to search the center and Boessenecker's North Charleston home on March 14. They discovered thousands of dollars worth of museum property in each location, according to a police report. Sterling Chillico, Boessenecker's attorney, said police also searched a Summerville storage unit linked to the paleontologist on March 22. A follow-up report from the search of Boessenecker's Kellum Drive home noted that officers recovered about 50 items that are suspected to have been stolen from the Mace Brown Museum and other institutions. Police found numerous items, including a box of dolphin skulls labeled "#64 skulls," as well as a Chewey-brand granola bar box "filled with fossils." The report describes a fossil in a box labeled "Bobby" that is believed to be property of the National Park Service. In addition to dozen of fossils, law enforcement confiscated numerous documents from Boessenecker's residence linked to the Mace Brown Museum, including information on fossil donations, as well as official fossil inventories, reports stated. Boessenecker has not worked at Mace Brown Museum since August 2023. William Bendt thought the world of his family, his country and his native Charleston. In return, they thought the world of him. Buddy, as he's called by friends and family, will be remembered as a doting father and husband, devout Catholic and decorated World War II veteran. Bendt died March 15 at the age of 102. Humble beginnings Growing up in Charleston during the Great Depression, Bendt was raised by his grandparents, along with his two older sisters and younger brother. His mother died when he was 15; his father turned to the bottle, David Bendt, his son, told The Post and Courier. "It was a tough time to grow up in for him, especially with his mother gone," he said. They lived at various times on Meeting Street, Williman Street and San Souci Street. Charleston then was quite unlike the city today. Money was tight, times were hard and the family had to make do with what they had. "He talked about how they all had to gather and sleep in the same bed when they were young because they just didn't have any room and just had to make do with what they had," David Bendt said. As the eldest boy, William Bendt felt it was his responsibility to provide for his family in any way he could. At 17, he tried to get a job at the Naval Shipyard but was told he was too young. Never one to take no for an answer, he came back the next day, said he was 18 and got to work. The war years In 1943, Bendt answered the call to duty. He was drafted into the Army and he was pleased to do it, later detailing his service in a lengthy personal account. He spent years on the backs of tanks, in muddy foxholes and under siege of mortar fire. He detailed the moments following D-Day, on the shores of Omaha Beach. It was his "introduction to war." "An extremely uncomfortable feeling to say the least," Bendt wrote. In Germany, Bendt arrived at the Rhine River at the very moment a bridge was destroyed by German forces. Shortly thereafter, under constant machine gun fire, Bendt was captured by the Germans. HARRISBURG Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and Republican David McCormick will be the only eligible names on ballots for the office in Pennsylvanias April primary after a ruling Friday by the states highest court. The ruling completed the third of three successful court challenges to the paperwork of three relatively unknown candidates, all but guaranteeing uncontested victories for Casey and McCormick in their primary elections on April 23. The November contest between Casey and McCormick is expected to be one of the nations most expensive and closely watched in a year when Democrats have a difficult 2024 Senate map that requires them to defend incumbents in red states and multiple swing states. Casey is running for a fourth term against McCormick, a former hedge fund CEO who is endorsed by the state Republican Party and narrowly lost the 2022 GOP primary to Dr. Mehmet Oz. The state Supreme Court rejected an appeal from a Republican candidate, Joe Vodvarka, who had been ordered off primary ballots by a lower court that found he had not received enough voter signatures to qualify. Vodvarka had appealed, arguing that he must be allowed onto primary ballots because the Republican voters who had challenged his petitions had not advised the state elections office of their legal challenge, as they are required to do by law. The state Supreme Court, in its two-line order, did not explain its decision. Courts earlier in March had already granted challenges to the paperwork of two other candidates filing for the primary ballot for U.S. Senate. Both Brandi Tomasetti, a Republican from Lancaster County, and William Parker, a Democrat from Allegheny County, were ordered off ballots. I just put the Stars and Stripes back up outside my house. Though hard winds keep blowing it down, I put it up again. Having it regularly knocked down has me reflecting on what it means to be American in 2024. Read moreCommentary: Why I put my US flag back up again even as the hard winds blow As Salvatore LoGrande fought cancer and all the pain that came with it, his daughters promised to keep him in the white, pitched roof house he worked so hard to buy decades ago. So, Sandy LoGrande thought it was a mistake when, a year after her fathers death, Massachusetts billed her $177,000 for her fathers Medicaid expenses and threatened to sue for his home if she didnt pay up quickly. The home was everything, to her father, said LoGrande, 57. But the bill and accompanying threat werent a mistake. Rather, it was part of a routine process the federal government requires of every state: to recover money from the assets of dead people who, in their final years, relied on Medicaid, the taxpayer-funded health insurance for the poorest Americans. A persons home is typically exempt from qualifying for Medicaid. But it is subject to the estate recovery process for those who were over 55 and used Medicaid to pay for long-term care such as nursing home stays or in-home health care. This month, a Democratic lawmaker proposed scuttling the cruel program altogether. Critics argue the program collects too little roughly 1% of the more than $150 billion Medicaid spends yearly on long-term care. They also say many states fail to warn people who sign up for Medicaid that big bills and claims to their property might await their families once they die. LoGrande says thats how she ended up in a two-year legal battle with Massachusetts after her father died. Several years before he died in 2016, she had turned to a local nonprofit for advice on caring for her elderly father. The group suggested she sign him up for Medicaid. She even remembers asking about the house, but was assured the state would only seek the house if it sent her father to a nursing home. For years, her father got an annual renewal notice from the states Medicaid office. She says it wasnt until after his death, when the states demand for $177,000 arrived, that she saw the first bill for his care, which included a brief stint in the hospital for pain from cancer, medications and hospice. Thats what ripped my guts out, LoGrande said. It was dishonest. The state settled with the LoGrandes in 2019 and released its claim on the house. State policies around this recovery process vary widely, according to a 2021 report from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, which makes policy recommendations to Congress. Some states will put a lien a legal right on a home while others dont. Meanwhile, some Medicaid offices try to recoup all medical costs from patients, like doctor visits or prescriptions, while others just pursue the costs for long-term care. Alaska and Arizona pursued just dozens of properties in recent years while other states go after thousands of homes, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. New York and Ohio topped the country for such collections, recovering more than $100 million combined in a single year, a Dayton Daily News investigation found. Last month, a foundation for one of the industrys biggest health insurance giants called on Massachusetts to overhaul its process, which includes collecting reimbursement for most Medicaid costs, beyond the federal governments minimum requirement to recover long-term care expenses. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of Massachusetts recommended the state Legislature pass a law that would prohibit those additional collections. In Tennessee, which recovered more than $38.2 million from more than 8,100 estates last year, Imani Mfalme found herself in a similar predicament after her mothers death in 2021. As her mothers early-onset Alzheimers worsened, Mfalme continued to care for her. But in 2015, when Mfalme was diagnosed with breast cancer and needed a double mastectomy, she started looking at other options. She hosted a meeting in her mothers home with the local Medicaid office. The representative told her to drain her mothers bank accounts money Mfalme poured into assisted living facility payments for her mom so her mother would qualify for the program. The representative, Mfalme said, made no mention that she could be forced to sell the house to settle her mothers bill with Medicaid once she died. Now, Tennessees Medicaid office says she owes $225,000 and the state is seeking a court order that would require Mfalme to sell the house to pay up. Mfalme, now 42, said she wants to pay what she can, but the house is a particular pain point. Her mother, a Black woman, purchased her dream home in Knoxville after she won a discrimination lawsuit against her former employer, Boeing, for paying her less than her male co-workers. The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commissions report recommended that Congress reverse the 1993 law that required states to recover money from estates, instead making it optional. Earlier this month, Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois reintroduced legislation that would end the federal governments mandate. Schakowsky believes the rule is a losing proposition for families, who give up their homes, and taxpayers, who dont see big returns from the recovery efforts. It is one of the most cruel, ineffective programs that we see, Schakowsky said. This is a program that doesnt work for anybody. The governments of Edo, Delta, Ondo, and Ekiti states have informed the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) of their intention to exercise shareholder rights in the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC). The state governments noted that the decision is to ensure the efficient provision of electricity services to citizens. This was disclosed in a letter dated 18 March, addressed to the Executive Chairman of NERC, Sanusi Garba. The letter was jointly signed by the Commissioner for Energy in Delta State, Jerry Ehiwairor; the Commissioner for Mining and Energy in Edo State, Enaholo Ojeifoh; the Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities in Ekiti State, Mobolaji Aluko; and the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources in Ondo State, Razaq Obe. The officials signed the letter on behalf of the state governments. The letter titled Notification of intent to exercise shareholder rights in the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) was also sent to the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, Shamsuddeen Usman, Chairman, Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), Director General, Nigeria Governors Forum, Chairman, Senate Committee on Power and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Power. We write to formally inform the NERC (the Commission) of the intent of the governments of Delta State, Edo State, Ekiti State and Ondo State (the BEDC State Governments) regarding our collective residual equity in the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC). After a thorough evaluation of the operational deficiencies and service delivery failures to our states, the BEDC state governments intend to exercise our shareholder rights in BEDC, to ensure the efficient provision of electricity services to our citizens, the letter reads in part. The state governments said the provision of reliable electricity to enhance the welfare and development of people is a core priority of the government. As such, we cannot afford to overlook the critical importance of ensuring that electricity distribution services provided by BEDC meet the needs and expectations of our populace henceforth, the letter reads. The state governments explained that in exercising their shareholder rights, they intend to actively participate in the decision-making processes of BEDC both at the board and management level of the company, to strengthen operations of the company and enhance service delivery, improve operational efficiency, increase electricity access to unserved and underserved communities, and ultimately, transform the electricity sector within the states. Please note that our demand is not capricious and merely wishes to correct a historical lapse. We wish to emphasize that at no point did the BEDC State government give any Power of Attorney (PoA) to either the Federal Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOF) or the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) with respect to our shareholding in the PHCN successor Benin Electricity Distribution Company, or the post-privatized entity. It has come to our notice that the commission intends to exercise a regulatory takeover of BEDC by March 31, 2024. The commission is kindly requested to formally notify the BEDC State governments before taking any regulatory action to appoint new directors and a management team for the company. We also urge the commission to immediately commence the process of unbundling BEDC into its operational areas along state boundaries, it said. The state governments further assured the commission of their support and cooperation in exercising any regulatory action against BEDC and its core investor, provided their rights as shareholders in the company are not breached. Lastly, the state governments requested a meeting with the commission to discuss its intention as outlined in the letter in order to exercise our rights in the company with a view to working out how these rights will be exercised under the commissions regulatory oversight and for the benefit of all stakeholders involved. Expert speaks Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES, on Wednesday, the Chief Executive Officer of New Hampshire Capital Limited, Odion Omonfoman, said it is a welcome development for the states to have direct representatives on the board of distribution companies (DisCos). He explained that one of the mistakes of privatisation is excluding the states from having any form of representation on the board and management of DisCos. The governments that were on ground were not represented in the operations of the utility that provided services to the citizens within the state. Issues of electricity theft, meter bypass, and vandalisation of electricity equipment are things that the government at the state and local levels are able to deal with but what we have is a situation whereby NERC in Abuja is trying to deal with these matters without any success. Other issues like the quality of customer service enforcing standards and customer rights are better done at the state level not by NERC sitting in Abuja and sending people all over or having NERC forum offices that are best are completely inefficient and ineffective. Right, so states, now claiming their equity rights, shareholder rights in the utilities they have equity in is long past due and I think its high time that it happens. Again, the Electricity Act also creates a state electricity market. Its a good sign and its supported under the Electricity Act, he said. He, however, suggested that more states should start to claim their shareholder rights in the utilities that operate within their states territories, and this should see improvement in the service quality of these utilities going forward. He noted that many states have also been investing in electricity utilities. States have made the largest investment in providing transformers, and feeders for communities and individuals where this utility serves. Sadly, these utilities, we claim them as their assets without any form of compensation to the State that actually funded these assets. So, all in all, great development by the four states under BEDC, he said. President Bola Tinubu had in June last year assented to the electricity bill, which authorizes states, companies and individuals to generate, transmit and distribute electricity. The new electricity law repeals the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA) which was signed by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005. The EPSRA (2005) provided the legal, regulatory and governance frameworks underpinning the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). The new Act signed by Mr Tinubu consolidates all legislations dealing with the electricity supply industry to provide an omnibus and ideal institutional framework to guide the post-privatization phase of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry and encourage private sector investments in the industry. It also provides a framework for the improvement of access to electricity in rural, unserved, underserved, peri-urban and urban areas through the use of conventional sources and renewable energy off-grid and mini-grid solutions. With the new law, states would be able to issue licenses to private investors who can operate mini-grids and power plants but such state licenses are not to extend to inter-state or transnational distribution of electricity. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The publisher/editor-in-chief of YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine, Azuh Arinze, has just rounded off work on two new books. Titled Anything And Everything Journalism and My Story Of Many Colours, the first book is basically a journalism Bible, featuring 37 accomplished journalists cutting across print, broadcast and online, who shared their success stories as well as the numerous challenges they overcame. The second book, My Story Of Many Colours, parades a pot pourri of experiences including the authors one-on-one encounters with the likes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Peter Obi, Anyim Pius Anyim, Ken Nnamani, Aminu Tambuwal, Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, Michael Olawale-Cole, Michael Omolayole, Kola Abiola, among many others. Anything And Everything Journalism has 448 pages while My Story Of Many Colours contains nearly 200 pages. Both books will be presented to the public on Monday, 25 March, 2024, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, at 11 a.m. Among the dignitaries expected are Dakuku Peterside, former DG, NIMASA (chairman); Uche Nworah, Ph.D, former MD, Anambra Broadcasting Service (books reviewer); HRM Oba Michael Odunayo Ajayi, Elerinmo of Erinmo Kingdom (Royal Father of the day); Bimbo Ashiru, Chairman, Odua Investment Company Nigeria Limited (books presenter) and Onyeka Onwenu, MFR, a renowned musician (mother of the day). Also being expected are Rotarian Ify Ejezie, District Governor, Rotary International, District 9110; Rotarian Wole Kukoyi, Incoming District Governor, Rotary International, District 9111; Rotarian Femi Adenekan, Incoming District Governor, Rotary International District 9112; Rotarian Omotunde Lawson, First Female District Governor, Rotary International, District 9110; veteran broadcaster and BISCON Communications boss, Bisi Olatilo; Udeme Ufot, GCEO of SO&U Advertising; Ovation International magazine publisher, Dele Momodu; Encomium magazine CEO, Kunle Bakare and Tunji Olugbodi, Executive Vice Chairman, Verdant Zeal. Equally expected are Eze Anaba, president, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Christopher Isiguzo, MFR, president, Nigerian Union of Journalists, Maureen Chigbo, president, Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, Femi Adesina, former presidential spokesman and Ali M. Ali, MD, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), among others. The event will be anchored by gifted comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka 1st. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The General Overseer of the Christ Embassy Church, Chris Oyakhilome, is trending for making startling claims that have set social media abuzz. The 60-year-old clergyman claims his church has witnessed over 50 dead people being brought back to life. Mr Oyakhilome said this during a three-day healing livestream on his churchs station, LoveWorld USA. The three-day programme held from 15 to 17 March 2024. In a live video of the churchs programme, shared on LoveWorld USA Facebook page on 17 March, Mr Oyakhilome said these resurrections included people of various ages and nationalities. He said, In the last year, we have had more than 50 people raised from the dead, more than 50 people. How do you explain such things? Both old and young, in various countries, how do you explain? What will you use to explain this? Including the ones that happened inside the hospital to the amazement of doctors and nurses; how do you explain this? the cleric said. He also joked about how skeptics might struggle to explain such extraordinary events, teasing that they might think the revived individuals somehow bought their way back from the afterlife. Mr Oyakhilome said, Maybe we bribed them ( the dead people) in hell or in heaven to come back. You know, people sometimes say we bribe people. So maybe we bribed the dead people to come back to life, wouldnt that be wonderful? The truth is settled forever. Critics The tele-evangelist also said that several people were angry because of the miracles performed by the church on television. He said, Years ago, those particularly from the pharmaceutical industry put pressure on the government of certain countries to stop ministers who prayed for the sick on television. They put pressure on regulatory bodies in various countries to outlaw miracle programmes and healing programmes on television. They came up with stupid things like spurious claims and so on, and even today, several of those countries still have some of those things in their regulatory laws, but you know, God is greater and wiser than men. We couldnt be stopped; all those challenges created for us, new opportunities and greater opportunities for God. Reacting to the claims, Daddy Freeze publicly appealed to the pastor to include Mohbad and Mr Ibu in the individuals raised from the dead. He said,God bless you abundantly, sir. Can you please add Mohbad and Mr Ibu to the list? Thank you in anticipation of your support. Mr Oyakhilome is not a stranger to controversies. In March 2020, he made news headlines when he claimed the 5G network and not coronavirus was what was killing people. In the video, Mr Oyakhilome also stated that the lockdown was to enable the federal government to install 5G in Abuja and Lagos. He told his members in a sermon that 5G was part of the new world order where some figures of authority in the world were trying to build a religion, economy, and government for the entire universe. But the three clerics, Poju Oyemade, Sam Adeyemi, and Matthew Ashimolowo, debunked Mr Oyakhilomes claims at separate fora. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print As seven million Senegalese go to the polls on Sunday, the Police have identified the social media and candidates who insist their supporters remain at polling units to guard their votes, as the most likely source of security breach during the elections. Although Senegal is generally considered one of the safest places in the sub-region, a police commissioner and the head of planning and operations of the national police, Omar Mbaye, said there are no absolutes when it comes to matters of security especially with elections happening after such a tense period in the country. Mr. Mbaye who was giving a security assessment of the possible threats to the smooth conduct of the polls to members of the ECOWAS election observer group in Dakar, added that other likely threats might come in connection with the disenfranchised 700,000 voters, who for some reasons were not captured by the voter register, and from elements of the rebel groups which operate sporadically on secondary roads at night. He said the trouble spots were usually border towns in the south of the country and although members of the armed forces have been deployed to patrol the areas it is safer to avoid such roads after dark. The Police Commissioner also rued the recent change in the nature of demonstrations in Senegal which has turned increasingly violent, with damage to property and loss of lives, as another cause for concern. He said what used to be a few dozen people chanting slogans and holding placards had of recent taken the shape of almost a guerrilla warfare with massive crowd brutalising people and burning down businesses and buildings leading to loss of lives. According to the police chief, although the deplorable situation was recently ameliorated by the release of political detainees on 14 March, misinformation from social media, especially a new phenomenon where people make live broadcasts misrepresenting events at polling stations may yet ignite violence. Commissioner Mbaye pointed out that another recent development where political parties in Senegal have taken to bussing their supporters to polling units may cause friction when opponents confuse such people for illegal voters imported to rig elections. The commissioner, who said he was quite confident of the ability of the security agencies to contain any situation that may arise, said the police has deployed over 10,000 police officers across the country to ensure the safety of lives and guarantee free and safe elections. He said as part of its operational guidelines, the security forces have secured the national borders to avoid the importation of foreigners from neighbouring countries to interfere with the voting process. He estimated that the most difficult period would probably be after the declaration of results when any of the two candidates expected to lead the pack fails to secure the expected votes. Too Close to Call In Senegal There is no clear front-runner in Sundays polls and the presidential election is generally expected to go into a run off. According to the laws, if no candidate was able to get a clear majority or more than 50 per cent of the votes, a run-off will take place one month after, following the departure of President Macky Salls whose term ends on April 2. The nations constitution stipulates that in that event the Speaker of the parliament, Amadou Mame Dipo, would act as interim president of the federation. It would be recalled that in the last parliamentary election, no party won an outright majority, which was a radical departure from the past. Tomorrows election, which has 19 people on the ballot, including the sole woman, Anta Babacar Ngom, is in reality a contest between the incumbent presidents preferred candidate and former Prime Minister, Amadou Ba, 62, of the ruling Bennita Yakaar Party, and Bassirou Diomaye Faye of PASTEF. Mr Faye was recently released from prison after nearly one year of detention without trial for public incitement. Part of his radical campaign message includes the promise to replace French-backed West African currency, CFA, and the renegotiation of previous oil and gas contracts. He rides on the support of Senegals foremost opposition figure, Ousmane Sonko who has been barred from contesting the elections and has therefore galvanized votes for Mr Faye. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The sunrise over Zabarmari village was beautiful in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State, but it offered no comfort to Fatima Sani, a 22-year-old woman in labour. Her baby was coming, but the nearest health centre her only hope was closed. Fatima had done everything right. She attended prenatal care and knew when her baby was due. Sadly, she never expected to travel 20 kilometres for delivery, passing three closed health centres along the way. Tragically, after a long struggle, Fatima lost what would have been her firstborn at Maryam Abacha Women and Childrens Hospital in Muna, a community along Dikwa Road, Maiduguri. While relatives mourned and cried, Fatimas sister-in-law, Aisha Mustapha, a 28-year-old resident of Zabarmari, through tears, shared the heartbreaking news of their journey for a safe delivery ending in a devastating stillbirth. Before the childs death Fatima had earlier attended the Dalaram Old Maiduguri Primary Healthcare Centre- 15 kilometres away from her community. As of 2p.m the PHC had only community healthcare workers on duty who couldnt handle the childbirth. Desperate for help, Fatima had to travel another six kilometres, even as she had provided all the items requested by the PHC. They started basic care and gave her an IV drip we bought, Aisha explained. But then, their shift endedthey dont work at night. We had to go somewhere else. They recommended Maryam Abacha Hospital. This reporters visit to Zabarmari PHC confirmed what residents feared: its not there when people need it. The PHC, meant to serve over 15,000 people, was deserted by 1 p.m., with only security officials at the gate. Signs outside the health facility advertise childbirth services, HIV care, and more but its all useless as all the doors are closed. Similarly, the Shuwari community boasts a well-built primary healthcare (PHC) centre, but operation hours remain a critical concern. Operating under the Jere LGA PHCs and managed by the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA), the facility serves residents for less than 10 hours daily. Babagana Mustapha, a 28-year-old community health worker at the PHC, said: Nighttime emergencies are impossible to handle, and we urge the government to address this limitation. Also, in Muna IDP Camp PHC, limited operating hours (8 a.m. 3 p.m.) further complicate matters. According to 28-year-old Falmata Usman, even for childbirth, you might need to buy items, and sometimes they refer you to the Lake Chad hospital. People go where they can find solutions, said Falmata. Hundreds of internally displaced people (IDPs) call the Muna camp home, with over 2,000 relying on its sole health facility. While this reporter found the clinic clean and well-ventilated, two non-functional motorcycle ambulances outside painted a contrasting picture. Laudable infrastructure, limited services Nigeria has clear guidelines for its Primary Healthcare (PHC) centres. These guidelines outline staffing, equipment, medicine, and even operating hours needed to bring essential care to communities. PHCs offer more access to qualified professionals, making healthcare available to more people. According to the approved budgets of the Borno State Government, the state had invested over N7 billion in its Primary Healthcare (PHC) programme from 2020 to 2023, with significant allocation towards infrastructure and additional midwife recruitment in 2021. In May 2023, Leadership reported that Borno State won a $1.2 million award for PHC leadership. The award, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Aliko Dangote Foundation, aims to strengthen the states healthcare sector. Despite the injection of funds in Borno States Primary Healthcare (PHC) system, access to essential drugs and services remains a significant concern in some communities. This reporter visited 10 PHCs in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere Local Government Area, including Auno, Dalaram, Zabarmari, 707, Wulari, Nana Kashim Premier, Mairi, Shuwari, Muna, 202, and Yerwa. Sadly, some still fall short of Nigerias Minimum Standard for Primary Healthcare despite investments in infrastructure. The Zabarmari PHC tragically illustrates this failure. It wasnt just Fatima who suffered from delays, unprofessionalism, lack of essential drugs, and a critical shortage of doctors. Such preventable tragedies remain far too familiar. The World Health Organization (WHO) directly links these problems to needless maternal and newborn deaths. This clinic is one of the oldest around, says 30-year-old Zabarmari resident, Babagana Mustapha. It should have been upgraded with better staff by now. I only take my kids there for headaches, and only in the morning. For anything serious, I go all the way into town, Mr Babagana explained. The Zabarmari PHC needs a basic ambulance tricycle for faster transport to better hospitals. Without doctors, a quicker transfer could still make a difference. This raises serious concerns about access to emergency care. Auno, a small community outside Maiduguri, in Jere LGA, also shares a heartbreaking reality: its PHC is under-equipped. We lack doctors and necessities like water, admits Zanna Sheriff, head of the Auno PHC. I often spend my money on water for deliveries and other essential needs. Similarly, in Auno, Lawan Goni, a 60-year-old resident, was forced to take his sick son to a distant town hospital for malaria treatment. I dont regret the trip, says Goni. He knew his son wouldnt receive the care he needed at the local PHC. Maryam Idris, a 30-year-old resident near the Auno Health Centre, feels frustrated. Despite the centres convenient location, shes stopped visiting due to what she sees as inadequate drug supplies. They hardly ever give out medication, she explains. They might give you a prescription for a weeks worth of drugs but then tell you to buy them yourself. This has been a major problem, especially when her two-year-old daughter was sick. The centre could only offer paracetamol, leaving her questioning if they didnt have more resources. Lack of essential drugs Its important to understand that primary health centres do have limitations. However, they are meant to give special attention to those most in need pregnant women, children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and those in poverty. Nana Kashim PHC manager, Yakawu Mustapha, acknowledges the centre tries to do this, even with limited resources. Mr Mustapha said they prioritise the most vulnerable members of society, providing them with free services. However, she explained: The PHC is meant to serve the immediate community as other PHCs are serving other communities. This means they turn away other community members in need. PHCs are meant to offer almost free healthcare for the most vulnerable, but the reality is often different. Some residents still end up paying for essential drugs or services they cant afford. Aisha faced this challenge at Dalaram PHC. She said they lack basic birthing supplies like gloves and lotion things every delivery needs. They charge here, and we had no money, she said. Thankfully, older women helped her negotiate fees, and she paid N2,500 for the supplies for an unsuccessful childbirth. Even the Maryam Abacha Women and Children Hospital, managed by the Borno State Health Management Board and meant for specialised care, wasnt free. They asked where we came from, Aisha recalled the desperation. She even showed Fatimas prenatal records to get a bed. Still, Aisha paid for essentials like gloves and syringes. Some I had to buy outside, she added. A N2,000 discharge fee was paid for Fatima, but the delivery ward worker needed help to provide a receipt, leaving them confused. According to a report by Dailytrust, two years earlier, the government had reaffirmed its commitment to healthcare reform, proudly announcing new staff quarters, recruitment drives, and additional maternal supplies for free care at the Maryam Abacha hospital. Yet, reality presented a stark contrast. Halima Isah, 28, lives in the 202 Housing Estate and sometimes gets prescriptions to buy drugs outside the PHC. However, shes never charged fees for services at this facility. This reporter observed women at the 202 PHC who travelled up to 10 kilometres to get there. Rukayya Sani, 27, from Wadiya, said she prefers this location because its free, unlike the PHC in her community, where she pays for certain things. Safiya Goni, 30, from Custom Area, also confirms paying for some services in the PHC located in her community. Meanwhile, Husseina Liman from Mairi was referred to the 202 PHC and told that everything was given free. However, Ummi Mustapha, a nurse at 202 PHC, said: Drugs and all essential services in this facility are free of charge; not even client cards are being sold. Shes saddened to hear that other PHCs charge for services. Ms Mustapha believes that other PHCs charging for items like syringes and gloves are why people from nearby communities come to the 202 PHC instead. She said all allocations of drugs and other medical items are equally distributed across PHCs in Borno State. So there should be no reason for charges. A midwife assistant at the Shuwari PHC, Aishatu Abba, said the centre doesnt have necessary items to give the women after childbirth. She said the PHC also has no water. We cant give the patients standard health care because we dont have the essentials in the PHC, Mrs Abba said. Similarly, when in February this reporter visited the Muna IDP camp PHC, which was renovated and maintained by the State Primary Health Care Development Agency with UNICEF support, residents complained of a week-long absence of medications. Doctors prescribe medications for patients to purchase, although previously drugs were provided here, said Abbah Modu, a 40-year-old Muna resident and PHC cleaner. The Muna IDP facility has two small buildings, a delivery room, a consulting area, and a pharmacy that attend to hundreds of IDPs who are yet to be resettled by the government. Residents like Falmata shared their frustration. Despite a severe fever, sometimes all I get is paracetamol, she said. Most of us head to the Lake Chad hospital instead. They often prescribe drugs we must buy ourselves. Seeking answers This reporter wrote to the Borno State Primary Health Development Agency (SPHDA) for an official reaction to the report. After a follow-up, the reporter was directed to the agencys Director of Planning, Research and Statistics. However, the director said he would only speak with clearance from the Borno State Ministry of Health. This reporter also submitted a proposal to the Ministrys ethics committee but was yet to receive a response as of the time of filing this report. Similarly, efforts to interview the officials in Jere LGA in charge of PHCs yielded no results as a letter seeking clarifications and possible interviews was not replied to. A staffer of the LGA, who asked to be anonymous, said the director might be available after a scheduled tour with the new Jere LGA chairperson. However, Shettima Abdulazeez, Director of PHCs in MMC LGA, did address staffing issues. He admits healthcare worker shortages are a global problem, including in Maiduguri. However, he insists that MMC facilities are working and are accessible for the public. Mr Abdulazeez emphasised that facilitys workers are well-trained and that they refer complex cases and follow up with patients. We want people to know they can freely access these facilities. We have about 26 functional PHCs in MMC, the official said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print 1 2024 : 1918 (), 998 . 1924 5 , 9 . 1955 . 1976 Apple. The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on Friday announced the release of the results of the first-ever Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB- WASSCE) for private candidates, 2024 series. According to the examination body, a total of 2,519 candidates, amounting to 30.95 per cent of the 8,139 candidates who sat the examination at 140 CBT centres across the country, obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics. WAEC noted that 3,424 candidates representing 42.07 per cent obtained credit and above in a minimum of five subjects (with or without English Language and/or Mathematics). The entry figure (8,362) of the examination which was conducted between Wednesday, 31 January and Saturday, 17 February, showed a 4.30 per cent decrease in candidature when compared with the 2023 entry figure of 8,738. More details Announcing the results in a statement signed by the Acting Head of the Public Affairs Unit, Moyosola Adesina, the Head of Nigerias Office of WAEC, Amos Dangut, said 3,862, amounting to 47.45 per cent of the total number of candidates that sat the examination were male, while 4,277, amounting to 52.55 per cent of the candidates were female. Amongst the candidates that sat the examination, the statement noted that 21 were with varying degrees of special needs. Nine were visually challenged, two had impaired hearing and two were albinos, WAEC said. The examination body also noted that a total of 459 examiners participated in the coordination and marking exercise. Withheld results, decrease in malpractice The examination body further noted that the results of 65 candidates, representing 0.80 per cent of the total number of candidates that sat the examination, are being withheld for various reported cases of examination malpractice. It, however, admitted that the CBT examination method for WASSCE drastically reduced examination malpractices, when compared to reported cases of 413 candidates (4.95 per cent) recorded for WASSCE for private candidates in the 2023-first series. These reported cases are being investigated and reports of the investigations will be presented to the appropriate committee of the Council for consideration, it noted. Thereafter, the committees decisions will be communicated directly to the affected candidates. Criticisms WAEC had in November 2023 announced that it had concluded plans to conduct its WASSCE for private candidates using the computer-based model, which was met with criticism from Nigerians. The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYF), a northern Nigerian pressure group, called for the rejection of the new model. The group said in a statement by its President, Yerima Shettima, that the new model would result in mass failure for students, especially those in rural areas and who have little or no computer skills. It suggested that the CBT exams should have been optional, allowing candidates to choose between the pen-and-pencil format and the computer-based model. However, in reaction to the criticism, WAEC said the agitation was unnecessary, saying all necessary measures had been put in place to ensure fairness, justice and inclusion. Reacting to the development at the time, Mr Dangut said the examination would be delivered in hybrid mode where all questions are projected on the computer. He noted that the candidates are to respond on the screen, while they give their responses to the essays and practical questions using the answer booklets provided. WAEC Nigeria, in keeping with its vision of being a world-class examining body and its core value of innovation, has taken this bold step to offer candidates a viable alternative to the pen and paper model of examinations while giving its stakeholders and public, a view of the great potentials that exist in computer-based approach to assessments, he noted. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print At least 40 people were killed and over 100 injured when gunmen attacked the Crocus City Hall concert centre near Moscow, officials have said. The Friday attack has been condemned by the Russian government while Ukraine, which is at war with Russia, has denied any responsibility for the attack. The attackers dressed in camouflaged outfits to enter the building, witnesses told journalists. They shot indiscriminately and also threw a grenade. The Russian government has described the attack as a terrorist attack. The shooters were yet to be apprehended at the time of this report but the global terror group, ISIS, has claimed responsibility for the attack. READ ALSO: Explosion at Russian power plant leaves 18 injured ISIS fighters attacked a large gathering on the outskirts of the Russian capital Moscow, the group said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app, according to Al Arabiya. Russias foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the incident as a terrorist attack. The whole international community must condemn this odious crime, she wrote on Telegram. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Labour Party (LP) has petitioned the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) over Wednesdays vandalisation of its office by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). Obiora Ifoh, the LP national publicity secretary, in the petition made available to journalists on Friday in Abuja, said it had become unavoidably necessary to request for urgent intervention being the Regulatory Agency for trade unions, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). The NLC had on Wednesday picketted the national headquarters of the party. Members of the NLC picketted the LP office located at the Utako area of Abuja about one week after its leadership accused the party of planning a secret national convention in Abia State to re-elect the national chairman, Julius Abure, as sole administrator. In its reaction, the LP accused the President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, of desperately seeking to replace Mr Abure. Petition In the petition to the SGF, the party said the NLC has no right to picket an organisation where there is no trade dispute. It also said the action of the congress was a clear violation of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, the Trade Union Act and other relevant laws. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has over the years engaged in a war of attrition with our party. It came to a head and unbearable when the NLC, under the leadership of Comrade Joe Ajeoro, directed the picketing of our partys national headquarters and our chapter offices across the country. The unwarranted attack in our office resulted in the destruction of several properties, Mr Ifoh said. He added:The NLC claims to be owners of the party and therefore wants to impose the leadership of the party, exerts overwhelming control to achieve a political end. It should be noted that Section 221 of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) prohibits any association from contributing to the funds of any political party. It is a criminal offence under section 15 of the Trade Union Act to use Trade Unions Funds whether directly or indirectly to fund a political party. Similarly, the NLC has no right to picket an organisation where there is no trade dispute, The LP has no staff who are members of the NLC. The actions of the NLC is a clear violation of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, the Trade Union Act and other relevant laws. It is of importance to further draw your attention to the fact that it is only members who are financially up to date with the party, who have rights and obligations to in the party (See Article 9(3)(i) and (iii) of our constitution). NLC members are not card-carrying members of LP. The party cannot be owned by any association, membership of the party is on individual basis. The LP Constitution says the party is open to all Nigerians who accept its ideology, programmes and the constitution, irrespective of their religion, ethnic, gender, social and economic status. However, the organs of the party as decided by the members assume leadership of the party. How this is achieved is well spelt out in the constitution. As lawful citizens we didnt want to confront them in an uncivilised manner in order to avoid breakdown of law and order. We had the option of also mobilising party faithful to confront them. Doing that at this point where the harsh economic climate is having its toll on the Nigerian people will result to anarchy. Hence, the urgent need to call the NLC and its leadership led by Ajaero to order, educate them on the limit of their power, condemn their rascality, abuse of office and discipline them as appropriate. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Seventeen pupils abducted two weeks ago from a Tsangaya school in Gidan Baya in Gada Local Government Area of Sokoto State have been released PREMIUM TIMES reported how terrorists abducted the children on 9 March from a Tsangaya school a traditional facility for the teaching of the Quran and Islamic knowledge. The Sokoto State government on Saturday said the children were rescued by the Nigerian Army in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser. However, the government did not state whether the release of the children involved the payment of a ransom to their abductors. The governors spokesperson, Abubakar Bawa, announced the rescue of the children through a statement. The Nigerian Army, in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser, has successfully rescued the 17 Tsangaya pupils, abducted by bandits in Gada Local Government about two weeks ago. This came to the fore when the military presented the 17 rescued children and a lady to the Sokoto State Governor, Dr Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto. Speaking at a brief occasion to receive the rescued victims, Governor Ahmed Aliyu commended the military and the Office of the National Security Adviser for successfully rescuing the abducted children. He added that all the rescued children have been subjected to medical examination to ascertain their health condition. All the children have been found healthy and are ready to be reunited with their parents, he added. The governor also announced a donation of two bags of grains and N100,000 to each of the rescued abductees. I want to use this medium to call on people of the state to continue to support the present administration in its quest to fully secure the state, Mr Bawa quoted the governor saying. He said the governor also stressed the need for the people to always cooperate with the various security operatives, especially on credible intelligence gathering to nip banditry and other crimes in the bud in the state. Earlier, the Garrison Commander 8 Division Nigerian Army Sokoto, Gen. Tawasimi, commended the State Governor for his unflinching support to the military especially in the task of ridding the state of banditry. He restated the commitment of the Nigerian Army to making Sokoto a secure place and appealed for more support from the public, the statement said. The abduction in Sokoto came a few days after terrorists abducted 287 pupils of primary and secondary schools in Kuriga in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Those students are still being held by their abductors who have reportedly demanded a N1 billion ransom for their release. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has reiterated the federal governments plan to raise electricity generation from 3,500 megawatts to 6,500MW within the next three to six months. During a working visit to various power projects in Lagos on Friday, Mr Adelabu said the aim was to enhance power supply across the country to meet the growing energy demands. His visit included an inspection of the headquarters of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) and two 20 MVA injection substations at Randle, Surulere, along with Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) monitoring rooms. Mr Adelabu emphasised the urgency of boosting electricity generation capacity, stating, 3,500 megawatts is not acceptable, and we have plans to increase the capacity to a minimum of 6,000 to 6,500 within the next three to six months. He commended EKEDC for its achievements over the past decade and stressed the need for continuous improvement in the power sector to drive economic growth and development effectively. Highlighting the critical role of the power sector in industrial and economic development, Mr Adelabu compared Nigerias power generation capacity unfavourably to that of countries like Korea and China, underscoring the need for substantial improvement. Addressing challenges in the power sector, Mr Adelabu emphasised the importance of prioritising baseload power generation and gradually transitioning to cleaner energy sources to meet the nations energy needs effectively. He acknowledged the persisting complaints about power outages and urged stakeholders to work collaboratively to address these challenges and improve service delivery. Mr Adelabu outlined the governments strategy to prioritise service provision to customers in higher billing bands while gradually extending improved services to all segments through strategic infrastructure investments. Recognising the role of Distribution Companies (DisCos) in customer service, Mr Adelabu said it was important to ensure proactive engagement and efficient operations at this level to address consumer needs effectively. He stressed the need for comprehensive reforms and transformation in all segments of the power sector, focusing on issues such as metering, vandalism, debt collection, and customer relations. Mr Adelabu highlighted the necessity of stimulating demand through customer engagement to ensure effective utilisation of generated power and underscored the importance of efficient distribution to prevent wastage. The minister noted the governments commitment to enhancing the sectors performance through substantial investments in infrastructure and efficient customer response. In response to the ministers visit, Oritsedere Otubu, chairman of EKEDC, commended the governments efforts to improve power supply and expressed the companys commitment to supporting the initiative. Tinuade Sanda, CEO of EKEDC, said the company would continue to collaborate with government agencies and consumers to protect power assets and curb vandalism within its operations. Mrs Sanda said that the company, in the last six months, had invested over four billion naira on transformers, cables and rehabilitation over 352 feeders to ensure stable supply during the rainy season. She added that the debt profile of the company in the last 10 years stood at over N131 billion, inclusive of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). We also use this medium to appeal to our customers to pay their bills for effective service delivery. The MDAs outstanding debts to date stood at over N36 billion, adding that the DisCo will not hesitate to embark on mass disconnection of debtors, she added. She, however, said the company was ready to embark on mass disconnection of debtors, including government agencies with outstanding debts, to address the issue of unpaid bills. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, says his state is leading the efforts towards food security in Nigeria through its investments in the agricultural sector. The governor stated this while hosting a delegation from the Presidency at the Government House Dutse, on Thursday. The delegation was led by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and consisted of the media aides of President Bola Tinubu and heads of media agencies. Governor Namadi said the state has made investments in wheat, hibiscus, sesame, and gum Arabic production, and is playing a pivotal role in Nigerias journey towards food security and economic prosperity. Mr Namadi highlighted the states agricultural prospects which he noted made the federal government to flag off the National Wheat Development Programme in the state last November. He noted that the federal government will cultivate 100,000 hectares of wheat this dry season, as part of President Tinubus Renewed Hope Agenda. Mr Namadi said Jigawa State allocated 40,000 hectares of land to the wheat production programme, which the governor, said is aligned with his administrations 12-point agenda. Its a pleasure to showcase our strides in agriculture and food security to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubus administration in the attainment of food security. Were happy to witness the commissioning of Fadama Radio, a farmers enlightenment station in Auyo by the Federal Government, as part of a commitment to agricultural education and empowerment. With our abundant agricultural lands and dedicated leadership, Jigawa State is poised to lead Nigerias food security efforts, Mr Namadi said. The minister, Mr Idris, in his remarks, said he was impressed with the success of the federal governments dry season farming initiative in Jigawa. The minister said his team visited Auyo Local Government Area to see the efforts rice and wheat growers were making to ensure food security in the country. It is not out of nothing that the president changed the name of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security because it is only when you have food security that you can have any kind of security in this nation, Mr Idris said. He said his visit to Jigawa was a clear demonstration of President Tinubus commitment towards addressing the problems associated with food security, adding that his team was also in Auyo to confirm that the federal governments interventions were put to use as designed. He called on Nigerians to go back to the farm and enjoy the federal governments support in the entire agriculture value chain for the mass production of food in the country. You are aware of the kind of effort that the federal government is making through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in terms of support for inputs, soft loans and everything the farmers require so that they will achieve self-sufficiency. A few years ago the story wasnt like this, and with the kind of intervention that the federal government is doing Nigeria will attain its desired objective of food security, the minister said. With Mr Idris in the delegation were the heads of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ali M Ali; Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Salihu Dembos, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Mohammed Bulama, and Lanre Issa-Onilu of the National Orientation Agency (NOA). Others were Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Media, and Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, also a media aide to the president. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Emmanuel Ogalla, a vice admiral, has approved the appointment of Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu as the new director of Naval Information and official spokesperson for the Nigerian Navy. This contained in a statement by the Chief of Policy and Plans (Navy), Joseph Akpan, a rear admiral, on Friday in Abuja . Mr Adams-Aliu, a commodore, took over from Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, a rear admiral, who was deployed to Headquarters Naval Training Command as Chief Staff Officer. The new naval spokesperson, born on 15 December, 1977, graduated from the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1999, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry and was commissioned into the Nigerian Navy in 2000 as a member of 47 Regular Course. Mr Adams-Aliu has attended several professional courses including the Captain Career Course at the United States Army Infantry School, Atlanta, from 2007 to 2008. He also attended the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, for the Junior and Senior Staff Courses in 2004 and 2010 respectively. He later graduated from the Naval War College Nigeria in 2018 and the United States Naval War College in 2019. The new naval spokesperson commenced his naval career serving as Watch Keeping Officer onboard various Nigerian Navy Ships from 2000 to 2004, and was a military observer in the United Nations Mission in Liberia from 2011 2012. Mr Adams-Aliu was in charge of Nigerian Navy Ship BENIN and Squadron Commander of SHALDAG Boat squadron from 2013 to 2014. He served as the pioneer Commanding Officer, Nigerian Navy Ship KARADUWA, the second navy indigenous ship, between 2016 and 2018. From 2019 2020, he served as the Principal Staff Officer (Navy) to the then Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonisakin (rtd). Thereafter, from July 2020 to June 2021, he obtained a Master of Arts Degree in Strategic Security Studies from the National Defence University, Washington DC, where he won the 2021 Most Outstanding International Fellow award of the College of International Security Affairs. On his return to Nigeria, Mr Adams-Aliu was deployed as Directing Staff and Member of Faculty at the Naval War College Nigeria. In March 2023, he assumed office as the Commanding Officer Forward Operating Base Badagry, and was later appointed Deputy Director Plans at Naval Headquarters in January 2024. He was subsequently elevated to the post of Director Naval Information. His awards and decorations include Passed Staff Course, Meritorious Service Star, United Nations Medal, Nigerian Navy Command at Sea Badge, and Distinguished Fellow of the Naval War College. Mr Adams-Aliu is an associate member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management. He is also a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, the International Institute of Professional Security, and United States Naval Institute. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Worried by the impact of the ongoing strike by the university workers unions, the Education Writers Association of Nigeria (EWAN), a body of journalists across print, online and broadcast platforms, has scheduled a no-holds-barred forum to engage critical stakeholders including the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, a professor, among others, to stop the crisis from degenerating. The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and other Associated Institutions (NASU) had on Monday commenced a seven-day warning strike to press home a demand for the payment of members withheld four months salaries since 2022. The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) also, during the week, embarked on a warning strike over the same issue. The development, which disrupted activities across various campuses nationwide, reportedly led to the death of a student at the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, for being unable to access the institutions healthcare centre when he was ill. EWAN said the Presidents of both SSANU and NAAT, Muhammed Ibrahim, and Ibeji Nwokema, respectively, have confirmed their participation in the virtual programme. The association said the forum, which will take place via Zoom, is themed: Withheld Salaries Versus Labour Crises: The Way Forward, and scheduled to hold between 4p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, 24 March. Why EWANs intervention? According to the chairperson of the planning committee, Elizabeth Osayande, EWANs intervention became necessary towards gaining firsthand knowledge on the matter and reporting the issues fairly. Mrs Osayande said what Nigeria witnessed during the prolonged industrial actions by the university workers unions in 2022 was not palatable and that such an experience should not be allowed to repeat itself again. She said: As a body of journalists, we have a responsibility not just to report but to report fairly and possibly create avenues for stakeholders to engage and offer the public opportunities to intervene before matters degenerate. Shutting down the universities for about eight months in 2022 caused a major setback for the nations university education, and we cannot fold our arms to allow another round of indefinite industrial action to jeopardise the future of our country. Like every other person, journalists also have a role to play. Backstory The Nigerian government under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari withheld the salaries of university workers during an industrial action that lasted eight months in 2022. SSANU, NASU, NAAT and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) took part in the industrial action. But President Bola Tinubu in October directed the payment of four of the eight months withheld salaries for ASUU members, keeping mum as to the fate of the other non-teaching staff of the universities whose salaries were also withheld. The unions, therefore, declared a one-week strike that crippled activities across Nigerian universities from Monday. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has said that being a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) does not mean he has to insult President Bola Tinubu who is of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Mr Eno stated this on Friday when he received in Uyo many members of other political parties, including the APC, who defected to the PDP in the state, according to a statement by the governors spokesperson, Ekerete Udoh. Among those received into the PDP by the governor was a chieftain of the APC and a former House of Representatives member, Emmanuel Ukoette; a former spokesperson of the APC in Akwa Ibom, Nkereuwem Enyongekere; a former commissioner for Science and Technology in the state, Samuel Effanga; a former youth leader, the Young Progressives Party, Ubong Edem; former chairperson, Ukanafun Local Government council, Abasiono Udonfuk; and a former member, Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Mabel Udongwo. What Governor Eno said A lot of people have asked repeatedly: Are you in PDP? Yes! I am in PDP but my PDP is not the type that insults people, Governor Eno said to the defectors, most of them former PDP members who left the party to seek political fortunes in other parties during general elections. So I want to beg you as you come back, one of the things you must drop is lets not attack leaders. From the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we will and must show him support and respect. That is the PDP I run. We dont attack leadership because what goes round comes round. If I have a suggestion, I have access to the president, we will go and give our suggestions. We will support our leaders and we will not fight them. I am a pastor trained to respect people and we must continue to show that all-important character of humility, of compassion and of respect to constituted authority. That, I shall continue to do. I and our Party will continue to collaborate with the centre so that we can bring dividends of democracy to Akwa Ibom. I will not fight the centre. Nobody will fight the centre. That is the point and now that you are coming back, that is what we will maintain. We will give peace a chance, he said. Mr Eno said that his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel ran a peaceful administration, and that he (Eno) will continue to ensure peace in the state. Without peace, there can be no progress. So please for those of you that were abusing us, dont bring that spirit of abuse and begin to abuse people in authority. Please drop that spirit and lets work together. We have only one President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we owe him our allegiance. We must show respect, decency and loyalty. Thats why, everything that the president promised us, God will touch his heart and he will give it to us. You dont abuse somebody and then turn around and want to go and benefit from the person. Is that good? Standing firm in PDP Mr Eno, however, said that he and others were standing firm in the PDP in Akwa Ibom, apparently dispelling any misconception that could arise from his pledging of allegiance to President Tinubu. He advised the defectors against illegal meetings. Dont let anybody deceive you. Dont attend any illegal meetings, dont go. They call you in the night and say come to this place, someone wants to see you. That is a lie. According to the statement, the PDP chairperson in the state, Aniekan Akpan, welcomed the defectors to the party and urged them to work for the growth and expansion of the party. READ ALSO: Connect Initiative felicitates with Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State Godwin Ntukudeh, the political adviser to the governor, presented a register of over 40,000 new members to Governor Eno, the statement said. Since his inauguration as governor last year, Mr Eno has been preaching peace and collaboration between his administration and the APC-controlled federal government. It appears he is not willing as an opposition-controlled state to criticise the federal government. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The management and staff of FirstNews have commenced a fasting and prayer exercise to seek divine intervention for the release of their editor, Segun Olatunji. The latest effort is coming few days after, the media outfit wrote a letter to the Chief of Defence Staff, requesting him to help locate Mr Olatunji, who was whisked away from his Lagos home more than a week ago. In an internal memo, all staff of the organisation were directed to use tomorrows Sunday service to pray for the release of Segun Olatunji in your various churches. At this point, only God can secure his release. The memo further read: While we are still waiting on the authorities for positive response regarding his whereabouts, we have also decided to go spiritual by requesting all members of our staff to put in a special prayer request in their various places of worship tomorrow to call on God to intervene. Our request is a simple one: God, please bring Segun Olatunji back home safely to his family from the hand of abductors. This is a very trying period for us and the family. We are turning to prayer because all efforts to establish his whereabouts and those who are holding him captive have not yielded any result. We dont know what to do and who else to turn to for help. It does appear that the only sure bet now is to seek Gods help. Since the incident occurred, we have all been praying individually for his safe return. But now we have taken the decision to call for collective, corporate prayers and fasting until he is released and safely returned to his family. This Sunday in all our churches, we are requesting all our staff to raise prayer alters to specifically intercede for his release. It will be followed by a prayer chain to continue throughout the week involving all members of our staff until God answers our prayers. We invite members of the public, including friends and family members of our editor, to join us in this prayer chain. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Firefighting efforts in Central Virginia had successfully contained and extinguished multiple wildfires by the end of the week that had been ignited during the high winds this past Wednesday. Of the dozens of wildfires in Central Virginia, three active ones remained as of Saturday, according to the Wildland Fire Interagency Geospatial Service. All three, two in Albemarle County and one in Louisa County, were 100% contained. Contained means a fire is completely restricted to a certain area by established fire lines; it does not mean a fire is extinguished. Albemarle County officials reported its largest fire, the Taylors Gap Fire, was 100% contained by 1:30 p.m. Friday after burning through roughly 250 acres and destroying two structures, described as outbuildings. Those officials said the Virginia Department of Forestry, based in nearby Charlottesville, would continue to monitor the fire. Areas inside the fire lines can continue to smolder & produce smoke for days, the county said in a statement, but we anticipate the rain Friday night to cool the area and reduce the amount of smoke. The rain Friday night did come as a relief, to firefighters, property owners and the hundreds participating in the Charlottesville Ten Miler Saturday. By Saturday morning, the air quality in the Charlottesville area had improved from fair to good, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Air Quality Index. The two smaller fires in the Charlottesville area, the Piney Mountain Fire in northern Albemarle off U.S. 29 and the West Old Mountain Fire near Yanceyville in Louisa County, were both 100% contained as of Saturday. The 180-acre Piney Mountain Fire destroyed a single shed while the 450-acre West Old Mountain Fire ripped through a warehouse, woodshop and conference center before they were fully contained. The causes of all three active fires in the area remain under investigation. Multiple witnesses and first responders at the scenes of fires this past week blamed power lines downed during the high winds Wednesday. At least one of the fires, the Blackberry Hill Fire in northwest Albemarle, was caused by an open-air burn in violation of Virginia law. The property owner responsible for the burn has been charged, police said. While the fires in Central Virginia have largely been contained or totally extinguished, the blazes in the Shenandoah Valley next door continue to burn through thousands of acres of land. More than 100 wildfires were ignited in the valley during Wednesdays high winds. The Rocky Branch Fire in particular has grown in size exponentially, from 450 acres on Thursday to 1,200 acres by Friday. That fire, started outside the town of Luray in Page County on Wednesday, quickly moved into the neighboring Shenandoah National Park. Rain over Friday night had managed to shrink the footprint of the fire down to 987 acres by Saturday, but the fire remained only 10% contained. Evacuations and local states of emergency have been declared. At least five houses have been destroyed by the fire. Luray High School has been converted into a shelter for the Red Cross. And Page County Public Schools has canceled classes. Conditions have not been improved by the proximity of the Waterfall Mountain Fire to the west, which had burned through another 5,000 acres and was 0% contained as of Saturday. The National Park Service has closed multiple trails near the blazes, including: The Appalachian Trail from Elkwallow to Beahms Gap. Rocky Branch. Neighbor Mountain. Jeremys Run. Hull School Trail from Skyline Drive to Thornton River Upper Trail. Thornton River Upper Trail from intersection of Hull School Trail to Skyline Drive. The park service has also closed Skyline Drive from Thornton Gap to Mathews Arm Campground. Byrds Nest No. 4, a shelter along the Appalachian Trail, has also been closed. Lawyers defending Liberian warlord, Kunti Kamara, in his appeal of his 2022 conviction for war crimes, advanced their second challenge to the case in court Friday, arguing that Frances statute of limitations for such crimes is ten years meaning Mr Kamara should not have been charged in 2018 with the crimes that took place in 1993. Prosecutors and lawyers for the civil parties in the case argued that the ten-year time period does not apply because it is preposterous to suggest that victims would have been able to come forward with their complaints to Liberian law enforcement in the ten years after 1993 when Liberia was still mired in civil war. Even since then, they said, it would be impossible to have a Liberian prosecuted inside the country for war crimes. They point to evidence provided by Luther J. Sumo, the Lofa county prosecutor, earlier in the trial, that it was only in the last two years that the county even had a second prosecutor with a law degree. Mr Kamara is seeking to overturn his conviction and 30-year prison sentence handed down by a jury in November 2022. This is the second challenge Marilyn Secci, Mr Kamaras lead defence lawyer, has put forward in this hearing. She also put forward an argument that Mr Kamara was only 15 when the crimes took place and said, therefore, the case should be heard in the juvenile justice system and not the adult one. Ms Secci told the court that Mr Kamara was born in 1978 and not 1974 as he told immigration officials when he sought asylum in the Netherlands in 2001. If he was born in 1974 he would have been 19 in 1993. Mr Kamara told this court he did not know the year he was born. Esah Kouyateh, Mr Kamaras older brother, appeared early in the trial saying definitively that he remembered Mr Kamara was born in Karnplay, Nimba County, in 1978. No one has disputed the idea that Mr Kamara was under 18 when he joined Ulimo as a refugee in Guinea when it was formed in 1991. The defence argues he was just 13. Prosecutors say he was 17. None of the victims has been clear on Mr Kamaras age at the time Ulimo terrorized Lofa County in 1993 and 1994 after it took control of the county from the rebels of Charles Taylors National Patriotic Front for Liberia. Witnesses have not given strong opinions on whether he was 15 or 19 when they encountered him in 1993. But they have made clear that he was in a leadership role. The jury may find it hard to believe he would have commanded so much respect and fear at just 15 years of age. Ms Secci pointed to many inconsistencies in witnesss memories of what happened 30 years ago as evidence that they are not reliable. Why will this court want to accept the voices of the witnesses who have given us inconsistent testimonies that they dont remember when they were born, but will not want to accept that of the accused? Ms Secci asked. Many people attested to the fact that Mr Kamara was a minor, and other witnesses told this court that they knew Mr Kamara as a child soldier. Sabrina Delattre, lawyer for the civil parties, and Myriam Fillaud, lead prosecutor, questioned Mr Kamaras claim this late in the process. They told the court that throughout the six years since Mr Kamara was arrested and processed through the French criminal justice system he had never changed his date of birth nor told authorities or investigators that he made a mistake in his date of birth. When Mr Kamara was examined by psychologists and investigators he consistently gave the same date of birth. Mr. Kamaras affirmation of his age that he was born in 1974 was constant in every declaration throughout the six years, Ms Fillaud said. It is only during this argument of the appeal he is saying that he doesnt know when he was born. Its a fact that Kamara was above 18 years old when he partook in the war in Liberia. The defence also told the court that Mr Kamara should be heard under Liberias judicial system, where the crimes were committed, and not the French system. They pointed to Liberias Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendation that the country set up a specialised tribunal to prosecute perpetrators of the wars. This argument may find some sympathy among the all white French jury. Many here, including Alieu Kosiah, Mr Kamaras former Ulimo ally convicted of war crimes in Switzerland, have criticised the fact that an all-white French jury should sit in judgement of a Liberian from a civil conflict they cannot understand. Prosecutors countered that it would have been impossible for the victims to receive justice in Liberia. In the 21 years since Liberias civil war ended every president has blocked the establishment of a war crimes court until the ascension to the presidency this year by Joseph Boakai. A bill to establish the court passed the lower house of the Legislature this month but is facing hurdles in the senate where some of those most likely to be prosecuted, including Prince Johnson, hold seats. Mr Kamara has admitted to being a commander with Ulimo in Lofa County in 1993, but he denies he committed the 11 counts for which he was convicted including murdering a sick woman, torturing a schoolteacher and eating his heart, and the gang rape of a nine-year-old girl. Throughout his ongoing appeal hearing, Mr Kamara has called the witnesses who testified against him, including the international justice organization, Civitas Maximas, and its Liberia partner, the Global Justice and Research Project a group of liars and conspirators, whom he said have plotted to have him and other former Liberian warlords prosecuted in the United States, France, and Switzerland. Next week presiding judge, Jean-Marc Lavergne, two judges and nine jurors will reach a verdict in the case. In the French system a majority of jurors need to find the evidence of guilt to be sufficient under the innermost belief to uphold the original conviction. The trial continues next week. This story was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the West Africa Justice Reporting Project. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A group- Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) on Friday held a training for Nigerian journalists on the controversies surrounding the gene drives research organisations that allegedly target Africans as guinea pigs. The training, the organisers said, was aimed at equipping journalists to understand the issues and be able to report the controversies robustly. The Executive Director of RDI, Philip Jakpor, in his opening remarks, said in conceiving the training, the organisation realised that the media is key not only in keeping the public informed but also in exposing and interrogating initiatives and innovations that are extraneous to Africans and African culture as part of its watchdog role. Gene drive Gene drive is a technology that allows a chosen set of genes to alter an animals biology in certain ways, such as making them produce sterile offspring. The inability to reproduce then sweeps through a population, upending the laws of inheritance. Specifically, the genes copy themselves exponentially from generation to generation, rapidly coming to dominate the whole population. Potentially, scientists argue that their careful use might save millions of lives by making, for instance, mosquitoes unable to transmit malaria or by eliminating the insects entirely. The possibility of a definitive solution to major infectious diseases makes a compelling case for such a technology. Austin Burt of Imperial College London introduced gene drives in 2003. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, in response to the controversies surrounding the ecological trend, set up a committee to study the technology in full, with the support of the main agency funding gene drive research- the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This agency, part of the Department of Defence, is considering the technology as a potential security threat. After a review of both the possible advantages and the immense uncertainties as to what might happen were a gene drive to spread globally, the conclusion of the committees 2016 report was: There is insufficient evidence available at this time to support the release of gene-drive modified organisms into the environment. Meanwhile, gene drive opponents are concerned about the potential ecological damage and are suspicious of DARPA and other funders. They have called for a moratorium on research. Training At the training of the reporters, Mr Jakpor noted that RDI is not averse to technology or innovation as long as they are rooted in facts, noting that the promotion of African culture is indigenous and should protect the people from manipulation in all forms. He said gene drives are already being experimented in Uganda, Ghana, and Burkina Faso where in 2019 sterilised mosquitoes were released. Nigeria, with its huge population of more than 200 million people is a potential testing ground for gene drives. Presentations The journalists, who cut across major news outlets, were taken through a session on Communicating the Jargon of Science by the Managing Director of EnviroNews, Michael Simire. Mr Simire explained that science journalism covers subjects such as biotechnology, climatology, meteorology, global warming and the environment. It also extends to health, drugs, chemicals, agriculture, space exploration, as well as oil and gas exploration and oceans, rivers and marine ecosystems among others. Mr Simire explained that in the identified areas there are jargons such as DNA, acronym for DeoxyriboNucleic Acid or PCR which is Polymerase Chain Reaction and Streptococcus, which is essentially a bacteria and Apoptosis- jargon for cell death, among others. To write good science news, journalists must use simple language and avoid the jargon and technical terms to a large extent so as not to put the readers off, he said. In his presentation on Gene Drives: What is it all about? Diego Menendez, an ecological farmer and former molecular scientist, introduced the participants to the concept of CRISPR, a family of DNA sequences found in the genomes that are used to detect and destroy DNA from similar bacteriophages during subsequent infections. Mr Menendez explained that DNA is a set of instructions for all living organisms that are not linearly arranged but packed into chromosomes. He said there are 23 in humans and six in mosquitoes. He revealed, however, that the process of gene drives may lead to unintended consequences and that this possibility has continued to dog experiments on sterilising mosquitoes or inserting genes that can make them susceptible to insecticide which are being carried out in Africa. In another session tagged: Behind the scenes of gene drives, Barbara Pilz, a campaigner with Save Our Seeds, the political issues around gene drives were discussed. She said such discussions were ongoing mainly at the UN Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and by some national governments. Signatories to the UN CBD meet every two years at the Conference of Parties (COPs) to discuss the latest developments, she said. In between the COPs there are intersessional meetings to discuss specific topics and work on text. In some cases an Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group might be put in place to support the process in certain subjects. Barbara Ntambirweki of the AfriTAP/ETC Group in her presentation on Africas Concerns about Gene Drives, argued that although regulations are yet to be put in place globally, the most advanced projects are aimed at malaria interventions in some African countries such as Ghana, Burkina Faso, Tanzania and Uganda. Ms Ntambirweki, also Civil Society Digital Practitioner at Stanford University, said Uganda has one of the highest global burden of malaria cases, with over 90 per cent of the population at risk. In that country, malaria remains the leading cause of death, especially in children, she said. Target Malaria Research consortium intends to undertake open releases of gene drive mosquitoes that will apparently reduce the population of the female anopheles mosquito and the mosquito population and reduce malaria transmission and disease, she said. She, however, argued that there is lack of transparency about ongoing trials taking place. She said there are unethical experiments going on where communities are paid to expose their legs to biting mosquitoes that could be captured. According to her, Nigeria which has the highest malaria rate globally may be a potential target for the experiments on the continent, hence the media has to spotlight the ethical questions that the research organisations will prefer to hide. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Kano State treated 36,843 Tuberculosis (TB) cases in 2022, the state government has said. The states Commissioner for Health, Abubakar Yusuf, stated this on Saturday at an event commemorating the 2024 World TB Day. The event was held at Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital, Kano. Our 2022 TB burden based on national data stood at 39,420 cases and we were able to notify and treat 36,843 patients (93 per cent) which is the highest-ever notification by any state in Nigeria, Mr Yusuf said. The commissioner said the achievement was commendable as an untreated TB patient can transmit the disease to 10-15 people within a year. Kano State government, in collaboration with our partners, has been doing well towards ending Tuberculosis by reducing the burden and transmission of the disease. These among others include: approval and release of the state TB and Leprosy counterparts funds for various interventions in the control of the diseases in Kano. Deployment of 20 Portable Digital X-ray machines with artificial intelligence on 13th February 2024, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare formally handed over to the Executive Governor of Kano for diagnosis of TB and other diseases. Kano is the first state in Nigeria to receive such a donation. It will interest you to know that these 20 X-ray machines cost over N3 billion, the commissioner said. The 2023 Global TB report showed that worldwide, 10.6 million people developed Tuberculosis an increase in cases from 10.3 million in 2022. Nigeria is ranked sixth among the 30 high TB-burden countries and first in Africa. Kano State is the most populous state in Nigeria and one of the six highest TB-burden states. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has promised continuous payment of wage awards to state workers until committee on new minimum wage concludes its work. The governor made the pledge during the Town Hall meeting with Enugu people on Saturday at the Old Government House, Enugu. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the governor began the payments of the wage award of between N10,000 and N25,000 to state workers last December to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal. NAN reports that the town hall meeting was attended by representatives of the Civil Society Organisations, women, students, youth, business owners, traders, transport unions and others. Mr Mbah said his government would prioritise workers welfare, adding that he would create values that would help workers to thrive. Until new minimum wage is concluded, we will continue to pay wage award, he assured. The governor who added that his administration inherited arrears of pension and gratuity of retired civil servants, explained that he did not waste time in clearing them. Today we are working seriously to clear that of primary school teachers and Local Government workers. On education, Mr Mbah said his administration identified it as the strongest weapon to fight poverty, saying this is why we are building SMART Schools across 260 wards which will be operational by September, 2025. Our children will now be using tablets to study and teachers smart boards to teach while the student would learn about artificial intelligence, robotics and others that will make them technological inclined, he said. The governor said that the government was building level two Primary Health Centres across the 260 wards to reduce infant and maternal mortality in the state. Mr Mbah said that it had already awarded 30 contracts for the health centres and about to award 100 more. On electricity, the governor disclosed that the state was working to generate and distribute electricity to provide power for homes and businesses in the state. Electricity being the major infrastructural requirement for private sector to thrive, we took advantage when the Federal Government removed it from exclusive list to concurrent list by establishing Enugu State Electricity Commission. There shall be no monopoly as people will be allowed to buy and sell electricity Mr Mbah also pledged to design a programme to ensure students palliative and also sustain the states Scholarship Board. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Gunmen have ambushed and killed two police operatives in Imo State, South-east Nigeria. The police spokesperson in the state, Henry Okoye, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday. Mr Okoye, an assistant superintendent of police, said the hoodlums attacked some operatives while they were on patrol duty in the early hours of Saturday, killing two of them on the spot. The police spokesperson said the incident happened along Old Gariki Road in Okigwe in Okigwe Local Government Area of the state. He added that the gunmen were suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network. How it happened Mr Okoye said the gunmen threw dynamite at the police patrol vehicle and subsequently engaged them in a shootout. In the process, two officers paid the ultimate price while four others survived the attack, he said. The spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police in the, Aboki Danjuma, alongside the commander of Mopol 18 and 64 of the police, on receipt of information about the incident, immediately led operatives from the polices Special Tactical Unit to the scene of the attack for on-the-spot assessment. He said the commissioner condemned the killing of the operatives and directed police operatives in the state to collaborate with other security agencies to track down the killers. More so, the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has mandated the assistant commissioner of police in charge of Okigwe, the divisional police officer, and other tactical units deployed in Okigwe to embark on visibility patrol, intelligence-led raids of criminal hideouts, and place watertight security to forestall any future occurrence, the police spokesperson said. Mr Danjuma, according to the statement, sympathised with families and friends of the slain operatives. The police commissioner vowed that he would not condone attacks on security personnel in the state. The police chief assured that the police in the state would do everything possible to track down the killers and prosecute them accordingly. He appealed to residents of Okigwe and other neighbouring communities to support the police with information that might assist them in the course of their investigation and tracking down the hoodlums. Do not panic at the sight of the massive deployment of security operatives in Okigwe, he told the residents. Increased attacks Like other states in Nigerias South-east, security has deteriorated in Imo State with frequent attacks by armed persons. The attacks often target security agents, government officials and facilities. Several personnel of the Nigerian security agencies, government officials and traditional rulers in the South-east have been killed in such attacks. The Nigerian government has accused IPOB of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the region. But the group has repeatedly denied their involvement in the attacks. IPOB is a group leading agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south Nigeria. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Edo State Chief Judge, Daniel Okungbowa, has set up a seven-member panel to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct leveled against the Deputy Governor of the State, Philip Shaibu. The Registrar of the Edo State Judiciary, Benson Osawaru, disclosed this in a statement dated March 22, Vanguard newspaper reported. This is to bring to the notice of the general public that, in line with Section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the Honourable Chief Judge of Edo State, Honourable Justice D.I. Okungbowa, has constituted the panel of seven persons to investigate the allegations contained in the impeachment notice against the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt. Honourable Philip Shaibu. The Panel of seven persons is chaired by Hon Justice S.A. Omonua (Rtd.), while other members are Professor Violet Aigbokhaevbo, Professor Boniface Onomion Edegbai, Professor Theresa Akpoghome, Mr Oghogho Ayodele Oviasu, Surv. Dr Andrew Oliha, and Mr Idris Abdulkareen. PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday reported that the Edo State Assembly passed a resolution, asking the chief judge to set up the committee to probe the allegations against Mr Shaibu. The Assembly Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, during the plenary notified the lawmakers that the seven-day ultimatum given to Mr Shaibu to respond to impeachment notice served on him had expired. The speaker reminded his colleagues that an impeachment notice was served on the deputy governor on 6 March through a substituted service, published in the Nigerian Observer and Vanguard newspaper on 12 March. The house, according to the speaker, resorted to substituted service because of the deputy governors alleged evasion of service. The assembly on 6 March commenced impeachment moves against Mr Shaibu, whose political ambition has soured his relationship with Governor Godwin Obaseki. The Majority Leader of the Assembly, Charity Aiguobarueghian, said the lawmakers were acting on a petition dated 5 March against Mr Shaibu. The petition, according to the house leader, was signed by 21 out of 24 lawmakers in the assembly. The petition, according to the majority leader of the house, was based on perjury and the disclosure of government secrets. Mr Shaibu wants to succeed Mr Obaseki as governor of the state in the forthcoming 21 September election but Mr Obaseki, who prefers another person, Asue Ighodalo as his successor, described his deputy as being overambitious. Mr Ighodalo, a former banker, recently won the Peoples Democratic Party governorship primary in the state, while Mr Shaibu emerged winner of a parallel primary in which he was the only aspirant. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has said his administration will begin the generation and distribution of electricity in the state by the end of 2026. Mr Mbah spoke on Saturday during a Town Hall meeting with residents of the state at the old Government Lodge in Enugu. The governor said that the plan to generate electricity in the state was intended to address the problems associated with poor power supply to businesses and residents of the state. He said the state government will soon inaugurate Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission to drive the initiative to completion. Mr Mbah explained that his administration decided to explore opportunities provided by the power reform in Nigeria which culminated in the movement of electricity to the concurrent legislative list. Electricity is a major infrastructural requirement for industrial development. We are going to set up the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission as we tackle all legal and regulatory issues in actualising the objective, he said. Working with the private sector, we shall generate and distribute electricity in Enugu by the end of 2026, Mr Mbah added. The governor said the state government would build transmitter lines in order to handle power distribution in the state. READ ALSO: Enugu govt threatens to prosecute vandals destroying water facilities People can come here to buy and distribute power. Our desire is to ensure we have a steady power supply to businesses and households in Enugu, he stated. No hike in tax rate in Enugu Mr Mbah also refuted claims that his administration increased the tax rate in Enugu State. The governor said his administration only expanded the tax net to accommodate businesses that have not been paying tax for years in the state He added that payment of tax in the state had been digitalised to avoid bottlenecks and challenges associated with payment of taxes. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Nigerian Army troops have killed five terrorists and rescued 78 persons held hostage by the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) in the North-east region. Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, a major general disclosed this in a statement on Saturday. He said the Combat Team (CT) of the 7 Division of the army, on Friday, conducted an aggressive clearance patrol and successfully cleared six villages. He said during the operation, the CT came in contact with the terrorists and engaged them in a gun battle. They eliminated five of them and rescued 78 hostages. During the operation, the CT came in contact with the terrorists and fiercely engaged them in a gun battle, eliminating five of the terrorists. The valiant troops also rescued 78 persons, comprising 35 women and 43 children held hostage by the terrorists. The enclaves and villages cleared by the CT include Ngurusoye, Sabon Gari, Mairamri 1 and 2, Bula Dalo, and Bula Dalo extension. Other areas also cleared are Yamanci and Gargaji general areas. Items recovered are one terrorists flag, a mobile phone belonging to the terrorists. The rescued victims are in custody for preliminary investigation and profiling, Mr Nwachukwu said. Read full statement below NIGERIAN ARMY TROOPS NEUTRALIZE TERRORISTS, RESCUE WOMEN AND CHILDREN Gallant troops of 7 Division Nigerian Army have continued to pounce on the vestiges of the Islamic State of West African Province and their JAS counterpart in North East Nigeria. In an aggressive clearance patrol conducted on Friday, 22 March 2024, by a Combat Team (CT) of the Division, troops successfully cleared 6 villages where terrorists hibernated with their hostages. During the operation, the CT came in contact with the terrorists and fiercely engaged them in a gun battle, eliminating 5 of the terrorists. The valiant troops also rescued 78 persons, comprising 35 women and 43 children held hostage by the terrorists. The enclaves and villages cleared by the CT include Ngurusoye, Sabon Gari, Mairamri 1 and 2, Bula Dalo, and Bula Dalo extension. Other areas also cleared are Yamanci and Gargaji general areas. Items recovered are one terrorists flag, a mobile phone belonging to the terrorists. The rescued victims are in custody for preliminary investigation and profiling. The troops have continued to maintain momentum in the ongoing Operations Desert Sanity III to rid the North East of terrorists and insurgents. ONYEMA NWACHUKWU Major General Director Army Public Relations 23 March 2024 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Given that the architects of the PIA still maintain authority, it is a tool wielded by the masterminds to maintain their stranglehold on the nations resources, resembling a situation where the fox guards the hen house. While the complicity of those involved in this charade is reprehensible, it behoves on Nigerians to rise against this tyranny of deception and to dismantle this facade of deceit. In the corridors of power, the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) was hailed as the panacea to Nigerias oil sector woes a landmark legislation promising transparency, accountability, and fair distribution of the nations oil wealth. Yet, as the dust settles, it reveals a disconcerting reality of promises not meant to be fulfilled. Running the NNPC Ltd Like a Fiefdom Lets do a quick refresher, according to the latest data from both the US Energy Information Administration. Nigeria is ranked eleventh in the world and fourth in Africa in crude oil production as at September 2023, with an average of 1.14 million barrels per day. While its crude oil production quota approved by Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for December 2023 was 1.72 million barrels/day. No figures could be traced or anchored to the NNPC Limited within the same period. The four government-owned refineries in Nigeria, built between 1965 and 1989, have all been shut down for several years due to, chief amongst them, structural neglect. Their total refining capacity is 445,000 barrels/day. Data provided by KNOEMA, a global data platform, shows the daily consumption of 520,000 barrels/day in December 2023. Data available as at 2019 shows that about 43 licences were granted for large and modular refineries, out of which only about four modular refineries may be operational, with a total capacity of 34,000 barrels/day to grow to 135,000 barrels/day. The Dangote Refinery costs $19 billion and was commissioned in 2023, but it is yet to start full operations and has a production capacity for 650,000 barrels/day. Through Project Bison, the NNPC, and not through the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), has audaciously gone ahead to acquire a 20 per cent stake in the refinery for $2.76 billion, and to rub salt on the injury, will also deliver 300,000 barrels/day of crude to Dangote at a discount and would forfeit 100 per cent of the dividend that will be declared within the repayment period. In addition, Project Gazelle, a loan of $3.2 billion, was collected from AFREXIM bank to fund the Federal Governments dollar liquidity crisis, while its repayment will be from crude oil. Despite owning about 130,000 barrels/day of oil from Dangote, NNPC chose to squander $1.5 billion in 2021 on renovating the antiquated Port Harcourt refinery, which lacks readily available spare parts. The renovation project is expected to take 44 months (until July 2024) and the first phase of the progress is unknown. The conditions of the other three refineries are also unclear. Who Owns the Oil? Nigeria is supposed to use its God-given oil revenue for various purposes, including funding the federal, state and local government budgets; investing in infrastructure, education, health, agriculture; and saving for future generations. However, the management of oil revenue in Nigeria has been plagued and besieged by fiscal indiscipline, corruption, misallocation, and inefficiency, resulting in poor development outcomes and welfare. According to Wikipedia, Nigerias Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) that is meant to save and invest some of the oil revenue for future generations, as well as to stabilise the economy during oil price shocks, was established in 2011 with an initial capital of $1 billion, and had $2.3 billion in it as at June 2023, which is a paltry $1.3 billion increment after 12 years. It will be interesting to know how much was squandered on salaries and perks of office within those 12 years. What is disconcerting is that NNPC Ltd remitted $2.7 billion to its CBN accounts from January to June 2022, with $645 million from NLNG dividends and $1.786 billion from operational activities, predating the PIBs enactment. Post-PIB, the remittance details have been elusive. Remember, the PIB purportedly seeks to overhaul the oil sector, establish new regulations, and transform NNPC into a transparent limited liability company for improved efficiency. Yet, transparency regarding post-PIB remittances remains uncertain. A Scam on Nigerians Nigerians were presented with an albeit flimsy rationale for restructuring the NNPC, citing: Reliance on government funding, making it less competitive for global investors. Political influence causing bureaucratic delays, thereby unsettling International Oil Companies. The NNPC had a workforce employed for political reasons, hindering its success as a commercial entity. Meanwhile the four refineries are non-operational and their large numbers of staff members are still paid all entitlements without producing a single drop of oil. High credit sales and indebtedness hindering operations, but we should remember that they borrowed $3.2 billion from AFREXIM bank, to be paid with crude oil. Low revenues and gross profits impeding success. The question remains: How much has the NNPC remitted to the CBN to date? Here Enters the PIA The 2021 Petroleum Industry Act, identified as Gazette No.142, comprises five chapters, 319 sections, and eight schedules. It addresses very distressing, disconcerting, frightening and upsetting issues that will impact over 200 million Nigerians, including the Domestic Base Price and Pricing Framework, Gas Price Formula for Gas-Based Industries, Capital and Production Allowances, Petroleum Fees, Rents, Royalty, and allocations to Host Communities and Frontier Basins. Due to space constraints, a detailed analysis of these provisions is not feasible here, but their implications are significant and wide-reaching for the populace. Challenges inherent therein: The PIA provides for the establishment of new entities, such as the NNPC Ltd, the Ministry of Petroleum Incorporated, two regulators, the host communities trust fund, and the dissolution or transfer of existing entities, such as the NNPC, the Department of Petroleum Resources, and the Petroleum Equalisation Fund. It also provides for the transition of the existing petroleum licenses and leases, contracts and agreements, assets and liabilities, and staff and personnel, to the new entities or arrangements, within specified periods and conditions. However, implementation will face challenges such as legal disputes, political interference, bureaucratic delays, resistance, etc. The PIA mandates the improvement of operational and technical capacities, as well as funding sources, for both new and existing entities in the industry. It emphasises the need for alignment and coordination of activities and funding mechanisms to foster synergy and harmony. However, addressing these challenges will be daunting, given existing skills shortages, technology gaps, and infrastructure limitations. The PIA necessitates the creation and execution of monitoring, evaluation, and feedback mechanisms to uphold compliance, accountability, transparency, and performance. It underscores the importance of collecting, analysing, reporting, and disseminating data and information from these mechanisms to inform decision-making and policy formulation. However, such endeavours will face challenges in terms of data quality, availability, accessibility, and security, given the intricacies and crafty nature of those involved in the drafting and sign-off processes. The Undertaker Given that the architects of the PIA still maintain authority, it is a tool wielded by the masterminds to maintain their stranglehold on the nations resources, resembling a situation where the fox guards the hen house. While the complicity of those involved in this charade is reprehensible, it behoves on Nigerians to rise against this tyranny of deception and to dismantle this facade of deceit. Considering these circumstances, wouldnt it be prudent to suspend or abandon the PIA and revert to the status quo ante before it becomes a QUICK SAND? Adamu Rabiu Writes from Kaduna. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A group, Afri-mission and Evangelism Network, has inaugurated a project tagged Catch Them Young aimed at building the moral and spiritual lives of youngsters in Abuja. The team on Friday visited Capital City of Knowledge International to inaugurate Young Missionaries Club. About 100 young students in the basic and secondary classes joined the Club. The principal of the school, Idoko Christian, in his opening remark thanked the president of Afri-Mission and his team on their choice of CCKIS for a laudable and spiritual impactful project like this. He urged the students to avail themselves of the opportunity of enrolling in the young Missionaries Club to shape their future and grow into adults who will work to impact Gods kingdom and make the society a better place. The president of Afri-mission, Oscar Amaechina, while delivering his inaugural speech encouraged the children to embrace missionary work as a primary calling and then choose any other secular professions as their secondary calling. According to Mr Oscar, it is important that I let you know that missionary work is not an option to be chosen among other professions by Christians, it is an invitation which God has given to every Christian to partner with Him in the mandate of the Great Commission. Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15) is a call to duty to be Gods ambassador where ever you find yourselves. He made the members of the club to understand that becoming a missionary does not in any way stop them from realizing their dream and aspiration in life becoming a missionary will help you immensely in reaching lofty heights in which ever profession that you have chosen as your secondary calling. The objective of this club is to raise you into young adults who will make the world a better place. With God on our side we will raise among you missionary doctors, missionary nurses, missionary lawyers, missionary engineers, missionary teachers, missionary pharmacists, missionary pastors, missionary civil servants, missionary pilots, missionary musicians, missionary soldiers, missionary police, missionary bankers etc. Groups The young missionaries were grouped into seven teams bearing the names of notable missionaries of the old: Charles Spurgeon Team, Mary Slessor Team, Jim Elliot Team, William Carey Team, Albert Simpson Team, Hudson Taylor Team and John Knox Team. Each team made a presentation and showcased the protrait of their mentor. They all underscored famous quotations of their missionary heroes and pledged to follow the footsteps of their mentors in their missionary endeavours. The teams were gifted Bibles donated to Afri-mission by Graceland church, New Albany Indiana, United States, a Christian book Who is this God? by an America author, Paul Bryan and Afri-mission Humanitarian Service Brochure. Josephine Amaechina, who doubles as the Senior Pastor of Antioch Christian Centre and the director of Afri-missions directorate of Humanitarian Service in her remarks said that the Catch Them Young Project of Afri-mission was conceptualized to address the shortfall in the labour force of missionaries in Nigeria. According to her, the Nigerian church has abandoned the mandate of the Great Commission and if nothing is done to groom our children in missional way, we stand the chance of becoming the last generation of Christians in Nigeria. Sylvia Udemezue, a teacher in the school and Afri-mission desk officer when asked what they will do to ensure that the students remained steadfast in their missionary pursuit, said, We will do our best to groom them in the fear of God, impact them with moral lessons, always pray for them, regularly monitor and evaluate their activities and conducts. We will employ feedback mechanism to know the level of our compliance and deviation from objective arrangement and go back to the drawing table when the need arises while trusting God to help us. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Two men accused of driving around with a machine gun and the lethal drug fentanyl have pleaded guilty and received prison sentences. Peter Caleb Wells, a 24-year-old Charlottesville resident, and Takeem Latrell Brock, a 23-year-old resident of Waynesboro, separately pleaded guilty in the case in Albemarle County Circuit Court. According to court records, the two were stopped by police last spring after a 911 caller reportedly complained of getting chased by someone with a gun inside a car with messed up paint. It isnt clear from the criminal complaint precisely how the May 27 chase transpired, but by the time investigating Albemarle County police officer T.M. Morris responded, another officer had just stopped a vehicle matching the description after it allegedly blew through a traffic light in the vicinity of Rio Road and Hillsdale Drive. I asked the occupants if there were any firearms inside the vehicle, Morris asserted. They said no. Morris contended that he asked Wells to step outside the vehicle for a pat-down, and it was only then that Wells conceded that he did have a firearm. I removed a loaded Glock 19x from Wells waistband, wrote Morris. I placed him in cuffs. After seizing that 9mm pistol, police brought in a sniffing dog which then alerted officers to drugs, according to Morris, who assisted in seizing a backpack containing blue pills, white pills, baggies of white powder and another firearm. The second firearm was a Glock with a fully automatic switch to its rear, he reported. Under Virginia law, that counts as a machine gun. Both men have pleaded guilty to having a machine gun for aggressive purposes in addition to charges of drug distribution. The quantities are way more than single use amounts, wrote Morris. On Feb. 20, Wells received a year and six months on the machine gun charge and a suspended sentence on his drug distribution felony guilty plea. Brocks sentence occurred late last year, on Nov. 28, when he got a year and nine months on his machine gun charge while his drug charges brought a fully suspended five-year sentence. An analysis of the seized drugs by the commonwealths crime lab measured 1.3 grams of powder cocaine and nearly 13 grams of crack cocaine. Additionally, the report said the two men were traveling that day with 78 pills marked as oxycodone but which tested positive for fentanyl, a synthetic opioid thats lethal in extremely small doses. The report also asserted that 13 additional pills marked as Percocet also contained fentanyl. In 2022, the latest full year with data, there were 29 synthetic opioid deaths in Charlottesville and Albemarle with 1,967 deaths statewide, nearly twice as many as died in automobile accidents. The police command in Kaduna State said its operatives foiled a kidnap attempt on the Buruku-Kaduna highway on Thursday. The commands Police Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, said in a statement on Friday in Kaduna that the bandits were forced to retreat by the firepower of the personnel. On March 21, at 1300hrs, officers from the 47PMF attached to Buruku Police Station successfully thwarted a kidnapping attempt by bandits along the Buruku-Kaduna highway. While conducting a routine crime prevention patrol along the highway, the vigilant PMF personnel spotted bandits near Corner Ugara and upon sighting the PMF personnel, the bandits opened fire, prompting an immediate response from the officers. In a display of remarkable courage and professionalism, the PMF personnel returned fire, effectively neutralizing the threat posed by the armed bandits. READ ALSO: Police rescue kidnapped Chinese national The exchange of gunfire forced the bandits to retreat into the nearby bush. Despite their attempts to evade capture, the bandits suffered fatal injuries during the confrontation, he said. Mr Hassan said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Audu Ali, commended the bravery and swift action of the mobile policemen in preventing what could have been a tragic incident. He urged the public to be vigilant and report suspicious activities to the authorities promptly. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has asked state governors to emulate Governor Alex Otti of Abia State in repealing laws supporting the payment of pensions to former governors and deputies in their states. PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Abia State Assembly passed a bill on Tuesday to repeal the 2001 law under which former governors and deputy governors in the state were paid pensions that include houses in Abia and Abuja at the states expense and lifetime salaries. Governor Otti signed the bill into law on Thursday. At least two former governors of the state have said they did not receive the pensions despite the existence of the law and the state government has not provided details of the beneficiaries so far and how much has been spent on the ex-officials. The repeal of the law also follows previous calls by civil society groups who had called for the cancellation of such laws in states where they exist. Obasanjo speaks Speaking on Friday when he visited Mr Otti in his private residence, Mr Obasanjo commended the governor for his courage in repealing the law, according to a statement by Mr Ottis spokesperson, Kazie UKo. The former president described the pension law as a rascality and act as daylight robbery, considering that retired workers were owed their pensions. I watched the television and I saw repealing of Abia pensions and I asked you what exactly is this, and you said to me that the pension scheme for former governors here was too outrageous. Its like trouble because it allowed them to have a house in Abuja and elsewhere, and it allowed them to cart away with whatever they can, yet the pensions of ordinary people from 2014 were unpaid, he told the governor. What sort of leadership! You came and said there would be an end to that rascality. I congratulate you, and I say to you, I hope that your colleagues will follow your footsteps? Mr Obasanjo added. More work needs to be done The former president, while congratulating Mr Otti on his emergence as governor of the state, reminded him that a lot of work needed to be done. There is still a lot of work to be done. I said to you, you have started, but you should never be tired. Dont be discouraged; you will be abused, you will be called names but if we have one-third of our states doing what should be done, this country will be a different country, he said. Mr Obasanjo urged the governor to pay attention to the infrastructural development of the Abia State, explaining that with infrastructure and good leadership, the state will attain greater heights. I will urge you to pay adequate attention to infrastructure because if you give infrastructure and you give the type of leadership you are giving, the people of the state will have nothing to worry about. On their own, they are enterprising. All they need is the leadership that will give them all the encouragement. I have always maintained that if there is any zone in this country that could really give what I call regional development, its the South-east geo-political zone because you are almost monolithic in everything, he said. Responding, Mr Otti assured the former president that his (Otti) administration was focused on infrastructural development, especially in Aba, the commercial hub of the state. The governor said his administration had, in the last nine months, completed and commissioned 10 roads in Aba, while 31 other roads are at different stages of completion. We also have a 67.4-kilometre road we commissioned a few weeks ago that connects Umuahia through Uzuakoli and terminates at Ohafia, he stated. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The police in Ebonyi State, South-east Nigeria, have contradicted a report by the Nigerian army that a suspected member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) was killed during a joint operation. The Nigeria army, in a statement on Thursday, said its troops and personnel of other security agencies killed the suspected IPOB member during a raid on a camp belonging to the separatist group. The army added that personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, State Security Service, and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps took part in the operation under the Joint Task Force South-east Operation Udo Ka. It said the operation was conducted in Mgbalukwu, Inyimagu, a community in the Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. Police contradict army But in a separate statement on Friday, the police spokesperson in Ebonyi State, Joshua Ukandu, said three IPOB members, not one, were killed during the operation. The hoodlums on sighting the operatives, opened fire on them, in the ensuing gun duel, three members of the proscribed group were neutralised, five were arrested while others escaped, Mr Ukandu, a deputy superintendent of police, said. More contradictions Unlike the police, the army did not mention that five suspects were arrested during the operation. Also, while the army said the operation was conducted in Mgbalukwu, Inyimagu, a community in the Izzi Local Government Area of the state, the police claimed the operation took place in Omini Community in the same council area. Again, the police said undisclosed number of Sienna vehicles, one AK-47 rifle with 16 rounds of live ammunition, a bag containing 2000 rounds of live ammunition, a police warrant card, an identity card with a picture of Nnamdi Kanu, a portrait of an unidentified person, one Itel phone and a motorcycle were recovered from the hoodlums during the operation. But the army said only one AK-47 rifle, two AK-47 magazines, 54 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, and three stolen Sienna buses were recovered from the hoodlums during the operation. Authorities speak When confronted with the conflicting statements, an official of the Nigerian army insisted that only one suspected IPOB member was killed during the operation. I can authoritatively tell you that we neutralised just one (suspected IPOB member), the official, who asked not to be named, told this newspaper Saturday morning. When reminded that the police equally said they arrested five suspects during the operation, the army official said the police might have carried out another operation different from the joint operation. He subsequently referred this reporter to police authorities in Ebonyi State for clarification, saying the police could be exaggerating the success recorded in the operation. Contacted, the police spokesperson in Ebonyi State, Mr Ukandu, told PREMIUM TIMES that there was lack of information coordination regarding the operation. But the spokesperson confirmed that both the Nigerian army and the police were referring to same operation in their separate statements. I know there was some kind of mismatch in the information available and I dont even know where to hinge it on, he said. Mr Ukandu said the statement he issued was based on the information made available to him by police operatives which was approved by the police authorities in the state. He expressed surprise that the army did not mention that five suspects were arrested during the operation. On the issue of difference in the identity of the community where the operation took place, the police spokesperson said the difference could be a case of a community having two names. Background IPOB, a group seeking to carve out a sovereign state of Biafra from South-east and some parts of the South-South of Nigeria, has been linked to some deadly attacks in two regions. But the separatist group has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks. The Nigerian security agencies mainly the personnel of Nigerian army and Nigeria Police Force have been raiding camps belonging to the separatist group. However, both the separatists and the operatives of the security agencies have died in such operations. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print NEW ORLEANS, March 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until May 20, 2024 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against agilon health, inc. ("agilon" or the "Company") (NYSE: AGL), if they i) purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's shares between January 9, 2023 and January 4, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"), and/or ii) purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's shares pursuant or traceable to the Company's May 2023 secondary public offering ("SPO"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas. Get Help Agilon health investors should visit us at https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-agl or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit Agilon and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On January 5, 2024, the Company disclosed that it was slashing its 2023 profit forecasts, specifically, lowering its 2023 Medical Margin expectation to "$340 million to $360 million, approximately $110 million below the previous guidance rangedue to $90 million in higher-than-expected medical costs" and that its Chief Financial Officer, Timothy Bensley would retire and be replaced later in the year. On this news, the price of agilon's shares fell $3.45, or 28.6%, to close at $8.63 on January 5, 2024. The case is New England Teamsters Pension Fund v. agilon health, inc., No. 24-cv-00297. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. SOURCE ClaimsFiler CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In a crucial advisory to the public, Banxso, a preeminent figure in the online trading sector, is sounding the alarm on the rising wave of deep fake scams infiltrating the digital landscape. The firm is intensifying its call for clients to exercise extreme caution and vigilance. These sophisticated scams, utilizing advanced artificial intelligence to create hyper-realistic but entirely fabricated audio and video content, are becoming a significant threat to online security and integrity. Deep Fake Scams: A Growing Digital Menace Deep fake technology, once a nascent digital novelty, has rapidly evolved into a tool for creating convincing scams, causing unprecedented challenges in distinguishing authentic communications from deceptive manipulations. These scams are not only proliferating but are becoming increasingly sophisticated, targeting individuals and corporations alike with malicious intent. "In an era where digital deception is on the rise, the emergence of deep fake scams poses a critical threat to online safety," stated a Banxso spokesperson. "We are witnessing an alarming increase in these scams, where perpetrators use deep fake technology to impersonate trusted figures, swindle unsuspecting victims, and perpetrate fraud." Banxso's Commitment to Client Security Banxso is at the forefront of combatting this digital deceit, emphasizing the necessity for its clients to remain ever-vigilant. The company is dedicated to educating its user base on the signs of deep fake scams and the steps to take when encountering suspicious online content. "As part of our ongoing commitment to safeguarding our clients' interests, we are proactively working to raise awareness about the dangers of deep fake scams. It is imperative that our clients are equipped with the knowledge to identify and avoid these sophisticated online traps," the spokesperson added. Strategies for Spotting and Steering Clear of Deep Fake Scams Banxso advises vigilance and skepticism as primary defenses against deep fake scams. Users are encouraged to critically assess the authenticity of unexpected or unusual digital communications, especially those soliciting personal information or financial transactions. Key recommendations include: Verify the Source: Always confirm the legitimacy of the communication through direct contact via official channels. Always confirm the legitimacy of the communication through direct contact via official channels. Educate Yourself: Stay informed about the latest deep fake technologies and scam tactics. Stay informed about the latest deep fake technologies and scam tactics. Enhanced Security Measures : Employ robust cybersecurity solutions, including advanced authentication and encryption technologies. : Employ robust cybersecurity solutions, including advanced authentication and encryption technologies. Report Suspicious Activity: Immediate reporting of any dubious encounters to the appropriate authorities or platforms can help mitigate the spread of these scams. A Unified Front Against Digital Fraud Banxso calls upon the online community to unite in the fight against deep fake scams. By fostering an environment of shared vigilance and proactive education, the firm believes that significant strides can be made in protecting digital integrity and personal security. About Banxso Banxso is a dynamic online trading platform offering a comprehensive suite of financial services and products. Renowned for its emphasis on transparency, innovation, and client education, Banxso empowers traders and investors across the globe, providing them with the resources to navigate the complexities of the financial markets securely and successfully. For further information on protecting yourself from deep fake scams and other digital fraud, please visit banxso.com. Media contact details: Manpreet Singh [email protected] +16465064978 SOURCE Banxso DUBLIN, March 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Europe Personalized Gifting Market - Focused Insights 2024-2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The European personalized gifting market was valued at USD 9.67 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.01% from 2023-2029, to reach USD 14.51 billion in 2029. EUROPE PERSONALIZED GIFTING MARKET INSIGHTS Europe's personalized gifting market is experiencing a noteworthy surge in demand, indicating a fundamental shift in consumer preferences toward unique and personalized experiences. This transformation reflects a societal inclination for meaningful connections and a desire to move beyond generic gifts to express sentiment more tailored and thoughtfully. personalized gifting market is experiencing a noteworthy surge in demand, indicating a fundamental shift in consumer preferences toward unique and personalized experiences. This transformation reflects a societal inclination for meaningful connections and a desire to move beyond generic gifts to express sentiment more tailored and thoughtfully. The clothing & accessories segment is witnessing significant growth, with the fastest-growing CAGR of 7.76% during the forecast period. In Europe , there's a rising trend towards personalized clothing and accessories, driven by consumers seeking unique and meaningful gifts. This demand is fuelled by the desire for individuality and the ability to express one's personality through customized items, contributing significantly to the growth of the personalized gifting market segment. , there's a rising trend towards personalized clothing and accessories, driven by consumers seeking unique and meaningful gifts. This demand is fuelled by the desire for individuality and the ability to express one's personality through customized items, contributing significantly to the growth of the personalized gifting market segment. The online channel dominates the distribution segment of the European personalized gifting market. The segment growth can be attributed to the convenience of online channels. They offer better reach and accessibility to consumers across Europe . It includes e-commerce websites, marketplaces, and social media channels that provide a convenient shopping experience. . It includes e-commerce websites, marketplaces, and social media channels that provide a convenient shopping experience. Based on gender, the female market shows significant growth, with the highest CAGR of 7.28% during the forecast period. The growth can be attributed to women's discerning taste for personalized gifts that transcend functionality. This discernment is often expressed through an inclination toward items boasting aesthetic appeal, such as intricately designed jewelry, personalized home decor that complements individual styles, and bespoke fashion accessories tailored to their unique tastes. MARKET DRIVERS Focus On Continuous Product Innovation: The Europe personalized gifting market benefits from a constant stream of new and innovative personalized products driven by creative design, materials, and manufacturing processes like 3D engraved crystals, which Etsy offers. Introducing novel products keeps the market dynamic, attracting consumers looking for fresh, unique, personalized gifting options. Market players should invest in research and development to stay ahead in product innovation. Regularly introducing new and distinctive personalized items can help companies maintain a competitive edge and capture evolving consumer preferences. Rising Disposable Income: The rising disposable income significantly influences the market, especially among millennials. Consumers have more discretionary income and are increasingly inclined to spend on personalized gifts. They seek unique and thoughtful options that reflect individual tastes and preferences, fueling the demand and presenting an opportunity for market players to cater to this growing segment. It leads to a growing demand for the personalized gifting sector and increased consumer willingness to invest in unique and meaningful gifts. Market players should focus on innovative and personalized offerings that resonate with diverse consumer preferences and implement effective marketing strategies targeting the millennial demographic. REGIONAL LANDSCAPE Spain is showing the highest growth rate in Europe for personalized gifting, growing at a CAGR of 7.97% during the forecast period. Spain is known for its vibrant fiestas and celebrations, driving demand for personalized gifts that mark special occasions and milestones. Personalized party favors, custom event signage, and bespoke celebration decorations appeal to Spanish consumers' love for festivity and spectacle, enhancing the ambiance and atmosphere of festive gatherings and events. Spanish culture strongly emphasizes family ties and relationships, influencing preferences for personalized gifts that celebrate familial connections and traditions. VENDOR LANDSCAPE The Europe personalized gifting market report contains exclusive data on 36 vendors. The European personalized gifting market's competitive scenario is intensifying, with global and domestic players offering diverse products. Major players focus on strategic agreements, acquisitions, and collaboration with emerging players to enter the Europe personalized gifting market to gain access to commercially launched products. VENDORS LIST Key Vendors American Greetings cardfactory Etsy Hallmark Shutterfly Other Prominent Vendors Notonthehighstreet Zazzle Not Another Bill Gelato Disney Gifts for Europe YourSurprise Habeco Gifts Walwater Gifts Belcraft HiGift Firebox Say It With A GIFT &Open Gift Baskets for Europe Printster Ferns N Petals TBTB Promotional Gifts Merchery Printful Moonpig Create Gift Love Forever Bespoke Contrado Imaging Papier Getting Personal Name It Labels Scribbler The Present Finder HelloPrint Henry Factory KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED How big is the Europe personalized gifting market? personalized gifting market? What is the growth rate of the Europe personalized gifting market? personalized gifting market? What are the trends in the Europe personalized gifting market? personalized gifting market? Who are the major players in the Europe personalized gifting market? Segmentation & Forecast Type (Revenue) Clothing & Accessories Home Decor Kitchen & Tableware Stationery & Cards Food & Beverages Others Distribution Channel (Revenue) Online Channel Specialty Stores Supermarkets & Hypermarkets Direct Distribution Others Gender (Revenue) Female Male Country (Revenue) UK Germany France Spain Italy Rest of Europe For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/bby8va About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, March 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Failure Case Study: Cadbury Dairy Milk 30% Less Sugar Chocolate Bar" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The report examines the launch and subsequent withdrawal of Cadbury's Dairy Milk bar with 30% less sugar, that aimed to cater to a more health-conscious audience. The findings underscore a significant trend in consumer behavior: low-sugar options are not always the primary concern for shoppers in the candy aisle. With its focus on the "what?", "why?", and "so what?" of this case, the study reveals that while there is a market for healthier alternatives, these products must tackle the challenging perception that they compromise on taste and enjoyment. Addressing a niche yet growing interest in health-oriented confectionery options, the study pinpoints the need for a deep understanding of consumer motivation behind product choice. Components such as the multi-dimensional nature of health perceptions and the competitive sensory appeal are dissected to provide a comprehensive overview of potential pitfalls in product innovation. Key Insights for Navigating the Confectionery Landscape Breakdown of successful and unsuccessful product ventures to foster innovation. Relevant consumer trends analysis for informed industry strategy crafting. Broader industry learning from both within and wider to the confectionery sector. Armed with these strategic takeaways, businesses and decision-makers in the food and beverage industry can better navigate market dynamics and consumer expectations in developing new products. This report does not only enrich the understanding of potential product performance but also fuels effective decision-making for future innovations in the evolving world of confectionery and snack foods. Significance for the Confectionery Industry Stakeholders The scope of the study goes beyond mere product success or failure; it opens a dialogue on the nuanced consumer relations with health and indulgence, a balance that many in the food industry strive to achieve. As businesses focus on sustainability and adaptability, understanding these critical elements can be the difference between a fleeting trend and a lasting market stronghold. This detailed case study of Cadbury's Dairy Milk 30% Less Sugar Chocolate Bar's journey brings forth a timely investigation, particularly for stakeholders in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) segment who are continually seeking novel angles to engage health-conscious consumers without sacrificing the inherent pleasure of sweet treats. Comprehensive, neutral, and analytical, this new research positions itself as a vital tool for those within the confectionery industry and allied sectors looking to learn from past product performances. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/b4frrw 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 VICTORIA, Seychelles, March 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- KuCoin, a global leader among cryptocurrency exchanges and ranked in the top seven worldwide, proudly announces its latest groundbreaking milestone as the first FIU-compliant global crypto exchange in India. This achievement marks a pivotal moment in the evolving Indian cryptocurrency landscape amid recent regulatory changes and underscores KuCoin's dedication to expanding its presence in vital global markets as part of its comprehensive global strategy. Accompanying KuCoin's registration with FIU, KuCoin proposes to undertake the following initiatives to better serve local Indian users. Localized Payment Solutions: Collaborating with local banks and fiat partners to introduce unique and direct on-ramp and off-ramp services tailored for India . Meanwhile, KuCoin is also proposing to launch a partnership enrollment program to welcome more partners onboard and provide easier and more friendly service. Collaborating with local banks and fiat partners to introduce unique and direct on-ramp and off-ramp services tailored for . Meanwhile, KuCoin is also proposing to launch a partnership enrollment program to welcome more partners onboard and provide easier and more friendly service. Strategic Investment Focus: Promoting investment and support for blockchain projects led by entrepreneurs with an India focus, aiding the sustainable growth of the local crypto ecosystem. Promoting investment and support for blockchain projects led by entrepreneurs with an focus, aiding the sustainable growth of the local ecosystem. Regulatory and Security Alliances: Continuing to support regulatory and Government authorities to promote a secure and regulated industry landscape. Continuing to support regulatory and Government authorities to promote a secure and regulated industry landscape. Partnerships for Education and Ecosystem: Partnering with educational institutions through KuCoin Campus to foster blockchain understanding and offer access to KuCoin's Web3, technology, and ecosystem resources, thereby nurturing the blockchain industry's development in India . Partnering with educational institutions through KuCoin Campus to foster blockchain understanding and offer access to KuCoin's Web3, technology, and ecosystem resources, thereby nurturing the blockchain industry's development in . Glo-cal Strategy and Team Localization: Establishing a dedicated, localized team to better understand and serve the specific needs of Indian investors and users. Going "Glo-cal" underscores KuCoin's priority as going global with a localization focus. Johnny Lyu, CEO of KuCoin, remarked, "KuCoin places utmost importance on user asset security. By successfully completing this registration in India, we are set to enhance the Indian users' experience and reaffirm our dedication to compliance and security. This milestone allows us to advance the conversation on crypto adoption in India, emphasizing user security and trading excellence. Additionally, it accelerates our investment and educational initiatives in India, aiming to stimulate industry growth and foster the blockchain landscape's sustainable development. We are eager to support local innovation and build enduring educational partnerships to contribute significantly to India's blockchain ecosystem. With this development, we at KuCoin welcome partners to join us, and promote the development of the cryptocurrency industry in India" KuCoin is immensely excited to embark on this journey with our Indian users, unlocking a realm of new possibilities and opportunities. KuCoin is eager to grow stronger together, fostering a collaborative and thriving blockchain community. Looking ahead, KuCoin is optimistic about the future we will build in Indiaa future bright with innovation, progress, and shared success. About KuCoin Launched in September 2017, KuCoin is a global cryptocurrency exchange with its operational headquarters in Seychelles. As a user-oriented platform with a focus on inclusiveness and community action reach, it offers over 800 digital assets and currently provides Spot trading, Margin trading, P2P Fiat trading, Futures trading, Staking, and Lending to its 30 million users in more than 200 countries and regions. KuCoin is currently one of the top 7 crypto exchanges. In 2023, KuCoin was named one of the Best Crypto Exchanges by Forbes and recognized as a highly commended global exchange in Finder's 2023 Global Cryptocurrency Trading Platform Awards. Learn more at https://www.kucoin.com . SOURCE KuCoin Defining a quantifiable threshold for embolization effectiveness FAIRFAX, Va., March 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Early intervention with a minimally invasive treatment called uterine artery embolization (UAE) can help women avoid hysterectomy due to severe bleeding after childbirth, according to a new study being presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Scientific Meeting in Salt Lake City. "These findings are important and may help more women avoid hysterectomy and other very serious complications of uncontrolled hemorrhage," said lead author Younes Jahangiri, M.D., a resident in the interventional and diagnostic radiology program at Michigan State University/Corewell Health. "As the medical community looks for ways to provide better care for women to address maternal health and peri-partum care, this is one more option on the table that could help many women." The study was a retrospective review of 66 patients (median age, 31) who underwent UAE for uncontrolled postpartum hemorrhage at a single, high-volume medical center between 2014 and 2022. UAE successfully controlled postpartum hemorrhaging in 62 of the 66 patients (94%). Four patients required hysterectomies to stop the bleeding, all of whom lost at least 2400 ml blood prior to presentation for UAE and symptoms of diffuse intravascular coagulopathy, a clotting abnormality that can happen after large-volume hemorrhage due to rapid consumption of clotting factors. Postpartum hemorrhage is a rare but potentially deadly complication of childbirth. To stop it, obstetricians will initially use conservative approaches to replace the lost blood or to promote clotting. If these measures are insufficient, hysterectomy is usually performed. Alternatively, interventional radiologists can be brought in to perform UAE, injecting tiny particles into the arteries that supply blood to the uterus using fluoroscopic imaging guidance. Once placed in the arteries, the particles temporarily block blood flow to stem uterine bleeding. "Based on these findings, we would encourage obstetricians to involve interventional radiologists early, to be ready to perform UAE if more conservative approaches are not managing postpartum hemorrhage," said senior author James Morrison, M.D., assistant professor of interventional radiology, also at Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine. Researchers in this study found a 36% incidence of post-embolization syndrome, which presents with abdominal pain and flu-like symptoms. The study found that it was more likely to occur in patients who experienced greater blood loss before embolization. Dr. Jahangiri, Dr. Morrison and their colleagues plan to expand their research to include multiple institutions and ultimately to conduct a prospective study that examines longer-term outcomes of UAE. Abstract #189: Short-Term and Long-Term Outcomes of Uterine Artery Embolization for Treatment of Uncontrolled Post-Partum Hemorrhage. Y. Jahangiri, J. Haan, O. Lane, O. Close, J. Morrison. Annual Scientific Meeting, March 23-28, 2024. This abstract can be found at sirmeeting.org. About the Society of Interventional Radiology The Society of Interventional Radiology is a nonprofit, professional medical society representing more than 8,000 practicing interventional radiology physicians, trainees, students, scientists and clinical associates, dedicated to improving patient care through the limitless potential of image-guided therapies. SIR's members work in a variety of settings and at different professional levelsfrom medical students and residents to university faculty and private practice physicians. Visit sirweb.org. The Society of Interventional Radiology is holding its Annual Scientific Meeting in Salt Lake City, March 23-28, 2024. Visit sirmeeting.org. SOURCE Society of Interventional Radiology WASHINGTON, March 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Three crew members including NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson successfully launched at 8:36 a.m. EDT Saturday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station. Dyson, along with her crewmates Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus, will dock to the space station's Prichal module about 11:09 a.m. on Monday, March 25, on the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft. The Soyuz rocket launches to the International Space Station with Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarus spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya, onboard, Saturday, March 23, 2024, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Docking coverage will begin at 10:15 a.m. on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency's website. NASA also will air coverage, starting at 1:15 p.m., of the crew welcome ceremony on NASA+ once they are aboard the orbital outpost. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media. When the hatches between the station and the Soyuz open about 1:40 p.m., the new crew members will join NASA astronauts Loral O'Hara, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Alexander Grebenkin, already living and working aboard the space station. Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will be aboard the station for 12 days, before providing the ride home for O'Hara on Saturday, April 6, aboard Soyuz MS-24 for a parachute-assisted landing on steppe of Kazakhstan. Dyson will spend six months aboard the station as an Expedition 70 and 71 flight engineer, returning to Earth in September with Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub of Roscosmos, who will complete a year-long mission on the laboratory. This will be the third spaceflight for Dyson, the fourth for Novitskiy, and the first for Vasilevskaya. Learn more about space station activities at: https://www.nasa.gov/station SOURCE NASA The University of Virginia has awarded a local elected official $55,000 to combat housing discrimination practices. Third-year UVa law student and Albemarle County Supervisor Mike Pruitt won the Powell Fellowship on March 18, an annual award that honors late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. The honor is typically renewed for a second year and reserved for students who provide legal services to low-income clients through a public interest organization. For Pruitt, that organization is Housing Opportunity Made Equal, a nonprofit corporation based in Richmond that was created to enforce the 1968 Fair Housing Act. Pruitt will be providing legal support to public benefit recipients who have been discriminated against in the housing application process. The newest supervisor on Albemarles board, Pruitt made housing affordability a key element of his campaign last year. He has urged the county to create an affordable housing trust fund and has spent years focused on the issue, receiving his masters in policy management from Georgetown University and writing his thesis on affordable housing in Appalachia. He is currently retraining to become a housing attorney specifically serving Section 8 vouchers. The Powell Fellowship is only his most recent accolade. Last summer, he earned the Squire Patton Boggs Public Policy Fellowship and hes currently a fellow in the UVa Program in Law and Public Service. The $55,000 award will pay Pruitts bills so he can pursue his nonprofit legal work. Nonprofits normally cant afford to pay an attorney whos just starting out. Youre not bringing enough skills for it to make sense for their very limited budgets, Pruitt told The Daily Progress. So almost everyone who works in the civil legal field and nonprofits get some kind of fellowship. Pruitt represents the Scottsville District in the county south of Charlottesville and was one of three supervisors to attend an event on March 18 advocating for Albemarle to create an affordable housing trust fund. Albemarle needs to do more to fight our housing crisis. Its a big part of my personal work, he told the crowd. The Powell Fellowship is the biggest one that UVa has for people who are going to work in direct services for the poor, he said after the event. So its a nice title, but its basically my salary for the next two years. NEW ORLEANS, March 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until May 20, 2024 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against The Chemours Company (NYSE: CC), if they purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's shares between February 10, 2023, and February 28, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. Get Help Chemours investors should visit us at https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-cc-2 or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit Chemours and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On February 29, 2024, pre-market, the Company disclosed that the filing of its annual report for 2023 was delayed, that it "is evaluating one or more potential material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023 with respect to maintaining effective controls related to the control environment, including the effectiveness of the 'tone at the top' set by certain members of senior management." and that its President/CEO, Senior VP/CFO, and Vice President, Controller and Principal Accounting Officer had been placed on administrative leave "pending the completion of an internal review being overseen by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors with the assistance of independent outside counsel." On this news, the price of Chemours' shares fell $9.05 per share, or more than 31%, from a close of $28.72 per share on February 28, 2024, to close at $19.67 per share on February 29, 2024. The case is Taylor Jr. v. The Chemours Company, et al., No. 24-cv-00361. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. SOURCE ClaimsFiler OPSYNVI combines two proven treatments with established efficacy and safety profiles into one tablet to be taken once daily, offering an option that helps to support the implementation of clinical guideline recommendations for early use of combination therapy.1 The comprehensive PAH portfolio at Johnson & Johnson now includes treatments that address all three foundational and guideline-recommended pathways for this rare, progressive disease.2 Approval is based on the results from the pivotal Phase 3 A DUE study, which met its co-primary endpoints, demonstrating significant pulmonary hemodynamic improvement.1 RARITAN, N.J., March 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved OPSYNVI a single-tablet combination of macitentan, an endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA), and tadalafil, a phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor for the chronic treatment of adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, World Health Organization [WHO] Group I) and WHO functional class (FC) II-III.1 OPSYNVI may be used in patients with PAH who are treatment-naive or who are already on an ERA, PDE5 inhibitor or both. OPSYNVI may be used in patients who are currently treated concomitantly with stable doses of macitentan 10 mg and tadalafil 40 mg (20 mg x 2) as separate tablets.1 PAH is a rare, progressive and life-threatening blood vessel disorder characterized by the constriction of small pulmonary arteries and elevated blood pressure in the pulmonary circulation that eventually leads to right heart failure.2 An estimated 500 to 1,000 new cases of PAH are diagnosed each year in the U.S., classifying the disease as a rare condition.3 The 2022 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) / European Respiratory Society (ERS) clinical guidelines recommend initial combination therapy of an ERA and a PDE5 inhibitor for patients with idiopathic PAH, heritable drug-associated PAH, or PAH-associated with connective tissue disease without cardiopulmonary comorbidities at low or intermediate risk.2 "Clinical guidelines recommend treating patients with initial and sequential dual-combination therapy, regardless of risk at initial diagnosis and follow-up. Historically, this required patients to take multiple pills because no single-tablet combination therapy targeting two or more pathways was available," said Kelly Chin, M.D., Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of the Pulmonary Hypertension Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and an investigator in the A DUE study.* "As administration of macitentan and tadalafil together are commonly prescribed for initial therapy for PAH, the introduction of a single tablet combining both is promising for clinicians treating patients as it may help bridge the gap between clinical guidelines and everyday clinical practice, while offering a patient-friendly approach to support initial combination therapy and rapid escalation for the appropriate patients." The FDA's approval of OPSYNVI is based on the results from the pivotal Phase 3 A DUE study, in which OPSYNVI demonstrated greater reduction in Pulmonary Vascular Resistance (PVR) after 16 weeks versus tadalafil or macitentan monotherapy. OPSYNVI has a Boxed Warning due to the risk of embryo-fetal toxicity and requires female patients to enroll in the Macitentan-Containing Products Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program.1 With the approval, Johnson & Johnson now offers a PAH portfolio addressing all three foundational and guideline-recommended pathways nitric oxide, endothelin, and prostacyclin. "People with PAH often live with the burden of taking many pills each day, which can pose challenges," said James F. List, M.D., Ph.D., Global Therapeutic Area Head, whose team oversees a portfolio of programs including Pulmonary Hypertension at Johnson & Johnson. "We're thrilled to bring this single-tablet combination therapy to patients, as it has the potential to optimize disease management and fulfill a significant unmet need in supporting recently updated treatment guidelines that call for initial or early combination treatment." About OPSYNVI1 OPSYNVI is a combination of macitentan, an endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA), and tadalafil, a phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor indicated for the chronic treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, WHO Group I) in adult patients of WHO functional class (FC) II-III. Individually, macitentan reduces the risk of clinical worsening events and hospitalization, and tadalafil improves exercise ability. About the A DUE Study1,4 The A DUE study was a double-blind, randomized, active-controlled, multi-center, adaptive, parallel-group study designed to compare the efficacy and safety of OPSYNVI to macitentan and tadalafil monotherapies in adult patients with PAH (WHO FC II or III). The three-arm trial enrolled patients from across 76 sites in 16 countries/territories worldwide who were treatment-naive or on a stable dose of an endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA), or a phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, for at least three months. The primary endpoint was change from baseline in PVR at the end of double-blind treatment at 16 weeks and was considered met if macitentan and tadalafil fixed-dose combination (FDC) treatment was superior to both monotherapies. Following the treatment period, patients transitioned to the open-label treatment period for 24 months. INDICATION OPSYNVI is the combination of macitentan and tadalafil indicated for the chronic treatment of adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, WHO Group I and WHO Functional Class [FC] II-III). Individually, macitentan reduces the risk of clinical worsening events and hospitalization, and tadalafil improves exercise ability. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION WARNING: EMBRYO-FETAL TOXICITY Do not administer OPSYNVI to a pregnant female because it may cause fetal harm. Females of reproductive potential: Exclude pregnancy before the start of treatment, monthly during treatment, and 1 month after stopping treatment. Prevent pregnancy during treatment and for one month after stopping treatment by using acceptable methods of contraception. For all female patients, OPSYNVI is available only through a restricted program called the Macitentan-Containing Products Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS). CONTRAINDICATIONS Pregnancy: OPSYNVI may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman and is contraindicated in females who are pregnant. If OPSYNVI is used during pregnancy, advise the patient of the potential risk to a fetus. OPSYNVI may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman and is contraindicated in females who are pregnant. If OPSYNVI is used during pregnancy, advise the patient of the potential risk to a fetus. Hypersensitivity: OPSYNVI is contraindicated in patients with a history of a hypersensitivity reaction to macitentan, tadalafil, or any component of the product. OPSYNVI is contraindicated in patients with a history of a hypersensitivity reaction to macitentan, tadalafil, or any component of the product. Concomitant Organic Nitrates: OPSYNVI is contraindicated in patients who are using any form of organic nitrate, either regularly or intermittently. Do not use nitrates within 48 hours of the last dose of OPSYNVI . OPSYNVI is contraindicated in patients who are using any form of organic nitrate, either regularly or intermittently. Do not use nitrates within 48 hours of the last dose of OPSYNVI . Concomitant Guanylate Cyclase (GC) Stimulators: OPSYNVI is contraindicated in patients using GC stimulators such as riociguat. WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Embryo-fetal Toxicity and Macitentan-Containing Products REMS: Due to the risk of embryo-fetal toxicity, OPSYNVI is available for females only through a restricted program called the Macitentan-Containing Products REMS Program. For females of reproductive potential, exclude pregnancy prior to initiation of therapy, ensure use of acceptable contraceptive methods, and obtain monthly pregnancy tests. Notable requirements of the Macitentan-Containing Products REMS Program include: Prescribers must be certified with the program by enrolling and completing training. All females, regardless of reproductive potential, must enroll in the Macitentan-Containing Products REMS Program prior to initiating OPSYNVI . Male patients are not enrolled in the REMS. . Male patients are not enrolled in the REMS. Females of reproductive potential must comply with the pregnancy testing and contraception requirements. Pharmacies must be certified with the program and must only dispense to patients who are authorized to receive OPSYNVI. Hepatotoxicity ERAs have caused elevations of aminotransferases, hepatotoxicity, and liver failure. In the double-blind arm of the A DUE study, the incidence of elevated aminotransferases >3 x ULN was 1.0%, and >8 x ULN was 1.0% for OPSYNVI . In the combined double-blind/open-label arm, the incidence was 3.4% and 1.1%, respectively. . In the combined double-blind/open-label arm, the incidence was 3.4% and 1.1%, respectively. Discontinuations for hepatic adverse events in the double-blind and combined double-blind/open-label arms study for OPSYNVI were 0.9% and 2.2%, respectively. were 0.9% and 2.2%, respectively. Obtain liver enzyme tests prior to initiation of OPSYNVI and repeat during treatment as clinically indicated. and repeat during treatment as clinically indicated. Advise patients to report symptoms suggesting hepatic injury (nausea, vomiting, right upper quadrant pain, fatigue, anorexia, jaundice, dark urine, fever, or itching). If clinically relevant aminotransferase elevations occur, or if elevations are accompanied by an increase in bilirubin >2 x ULN, or by clinical symptoms of hepatotoxicity, discontinue OPSYNVI . Consider re-initiation of OPSYNVI when hepatic enzyme levels normalize in patients who have not experienced clinical symptoms of hepatotoxicity. . Consider re-initiation of OPSYNVI when hepatic enzyme levels normalize in patients who have not experienced clinical symptoms of hepatotoxicity. Do not initiate OPSYNVI in patients with elevated aminotransferases (> 3 x ULN) at baseline. Patients with severe hepatic cirrhosis (Child-Pugh Class C) have not been studied; therefore, avoid use of OPSYNVI. Hypotension OPSYNVI has vasodilatory properties that may result in transient decreases in blood pressure. Prior to prescribing OPSYNVI, physicians should carefully consider whether patients with underlying cardiovascular disease could be adversely affected by such vasodilatory effects. Patients with pre-existing hypotension, autonomic dysfunction, or left ventricular outflow obstruction, may be particularly sensitive to the actions of vasodilators. Hemoglobin Decrease Decreases in hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit have occurred following administration of other ERAs and were observed in clinical studies with OPSYNVI and OPSUMIT . These decreases occurred early and stabilized thereafter. and OPSUMIT . These decreases occurred early and stabilized thereafter. In the placebo-controlled study of OPSUMIT in PAH, OPSUMIT 10 mg caused a mean decrease in hemoglobin from baseline to up to 18 months of about 1.0 g/dL compared to no change in the placebo group. A decrease in hemoglobin to below 10.0 g/dL was reported in 8.7% of the OPSUMIT 10 mg group and in 3.4% of the placebo group. Similar results were observed in the trial with OPSYNVI . in PAH, OPSUMIT 10 mg caused a mean decrease in hemoglobin from baseline to up to 18 months of about 1.0 g/dL compared to no change in the placebo group. A decrease in hemoglobin to below 10.0 g/dL was reported in 8.7% of the OPSUMIT 10 mg group and in 3.4% of the placebo group. Similar results were observed in the trial with OPSYNVI . Decreases in hemoglobin seldom require transfusion. Initiation of OPSYNVI is not recommended in patients with severe anemia. Measure hemoglobin prior to initiation of treatment and repeat during treatment as clinically indicated. Worsening Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease (PVOD) Since there are no clinical data on administration of OPSYNVI tablets to patients with veno-occlusive disease, administration of OPSYNVI tablets to such patients is not recommended. Should signs of pulmonary edema occur when OPSYNVI tablets are administered, the possibility of associated PVOD should be considered. If confirmed, discontinue OPSYNVI. Visual Loss and Hearing Impairment Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a cause of decreased vision, including permanent loss of vision, has been reported postmarketing in temporal association with the use of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, including tadalafil. Most, but not all, of these patients had underlying anatomic or vascular risk factors for development of NAION. Use of OPSYNVI in patients with known hereditary degenerative retinal disorders, including retinitis pigmentosa, is not recommended. in patients with known hereditary degenerative retinal disorders, including retinitis pigmentosa, is not recommended. Cases of sudden decrease or loss of hearing, which may be accompanied by tinnitus and dizziness, have been reported in patients taking tadalafil. Fluid Retention Peripheral edema and fluid retention are known clinical consequences of PAH and known effects of ERAs, and heart failure has been reported in patients taking OPSYNVI . In the clinical study of OPSYNVI in PAH, the incidence of peripheral edema/fluid retention was 20.6% in the active-controlled and 17.3% in the double-blind/open-label arm. . In the clinical study of OPSYNVI in PAH, the incidence of peripheral edema/fluid retention was 20.6% in the active-controlled and 17.3% in the double-blind/open-label arm. Patients with underlying left ventricular dysfunction may be at particular risk for developing significant fluid retention after initiation of ERA treatment. Monitor for signs of fluid retention after OPSYNVI initiation. If clinically significant fluid retention develops, evaluate the patient to determine the cause, such as OPSYNVI or underlying heart failure, and the possible need to discontinue OPSYNVI. Combination With Other PDE5 Inhibitors Tadalafil, a PDE5 inhibitor and a component of OPSYNVI, is also indicated for erectile dysfunction. Instruct patients taking OPSYNVI tablets not to take other PDE5 inhibitors. Decreased Sperm Counts and Prolonged Erection Macitentan may have an adverse effect on spermatogenesis. Counsel men about potential effects on fertility. There have been reports of prolonged erections greater than 4 hours and priapism (painful erections greater than 6 hours in duration) for PDE5 inhibitors like tadalafil. Patients with conditions that might predispose them to priapism, or in patients with anatomical deformation of the penis are at an increased risk. Patients who have an erection lasting greater than 4 hours, whether painful or not, should seek emergency medical attention. ADVERSE REACTIONS The most common adverse reactions (occurring in 10% of the OPSYNVI-treated patients) from the double-blind study data were edema/fluid retention (21%), anemia (19%), and headache/migraine (18%). The incidence of treatment discontinuations due to adverse events among patients receiving OPSYNVI in the double-blind phase of the study was 8%. The most frequent adverse reactions leading to discontinuation were anemia and hemoglobin decreased (2% grouped) and peripheral edema and peripheral swelling (2% grouped). DRUG INTERACTIONS Nitrates: Administration of nitrates within 48 hours after the last dose of OPSYNVI is contraindicated. Administration of nitrates within 48 hours after the last dose of OPSYNVI is contraindicated. Strong CYP3A4 Inducers: Strong inducers of CYP3A4, such as rifampin, significantly reduce macitentan exposure. Use of OPSYNVI with strong CYP3A4 inducers should be avoided. Strong inducers of CYP3A4, such as rifampin, significantly reduce macitentan exposure. Use of OPSYNVI with strong CYP3A4 inducers should be avoided. Strong CYP3A4 Inhibitors: Concomitant use of strong CYP3A4 inhibitors like ketoconazole, increases exposure to both macitentan and tadalafil. Avoid concomitant use of OPSYNVI with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors such as ritonavir, ketoconazole and itraconazole. Use other PAH treatment options when strong CYP3A4 inhibitors are needed. Concomitant use of strong CYP3A4 inhibitors like ketoconazole, increases exposure to both macitentan and tadalafil. Avoid concomitant use of OPSYNVI with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors such as ritonavir, ketoconazole and itraconazole. Use other PAH treatment options when strong CYP3A4 inhibitors are needed. Moderate Dual or Combined CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 Inhibitors: Concomitant use of moderate dual inhibitors of CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 such as fluconazole, is predicted to increase macitentan exposure approximately 4-fold. Avoid concomitant use of OPSYNVI with moderate dual inhibitors of CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 (such as fluconazole and amiodarone). Concomitant treatment of both a moderate CYP3A4 inhibitor and moderate CYP2C9 inhibitor with OPSYNVI should be avoided. Alpha-Blockers: PDE5 inhibitors, including tadalafil, and alpha-adrenergic blocking agents are both vasodilators with blood-pressure lowering effects. Therefore, the combination of OPSYNVI and doxazosin is not recommended. PDE5 inhibitors, including tadalafil, and alpha-adrenergic blocking agents are both vasodilators with blood-pressure lowering effects. Therefore, the combination of OPSYNVI and doxazosin is not recommended. Antihypertensives: PDE5 inhibitors, including tadalafil, are mild systemic vasodilators. Small reductions in blood pressure occurred following coadministration of tadalafil with selected antihypertensive medications compared with placebo. PDE5 inhibitors, including tadalafil, are mild systemic vasodilators. Small reductions in blood pressure occurred following coadministration of tadalafil with selected antihypertensive medications compared with placebo. Alcohol: Substantial consumption of alcohol in combination with OPSYNVI can increase the potential for orthostatic signs and symptoms, including increase in heart rate, decrease in standing blood pressure, dizziness, and headache. USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS Pregnancy OPSYNVI is contraindicated during pregnancy. Macitentan, a component of OPSYNVI , may cause embryo-fetal toxicity, including birth defects and fetal death, when administered to a pregnant female. is contraindicated during pregnancy. Macitentan, a component of OPSYNVI , may cause embryo-fetal toxicity, including birth defects and fetal death, when administered to a pregnant female. If the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, advise the patient of the risk to a fetus. Lactation There are no data on the presence of tadalafil, macitentan, and/or their metabolites in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effect on milk production. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in breastfed infants from OPSYNVI, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment with OPSYNVI. Females and Males of Reproductive Potential Pregnancy Testing: Verify the pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to initiating OPSYNVI , monthly during treatment and one month after stopping treatment with OPSYNVI . The patient should contact her physician immediately for pregnancy testing if onset of menses is delayed or pregnancy is suspected. If the pregnancy test is positive, the physician and patient must discuss the risks to her, the pregnancy, and the fetus. Verify the pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to initiating OPSYNVI , monthly during treatment and one month after stopping treatment with OPSYNVI . The patient should contact her physician immediately for pregnancy testing if onset of menses is delayed or pregnancy is suspected. If the pregnancy test is positive, the physician and patient must discuss the risks to her, the pregnancy, and the fetus. Contraception: Female patients must choose one highly effective form of contraception (intrauterine devices [IUD]), contraceptive implants or tubal sterilization) or a combination of methods (hormone method with a barrier method or two barrier methods) during treatment with OPSYNVI and for 1 month after treatment with OPSYNVI . If a partner's vasectomy is the chosen method of contraception, a hormone or barrier method must be used along with this method. Female patients must choose one highly effective form of contraception (intrauterine devices [IUD]), contraceptive implants or tubal sterilization) or a combination of methods (hormone method with a barrier method or two barrier methods) during treatment with OPSYNVI and for 1 month after treatment with OPSYNVI . If a partner's vasectomy is the chosen method of contraception, a hormone or barrier method must be used along with this method. Male Infertility: Based on findings in animals, macitentan may impair fertility in males of reproductive potential. There have been no studies evaluating the effect of tadalafil on fertility in men or women. Pediatric Use The safety and efficacy of OPSYNVI in children has not been established. Renal Impairment The use of OPSYNVI is not recommended in patients undergoing dialysis. Avoid use of OPSYNVI in patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance 15-29 mL/min). Hepatic Impairment OPSYNVI must not be initiated in patients with severe hepatic impairment, or clinically significant elevated hepatic aminotransferases (> 3 ULN). Please read Important Safety Information and full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNING, for OPSYNVI. About Johnson & Johnson At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/ or at www.janssen.com/johnson-johnson-innovative-medicine. Follow us at @JanssenUS and @JNJInnovMed. Janssen Research & Development, LLC and Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc., are both Johnson & Johnson companies. *Dr. Chin was compensated for her participation on the steering committee for the A DUE study. Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding product development and the potential benefits and treatment impact of OPSYNVI. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Janssen Research & Development, LLC; Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc., and/or Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges to patents; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, including in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and in Johnson & Johnson's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. None of Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc. nor Johnson & Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments. 1. OPSYNVI Prescribing Information. Titusville, NJ: Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc. 2. Humbert M, Kovacs G, Hoeper MM, et al. 2022 ESC/ERS Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension. Eur Heart J. 2022;43(38):3618-3731. 3. American Lung Association, PAH, 23.10.2020, "Learn About Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension", lung.org, https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/pulmonary-arterial-hypertension/learn-about-pulmonary-arterial-hypertension. 4. Grunig E, et al. JACC. 2024; 83(4): 473-484. DOI:10.1016/j.jacc.2023.10.045. Media Contact: Shelly Orlacchio Phone: +1 717-471-3888 [email protected] Investor Contact: Raychel Kruper [email protected] SOURCE Johnson & Johnson NEW ORLEANS, March 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until April 9, 2024 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Xponential Fitness, Inc. (NYSE: XPOF), if they purchased the Company's publicly traded Class A shares between July 26, 2021 and December 7, 2023, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Get Help Xponential investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-xpof/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit Xponential Fitness and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On December 7, 2023, a report by Bloomberg Businessweek highlighted many problems with the Company based on interviews with dozens of its former business partners, employees, and franchisees who revealed that the Company misled many franchisees into a "financial nightmare" and that the Company's CEO "has a track record of combative management, deploying growth-at-all-costs tactics and unleashing aggressive reprisals against anyone who gets in his way," and further that as a result of these unscrupulous tactics "many of the company's franchiseeshave either declared bankruptcy or lost their retirement savings." On this news, the price of Xponential's shares fell more than 26% over two trading days on heavy trading volume to close at less than $9 per share on December 11, 2023. The case is City of Taylor General Employees Retirement System v. Xponential Fitness, Inc., No. 24-cv-00285. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. SOURCE ClaimsFiler If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here United Nations, March 23 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned Friday's terrorist attack in Russia, said his Deputy Spokesman. The Secretary-General condemns "in the strongest possible terms" the terrorist attack at a concert hall outside Moscow, in which at least 40 people were killed and more than 100 others injured, said Farhan Haq, the Deputy Spokesman, in a statement on Friday. The Secretary-General conveys his deep condolences to the bereaved families and the people and the government of Russia, and wishes those injured a speedy recovery, the statement added as quoted by Xinhua news agency report. Messages of condolences and support for the Russian people -- as well as condemnations of the yet-unidentified perpetrators -- began arriving in Moscow shortly after the terrorist attack, RT reported. "Cuba condemns the monstrous terrorist act committed in the Moscow region," said Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, sending condolences to the Russian government and people for the loss of life and wishing those injured a speedy recovery. President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela condemned the "atrocious armed attack perpetrated against innocent civilians" and sent a message of solidarity to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the "brotherly people of the Russian Federation, certain that they will face this bitter moment with unity". "Kazakhstan strongly condemns the terrorist act against civilians in Moscow," said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. "There can be no justification for terrorism," he added, offering help from Kazakhstan's law enforcement agencies if needed. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the phone to convey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's condolences and the "unconditional condemnation of the bloody terrorist attack". "We are following with deep pain what is happening in Moscow," said the Foreign Ministry of Belarus. "This heinous act of terrorism cannot be justified. We stand with the fraternal Russian people in these difficult moments." The Foreign Ministry of Armenia said the country was "shocked by the terrifying news about the inhuman terrorist attack in Moscow," mourned the loss of life and wished those injured a speedy recovery, RT reported. "We strongly condemn the monstrous attack" in Moscow, said the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan. "We express our deepest condolences to the families of the innocent victims, as well as the people and government of the Russian Federation." In its message to Moscow, the Qatari Foreign Ministry noted that "the Emirate resolutely rejects methods of violence and terrorism, whatever the motive". Condemnations of the attack and condolences to the victims also came from Iran and Nicaragua. The EU was "shocked and appalled by the reports of a terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall in Moscow," said the bloc's spokesman Peter Stano in a statement posted on X. "The EU condemns any attacks against civilians. Our thoughts are with all those Russian citizens affected." The US has expressed condolences to victims of the "terrible shooting attack," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters at the White House press briefing in Washington, RT reported. Kirby said that Washington was still gathering information about the attack, but insisted there was "no indication" that Ukraine was involved, or that the March 7 security alert -- issued by the US Embassy in Moscow, warning about a possible attack by "extremists" -- was in any way related to Friday's incident. Houston, March 23 : Two people were killed and another two wounded in a shooting near an intersection on Friday afternoon in New Orleans, the largest city of the southern US state of Lousiana, authorities said. One man was pronounced dead at the scene and a second person died either in an ambulance or at hospital, the New Orleans Police said as quoted by Xinhua news agency report. Just after 2 p.m. local time, one man's body was seen lying at the intersection as neighbours gathered nearby, local media outlet NOLA reported. Authorities were searching for at least two suspects in the double homicide, said the report. No potential motives or other details were immediately available. And an investigation is underway. March 23, New Delhi : In solidarity with soldiers serving at the world's highest battleground, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be visiting Siachen glacier to celebrate Holi with troops stationed there. Siachen glacier is a strategic military outpost and among the most challenging terrains in the world. Preparations are currently underway for the Minister's visit. This is not the first time Minister Rajnath Singh will pay a visit to the military outpost. In 2019, he had visited Siachen. He interacted with the troops and gained first-hand insight into their experiences and challenges therein, assuring them of the government's commitment to ensuring welfare and safety of soldiers there. In the earlier visit, the Union Minister had also announced that the glacier is open for tourism. New Delhi, March 23 : Sunita Kejriwal, wife of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, is set to hold a press conference on Saturday, at 12 pm. Notably, she made here first ever public statement regarding the Aam Aadmi Party supremo's arrest in excise policy case. Her statement on X, on Friday, came after a Delhi court sent the CM to six days' custody under Enforcement Directorate, the same day. Sunita Kejriwal's post on X read: "Modi ji got your thrice-elected Chief Minister arrested out of arrogance of power. He is trying to crush everyone. This is a betrayal of the people of Delhi. Your Chief Minister has always stood with you. Whether inside or outside, his life is dedicated to the country. The public knows everything... Jai Hind." CM Kejriwal will be in ED's custody till March 28. Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Minister Gopal Rai had claimed that the family of Arvind Kejriwal has been put under house arrest. Six more die in another hooch tragedy in UP (. Image Source: IANS News Chandigarh, March 23 : As the death toll in the hooch tragedy in Sangrur rose to 18 and at least 20 were hospitalised, Punjab Police on Saturday announced a high-level committee to unearth the nexus behind the crime. Eight people have been arrested for the crime. New deaths were reported from the Sunam block, 30 km away from the epicentre of the hooch tragedy. A four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Gurinder Dhillon, comprising Deputy Inspector General (Patiala range) Harcharan Bhullar and Senior Superintendent of Police (Sangrur) Sartaj Chahal and Additional Commissioner (Excise) Naresh Dubey will supervise the investigation. The SIT will go to the bottom of the conspiracy. No person found involved will be spared, said the statement quoting Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav. "Appeal to everyone to maintain peace and harmony. Don't fall prey to unverified rumours," he added. Special Director General of Police Arpit Shukla said main accused Harmanpreet Singh has been arrested in connection with the incident. The other arrested accused included Sukhwinder Singh, Manpreet Singh, and Gurlal Singh. The police recovered 200 litres of ethanol, besides 156 bottles of alcohol, among other items. New Delhi, March 23 : As a sign of mourning and grief, the Russian Embassy in India is flying its national flag at half-mast in New Delhi after a dastardly terror attack in Moscow left more than 60 people dead and several others injured. Terrorists, reportedly dressed in camouflage uniforms, stormed the Crocus City Hall in Moscow at around 8 p.m. on Friday, opening fire and setting off explosives. "As a sign of mourning and grief for the victims of the terrorist attack in Moscow, the Russian Embassy in India flies the national flag at half-mast. We express our sincere condolences to the families of those deceased and wish a speedy recovery to all those injured," the Russian Embassy said in a post on X on Saturday. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on the Telegram messaging app, adding that the attackers had "retreated to their bases safely". Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed solidarity with the people of Russia and slammed the terrorist attack in the country. "We strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation in this hour of grief," PM Modi said in a post on X. Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, said on X that they have been receiving phone calls with condolences from ordinary citizens from all around the globe. "The international community is obliged to condemn this (bloody terrorist attack in Moscow) horrendous crime!" Russia's MFA said. The US also slammed the attack, describing it as a "terrible incident". "The images are just horrible and just hard to watch," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. In the European Parliament in Brussels, Law and Justice (PiS) MEP Tomasz Por?ba hosted a round table discussion on a new section of the Via Carpathia, the most important road corridor along the eastern border of the EU on the North-South axis connecting the Baltic Sea with Aegean, Black and Adriatic Seas, Azernews reports. Present at the meeting were Pablo Fabregas Martinez, Deputy Head of Cabinet of Commissioner for Transport, Ambassador Faruk Kaymakc?, Turkish Permanent Delegation to the EU, Ambassador Vagif Sadigov, Mission to the European Union of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Bidzina Javakhashvili, Deputy Head of Mission of Georgia to the European Union, and Ryszard Czarnecki, PiS Member of the European Parliament. "In the context of Covid-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine and instability in Middle East, we need to diversify transport routes in order to have much more resilient and stable transport network. Transport is connecting businesses, different parts of the regions and citizens, but also makes that interaction much more fluent. It is not only the backbone of our economies, without transport any business trade and will not happen, Pablo Fabregas Martinez, Deputy Head of Cabinet of Commissioner for Transport said. Tomasz Por?ba said that the Via Carpatia starting in Klaipeda and passing Kaunas, Bia?ystok, Lublin, Rzeszow, Kosice, Miskolc, Debrecen, Oradea, Lugoj to Calafat/Constanta, Svilengrad and Thessaloniki is the shortest highway from the north to the south. He recalled that the idea to build this international highway connection was launched first by Poland and afterwards joined by six other EU Member States (Lithuania, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece). "Thanks to our common efforts, the Via Carpatia is today the most important transit route in Europe's eastern regions. It has been fully recognised by the European Union's institutions and consequently all sections of the road were included in the TEN-T network. It's the right moment to extend transport connection via Turkey and Georgia to Azerbaijan in order to include Caspian Sea", Por?ba stressed. Speaking on the new section of the Via Carpatia the Caucasian Road Corridor Por?ba said it would open direct access from Turkiye and the Caucasian countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia) to the Baltic Sea. "This project will boost development in the region and significantly accelerate its economic growth", Por?ba emphasized. Turkish Ambassador Faruk Kaymakci said that the possibility to easily reach northern European countries will attract investment and create a favourable business and industrial environment for large companies, as well as for small- and medium-sized enterprises. "This would consequently result in job creation, reduce unemployment and improve living conditions of our citizens. Turkiye is ready to strongly cooperate with the EU on that matter", he added. Ambassador Vagif Sadigov of the Republic of Azerbaijan emphasized that the context of energy security, this new international road corridor is of critical importance to the countries concerned. Connecting Caspian Sea and South Caucasus with the EU should be a matter of strategic importance for both parties, he added. Georgian Deputy Head of Mission Bidzina Javakhashvili said that Tbilisi welcomes transport plans with hope and is ready to cooperate in order to implement them. According to Tural Ganjaliyev Member of the Azerbaijani Parliament, new road connections between the Caspian Sea and the European Union will not only accelerate the economic development of the South Caucasus, but may be an important element of political cooperation and normalization of the situation in the region. It is also a great opportunity for Europe to build strong relations with Azerbaijan and take advantage of its growing role and economic potential. "We should underline the importance of the Via Carpatia running on the North-South axis between the Baltic, Aegean, Black and Adriatic Seas, thus embedding into the process of advancing economic and territorial cohesion of the European Union, and contributing to the social and economic development of the Central and Southern Europe. Countries like Turkiye and Azerbaijan play an important role in turning these corridors from projects to reality. The EU must continue to invest and take a lead role in transregional trade corridor projects. This interconnectivity increases the competitiveness of European goods and products", said ECR MEP Ryszard Czarnecki. Regarding ongoing negotiations on further expanding the TEN-T network to new regions, Por?ba said: "We cannot stop here. We have to use this opportunity to bring forward new future-proof road projects connecting the Baltic See through seven European countries with the Caspian Sea. All countries are ready in terms of concept, infrastructure, plans and ideas. They are ready to improve connectivity. It's time to act". Thank you for reading! To read this article and more, subscribe now for as little as $1.99. Hina Khan says it's crucial to take care of your skin at young age. Image Source: IANS News Mumbai, March 23 : Actress Hina Khan has urged the younger generation to start skincare early, saying it's crucial to take care of your skin at a young age. The 'Bigg Boss 11' contestant, Hina, is often seen sharing her workout routine, and skincare tips with her huge fandom on social media. Recently, during a launch of Kaya's new clinic in Mumbai, Hina stated: "I believe it is crucial to take care of your skin at a young age, especially during your early 20s. To those who haven't, I want to share my own experience -- I didn't start until I turned 30." "I have met numerous doctors and they advised starting skincare not just at 20, but as early as 18. For individuals struggling with acne and scars, it's essential to begin caring for their skin at 18 or older. So, my advice is simple - start at the right time, and you'll see results," added Hina. Meanwhile, Hina will be next seen in the English and Hindi bilingual movie aCountry of Blinda. The actress recently featured in a romantic music video titled 'Halki Halki Si', alongside Munawar Faruqui. New Delhi: Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra at Parliament House during the Winter Session. Image Source: IANS News Kolkata, March 23 : A CBI team is conducting raids since Saturday morning at the South Kolkata residence of DL Moitra, father of Trinamool Congress leader, Mahua Moitra. Mahua Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha earlier in connection with the alleged cash for query scam. The Trinamool Congress has re-nominated Moitra from the Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency in Nadia District, from where she was elected in 2019. Sources said that CBI sleuths reached a residential flat belonging to businessman DL Moitra, at a housing complex christened aRatnabalia at New Alipore area in South Kolkata. The CBI team was escorted by Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel. However, the central agency officers were totally tight-lipped about the reason behind the raids. It is learnt that Mahua Moitra does not stay at the flat and on Saturday morning her father was also not present when the central team reached there. For the last few days there has been a flurry of raids by the ED and CBI in different pockets of West Bengal. On Friday, the ED raided the residence of West Bengal Minister of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises and Textiles Department, Chandranath Sinha, in Birbhum District. Sources said that the ED sleuths recovered cash worth Rs 41 lakh and some incriminating documents from his place. Although the minister was not arrested by the ED sleuths, sources said he was unable to give satisfactory answers about the source of the cash recovered from his residence. Mumbai, March 23 : Actor Ishaan Dhawan, who essays the lead in 'Dhruv Tara-Samay Sadi Se Pare' has opened up on the heartwarming Holi celebration in the show, calling it an absolute blast. The audiences can look forward to the long-awaited reunion of Dhruv (Ishaan) and Tara (Riya Sharma), as she gets to know the truth about Dhruv being her husband, leading to a dramatic showdown with Suryapratap (Karan V Grover) and the exposure of all his lies. Amid the unfolding drama, Dhruv and Tara, share a romantic dance and a heartwarming Holi celebration. As the long-separated couple finally reunites, Ishaan shared behind-the-scenes insights into the making of this beautiful sequence. Talking about preparing for the Holi sequence, Ishaan said: "Shooting the Holi sequence was an absolute blast. The dance sequences were relatively light, focusing mainly on expressions, thanks to the choreographers who made it effortless for us. It is such a visually appealing scene with romance and colours, and Dhruv and Tara finally reuniting." The actor further shared that the biggest challenge was the heat which made shooting outdoors quite demanding. "But with the support of my co-actor Riya, the production team, and the entire crew behind the scenes, the outcome was simply beautiful. The upcoming sequence, along with the Holi celebrations, promises a rollercoaster of emotions; thereas tears, grief, love, revenge, and a heartwarming reunion, offering viewers a delightful treat," he added. 'Dhruv Tara' airs on Sony SAB. Hyderabad, March 23 : The winner and runner-up of the 2019 elections in the Chevella Lok Sabha constituency will be taking on each other this time on the tickets of different parties. Sitting MP G. Ranjith Reddy will be entering the fray as a Congress candidate because the Bharat Rashtra Sami (BRS) has denied him renomination. A couple of days after switching loyalties to the Congress party, Ranjith Reddy managed to get the ticket from the state's ruling party. He will be taking on Konda Vishweshwar Reddy of the BJP while Kasani Gnaneshwar Mudiraj of BRS will be the third key contestant in the constituency comprising Assembly segments on the fringes of Hyderabad. Vishweshwar Reddy, who was elected from Chevella in 2014 on a TRS (now BRS) ticket, contested unsuccessfully as Congress candidate in the previous election. This time he is testing his political fortunes on BJP ticket. Created in 2009 as a result of the delimitation of constituencies, Chevella has so far witnessed three elections. Senior Congress leader S. Jaipal Reddy was elected from here in 2009. The BRS, which is looking for a hat-trick, has fielded Kasani Gnaneshwar Mudiraj, who resigned as Telugu Desam Party (TDP) state chief and joined BRS last year after TDP decided not to contest the elections in Telangana. Political analysts say BRS will face a daunting task in retaining the seat as it has considerably weakened after losing power to Congress in November 2023 polls. Defections by some key leaders have dealt a blow to the KCR-led party. Former minister and MLC Patnam Mahender Reddy, his wife Sunitha Reddy, who is also the chairperson of Vikarabad Zilla Parishad, former MLA from Maheswaram Teegala Krishna Reddy and his daughter Teegala Anitha Reddy, chairperson of Rangareddy Zilla Parishad, are among the BRS leaders, who have switched loyalties to Congress. Chevella Lok Sabha constituency comprises seven Assembly segments -- Maheswaram, Rajendranagar, Serilingampally, Chevella, Pargi, Vikarabad and Tandur. In the recent Assembly elections, BRS made a clean sweep of the four Assembly segments that fall in the Rangareddy district while Congress captured three segments. Maheswaram segment is represented by former minister Sabitha Indra Reddy, who had switched loyalties from Congress to BRS after her election in 2018. Vikarabad segment is represented by Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar. Results of previous elections in Chevella show BJP did not have much presence in the constituency. However, in recent Assembly elections it did well in some Assembly segments like Maheshwaram and Rajendranagar, where it stood second. In 2019, Ranjith Reddy won the seat by a margin of 14,317 votes against his nearest rival Visheweshwar Reddy. While Ranjith Reddy was polled 5,28,148 votes, Vishweshwar Reddy secured 5,13,831 votes. BJP's B. Janardhan Reddy had secured 2,01,960. In 2014, TDP had contested Chevella in alliance with the BJP. The party had finished a close third. In 2009 polls, BJP had secured 1.12 lakh votes. Former minister Sabitha Indra Reddy, who represents Maheshwaram constituency, has vowed to present the victory in Chevella as a gift to BRS President and former chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. The family of Sabitha Indra Reddy, which has considerable following in Chevella, is working actively for the BRS candidate. Sabitha's son P. Kartik Reddy tipped to be fielded as BRS candidate. However, the leadership decided to give tickets to Gnaneshwar. Kartik Reddy had unsuccessfully contested in 2014 as Congress candidate. T. Prakash Goud, the BRS MLA from Rajendranagar, does not agree that BRS has weakened. "Both Ranjith Reddy and Vishweshwar Reddy have betrayed BRS but the cadres remain loyal and active," he said while exuding confidence of the BRS victory. Kasani Gnaneshwar was heading TDP's Telangana unit before he joined BRS. After TDP decided not to contest the Telangana Assembly polls, he resigned from the party. He had served as a member of Legislative Council in erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh from 2007 to 2011. Belonging to the Mudiraj community, Gnaneshwar's nomination as BRS candidate has been welcomed by the party leaders in the constituency. They say their leader KCR kept his word given to Gnaneshwar when he joined BRS. While this is the first election in Chevella for Gnaneshwar, Vishweshwar Reddy is contesting for the third time. In 2014, he was elected on the TRS (now BRS) ticket. He quit BRS and joined Congress a few months before 2019 elections, citing alleged neglect of leaders who fought for Telangana in BRS. An engineer and entrepreneur, Vishweshwar Reddy is a grandson of Konda Venkata Ranga Reddy, former deputy chief minister in undivided Andhra Pradesh, and son of Justice Konda Madhava Reddy, former chief justice of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. He is the son-in-law of Pratap C Reddy, the founder and chairman of Apollo Hospitals. Vishweshwar Reddy's wife Sangita Reddy is the joint managing director of Apollo Hospitals. Sangita Reddy has already started campaigning for her husband in the constituency. She is meeting people in the constituency seeking support for Vishweshwar Reddy. In 2019, Vishweshwar Reddy was the second richest candidate in Lok Sabha elections in the country. He had then declared family assets of Rs 895 crore assets. He is confident that people will vote for BJP as it is the best and reliable option. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji's visionary leadership has the support of people across the country. People irrespective of caste and community are backing BJP. As Chevalla stands at the cusp of transformative growth, a vote for BJP is a vote for a brighter future," he said. Ranjit Reddy, a successful entrepreneur, had made his electoral debut on winning note in 2019. Bengaluru, March 23 : Karnataka BJP President, BY Vijayendra, has stated that there is a wave in favour of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in all 28 parliamentary seats of the state. Everything will settle down, he said referring to rebellion within the BJP over ticket distribution. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, state BJP chief Vijayendra said that Congress leaders know that defeat is certain and were making a futile attempt to field their ministers in the Lok Sabha election in their desperation to win. He said that the Congress had realised that there was a BJP wave across the state. "The BJP and JD(S) cadres are together working towards ensuring the victory of our candidates," he said. "Everything is going to calm down. All roadblocks will be cleared," he stated regarding the confusion over seat sharing with the JD(S). "We have two goals ahead of us at this stage. The victory of the BJP has to be ensured in the Lok Sabha elections and we have to get majority in the Karnataka Assembly election afterwards," Vijayendra stated. He said that the BJP high command had chosen candidates keeping in view the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state. He added that the party had opened a media centre with all facilities and national leaders would hold press conferences from there. "Bringing back PM Modi is not just the motto of BJP workers, it has become the aspiration of the people," Vijayendra stated. He added that after 10 years of governance, the popularity of the PM had increased. "The people of the country have accepted the leadership of PM Modi. This shows that the schemes launched by the Centre have reached every house," Vijayendra stated. Reacting to allegations of encouragement to family politics, Vijayendra stated, he was ready to contest from the Varuna seat for the Assembly elections but the BJP high command did not agree. "When Basavaraj Bommai was the Chief Minister, it was decided to make me an MLC, but then also the high command did not give its consent. I agreed to the decision. Now, BJP National President, JP Nadda, has explained why I have been given the post of state chief," he said. "There is no family politics in the BJP. There is no hesitation in making this statement," he alleged. "No matter what, the Congress will not come to power because of PM Modi's popularity," Vijayendra stated. He also demanded that the Congress make its stand over the Mekedatu project clear. "They are in power. Our stand is clear. We don't let the interest of the state be compromised," he said. Islamabad, March 23 : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday raked up the Kashmir issue during his address on the country's Resolution Day and termed it as one of the reasons for instability in the region. Speaking at the Pakistan Resolution Day Grand Parade here, Zardari said: "In our region, one of the main reasons for instability is the Indian illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir. We condemn the brutalities, human rights violations carried out by the Indian government against innocent unarmed Kashmiri people." "I want to tell the Kashmiris that Pakistan will always stand by them in their just struggle against tyranny," he added. "The key to durable peace in South Asia is the resolution of the dispute in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions. Pakistan, on its part, stands committed to extending all kinds of moral and diplomatic support until the oppressed people get their right to self-determination," he said. The day started with a 31-gun salute in the federal capital and 21-gun salute in the provincial capitals, followed by the grand military parade, featuring contingents of the three armed forces and other security forces conducting the march past, while fighter planes presented aerobatic maneuvers. Scouts from Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) also took part in the grand parade for the first time. Making use of the event, Zardari touched upon internal political disputes between various political parties, calling all stakeholders to seek a resolution to the political instability through dialogue. "I call upon all political parties to set aside all political differences and work together for the nation's progress and well-being," he said. Talking about the persistent threat of terrorism, Zardari said, "Pakistan is a peace-loving country and a responsible nuclear state who wants good relations with all its neighbors," adding that the country's desire for peace should not be taken as its weakness. "However, let me make it clear that we will not compromise on our sovereignty. Our nation and armed forces are always ready to respond to any aggression at all time. We will not tolerate any efforts of terrorists or any group to de-stabilise our country. Today's parade is a reminder of the country's unity, strength and pride," he said. Dignitaries attended the parade from Saudi Arabia, China, Turkey, Azerbaijan and others. It is said that such events are an opportunity for Pakistan to bring up the India mention and use it to seek international intervention for the Kashmir issue. It would not be wrong to state that Pakistan's efforts to attract global attention on the Kashmir issue has not yielded results as none has shown the intent to intervene into the matter and have called on both parties to find a resolve to the dispute through dialogue and table talks. While Pakistan's President expressed his optimism towards overcoming the towering economic challenges the country faces; many believe that the current government setup may just be too weak to handle the economic challenges and that department too, may just fall into the laps of the powerful military establishment, which is much much more powerful today then it was in the past. New Delhi, March 23 : The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday called the German Foreign Office Spokesperson's comments on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest "most unwarranted" and said that it sees them as interfering in the country's judicial process. Summoning the Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy, George Enzweiler, the MEA lodged a strong protest with him regarding comments on India's internal affairs. "We see such remarks as interfering in our judicial process and undermining the independence of our judiciary," the MEA said in a statement as it stressed that India is a "vibrant and robust democracy with rule of law". "As in all legal cases in the country, and elsewhere in the democratic world, law will take its own course in the instant matter. Biased assumptions made on this account are most unwarranted," the statement added. India's strong reaction came after the German Foreign Office said on Friday that it has "taken note" of Kejriwal's arrest and expects that "standards regarding the independence of the judiciary and basic democratic principles" will apply. The remarks by Sebastian Fischer, a spokesperson for the German foreign ministry, were in response to how the country's government assessed Kejriwalas arrest weeks before the Lok Sabha elections. "We have taken note of the case. India is a democratic country. We assume and expect that the standards relating to the independence of the judiciary and fundamental democratic principles will also apply in this case," Fischer said in his ministry's website. "Like anyone facing accusations, Kejriwal is entitled to a fair and impartial trial, this includes he can make use of all available legal avenues without restrictions. The presumption of innocence is a central element of the rule of law and must apply to him [sic]," the statement said. The Enforcement Directorate termed the Aam Aadmi Party chief the kingpin of the alleged excise scam in collusion with other ministers of the Delhi government. It claimed that Kejriwal was involved in the conspiracy of formulation of the Excise Policy 2021-22 to favour certain persons. A special court on Friday sent Kejriwal to six days of ED custody, till March 28. Lucknow, March 23 : With the announcement of the Lok Sabha poll schedule by the Election Commission of India (ECI), all parties in Uttar Pradesh are now in election mode. In an interview with IANS, the Yogi government's Minority Welfare Minister, Danish Azad Ansari, spoke on various aspects of the elections. He believes that the minorities trust Prime Minister Narendra Modias Guarantee while the opposition only targets them. IANS: The opposition is raising questions on CAA as to why it has been brought during elections. Is there an intention to polarize the voters? Danish Azad Ansari: See, this question of the opposition is an unnecessary issue at the time of elections. Itas a failed attempt to divert attention. It is the duty of a responsible government to understand the needs of the society and take concrete steps to fulfil them. PM Modi's government is known for its commitment to duty. From 2014 till now, PM Modi has worked with full honesty and conviction for the country's progress, development, expansion of the country's capabilities. PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have clearly said that CAA is a law to grant citizenship. Due to this, no person of any caste,or religion will lose his citizenship. CAA is a law to grant citizenship only to the persecuted minorities of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Minorities have faith in Modi ji's guarantee. The opposition has been targeting them. They consider them only as vote banks and mislead them. The opposition has always remained away from their main issue. Their main issue is their education, employment and security. The Modi government has worked honestly on these issues. The results are also visible on the ground. IANS: Some minorities are also raising questions. How will you explain it to them? Danish Azad Ansari: The CAA is a common draft. Everyone should read that draft. It is on a public platform. I hope many people have read it too. That's why today after so many days since CAA was implemented, it is getting support from all quarters. Yes, some opposition parties and some leaders want to create confusion in society as part of a conspiracy. Their agenda behind this is only to set their political game in the elections. During the rule of the Congress, the minority community was kept away from development. No work was done towards their education. the Samajwadi Party (SP) also did not do any work to improve their education system. No work was done for the development of minority-dominated areas. The Congress and other parties have been misleading the minorities on wrong issues since Independence till today. PM Modi is successfully connecting them with the mainstream. This is the reason why minorities are with the Modi government even on the issue of CAA. IANS: What are the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections? Danish Azad Ansari: Under the leadership of PM Modi, the BJP is going to form the government with full majority for the third time, winning 80 out of 80 seats in UP. The country has faith in PM Modi's Guarantee. Modi ji has worked for the development of the society, advancing the capabilities of India and empowering the youth. Not only this, he has worked for the upliftment of minority, backward and Dalit society. This is unprecedented in itself. This is the dilemma of all the opposition parties coming together for personal interests under the INDIA bloc. IANS: The opposition is accusing the Modi government of misusing CBI and ED. What will you say? Danish Azad Ansari: The Congress and SP, who made loot and corruption their agenda during their rule, do not have the moral right to ask such questions. The people know those who are looting their hard-earned money. These parties have fulfilled personal agendas in their governments with taxpayers' money. No one will forget the hooliganism and corruption of SP rule. The public knows everything. Their leaders were involved in different scams. It is a law of nature that as one sows, so does he reap. The investigating agencies are doing their work in a fair and transparent manner. IANS: There is no minority name among the candidates declared by the BJP so far. Why so? Danish Azad Ansari: The true well-wishers of the minority society are BJP, PM Modi and UP CM Yogi Adityanath. Minorities cannot develop by merely giving tickets for Assembly and Lok Sabha. Giving tickets to minority communities is not a parameter of development. The parameter of development of this society is their education and employment. They have to be given better opportunities which PM Modi, BJP and the Yogi government have done. The PM Modi and Yogi governments have ensured every kind of participation. There are two members of the Legislative Council, minority chairmen and members of various corporations, boards and commissions of UP and also Rajya Sabha members. Many minorities have received the Padma Shri award. They have been awarded the country's highest honour. IANS: There is a tug of war regarding illegal madrasas in UP. What is the issue of funding in this? Danish Azad Ansari: The Yogi government never made an arena of legal and illegal madrassas in UP. The survey conducted by the Minority Social Welfare Department was not done to identify legal and illegal madrassas, but for unrecognised madrassas. There are 16,513 madrassas in UP recognised by the Madrassa Board. There are approximately 8000 unrecognised madrassas . The Yogi government is serious about improving the madrassa education system. Children from common Muslim families study here. The Yogi government is committed to providing good, transparent and modern education there. Concrete steps are being taken towards making the madrassa education system better and better. IANS: What is the BJP doing about the Pasmanda society? Will you take any further steps? Danish Azad Ansari: PM Modi has spoken about the upliftment of the Pasmanda society with an open heart on an open platform. The government and organisations are working to bring them into the mainstream. Bengaluru, March 23 : Karnataka BJP MLA and former minister Munirathna on Saturday claimed that Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is ready to join the BJP with 40 other MLAs. He said that Shivakumar desperately wants to join the BJP and if the doors of the party are opened he is set to rush inside and join the party. Knowing this well, the BJP leaders are not opening the door for Shivakumar, he said. "Shivakumar is claiming that he is sending BJP leaders to the Congress party. But, it is ironical that Shivakumar waits to join our party (BJP) desperately with his followers," MLA Munirathna stated. Munirathna said that there are demands to create four more posts of Deputy Chief Ministers. Shivakumar thinks that it is best for him to join the BJP rather than be in the Congress. "We will not open our doors to him, let him stay in Congress," MLA Munirathna said. Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 23 : Veteran CPI-M leader and former state minister A.K. Balan known for speaking his mind on Saturday expressed concern that if the party does not fare well in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls then it will lose its national status. "The problem of losing the national status is, then the famed symbol of the CPI-M cannot be used and then we will be at the mercy of the Election Commission who will allot a symbol," said Balan, presently a central committee member of the party. "And if such a thing happens, then who knows our candidates will have to contest on symbols like 'Pangolin' ( in Malayalam it's called Enampechi) or even on a symbol like 'Octopus' ( Neerali in Malayalam). Then we will have to say vote for the LDF candidate on the symbol of Enampechi or Octopus," added Balan,. Balan was addressing a meeting of the staff members of a CPI-M backed state run organization. Incidentally in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the CPI-M led Left won just one seat of the 20 in Kerala. Overall the CPI-M had just 3 Lok Sabha members from 2019 to 2024 and managed to get a mere 0.55 per cent of the votes. After being wiped out in West Bengal and Tripura, Kerala is the last bastion of the CPI-M and hence Balan and his party are worried about what the future holds for them. Hyderabad, March 23 : The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has decided to field its legislator T. Padmarao Goud in the Lok Sabha elections from Telangana's Secunderabad constituency. Padmarao Goud is representing Secunderabad Assembly constituency for a fourth term. BRS president and former Telangana chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao approved his candidature after holding consultations with MLAs, other people's representatives and senior leaders. Padmarao Goud has been associated with the party since the Telangana movement days. He also served as Deputy Speaker of Telangana Legislative Assembly between 2014 and 2018. He was first elected to the Assembly of united Andhra Pradesh on TRS (now BRS) ticket from Secunderabad in 2004. In the recent Telangana Assembly elections, he was re-elected for a third consecutive term. Secunderabad Assembly segment is part of Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency. The party said in a statement that the senior leader remained loyal and strived for the development of the constituency. The meeting held by KCR with the party leaders from Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency unanimously chose Padmarao Goud as the party candidate. He will be locked in a three-cornered contest. Union Minister for Tourism and Culture and Telangana unit BJP president G. Kishan Reddy is seeking re-election from Secunderabad. The Congress has announced former minister and sitting MLA Danam Nagender as its candidate two days ago. Nagender was elected to the Assembly from Khairatabad (one of the Assembly segments under Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency) on a BRS ticket in the recent elections. He joined the Congress party on March 17. The BRS has petitioned Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar to disqualify Narender. With the announcement of candidates for Secunderabad Lok Sabha seat, the BRS has so far declared candidates for 14 out of 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana. In 2019, the BRS had won nine seats. Five of its sitting MPs recently joined Congress or BJP. Mumbai, March 23 : The Mumbai Police have brought back notorious gangster Prasad Vitthal Poojary -- who was arrested in February 2023 following an Interpol notice -- in what is a first-ever deportation of a wanted fugitive by China, officials said here on Saturday. A resident of the Vikhroli suburb in Mumbai, Poojary (44), surrounded by a team of Mumbai Police officers, arrived here in an early morning flight. He was lodged in a police lockup before being placed under formal arrest by the Crime Branchas Anti-Extortion Cell. Poojary was later produced before a special court of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), which remanded him to 14-day police custody. Poojary was living in China and Hong Kong for the past 20 years using various aliases like Subhash, Siddharth Shetty, Sid, Johny, etc. From his hideouts, he used to run an extortion racket using international SIM cards and telephone numbers, targeting politicians, businessmen, film personalities, including producers-directors, and other celebs. He had at least eight cases of major crimes lodged against him at various police stations in Mumbai, the police said. A resident of Tagore Nagar in the Vikhroli suburb, Poojary started his gangland career with the gangs of Kumar Pillai and Chhota Rajan Nikhalje (both deported) nearly three decades ago. However, after differences cropped up with them, he separated to form his independent amafia companya which aimed at big fish, threatening them to extract big money, mostly in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Thane regions. At one point in 2019, he was involved in firing at Shiv Sena leader Chandrakant Jadhav, who escaped alive, but it served to increase his dread among the rich and the powerful people. Following a tip-off by Interpol and acting on a Red Corner Notice of 2012, Poojary was nabbed in Hong Kong in February 2023 on charges of holding a fake passport. Married to a Chinese woman with a child, Poojary was planning to board a flight from Hong Kong to Shenzhen at the time of his arrest. As soon as the Mumbai Police learnt about his arrest, it initiated deportation/extradition proceedings against Poojary last year, and finally managed to bring him back after a yearas efforts. In 2020, the Mumbai Police arrested Poojary's mother, Indira Vitthal Poojary, for her alleged involvement in the abduction-cum-extortion case of a Vikhroli builder to extract Rs 10 lakh, and running his rackets by proxy. After Kumar Pillai's extradition by Singapore, Poojary took over his business territory and carried out shootouts, kidnapping, attempts to murder, issuing death threats, and running extortion rackets targeting prominent personalities in and around Mumbai. Thimphu, March 23 : Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay on Saturday lauded his counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fulfilling his promise to visit Bhutan despite a hectic schedule and bad weather, saying that this must be "Modi Ki Guarantee". Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a two-day state visit to Bhutan from March 22-23, which was earlier postponed by a day due to inclement weather at the Paro Airport. "A big thank you to my brother, PM @narendramodi Ji, for visiting us. Neither his busy schedule nor inclement weather could prevent him from fulfilling his promise to visit us. This must be the #ModiKaGuarantee phenomenon!" PM Tobgay said in a post, which was shared along with a photograph of the two leaders, on X. aModi Ki Guaranteea denotes PM Modias commitment to the aspirations of the common man and echoes the resolution of his government to "serve the last man standing." As a special gesture, both King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk and PM Tobgay, came to see PM Modi off at the airport as he wrapped up the official visit, which saw him being presented with Bhutan's highest civilian honour. Touched by this gesture, PM Modi said he was 'honoured' and thanked the "wonderful people of Bhutan for their warmth and hospitality, saying that "India will always be a reliable friend and partner for Bhutan." "This has been a very special Bhutan visit. I had the opportunity to meet His Majesty the King, PM @tsheringtobgay and other distinguished people of Bhutan. Our talks will add even more vigour to the India-Bhutan friendship. I am also grateful to have been conferred the Order of the Druk Gyalpo," PM Modi wrote in a post on X. Before he left for New Delhi, PM Modi inaugurated the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital along with his counterpart Tobgay in Thimphu. He called the state-of-the-art hospital, built with the assistance of the Indian government, a "beacon of hope for several families." Vijayawada, March 23 : Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday predicted a clean sweep by TDP-BJP-JSP alliance in the May 13 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh. He exuded confidence that the tripartite alliance will win 160 seats in the 175-member Assembly and will also capture 24 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state. He reiterated that the TDP, Jana Sena Party and BJP entered into an alliance keeping in view only the state's interests and not for any political or personal benefit. Chairing the workshop of the leaders of all the three alliance partners here, Chandrababu Naidu made an appeal to all the leaders to move together collectively without any egos as there is every need for the three parties to be cautious in these elections. Expressing concern that misuse of power has reached its peak during the YSRCP rule, Chandrababu said desired results are possible only if care is taken in the selection of candidates. The BJP, which is the alliance partner, is in power at the Centre while the Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan came forward for a tie-up as they believe that if the YSRCP is back in power, the state will suffer heavily. They also do not want the anti-incumbency votes to get divided. Stating that Pawan Kalyan is a leader with certain policies, Chandrababu Naidu said that all the Jana Sena Party activists are working with dedication under his leadership. Maintaining that the TDP has its own credibility, Chandrababu said that he has been playing a crucial role in the selection of candidates since beginning. Admitting that all those aspirants could not be fielded in these elections as the TDP has entered into an alliance with the two parties, Chandrababu Naidu said, "When we want the State to be victorious, we have to make certain sacrifices. We could not field some senior leaders who have been aspiring to contest the polls like Mr Gandi Babbji who wanted to be in the race from Vizag (South), Mr Devineni Umamaheswara Rao from Mylavaram, Mr Sridhar from Pedakurapadu and several others due to the tie-up with the two parties." The Jana Sena Party leaders are also facing a similar situation, he said and stated that they have to make certain sacrifices in the interest of the state though they have been working hard for the progress of the party. "I will never forget all those who have sacrificed their seats," Chandrababu told the leaders. "The common goal of all the three parties is that all the candidates should win the polls. We should fight on behalf of the people successfully and get the votes. Lok Satta too has extended its support to us," Chandrababu said. Maintaining that political re-engineering is now becoming a necessity, he felt that if weak candidates who do not have public support are in the race it will have its impact on other segments. "This is the reason the candidates have been selected after social re-engineering to get them elected," he added. The TDP has decided firmly to develop the state on the lines the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is taking the country forward, he said and promised to transform the state into a poverty-free Andhra Pradesh. There is a need for digital currency to control the parties like the YSRCP, he felt and predicted that in the coming 10 years there will be total digital currency in the country. "I have never expected to see a Chief Minister like Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy in my life as he is the only Chief Minister who converted politics into business. He has been surviving by uttering blatant lies everyday," Chandrababu said. A fake news has been created that the BJP state president Purandeswari has resigned from her post. "No doubt, Mrs Purandeswari is my family member but she has been in a different party altogether for almost 30 years and it is quite common that members of a family can be in different parties," Chandrababu noted and asked as to why they are making a fuss on this. Agartala, March 23 : Alliance among the INDIA bloc parties are an eyewash to dupe the people while the BJP-led NDA is fighting the parliamentary elections on developmental issues and to continue the welfare of the people, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said here on Saturday after launching a mega election campaign. "Our election mantra is development and welfare of people," Saha said. The Chief Minister said that the so-called INDIA bloc is an opportunistic alliance practically they have no faith in each other, adding "how they would do welfare of the people when the parties have no confidence among themselves." Organised by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of the BJP, a massive first-ever roadshow was held here on Saturday as part of the election campaign ahead of the polling to the two Lok Sabha constituencies Tripura West and Tripura East and by-elections to the Ramnagar assembly seat on April 19 and April 26. Besides Chief Minister, state BJP President Rajib Bhattacharjee, former Chief Minister and BJP candidate for Tripura West Lok Sabha seat Biplab Kumar Deb, party candidate for Tripura East Lok Sabha seat 'Maharani' Kriti Singh Debbarma and other state leaders led the roadshow. Saha later talking to the media said that the main focus of the elections is the development and progress of the country under the ten-year governance of the BJP-led government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also defended the candidature (BJP) of 'Maharani' Kriti Singh Debbarma against allegations of being an outsider, Saha asserted that her roots in Tripura as she is the scion of the Tripura royal family and daughter of Maharaj Kirit Bikram Debbarma. A resident of Chhattisgarh, Debbarma is the elder sister of Tipra Motha Party (TMP) supremo and royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman. Echoing Saha's sentiments, Dipak Majumder, BJP candidate for Ramnagar assembly by-elections, reiterated that this election is being held purely on the basis of the developmental agenda undertaken by the BJP. Majumder, incumbent Mayor of the Agartala Municipal Corporation, expressed full confidence of his victory in the Ramnagar assembly seat, where the by-poll was necessitated after it fell vacant following the demise of sitting BJP MLA, Surajit Datta, on December 28 last year. The BJP won both seats for the first time in 2019, with Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik (Tripura West) and teacher-turned-politician Rebati Tripura (Tripura East) emerging triumphant. However, both have been dropped this time. Both Bhoumik and Tripura were not seen in the election campaign so far. Chandigarh, March 23 : The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday asked Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann why he had not taken the resignation of Excise Minister Harpal Cheema in the Sangrur liquor tragedy case nor registered a murder case against the perpetrators till now. Addressing the media here, SAD Chief Spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler said the Chief Minister Mann was on record to have said at the time of the Tarn Taran hooch tragedy that the Excise Minister should resign immediately and that a murder case should be registered against the perpetrators. "Forget taking these necessary actions, including the resignation of Excise Minister Harpal Cheema, the Chief Minister has not found the time to visit the 21 families whose near and dear ones have fallen victim to spurious liquor. It is condemnable that instead of comforting the victim families of his home district, the Chief Minister is busy indulging in a 'tamasha' in Delhi to please Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal." Kler also questioned the manner in which the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government was trying to shield the company -- BCL, which victims said had supplied spurious liquor in the area. "The police have removed the label of BCL from the bottle during official briefings indicating the closeness of this company, which was given a licence to produce ethanol in December 2022." Demanding a judicial probe into the entire case, the SAD leader said "this government cannot be trusted to take action against the liquor company." He also questioned the Chief Minister's priorities. "It seems saving Kejriwal is more important for the Chief Minister and his ministerial colleagues than the welfare of Punjabis." He said despite the fact that the Supreme Court had made it clear that a Rs 338-crore liquor scam had occurred in Delhi, Mann was trying to defend the indefensible. Kler said instead of doing this, the Chief Minister should explain why the Punjab government had followed the same excise policy as that of Delhi and given benefits to the same set of liquor contractors. "It is clear that like in the case of Delhi, in Punjab also hundreds of crores were looted from the government treasury. This is the reason for the Chief Minister's nervousness and why he is trying to make out a case of political vendetta even though this is a pure case of open and shut corruption," he added. Russian Soyuz lifts off to space with 3 astronauts. Image Source: IANS News Washington, March 23 : A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying three astronauts successfully lifted off to the International Space Station on Saturday. The flight originally slated to fly on Thursday was aborted on the launch pad, due to a dead battery. The soyuz MS-25 carrying NASA's Tracy C. Dyson, cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of the Russian space agency Roscosmos and Marina Vasilevskaya, a spaceflight participant from Belarus, launched to ISS from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 8:36 a.m. EDT (6:06 IST). "Liftoff! Three Soyuz crew members, including Tracy C. Dyson, are headed to the @Space_Station," NASA said in a post on X.com on Saturday. The Soyuz is expected to dock to the space stationas Prichal module at 11:09 a.m. on Monday (March 25), the US space agency said. The trio will join Expedition 70 crew members including NASA astronauts Loral OaHara, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Alexander Grebenkin. Dyson will spend six months aboard the ISS and return to Earth in September with Oleg Kononenko and Roscosmos' Nikolai Chub. Chub will complete a year-long mission on the laboratory. Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will be on the orbiting lab for 12 days, and will return along with OaHara on April 6. OaHara will have spent 204 days in space when she returns. Mumbai, March 23 : After three days of waiting, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his two deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, reached Delhi on Saturday to hold seat-sharing talks with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The trio is hopeful that a seat-sharing agreement will be reached during the meeting with the Home Minister. The MahaYuti partners BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP are quite desperate to seal the seat-sharing agreement as the first phase of the poll process has begun in five Lok Sabha seats in the Vidarbha region. Even before the announcement of a formal deal, the BJP has already announced candidates in 20 constituencies and the Congress in 7 seats. The Shinde faction has not yet formally announced any candidate. However, the nomination of Chief Minister Eknath Shindeas son Shrikant Shinde has been announced by BJP Minister Ravindra Chavan ifor the Kalyan constituency in Thane district. The BJP, which has repeatedly announced that the MahaYuti will win 45 plus seats in the state, is expected to grab the lionas share in the seat-sharing arrangement. The saffron party is keen to get about 28 to 34 seats. On the other hand, the Shinde faction is adamant on getting 18 seats or at least 13 seats of the sitting MPs. The Ajit Pawar-led faction was earlier keen to get 13 seats but now hopes for 9 seats. The three parties have staked claims on at least 10 of the same seats. In the case of Satara, both the NCP and the BJP are interested in it. However, former MP and Chhatrapati Shivajias descendant Udayanraje Bhosale, who is a Rajya Sabha MP, has expressed his desire to contest from Satara which he had represented earlier. At the same time, Mathai worker leader and BJP leader Narendra Patil has also shown a desire to fight from Satara. The seat-sharing talks were lingering with the possible entry of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in the MahaYuti as it has staked claim to at least 3 seats. On the other hand, the Republican Party of India (Athavale) is quite keen to get the Shirdi reserved constituency. The CMas son Shrikant Shinde, who is optimistic about winning with a higher margin from the Kalyan seat, said the seat-sharing arrangement will be sealed in the next two days. "Even before the formal announcement of the seat-sharing agreement, the cadres belonging to MahaYuti partners have already started the poll-related work in all 48 constituencies," he added. Panaji, March 23 : Goa Police on Saturday arrested an Israeli national for possessing drugs valued at Rs 8.7 lakh, an official said. Panaji, March 23 (IANS) Goa Police on Saturday arrested an Israeli national for possessing drugs valued at Rs 8.7 lakh, an official said. Superintendent of Police (North) Akshat Kaushal, informed that Mandrem Police received a tip-off regarding one Israeli National coming to sell drugs including narcotic mushrooms at Harambol and a raid was conducted. The accused person has been identified as Naar Yaakov (27) presently residing at Harambol, a native of Israel, police said. SP Kaushal said that a raiding team was formed under the supervision of Deputy Superintendent Jivba Dalvi and Police Inspector Sheriff Jacques. "The accused person was apprehended and a search was conducted during which he was found in possession of 136 grams of dried mushrooms containing narcotic substance Psilocybin, 132 grams of powder of narcotics substance psilocybin and 140 grams of Ganja. All the drugs are worth Rs 8. 7 lakhs in international market," police said. An FIR under sections 20(b)(ii)(A) and 22 (c) of NDPS Act has been registered. The CPI(M) politburo member and the state secretary Md Salim.(photo:Twitter). Image Source: IANS News Kolkata, March 23 : The Left Front on Monday announced the names of four more candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal, which will be held in seven phases starting April 19. All four nominees belong to the CPI(M) and their names were announced by Left Front Chairman Biman Bose on Saturday. The list includes CPI(M) politburo member and state Secretary Mohammed Salim, who will contest from the Murshidabad Lok Sabha constituency. Apart from Md Salim from Murshidabad, the other three candidates are Alokesh Das from Ranaghat in Nadia district, Sukriti Ghosal from Bardhaman-Durgapur in West Burdwan district, and Shyamali Pradhan from Bolpur in Birbhum District. While Das is a former CPI(M) Lok Sabha member, Pradhan is a former party legislator. With this, the Left Front has finalised candidates for 21 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. First, the names for 16 constituencies were announced, and later, Left Front constituent Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) announced the name of Mili Oraon as the party candidate from Alipurduar. As the weather warms and flowers bloom, more homeless tents are also springing up around Corvallis in the usual spots, some with more activity than others. At the city's BMX track Wednesday, March 20, where a carpet of grass had spread across the bike tracks, a large tent with a green umbrella was visible just off to the side. A Place to Sleep, episode 3: Corvallis Do unhoused people know where to go in Corvallis? Well, the city has outlined where they shouldn't be: near creeks, rivers, wetlands, sidewalks or within 20 feet of trees. Hidden in the surrounding trees and shrubbery, however, were vestiges of previously occupied tents, indications of a recent sweep. The picture was one of hurried departures and scattered debris, with evidence hinting that there may have been children living in some encampments. Two volunteers were seen assisting a camper left behind, helping her gather some belongings and take leave. A stroll between the Eric Scott McKinley Skate Park, where a new skate bowl is being constructed, and the BMX track revealed a significant increase in camping activity. A few tents lined the pedestrian and bike path toward South Corvallis. At the entrance to Shawala Point, there were a scattering of tents, many of them empty, with debris and belongings left behind, from clothing items to cleaning chemicals. But under the overpasses and around the skate park, the area was largely free of trash, save one significant mound of refuse, as a clean-up crew from the Oregon Department of Transportation was at work along Third Street at the foot of Marys River. 'Vicious cycle' Current clean-up efforts, ODOT spokesperson Mindy McCartt said, are focused on the portions of the skate and BMX parks under the departments jurisdiction. "And we're also scheduled the entire week of April 8 to look at Michaels Landing. That's near the Spaghetti Factory and Pioneer Park," McCartt said by phone. At Michaels Landing, several tents could be seen just next to the parking lot and a few others closer to the bank of the Willamette River. One camper, James Burke, in a hurry to go visit with his two children, said hed lost an urn of his late fathers ashes in a recent sweep, and he's been informed of another impending one. He planned to remain in the campsite until then. McCartt called the cleanups a "vicious cycle," and an increasingly expensive one at that. "All these cleanups are out of our maintenance and operation budget, McCartt said. "Its like were spending money on money on money, and it's not really addressing the bigger picture." Before winter of last year, McCartt said it cost on average about $10,000 per site. But that figure is already outdated. Those costs now are closer to between $15,000 and $20,000 per site. That's because some cleanups require a hazmat team and/or a dumpster. Often the department is working with outside contractors to clean up a site. "It is very expensive to come out and just do one cleanup," McCartt said. The escalating outlay of money, McCartt said, is not only a result of an growing homeless population around the city but an increase in the number of homeless encampments, with their attendant accrual of dirt and litter. "We dont see a fix. When the sun starts coming out, people start coming out. So we expect this to be a growing problem when the better weather hits," McCartt said. Point-in-time counts from January 2023 showed Benton County had 348 homeless individuals in total, and a shortfall of 249 bed spaces. The numbers of 2024 numbers have not been released yet. BMX track Between 2020 and 2021, Corvallis saw ongoing efforts to set up a managed campsite around the BMX track. But it never happened. The project was led by Unity Shelter, which also oversees the mens shelter, women's shelter and a hygiene center on Southeast Chapman Place. The City Council authorized the disbursement of $125,000 from the pandemic-inspired federal CARES Act for the campsite, but the project failed to take off as a result of exorbitant insurance costs. When asked about it, Executive Director Shawn Collins said the question of a managed campsite around the track in the future was a question for the city manager and council. "In order for there to be a managed camp in a park, the city would have to approve that, and previously they've held the position that the liability is too great," Collins said by phone. Collins believes a managed campsite in response to the homelessness crisis remains a possibility for Corvallis, on private land or on public property, if the council is willing to be less risk-averse. A request for comment from Parks & Recs Director Meredith Petit was not returned by deadline. "If you look at the map for BMX Park, you can see that it is fully covered by natural hazard areas and therefore not eligible for TPM for that reason," Community Development Director Paul Bilotta said via email, citing temporary sleep and rest areas cities were to make available under the state's HB 3115 law. "One of the challenges with trying to use city owned property is that the city has tended to purchase land to preserve riparian corridors, wetlands, steep slopes and other natural hazard areas. We dont have old city owned sites that are no longer in use nor do we have sites that have been proactively purchased for future city uses like you see sometimes with other camping areas on government property in Oregon," Bilotta said. According to Bilotta, in addition to already existing managed campsites or micro villages, the city was in conversation with certain service providers to set up three managed campsites around the city last fall but those plans haven't moved forward since then. Before the BMX track project shuttered, a perimeter fence, tent platforms and warming tents had been set up on the site. Camp supplies, an office, and tents for campers had also been purchased. Funds were also put into clearing the site and running background checks on prospective campers. Sanitation services Though several trash cans and "port-a-potties" are seen around the BMX track and skate park, they appear to be of little use in combating the litter in either encampment cluster. While McCartt is of the opinion that making more trash cans or restrooms available will signal that these spaces closed off to the public can be lived in, Collins says though the city and county has made efforts in that regard, more needs to be done about sanitation. Service providers are willing to improve sanitary conditions, he said, but costs and permits to situate trash cans, for example, on public property remain concerning hurdles. Collins said hes learned of plans by ODOT to place boulders in some campsites under their jurisdiction to deter people from setting up residencies there, but he is wary no one is thinking about where they will go next. "You can make an area impossible to camp in, (but) it doesnt solve the camping problem. It just moves them," Collins said, likely back into city-owned parks. Kathryn Holbrook, one camper at the BMX track area, said she was born in Alaska, raised in Spokane, Washington, and lived in Cincinnati for more than two decades before a tenuous divorce led to her move to Oregon. She landed first in Newport seeking to move in with an uncle, and when that and other plans from her network fell through, she ended up in a rather well-constructed shelter in the BMX park. Holbrook said shed camped for periods of time with just a tent and a backpack, especially when she was moved constantly from city to state back to city property. "This is the only way I can kind of have a house," she said, pointing to the elaborate shelter shed set up. The complexities around solving the houselessness issue remains, according to Collins. In addition to the scarcity of shelter spaces to house a growing population of campers, there's a subset of the population, who due to mental health challenges, drug use or past experiences with congregate shelters will not be able to leave outdoor campsites permanently. Collins said increasingly, among those in need of housing are elderly individuals with medical challenges who are not quite eligible for assisted living and families with children. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by becoming a subscriber today. "The three on my desk right now, two of them are domestic violence cases, and the other one, it's somebody with a special needs child," Collins said. "It is definitely an increasing problem," he said. Editor's Notes: This article has been updated (March 25, 2024) with comments from the city's community development director. Related stories: Moscow, March 23 : Urging the international community to stand with Russia, President Vladimir Putin on Saturday pledged to punish the perpetrators of the dastardly attack that killed 143 people and injured several others in a concert hall near Moscow. In a televised address to the nation, the 71-year-old leader said the four gunmen, directly involved in the attack, were moving towards the country's border with Ukraine. "We will be investigating this terrorist attack and we already have some results. All four perpetrators, directly involved in gunning people down, have been found and apprehended," the President said. "They tried to escape... they were moving towards the border with Ukraine and we have data that suggests that they were about to be moved to the territory of Ukraine. Our investigators are working to find the orchestrators of this attack," he added. So far, the Russian police have 11 suspects in custody, including all four gunmen, who were directly involved in carrying out the heinous attack. The Islamic State took responsibility for the attack, saying its fighters attacked "a large gathering" on Moscow's outskirts and "retreated to their bases safely". "We know what terror threat means, this is an attack against Russia, and we expect that other nations that share our pain will cooperate with us." "We will stand united against this common enemy, no matter where it shows its ugly head. These terrorists have no nationality and there is only one future for them -- retribution," Putin, who was re-elected Russian President recently, said. "Our common duty right now is to stand together, to stand united... and I believe, if we stand together, nobody can divide us, nobody can undermine our common strength," Putin said, adding that Russia has faced many challenges in its history but has always come out strongly. Earlier, the Russian security agency, Federal Security Service (FSB), said the attackers were driving to the border. "After committing the terrorist attack, the criminals intended to cross the Russian-Ukrainian border, and had appropriate contacts on the Ukrainian side," FSB said. Kyiv reportedly said it had "nothing to do" with the attack, and called the attack a Russian "provocation", claiming that Moscow special services were behind it. Chennai, March 23 : In a major embarrassment for the Tamil Nadu police, a serving special sub-inspector was arrested by the Bangladesh army for illegally crossing into the neighbouring country. The police officer was identified as John Selvaraj, a native of Tiruchi. Tamil Nadu police officers confirmed that he was arrested by the Bangladesh army but feigned ignorance about the reason for the arrest. He was working as a special sub inspector and was posted at the Selaiyur police station attached to the Tambaram commissionerate of police. When contacted an officer while speaking to IANS said, "John Selvaraj was on leave for a few days to attend the marriage of the daughter of a retired policeman. He went on leave from March 19 for two days and sent a postal communication extending it for fifteen more days." Sources in the police department said that he had deserted the police service and worked in Singapore from 2009 to 2019 and after that, he returned and was reinstated in service. Tambaram police commissionerate officers said that he had not gone to Bangladesh for any official work and they are probing the purpose of his visit. New Delhi, March 23 : Veteran Congressman and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday said that the Congress doesn't differentiate between people on caste lines and takes every section of society along for inclusive growth. Speaking to scribes, the ex-Haryana Chief Minister described the Congress as a party with no caste bias, a party that never advocates or promotes caste-based politics. "Congress is party of 36 biradari. There is no place for caste-based politics and casteism mindset in the party," Congress veteran Bhupinder Hooda said. By projecting Congress as a party transcending caste barriers, the ex-Haryana CM in first instance seems to be contradicting and questioning the Central leadership line on caste-centric poll campaign. Notably, Rahul Gandhi-led Congress brass has been aggressively pushing for caste census while claiming that 'jitni abadi, utna haq' will create a level-playing field for the citizens. Hooda's remarks comes just a day after Anand Sharma, a CWC member questioned party's stand on caste-based census and described it as an insult to Indira and Rajiv Gandhi's legacy. He also told the newsmen that at least 33 political parties have approached the Congress, offering support to the INDIA alliance from outside. In Haryana too, Loktantra Suraksha Party and its Chief Rajkumar Saini extended support, he informed. Sounding confident about Congress' ability to disrupt Lok Sabha as well as Assembly elections in the state, he said that the grand old party will mark a return to power in the state, on back of people's support. "BJP will fair poorly and face-saving exercises won't save its boat from sinking this time. The state is yearning for change. And, the results will be visible soon in Lok Sabha as well as Assembly elections, slated later this year," he added. He also vowed to implement the MSP guarantee law for farmers and promised farm loan waivers, if Congress returns to power. He made a promise of Rs 6,000 pension to senior citizens, re-implementation of Old pension Scheme and also free electricity for all households till 300 units of power. He also said that people will see through the designs and desperation of the ruling alliance to cling on to power and will punish them in elections. "The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) breaking their alliance, months ahead of elections is an opportunistic move, aimed at getting political mileage. This became more evident during the Trust vote of government's oath taking ceremony. JJP issued a whip to its MLAs, asking them to skip the Assembly, which in turn benefitted the BJP," Hooda told scribes. Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini speaks as former CM Manohar Lal Khattar looks on during a special session of the state Assembly. Image Source: IANS News Chandigarh, March 23 : Newly appointed eight ministers in Haryana on Saturday assumed charge here after the Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Nayab Singh. Those who assumed charge were Health Minister Kamal Gupta, Minister of State for School Education Seema Trikha, Minister of State for Development and Panchayat Mahipal Dhanda, Minister of State for Transport Aseem Goyal, Minister of State for Irrigation and Water Resources Abhay Singh Yadav, Minister of State for Urban Local Bodies Subhash Sudha, Minister of State for Social Justice Empowerment and Welfare of Scheduled Caste and Backward Class Welfare Bishamber Balmiki and Minister of State for Environment and Forests Sanjay Singh. Agriculture Minister Kanwar Pal, Industry Minister Mool Chand Sharma, Energy Minister Ranjit Singh, Finance Minister J.P. Dalal and Public Health Engineering Minister Banwari Lal were also present on the occasion. Patna: AAP supporters stage a protest at BJP office against the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, 23 March : The Aam Aadmi Party has demanded an immediate appointment with the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure equal opportunities for all the political parties in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. AAP leaders alleged that despite the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct, the Aam Aadmi Party's office was sealed on Friday by the police. On Saturday, the police barricaded the route leading to the AAP office on Deen Dayal Upadhay Marg, preventing AAP leaders from attending campaign meetings there, the party claimed, an allegation that was denied by the police. AAP leaders Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Durgesh Pathak, and others alleged that they were prevented from reaching the party office. "@AamAadmiParty has sought an urgent appointment with the Election Commission, to ensure a level playing field in the Lok Sabha elections. Despite the representation made yesterday, today the AAP office was sealed. Lok Sabha candidates and party leaders could not reach the party office for campaign meetings," Delhi Minister Atishi said in a tweet. "The Lok Sabha elections are just a few days away. We need to prepare for the elections, hold essential meetings, and formulate our strategy. However, adopting dictatorial tactics, barricades are placed around the office of a national party from all sides, and senior party leaders are also not allowed to enter the office," she added. "All agencies are being used to prevent us from participating in the elections. The IT raid on AAP MLA Gulab Singh is an example of this," Atishi said. Kolkata: BJP delegation team lead by opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari comes out after meeting with Chief Election Commission. Image Source: IANS News Kolkata, March 23 : The Trinamool Congress on Saturday filed a complaint with the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, accusing the leader of the opposition in the state Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, of spreading fake news through social media about the posting of senior police officers. In the complaint, the ruling party accused Adhikari of posting "false", "unverified", and "baseless' statements by publishing a list of some top police officers who, he claimed, were not from the India Police Service (IPS) cadre. The Trinamool has also claimed that the statements were a gross violation of the Model Code of Conduct, as it requested the CEO to direct Adhikari to refrain from making such posts in the future. It also demanded immediate action against Adhikari for violating the Model Code of Conduct. The ruling party also requested the CEO to immediately direct Adhikari to remove the post from his X handle. The West Bengal Police too have referred to the post by Adhikari on their official X handle, calling it a "distortion of facts". "The claims made in the attached tweet are false and misleading. All procedural norms have been maintained in adherence to the MHA rules," the police said. New Delhi, March 23 : The Delhi High Court has said that the Citizenship Act of 1955 supersedes the provisions outlined in the Passport Manual of 2020, affirming that subordinate legislation cannot override primary legislation. Justice Subramaniam Prasad delivered the verdict in response to a plea filed by two minor children challenging the authorities' decision to revoke their Indian passports and refusing to reissue them. The children, born to Indian parents who later migrated to the US, sought the court's intervention to compel the authorities to issue them Indian passports free of charge. Their father retained his Indian citizenship, while their mother acquired US citizenship under Section 9 of the Citizenship Act. Justice Prasad ruled in favour of the children, saying that they fulfilled the criteria outlined in Section 4(1)(A) of the Citizenship Act, which stipulates that a minor holding citizenship of India and another country must renounce the citizenship of one country within six months of reaching adulthood to retain the Indian citizenship. Highlighting the government's position, the court referenced a circular issued in February 2011, which acknowledged that minors may hold dual citizenship until they reach the age of majority and decide to renounce one citizenship. The court underscored that even the government recognised a minor's entitlement to an Indian passport and the option to renounce foreign citizenship to maintain Indian nationality. Moreover, the court noted that the Passport Manual of 2020, cited by the authorities to justify their decision, contradicted the Citizenship Act. It said the subordinate legislation cannot override the primary legislation, asserting the supremacy of the Citizenship Act over the Passport Manual. Consequently, the court concluded that there was no legal impediment to granting the petitioners' request, thereby allowing the writ petition. Chennai, March 23 : Slain sandalwood smuggler and bandit Veerappan's daughter Vidya Rani, who resigned from the BJP a few days ago, said on Saturday that she will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from the Krishnagiri constituency in Tamil Nadu. In a statement, Vidya Rani said she would be contesting the election on a Naam Tamilar Katchi ticket. She said that her father wanted to serve the people but the way he chose to do that was not fair, adding she had joined politics to serve the people. Vidya Rani is a lawyer by profession. She is also an activist and has been working for the cause of tribals and Dalits. Veerappan, a notorious bandit, was killed in 2004 during an encounter with the Special Task Force of Tamil Nadu Police. Vadodara, March 23 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized $60,000 from a passenger in Gujarat's Vadodara airport, an official said on Saturday. The individual, arriving from Delhi, was apprehended after information hinted towards the movement of a substantial amount of foreign currency. On March 22, officials of the ED's Ahmedabad unit and Vadodara airport detained the passenger for checking. The ED in a statement said that the search of the passenger's hand luggage led to the discovery of foreign currencies amounting to approximately Rs 50 lakh. Gurugram, March 23 : A team from the cyber cell of the Gurugram Police has arrested three persons for allegedly duping a man of Rs 1.5 crore in the name of investing in the stock market, the police said on Saturday. Priyanshu Diwan, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cyber Crime), said that the arrested accused have been identified as Makwana Harshad Ramesh Bhai, Nikunj Mansukh Bhai Chauhan, and Khan Zuber Jamshed, all from Gujarat. According to the police, a man filed a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police Station (East) on February 2, alleging that he was duped of Rs 1.5 crore in the name of investing in the stock market. During the probe, the police arrested the suspects from Jaipur on Saturday. During interrogation, the accused disclosed that an amount was first transferred to the account of Harshad, who sold his bank account to the other two suspects on commission. Later, Jamshed provided the alleged bank account to Dubai-based cyber criminals. "Rs 57 lakh, three mobile phones, five cheque books, and five SIM cards have been recovered from the suspects. Further probe is underway," Diwan said. Kolkata, March 23 : Total lawlessness is prevailing in West Bengal and the recent atrocities against women in Sandeshkhali are examples of that, former IPS officer-turned-BJP leader Bharati Ghosh claimed on Saturday. Addressing mediapersons on Saturday, Ghosh said she is claiming this based on her experience with the local women at Sandeshkhali during her recent visit there. "I interacted with at least 25 women and all of them narrated their horrific tales of sexual abuse by local Trinamool Congress leaders," Ghosh said. "Total lawlessness is prevailing in West Bengal, which has been proven by the incidents in Sandeshkhali. The Mamata Banerjee-led government has failed to uphold the dignity of women of West Bengal. It is under the patronage of the state administration that Trinamool leaders like Sheikh Shahjahan established a reign of terror in the region," Ghosh said. Ghosh had earlier approached the Calcutta High Court after the local police administration denied her permission to visit Sandeshkhali. The court later allowed her to visit the trouble-torn village in North 24 Parganas district. Srinagar, March 23 : The Jammu and Kashmir police along with security forces here on Saturday busted a terror module linked with proscribed outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) by arresting four terrorist associates, an official said. Four terrorist associates identified as Md Yaseen Bhat, Sheraz Ahmad Rather, Gulam Hassan Khandey and Imtiyaz Ahmad Bhat who were moving in a vehicle were apprehended. "Acting on specific information, a joint Mobile Vehicle Check Post comprising Srinagar Police, 50 RR, Valley QRT and CRPF was established in Kenihama area today," a police statement said. The police said that during checking, a white Alto car was intercepted by the joint party. Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including one AK 56 rifle with three magazines, six Chinese grenades among other articles were recovered from the possession of the arrested individuals. "During preliminary investigation, it was found that the apprehended individuals were linked with the JeM," the police said. Patna, March 24 : JD-U MLA Bima Bharti resigned from the party's primary membership and joined the RJD on Saturday. Announcing departure from the JD-U, she shared her resignation letter dated March 22, 2024, on social media on Saturday. Later, the RJD in a post on X said: "MLA from Rupauli, Purnia, and former Bihar Minister Bima Bharti today resigned from the primary membership of the JD-U and joined RJD. " Sources said that Bima Bharti was in contact with RJD leaders and she may get the party ticket from Purnea Lok Sabha seat. Bima Bharti was elected on the JD-U ticket from Purnea's Rupauli assembly constituency in 2020. She is considered a strong leader in the region and has a good hold among voters of the Extremely Backward Caste community. She may resign from the MLA post in the next couple of days. It takes a few minutes for Miranda July to get situated. Initially she looks composed over Zoom, dressed in a black leather jacket and seated at a desk in her airy studio in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. Behind her stands a bookcase of neatly cataloged art books with thick spines. But theres some kind of construction noise outside, and she walks down a corridor into another room carrying her laptop, the camera still pointed at her face, her studio blurring into the curls of her shaggy mullet. Then, in a cinematic flash like something from one of her films, shes back at the same desk where she started, with the same bookcase behind her, as if nothing had happened. Comic moments of discomfort and eccentric behavior abound in Julys books, performance art, and films, including her Camera dOrwinning debut feature, Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005). July wrote, directed, and starred in the film, about an aspiring multimedia artist whose work bears similarities to Julys own performance pieces. Two years later, her first story collection, No One Belongs Here More Than You, won the Frank OConnor International Short Story Award. Since then, shes continued to make feature films and write books. Her latest novel, All Fours (Riverhead, May), follows an unnamed narratorlike July, an established artist and middle-aged motherwho takes a life-changing detour on a road trip. The protagonist describes her calling to make art as a problem that you cant fix, but there is some relief in knowing you will commit your whole life to trying. July can relate. Thats just nonfiction, she says, adding that, for her, being an artist is a little like having a religion. Julys parents ran a small publishing company out of their house in Berkeley, Calif., and she grew up surrounded by books. As a teen in the early 1990s, she started a fanzine with high school friend Johanna Fateman, later a founding member of the band Le Tigre. I mean, it had the punk aesthetic, July says about their zine, Snarla. But we werent in bands. We were writers. Still, the prospect of devoting her life to writing somehow felt more risky than her dream of becoming a director. I didnt know anyone whod made a movie, she says, which meant she didnt know what it would look like to fail. Pursuing film was also, she admits, a way to rebel against her parents. The same could be said about dropping out of college, which July did in 1994. She remained true to her DIY roots, making short films, albums, and performance art. By the early 2000s, she began publishing short stories in traditional literary journals such as the Paris Review, thanks to encouragement from author Rick Moody, who saw one of her performances. Today, even with three feature films under her belt, she feels more in her element at her desk than on a set. Im more of a sit and write person than someone who likes being around a lot of people, July says. Its a quality that Mike Mills, her filmmaker husband, has remarked on. He said in a very sweet, genuine way, Youre just so happy when youre writing, you know? You could just write books. What a great life that would be, July recalls. Her response: Oh, youd love that, wouldnt you, being the only director in the house. Her work as a filmmaker shaped her first novel, 2015s The First Bad Man, in which a middle-aged woman devises elaborate role-playing exercises with her 20-year-old housemate. July approached writing it much as she would writing a feature film. I thought I needed a good idea for a novel, she says, almost like a log line. She took a new approach to fiction with the short story The Metal Bowl, published in the New Yorker in 2017, about a middle-aged woman who, in her youth, made an amateur porn clip that for a time caused strangers to recognize her. It was such a harrowing experience to write that story, because this woman was so like me, July says. I mean, shes fictional, but I didnt do all the things to make it clear that shes not me, like I didnt give her a job. By paring down the character details, she was able to give voice to a narrator who possessed a greater degree of knowingness than the narrators of her previous works, she says. I could feel from other women who wrote me that it connected a little differently, that Id removed some filter or shield. I was more honest. The Metal Bowl set the stage for Julys raw and uncircumscribed approach to All Fours. I specifically tried to not have a good idea, she says about her early conception of the novel. I was making my movie Kajillionaire, and I had a file called Novel Two that I knew would be my next thing and I would just kind of throw things in there. At the time, she was thinking a lot about aging as it relates to desire, gender, and marriage. This was due in part, she says, to her ageshe was in her mid-40sand because she had cast 1980s sex symbol and three-time Oscar nominee Debra Winger, then 64, in Kajillionaire. Her notes from that period helped shape the new novel. July credits her early performance art, which she began staging in the late 90s, with putting her in touch with what works on the page. When youre really living and dying in front of an audience, you can feel like, oh, that didnt work at all, and Im still up here, you know? she says. When I read out loud, I can just hear when its not connecting with an audiencetheyre not there. If Im dreading a part, its not a good sign. There should be no parts you dread. Regarding her new novel, July should have little fear. All Fours brims with life, and though she didnt begin with an outline, the plot unfolds in a solid three-act structure that starts from a simple premise: the narrator embarks on a cross-country road trip from her home in Los Angeles, leaving behind her husband and their young child for New York City, where she plans to spend a few weeks holed up in a hotel writing. Just as her trip gets underway, she becomes entangled with a young man who squeegees her car window at a gas station. I knew she was going to be in deep shit when she got home, July says about the narrator of All Fours, and that was a good fertile place to end up, but I didnt start out knowing how that problem would be solved. After driving home to her husband, the narrator reckons both with fantasies of infidelity and her reduced libido, which she attributes to perimenopause. She is deeply anxious about her bodys imminent changes, a subject July handles with mordant humor. At first glance the list seemed to describe a horrible disease, possibly fatal, she writes. This couldnt be; I would have heard. I knew about Viagra. I would know about this if it was common. While writing the novel, July discussed what she calls intense topics such as menopause with her best friend, the sculptor Isabelle Albuquerque, to whom the book is dedicated. July remembers what Albuquerque said after she read the manuscript: I didnt know it would be funny. We were always crying when we were talking about it. And the memory makes July laugh. The creative process has a similar duality for Julyits about survival, and it needs to be fulfilling in and of itself. Im writing to transform from one chapter of my life to the next, and this book has carried me through this time, she says, looking around her now-quiet studio. I couldnt or wouldnt move a muscle, if there isnt enjoyment or pleasure. Buzzworthy Broken Country Goes to S&S Carina Guiterman at Simon & Schuster has acquired North American rights to what was one of the most buzzed-about novels ahead of the 2024 London Book Fair, Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall. The deal was handled by Hattie Grunewald at the Blair Partnership. S&S said the book, Halls U.S. debut, is in the vein of The Paper Palace with a touch of Where the Crawdads Sing and tells the story of a passionate love triangle, alternating between the beauty and brutal reality of rural life and the tension of a murder trial. The book is set for a summer 2025 publication. Alderson Sells Six to Angry Robot BookTuber-turned-author Ben Alderson has signed a six-book world English deal with Angry Robots Eleanor Teasdale. Angry Robot said the deal includes two standalone books and the four-book Realm of Fey series. Hannah VanVels Ausbury at the Belcastro Agency negotiated the deal. Angry Robot said the series evokes the intrigue and high heat of A Court of Thorns and Roses. The first three titles, which were previously self-published, will be released in fall 2024, with the final installment, A War of Monsters, planned for May 2025. The two standalone titles are tentatively scheduled for 2025 and 2026. Yeager Motivates Avid Reader Avid Reader Press copublisher Jofie Ferrari-Adler has acquired North American rights to David Yeagers 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People. Avid Reader said the book combines original scientific research, reporting, and field-tested practical advice to explore how to get the most out of young people while simplifying our own lives in the process. Yeager is a developmental psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin. Richard Pine at InkWell Management brokered the deal. A summer 2024 publication is planned. Chu Shares His Views with Random House Filmmaker Jon M. Chu (director of Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights) has sold world rights to Viewfinder: A Memoir of Seeing and Being Seen, written with coauthor Jeremy McCarter, to Ben Greenberg at Random House. Lacy Lynch at Dupree Miller negotiated the deal. Random House said that Chu dives deep into his life and work to offer a candid firsthand account of the collision of Silicon Valley and Hollywood and what it was like to watch his old world shatter and reshape his new one. The book is scheduled for a July 2024 publication. Doubleday Scores Whyte Python Ticket Doubledays Jason Kaufman has acquired U.S. and Canadian rights to The Whyte Python World Tour by novelist Travis Kennedy. Yfat Reiss Gendell at YRG Partners brokered the deal. Doubleday said the book follows a famous 1980s heavy metal band that is unwittingly lured into a government plot to bring down the Eastern Bloc. No pub date has been set. Celadon Takes Notes After an auction, Deb Futter at Celadon Books has bought U.S. and Canadian rights to 24-year-old Harvard graduate Austin Taylors debut novel, Notes on Infinity. The two-book deal was negotiated by Katie Greenstreet at Paper Literary. Celadon said the book is an extraordinary love story set against the world of Silicon Valley startup culture. The story begins in a chemistry classroom in Harvard in the late 2010s, where two students make a remarkable scientific breakthrough: a drug that can reverse aging. The pair soon find themselves catapulted into the world of startups, fame, and money, as well as a maelstrom of insatiable greed, jealousy, and deceit. A June 2025 publication is planned. Hachette Listens to Ehsaeis Advice After an auction, Lauren Marino at Hachette Go has acquired North American rights to TikTok creator and finance expert Pattie Ehsaeis Never Date a Broke Dude. Jaidree Braddix at Park & Fine Literary and Media brokered the deal. Park & Fine called the book a practical guide to the two biggest influences on a womans ability to maintain freedom and control in her lifehow she manages her money and whom she chooses as a partnerall told in the authors signature no-nonsense style. Niyati Patel will edit the book. Publication is tentatively scheduled for summer 2025. It's been quite a year for the ALA and this year's ALA president, Emily Drabinksi, who have faced attacks by right wing politicians in a number of states. But as reported in Publishers Weekly, the ALA had something to celebrate this week, accepting the Toni Morrison Achievement Award from the National Book Critics Circle at an awards ceremony this week. The award, established in 2021 to honor novelist Toni Morrison, is given annually to "an institution that has, over time, made significant contributions to book culture." "This award honors library workers across the countryin institutions large and small, in big urban centers like this one, in small rural communities in Alabamawho make the American library as an institution the bulwark of inclusive democracy that it is," Drabinski said in accepting the award. In addition, another defender of the freedom to read was honored by the NBCC at this year's ceremony: author Judy Blume, who received the Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award. "I'm thrilled to know that you're also honoring ALA tonight, because every day I thank them for their tireless work in protecting our intellectual freedoms," Blume said in her speech. In Alabama, the attacks on libraries continue to escalate. AL.com reports on a proposed new law, HB89, that would appoint the board members of a lone Alabama library system instead of allowing the independent district select the board through elections. "The North Shelby Public Library is the only system in Alabama not formed or maintained under a city council or county commission," the report notes, adding that the legislation "follows months of book challenges and concerns about 'inappropriate content' for children in public libraries statewide." In a statement shared with PW, Alabama Library Association president Matthew Layne blasted the bill. "The North Shelby Library Board was created at the ballot box by residents and those same residents should retain their right to amend their policies, not the politicians in Montgomery," Layne said. From one end of Alabama to the other, folks are tired of Montgomery politicians trying to score political points by stirring up angry debates. They very definitely dont want their libraries becoming political battlegrounds. The Montgomery Advertiser has more on the controversy at the Autauga-Prattville Library over the firing of its director Andrew Foster. "A week after the Autauga-Prattville Library Board of Trustees fired director Andrew Foster, controversy still swirls around the boards actions and questions remain about what actions, if any, opponents of the move can take against the board," the article states. One imagines lawyer Iris Halpern is keeping an eye on this one. The Alabama Political Reporter reports that Autauga-Prattville Public Library board chair Ray Boles, who was part of the effort to fire Foster, went on a right-wing radio show to share details about the boards actions. It's an eye-opening report, to put it mildly, and one that could form the basis for a fascinating deposition. Those who have asked for book bans have never been on the right side of history. Minnesota Public Radio reports that a "freedom to read" bill that would seek to curb book bans has now been introduced in the Minnesota Legislature. Governor Tim Walz strongly backs the bill, the report notes. "Those who have asked for book bans have never been on the right side of history, they have never been viewed as being the folks that were the heroes of freedom, they have never been viewed as the people that were looking out for others," Walz told reporters. "Trying to tell someone elses children that they cant read The Hobbit, or whatever it might be, youre in the wrong." Over at Book Riot, Kelly Jensen leads off her weekly censorship news column with a very useful look at common misconceptions around book bans, especially among those who support the freedom to read "Misconceptions about book bans are legion," she writes. "When theyre perpetrated by folks who are against book banning, the truth is, those myths emerge not out of evil or desire to misinform. Instead, they come because this moment in book bans is unlike any other in American history." Local affiliate KHSB in Kansas City reports that its library is facing a potential revenue shortfall from a proposed plan to build new stadiums for the Chiefs and the Royals. And finally this week, the Texas Tribune offers a deep dive on how libraries in Texas are bridging the mental health divide. "Texas is a state where 98% of its 254 counties are designated as Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas, areas where theres only 1 clinician for 30,000 residents, and the states behavioral health worker shortage is expected to grow," the report notes. "According to a 2023 state progress report to the Legislature, there are 5,031 licensed psychologists available in the state. But only 111 countiesless than half of the states 254 countieshave one, and only 83 counties have a psychiatrist." Seems like this should be an issue of greater importance to legislators than banning books, doesn't it? The Week in Libraries is a weekly opinion and news column. News, tips, submissions, questions or comments are welcome, and can be submitted via email. Previous columns can be viewed here. The publishing industry is mourning the loss of longtime Publishers Weekly editor Sybil Steinberg, who died March 17 at age 90. Steinberg served as a PW editor for 25 years, handling weekly fiction reviews and author interviews until her retirement in 2001. In remembrances this week, PW colleagues and publishers recalled Steinberg as a consummate professionaland an original influencer. From where I sat, for many years as managing editor, Sybil was someone who could be counted on each week to make one or two drops of perfectly edited reviews, some of which she wrote herself, said Michael Coffey, who retired as coeditorial director of PW in 2014. Much of trade publishing then awaited Sybils careful judgment. I daresay Sybils spirit will long linger in the digital spaces of PW. In a tribute posted on Facebook, former Beacon Press publisher Helene Atwan recalled Steinberg as one of my favorite people in the publishing industry, who possessed an unerring eye for literary talent. Atwan recounted a time she asked Steinberg for permission to quote her by name on a dust jacketand received a bouquet of flowers in return. She was justly proud of what she did, and Im celebrating her work and her long and fruitful career. Nicholas Latimer, former v-p and executive director of publicity at Knopf, had his own anecdotes to share. Sybilno last name required as there simply was no other Sybilwas a literary kingmaker, Latimer said. Her decision to feature or ignore, praise or pummel, embrace or dismiss any given book was something no one in publishing could afford to take for granted. Latimer recalled one of his earliest encounters with Steinberg. I phoned to let her know that we were adding a book at the last minute for the following seasona new John Updike. Will this be a major Updike, or a minor Updike? Sybil wryly inquired. To which I replied, Well, I guess thats for you to decide. Steinberg graduated from Smith College in 1954, where she edited the Sophia student newspaper. After graduation, she turned down an entry-level job at Doubleday in favor of starting a family. PTA meetings and articles for the local paper followed, as well as a stint at the Famous Writers Schoolthe correspondence school founded by a host of publishing professionals, including Bennett Cerf, among others. Sybilno last name required as there simply was no other Sybilwas a literary kingmaker. Through the Famous Writers School, Steinberg met Jean F. Mercier, childrens book editor at PW. Mercier asked Steinberg to write a review. That led to a fill-in copyediting role in 1976, with Steinberg joining the magazine full-time in 1979. In 1983, she was named editor of fiction reviews, and soon began overseeing PWs author interview department as well. In 1989 Steinberg introduced the boxed review to highlight promising talent and made Amy Tans debut novel, The Joy Luck Club, the first boxed review. Two years later, Steinberg was named editor of the entire reviews department. In her role as author interview editor, Steinberg enjoyed one-on-one conversations with many elite literary figures, including Annie Proulx, John Updike, and Fay Weldon. In this role, Steinberg experienced a crowning achievement in her illustrious career, when Pantheon invited her to London in 1994 to interview Salman Rushdie, who was still in hiding six years after a fatwa had been issued over his book The Satanic Verses. Such an extraordinary assignment in such extraordinary circumstances is fitting testament to the trust and respect that Sybil was accorded from the highest levels of American publishing, Coffey observed. Steinberg also edited three volumes of Writing for Your Life, a series of books that featured interviews compiled from PW. After her retirement, Steinberg continued to review books and maintain her ties to the publishing industry. Her annual Sybils List lecture, in which she would describe her favorite books of the year, regularly drew standing-room-only crowds at her hometown library in Westport. A funeral service was held March 21. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Sybils memory to the Westport Library, Fairfield County Hospice House, or Planned Parenthood. The PW family is diminished by the loss of our dear friend Sybil, said PW owner George Slowik, who worked with Steinberg when he was publisher of PW, prior to acquiring the company in 2010. We will be forever enriched by her remarkable contribution to all that PW represents. The 61st edition of the Bologna Childrens Book Fair is set to take place April 811 at the BolognaFiere Exhibition Centre, marking a shift from its March dates of recent years. The fair, which serves as a meeting place for the worldwide childrens book community to buy and sell rights, talk shop, and stimulate new ideas, will be held alongside its sister events, BolognaBookPlus and Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids. As Bologna woos more rights professionals, its rights center continues to develop. It now offers 150 tables to childrens and general trade publishers and includes a new setup that allows agents and rights directors to have their own shelves and display posters instead of merely sitting at small tables. The tables quickly sold out, says Elena Pasoli, director of the fair. An adjacent area, the TV and Film Rights Center, will focus on cross-platform adaptations and collaborations and will offer opportunities to talk to representatives from Mediation and Netflix, among other companies. Welcoming more countries In the main halls, Bologna will host 1,500 exhibitors from approximately 100 countries and regions. Slovenia is the Guest of Honor country for 2024, and its publishing scene will be showcased in an exhibition titled And Then What Happens?, which will display the works of 59 contemporary Slovenian illustrators. New countries represented at Bologna include Angola, Belarus, Benin, Bolivia, Cameroon, Colombia, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Monaco, Moldova, Paraguay, Philippines, Togo, and Uganda. China is set to make a strong comeback at the fair, with an 11,000-square-foot space featuring 70 exhibitors. The fair has also introduced an annual exhibition titled Chinese Excellence in Childrens Illustration that will highlight 15 Chinese illustrators and award three of them with prizes and is scheduled to take place for the next five years. Also from Asia, Japan Foundation is sponsoring a new exhibit focused on the artistry of Japanese childrens book publishing. Once again, Ukraines presence is likely to garner significant attention, with fair organizers deciding to promote the countrys publishing scene amid its continuing war with Russia and award the Talking Pictures prize for excellence in Ukrainian adult publishing at the fair. The award is being given in collaboration with the Kyiv Book ArsenalUkraines principal book fairand will be supported by a talk and seminar. Pasoli says she was surprised by the large number of titles submitted for the prize. It demonstrates the Ukrainian industrys persistence and resilience, she says. The theme of war is also echoed in this years Jackets Off exhibition, which showcases different cover interpretations of a single title from around the world, with this iteration focusing on Leo Tolstoys War and Peace. Asked if the war between Israel and Hamas will be given special attention, Pasoli pointed out that the fair has never had official stands for Israel or Palestine, so it was not a consideration. From audiobooks to AI The BolognaBookPlus program, which runs parallel to the main fair and caters to the general trade, is offering a market focus on Indian publishing, and training conferences on rights selling, becoming a literary agent, and self-publishing. The main program we are featuring that is new this year is our focus on audiobooks, says Orna OBrien, head of marketing for BolognaBookPlus. The slate includes 18 speakers from 10 countries and is organized by Nathan Hull, chief strategy officer at Norways Beat Technology. We plan to cover everything from habit data to diaspora voices, and podcasting to screenless kids audio and business trends, Hull says. Comics will have an increased presence at the fair, with the Comics Corner expanding significantly, from 40 to 70 exhibitors, Pasoli says, noting that most of the exhibitors now have comics books in their catalogs. Unsurprisingly, artificial intelligence and its impact on illustration and book production will feature in a number of panels. Asked if the fair had yet seen any illustrations submitted for its prestigious illustrators exhibition, Pasoli says, Not yet. She adds that the fair has yet to decide whether AI illustrations will be banned from exhibitions and contests. We are studying it and it is under discussion, but no decisions had been made. The main issue for us is to ensure that no ones copyright is violated and anyone using AI respects copyright. Sustainability and the environment are once again central themes at Bologna. In collaboration with the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals Club, the fair will host an exhibition of books on ecological topics. Additionally, the fair is holding an event in collaboration with the SDG Club, at which dozens of authors and illustrators will read the 30 articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in their own languages. Representation is a central topic for several seminars, and the cultures of Indigenous minorities and the representation of African American and Afro-Latin-American stories in mainstream publishing will be under discussion. Pasoli adds that Sea was the special category for the Bologna Ragazzi Prizes. I like this category, which explores various aspects of the ocean and is emblematic of so many things, from the natural habitat to its political significance as a boundary and border, to the ways in which humans impact the environment, she says. Authors, illustrators, oh my! As is customary, Bologna will host a roll call of prestigious international authors and illustrators from the Americas, including Canadian Aviaq Johnston and Brazilians Nat Cardozo and Victor D.O. Santos; Cao Wenxuan from China; Spaniards Ximo Abadia, Roger Olmos, and Paloma Valdivi; Emma Adbage and Jenny Jagerfeld from Sweden; Belgians Kitty Crowther, Max de Radigues, and Bart Moeyaert; Beatrice Alemagna and Davide Cali from Italy; Linde Faas and Edward van De Vendel from the Netherlands; yvind Torseter from Norway. France is represented by Anne Brouillard, Philippe Lechermeier, Lorenzo Mattotti, and Herve Tullet, while the U.K. has Julia Donaldson and Neil Packer, the 2024 BolognaBookPlus author ambassador, among others. A trio of seminars will feature prominent Americans discussing provocative topics: historian Leonard Marcus will offer Pictured Worlds: The Illustrated Childrens Book Past, Present, and Future; illustrator and writer Mac Barnett will discuss the importance of childrens illustration with publisher and critic Maria Russo; and Russo herself will present a program titled Dead Bunnies and Naked Bottoms: Meeting the Challenges of Childrens Publishing Across Cultures. Collaborations are a cornerstone of the fair, and this year is no exception. Bologna has ongoing partnerships with the Shanghai International Childrens Book Fair and has added a new partnership with the Ake Arts & Book Festival in Lagos, Nigeria, which will see the two events working together to teach best practices to African childrens publishers, including offering an online illustration course with Mimaster Illustrazione. In 2019, the fair started a partnership with the Moscow International Book Fair, but that has been on hold since Russias invasion of Ukraine. Starting in 2021, the Bologna Book Fair has also embarked on annual grand tours, staging exhibits and its Illustrators Survival Corner, which offers instruction for childrens illustrators at numerous other book fairs each year, including those in Frankfurt, Guadalajara, London, and New Delhi, as well as at the Society of Illustrators in New York City. A revamped and expanded fair bookstore has moved upstairs, off the show floor. It will host seminars and promises to be more conducive to networking and lounging. When asked about the overall spirit of the fair and the industry, Pasoli expresses optimism. The childrens publishing industry is so lively, and childrens books are doing very well across the world, she says. I applaud the commitment and dedication of publishers, who continue to produce new and diverse books despite economic challenges. More on this year's Bologna Book Fair Bologna 2024: Program Highlights The Bologna Fair will host more than 360 panels and meetings across several stages. Next months Bologna Childrens Book Fair, the worlds largest rights fair devoted to childrens books, offers an extensive lineup of programming over four days. Here are some of the highlights. Monday, April 8 READING FOR THE PLANET: CHILDRENS BOOKS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE Authors Cafe, 2:303:20 p.m. This roundtable discussion, held in cooperation with the International Publishers Association, will explore how books for young readers can address humanitys impact on the environment and encourage children to make a difference within their communities. Chaired by Ed Nawotka, international editor at Publishers Weekly, the panel will feature Irina Lumelsky of United Nations Publications; Karine Pansa, president of the International Publishers Association, Brazil; and a representative of the UNESCO Greening Education Partnership, as well as publishers and authors of some of the books included in the accompanying exhibition, Reading for the Planet: Childrens Books for a Sustainable Future. DATA RELEASE AND CASE ANALYSIS OF THE CHINESE CHILDRENS BOOK MARKET Authors Cafe, 3:304:20 p.m. BCBFs engagement with Chinese publishers continues this year with a new program, China, Market of Focus, which will involve more than 100 exhibitors. Organized by China Publishers, this panel will provide a close-up look at the countrys expanding publishing industry. Tuesday, April 9 TRANSATLANTIC CONNECTIONS: LITERATURE, CHILDHOOD AND DIVERSITY Authors Cafe, 2:303:20 p.m. Dolores Prades will chair a discussion on contemporary Black literature and the interactions between African literature and that of Latin and North America. The speakers are Bel Santos Mayer, coordinator of the Queiroz Filho Brazilian Institute of Studies and Community SupportIBEAC (of Brazil); Wade and Cheryl Hudson, founders and publishers of Just Us Books (U.S.); Lola Shoneyin, author and publisher of Ouida Books; author-illustrator Dipacho (Colombia); and author-illustrator Kayode Onimole (Nigeria). MAC BARNETT, ARE YOU EVER GOING TO WRITE A REAL BOOK? WHY CHILDRENS BOOKS ARE A VERY SERIOUS THING Illustrators Cafe, 33:50 p.m. U.S. author Mac Barnett will appear in conversation with Maria Russo, former childrens books editor at the New York Times, and publisher Terre di Mezzo about why childrens literature is literature in its own right and why children are the ideal readers. DEAD BUNNIES AND NAKED BOTTOMS: MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF CHILDRENS PUBLISHING ACROSS CULTURES Authors Cafe, 4:305:20 p.m. This panel, chaired by Maria Russo, will discuss intercultural successes and failures, taboos, and publishing strategies. Panelists include Neal Porter, v-p and publisher, Neal Porter Books/Holiday House, USA;Dolores Prades, founder, director, and editor of Instituto Emilia (Brazil); author-illustrator Beatrice Alemagna (Italy and France); and Erik Titusson, founder and publisher of Lilla Piratforlaget (Sweden). PICTURED WORLDS: THE ILLUSTRATED CHILDRENS BOOK PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE Illustrators Cafe, 4:505:30 p.m. Leonard Marcus, author of Pictured Worlds: Masterpieces of Childrens Book Art by 101 Essential Illustrators from Around the World, will speak with Marcella Terrusi, researcher and lecturer at the University of Bologna, about the history of childrens books, sharing some of their favorite findings on the origins, development, and increasingly global reach of this art form. Wednesday, April 10 HOW TO MAKE COMICS FOR YOUNG ADULTS Authors Cafe, 9:3010:20 a.m. Max de Radigues, cartoonist and editorial director of Sarbacane (France); Isabel Minhos Martins, writer and cofounder of Planeta Tangerina (Portugal); and Simona Binni, cartoonist and editorial director of Tunue (Italy) will explore how to select and publish graphic novels that appeal to teenagers. The panel is curated by Associazione Hamelin, in collaboration with Sarbacane. ORIGINS: INDIGENOUS VOICES IN CHILDRENS BOOKS Book Lovers Bistrot, 1011:30 a.m. This discussion focused on Indigenous representation will be chaired by Dolores Prades and will feature author-illustrator Nat Cardozo (Uruguay); Jason Low, publisher and cofounder of Lee & Low Books; author and translator David Unger (Guatemala); author Adolfo Cordova (Mexico); Eboni Waitere, director of Maori Huia Publishers (New Zealand); Inuit author Aviaq Johnston (Canada); and linguist and author Victor D.O. Santos (Brazil and the U.S.). WHAT MAKES AN ILLUSTRATED BOOK AN INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS Illustrators Survival Corner, 1111:50 a.m. New Yorkbased author, illustrator, and designer Steven Guarnaccia will chair a discussion of different cultural perspectives, and the creative elements that help illustrated books achieve global success. Guarnaccia will be joined by some of the artists featured in the exhibit The Original Art. Celebrating the Fine Art of Childrens Book Illustration, including Felicita Sala (Italy and Australia), Victoria Tentler-Krylov (Russia and the U.S.), and Cecilia Ruiz (Mexico and the U.S.). LITERATURE AS A DRIVER OF CHANGE Illustrators Cafe, 1:302:20 p.m. IBBY Italy will lead this session with illustrator Roberto Innocenti, who in 2008 became the first Italian to win the Hans Christian Andersen Award since Gianni Rodari in 1970. The discussion will examine the role of childrens literature in constructing society and in launching revolutionary practices in education and the community. Also appearing at the event are Paola Vassalli, author, curator, and member of the board of directors of the Italian section of IBBY; Valentina Zucchi, curator of Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence; and Elisabetta Lippolis, v-p of IBBY Italy and coordinator of the IBBY 2024 International Congress in Trieste. ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS: COMICS CONQUER YOUNG READERS Authors Cafe, 1:302:20 p.m. Spotlighting the rise in comics for beginning readers, this panel will be chaired by Grazia Gotti of Accademia Drosselmeier-Kids Comics in Italy, featuring Matteo Stefanelli, creative director of Comicon and Director of Fumettologica, Italy, and Imma Napodano, founder of Bibi Libreria dei Ragazzi in Naples and part of the Kids Comics working group of Alir, Italy. NAVIGATING THE FUTURE: AI TOOLS FOR PUBLISHERS Authors Cafe, 2:303:20 p.m. Neal Hoskins, publishing consultant and director of WingedChariot (U.K.), will lead a discussion on the ways in which AI is transforming publishingfrom marketing strategies to printing processes and content creationoffering solutions and insights. Panelists are Ashley Gordon, publishing market development manager for the Page Wide Industrial Division of HP Inc., and founder of Mockingbird Publishing (U.S.); Sebastian Wehner, CEO of Wonderz and Wolkenlenker (Germany); Sam H. Minelli, AI expert for the European Commission in charge of partnerships in digital publishing, education, and creative industries at Meta Group (Italy); and Searsha Sadek, founder and chief product officer of Shimmr (Ireland). Return to the main feature. Property details: This spacious piece of land located in Maricopa County, Arizona is a perfect investment opportunity for those looking to expand their real estate portfolio. With a generous acreage of .29 acres or 12783 sq ft, The property is situated in the bustling city of Phoenix, with easy access to all the amenities and conveniences that the city has to offer. The seller state of residence is North Dakota, and the zip code is 85041. Don't miss out on this prime piece of real estate in the heart of Arizona. ... 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Price: $ 6,850 Seller State of Residence: Florida Type: Homesite, Lot Property Address: 0 Nashville St Zip/Postal Code: 36201 Zoning: Residential City: Anniston State/Province: Alabama Location: 335**, Odessa, Florida You will be redirected to eBay When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Nearby Alabama 'The BJP was supporting him from behind in order to bring down the Congress government.' IMAGE: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal greets Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the all-party meeting on the G20 Summit in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan has known Arvind Kejriwal since they came together as part of the India Against Corruption movement which was spearheaded by social activist Kisan Baburao 'Anna' Hazare in 2012 to establish the Jan Lokpal, an ombudsman to hear high profile political corruption cases. While Kejriwal founded the Aam Aadmi Party and won elections as Delhi chief minister, Bhushan and Kejriwal fell apart due to their differences over how the AAP was run by Kejriwal. "They want to cripple the Opposition. That's why they are trying to harass people in the Opposition that either they join the BJP or they will be arrested," Bhushan tells Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com in the aftermath of Kejriwal's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. You have known Arvind Kejriwal from close quarters since your India Against Corruption days. Do you believe he could be corrupt? I can't say about that. I mean earlier (when we were part of the IAC) I didn't think he would be (corrupt), but later (after he founded the AAP, contested elections and became Delhi chief minister) I'm not so sure. But the evidence that they (Enforcement Directorate) have is oral evidence. There is nothing material in it. (Kejriwal's lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi has argued that there is no direct evidence with the ED against Kejriwal and that he was arrested merely on the statement of an approver who said 'I met Mr Kejriwal' in the context of the alleged Rs 100 crore Delhi excise policy case). But this (the statement by an approver) is not a ground for arresting him. But the fact is the ED has still arrested him and is opposing his bail plea. What kind of legal options does Kejriwal have now? They should apply for bail and one of the grounds for bail should be this (that arrests cannot happen on the statement of a prosecution approver) only. The other ground is that it (Kejriwal's arrest) is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Why did Arvind Kejriwal's legal team withdraw his bail plea before the Supreme Court? It went before the bench of (Justice) Bela Trivedi (Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice M M Sundresh). One knows about her attitude in these matters. There was no point in taking it before this bench. Now, he will be produced in a regional court, where he will ask for bail. He has asked for bail. They have reserved judgment, so let's see what they do. What evidentiary value does the statement of an approver have, especially someone who has himself been in thick of the electoral bond scheme when he donated Rs 5 crore to the BJP just five days after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in November 2022 and later his company donated electoral bonds worth Rs 25 crore in August 2023, just two months after he became an approver? Not much. But still the ED's arrest is based on this particular piece of so-called evidence... In my view this evidence (of approver P Sarath Reddy of Aurobindo Pharma against Arvind Kejriwal) is very weak. What was the need to arrest Arvind Kejriwal? You arrest a person only if there is fear that he will flee during investigation or during trial. Or, you arrest him if you feel that he will tamper with evidence. Now this has been going on for a long time (the ED has been trying to get Arvind Kejriwal's custody in the now scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-2022) and there is no proof to show that he has tried to tamper with the evidence. You arrest him if you feel he has committed a very heinous offence and he will repeat that offence. None of those conditions make themselves present (for the ED to have arrested Kejriwal). Two sitting chief ministers -- Hemant Soren of Jharkhand and Arvind Kejriwal of Delhi -- have been arrested by the ED under the PMLA close on the heels of an important general election. What do you think is the BJP's game plan and what endgame are they trying to achieve through such arrests? They want to cripple the Opposition. That's why they are trying to harass people in the Opposition that either they join the BJP or they will be arrested. Can the BJP finish the Aam Aadmi Party by arresting Arvind Kejriwal? They are trying to cripple it and just show their dadagiri that they can get away with anything. They want to show that they can do anything and get away with. Do you think the BJP will bear the political brunt of Arvind Kejriwal's arrest in the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi where six seats are at stake? I think so. India Against Corruption was spawned by Arvind Kejriwal with the support of the BJP. How did they fall out? What went wrong? The BJP was supporting him from behind in order to bring down the Congress government. Now that he has outlived his utility (they plan to finish him off politically). India on Saturday summoned the German deputy chief of mission here and lodged a strong protest against the country's foreign ministry's remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. IMAGE: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested by the ED in connection with a money-laundering case linked to Delhi's now-scrapped excise policy. Photograph: Mohd Zakir/ANI Photo The German envoy Georg Enzweiler was summoned by officials in the external affairs ministry and told that the German Foreign Ministry's remarks on Kejriwal's arrest were an interference in India's judicial process and any "biased assumptions" were "most unwarranted", an MEA official said. A German Foreign Ministry spokesperson had "taken note" of Kejriwal's arrest. "We assume and expect that the standards relating to the independence of Judiciary and basic democratic principles will also be applied in this case," the German official had said. "The German deputy chief of mission in New Delhi was summoned today and conveyed India's strong protest on their Foreign Office spokesperson's comments on our internal affairs," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "We see such remarks as interfering in our judicial process and undermining the independence of our judiciary," he said. "India is a vibrant and robust democracy with the rule of law. As in all legal cases in the country, and elsewhere in the democratic world, law will take its own course in the instant matter. Biased assumptions made on this account are most unwarranted," Jaiswal said. Nine former Himachal Pradesh MLAs, including six disqualified Congress legislators and three Independents who resigned, joined the BJP on Saturday amid the continuing political crisis in the state. IMAGE: Six former Congress MLAs of the Himachal Pradesh assembly join the BJP in New Delhi. Photograph: @BJP4India/X The former lawmakers slammed the Congress government in the state headed by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, saying development work has stalled since it came to power. They joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Anurag Thakur, former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, its national general secretary Arun Singh and state unit president Rajeev Bindal. Welcoming the former lawmakers into the party, Anurag Thakur said their presence will further strengthen the BJP as he accused the Congress government in the state of failing to fulfil its promises, leading to all-round anger among people. Anurag Thakur said six of the former lawmakers, despite being Congress MLAs, supported the BJP in the recent Rajya Sabha election as they chose to reflect the "public anger" against the Sukhu government. The former Congress MLAs who joined the BJP are Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma and Devinder Kumar Bhutto -- all disqualified on February 29 for defying a party whip to be present in the House and vote in favour of the state government during a cut motion and budget. Ashish Sharma, Hoshiyar Singh and KL Thakur, who were elected as Independents and resigned on Friday, also joined the BJP, with Singh saying they decided to be part of the country's development journey under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Development works in the state have stopped since the Congress came to power, he said. BJP leaders cited a host of development measures taken by the Modi government for the state, including highway and rail projects, and said the former MLAs decided to strengthen the prime minister's leadership. These former lawmakers will be given due respect in the BJP, they said. They are expected to contest the bypolls from their respective seats as candidates of the saffron party. Jai Ram Thakur described the six former Congress MLAs' joining the BJP as a big political development for such a small state, noting that several of these leaders had held senior positions within the party. The former Congress leaders slammed the party, saying its national leadership is no longer visible and offers no vision for the country, leading to its "disintegration". Sharma, a four-term MLA, alleged that there is no atmosphere for development in the state while the Congress is disintegrating because its leadership lacks vision for the country and has nothing to offer except criticism of Modi. Rana echoed his view and blamed the Congress leadership for causing a "political disaster" and said they are hopeful of putting the hill state on the path to development, a pointer to the BJP's efforts to bring down the government through bypoll wins and further defections from the grand old party. "We want to contribute to the development of the country," he said. The Election Commission has announced bypolls for the six constituencies held by these former Congress MLAs. Bypolls are expected to be announced on the three seats held by the Independents too. The Congress government was last month plunged into a crisis after the BJP won the Rajya Sabha poll for the state's lone seat due to the support of these nine MLAs. Though Sukhu has been putting up a brave face and there appears to be no immediate threat to his government, the BJP is looking to bring down his dispensation with bypoll wins amid a view that it may draw more legislators of the ruling party into its fold. With the disqualification of the six Congress MLAs, the strength of the ruling party came down from 39 to 33 in the now 62-member assembly. Its original strength is 68. The BJP has 25 members. The Speaker, who can vote only in the case of a tie during a floor test, is affiliated to the Congress. The resignations of the three Independent MLAs have further reduced the assembly's strength. Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita, in her first address following his arrest, on Saturday read out a message in which the Delhi chief minister asserted that every moment of his life has been dedicated to serving the country. IMAGE: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita reads out his message from the jail. Photograph: @AamAadmiParty/X In a message from the Enforcement Directorate's custody, the Delhi chief minister said no bar can keep him inside and he will soon return. He also assured that it has never happened that he failed to fulfil any promise, assuring women about the implementation of a scheme that will provide an honorarium of Rs 1,000 per month to eligible beneficiaries. The Delhi chief minister is in ED custody till March 28, following his arrest by the agency in connection with a money-laundering case linked to Delhi's now-scrapped excise policy. "Whether inside or outside, every moment of my life is dedicated to serving the country. Every drop of my blood is dedicated to the country," Kejriwal said. Kejriwal also asked the AAP's workers to not hate BJP members because of his arrest. "I also appeal to all the workers of the Aam Aadmi Party that work on social welfare and public welfare should not stop with me going to jail. Don't hate BJP people due to this. They are our brothers and sisters. I will come back soon," she quoted the Delhi CM as saying. He added that he was born for struggles and is destined for bigger challenges in future as well. Kejriwal also asserted that India has to be shaped into the strongest and greatest country in the world. There are internal and external forces that are trying to weaken the country and these need to be fought, he said. The AAP leader also appealed to the women to visit temples and seek blessings for him. Gangster Prasad Pujari, accused of being involved in several serious crimes including murder, extortion and kidnapping, was brought back to India after his deportation from China in the wee hours of Saturday, and was then placed under arrest by the Mumbai police, an official said. IMAGE: Prasad Pujari used to extort money from businessmen and known people using international numbers as well and gave death threats to some of the leading film directors, producers and Bollywood actors. Photograph: ANI on X Gangster Pujari alias Subhash Vitthal Pujari alias Siddharth Shetty alias Siddhu alias Sidh alias Johny is a former member of the gangs led by gangsters Kumar Pillai and Chhota Rajan. He was staying in China, and was arrested there last year. After that, the Mumbai police's Crime Branch continuously tried to bring him back to the country, he said. Pujari is allegedly involved in eight serious cases in Mumbai, including firing, extortion and murder. A resident of Tagore Nagar in Vikhroli, he had fled from the country years ago. He had allegedly targeted builders and businessmen in eastern Mumbai, the crime branch official said. Pujari's name came up in the case of firing on Shiv Sena worker Chandrakant Jadhav, who lived in the Vikhroli area, in December 2019. He was apprehended by authorities in Hong Kong in February 2023. "Following a tip-off by the Interpol, Pujari was arrested in March last year in Hong Kong on the charges of possessing a fake passport. He was held when he was preparing to board a flight from Hong Kong to Shenzhen (city in China). Pujari, who is married to a Chinese national, was residing in Shenzhen with his wife and a child at the time of his arrest," the official added. In 2020, the Mumbai police's crime branch had arrested Pujari's mother, Indira Vitthal Pujari, for her alleged involvement in the case of extortion of a builder from Vikhroli. She was arrested under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for allegedly extorting Rs 10 lakh from a developer, the official said. Prasad Pujari used to extort money from businessmen and known people using international numbers as well and gave death threats to some of the leading film directors, producers and Bollywood actors. His gang is very active in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai localities, he added. After being deported from China, he was brought to India shortly around 1 am on Saturday. He was then placed under arrest by the Mumbai police in one of the cases registered against him at the Vikhroli police station under sections including 307 (attempt to murder), 120-B (conspiracy) as well as the MCOCA. The Anti Extortion Cell (AEC) of the crime branch took him into custody, the official said. Kate Middleton, Britain's Princess of Wales, on Friday revealed that she has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing a course of preventative chemotherapy. IMAGE: A screen shows the news on the health of Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, after she said she was undergoing preventive chemotherapy, since tests following her major abdominal surgery in January revealed that cancer had been present, outside the Fox News studios in the Manhattan borough of New York City, US, March 22, 2024. Photograph: Andrew Kelly/Reuters The update from the 42-year-old royal after a "tough couple of months" comes after weeks of speculation over her health and recovery. In a personal video message released by Kensington Palace, a weak looking Kate said her planned "major" abdominal surgery in January was "successful" and it was initially thought her condition was non-cancerous. "Tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment," Princess Kate said in her video message. IMAGE: People watch Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales' announcement about her health, outside Buckingham Palace in London. Photograph: Hollie Adams/Reuters "This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family... It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be ok," she said. "As I have said to them; I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits," she added, on a positive note. She described having William by her side as a "great source of comfort and reassurance", adding: "As is the love, support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you -- it means much to us both." IMAGE: People gather outside Buckingham Palace in London, Britain, March 22, 2024. Photograph: Hollie Adams/Reuters "For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone," she added. Kensington Palace said the video message was filmed on Wednesday by BBC Studios, the production arm of the BBC. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the Princess of Wales had shown "tremendous bravery" with her statement, wishing her a "speedy recovery". "In recent weeks she has been subjected to intense scrutiny and has been unfairly treated by certain sections of the media around the world and on social media. When it comes to matters of health, like everyone else, she must be afforded the privacy to focus on her treatment and be with her loving family," said Sunak. He was alluding to weeks of swirling rumours on social media and damaging headlines about the recovery of the Princess, who has been off royal duties since her abdominal surgery in London on January 16. She was expected to return to formal duties after Easter next month, which will now be deferred indefinitely. The news comes as her father-in-law, King Charles III, is also undergoing treatment for an unspecified form of cancer. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday moved the Delhi high court challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in the money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam but the court is unlikely to grant an urgent hearing. IMAGE: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Photograph: ANI Photo According to highly placed court sources, the plea is unlikely to be heard before March 27 as the court is closed for Holi. Sources in his Aam Aadmi Party had said his legal team would request the high court to hear the matter urgently, preferably on Sunday. On Friday, a trial court had remanded him in ED's custody till March 28 "for his detailed and sustained interrogation". In his plea, Kejriwal, who was apprehended by the ED on Friday night, contended that his arrest and remand were illegal and that he was entitled to be released from custody immediately. The ED had arrested Kejriwal hours after the high court refused to grant him protection from coercive action by the central anti-money laundering agency. Kejriwal had approached the high court for quashing and setting aside all proceedings including the summonses issued against him. In that petition, Kejriwal said he is a "vocal critic" of the ruling party, an opposition leader and a partner in the INDIA bloc, and the ED, being under the Centre's control, has been "weaponised". The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 which was later scrapped. Top AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are in judicial custody in the case. Kejriwal's name has been mentioned multiple times in the charge sheets filed by the ED. The agency has alleged that the accused were in touch with Kejriwal for formulating the excise policy that resulted in undue benefits to them in return for which they paid kickbacks to the AAP. The Enforcement Directorate has not been able to establish a money trail against any Aam Aadmi Party leader despite multiple raids, arrests and two year-long investigations in the alleged excise policy scam, Delhi minister Atishi claimed on Saturday. IMAGE: Delhi minister Atishi addresses a press conference in New Delhi. Photograph: @AamAadmiParty/X The AAP leader also said the ED arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday merely based on the statement of one Sharad P Reddy. Reddy, of Aurobindo Pharma, was arrested by the ED in November in connection with the excise policy case. He gave crores of rupees to the BJP through electoral bonds, she claimed. A local court on Friday remanded Kejriwal in ED custody till March 28 "for his detailed and sustained interrogation" regarding his role in the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. Atishi also challenged the ED to file a case against the BJP, saying the money trail of the so-called excise policy scam leads to the saffron party. The Delhi minister alleged that the BJP received "proceeds of crime" in its bank accounts and said the central agency should arrest the saffron party's chief JP Nadda in the matter. The opposition Nationalist Congress Party-SP and Shiv Sena-UBT on Saturday alleged students of a college in Mumbai's Kandivali area were forced to listen to the speech of Dhruv Goyal, the son of Union minister Piyush Goyal, who is the BJP's Mumbai North Lok Sabha candidate. IMAGE: Union minister Piyush Goyal is BJP's Mumbai North Lok Sabha candidate. Photograph: ANI Photo Shiv Sena-UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray alleged students' IDs were confiscated to force them to attend the event where Goyal junior delivered the speech, while NCP-SP MLA Awhad uploaded a video on X in which a student can be seen raising an objection. Thakur College of Science and Commerce, post the controversy, said the event aimed to encourage students, particularly first time voters, to participate in the upcoming general elections but added "the matter", possibly a reference to students being forced to attend, was "under review". The college also accused Shiv Sena-UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi of "disseminating a manipulated video pertaining to the interaction seemingly with political motivations". Thackeray, in his message on X, slammed the Union government and said it was sending a message to the world that it does not wish the country remains a democracy anymore. "Here, the IDs of the students were confiscated to force them to attend a talk by the son of a BJP candidate in North Mumbai a day before their exams. Because obviously even on passing, under this govt, where are the jobs? Rather waste their time on lectures taken by sons of candidates," he said mocking the ruling party. Will the principal be suspended for such a horrible act, Thackeray asked. In a statement, Kandivali-based Thakur College of Science and Commerce principal CT Chakraborty said the institution hosted an event aimed at encouraging students, particularly first time voters. to participate in the upcoming general elections. She blamed Chaturvedi for the "manipulated video" of the event and alleged "this led to an unwarranted controversy overshadowing what was otherwise a successful and well received event". The engagement and dialogue with Dhruv Goyal were positively received by students, Chakraborty claimed in the statement. "We wish to clarify that during the post-event interaction, a query was raised by a student on a topic that Dhruv Goyal was not previously acquainted with. The matter is under review by our institution," the college principal said. The college also posted a video of Dhruv Goyal apologizing to the students saying it (taking IDs to get them to attend the event) won't happen again. Meanwhile, Awhad said he would help students in every way if they are harassed by college authorities over this episode. "When students protest, revolution begins," the NCP (SP) MLA added. At least 133 people were killed after a group of armed men in combat fatigues stormed into a concert hall in Moscow and unleashed gunfire and detonated explosives among the crowd on Friday (local time), Russian media reported. IMAGE: Smoke rises above the burning Crocus City Hall concert venue following a reported shooting incident, outside Moscow, Russia on March 22, 2024. Photograph: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters The Russian intelligence agencies detained 11 people, including four 'terrorists', who they claimed were 'directly' involved in the attack. Russian agencies appeared to suggest the attack was linked to Ukraine even though the Islamic State group claimed responsibility in a statement. The terror group took responsibility for the attack in a short statement published by ISIS-affiliated news agency Amaq on Telegram on Friday. However, ISIS has not provided any evidence to support the claim. The four suspects were stopped in the Bryansk region of western Russia, "not far from the border with Ukraine", Russia's Investigative Committee said. They planned to cross the border into Ukraine and "had contacts" there, state news agency Tass said, citing Russia's FSB. IMAGE: Russian law enforcement officers stand guard near the concert venue. Photograph: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters Al Jazeera cited a video posted on social media that showed huge plumes of black smoke rising over the building. Another video footage from the scene showed a large plume of black smoke billowing from the burning building, which appeared engulfed in flames. Around 100 people were evacuated from the building by firefighters, TASS reported. More than 50 ambulance teams were sent to Krasnogorsk, a town in the Moscow region, to provide medical care to all those in need, the Moscow Region Ministry of Health told RIA Novosti. IMAGE: Men cover themselves with blankets after the attack. Photograph: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters The attack came just days after Putin cemented his grip on power in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. The attack was the deadliest in Russia in years and came as the country's fight in Ukraine dragged into a third year. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has expressed condolences for the people whose loved ones have been killed and called the incident a "terrible tragedy", as reported by CNN. "Today a terrible tragedy occurred in the Crocus City center. My condolences to the loved ones of the victims. I gave orders to provide all necessary assistance to everyone who suffered during the incident," Sobyanin said in a statement. IMAGE: Members of Russian special operations forces are seen near the burning Crocus City Hall concert venue. Photograph: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters Meanwhile, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has termed the incident a "monstrous crime" and has also called on the world to condemn the incident. While, the White House has condemned the attack, but has clarified that there is "no indication" of any Ukrainian involvement in the attack. The White House said that the images of shooting in the Russian capital were "horrible and just hard to watch," Al Jazeera reported. "There is no indication at this time that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved in the shooting," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. "I would disabuse you at this early hour of any connection to Ukraine." Photograph: Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency/Handout via Reuters Moscow has questioned Washington's firm belief of Ukraine not being involved and has asked the US to share any information it has about the attack. "The White House said it sees no signs that Ukraine or Ukrainians are involved in the terrorist attack in Moscow," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. "On what basis do officials in Washington draw any conclusions in the midst of a tragedy about someone's innocence?" she added. She said that if Washington had information, it should be shared and that if Washington had no information, it should not be talking in such a way. Aam Aadmi Party leader and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said that if his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal is sent to jail, they will approach the court for permission to set up his office in prison so that he can run his government from there. IMAGE: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann. Photograph: ANI Photo He also asserted that no one can take Kejriwal's place in the Aam Aadmi Party. "It is not written anywhere that a government cannot run from jail," Mann told PTI videos in an interview when asked about the arrest of the Delhi chief minister and AAP chief by the Enforcement Directorate in an excise policy case and how he will run his government if he is remanded in jail custody. The BJP has demanded the resignation of Kejriwal after he was sent to ED custody till March 28. "The law says he can work from jail till found guilty. We will seek permission from the Supreme Court, High Court for setting up an office in the jail and the (Delhi) government will function," Mann said. No one can take Kejriwal's place in AAP because he created the party out of the anti-corruption movement, Mann, who often accompanied Kejriwal to public meetings across the country, replied when asked if the campaigning for Lok Sabha polls will be affected by the AAP chief's arrest. He said he would go wherever the party assigns him duty. "No one can take the place of Arvind Kejriwal in the party because the party was brought out of the movement (India Against Corruption). He is a senior founder member of the party. The day he registered the party and got the symbol of broom, I was not with him. I joined later on," Mann said. The Punjab chief minister said there is no ranking in AAP, adding, "Everyone is a loyal soldier of Kejriwal". "Kejriwal did one thing in the party, he made everyone national convener. AAP made everyone a leader. "I have 92 MLAs in Punjab. Out of these 80 are first-timers aged 28-30 years who are MLAs, ministers. So, there is no ranking of generals and soldiers in the AAP. We all are generals and soldiers- loyal soldiers of Arvind Kejriwal... we are standing rock-solid with him," Mann said. The Punjab chief minister lashed out at the BJP alleging it was engaging in "political vendetta" and wanted to send everyone in the opposition to jail to win elections. "This happened in Bangladesh. The entire opposition of the country is in jail. In Russia, Putin became President till 2030 with 88 per cent votes. Is this a democracy?" he said. Mann pointed out that India is said to be the biggest democracy in the world and added, "Is this democracy to send those who built hospitals, schools, and speak in Rajya Sabha behind bars." The top leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party including former deputy chief minister and education minister Manish Sisodia, former health minister Satyendar Jain and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh are in jail for many months after being arrested in money laundering cases. Kejriwal is currently in Enforcement Directorate custody till March 28. He was arrested by the ED on Thursday night in connection with a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped excise policy of his government. Sisodia and Singh are also in jail in the same matter. "At present, there is a need to save the Constitution of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and 140 crore people of the country understand this," Mann said. Meanwhile, Delhi cabinet minister Atishi claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party office in the city has been "sealed" from all sides, adding the party will report the matter to the Election Commission. A Delhi Police officer refuted the allegation by AAP. Police personnel were deployed at DDU Marg to stop the gathering of people since CrPC section 144 is imposed there, the officer said. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today A few passing clouds. Low 32F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low 32F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Faced with the wrath of residents and rebel groups, some administrators are simply refusing junta orders. Rebel groups around Myanmar have killed at least six officials documenting draft-eligible residents this week, undermining the juntas efforts to roll out the countrys military conscription law, sources said Friday. The killings follow the juntas Feb. 10 enactment of the law, with a plan to begin conscription in April to shore up troop shortages resulting from months of mounting losses and surrenders to insurgents in Myanmars three-year civil war. In the weeks since the announcement, youths in many cities have fled abroad or to rebel-controlled territories to avoid the draft, refusing to fight for the military that seized control of the country in a Feb. 1, 2021 coup detat. In recent weeks, RFA has received reports of forced recruitment and officials compiling lists of residents of fighting age, as well as draft lotteries to select who will serve. But rebel forces are fighting back against those doing the juntas bidding, according to sources who spoke to RFA Burmese on condition of anonymity due to security concerns. On Thursday, the anti-junta Peoples Defense Force, or PDF, from Bago regions Pyay township attacked Myint Swe and Ko Phyo the administrator and office clerk of Thegon townships Zigon village as they rode a motorcycle home after compiling a list of draft-eligible residents in nearby Thar Paung village, residents said. Myint Swe was shot dead and Ko Phyo was gravely wounded in the 11:30 am attack, an official from the Thegon Township Social Assistance Association told RFA. Ko Phyo was taken to a hospital for treatment in Myanmars largest city Yangon, 250 kilometers (155 miles) to the south, he said. We had to go because the police informed us, he said. One died and one was sent to Yangon Hospital from Thegon. The PDF has not claimed responsibility for the attack. Thandwe township killings Also on Thursday, in Rakhine states Thandwe township, unidentified attackers killed Win Shwe, the head of 100 households in Dar Wa villages Shwe Hlaw village tract, as he returned home from the township seat, where he was documenting residents eligible for military service. Win Shwes body was discovered on Thursday evening under a pile of leaves in a creek bed near Dar Wa, according to a village resident, who said he was likely targeted because of his role in military recruitment. According to the people who took the body, he died of stab wounds to the neck, he said. Now, in Thandwe Township, the administrators and the 100 household leaders of the villages are collecting lists for military service. But none of the villagers want to join the army. The PDF in Magway regions Yenangyaung township claimed responsibility for the Wednesday shooting deaths of Tin Win Khaing and San Naing, the administrator and clerk of Oke Shit Kone village tract, as they returned home from compiling draft lists in the township seat. A PDF official told RFA on Friday that his group warned the men not to take part in the conscription process on five separate occasions before carrying out the attack. We repeatedly warned them with calls and letters, he said. Nobody [publicly] spoke out against them because they were armed and protected by the junta, so we were compelled to act after receiving numerous complaints. The PDF official claimed that the men had been collecting money and choosing people at random to serve, instead of using a lottery system. RFA was unable to independently verify the officials claims. Families threatened Also in Magway, members of the Salin Township PDF shot and killed Myint Htoo, the administrator of Pu Khat Taing village, as he called on residents to enlist for military service with a loudspeaker on Monday, according to sources in the township. The following day, unidentified attackers killed Maung Pu, the administrator of Mandalay regions Wundwin township, while he worked to recruit soldiers for the junta, township residents said. Details of the attack were not immediately available. The junta has yet to issue an official statement on any of the killings. Attempts by RFA to contact junta spokesmen in the regions and states where the attacks occurred went unanswered Friday, with the exception of Tin Oo in Bago region, who refused to comment, citing an ongoing investigation and the sensitive nature of the incident. Residents said junta troops are threatening families with arrest and violence if their sons and daughters refuse to serve in the military after being selected by lottery. Meanwhile, the countrys PDFs are issuing warnings to anyone helping to enforce the juntas conscription campaign. Refusing orders Facing the wrath of residents and the PDF on one side and pressure from the junta to fill recruitment quotas, some administrators have simply refused orders to compile lists of those eligible for military service. Village and ward administrators in Rakhines Munaung township told RFA on Friday that at a March 15 meeting at the townships General Administration Department Hall, junta authorities ordered them to recruit up to five people between the ages of 24 and 30 per village tract. [Junta troops] asked if there had been a census conducted and told us we had to sign a document [agreeing to their recruitment terms], said one administrator, who declined to be named. However, we informed them of our inability to proceed. The administrator said that no one had resigned, and that there was no immediate military pressure to comply. However, the local youth are reluctant to participate, feeling fearful and evasive, he said. Administrators of all of Munaung townships 41 villages and wards refused to carry out the recruitment order, he said. Another administrator confirmed the refusal, saying that he, like the others, always orient myself towards the people. RFA was unable to reach Hla Thein, the juntas attorney general and spokesperson for Rakhine state, for comment on the administrators refusal to follow recruitment orders. In Rakhines Thandwe township, 21 village tract administrators submitted their resignations on Monday, citing the juntas orders to compile military service lists and form militias. Translated by Kalyar Lwin. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster. The editors arrest is the first of a pro-junta news outlet employee since the 2021 coup. Kyaw Soe Oo, the editor-in-chief of pro-Myanmar junta news outlet People Media, is seen on March 18, 2024. The editor-in-chief of People Media was charged with defamation following critical comments he made in a livestream video the first time an employee of a pro-junta news outlet has faced legal action by the military since the 2021 coup detat. Kyaw Soe Oos comments on Tuesday found fault with the Ministry of Home Affairs for not sending any senior police officials to attend the funeral of an officer who was recently killed in Kachin state. Nay Pyi Taw police arrested Kyaw Soe Oo the same day, family members told Radio Free Asia. The ruling military junta, which seized power in a February 2021 coup, has cracked down on independent media outlets in Myanmar to silence them from reporting about the coup and its violent aftermath. In 2021, the junta shut down five media outlets that provided independent coverage of the protests against military rule. Last year, the regime threatened legal action against Democratic Voice of Burma TV and Mizzima TV, demanding that the shuttered independent news broadcasters pay thousands of dollars in transmission fees, Voice of America reported. People Media is known for its pro-military views. Kyaw Soe Oo regularly broadcasts his video commentaries on Telegram and YouTube. In Tuesdays livestream, Kyaw Soe Oo noted that police officers who have ties to high-ranking officials are typically never assigned to dangerous frontier posts. Its only the officers with no money or connections who are transferred to those areas, he said. He also invited viewers to send him information on possible bribery involving military and police officers and gambling businesses. After his arrest, Kyaw Soe Oo underwent two days of interrogation before he was formally charged under Section 505(a) of the penal code, relatives said. That provision of the law was added by junta authorities after the coup to punish comments or implications that the coup or the military is illegitimate. Kyaw Soe Oo was sent to Nay Pyi Taw prison on Thursday, relatives said. Police raided People Medias office in Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday morning and confiscated computers, phones and cameras, according to sources close to Kyaw Soe Oo. There has been no official statement from the military junta regarding the arrest. Translated by Kalyar Lwin. Edited by Matt Reed. A Chinese coast guard ship fired a water cannon that allegedly heavily damaged a Philippine supply boat near the Second Thomas Shoal. Armed Forces of the Philippines via AP In this image from video provided by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, a Chinese coast guard ship uses a water cannon on a Philippine resupply vessel Unaizah May 4 as it approaches Second Thomas Shoal, locally called Ayungin shoal, at the disputed South China Sea, March 23, 2024. China's coast guard on Saturday fired a water cannon at a Philippine supply boat in disputed waters in the South China Sea, causing significant damages to the vessel and injuring its crew, the Philippine coast guard said. Manila was attempting to resupply troops stationed on a ship at the Second Thomas Shoal, known locally as Ayungin Shoal, when the Chinese coast guard and maritime militia harassed, blocked, deployed water cannons, and executed dangerous maneuvers against the routine RoRe (rotation and resupply) mission, said the Philippine National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea. The West Philippine Sea is the part of the South China Sea that Manila claims as its jurisdiction. The Chinese coast guard also set up a floating barrier to block access to shoal where Manila ran aground an old warship, BRP Sierra Madre, to serve as a military outpost. The Philippine task force condemned Chinas unprovoked aggression, coercion, and dangerous maneuvers. Philippines RoRe missions have been regularly blocked by Chinas coast guard, but this is the first time a barrier was set up near the shoal. The Philippine coast guard nevertheless claimed that the mission on Saturday was accomplished. Potential consequences The Second Thomas Shoal lies within the countrys exclusive economic zone where Manila holds sovereign rights. China, however, claims historic rights over most of the South China Sea, including the Spratly archipelago, which the shoal forms a part of. A Chinese foreign ministrys spokesperson on Saturday said the Philippine supply vessel intruded into the waters near the shoal, called Renai Jiao in Chinese, without permission from the Chinese government. China coast guard took necessary measures at sea in accordance with law to safeguard China's rights, firmly obstructed the Philippines vessels, and foiled the Philippines attempt, the ministry said. If the Philippines insists on going its own way, China will continue to adopt resolute measures, the spokesperson said, warning that Manila should be prepared to bear all potential consequences. Chinese Maritime Militia vessels near the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, March 5, 2024. (Adrian Portugal/Reuters) U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson wrote on social media platform X that her country stands with the Philippines against Chinas maneuvers. Beijings interference with the Philippines freedom of navigation violates international law and threatens a free and open Indo-Pacific, she wrote. Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Hae Kyong Yu also said that Canberra shares the Philippines serious concerns about dangerous conduct by Chinas vessels adjacent to Second Thomas Shoal. This is part of a pattern of deeply concerning behavior, Yu wrote on X. Edited by Jim Snyder. Erkin Emet was arrested in July 2018 during a crackdown on writers and publishers. Erkin Emet was arrested and jailed for publishing 'Altun Kesh,' or 'Golden Shoes,' (R) by Halide Israel and marketing Zordun Sabir's 'Ana Yurt,' or 'Motherland.' A prominent Uyghur who published books about Uyghur cultural identity and Chinas persecution of the Uyghurs has been sentenced to prison, according to a Norway-based foundation and officials in Xinjiang. Erkin Emet, 65, on a list of detained intellectuals in Xinjiang compiled by Uyghur Hjelp Foundation based in Norway, was taken into custody in July 2018, according to the organizations founder, Abduweli Ayup. Emets family said authorities accused him of inciting ethnic separatism and that he is serving a prison term, according to a source in Kashgar, asking not to be identified for security reasons. However, his whereabouts and the length of his sentence are unknown, the source said. Through confidential channels, Ayup discovered that Emet was most likely arrested for his involvement in the publication or dissemination of two books in particular. The first was the novel Altun Kesh, or Golden Shoes, by Halide Israel, about the persecution of Uyghurs during Chinas 1966-76 Cultural Revolution and the importance of holding onto Uyghur identity. Emet also sold copies of Zordun Sabir's Ana Yurt, or Motherland, which chronicles the Uyghur victory over Chinese nationalist forces in the early 1940s and the establishment of the second East Turkestan Republic, in existence from 1944 to 1949. Crackdown on intellectuals Emet was arrested during a crackdown known as Hui Tou Kan, or Looking Back, a police officer who works near the Xinjiangs Health Publishing House in Urumqi, where Emet used to work, told Radio Free Asia. At that time, Chinese authorities were detaining Uyghur intellectuals, including writers and publishers, in internment camps or prisons for producing works viewed as harboring separatist tendencies. Material written or published by prominent Uyghurs was scrutinized, even though it had previously received government approval. During Hui Tou Kan, they investigated all previously published books, said an official at Xinjiangs Political Law Office in Urumqi, the regions capital. The most problematic book related to his arrest was Altun Kesh, he said. Another source said that his involvement in the sale of Ana Yurt was also behind his arrest. Bookstore manager Emet, who has two children and several grandchildren, first served as deputy director of the Kashgar branch of Xinhua Bookstore in the 1990s, according to Ayup, whose group is also known as Uyghuryar. Emet was the first bookstore manager to order 5,000 copies of Ana Yurt, which sold out quickly, he said. He opened multiple large bookstores in different counties of Kashgar, expanded the Kashgar Xinhua Bookstore, and diversified its offers with different categories, which proved to be successful, Ayup told RFA. Emet was appointed director of the Kashgar Uyghur Publishing House at the end of 2010. There he published notable works, including Hojamuhemmed Muhammads eight volumes of poetry collections and was instrumental in getting Halide Israels Kechmish, or Tales of the Past, and Altun Kesh published, Ayup said. In May 2018, Emet moved to Urumqi to become director of Xinjiangs Health Publishing House, where he worked with Qurban Mamut, a renowned retired Uyghur editor at the Uyghur Civilization Journal, according to Ayup. Two months later, Emet was arrested. Mamut, father of RFA journalist Bahram Sintash, was arrested later and sentenced to 15 years in prison, Ayup said. Translated by RFA Uyghur. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster. The Islamic State extremist group claimed responsibility for an attack on a music venue in Moscow that left at least 115 people dead. Russian authorities said they had launched a criminal probe into the March 22 attack, in which gunmen in camouflage fired automatic weapons at concertgoers. Gunmen opened fire at a packed music venue in Moscow on March 22, killing at least 115 people and wounding many more, in the worst such attack in Russia in years. The Islamic State (IS) extremist group claimed responsibility for the attack, in which several gunmen stormed into the popular Crocus City Hall concert venue, where, music fans had gathered for a gig. Here are some of the other major attacks to have happened inside Russia over the past two decades of President Vladimir Putins rule. Nord-Ost/Dubrovka Theater Hostage Crisis (2002) On October 23, 2002, militants from the North Caucasus burst into a Moscow theater during a musical and took the audience, players, and staff hostage. Three days later, more than 700 hostages were rescued after Russian special forces pumped a toxic gas into the theater and stormed the venue. But nearly 130 hostages died, many from the effects of the gas and other problems during the rescue operation. Commuter Train Blast (2003) In December 2003, a blast struck a train outside a station in southern Russia during the morning rush hour, killing some 46 people and injuring scores more. Authorities pointed the finger at Chechen separatists. The explosion came days before parliamentary elections, with Putin describing it as an effort to destabilize the country. Moscow Subway Suicide Bombings (2004) In February 2004, a suicide bomber killed at least 39 people and injured more than 100 on a subway train as it left Moscows Avtozavodskaya station. Six months later, on August 31, a female suicide bomber blew herself up outside another Moscow subway station, killing 10 people. Russian Passenger Jets Blown Up (2004) Russians were already reeling from the events of the night of August 24 when suicide bombers brought down two Russian passenger jets, killing 90 people. The jets -- one bound for Sochi, the other headed to Volgograd -- crashed almost simultaneously. Authorities said two female passengers had triggered the bombs and again tied the attacks to Chechen separatists. Beslan School Massacre (2004) Militants calling for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya seized a school in the North Caucasus town of Beslan on the first day of school on September 1, 2004, in an attack that came to be known as "Russias 9/11 -- a reference to the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. The gunmen took more than 1,000 pupils, parents, and staff hostage, starting a more than two-day-long siege. Russian security forces stormed the school in a bungled rescue effort, during which a blaze broke out in the gym where most of the hostages were being held. At least 334 people were killed, the majority of them children. Moscow Market Bombing (2006) In August 2006 a bomb tore through a Moscow market, killing 10 people, in what authorities said was a racially motivated attack targeting traders from Central Asia and the Caucasus. Nevsky Express Bombing (2009) A bomb derailed the Nevsky Express train between Moscow and St. Petersburg on an evening in late November 2009, killing at least 26 people. A group led by Chechen militant Doku Umarov claimed responsibility for the blast. Twin Moscow Subway Suicide Bombings (2010) Suicide bombers, believed to be women, again struck the Moscow subway in March 2010, targeting two stations some 40 minutes apart during rush hour in attacks that killed 39 people. Umarov again claimed responsibility for ordering the attacks. Moscow Domodedovo Airport (2011) In January 2011, a suicide bomber killed 37 people at Moscows Domodedovo airport in another attack later claimed by Umarov, who vowed to disrupt the 2014 Winter Olympics that Russia was set to host in Sochi. Volgograd Bus And Train-Station Bombings (2013) More than 30 people were killed in two suspected suicide bombings in as many days in the southern city of Volgograd in December 2013. Eighteen people were killed and dozens more hurt by an explosion at Volgograd's main train station that officials described as a terrorist attack by a suicide bomber. Less than 24 hours later, at least 15 people were killed and more than 20 others injured in a rush-hour explosion aboard a trolleybus in the city. The attacks took place less than six weeks before the start of the Sochi Olympics. St. Petersburg Subway Attack (2017) The last major attack inside Russia took place in April 2017, when 15 people were killed in a blast on the St. Petersburg metro. Officials identified the suicide bomber as Akbarjon Jalilov, an ethnic Uzbek Russian citizen born in Kyrgyzstan. One man was later jailed for life for financing the blast, while 10 others received lengthy prison terms. Compiled by Kathleen Moore with contributions from RFE/RL staff Rescuers pulled more bodies from the rubble of a Moscow-area concert venue on March 23 as the toll from a deadly attack claimed by the Islamic State (IS) militant group reached 133 and security officials said four suspected gunmen had been detained in connection with Russias worst terrorist violence in nearly two decades. Russian officials said the suspects were all foreign nationals and that 11 people, in all, had been detained. President Vladimir Putin condemned it as a bloody, barbaric terrorist attack and said in a recorded video address released by the Kremlin that the main thing now is to prevent those who are behind this bloodbath from committing a new crime." Later, after U.S. officials repeatedly condemned it as a "heinous" attack, the White House called Islamic State a "common terrorist enemy." The day after camouflaged gunmen burst into the Crocus City Hall and opened fire on people waiting for a concert to begin, searchers were still looking for victims in the wreckage of the hall. More than 120 people were wounded and remained hospitalized in various conditions, health officials said. The Emergency Situations Ministry published the names of 29 of the 133 people known so far to have died, and Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov has warned the death toll could still rise "significantly." Hundreds of mourners solemnly heaped flowers, stuffed animals, and messages of grief or defiance on the pavement just outside the Crocus City Hall building. More makeshift memorials to honor the victims sprang up in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, and many other Russian cities, including flowers, candles, and messages to the families of victims. Flags flew at half-mast above government buildings in some places. At the hollowed-out site of one of the deadliest acts of terror in modern Russian history, School No. 1 in Beslan, in southern Russia, where 333 people including mostly schoolchildren were killed after being taken hostage for three days in 2004, Russians spelled out "Moscow we mourn" with candles. Some pro-Putin officials have already raised the topic of reinstating capital punishment in response to the attacks. The chairman of the constitutional law committee in Russia's upper house, Andrei Klishas, spurred more such talk on Telegram by saying that neither chamber of parliament can "overcome decisions of the Constitutional Court." The death penalty remains in the Russian Constitution but has been under an indefinite moratorium for nearly three decades, including since the Constitutional Court in 2009 effectively banned lower courts from ordering executions. In his recorded address, Putin also echoed earlier suggestions by other Russian officials of Ukrainian involvement, saying the four suspected gunmen "tried to hide and were moving toward Ukraine, where, according to preliminary information, the Ukrainian side had prepared a window for them to cross the border." Putin provided no evidence to back up the claim. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly denied any involvement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Putin of trying to "blame someone else." Alluding to previous violent incidents in Russia, he said, "It already happened. And there were blown up houses, and shootings, and explosions. And they always blame others." The Islamic State (IS) militant group issued a statement of responsibility not long after the attack and on March 23 published pixelated photos of four men it claimed were the attackers. The group said they had dealt a "heavy blow" with assault rifles and explosives by targeting "Christians" as part of a "raging war" against countries fighting Islam. "The attack was carried out by four IS fighters armed with machine guns, a pistol, knives, and firebombs," IS said via Telegram. The hall is a popular concert venue in a high-end district on the edge of Moscow that attracts major Russian musical acts. The deaths were caused by either gunshot wounds or asphyxiation apparently from burning materials, said the Investigative Committee, adding that the toll was likely climb. Attackers used an unspecified flammable substance to set fire to the venue the committee said. The Russian Investigative Committee said it was awarding one man for "unparalleled courage" when he "selflessly neutralized one of the terrorists" while trying to protect his wife, "saving the lives of the people around him." It did not further identify the man. The identities and motives of the attackers remained unclear. Aleksandr Bortnikov, the director of the Federal Security Service, or FSB, was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying 11 people had been detained, including four of the suspected gunmen. Later, the Russian Interior Ministry said the Crocus attackers were foreign nationals. Unnamed officials and Telegram channels known for links to security services suggested that several of the attackers may have been Tajik, or Russian citizens with Tajik background. The reports prompted pushback from Tajikistans Foreign Ministry, which denied the reports and published detailed information on several of the men whose names were circulating. Russia's state broadcaster Channel One TV showed footage of the questioning of four men it said were suspects and a white Renault automobile that they were said to have used in their escape effort. The daylight video followed their capture in Khatsun, the station said. The attack began around 7:30 p.m. local time when camouflaged men armed with automatic rifles arrived at the venue in a minivan. As many as five men were involved, Russian media reported. One man who escaped from the attack told Current Time that the shooting started just moments before the concert was supposed to begin. It was supposed to be starting when we heard something which I thought were fireworks or gunshots inside the venue, the eyewitness, identified only as Dave, said in a phone interview. The moment after, we saw beneath us a stream of people running inside the hall. After that, gunshots were already heard inside [the hall]. Of course, panic started on the balcony too. People didn't know where to run." Hours after the incident began, Telegram channels affiliated with Islamic State said the attackers had "retreated to their bases safely," though that claim could not be independently confirmed. U.S. officials confirmed the authenticity of the IS claim in comments to multiple U.S. media. On March 7, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow had warned Russia that "extremists" had imminent plans for an attack in the capital. On the same day as the U.S. Embassy announcement, the Federal Security Service claimed it had stopped an attack on a Moscow synagogue by Islamic State's affiliate in Afghanistan, known as Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K). U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed "our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and all affected by this heinous crime" and said, "We condemn terrorism in all its forms and stand in solidarity with the people of Russia in grieving the loss of life from this horrific event." On March 23, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper that "According to everything that is known so far, it can be assumed that the terrorist group Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-K) is responsible for the murderous terrorist attack near Moscow." World leaders also condemned the attack. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was quoted as saying that he "condemns in the strongest possible terms" the incident, and the United States, France, Turkey, Italy, the European Union, and other leaders also issued statements, deploring the violence. The attack was the worst in Russia since 2004, when gunmen seized more than 1,000 hostages at the school in Beslan and 333 people ultimately died, nearly half of them children. With reporting by RFE/RLs Tajik Service and Reuters, AFP, and dpa A week after the last Russian presidential election, in 2018, a fire at a crowded mall in Siberia killed more than 60 people, many of them children. Five days after the conclusion of this years voting, camouflage-clad gunmen opened fire at a concert hall just outside Moscow, killing at least 115 people in an attack claimed by the militant group Islamic State. The Kremlin casts President Vladimir Putin as something close to a savior, a strong leader who has brought stability and security following the chaos of the Soviet collapse. The mass-casualty events that have punctuated his nearly 25 years as president or prime minister -- and the recurring images of explosions, flames, and helpless victims desperate to escape harm -- badly undermine that narrative. Instead, analysts say, they tell a story of a leader whose focus on the protection and prolongation of his own power have come at the expense of the security of the people. Putins critics say that more than three decades after the demise of the Soviet Union, Russia remains a country in which the state puts its own interests far above those of its citizens. The biggest example is the war against Ukraine: Before the full-scale invasion of February 2022, when Russia was massing tens of thousands of troops at the border and the United States was warning that the onslaught could begin any day, many observers predicted Putin would hold back because a massive attack would harm Russias security, not improve it. With the full-scale invasion of Ukraine has come a dramatic intensification of the clampdown on civil society, dissent, and independent voices that began more than a decade earlier, ahead of Putins return to the presidency in 2012 following a stint as prime minister. The government has branded a wide range of peaceful groups and even non-existent organizations extremists, from the late opposition leader Aleksei Navalnys outlawed political and anti-corruption outfits to what the state inaccurately describes as the "international LGBT social movement." It has tried critics on treason charges and sentenced critics of the war in Ukraine to years in prison. This leaves Russia highly vulnerable to real extremists, analysts say, and to deadly disasters in which corruption, corner-cutting, and negligence cause or exacerbate the effects of avoidable accidents like the fire at the Zimnyaya Vishnya (Winter Cherry) mall in the Siberian city of Kemerovo in March 2018, seven days after Putin was declared the winner of that month's presidential election. The intelligence services are focused on political investigation and intimidation of citizens. They do not fulfill their direct responsibility to protect society from real threats, Russian political observer Dmitry Kolezev wrote on X, formerly Twitter. 'A Grandiose Failure' The March 22 attack at the Crocus City Hall outside Moscow looks like a grandiose failure on the part of the state, he wrote. Fantastic amounts of money are spent on security, but in reality, this security is not provided. Under different circumstances, the political opposition and independent journalists would press the government on this problem, seeing to ensure that security forces do their job and that money is not misspent, Kolezev wrote. Unfortunately, neither of these groups has access to national television, where they could speak quite loudly about this. Instead of serving as checks on the state authorities, in other words, these groups are their targets. Russian security personnel have been trained to look at specific, politically important threats, Andras Toth-Czifra, a fellow with the Eurasia Program at the U.S.-based Foreign Policy Research Institute, wrote on X, adding that due to resource/time/manpower constraints this means that they have less capacity to look at and prevent actual threats. Once an attack or a deadly accident has occurred, the strategies and tactics applied by the Russian authorities have frequently exacerbated its effects, leading relatives of victims to accuse Putins government of callousness or negligence. Putins sluggish reaction to the Kursk submarine disaster during his first year in office is an example, and experts say bungled responses to the Nord-Ost theater attack in Moscow in 2002 and the Beslan school hostage crisis in North Ossetia in 2004 increased the casualty counts. The predominance of the priorities of the state and its senior leaders over the interests of citizens is not a new problem: It stretches back to Soviet times and the tsarist era, and its a phenomenon that dissidents, rights activists, and opposition politicians say must be reversed if Russia and its people are to thrive. But Kremlin critics say it has become more pronounced as Putins rule drags on. Among other things, they point to the war in Ukraine, which has caused hundreds of thousands of Russian casualties even as Putin, securing a new six-year term in what opponents and analysts say was a tightly controlled vote marred by millions of falsified votes, used the election to portray himself as the indispensable leader of a deeply united country. Gunmen opened fire at a crowded concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow on the evening of March 22, killing at least 133 people and wounding many more. The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility. It was the deadliest terrorist attack in Russia since the 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis, in which more than 330 people were killed. When Russias nuclear submarine the Kursk sank above the Arctic Circle in August 2000 during President Vladimir Putins first year in office, it took four days for the new Russian leader to make a public statement on a tragedy that killed 118 sailors. Two decades later and fresh off a stage-managed reelection to his fifth presidential term, Putin continues to show a reticent public approach to national crises. It took Putin more than 18 hours after a March 22 terrorist attack on a Moscow-region concert hall that killed scores to make a public statement. When he finally spoke about the attack, Russias deadliest terrorist attack in years, on March 23, Putin appeared to suggest Ukrainian involvement but provided no evidence to back up the claim, saying in a recorded address that four suspected gunmen who were detained had tried to hide and were moving toward Ukraine. The Islamic State militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and Ukrainian officials denied any involvement even before Putins statement. Putins initial public silence echoes his earlier vanishing acts in the immediate aftermath of major terrorist attacks during his nearly 24 years in power. When a packed Moscow theater was attacked by terrorists in October 2002, Putin made his first public comment on the siege only the following day. After terrorists seized a school in the southern Russian town of Beslan on September 1, 2004, Putin made his first public statement only a day later during a meeting in Moscow with Jordan's King Abdullah. On the day that standoff at the school came to a violent end that left more than 300 dead, more than half of them children, Putin did not make a public statement. Putin finally made an early morning visit to Beslan and visited victims in the hospital the day after the tragedy, and made a televised address later that day. Silence Is 'Putin's Style' Silence is generally Putins style, Kirill Martynov, editor in chief of the independent Russian-language news outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe, said in a March 23 interview with Current Time. He tends to shift responsibility to local authorities and then declare that he took care of everything. But it seems to me the main reason is ideological, Martynov said. This terrorist attack, in fact, refutes the entire picture of propaganda that they have been trying to feed Russians over the past years. Martynov added that in the nearly 24 hours before Putin finally addressed the attack publicly, even his supporters might have been asking themselves: Where is our president who just won an election with 87 percent of the votes? What, he has nothing to say about what happened, he cant find any words? The independent Russian-language news site The Insider cited multiple unidentified sources in Russian state television as saying that government networks in the immediate hours after the attack had prepared several times to air a statement from Putin but never received it. Following the March 22 attack, Putins government initially left it to Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova to relay publicly that Putin wished a quick recovery to the injured victims and expressed gratitude to medical responders. A year after the arrest of Evan Gershkovich in Russia, the Wall Street Journal reporters family pledged to continue to fight for release from a Moscow prison where he is being held on espionage charges the White House and his employer say are fabricated. Gershkovich became the first U.S. journalist arrested on spying charges in Russia since the Cold War when he was detained on March 29, 2023, by the Federal Security Service (FSB), which said he had been trying to obtain military secrets. The Wall Street Journal and the U.S. government have vehemently rejected the espionage charges, saying he was merely doing his job as an accredited reporter when he was arrested. Gershkovich saw his detention extended to June 30 earlier this week by the Moscow City Court. The Kremlin said on March 29 it had no information on when the 32-year-olds trial will begin. If found guilty, he faces up to 20 years in jail. "We never anticipated this situation happening to our son and brother, let alone a full year with no certainty or clear path forward," his family said in a letter published by the Wall Street Journal on March 29 to mark the anniversary. "But despite this long battle, we are still standing strong." U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on March 29 that "to date, Russia has provided no evidence of wrongdoing for a simple reason: Evan did nothing wrong. Journalism is not a crime." Born in the United States to Soviet emigres, Gershkovich reported from Russia for six years before being detained in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg. Leon Panetta, former director of the CIA, said the United States must play a "tough game" with Russian President Vladimir Putin in order to get Gershkovich released. "We have got to play a tough game with Putin to make sure hes not going to get away with this kind of game." Panetta said on Fox News. Gershkovich will ultimately be released through a prisoner swap, Panetta predicted, saying the United States could "develop some leverage" for such a deal by arresting Russian spies in the United States "so that [Putin] has a reason to come to the bargaining table." State Department spokesman Vedant Patel, also speaking on Fox News, said the United States engages daily with the "highest levels of the Russian government" in its effort to win Gershkovich's release, but he said it was "important not to talk about the deliberations in public." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has also stressed the importance of silence about any negotiations, but Wall Street Journal Associate Editor Paul Beckett, who is leading the newspapers efforts to free Gershkovich, said talks involving Gershkovich on any level keep his supporters optimistic that something can be done. Russian authorities accuse Gershkovich of collecting state secrets about the military industrial complex at the behest of the U.S. government. Wall Street Journal Associate Editor Paul Beckett, who is leading the newspapers efforts to free Gershkovich, told Current Time in an interview broadcast on March 29 that the reporter is holding up OK under very difficult circumstances. He's in his cell for 23 hours a day. He has an hour outside in the courtyard, which is about the same size as his cell. So we've just been very grateful that he's been able to maintain his equilibrium, Beckett said of Gershkovichs incarceration in Moscows Lefortovo prison. Beckett said that besides one hour of courtyard time per day, Gershkovich has been in constant correspondence with his family, including swapping lines from shows that they enjoyed together, and weekly meetings with his lawyers. Earlier on March 28 in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was asked about reports of a possible prisoner exchange involving Gershkovich, and he stressed the importance of silence about any negotiations. But Beckett said talks involving Gershkovich on any level keep his supporters "optimistic that something can be done." Gershkovich is one of two American reporters currently being held by Russian authorities. The other is Alsu Kurmasheva, an RFE/RL journalist who holds dual Russian-American citizenship. Kurmasheva, 47, was arrested in Kazan last October and charged with failing to register as a foreign agent under a punitive Russian law that targets journalists, civil society activists, and others. Shes also been charged with spreading falsehoods about the Russian military and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. RFE/RL and the U.S. government say the charges are reprisals for her work as a journalist for RFE/RL in Prague. She had traveled to Russia to visit and care for her elderly mother and was initially detained while waiting for her return flight on June 2 at Kazan airport, where her U.S. and Russian passports were confiscated. Gershkovich has been designated as wrongfully detained by the U.S. government. Kurmasheva, however, has not despite pleas from RFE/RL and Kurmashevas family. The Wall Street Journal on March 28 published a story about her detention and the difficulties her husband, Pavel Butorin, who also works for RFE/RL in Prague, and their two daughters, aged 12 and 15, have had without her and their efforts to have her designated as wrongfully detained. The designation would mean her case would be assigned to the office of the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs in the State Department, raising the political profile of her situation and allowing the Biden administration to allocate more resources to securing her release. The designation currently applies only to Gershkovich and another American held in Russia, Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine and corporate security executive who is serving a 16-year prison sentence on espionage charges. Other events being held to mark the one-year anniversary of Gershkovichs detention include a 24-hour read-a-thon of his work by his Wall Street Journal colleagues at the newspapers headquarters in New York and swimming events at Brighton Beaches in New Zealand, South African, Canada, the United States and Britain. The beaches were chosen in recognition of his familys connection to Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, New York, which is home to a large Russian immigrant community. Gershkovich's parents emigrated from the Soviet Union, separately, in 1979. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other Ukrainian officials on March 23 furiously denied any role by their country in the devastating attack on a Moscow-area concert hall a day earlier that killed at least 133 people and was claimed by the militant group Islamic State (IS), in a message that was also being pushed by Western officials. After repeated rejections over the previous 24 hours, Zelenskiy issued a video message accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of trying to shift responsibility to others after remaining silent in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy "thinking how to bring this to Ukraine." "What happened yesterday in Moscow is obvious," Zelenskiy said, using an epithet for Putin and his circle, saying they "are just trying to blame someone else." "They always have the same methods," Zelenskiy added. In a taped midafternoon address on March 23, Putin decried the violence as a bloody, barbaric terrorist attack and alleged Ukrainian involvement. He then repeated earlier suggestions by other Russian officials that four suspected gunmen had been detained, and that some of the perpetrators were arrested in the western Bryansk region, which borders Belarus and Ukraine. The four tried to hide and were moving toward Ukraine, where, according to preliminary information, the Ukrainian side had prepared a window for them to cross the border, Putin said. Putin provided no evidence to back up the claim. Other Ukrainian officials had already issued repeated denials beginning soon after the attack. Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here. Mykhaylo Podolyak, a senior Zelenskiy adviser, said in the hours after the incident that his country "has nothing to do with" it and said it had "never used terrorist methods" as it continues to fight a two-year full-scale Russian invasion. He warned that the deadly incident would "contribute to a sharp increase in military propaganda, accelerated militarization, expanded mobilization, and, ultimately, the scaling up of the war." The following day, he told Current Time: "First, there are no facts that would in any way indicate a Ukrainian trace. Second, it makes no sense for us to carry out this type of actions. We are a bit busy with different things. A full-scale war is ongoing in our country." The Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) then said through spokesperson Andriy Yusov that Putin's assertion "doesn't withstand scrutiny." The GUR said those border areas are filled with "troops, special agents, representatives of special services, security forces," and "the border is mined, surveillance is carried out in all kinds of ways, including aerial reconnaissance, on both sides." Ukrainian war planners and special forces are believed to have carried out many more attacks inside Russian territory than they have openly acknowledged, but they have insisted that they pursue military targets as well as supplies and infrastructure for the Russian war effort. "It already happened," Zelenskiy said in an apparent allusion to previous violent attacks in Russia. "And there were blown-up houses, and shootings, and explosions. And they always blame others." He likened the accusations to Russian claims in the fighting in Ukraine, where Kyiv and international investigators and rights groups have accused Russian troops of torture and war crimes. Putin remained silent for at least 16 hours after the attack was launched, only appearing in the recorded message midafternoon on March 23. "Yesterday, all of this happened, and this worthless Putin, instead of dealing with his Russian citizens, addressing them, was silent for a day, thinking how to bring this to Ukraine," Zelenskiy said. In a seeming reference to the war in Ukraine, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that the attack must not become a "pretext" for more "violence." Islamic State issued a statement of responsibility within hours of the attack and on March 23 published pixelated photos of four men it claimed were the attackers. The group said they had dealt a "heavy blow" against "Christians" as part of a "raging war" against countries fighting Islam. "The attack was carried out by four IS fighters armed with machine guns, a pistol, knives and firebombs," IS said via Telegram. U.S. officials confirmed the authenticity of the IS claim in comments to multiple U.S. media. On March 7, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow warned Russia that "extremists" had imminent plans for an attack in the capital. On the same day as the U.S. Embassy announcement, the Russian Federal Security Service claimed it had stopped an attack on a Moscow synagogue by Islamic State's affiliate in Afghanistan, known as Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K). U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said again on March 23 that Washington had warned Russia in early March. In a statement, Watson added, "ISIS bears sole responsibility for this attack. There was no Ukrainian involvement whatsoever." German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser was quoted by Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper as saying that "According to everything that is known so far, it can be assumed that the terrorist group Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-K) is responsible for the murderous terrorist attack near Moscow." ESB has opened its latest new High-Powered Charging Hub at Caseys Londis, Athlone Road, Roscommon which will benefit all electric vehicle (EV) drivers. This latest EV charging hub is the sixth ESB charging location in the town. The high-powered hub has one high-powered 150kW charger and one 50kW fast charger. ESB delivered a total of 17 new charging hubs in 2023 and upgraded charge points in several other locations, meaning there are now over 1,500 public charge points in place across the country. A key milestone for ESB in 2023 & 2024 is the doubling of the number of high-power chargers partially funded by the Governments Climate Action Fund. ESB has built 36 high power charging hubs nationwide over the past two years, replaced over 250 AC chargers with newer technology and upgraded a further 52 AC chargers to fast 50kW & 100kW chargers. Welcoming this announcement, John Byrne, Head of eMobility at ESB, said: We are delighted to have recently opened our brand-new high-power charging hub at Caseys Londis, Roscommon. This new hub, in such a busy location, complements our existing network of more than 1,500 ESB charge points across the island of Ireland. New multi vehicle hubs such as this play a huge role in our commitment to delivering a net-zero future for our customers and local communities. EVs are the fastest growing segment in the Irish car market so hubs like this are crucial for drivers and demonstrate our commitment to ensuring that the public charging network can support this growth. John added. Jim McCausland, Site Manager at Caseys, Londis also welcomed the new charging hub. We are delighted to collaborate with ESB in delivering this new EV charging hub and bringing more sustainable choices to our local community and the wider region. As a local business owner, we know the importance of making a positive impact on the environment and are proud that we can support Irelands decarbonisation journey through this excellent new infrastructure. A public meeting in Ballaghaderreen last week attended by up to a hundred local people expressed strong opposition to the modular homes proposed for the town. There are 47 units being proposed to cater for 206 Ukrainian refugees in the Little Oaks area of Ballaghaderreen, located near a nursing home. These homes comprise 18 three-bed units and 29 two-bed units. Those who spoke at the meeting in Spells Bar, Ballaghaderreen on Wednesday of last week raised concerns about a range of issues lack of doctors, lack of dental services, school capacity, no affordable housing or accommodation in the town, and lack of investment. A number of speakers expressed concern about accommodating two hundred Ukrainian people given the lack of resources available. One person at the meeting suggested that a 24-hour blockade be staged at the site identified for the modular homes. One parent said she was deeply troubled by the direction the town was heading. The lack of essential services, employment opportunities, healthcare facilities, it is clear the needs of a growing community are not being met. The modular home plans show a complete disdain for the community and the service providers on the ground in Ballaghaderreen, and it has been struggling with economic challenges for years. She asked what the town could offer refugees coming from a war-town county. Surely, we have a duty of care to these people but the town lacks basic amenities, she said, pointing to the lack of certain retail outs, a temporary library, and no swimming pool. You cant even buy a pair of shows here in the town and we are also lacking a 24/7 dedicated Garda presence in the town. Michael Scally, who was a local councillor from 1991 to 2004, told the meeting that Ballaghaderreen was a welcoming town but enough is enough. We welcomed people with the whole of our heart when the Syrians came here in 2017 but we got nothing. We were promised everything, but we got nothing in return. We have been walked on for the last seven years. I hate using the word dumping ground but we are a dumping ground. This is the last straw. I am totally opposed to those 47 houses going up. We have no employment. We have no Government representative in Ballaghaderreen. TDs in this county are not Government TDs so what more can you expect. Enough is enough. I am eighty years of age, and I am meeting elderly people every day who cannot get houses. We must look after our own people, he said. Mr Scally asked that all sitting councillors and local election candidates sign a pledge opposing the installation of the 47 modular homes. Our own people who are homeless cannot get a house, thats the situation we have in this town, he said. The meeting also heard there were a number of public meetings in other areas of the county raising similar concerns about plans for modular homes. The organisers of the meeting, calling themselves Ballaghaderreen Concerned Citizens, have since established a committee of 10 people. Muireann Duffy A number of arrests have been made after a suspected pipe bomb, drugs, cash and watches were seized during a major operation in Limerick city on Friday. Seven searches were carried out in the St Mary's Park and Kings Island areas of the city on Friday as part of the operation targeting the sale and supply of illegal drugs and related criminal activity. During the searches, which were coordinated by 80 local gardai with the assistance of the Garda Armed Support and Dog units, a suspected pipe bomb was discovered at a residential property. The Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal team attended the scene, and the area has since been declared safe. A man was arrested in connection with the discovery and is currently detained under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939. Illegal drugs, cash and watches were also seized during the searches, and the drugs will now be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis. Five males and one female were also arrested during the operation, under suspicion of alleged incidents of theft, robbery and drug driving. Gardai confirmed one of the males has since appeared before the courts, and another remains in custody. The remaining three males and the female have all been released. Russia Terror Attack: Who is ISIS-K? Why did gunmen launch firing in Moscow? The concert hall Crocus City Hall that was attacked happened to be where Trump held the Miss Universe pageant in 2013. Russia Moscow Crocus City Hall Terror Attack News: In a shocking incident, as many as 60 people were killed in an ambush at a mall in Russia's Moscow after a few unidentified gunmen opened fire at the public place. It has been reported that ISIS-K has claimed responsibility for the terror attack in Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not yet made a public statement about the attack on Crocus City Hall. There are reports that the US seemed to have known about the attack considering on March 7th, the U.S. warned that "extremists" could target concerts. Advertisement The concert hall Crocus City Hall that was attacked happened to be where Trump held the Miss Universe pageant in 2013. WHAT IS ISIS-K? ISIS-K, Islamic State Khorasan, was named after an old term for the region that included parts of Iran, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, and emerged in eastern Afghanistan in late 2014. It is one of the most active regional affiliates of the Islamic State militant group. ISIS-K has seen its membership decline since peaking around 2018. Advertisement Why would ISIS-K Attack Russia? While the attack by ISIS-K in Russia was a disaster, experts believe the group has opposed Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent years. "ISIS-K has been fixated on Russia for the past two years, frequently criticizing Putin in its propaganda," said Colin Clarke of Soufan Center, a Washington-based research group. (For more news apart from Russia Moscow Crocus City Hall Terror Attack News, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) Turkish satellite technology firms Turksat, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), and Aselsan all showcased their products and capabilities at the Satellite 2024 Conference held in Washington, DC, Azernews reports, citing Anadolu Agency. The conference brought together the worlds largest satellite producers and operators, as the event shapes the future of the industry. Enver Iskurt, Turkiyes deputy transportation and infrastructure minister, told Anadolu that they are proud of the three Turkish firms exhibiting at the event. He mentioned the new satellite Turksat 6A, stressing how it is made entirely by Turkish firms. Hasan Huseyin Ertok, CEO of the countrys satellite operator Turksat, said that the event is the largest in the field, where all stakeholders of the industry come together to participate. We have come to this event to present our product range, which we have expanded in recent years, the developments we have made so far, and to introduce our country, he said. He mentioned that they showcased new technologies they currently work on, especially in areas such as providing internet service in aviation and watercraft. Mustafa Yaman, vice president at the defense firm Aselsan, said that the firm showed satellite equipment, ground, and user terminals at the event. Taha Tetik, space systems programs director at aircraft maker TAI, said that they exhibited their domestically produced products, such as their communication and observation satellites, and that they attended the event to meet with potential customers and make new connections for potential cooperation. Tourists take photos in front of the Merlion statue in Singapore. Photo by AFP Thanks to visa-free policy and an excellent tourism reputation, Singapore has outpaced neighbors such as Thailand and Vietnam in regional race to win back Chinese tourists. More than 327,000 Chinese tourists arrived in Singapore in February, reaching 96% of pre-pandemic levels in 2019, according to the Singapore Tourism Board. Thailand received over 600,000 Chinese tourists last month, equivalent to 60% of the same period in 2019 while Vietnam welcomed 295,000 tourists from China, nearly half of pre-pandemic levels, according to tourism authorities. Singapore has become the latest country in Southeast Asia to drop visa requirements for Chinese tourists, with mutual visa waiver that took effect on Feb. 9. Thailand and Malaysia waived visas for citizens from the world's second most populous country last December. Chinese tourists stayed for an average of 4.22 days as against the overall 3.46 days by foreign tourists, a decline of 8.7% year-on-year, according to the Singapore Tourism Board. Despite complaints about expensive travel costs in the city state, the average outlay per visit of Chinese to Singapore for expenses like flights and hotels rose 30% from a year earlier, Bloomberg reported citing Trip.com data. Deemed one of the world's safest places, Singapore, famous for its strict gun control and low crime rates, has started benefiting from the change in Chinese travel sentiment. Thailands tourism reputation has recently been tarnished following a mall shooting and high crime rates involving foreigners. The U.S. Medicare announced that it would cover the weight-loss drug Wegovy, manufactured by Novo Nordisk (NVO), for patients suffering from cardiovascular disease. The announcement comes after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the weight-loss drug to use for reducing heart risk. The FDA's decision was based on a clinical trial last year which found that Wegovy reduces risk of heart disease in obese patients by 20 percent. Earlier, federal law had excluded anti-obesity medications from medicare prescription drug plans provided by private insurers, also known as Part D. The high cost of the drug was also another reason which made insurers reluctant to cover it. However, the recent announcement broadens the insurance coverage of Wegovy, a drug mimicking a naturally occurring hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1, or GLP-1, that slows the emptying of the stomach and sends a signal of fullness to the brain. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or CMS noted that the weight loss drug will be covered under insurance only for cases where it is prescribed to reduce the risks of heart disease. "CMS has issued guidance to Medicare Part D plans stating that anti-obesity medications that receive for an additional medically accepted indication can be considered a Part D drug for that specific use," a CMS spokesperson commented. "CMS is committed to ensuring that people have access to treatments and treatment options that improve outcomes," the agency emphasized. Novo Nordisk responded to the announcement positively by saying that, "We are encouraged to see the recent guidance by CMS," but further added that "there's more work to be done" because Wegovy as a weight-loss drug is still not covered under insurance. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News As opposed to 2W electric CVs on sale in India, upcoming Hero Yulu rival seems to be packing more battery capacity to offer longer range Hero MotoCorp is on the verge of upping its scooter game in India to rival the likes of Honda, TVS and Suzuki. However, Hero MotoCorp is not active in 2W commercial vehicles catering to the needs of B2B and B2C customers operating last-mile logistics. That will change soon as the company has patented a 2W CV. Hero Yulu Rival Under Development Currently, Hero doesnt have a robust scooter portfolio to take on the rivals from Honda, TVS and Suzuki. That said, Hero has the industrial might and is leveraging it to launch a product offensive in scooter category. The new Xoom 160 and Xoom 125R are incoming with sporty designs, posing a major appeal to young buyers and thrill-seekers. Along with that, we also saw a new large scooter recently patented by Hero MotoCorp. This vehicle could potentially take the spot of Maestro, which is not currently listed among other scooters on companys official website. However, these vehicles cater to passenger segment. Hero is now taking larger strides in exploring commercial 2W EV space. The new electric scooter patented will primarily rival Yulu bikes manufactured by Bajaj Chetak and upcoming Honda Benly e, already spotted testing in India along with all the 2W electric CVs on sale in India. Design is not something the intended business operators will consider as much as functionality. In that regard, we get minimal body panels and there doesnt seem to be any beautification process as well. It is a commercial vehicle and it is what it is. That said, the functionality doesnt seem as robust as rivals. What to expect? We say this because 2W electric CVs are known for their cargo-carrying capacity and versatility. With Hero Yulu rival, there is no floorboard, let alone a flat one. Hero has provided a small rack up front and a larger rack at the rear. As opposed to the front, rear area boasts greater luggage-carrying capability. Where Hero MotoCorp could have an edge over other rivals is in battery department. As seen in the picture, Hero Yulu rival seems to be packing a larger battery that may promise greater range on a single charge. This might be why there is no flat floorboard on offer. The rear hub motor draws power from a battery of around 2 kWh to 3 kWh promising close to 100 km of real-world range is highly likely with this upcoming scooter. Componentry includes a tiny headlight housing that might pack LEDs and a projector, alloy wheels at both ends, disc brake at the front, RSU telescopic suspension at the front and twin shock absorbers at the rear among others. The same 220cc engine will be retained with TVS Ronin SCR with design changes transforming it into an off-road-oriented machine Mid-2022, we saw TVS venturing into uncharted territories. Were talking about Ronin and how the company pegged it to be the Jack of all trades. A motorcycle with a mix of Scrambler, Cruiser and a Street bike in one. Now, there is a new SCR version of the bike in the making and the company has trademarked design as well. TVS Ronin SCR Patented Where sales are concerned, Ronin is not a high-performing vehicle. TVS intends to change that by carving out an off-road version. When launched, it will take on the likes of upcoming Hero Xpulse 210 and Honda CB350X. Keen eyes would have spotted that this very motorcycle patented has already been showcased before. At TVS MotoSoul 2023 event, TVS collaborated with renowned custom motorcycle builders to showcase Musashi by Smoked Garage, Agonda by JVB Moto and Wakizashi by Rajputana Customs. However, were interested more in the 4th custom bike, TVS Ronin SCR, showcased by TVS Design Team. TVS Ronin Special Edition There couldnt be a better venue than TVS MotoSoul to showcase these special motorcycles. But of these four, only the Ronin SCR designed by TVS Design Team has been patented by the company. The demand for ADVs and Scramblers is increasing and TVS currently lacks one altogether. Instead of just making the motorcycle taller and launching a pseudo Scrambler, TVS seems to be cooking a real off-roader. Fuel tank and engine are the same as Ronins. Other than that, there is a major shift in the componentry. For starters, Ronins main identity, its headlight and T LED signature, has been replaced with a much more stylish Colosseum Laser Tech LED. We dont know if this laser-incorporated headlight displayed at TVS Motosoul will make it to production. Side body panels are custom and so is the seat. Speaking of, this is a custom leather-clad single-seater unit. Production-spec model might have space for a pillion. A large luggage rack is visible, hinting at its rugged and practical appeal. We can imagine upright and comfortable ergonomics and decent long-distance ability. TVS had showcased twin exhausts with an up-swept approach. Rear tail tidy is appealing and fully displays the rear tyre. The USD forks are finished in Gold shade and the beak is large and imposing. TVS is offering wire-spoke rims shod with semi-knobby tyres, as opposed to alloy wheels with road-worthy tyres on Ronin. Wheel size looks like it is 19-inch front and 17-inch rear. We can see massive ground clearance too. Specs & Features Standard Ronin comes equipped with a 220cc single-cylinder engine developing 19 PS of power and 17.55 Nm of torque. With a 1490mm wheelbase, Ronin offers good straight-line stability and cross-wind protection. This engine is suspended on USD forks at front and dual shock absorbers at the rear. Features include a TFT screen with Bluetooth connectivity, turn-by-turn navigation, call alerts, SMS notifications and more. When launched, we can expect a price tag of around Rs. 1.8 lakh (ex-sh). Tourists play with water guns as they celebrate the Songkran holiday which marks the Thai New Year in Bangkok, Thailand, April 13, 2023. Photo by Reuters Immigration authorities have been told to revoke visas of those found to be in Thailand without a valid reason or linked with criminal activities as the country begins a crackdown to restore its tourism reputation. Roy Ingpairoj, deputy chief of the Royal Thai Police, has issued instructions to the immigration authority department, calling for increased scrutiny of foreigners staying in Thailand, Khaosod English newspaper reported. The Thai police wanted all foreigners entering and leaving the kingdom to be strictly screened and increased screening will also apply to those seeking extensions of stay, visa stamps, and any change in visa status. All crimes committed by foreigners will be investigated and prosecuted, including violations of the Immigration Act. Foreign residents will be investigated to determine if they have any connection to mafia-like criminals. The move came as Thailand has witnessed a recent rise in criminal activities by foreigners, which has negatively tarnished its reputation. Since October 1, 2023, Thai police have made 614 arrests for a variety of crimes, including thefts in tourist areas, illegal employment, traffic violations and offences related to sex, according to Thailands Public Relations Department. The most recent high-profile criminal case involved two tourists from New Zealand who were being held in prison for attacking a police officer in Phuket. They were banned from ever returning to Thailand and their visas have been revoked. Immigration authorities earlier this month revoked a long-stay visa of a Swiss man who allegedly kicked a Thai woman who was relaxing on a beach near his villa in Phuket. Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Vuong Quoc Tuan takes souvenir photos with Victory Giant Technology Group. (Photo: bacninh.gov.vn) Mr. Tuan visited the group's manufacturing factory and he witnessed the land lease signing ceremony between Victory Giant Technology Group and VSIP Bac Ninh Industrial Park Infrastructure Company. On this occasion, the Bac Ninh provinces delegation presented a Letter of Thanks from the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee to Mr. Chen Tao, Chairman of Victory Giant Technology Group. Currently, the group invests in a factory at VSIP 2 - Bac Ninh Industrial Park in Bac Ninh province with an area of 10 hectares to research, develop, produce, and trade high-precision circuit boards with an investment capital of more than USD 800 million. The group will carry out the project immediately after being handed over the land and begin production and business activities in mid-2025. On the other hand, the group hoped that Bac Ninh province would continue to pay attention and create favorable conditions for businesses to invest in production development in the province. Established in July 2006, Victory Giant Technology Group specializes in the research and development, production, and sales of high-precision multilayer. Its products are widely used in the fields of computers, aerospace, automotive electronics (new energy), data centers, industrial Internet, medical instruments, and more. Currently, it has established stable, long-term partnerships with more than 160 top companies around the world. On the same day, Mr. Tuan and Bac Ninh provinces delegation visited and worked at TCL Technology Group and Guangdong Green Precision Components Co., Ltd. (Huizhou city, Guangdong province, China)./. Using NASAs Chandra X-ray Observatory and NSFs Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), astronomers have found that H1821+643 the nearest quasar hosted by a galaxy cluster, at a distance of about 3.4 billion light-years is less influential than many giant black holes in other galaxy clusters. Quasars are a rare and extreme class of supermassive black holes that are furiously pulling material inwards, producing intense radiation and sometimes powerful jets. Known as H1821+643, this quasar is about 3.4 billion light-years from Earth and contains a 4-billion-solar-mass black hole. Most growing supermassive black holes pull material in less quickly than those in quasars. Astronomers have studied the impact of these more common black holes by observing ones in the centers of galaxy clusters. Regular outbursts from such black holes prevent the huge amounts of superheated gas they are embedded in from cooling down, which limits how many stars form in their host galaxies and how much fuel gets funneled toward the black hole. Much less is known about how much influence quasars in galaxy clusters have on their surroundings. We have found that the quasar in our study appears to have relinquished much of the control imposed by more slowly growing black holes. The black holes appetite is not matched by its influence, said Dr. Helen Russell, an astronomer at the University of Nottingham. To reach this conclusion, Dr. Russell and colleagues used Chandra to study the hot gas that H1821+643 and its host galaxy are shrouded in. The bright X-rays from the quasar, however, made it difficult to study the weaker X-rays from the hot gas. We had to carefully remove the X-ray glare to reveal what the black holes influence is. We could then see that its actually having little effect on its surroundings, said Dr. Paul Nulsen, an astronomer at the Harvard & Smithsonians Center for Astrophysics. Using Chandra, the astronomers found that the density of gas near the black hole in the center of the galaxy is much higher, and the gas temperatures much lower, than in regions farther away. They expect the hot gas to behave like this when there is little or no energy input (which would typically come from outbursts from a black hole) to prevent the hot gas from cooling down and flowing toward the center of the cluster. The giant black hole is generating a lot less heat than most of the others in the centers of galaxy clusters. This allows the hot gas to rapidly cool down and form new stars, and also act as a fuel source for the black hole, said Dr. Lucy Clews, an astronomer at the Open University. The researchers determined that hot gas equivalent to about 3,000 times the mass of the Sun per year is cooling to the point that it is no longer visible in X-rays. This rapid cooling can easily supply enough material for the 120 solar masses of new stars observed to form in the host galaxy every year, and the 40 solar masses consumed by the black hole each year. The scientists also examined the possibility that the radiation from the quasar is directly causing the clusters hot gas to cool down. This involves photons of light from the quasar colliding with electrons in the hot gas, causing the photons to become more energetic and the electrons to lose energy and cool down. The study showed that this type of cooling is probably occurring in the cluster containing H1821+643 but is much too weak to explain the large amount of gas cooling seen. While this black hole may be underachieving by not pumping heat into its environment, the current state of affairs will likely not last forever, said Dr. Thomas Braben, an astronomer at the University of Nottingham. Eventually the rapid fuel intake by the black hole should increase the power of its jets and strongly heat the gas. The growth of the black hole and its galaxy should then drastically slow down. The teams paper will be published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. _____ H.R. Russell et al. 2024. A cooling flow around the low-redshift quasar H1821+643. MNRAS, in press; arXiv: 2401.03022 In updated EFF arrangement with IMF, Ukraine manages to postpone deadlines of three benchmarks, do without new ones - memo The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has published an updated Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies following the third review of the Extended Fund Facility Arrangement for Ukraine. According to the document, there are no new structural benchmarks, and the execution dates of three existing ones are delayed by several months. In particular, the deadline for the adoption of a law on rationalizing the consideration of cases by the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) with the possibility of such consideration by one judge instead of a panel of three judges has been postponed for a month - until the end of April. In addition, the implementation of a methodology for assessing supervisory risks to determine priorities for supervisory activities was postponed for six months - until the end of December, and the development of a policy regarding state-owned enterprises, dividend policy and privatization strategy - for two months, until the end of October this year. The permanent structural benchmark in relation to state-owned banks has also been changed, and now it allows for the continuation of the work of the First Investment Bank (PINBank), which became the state property by decision of HACC from sanctioned Russian Yevgeny Giner and which state-owned Ukrposhta would like to receive for development. "All systemic banks with majority state ownership will fall under the responsibility of the MoF, and any non-systemic banks that come under state ownership will not be recapitalized using fiscal resources and will be transferred to the Deposit Guarantee Fund for resolution upon breach of prudential requirements," the updated memorandum notes. Thus, in addition to the law listed above on the rationalization of the HACC work, the nearest structural benchmarks are the development of a concept note on the 5-7-9 program by the end of March with proposals for reorientation towards small and medium-sized enterprises by gradually abandoning the participation of large companies and strengthening monitoring and ensuring adequate guarantees and adoption of the law to reset the Economic Security Bureau by the end of June, respecting the existing distinction between its investigative powers and the powers of the NABU. In addition, by the end of June, the volume of overdue debt must be determined and the financial condition of district heating companies must be assessed by conducting a desk audit by a reputable audit company, including by highlighting overdue debt before and after February 2022. Finally, at the end of July, two more structural benchmarks expire: the preparation of an assessment of the effectiveness of tax incentives, including their cost to the budget, in order to develop a unified approach to reform, and the adoption of a law creating a new court that will consider administrative cases against national government bodies (for example, NBU, NABU, NACP) by judges who have undergone proper testing for professional competence and integrity. The Chief of the IMF mission in Ukraine, Gavin Gray, at a briefing on Friday night after the completion of the third review by the Fund's Board and the allocation of the fourth tranche, noted that the key conditions for further timely allocation of tranches are reforms aimed at strengthening governance and supporting a sustainable financial position. Answering a question about the main structural benchmarks for the next, fourth, review of the arrangement and the allocation of its fifth tranche, he emphasized the need to pass legislation to strengthen the Economic Security Bureau, as well as work on assessing tax benefits. Ukrainian air defense eliminated 31 enemy drones out of 34 that the invaders launched on Saturday night, the Air Force reports. It is reported that on the night of March 23, 2024, the enemy attacked with four S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles (in Donetsk region) and 34 attack UAVs of the Shahed type (launch areas Kursk region - Russia, Cape Chauda - Crimea). "As a result of the air defense battle, mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces, anti-aircraft missile units and aircraft of the Air Force destroyed 31 suicide bombers within Poltava, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions," the statement said. The Ukrainian military liquidated about 1,050 enemy personnel, 12 tanks, 19 armored combat vehicles, 36 artillery systems, 75 UAVs, 39 cruise missiles, 76 units of vehicles and special equipment in one day, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports. "The enemy's total combat losses from February 24, 2022 to March 23, 2024 were approximately: personnel - about 435,760 (1,050 more) people, tanks - 6,852 (12 more) units, armored combat vehicles - 13,130 (19 more) units, artillery systems - 10,811 (36 more) units, MLRS - 1,018 units, air defense systems - 723 units, aircraft - 347 units, helicopters - 325 units, operational-tactical level UAVs - 8,463 (75 more) units, cruise missiles - 1,992 (39 more) units, ships/boats - 26 units, submarines - one unit, automotive equipment and tank trucks - 14,344 (57 more) units, and special equipment - 1,768 (19 more) units," according to a message published on Facebook on Saturday morning. ALBANY, N.Y. Assemblyman Charles Fall and Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton recently honored Staten Islander Kamora Freeland, 17, who made history by becoming the youngest African American female to receive a private pilots license in New York state. I rise today, during this Womens History Month, to recognize a soaring figure from our own community, Kamora Freeland, said Fall (D-North Shore). Her journey through transitioning from a marine biology aspiration to conquering the vast expanse of the aviation world is nothing short of inspiring. Despite the challenges and expectations, Kamora has flown past obstacles, piloted across state lines, and even navigated her mother safely through the skies to Marthas Vineyard. It is with great privilege that I honor Kamora today, not only for her flight achievements but as an inspiration for young women of color everywhere. The daughter of Lakema and David Freeland, the young pilot is a senior at Kingsborough Early College High School in Brooklyn. An honors student, she skipped 11th grade and is heading to Spelman College in the fall. On Monday, Feb. 26, at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, Long Island, the Mariners Harbor teen took the biggest test of her life her check ride, the final step to getting her private pilots license. And she passed! Her dedication to both her education and aviation ambitions serves as a shining example of what can be achieved through hard work, added Fall. Kamoras story is a powerful reminder that the skys the limit for those who dare to dream big. For her check ride, Freeland took the three-hour test with a DPE, or designated pilot examiner. Kamora took her first cross country solo flight in December 2023 at 16 years of age, making history that is a testament to her power of perseverance of pursuing her passion. It was a true privilege to acknowledge Kamora Freeland on the Senate floor for her incredible achievement as the youngest African American female licensed pilot, said Scarcella-Spanton (D-North Shore). Her journey is not just remarkable its a shining example of where hard work and determination can take you. By elevating her story, we are spreading a message of inspiration to young women all across New York, encouraging them to chase their dreams and aspire to take chances. I expect to hear more great things about Kamora in the future, and I look forward to seeing what Kamora does next. Assemblyman Fall honored Staten Islander, Kamora Freeland, 17, pictured with her parents Lakema and David Freeland. Kamora made history as the youngest African American female to receive a private pilots license in New York State. (Courtesy Fitim Shabani/Office of Assemblyman Charles Fall)(Courtesy Office of Assemblyman Charles Fall) Assemblyman Fall and Senator Scarcella-Spanton honor Staten Islander, Kamora Freeland, 17, who made history as the youngest African American female to receive a private pilots license in New York State. (Courtesy Fitim Shabani/Office of Assemblyman Charles Fall)(Courtesy Office of Assemblyman Charles Fall) Assemblyman Fall and Senator Scarcella-Spanton honor Staten Islander, Kamora Freeland, 17, picutred with her parents Lakema and David Freeland. Kamora made history as the youngest African American female to receive a private pilots license in New York State. (Courtesy Fitim Shabani/Office of Assemblyman Charles Fall)(Courtesy Office of Assemblyman Charles Fall) Assemblyman Charles Fall honored Staten Islander, Kamora Freeland, 17, who made history as the youngest African American female to receive a private pilots license in New York State. (Courtesy Fitim Shabani/Office of Assemblyman Charles Fall)(Courtesy Office of Assemblyman Charles Fall) Assemblyman Fall and Senator Scarcella-Spanton honor Staten Islander, Kamora Freeland, 17, who made history as the youngest African American female to receive a private pilots license in New York State. (Courtesy Fitim Shabani/Office of Assemblyman Charles Fall)(Courtesy Office of Assemblyman Charles Fall) Assemblyman Fall honored Staten Islander, Kamora Freeland, 17, who made history as the youngest African American female to receive a private pilots license in New York State. (Courtesy Fitim Shabani/Office of Assemblyman Charles Fall)(Courtesy Office of Assemblyman Charles Fall) A major cruise line has stopped visits to the private Caribbean resort it operates due to an increase of violence and unrest in the area. Royal Caribbean announced it was suspending calls at Labadee, its resort on the northern coast of Haiti. The move comes after the U.S. State Department issued an alert for Haiti and advised people not to visit the country. Haiti is at a Level Four travel advisory, alongside countries such as Russia, Syria and Burkina Faso. Due to the evolving situation in Haiti, and in an abundance of caution, were temporally suspending our visits to Labadee for our entire fleet, the company said in a prepared statement as reported by Cruiseindustrynews.com. We continue to monitor and assess the situation with our Global Security & Intelligence Team. Neither passengers nor crew have faced violence or threats, the company said. Several Royal Caribbean ships were set to visit Labadee over the next several days. Instead, those stops will be replaced by a day at sea as well as extra time at a previously scheduled stop in Falmouth, Jamaica. Other ships will visit Nassau, the Bahamas or Perfect Day at CocoCay, another company-owned location. Haiti is located on the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic sharing the island to the east. The Dominican Republic is under a level 2 advisory with visitors urged to exercise increased caution. A do-not-travel alert for Haiti was issued in July 2023 for what the State Department described as kidnapping, crime, civil unrest and poor health care infrastructure. Later that month, the U.S. ordered all family members of U.S. government employees and non-emergency personnel to leave the country. American government personnel have been limited to only confined areas around the Embassy and are not allowed to walk in Port-au-Prince, use any public transportation, visit banks or ATMs, drive at night or travel between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee of the Advance/SILive.com is proud to announce it will be hosting its inaugural DEI panel discussion on Tuesday, March 26 at 2 p.m. The discussion, named Conversation with Community Giants: Celebrating Black History, will feature three esteemed panelists: Laurie Cumbo, commissioner for the citys Department of Cultural Affairs; Shaw-nae Dixon, owner of acclaimed soul food restaurant, Shaw-naes House, Stapleton; and David McGoy, interim executive director of Sandy Ground Historical Museum, Rossville, the oldest continuously-inhabited free Black settlement in the United States. The Advance/SILive.com DEI committee hopes the discussion will inspire ways we can best represent the communities we serve, foster relationships where everyone feels comfortable and included, promote awareness of different perspectives, and exchange ideas on ways to identify challenges of underrepresented groups, and identify opportunities for improvement. The Advance/SILive.com newsroom staff will be in attendance in-person and virtually, and the event will be broadcast live via the Advance Facebook Live platform, where the public can tune in and ask questions. Caroline Harrison, CEO of Advance Local and publisher of the Advance and SILive.com, Brian Laline, Advance/SILive.com executive editor, and Gail Lubin, senior content director, are scheduled to attend. The 2024 Advance/SILive.com DEI committee is chaired by columnist Dr. Gracelyn Santos, and is comprised of committee members Kelli DeSantis, executive assistant to Laline; multimedia specialist, Jason Paderon; Felicia Torres, executive assistant to Harrison; and social media creator Shane DiMaio, who will serve as the panels moderator. Staten Island Museum Gala, May 12, 2023: Caroline Diamond Harrison, Publisher of the Advance and CEO of Advance Local, left, Laurie Cumbo, Commissioner of the Dept. of Cultural Affairs, and Alice Diamond, wife of the late Richard E. Diamond, former publisher of the Staten Island Advance. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance ABOUT THE PANELISTS LAURIE CUMBO Laurie Cumbo was appointed as the Commissioner of Cultural Affairs for the City of New York by Mayor Eric Adams in March 2022. Previously, she served as majority leader in the New York City Council and represented the City Councils 35th district for eight years, writing more than 40 laws and resolutions in that role, including creating the first-ever Mayors Office to End Gun Violence and the Mayors Office of Victim Services. Cumbo focused her career on institution-building and worked diligently throughout her tenure in the City Council to secure permanent cultural homes for the Noel Pointer Foundation, Ifetayo Cultural Arts Center, the West Indian American Day Carnival Association, African Voices Magazine, Creative Outlet Dance Company, Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA), 651 Arts, the Brooklyn Music School, The Brooklyn Pride Center and Digital Girl. Cumbo earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from Spelman College and a Master of Arts degree in Visual Arts Administration from New York University. Prior to her time in the City Council, Cumbo founded MoCADA in Brooklyn and previously worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the High Museum, the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Childrens Museum. Elvis Duran of Elvis Duran & The Morning Show is pictured with Shaw-nae Dixon, owner of Shaw-naes House in New Brighton. (Courtesy Shaw-nae Dixon)Courtesy Shaw-nae Dixon SHAW-NAE DIXON Shaw-nae Dixon is the owner and chef of the acclaimed soul food restaurant, Shaw-naes House in Stapleton. On the regular menu, guests can expect collard greens, oxtails over white rice, mac n cheese and its sister side, mac n cheese egg rolls. Normally, lines are out the door to dine in her gem of a restaurant. An iconic professional chef, cookbook author, and owner of SayGraceNYC, Dixon is sought by celebrity clients worldwide to cater, host, and prepare her signature dishes for both private and public settings. A celebrity chef for many syndicated radio and television programs in the U.S., Shaw-nae welcomed a very special guest Alexander Smalls, an acclaimed chef and author who dined with her and Laurie Cumbo. Alexs entree had a whole fried golden double fried crispy Cornish hen over jambalaya rice with side dishes of mac and cheese sweet potatoes, collard greens, and a helping of oxtails, said Dixon. He mentioned that the rice was his first desired bite because it reminded him of his roots in the south. When he went to indulge in the oxtails, he said he would put my oxtails up against known Lincoln Center Chef Kwame of the renowned Tatianas any day. Interim executive director of the Sandy Ground Historical Society David McGoy poses with Julie Moody Lewis, president of the historical society, in front of the museum in Rossville. Jason Paderon, Staten Island Advance photos DAVID MCGOY David McGoy is the Interim Executive Director of Sandy Ground Historical Society, Rossville, the oldest free Black settlement in the nation where descendants of the founding settlers are still living in the community. Sandy Ground is believed to have served as a stop on the underground railroad and is listed on the national and New York State register of historic places. A nonprofit management professional, McGoy, a Livingston resident, was unanimously voted in as interim executive director of Sandy Ground in December 2023. His challenges include raising funds to revitalize the Sandy Ground Historical Society Board, rebuild its uninhabitable, mold-infested museum and bring the rich culture back to this historic community founded in the 1820s for generations to come. McGoy, who grew up in the West Brighton Houses, attended Howard University and spent several years working in commercial banking. Since then, he has been a nonprofit professional who has held positions in direct service, administration and management. McGoy is a member of the Richmond University Medical Center Board, Community Board 1, Governance Committee of the Association for Nonprofits Specialists and steering committee of the Racial Equity Endowment Fund. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Nearly 200 people gathered at the Crystal Room in South Beach on Friday evening for the 5th annual Red, Black and Green Ball, an event celebrating the Pan-African Flag symbolizing Black pride and liberation while also honoring change agents who drive transformative change in the community. The event is grounded in the significance of the three colors of the Pan-African flag: red, which symbolizes the blood shed for liberation, uniting people of Black ancestry; black, which represents the people whose existence as a nation, though not a nation-state, is affirmed by the flags existence, and green, which symbolizes Africas abundant and vibrant natural wealth. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Several dozen took part in a demonstration outside New Dorp High School Friday morning, as students and community members gathered to voice their opinions about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Emotions ran high as several dozen pro-Palestinian demonstrators, many students at the school, as well as a smaller continent of pro-Israeli counter-protesters, engaged in spirited exchanges, including chants and slogans representing their respective positions. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Staten Island University Hospital will welcome patients for the first time Monday to its new three-story Florina Cancer Center, a centralized, state-of-the-art oncology center featuring a child-focused pediatric cancer facility with family-centered amenities. On the first day of operations in the Ocean Breeze facility, part of Northwell Health, about 150 patients will be treated at the center, and all will receive welcome gifts. Patients going forward will also enjoy a concierge service to get them headed in the right direction, said Dr. Laura Longo, senior director of operations for SIUH and the administrator for the Florina Cancer Center. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. In honor of those who have died, here is a compilation of obituaries posted on SILive.com. Viewing times and guest books can be seen here. Longtime Oakwood resident Harriette Lerche Goldberg, who taught English at New Dorp High School for more than 50 years, died March 12 in Lantana, Fla., one day before her 88th birthday. Born in the Bronx, she lived briefly in California before moving to Staten Island, where she attended New Dorp High School before going on to graduate summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania (CW) in 1957. Upon her retirement from New Dorp High School, she traveled extensively and ultimately relocated to Lantana, where she spent her final years enjoying sunshine, murder mysteries, and visits from family and friends. Read the full obituary on SILive.com. Native Staten Islander William Lockhart Lewis, a retired member of the FDNY and U.S. Marine Corps tank commander during the Korean War, died March 16 at the age of 90 in Pinehurst, N.C. Born in Port Richmond, he attended Port Richmond High School, where he met his lifelong sweetheart, Annie Lande, in their junior year. He served in the Korean War in the Marine Corps 1st Marine Division, 1st Tank Battalion, seeing active combat near Panmunjom. A tank commander, he was promoted to sergeant. In 1959, he joined the city Fire Department, where he served as chauffeur of hook and ladder and tower ladder trucks for 21 years. An avid outdoorsman, he was a competitive trap shooter and small game hunter. He also enjoyed going on cruises and enjoying the beaches of the Carolinas, Hawaii and Florida. Read the full obituary on SILive.com. YESTERDAYS OBITUARIES Gaynor Aragona, a beloved husband, father, brother, uncle and great-uncle, died March 13. Born in Brooklyn in 1952, he graduated from Fort Hamilton High School and moved to Staten Island in 2002. A retired journeyman marine carpenter with Local 1456, he found joy in riding his Harley, traveling, attending concerts, and passionately supporting the Giants and Jets. Read the full obituary on SILive.com. A suburban Buffalo resident is crying foul after his pet alligator of 30 years was recently confiscated by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) because, among other things, he failed to get the reptiles license renewed, according to several reports. The 750-pound gator, who was named Albert by owner Tony Cavallaro, was taken by conservation officers, who initially served Cavallaro a warrant on the Hamburg, N.Y., residents driveway. Eventually, Albert was sedated before having his mouth taped and then taken away in a van, according to a report in the The Daily Record. According to the report, the 34-year-old gators license expired in 2021 and was never renewed. However, according to the DEC, the animal was also taken because Cavallaro allowed other people to not only pet the reptile, but get into the pool Cavallaro built his pet inside his home. The DEC said thats a no-no and that the gator should be removed because it violated a policy for keeping animals classified as dangerous. The 64-year-old Cavallaro, however, insists his pet his harmless. Hes just a big baby, Cavallaro told The Daily Record earlier this week as he shared photographs of Albert biting a stuffed alligator in its teeth while resting his chin on several pillows. The owner, it should be noted, said Albert has never been aggressive toward people or animals. Tony Cavallaro cleans the indoor pool he built for his pet alligator, Albert, on March 19, 2024, Hamburg, N.Y. Albert was seized by the Department of Environmental Conservation in mid-March 2024. (AP/Carolyn Thompson)AP/Carolyn Thompson Incredibly, an online petition was created in an effort to help Cavallaro get his pet back and a whopping 120,000 people have already signed it. Free Albert T-shirts and buttons have also been made and Cavallaro, meanwhile, has hired an attorney as hes willing to pull out all stops to get something he considers family back. Renewing the license to keep Albert became a problem after regulations for owning dangerous animals changed in 2020, the report said. When the license expired in 2021, Cavallaro failed to bring the holding area into compliance to ensure the alligator did not pose a danger to the public, the agency said. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine commented on the shooting in the Moscow region that occurred on Friday evening. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine categorically rejects the accusations, which Russian officials started to make, claiming that Ukraine was involved in the shooting at the Crocus concert hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region," states the commentary of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry regarding this incident, published on the official website. "We consider such accusations to be a planned provocation by the Kremlin to further fuel anti-Ukrainian hysteria in Russian society, create conditions for increased mobilisation of Russian citizens to participate in the criminal aggression against our country and discredit Ukraine in the eyes of the international community," the report notes. The Russian regime has a long history of bloody provocations by its special services, such as the terrorist attack on the Kashirskoye highway in 1999, the ministry stresses. "There are no red lines for Putin's dictatorship. It is ready to kill its own citizens for political purposes, just as it has killed thousands of Ukrainian civilians during the war against Ukraine as a result of missile attacks, artillery shelling and torture," the commentary notes. "We call on the international community to strongly reject Russia's false accusations of Ukraine's alleged involvement in the shooting in Krasnogorsk and to strengthen its support for our country in countering Russia's criminal aggression," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry concludes. Support the Peninsulas only locally-owned newspaper. Subscribe! Subscribing annually brings you big savings. We also offer monthly and weekly subscriptions. Premium Subscription As low as $8.25 per month Premium Includes: -- Access to the Daily Journals e-Edition: a digital replica of our daily newspaper including crossword puzzles, games, comics, classifieds and ads. You can download a digital replica of the Daily Journal for offline reading. You can also clip & download articles or images from the e-edition to share with others The most recent 90 issues are available at any given time. -- Unlimited access to our award-winning online content -- Commenting access on all stories as a valued member of the DJ community -- NEW! Access to our online-only digital crossword puzzle. A new puzzle every day, seven days a week! Russian terror now possible only because we do not have enough modern air defense systems Zelenskyy Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine critically needs the modern air defense systems that its partners have, and their political will is sufficient to provide these systems. "The key issue is air defense. The physical protection of facilities and restoration after attacks is something that depends on the people here in Ukraine. But real and complete protection from Russian missiles and suicide drones is something that is only possible with sufficient political will from partners," he said in a video message. As the president emphasized, "we use every day to convince (partners) of the need, and most importantly, the possibility of complete protection of the Ukrainian sky." "(However) Russian terror is now possible only because we do not have enough modern air defense systems - that is, to be honest: there is enough political will to provide them. All partners know what exactly is needed and who exactly can make truly life-saving decisions," he said. 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 This story is part of the March 24 edition of Sunday Life. See all 14 stories . The thing about playing such an intimate role with an ex-lover is I did not think he would be able to do it, declares Juliette Binoche, within minutes of us sitting down to discuss her latest film, a delectable French foodie drama co-starring her former partner, Benoit Magimel. Of course, she raises an eyebrow it was never going to be a problem for me. Dressed in a crisp, red blouse and sharply tailored trousers, the 60-year-old Binoche Oscar, Bafta and Cesar winner, cinematic collaborator of Jean-Luc Godard, Michael Haneke, Krzysztof Kieslowski and Claire Denis reaches for a plate of jellied fruits and pops one archly into her mouth. In The Taste of Things, Magimel appears as a renowned 19th-century gourmet; Binoche plays his live-in cook and sometime paramour. A hit at Cannes last year, where audiences drooled over its loving shots of carre de veau with braised lettuce, it marks the first time the pair have acted together since 1999s Children of the Century, during the filming of which they embarked on what Binoche describes as a tough five-year relationship. Their daughter Hana, now 24, was born shortly after its release. (Binoche also has a 30-year-old son, Raphael, with Andre Halle, a scuba diver whom she met during the making of the 1991 film Les Amants du Pont-Neuf.) When, in 2021, the Vietnamese-French director Tran Anh Hung first approached Binoche for The Taste of Things, she took one look at the script, an adaptation of a novel by the Swiss author Marcel Rouff, and, she says, I told Hung, Much as I would love to work with you, I dont have a lot of space here, so perhaps if you really want me, you could just, you know, she smiles sweetly try to deepen the role a bit. One month later, rewrites duly made, Binoche took the role and filming was scheduled. But the production struggled to pin down a leading man, and with only weeks to go, Magimel was tentatively approached. Binoche recalls thinking there was no way he would accept. But he did, which made me astonished, but also very happy. Juliette Binoche (second from left) with The New Look co-stars Glenn Close and Ben Mendelsohn, and creator Todd A. Kessler at the Christian Dior Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2024. Credit: Getty Even after hed said yes, all were aware that the shoot might be fraught. Like Binoche, Magimel, 10 years her junior, had once been a shining light of French cinema: at Cannes in 2001, aged 27, he was named best actor for his performance opposite Isabelle Huppert in The Piano Teacher. But over the past decade, his turbulent personal life has taken a toll. In 2017, following a hit-and-run incident the previous year, he was fined for driving under the influence of drugs, and, in a separate case, sentenced to a three-month suspended prison sentence for possession of narcotics. Advertisement Yet as soon as the cameras rolled, all was well: more than that, Binoche says, the acting process became a reconciliation. It was strange, she says, to feel love between us again, after so long, as we spoke those lines on the page. But that also made it easy, too there was no need for us to intellectualise what was felt. Once the film was completed, Binoche watched it at home in Paris with her daughter, and afterwards they had a hug and a cry: she, too, had found it strange to see her parents in love again. Only a month after shooting The Taste of Things, Binoche was back in front of the cameras, this time as Coco Chanel for The New Look, an Apple TV+ series about Pariss elite fashion houses in the aftermath of World War II. It was a far grander production: 10 hour-long episodes and an international cast, including Ben Mendelsohn as Christian Dior, Maisie Williams as Diors French Resistance-fighter sister Catherine, and Emily Mortimer as Elsa Lombardi, Chanels muse. Loading Chanel herself was a Nazi collaborator, and worked with the Vichy regime for her own professional and personal advancement. This carried an awful resonance for Binoche, since her maternal grandparents on the Polish side of the family were imprisoned at and survived Auschwitz: They took Jewish people into their home and hid them there, she explains. They were Polish Catholics and part of the Resistance. Did that make it more difficult for her to play someone whose instincts ran in the opposite direction? As an actor, you cannot judge your character like that, she shrugs. You have to understand them, give them your humanity; recognise that their weaknesses and strengths are sometimes the same thing. We like to put people into black or white boxes. But really we all contain a little vice as well as virtue, dont we? Making sense of Chanel, she continues, involved revisiting the designers childhood: Her mother died when she was 11, her father abandoned the family not long after; her upbringing was very poor, very tough. When you understand that, you understand the survivor in her. It doesnt forgive her behaviour, but it explains it. Paris was where Binoche was born, but she grew up on the move. Her parents divorced when she was four, and her childhood was split between brief stays with her mother and father both actors who travelled with work and a Catholic boarding school on the outskirts of the capital. Her maternal grandmother also lived in France, where she worked as a cook, and Binoche fondly recalls the baskets of fresh fruit and vegetables she would bring back from the local Sunday market. Advertisement Preparing for The Taste of Things made her reflect on the role of food in her early life. She remembers her mother cooking for her and her sister, the photographer Marion Stalens, and even though they were simple dishes, there was always a twist, a little additional gesture that strengthened the family bond. Her favourite was poule au pot: chicken in a savoury broth. No dish has ever moved me to tears, she says. But this one always warms my heart. I have just come from America, where nobody cooks, everyone orders [in]. She shudders. Convenience is all well and good, she says, but it makes me fear we are losing the way of thinking about cooking as an act of love. Juliette Binoche at the Alexandre Mattiussi Menswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week. Credit: Jacopo Raule/Getty Images She herself is a keen amateur cook and enjoyed the expert tutoring she received while filming The Taste of Things to ensure her quenelles were perfectly scooped. The films chief culinary adviser was Pierre Gagnaire, head chef at Restaurant Pierre Gagnaire in Paris and Sketch in London, both garlanded with three Michelin stars. Binoche left school at 15 to study acting at Pariss prestigious Conservatoire but left there early, too, in order to tour Europe with a theatre troupe, which led in turn to small roles on television and in film. When she was 21, Godard cast her in Hail Mary, an erotic psychological drama about a modern-day virgin birth, but it was in Andre Techines 1985 film Rendez-vous, about a sexually adventurous aspiring actress, that she caught the worlds eye at Cannes. That unlocked things, and there followed an extraordinary career first act: a two-film collaboration with her then-lover, the director Leos Carax; a starring role opposite Daniel Day-Lewis in The Unbearable Lightness of Being; the lead in Kieslowskis luminous Three Colours: Blue; then The English Patient alongside Ralph Fiennes, which took her to Hollywood and brought her that Academy Award. Loading She was nominated again, four years later, for the romantic comedy Chocolat, in which she starred opposite Johnny Depp as a sort of foxy Wonka, weaving a chocolatey spell over a sleepy Burgundian village though not over the French critics, who greeted the film with disdain. At the time, I was so paranoid, she tuts, adding with a sigh of mock melodrama, The critics, they no longer love me! But I think they felt the film was not artistic enough for a French actress to be making for the Americans. Advertisement Advertisement FoodTaste test Doughnut Twisties and Chupa Chups custard: Do any of these crazy collabs actually taste any good? Look, theyre right out of control. Supermarket aisles keep filling with edible mash-ups between major brands but do any of them actually taste good? Bianca Hrovat and Callan Boys March 24, 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 Good Foods Callan Boys and Bianca Hrovat taste test crossover snack foods. Janie Barrett The collaboration between Twisties and Donut King gave Australians the sweet, cinnamon-dusted corn puffs they never asked for, but couldnt stop talking about. It was the result of a successful brand alliance an increasingly popular marketing strategy bringing together well-known brands to push head-scratching products, like Bundaberg Rum ginger beer Kettle Chips, Greens Vegemite brownie mix and Chupa Chups strawberries and cream Pauls custard, onto supermarket shelves. The strategy dominated the Easter season, with the introduction of Arnotts and Coles limited edition Pizza Shapes and Iced Vovo hot cross buns; Woolworths ongoing hot cross buns released with Cadbury chocolate; and confectionery collaborations like Coco Pops and Darrell Lea mini eggs. The notorious Arnotts Pizza Shapes hot cross buns. Supplied Advertisement Look, theyre right out of control, says Peter Dunn, who spent his career within the supermarket industry before leaving to manage The Grocery Geek, Australias leading online consumer portal for novelty grocery products. For around three years manufacturers have been playing around with this idea, but in the last 12 months its just gone crazy and our readers all get swept up in it. Products, like the limited edition cinnamon Twisties, spark social media hype as consumers share product releases over Instagram, revel in filming their (mostly unimpressed) TikTok reaction videos, and take to Reddit forums to question, How far have we fallen as a nation?. An onslaught of food brand alliances have created products like Donut King cinnamon donut Twisties, and Darrel Lea Cheesecake Shop chocolate. Janie Barrett Vandita Pandey, the chief marketing officer of the Australia and New Zealand division of snacks and beverages at PepsiCo (the parent company of Smiths), says a successful collaboration is about far more than just the snack product itself. Advertisement The primary focus is about engaging with consumers and offering them memorable experiences and diversity of offering by pushing the boundaries of our innovation process and creating unusual, surprising and unexpected collaborations, she says. Pandey says a memorable experience could arise from enjoying a great product, or it could result from the market disruption caused by an unexpected brand partnership or flavour. Theres a plethora of Vegemite-branded snacks. Supplied/Matt Davidson Margaret Matanda is an associate professor of marketing strategy at University of Sydney. She explains companies such as Vegemite use brand alliances to encourage consumers to try their products in new ways. Vegemite is an iconic brand, so many Australians will buy anything labelled with Vegemite and try it, she says. That can lead to new fans of each brand, as those who wouldnt typically try Vegemite as a spread purchase the Arnotts Shapes flavour and enjoy it; or vice versa. Advertisement A good partnership can lead to a 28 per cent return on investment far higher than the average 18 per cent from paid marketing alone. But it can be a fine balancing act, Matanda says. Would you try the cinnamon donut Twisties? Janie Barrett A poorly considered partnership can erode or dilute the brands image, and it can lead to a loss of the companys value, she says, pointing to the Beyond Meat collaboration with Kim Kardashian, who was accused of fake chewing on an Instagram ad in 2022. In August, the company reported a 30 per cent sales drop, due to falling demand. Asembl managing director Justin Watson has worked with global brand owners to come up with new products like Greens Golden Gaytime pancake mix, and the Cheezels clothing range at Lowes. He says the key to a successful collaboration is finding two brands that make sense together, like Sanitarium and Unilever. Watson facilitated the development of their popular, limited-edition breakfast cereal, Weis-bix, which combined the flavour of Weis mango ice-cream bar with Weet-bix. Advertisement Both brands really leaned into nostalgia and each of their credentials Weet-bix being famous for a breakfast occasion product, and Weis for their Kensington Pride mangoes, and it was a great tasting product, Watson says. Collaboration taste test Do any of these fast-moving collaboration products actually taste good? We gathered as many as we could to find out. Twisties x Donut King Weve sent rockets to the moon. Weve cured polio. Someone invented the spork. Then Smiths goes and releases a doughnut-flavoured Twistie, and civilisation is set back five decades. These dont taste that bad, per se think stale Froot Loops doused in old cinnamon but most people under five will struggle to eat more than three. Advertisement Tonys Chocolonely has launched two Ben & Jerrys bars for the Australian market. Janie Barrett Ben & Jerrys x Tonys Chocolonely The US ice-cream giant has partnered with Amsterdam-based Tonys Chocolonely to create two bars of wildly different quality. The dark milk chocolate with brownie number is rich and bitter and slightly fruity; the white chocolate strawberry cheesecake tastes like those yoghurt-covered sultanas found at the bottom of school backpacks. Tonys Chocolonely x Ben & Jerrys A rare case of corporate collaboration going both ways. Ben & Jerrys special edition Tonys tub features chocolate ice-cream laced with caramel sauce and sea-salty chocolate chips. Certainly worth a few good scoops with a side of bad television. Advertisement Arnotts Tim Tam x Murray River Salt The Good Food team has never been huge on Tim Tams. Bog-standard chocolate. Gritty texture. Team Monte all the way. But this new-ish caramel Tim Tam uses Murray River salt to temper the sweetness, and its not bad? Its also nice to see American-owned Arnotts supporting local sodium. Arnotts Shapes x Vegemite Greens Vegemite Choc Chunk Brownie Mix took out first place in our Vegemite collaborations taste test last year, but it now seems to be discontinued. At least our runner-up, Vegemite and Cheese Shapes, are still on supermarket shelves. Vegemite is paired with the addictive ping of processed cheese, and the resulting Shape (in this case, a map of Australia) tastes like a more savoury cousin of the Twistie (the good kind, not the doughnut one). Abes Bagels x Vegemite Advertisement Abes recently launched a four-pack of Vegemite enhanced bagels and theyre probably the only semi-nutritious thing on this list. Theres a chewy not-that-fresh texture (as you might expect from a bagel imported from New Zealand) but theyre still a top afternoon snack and the Vegemite tang loves a bit of avocado and cream cheese. Toasting essential. Carmans new Violet Crumble protein bar. Janie Barrett Carmans x Violet Crumble Did anyone ask for a Violet Crumble protein bar? No? Well Carmans went and created one anyway. Theres a generous number of peanuts three times the amount of honeycomb and compound chocolate and the muesli bar-style log is reasonably inoffensive. There are worse things you could inhale for a 3pm protein hit, but about 100,000 better things, too. Darrell Lea x The Cheesecake Shop Advertisement A parallel dimension exists where Old Bay Seasoning has partnered with Kewpie mayonnaise, and where Ruffles are flavoured with Tabasco. Take us there. Our universe, meanwhile, is stuck with Darrell Leas new chocolate bar laced with gnarly bits of dried cheesecake and fudge. The Cheesecake Shops involvement is actually the better half of this collaboration, which mainly exists to remind us of why Darrell Leas one-dimensional chocolate is the AC Cola to Cadburys Coke and Nestles Pepsi. Pauls Strawberry Cream Chupa Chups custard. Janie Barrett Pauls x Chupa Chups Best served cold recommends the label of this custard inspired by Chupa Chups Strawberry Cream lollipops. Well, yeah. As opposed to what? Lukewarm out of a Clarks desert boot? Anyway, this was tastier than expected, and not dissimilar to the pink junket that used to be set in home fridges everywhere. Big Strawberry Danone vibes too, but way, way, way less healthy. Cadbury Old Gold x Baileys Irish Cream Advertisement CM: No and no. Fitz: Have you changed as a person and a politician since the election? CM: We live a very suburban life, in the middle of Kogarah. We hang out at local restaurants, we go to local sport and I still see everybody in my local community. Sydney is a pretty unaffected town and its not really a political town, so youre just someone like everybody else. So no, I dont think Ive changed as much as perhaps people might think. Looking back Chris Minns has been NSW premier for a year. Credit: James Brickwood Fitz: Has the transition from opposition leader opposing to the premier proposing, while bearing all the responsibility been harder than you expected? CM: Its hard in some ways, but nothing is as hard as being opposition leader. I really wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy. You do seven days a week and, at the end, it might all amount to absolutely nothing. Its really a bit of a soul-destroying job. So being premier is great. Loading Fitz: Gough Whitlam once said to me that the best politician of his generation himself, of course, excepted was Kim Beazley snr. But he said that Kim snr was held back by the fact he just didnt like excoriating the Liberals and Country Party in parliament. He was too nice. And its been whispered to me that you actually like Liberal leader Mark Speakman. And its on the public record that one of your best friends is an upper house Nat, Ben Franklin. CM: [Warmly.] I do like Mark Speakman. I think hes an honorable person. So whats the point in saying otherwise? Fitz: That must make it hard in the bear pit of parliament to rip in and say, The Honorable Member, for wherever Mark Speakman is from, wouldnt know what hes talking about and he should heretofore get nicked! CM: No. Because Ive got a job to do: to defend the government in that kind of adversarial environment. So Ive got absolutely no problem sticking up for the governments policies or personnel or its plans for the future. Loading Fitz: Our recent Resolve poll at the Herald showed 49 per cent of the population are unsure who they want to lead the state. Meanwhile, Labors primary vote in NSW slipped down three points to 34 per cent, while the Coalitions primary climbed to 38 per cent, up six points. Those are not great numbers. CM: I take that on board. Its a good reminder for everybody inside the Labor Party that we can take absolutely nothing for granted. And that being in office is a privilege, not a right, and we have to fight and earn peoples respect and eventual support. Fitz: Whats been the hardest thing youve had to do as premier? CM: It surprised me how often you are around people who have lost family members, and the grieving part of the job is a big, big part of it going to funerals, talking to people who have lost husbands or kids or wives. Its awful for the families and friends, and so heart-wrenching. And, naively, I didnt anticipate for a moment that that would be part of the job. But its a massive part of being premier and an important one. Loading Fitz: Whats your proudest achievement in this first year? CM: Putting housing on the agenda, particularly trying to solve the housing problems for young people. Fitz: On that subject, Paul Keating once said, If youre not living in Sydney, youre really just camping out, and lately it feels like there are a million more people who want to live here than can live here. Is the housing crisis soluble through higher-density housing around train stations, without destroying the atmosphere and heritage of those areas? CM: It is. Sydney is the 830th densest city in the world, and global cities that all of us love are far denser while maintaining their character, amenity, heritage and history. And at the same time, we actually have to have a place for young people to live in. The Productivity Commission says that were losing twice as many young people as were gaining. We are literally losing our future city through not having housing for young people. Loading Fitz: Going into the last election, I admired premier Dom Perrottet for really pushing hard for the cashless card for the pokies, really wanting to do something dramatic to limit problem gambling, whereas you wanted to go a lot slower and start with a trial on 500 pokies. My sense is that little has happened on gambling reform, pokie reform, since youve been elected? CM: Well, we do have this gambling reform committee thats set up, with gambling harm-minimisation members. Theyve all signed non-disclosure agreements so they can have deliberations behind the scenes and thats probably the main reason why it hasnt been front and centre in the public debate. But that doesnt mean theyre not doing anything, and were hopeful of major reform. In addition to that, weve reduced the amount of poker machines in NSW by 3000 as a result of changes to the legislation. So I know that people are cynical about the governments intentions as a result of the last election campaign, but I would just urge people to hold fire and wait and see what this committee can actually come up with. It hasnt been stacked with a whole bunch of poker machine barons or industry participants. Its got everybody on it, and you might be surprised with what they come up with. Fitz: So we cant sneer unpleasantly in your general direction saying youve been captured by Clubs NSW and the Australian Hotel Association? CM: Well, Im sure some people will say that no matter what, but no, were serious. The legislation has gone through, and weve done more than perhaps people realise. Fitz: One of your predecessors said to me once that, on a bad day, he felt more like the mayor of NSW than premier because so many of the things he was dealing with were quotidian chores of mostly metropolitan management rather than the big things he really wanted to do. Do you ever have those same feelings? Homelessness troubles the premier more than any need for stadiums. Credit: Flavio Brancaleone CM: No. I love it. Its the peculiar thing about our Federation that you can have a job in state government and have massive influence on so many areas of ... life. You still get a bit of a psychological bump when you get in the car in the morning and turn on the radio and what theyre talking about is what youre doing that day. Not many jobs are like that. So, I still get a massive buzz out of it. Fitz: There was a brilliant piece written in the Herald last year and as a matter of fact, I wrote it noting that if you could put an infrared camera on top of Centrepoint Tower, looking out across the state for areas of terrible need for the states finances to flow to, it was very unlikely that it would spot a whole bunch of stadiums glowing red, where we absolutely need to put $600 million into Penrith Stadium and hundreds of millions into other boutique NRL stadia and so forth. Do you agree with that analysis, or do you think the infrared camera would pick up the terrible need for more stadia? CM: No, I think the infrared camera would pick up that homelessness is increasingly a major issue in Sydney in particular, but also all over the state. So I would agree with you that in terms of the order of needs, there are other things that are far more important. Fitz: We chat in a week when a Queensland premier, Steven Miles, has announced a cut-rate 2032 Olympic Games and there have been reports that theyve looked at pulling out of the Olympics altogether. If the latter did happen, and they pulled out, your Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has hinted that as NSW already has the Olympic infrastructure built, wed be glad to have them here. Do you agree? Loading CM: No. Weve got major obligations in health and education and public transport, and weve got $180 billion worth of debt. So I just cant with a straight face say to you or your readers on a Sunday morning, By the way, in addition to all that, well be a failsafe for the Olympic Games. Fitz: Queensland will do pill-testing at a festival over Easter. Why are you opposed to pill-testing? And will we have a drug summit in NSW this year, where your government might pursue sane drug laws, acknowledging that criminalising drugs doesnt work, never has worked, never will work? CM: We are going to have a drug summit this year. Were going to get experts in the field to present to the government. I hope to make it bipartisan and Im not ruling anything in or out. I want to make sure that were making an evidence-based look at potential reforms. Loading Fitz: But, personally calling on your frankness and willingness to be upfront do you accept the obvious, that criminalising dope, for a start, is ludicrous and doesnt work? Can you give me that? CM: Well, if you just saw what happened in Oregon in the last week, they reversed most of their criminal justice liberalisation measures of the year prior. So its not straightforward. But Im not closing the door on reform and I want to make sure weve got an evidence-based approach to it. Fitz: Why are you opposed to pill-testing? CM: Again, thats going to be part of the drug summit. And I dont want this to be a preamble for an eventual rejection of any kind of reform, but one of the things that you have to appreciate when it comes to pill-testing is that most deaths at festivals, according to the coroner, have not come about because of toxicity of the substance. Its been the potency of the substance. And potency isnt tested at mobile pill-testing labs. Fitz: Theres a view that youre at odds with members of your cabinet over your position on drug reform and pill-testing. And youve acknowledged publicly there is division in caucus over the new bail laws which seem to make it easier to incarcerate teens. Whats your response to the idea that the position youve taken on these issues is more aligned with the Liberals than Labor? Loading CM: I dont accept that. Its important to note that, yes, weve changed the bail laws, particularly as it relates to the theft of a motor vehicle, and breaking and entering a home. And the reason for that is because were seeing over and over again ... particularly young people ... taking a decision to steal a car. I am genuinely worried. Im maybe ridiculed for this, but Im genuinely worried that a car full of kids is going to wrap themselves around a tree; theyre going to kill themselves or their family members or a member of the public and people will ask why didnt we do something about it? Were not just introducing by-laws, and saying thats it. Were also in the process of setting up a residential facility in Moree as the first pilot site, where a magistrate can make a decision to put them in the residence and theres a halfway point between having bail and being on remand. So theyre not going straight back into the community, but were not just sending them to juvenile justice, and we can put in a whole bunch of wraparound services. Last year we spent $375 million in diversionary measures in the state and the crime rate particularly in regional communities, and particularly for young people is going up, not down, so Im worried about the people this is affecting. No one wants to go into public life, least of all me, to lock people up, particularly children. But equally, I dont want to see kids kill themselves or go through this repeat cycle of offence/arrest/bail over and over again. I dont think its in their interest either. Fitz: In federal politics, the first of the two issues at the moment is the advisability of building nuclear power stations. Peter Dutton will reportedly shortly announce six sites around the country where he wants to build nuclear reactors. Lets say he wins the next federal election and announces two sites in NSW. How does the law work? Is it a federal call alone? If not, and weve got, say, two nuclear reactors due to be built in NSW, would you try and block it? CM: Thats a very good question. I would tell you that were against it. I just think its a fools errand at this point to think that you can set up a civil nuclear-energy facility in Australia the cost and the time is huge. And we need to exploit renewable energy to drive energy production into the future. Ill be honest with you: I havent really thought about legal options, if the Liberals win, and announce they are building nuclear reactors in NSW. Loading Fitz: All right. Lets just say you have the legal levers to stop the reactors. Would you pull them? CM: [Thoughtfully.] Yeah ... I wouldnt rule it out. I dont think its in the states interest. Fitz: The other issue is distribution of GST in favour of WA. In a nutshell, is it that those mongrel Sandgropers cut a great deal with Scott Morrison to get more than their fair share, and is it written in concrete that it cant change? I know you have taken it up with the PM. How many times did you use the words unfair, appalling and Albo, you bastard!? And what did he say? Illegal cheating providers are targeting students directly on their university issued email addresses, as experts warn courses are being infiltrated by people who are accessing pupils data and helping peddle essay mill services. Multiple students at the University of NSW have reported receiving the promotional information, written in Mandarin, from industrial cheating services offering to write essays and assignments for payment. Contract cheaters infiltrating student portals. University of Sydney academic integrity expert Professor Cath Ellis said offshore contract cheating providers were known to access multiple student emails at Australian universities by logging in to student portals. UNSW law student Caesar Boehme said he was shocked and confused when he received an email from one of those overseas cheating services, and was concerned unsuspecting international students were being targeted. It is hard to imagine as best friends Sania and Seema swan through the Birrong Girls High School hallways, giggling with each other and waving at classmates, that in their home country, it would be illegal for them to still attend school. The Year 11 students, whose surnames have been withheld for their families safety, both moved to Sydneys west as refugees six years ago, where they met at Chester Hill Public Schools intensive English program. Sania (left) and Seema are two of the thousands of students with a refugee background who attend NSW public schools. Credit: Janie Barrett Seema had been living in Afghanistan with her mother and siblings. Before coming to Australia, she had only been able to see her father on rare trips to nearby countries such as Pakistan and Iran, after he fled the Taliban before she was born. The whole family was apart for like nine or 10 years, Seema recalled. Twenty years ago, Darlinghursts Victoria Room was the place to be. A late-night restaurant, bar and lounge, it was swanky but attainable, drawing a cool crowd for high tea, cocktails and supper. It shut in 2015, a year after the lockout laws took effect. Today, the upstairs space on Victoria Street has a new life as the Emerald Room, a cabaret joint co-owner Brandon Martignago hopes will recapture the vibes of that heady Sydney era. Its been a concept in my head for years, he says, having seen the old cabaret rooms of Paris and New York. Theres the haze and theres the light. Theres that kind of magic. Ive always wanted Sydney to have a space like that. Cabaret at the Emerald Room in Darlinghurst. Credit: Wolter Peeters As the era of lockouts and the pandemic recedes, Sydneys nightlife is rebuilding. But pinning down what people want and making it work is difficult. Some venues to open post-COVID have already failed, struggling to make a dent in peoples habits or surmount cost-of-living concerns. It is unknown what Donald Trump will do if he is re-elected President of the United States; now it is too early to raise the alarm, says John Herbst, Director of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine in 2003-2006. He said during the 16th annual Kyiv Security Forum, founded by Arseniy Yatsenyuk's Open Ukraine Foundation, that what Trump does during his second term depends on what his team will be like. We know members of his party were very critical of him during his first term, and those votes could influence Trump, Herbst noted. Herbst noted that Trump's foreign policy team now includes Richard Grenell, the former U.S. ambassador to Germany, who can be considered a representative of these louder voices in the Trump camp. According to John Herbst, if Trump wins the election, he will need to indicate what kind of foreign policy he will choose. He will make decisions based on things that we do not see today. We must prepare for all possible options, but it is too early to raise the alarm now, he added. Violence erupted again on the steps of the Victorian parliament on Saturday afternoon as demonstrators clashed over transgender rights, just a year after neo-Nazis attended a similar rally in Melbourne. Advocates for the #WomenWillSpeak movement gathered at Parliament House in Melbournes CBD, where a large police presence separated them from a larger group of trans rights counter-protesters. Police said around 100 people were in attendance in total, with counter-protesters outnumbering those who said they were rallying for womens rights. Libertarian Party MP David Limbrick was spotted at the event listening to the speakers. Pepper spray was deployed when a small number of trans rights activists skirted around police lines and tried to move closer to those making speeches on the steps of parliament. Federal Housing Minister Julie Collins said the government was working with states and territories to meet the ambitious accord target. Were supporting states and territories to meet this target through the $3 billion New Homes Bonus, the $500 million Housing Support Program, the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund, and new incentives to boost the supply of rental housing, Collins said. The latest Jobs and Skills Australia vacancies data for people in construction trades shows that, as of February, there were 796 positions advertised in NSW, 729 in Victoria, and 868 in Queensland. Skills and Training Minister Brendan OConnor, who recently launched a review into attracting and keeping apprentices, said the government was acutely aware of the constant need to ensure that our education and training sector is responding to the rapidly changing nature of our labour market, including the housing sector and prefabricated homes. Getting the best outcomes for apprentices and trainees is vital to ensuring we have the skills our economy needs. We know that almost half of all apprentices dont complete their training and that needs to be improved, he said. The housing accord, which includes the construction of 20,000 affordable homes on top of the 1.2 million, is central to the federal governments plan to tackle the housing crisis, which crashed back onto the political stage last week after the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed net overseas migration added 548,800 people to the population in the year to the end of September. The federal opposition is linking the migration surge to the housing shortage, creating a tightrope walk for the government, which has also repeatedly acknowledged skilled migrants are needed to build more homes. Its unbelievable that Labor can bring 765,900 migrants to Australia in a single year, yet there are still workforce shortages in the building industry, Coalition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan said, referring to the number of overseas arrivals before departures were factored in. People are asking, where are these migrants going to live? They should also be asking, who is going to build all the houses? This is the problem with Labors Big Australia its a complete mess. Sobyra said Australia needed to be more strategic about the migrants it attracted. If theyre not migrants who can build stuff, if theyre not builders and engineers, then they kind of work against the objective. He said the proportion of migrants capable of working in construction needed to be higher than the amount of construction workers in the Australian population because otherwise were ... chasing our own tail. Wawn said it would take time to grow Australias domestic workforce, and migration was needed in the short term to increase the sectors capacity. She said tweaks to migration settings should include reducing application fees, better recognition of overseas trade qualifications, and lowering English language test requirements. In December, Home Affairs Minister Clare ONeil batted off calls from the Master Builders to include tradies in the top-earning stream of skilled migrants under Labors new strategy, which involves less red tape for employers to bring in highly skilled professionals. However, Grattan Institute economic policy program director Brendan Coates said it shouldnt exclude construction as there were site managers and engineers on building sites easily earning more than the $135,000 threshold for that visa category, and sponsorship costs were also prohibitive for employers. BuildSkills says 60,000 homes will have to be completed every quarter from July to meet the goal of 1.2 million homes by 2029. Credit: Steven Siewert But, ultimately, if we want more housing we have to reconsider what else construction workers are doing right now, Coates said. In Victoria, the suburban rail loop is at the top of the list. If you want more construction workers, thats probably the best place to get them. Loading Sobyra said his figures did not account for the labour that would be diverted towards other major infrastructure projects, such as the rail loop, western Sydneys new airport, and any works ahead of the Brisbane Olympics. He said while there wasnt much worker movement between residential and other infrastructure, workers would be absorbed by second-tier developments that could include residential works as part of those builds. Theres certainly a lot of defence spending happening at the moment all those ships, and all those submarines, and all those soldiers, they need new places to live where theyre going, and they bring their families with them, and they need their kids to go to school, he said. Sobyra also said one answer was greater devotion to prefabrication methods in residential construction, adding that the government could catalyse this by investing in prefabricated homes for its affordable housing goal. Thats where the productivity gains will be made, and thats where we may be able to reach the goal without those extra 90,000 people, essentially, he said. Federal, state and territory building ministers agreed on Friday to cut red tape and enable further expansion and growth in Australias prefabricated and modular construction industry, with federal Industry Minister Ed Husic saying: We need to build more quality homes quickly prefab and modular housing gives us a chance to do that. A NSW government spokesperson said the state was examining how it could scale up the creation of modular homes. This does not water down current legislation or regulations the NSW Building Commission will ensure MMC [modern methods of construction] housing manufactured and delivered in NSW is of the highest standard, the spokesperson said. While not named in recent stories, it is widely known that Auerbach was the unnamed Spotlight producer who put almost $3000 on a Seven corporate card for the services of two Thai masseuses. Loading At the time, Sevens Spotlight was trying to secure an exclusive interview with Lehrmann, whose criminal trial for the alleged rape of Brittany Higgins had collapsed due to juror misconduct. Although he has denied using a masseuse, Lehrmann was at Auerbachs Elizabeth Bay apartment on November 26, 2022 when the expenses were registered. Jackson, who was not present on the night, reportedly suggested Auerbach ask the masseuse to reverse the transactions and pay cash instead. According to a report in news.com.au earlier this week, Jackson texted his then-Seven colleague with a Google translation for how to say in Thai, Ill pay you cash instead. Steve Jackson, the new executive director of public affairs for NSW Police. Credit: Instagram Auerbach was later counselled and given a warning about the expenses. It is understood his role in putting almost $3000 worth of Thai masseuse services on a Seven corporate card was a factor in Sky terminating his services on Friday. The station declined to comment further. Auerbachs bitter feud with his former friend has also coincided with the distribution of photographs of Jackson with a naked woman he had just interviewed. The photographs were taken at the womans apartment on December 24, 2019. In one photograph, he is sitting on a beige lounge nursing a beer and the woman is next to him with no clothes on. There is no sexual activity in the images; he is sitting about 30 centimetres from her, and she is looking away, over her shoulder. In another, Jackson is aiming his phone camera towards her face while she is naked. After the interview, Jackson wrote in The Australian that the woman wore Playboy underwear and took swigs from her oversized glass of white wine. The interview also addressed the womans erratic behaviour, her family and friends concerns for her welfare, and her mental health. The Herald has opted not to name the woman, but she told a media outlet on Saturday that she was aware the images of her and Jackson were circulating over recent days. The woman told the outlet on Saturday that the pictures were taken when she was at her lowest ebb. She said the sharing of the images with total disregard to my privacy, consent or feeling, further emphasises the point that Ive previously made of how men in all spheres of life appear to treat women as disposable objects. The Jackson story is not about me, its about men behaving badly. The photos have since made their way to NSW Police, who are holding crisis meetings over Jacksons appointment. Loading Asked about the images on Friday, a police spokesperson told the Herald: NSW Police Force has been provided with information which is currently being reviewed as part of the employment process. Auerbach, who left Seven in August 2023 having signed a non-disclosure agreement, was also furious when he discovered that he had been dropped off Spotlights Walkley nomination for Scoop of the Year for the programs exclusive interview with Lehrmann, which he was instrumental in obtaining. When Jackson and Llewellyn entered Trial and Error in the 2023 Walkleys, they acknowledged they had declared any payments or benefits provided to third parties, and that neither Lehrmann nor anyone connected to him received any payment whatsoever for the interview, although they admitted to covering the accommodation during production. In a later court case, it emerged that Seven had done a deal with Lehrmann to pay his rent for a year, estimated to be worth more than $100,000. Bruce Lehrmann interviewed on the Seven Networks Spotlight program. Credit: Seven News The Walkleys rescinded Spotlights Lehrmann story as one of three finalists for Scoop of the Year given the failure to disclose the extent of benefits provided to Mr Lehrmann in exchange for interviews, information and exclusive access. Previously, Auerbach had been part of the team which won Scoop of the Year at the NSW Kennedy Awards for an exclusive interview with fraudster Melissa Caddicks husband Anthony Koletti. Seven did not disclose to Kennedy Award judges that Koletti had been paid $150,000 for the interview. The attack came two weeks after the US embassy in Moscow issued a notice urging Americans to avoid crowded places in view of imminent plans by extremists to target large Moscow gatherings, including concerts. The warning was repeated by several other Western embassies. Investigators were combing through the charred wreckage of the hall for more victims, and authorities said the death toll could still rise. Hundreds of people stood in line in Moscow on Saturday to donate blood and plasma, Russias health ministry said. People place flowers and toys at the fence next to the Crocus City Hall, on the western edge of Moscow. Credit: We faced not just a thoroughly and cynically prepared terror attack, but a well-prepared and organised mass murder of peaceful innocent people, Putin said. His claim that the attackers tried to flee to Ukraine followed comments by Russian lawmakers who pointed the finger at Ukraine immediately after the attack. But Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, denied any involvement. Ukraine has never resorted to the use of terrorist methods, he posted on X. Everything in this war will be decided only on the battlefield. Ukraines foreign ministry accused Moscow of using the attack to try to stoke fervour for its war efforts. People stand near a body of a victim near the burning building of the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow. Credit: AP We consider such accusations to be a planned provocation by the Kremlin to further fuel anti-Ukrainian hysteria in Russian society, create conditions for increased mobilisation of Russian citizens to participate in the criminal aggression against our country and discredit Ukraine in the eyes of the international community, the ministry said in a statement. Images shared by Russian state media on Saturday showed emergency vehicles still gathered outside the ruins of Crocus City Hall, which could hold more than 6,000 people and has hosted many big events, including the 2013 Miss Universe beauty pageant that featured Donald Trump and others. On Friday, crowds had gathered for a concert by the Russian rock band Picnic. Videos posted online showed gunmen in the venue shooting civilians at point-blank range. Russian news reports cited authorities and witnesses as saying the attackers threw explosive devices that started the fire, which eventually consumed the building and caused its roof to collapse. Dave Primov, who survived the attack, described the chaos to the AP as concertgoers rushed to leave the building: People began to panic, started to run and collided with each other. Some fell down and others trampled on them. Messages of outrage, shock and support for the victims and their families have streamed in from around the world. On Friday, the UN Security Council condemned the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack and underlined the need for the perpetrators to be held accountable. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the terrorist attack in the strongest possible terms, his spokesman said. A Kalashnikov assault rifle found at the scene of the terrorist attack. Credit: AP IS, which lost much of its ground after Russias military action in Syria, has long targeted Russia. In a statement posted by the groups Aamaq news agency, ISs Afghanistan affiliate said it had attacked a large gathering of Christians in Krasnogorsk. In October 2015, a bomb planted by IS downed a Russian passenger plane over Sinai, killing all 224 people on board, most of them Russian vacation-goers returning from Egypt. The group, which operates mainly in Syria and Iraq but also in Afghanistan and Africa, also has claimed several attacks in Russias volatile Caucasus and other regions in the past years. It recruited fighters from Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union. On March 7, just hours before the US embassy warned about imminent attacks, Russias top security agency said it had thwarted an attack on a synagogue in Moscow by an IS cell, killing several of its members in the Kaluga region near the Russian capital. A few days before that, Russian authorities said six alleged IS members were killed in a shootout in Ingushetia, in Russias Caucasus region. A US intelligence official told the AP that American intelligence agencies had gathered information in recent weeks that the IS branch was planning an attack in Moscow, and that US officials had privately shared the intelligence earlier this month with Russian officials. Another US official said the IS branch in Afghanistan had long targeted Russia and reiterated that no Ukrainians were involved in the attack. Both officials were briefed on the matter but werent authorised to publicly discuss the intelligence information and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. Just three days before the attack, Putin had publicly denounced the Western warnings of a potential terrorist attack as an attempt to intimidate Russians. All that resembles open blackmail and an attempt to frighten and destabilise our society, he said at a meeting with top security officials. London: King Charles, Prince Harry and political leaders have offered support to Catherine, Princess of Wales after she said tests following abdominal surgery showed cancer had been present, and she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy. Kensington Palace released a video message from the princess in which she revealed she was receiving preventative chemotherapy. Credit: Getty Buckingham Palace, on behalf of King Charles His Majesty (HM) is so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did. Following their time in hospital together, HM has remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks. Both their majesties (Charles and Queen Camilla) will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time. Ukraine to be able to go on offensive late this year or early next year with necessary help from West ex-CIA director Ukraine will be able to contain the Russian offensive and seize the initiative if the U.S. Congress decides to allocate military assistance, said former CIA Director, General David Petraeus. He emphasized during the 16th annual Kyiv Security Forum, founded by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk's Open Ukraine Foundation, that they have some encouraging comments from the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Petraeus doesn't know when there will be a decision, but hopes the right decision will be made in the next few weeks. Petraeus added that in the United States there is bipartisan support for Ukraine in both the Senate and the House of Representatives of Congress. In his opinion, having received proper external assistance, Ukraine will be able to contain the Russian offensive, and at the end of this year or early next year, launch its own offensive. First of all, it depends on the Ukrainian army and the Ukrainian people - this is your fight for independence, the general said. Two dead, oil refinery on fire after drone attacks in Russia Moscow, March 23 (AFP) Mar 23, 2024 Multiple air attacks on the Russian border region of Belgorod adjoining Ukraine on Saturday killed two people and injured at least seven, the governor said. Further east, an overnight drone attack on the Samara region caused a fire at a major oil refinery, the latest in a series of strikes against Russia's fuel industry. Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram that two districts in his region as well as the regional capital, also called Belgorod, had been hit in drone and air attacks. "It's shaping up to be a difficult morning," Gladkov said. "As a result of an air attack by Ukrainian armed forces on Belgorod, three balconies collapsed in an apartment building. One of these apartments was occupied by a married couple. To much grief, the man died from his injuries on the spot," he said. He posted a photo of a residential building with the facade partially destroyed. Another person was killed in a drone attack on districts outside the city, he said. In the Samara region - 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) away from the front lines in eastern -- the local governor reported "several drone attacks" on local oil refineries. One of them caused a fire at the Kuibyshev refinery, governor Dmitry Azarov said in a statement on Telegram, noting that there were no casualties. The refinery, run by Russian oil giant Rosneft, is one of the largest in the region, with a production capacity of seven million tonnes per year, according to its official website. A drone attack on another refinery in the region, Novokuibyshevsk, "was repelled without damaging the technological equipment", Azarov said. The attacks came 24 hours after Russia unleashed one of its largest aerial barrages of the two-year conflict, hitting dozens of Ukrainian energy site and leaving more than a million temporarily without power. Ukraine's air force said it had downed 31 of 34 Russian drones fire at its territory overnight, while Russia's defence ministry said it had intercepted 12 Ukrainian drones. Ukraine, which has been facing a Russian offensive for over two years, has stepped up its attacks inside Russia in recent weeks, targeting energy sites in particular. And Russia has also launched a barrage of what it calls "retaliatory" attacks, targeting Ukraine's energy sector and the capital Kyiv in recent days. bur/ach Taiwan calls for return of military officer rescued by China Taipei, March 23 (AFP) Mar 23, 2024 Taiwan called Saturday for the swift return of one of its military officers who was rescued by Chinese authorities after losing contact during a fishing vacation. Two men from Taiwan's outlying Kinmen island were found on March 18 by the coastguard of China's Fujian province after the engine of their boat failed. Chinese authorities said one of the anglers, surnamed Hu, was an active member of Taiwan's military, accusing him of intentionally concealing his identity. Taiwan's defence ministry confirmed Saturday that Hu was part of Kinmen Garrison Brigade. "(He) went fishing during his vacation and lost contact due to heavy fog. He contacted his family and service unit that he was rescued by the Chinese coast guard and is safe," said Kinmen's Defence Command in a statement. It added that they were cooperating with other agencies and hoped "for the safe return of its personnel to Kinmen as soon as possible on humanitarian grounds". Kinmen Defence Command also said it will tell soldiers "to refrain from participating in various risky activities during their vacation". The other man in the fishing boat, surnamed Wu, was repatriated to Kinmen by Taiwan's coast guard on Saturday. According to video footage shared by Kinmen lawmaker Chen Yu-jen -- who was at the dock -- he was greeted by his tearful mother with a hug when he stepped off the boat. Hu's mother told reporters that she hoped China would allow family members to go visit him. "Our hearts are filled with anxiety when we can't see him in person, although my son has sent a message saying he is safe," she said. China's Taiwan Affairs Office -- a mainland body tasked with handling cross-strait relations -- had told Chinese state news agency Xinhua that Hu needed to be held "to further verify and understand the situation". China claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory, and has said it will not rule out force to bring the island under Beijing's control. This incident comes in the wake of an ongoing row between Taipei and Beijing over a fatal boat incident last month. A Chinese speedboat carrying four people capsized on February 14 near Kinmen while Taiwan's coast guard was pursuing it, leaving two dead. The coast guard had defended its actions, saying the boat was within "prohibited waters" and was zigzagging before it capsized, but Beijing has accused Taipei of "hiding the truth" about the incident. Since then, China said it would step up patrols around Kinmen -- a territory administered by Taipei but located just just five kilometres (three miles) from the mainland city of Xiamen. Russian army claims seized Ukrainian village near Bakhmut Moscow, March 23 (AFP) Mar 23, 2024 Russia's armed forces said Saturday they had seized the Ukrainian village of Ivanivske, just west of Bakhmut, the city Moscow captured 10 months ago. Moscow's forces took control of Bakhmut in May after a months-long battle that flattened the city. "The village of Krasnoye in the Donetsk People's Republic was liberated," Russia's defence ministry said in a statement, using an old Russian name for the settlement. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the now-deceased head of the Russian Wagner paramilitary group, said 20,000 of his fighters had died trying to capture Bakhmut. Russian forces have claimed to have taken control of a string of frontline settlements in recent weeks, as Ukrainian troops suffer troop and ammunition shortages. Last month they captured Adviivka, near the Russian-held stronghold of Donetsk city, further south. That was the first major territorial gain since Bakhmut and was hailed by Russian President Vladimir Putin as showing his forces were back on the offensive. Nigerian troops rescue 16 kidnapped students: army Abuja, March 23 (AFP) Mar 23, 2024 Nigeria's army said Saturday it had rescued 16 students kidnapped in the northwest of the country which has been rocked by large-scale abductions. Gunmen seized the students just days after the separate kidnapping of around 280 children in the region, where criminal gangs target schools to extract ransom payments. The army said it had freed 16 pupils and a woman on Thursday. The group were abducted in Sokoto state on March 9. "The rescued hostages have been handed over to the Sokoto state government for further action," said spokesman Major General Edward Buba. He did not provide details on the operation. At the time of the attack on an Islamic seminary in Gada district, staff told AFP the gunmen rounded up pupils as they slept outdoors. The woman was abducted in another part of the district. The Sokoto kidnapping followed the mass abduction of about 280 pupils by a gang in Kuriga, Kaduna state, on March 7, which prompted a national outcry over insecurity. Officials say troops have been searching forests to rescue the Kuriga students, but families say few details have emerged. Buba insisted "the military would not rest until all kidnapped hostages are rescued." Kidnapping is rife in Nigeria and victims are often freed following negotiations with the authorities, though a 2022 law banned handing money to kidnappers. Israel military denies firing on Gazans waiting for aid Jerusalem, March 23 (AFP) Mar 23, 2024 The Israeli military denied a report by the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza Saturday that troops had fired on an aid queue as Hamas said the death toll had risen to 19. "The reports claiming that the (Israeli military) attacked dozens of Gazans at an aid convoy are incorrect," the military said in a statement. "Preliminary findings have determined that there was no aerial strike against the convoy, nor were there incidents found of (Israeli) forces firing at the people at the aid convoy." The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza reported an initial death toll of nine, and the Hamas press office later issued a statement raising it to 19. By Neil Watson I The European Azerbaijan Society The biggest danger that civilians face from mines today is not along the frontlines in Ukraine or inside Libya, but on the edge of Europe itself. Azerbaijan faces the huge task of cleaning up an estimated 1.5 million landmines that were indiscriminately laid in the territory of Garabagh that it recently recovered from its neighbor Armenia. The mines make it difficult to rebuild communities and resettle civilians in an area of 7,000 sq km, almost three times the size of Luxembourg. Azerbaijani's internally displaced persons (IDPs), who had been driven off their land in Garabagh by Armenian forces in the 1990s, number 650,000. They are understandably keen to return now that Azerbaijan has recovered its territory. But mine explosions are killing and injuring people who venture back before the areas are ready. "The fact that these mines were planted by Armenia indiscriminately and sometimes without any military necessity, with neither markings nor fencing, this makes de-mining more difficult and it continues to claim lives and poses a major threat to innocent civilians," said Elchin Amirbayov, Azerbaijan's Representative to the President for Special Assignments, in a telephone interview. For all the hand-wringing in the West about the urgent need for de-mining and making civilians safe, there has been little actual assistance from the West to help Azerbaijan in this gigantic task, apart from help in training from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Since a ceasefire agreement was signed in November 2020, the West has provided only $12.5 million to Azerbaijan's National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA), a drop in the ocean compared to the $25 billion that the de-mining is estimated to cost. Azerbaijan itself has allocated over $11 billion for reconstruction for 2022- 2026. In Garabagh, 147,988 hectares are still classed as highly contaminated areas, while 675,570 hectares are considered medium and low threat areas. In November, Vugar Suleymanov, Chairperson of AN AMA, reported that 111,207 hectares of contaminated land had been cleared since 2020. This represents only 10.5% of the total contaminated territory. During Armenia's three decades' occupation of Garabagh, neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan clearly fenced off the minefields nor marked where they laid the mines, including on the front lines. Azerbaijan has reached out to Armenia for maps of the formerly occupied territories, but Armenian officials initially denied having such maps, then agreed to exchange some maps for detained soldiers. The maps they eventually gave Azerbaijan reportedly cover only 5% of the areas recovered by Azerbaijan, and of these maps only 25% are accurate. Armenia, on its part, claims it has provided all the maps in its possession. One of the biggest hurdles to de-mining is cost. While producing a landmine is relatively cheap from $3 to $75 dollars, according to the International Red Cross, the cost of removing a single mine can range from $300 to $1,000 dollars. Even for Azerbaijan, a relatively affluent country owing to its abundant natural gas resources, this poses a major challenge. Internationally, mine clearance appears to have dropped down the priority list for donors. It may rise again due to the war in Ukraine, which will also be grappling with a vast landmine and unexploded ordnance problem. But considering the importance Western countries have given to Ukraine makes it more likely that demining in Azerbaijan will become an afterthought for donors. Yet there are signs of hope. On February 7, the European Union, the UNDP and the Azerbaijani government launched a demining project funded with 4.25 million from the European Union. The project will cover 20 villages and benefit 33,604 families. It is expected to enhance the capacity of local institutions and foster a partnership between local and international NGOs. It will also strengthen ANAMA in information management and the application of innovative solutions in de-mining operations. "Mines and other explosive ordnance hinder the safe return of internally displaced people, blocking them from accessing their homes and agricultural fields, hence depriving them of opportunities to rebuild their lives," said Nuno Queir6s, the UNDP's Representative in Azerbaijan. UNDP says it will support ANAMA in training, equipping, and deploying emergency response teams to detect and destroy mines and unexploded ordnance. In addition, UNDP will develop maps for mine detection and will help in procuring special equipment. The UNDP has also established the first female teams in Azerbaijan to carry out demining operations, which is traditionally considered a male occupation. "Involvement of women in such an important activity as humanitarian demining is especially essential and will make many contributions towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals," said Alessandra Roccasalvo of the UNDP. Azerbaijan's first state programme to resettle its IDPs, called the 'Great Return', aims to resettle 140,000 people in Garabagh by 2026. The first pilot project began in July 2022: ten families arrived in the relatively uncontaminated village of Aghali in the remote south-western Zangilan district, the vanguard of some 1,350 people expected to repopulate the village. Such projects put pressure on de-miners to ensure that everything is ready on time. The government is expanding pilot projects to Fizuli and other regions, as it tries to accelerate returns to less contaminated areas. With its deminers having to innovate in a challenging environment, Azerbaijan is now ready to share its growing expertise with other countries, so that its lessons and approaches can feed in to other efforts around the world. This would not only set a commendable example, but could also persuade more international donors to contribute. "We are ready to share our own experience. In size, our country is not huge, but one-tenth of our population has been affected by mines contamination. There are another 30 countries in the world that are effected by regional and ethnic conflicts. And landmines are the most treacherous warfare tools. You have millions of people affected and this has still somehow not caught the attention of those formulating the Sustainable Development Goals," pointed out Amirbayov via telephone. A Ukrainian mission recently visited Azerbaijan to better understand Azerbaijan's approach to de-mining. A joint Saudi-Azerbaijani company has also been formed to apply Azerbaijan's know-how and technologies in other P-arts of the world. With many Asian and African countries still contaminated with landmines, mostly from wars that ended years ago, the lessons being learnt by Azerbaijan today could help to improve the safety of civilians around the world. And with landmines often placed in prime agricultural land, this sharing of expertise could help boost international food security too. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23. Huseynov Vugar, whose name is on the victim list of the terrorist attack in Moscow, had no documents confirming that he was an Azerbaijani citizen, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan said in response to Trend's inquiry. The identities of 41 victims killed during the terrorist assault have been made public. It was presumed that Huseynov Vugar, born in 1983 and named on the list, was an Azerbaijani citizen. To note, the incident unfolded when unidentified individuals began shooting at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, prompting evacuations, according to reports from Russian operational services. Eyewitnesses reported that people dressed in camouflage attire fired shots from machine guns inside Crocus City Hall, just before the scheduled concert by the Picnic group. Director of the Federal Security Service of Russia Alexander Bortnikov reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the detention of 11 people, including four terrorists involved in the attack at Crocus City Hall. According to the Investigative Committee of Russia, the death toll in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall has risen to 115 people. The preliminary causes of death at Crocus Hall were gunshot wounds and poisoning from combustion products. The terrorists set fire to combustible liquid, which caused a fire to break out on the Crocus Hall grounds. During the attack, the terrorists employed automatic guns. The guns were located by the investigators. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Israel defence chief to head to US Sunday for Gaza talks: statement Jerusalem, March 23 (AFP) Mar 23, 2024 Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant will leave Sunday for talks in the United States, the government said, amid growing tensions between the allies over the war in Gaza. Gallant will meet with US counterpart Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan "and additional senior officials", a statement said. "The parties will discuss developments in the war against the Hamas terrorist organisation in Gaza, efforts undertaken to return the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, humanitarian efforts and measures required to ensure regional stability," it said. The visit comes after Blinken's latest whistle-stop tour of the region during which he warned that an Israeli offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah would be a "mistake" that "risks further isolating Israel around the world". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Israel was prepared to move ahead with the Rafah operation "alone", without US support. There are widespread fears of mass civilian casualties in Rafah where around 1.5 million Palestinians have sought refuge during the war which erupted after Hamas's unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7. Gallant's visit will be his first to Washington since the fighting broke out. US President Joe Biden said Monday he had told Netanyahu to send a team to Washington to discuss how to avoid a full-scale military operation in Rafah. A US defence official said this week that Gallant's scheduled meeting with Austin was separate from the delegation visit requested by Biden. The Hamas attack on October 7 resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures. Israel's retaliatory military campaign to destroy Hamas has killed at least 32,142 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. As a Council, we are therefore legally not able to provide further housing assistance to him. If someone seeking asylum did access housing support from us, it could result in the Home Office ending their permission to stay in the country or refusing a future application. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23. Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov has sent a letter of condolences to Prime Minister of Russia Mikhail Mishustin, Trend reports, referring to the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan. The Prime Minister expressed profound sadness upon hearing about the significant loss of life and injuries stemming from the terrorist attack at the Crocus City concert hall. Asadov extended heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the victims and wished all the injured a speedy recovery. To note, the incident unfolded when unidentified individuals began shooting at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, prompting evacuations, according to reports from Russian operational services. Eyewitnesses reported that people dressed in camouflage attire fired shots from machine guns inside Crocus City Hall, just before the scheduled concert by the Picnic group. The shooting resulted in the loss of 60 lives, with over 140 individuals sustaining injuries. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23. Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, hosted a military parade on the occasion of Pakistan Day, Trend reports, referring to the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan. Political and military leaders of the country, representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Military Attache Office, and other official guests took part in the parade. To note, Azerbaijan was represented in the military parade by a group of servicemen of the Azerbaijan Army and the Military Orchestra band of the Military Institute named after Heydar Aliyev. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) on Saturday conveyed condolences to the families of the victims of the terrorist attack in Moscow that killed more than 100 people. ''Romania strongly condemns all forms of terrorism and all attacks against civilians,'' the Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a post on the X network (formerly Twitter). Foreign Affairs Ministry representatives also sent a message of condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the Moscow terrorist attack. Camouflage-clad gunmen opened fire Friday with automatic weapons on concertgoers near Moscow, killing at least 115 people in the attack. The attack was claimed by militants of the Islamic State jihadist group. The Kremlin announced that Russia had detained 11 people, including the four alleged armed attackers, in connection with the assault at the Crocus City Hall concert hall. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), said on Friday in Timisoara that there is an investment gap between certain regions of the country, but expressed the hope that it will be covered in a short time through various investment projects. "We started this morning from Moldova, on the Moldavia motorway, much promised for 30 years, and we must be honest: there is an investment gap at the moment in your area (Timisoara, editor's note), the area of Oradea and Moldavia. It brings a balance to the development of the regions at the moment. We hope that this gap will be closed as soon as possible. The three regional hospitals - in Craiova, Iasi and Cluj - have also been signed for. So it becomes a uniform development. In other words, we have a flag," said Marcel Ciolacu, Agerpres informs. On Friday, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, together with Transport Minister Sorin Grindeanu and National Liberal Party (PNL) Chairman Nicolae Ciuca, visited several large infrastructure sites in the country and noted that the works on the Timisoara South Beltway and the Moldavia Motorway are being carried out by a Romanian constructor, appreciating their determination to complete the works earlier. In this context, he congratulated Minister Grindeanu for the way in which work is being done on large infrastructure projects. "I congratulate him for having fulfilled a 30-year promise, the Moldavia Motorway, in the works. And the fact that absolutely all over Romania at the moment work is being done on large infrastructure," PM Ciolacu said. President Klaus Iohannis participated on Thursday and Friday in Brussels in the European Council meeting and the Euro Summit in an extended format, saying that Ukraine must remain a priority on the European agenda, showing the importance of continuing support for Moldova and insisting on the strategic importance of the Black Sea area. According to a press release issued by the Presidential Administration, talks focused on the situation in Ukraine, European security and defence, EU enlargement, the situation in the Middle East, migration management, challenges in the European agricultural sector, developments in the European Union's external affairs, and the future EU Strategic Agenda, Agerpres informs. Iohannis said that Ukraine should remain a priority on the European agenda, welcoming recent developments in agreeing to provide support under the European Peace Facility and the need to continue efforts in that direction. He reiterated that Romania is still one of Ukraine's firm supporters, continuing to provide bilateral assistance on all dimensions, especially on humanitarian and military levels, and transit for Ukrainian grain. At the same time, he mentioned the importance of continuing European support for Moldova, which is facing unprecedented hybrid threats from the Russian Federation in a pre-electoral context. He also insisted on the strategic importance of the Black Sea area to the security and stability of the region and of the whole of Europe, calling for a comprehensive security approach of the European Union that includes the entire Black Sea region. Iohannis also called for a predictable accession timetable for Ukraine and Moldova, for the rapid adoption of the negotiation frameworks proposed by the European Commission and for organising as soon as possible, this semester, the first political intergovernmental conferences with the two candidate countries. At the same time, he showed the need to support Georgia in moving forward its priority reform agenda and strengthening resilience and expressed support for the decision to open EU accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Romanian chief of state reiterated Romania's strong support for moving forward the European Union's enlargement policy at the same time with discussions on the internal reform of the EU. Another important subject discussed by the EU leaders concerned European security and defence. President Iohannis mentioned that Romania will actively and constructively participate in the European Union's efforts to support Ukraine and to strengthen the European defence industry. He went on to say that steps to strengthen European defence must be undertaken in full complementarity and co-ordination with NATO, which remains a fundamental partner in ensuring European security. He said that a strong European defence industry is a prerequisite for obtaining adequate training for defence and for responding adequately to current security challenges. At the same time, Iohannis underscored the need for adequate financial support for investment in this strategic area, pleading, together with a number of other European leaders, for reviewing the lending policy of the European Investment Bank in order to support the new defence objectives. He also reiterated the importance of continuing efforts to strengthen the EU's military and civilian preparedness and response to crisis situations, an essential objective in the current international context marked by the overlapping of multiple crises and challenges, calling for strengthened action in this area to the benefit of member states and European citizens. In connection with the current situation in the Middle East, Iohannis informed about Romania's concrete support through humanitarian assistance for the civilian population in Gaza, both bilaterally and through partners' channels. He showed that Romania remains committed to promoting initiatives to reach a final agreement for a comprehensive and sustainable regional peace in the area and highlighted Romania's contribution to the EUNAVFOR-ASPIDES operation to safeguard freedom of navigation in area of the Red Sea The Romanian Army participates with 400 troops and 50 vehicles in the military operations of the European Union, stated the chief of the Defense Staff, general Gheorghita Vlad, during a meeting attended by the secretary of state for defense policy, planning and international relations, Simona Cojocaru, and the president of the EU Military Committee, general Robert Brieger. The discussions took place on Thursday at the headquarters of the Ministry of National Defense and focused on the analysis of the security situation in the Black Sea region and in the Western Balkans, the participation of the Romanian forces in missions and operations under the auspices of the Common Security and Defense Policy, respectively the assessment of the status and priorities in the field of developing the military capabilities of the European Union, stated the representatives of the Ministry of National Defense (MApN) in a press release sent to AGERPRES. "In October 2023, we received the military command of the training mission in the Central African Republic. Next year, we will take over the command of the EU forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We continue to support EU initiatives in the field of defense and security. From the 23 projects submitted to the Permanent Cooperation Structured, the Romanian Armed Forces assumed the role of coordinator for two projects, EU Network of Diving Centers and CBRN Defense Training Range", explained general Gheorghita Vlad.Secretary of state Simona Cojocaru emphasized the important role of the European Union in the current security context."Consolidating the security and defense dimension of the EU, in a complementary manner with NATO, will contribute positively to Euro-Atlantic and global security. Romania actively contributes both within the missions and operations in the Western Balkans and Africa, as well as to European initiatives in the field of defense", said Simona Cojocaru.According to MApN, the president of the EU Military Committee highlighted the contribution of our country to European collective security, as well as the efforts made within the various initiatives of the Strategic Compass.General Robert Brieger declared that this visit to Bucharest offered the opportunity to address pressing issues and to share visions regarding actions and approaches aimed at strengthening the European deterrence and defense posture.He also gave a lecture on "Geopolitical Challenges and the Strategic Compass" at the Carol I National Defense University.The high official was on a visit to Romania on Wednesday and Thursday, at the invitation of the chief of Defense.The Military Committee of the European Union, the military forum in the field of Common Security and Defense Policy, is made up of the heads of defense from the member states, who, after harmonizing the national positions, propose courses of action for European security, MApN shows. It is quite a seismic shift from growing up in a 1970s ranch house in the small town of Bolivar, Missouri, to living in a 13,000 square foot mansion designed to resemble the Palace of Versailles in France. Yet, that is reality for Russell Jackson. Built in 1911, the nine-bedroom, six fireplace home was recently the subject of an article in the Wall Street Journal titled Meet the New Stewards of Americas Gilded Age Homes. After getting his law degree and practicing in New York City for two decades, by 2012 Jackson felt a need to be nearer his aging parents. Although he had some familiarity with St. Louis and even remembers walking along Kingshighway with a college friend and admiring the stately homes along Portland Place, he had never lived here. However, St. Louis presented the best opportunity to further his career while being near his mother and father. I wanted to be in the city and experience the graceful living that a turn-of-the-century home on a beautiful street could provide, he says. Before he decorated, Jackson had to address what he refers to as the underwear of the house, meaning those elements that are important, but not seen. First, the original wiring required updating. Then, the downspouts, which strangely drained through the inside walls, had to be addressed after they backed up and flooded some areas of the home. The architects apparently did not believe in gutters, he says. Contractors worked six months while I lived in the Mansion House downtown, and then continued working another three months after I moved in, he remembers. Instead of the ultra-modernist decor he had enjoyed in New York and which fills his Clayton office, Jackson worked with local interior designer Jimmy Jamieson to furnish his home in a style more in keeping with the period in which it was built. All walls and ceilings were painted or changed. In the dining room, the light oak wood veneer was stripped and finished with a shiny lacquered oxblood hue. The mirror-like surfaces took weeks to get just right, Jackson says. The walls in the primary bedroom were surfaced with a gray wool fabric, just like if you were to make a wool suit, he says. In Jacksons library and office, chinoiserie wallpaper custom designed for the room was hand painted in Paris on 22-karat gold wallpaper. Area rugs all through the home were custom made. On his own, Jackson purchased decor at Selkirk auctions and on the internet site 1stdibs.com. However, most of the art in the home came from prominent artists he has personally met. Examples include a vibrant abstract composition by the avant-garde artist William Scharf. Jackson purchased the work off the wall of the artists New York condominium. Another work by Scharf hangs on the wall of the salon. Also displayed in the homes main corridor is a framed collage of Napoleon, which Jackson had commissioned. Created by John Morse, the artist personally delivered it to the residence. Since I live in a French-inspired home, I thought I needed something French, Jackson says smiling. While the art appears as if it is a painting, closer inspection reveals is made from masterfully arranged from an array of pieces of paper from newspapers, candy wrappers and other food packaging. Although Jackson never met Lucianna Gladney Ross, the prior owner of the home and heiress to the 7Up soda fortune, he has decorated one of the bedrooms in her honor with framed mementos and photos discovered in the attic. On the main floor a grand piano occupies the intersection where the spacious 19-by-16-foot entrance foyer meets the 65-by-14-foot marble-floored grand hallway running the length of the residence. Featuring marble support columns, intricate plasterwork ceilings, bronze vestibule doors, palladium windows and a marble staircase with cast bronze railing, the hall is perfect for entertaining large groups, which Jackson enjoys. We arrange chairs and tables radiating out from the piano, or use the stairway as a stage, Jackson says smiling. The hallway operates just fine as an indoor dog run when it is raining. he adds. Russell Jackson Occupation: Russell is a partner at Dowd Bennett in Clayton and has been with the firm since 2014. For 20 years previous he worked at a law firm in New York City. For nearly two decades he was a columnist for the National Law Journal and has taught aggregate litigation as an adjunct professor at Washington University School of Law in St. Louis for the last decade. He is also a trustee of the St. Louis Public Library Foundation, a board member of Friends of St. Louis Public Radio, and is past chairman of the board of directors for Jazz St. Louis. Jackson authors the blog noclasslawyer.com which identifies and discusses recent trends in the pleading and defense of consumer class actions. Home: Central West End Family: Jacksons parents live in Bolivar, Missouri. Alex Gutierrez is a longtime friend with whom he shares the residence, which he also shares with Ruby, a labradoodle, and Murphy Brown, a goldendoodle. At Home at Russell Jackson's Versailles-inspired mansion in the Central West End Even if youve never been to Miami, youve sort of already been to Miami. This South Florida city has starred countless times on the silver screen and television and is always coming up in popular music, too, with many of these Miami-centric works becoming downright iconic. All of this has painted such a vibrant picture of the city, that whether or not youve ever crossed over the city limits, you have years of stored-up visions of what this city will be like when you finally get there. Considering all of this, when you visit for the first time, theres a bit of pressure to find the Miami you have always envisioned. I recently visited the city for the very first time and the following is an account of how I tried to capture the essence of the city that I had dreamed of while also trying to see a couple of surprises along the way. Sunrise start I know youre on vacation, but you simply have to wake up before dawn and take in a sunrise during your trip to Miami, preferably on your first morning. Darkness gives away to soft light as the sun slowly rises above the Atlantic Ocean, streaking the sky in hues of pink, gold and blue, casting a soft glow over the water and the sand below. If youre standing on South Beach like I was, odds are youll be surrounded by a mix of early risers and up-laters all with different motivations for visiting Miami and all pinching themselves that theyre taking in this special sight with their own eyes. On your way back from the beach, make sure to grab a photo with one of the iconic neon lifeguard towers it is the golden hour after all. News break Famed for its prime role in revitalizing South Beach during the heady hedonistic days of the 90s, News Cafe is open 24/7 and located at the heart of South Beach (Eighth & Ocean Avenue). Youre probably going to pass it anyway so you might as well pull up a chair outside and chill for a bit. Back in the day, this cafe was frequented by the glamorous, the fabulous and everyone in between as it served up one of the first slices of European cafe culture on South Beachand today the pulse of the neighborhood still beats strong here. Enjoy a Cuban Club and a Paper Boy (their take on the bloody mary) as I did, or a frosty, citrusy Frozzie Rossie cocktail as the sidewalk in front of you becomes a runway full of locals on bicycles or rollerblades, wide-eyed tourists, wanna-be influencers and drivers showing off their shiny cars. Art Deco up close If youre anything like me, you may know that Art Deco is synonymous with South Beach, but do you know the stories behind the style and the facades? Thats where the Miami Design Preservation Leagues expert guides come in as they take travelers on daily jaunts through the Art Deco District each morning at 10:30 AM. The guides tell the stories behind each building (youll see Art Deco, Miami Modern and Mediterranean Revival on the tour), endearing you to their efforts to preserve these special buildings. Eat old school For more than a century, Joes Stone Crab has been drawing in crowds from far and wide for its famed crustaceans and no trip to Miami is complete without a stop here. Located in the vibrant heart of South Beach, Joes is famed for its succulent stone crab claws plucked from nearby waters, alongside an array of other mouthwatering dishes. Think of it this way: everybody is going to ask you if you went to Joes, so you might as well! ... and new Sushi may not be the first thing that pops into your head when thinking of Miami, but why wouldnt it be great here? Enter Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill, which is an oasis of Japanese cuisine situated within the historic Plymouth Hotel South Beach (just past the retro-cool lobby and beside the beautiful pool). The menu is overseen by sushi master Toshi Ueki and chefs Bruce and Eric Bromberg and boasts a tantalizing selection of traditional sushi and sashimi, expertly crafted to perfection. Oh, and theres also a much-loved version of fried chicken. Youll feel cool slinking into one of their booths, but not intimidatingly so. Say adios to South Beach Wynwood. Little Havana. Downtown. Little Haiti. Key Biscayne. Coconut Grove. Coral Gables. It doesnt matter where you go, but you have to get outside of South Beach during your time in Miami because its only a small albeit shiny part of this spectacular city. My time in South Beach was punctuated with spells in Wynwood and Little Havana, where I was able to get a taste (literally) of two entirely different sections of the city and sip (literally) up slices of its unique story. Get out on the water If youre wondering when this piece is going to leave dry land, the time is, well, now. I hooked up with Watersports Paradise known for boat tours, yacht charters and boat rentals in addition to any other active water pursuit you can think of for an unforgettable adventure through Miamis waterways. We saw opulent Millionaires Row and plied the waters across Biscayne Bay to marvel at the splendor of Star, Palm, Hibiscus and Venetian Islands with the occasional burst of speed to get the heart racing. The stories of fun times on Monument Island had me dreaming about the weekends I would spend there if I lived in Miami. And okay, Ill admit it: I set the highlights of this excursion to the Miami Vice theme song when I posted it on social media. Where to stay in Miami on a first trip Before you even touch down in Miami, theres the little decision of where to lay your head. South Beach is just one section of Miami (Miami Beach to be precise) and the city is home to a dizzying array of diverse neighborhoods, all perfect for getting a true feel of the city and almost all could make a great base. On your first trip, you almost certainly have to stay in South Beach. This neighborhood has captured the worlds imagination and since youre going to want to see what all the buzz is about, you might as well stay there. Im glad I posted up at the Plymouth Hotel South Beach. Located a stones throw from the Miami Beach Convention Center and opposite Collins Park and its superb Bass Museum, the Plymouth has over 100 rooms splashed with sophisticated touches and is a true poster child for Art Deco. So much so that Barbara Baer Capitman used a photograph of the corner exterior of the Plymouth on the cover of her 1988 book Deco Delights. Stepping inside, youre immediately enchanted by the seamless blend of historic Art Deco charm and contemporary luxury, with the overall atmosphere being a blend of boutique and beach-adjacent vibes. Speaking of the beach, guests get exclusive access to the Plymouths private stretch, just a block away between The W and The Setai. Like many great hotels, the lobby is perfect for lingering and I loved hanging out among the lush leaves and a stirring mural by the acclaimed Ramon Chatov while watching the happenings at the bar or the aforementioned Blue Ribbon Sushi. Editor's note: The following story ran in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch the day after the death of KSDK weatherman Bob Richards on March 23, 1994. The story of a court order against Bob Richards moved from back-page obscurity to drive-time talk radio this week in a sequence that raises questions about what constitutes news. The story broke on Friday afternoon with a short, subdued dispatch from The Associated Press: A judge in Farmington had ordered KSDK weatherman Bob Richards to stay clear of a woman who said he had been harassing her. The story went to 41 newspapers and 100 broadcast stations in Missouri and the Metro East area. KTVI (Channel 2) and KPLR (Channel 11) broadcast the story Friday. The Post-Dispatch published a similar story Saturday. Later that day, the city's remaining television stations aired brief reports. The front page of the Post-Dispatch the day after the crash. By Wednesday morning, with news of Richards' death in his Piper Cherokee at Spirit of St. Louis Airport, the story was transformed into grist for talk radio and television tabloids. At the center are Steve Shannon and D.C. Chymes, the morning drive voices of WKBQ-FM. Tuesday morning at 6:30, they took a call from Donna L. Henry, the 34-year-old Farmington woman who had got a restraining order against Richards last week. She described a love affair that she said began in March 1992 with Richards' appearance at the veterans home where she works. In July 1993, she tried to break off the relationship, she said. That's when she said Richards began flying over her house and making frequent phone calls. On the radio, she played taped messages from her answering machines. In them, a man she identified as Richards pleads for reconciliation. Asked why she called the station, she said Richards had angered her by describing her in news interviews as a disgruntled viewer. "My name is plastered everywhere, and he has almost weasled out of it, " she said. The interview itself was straightforward, without satire or mockery. It was replayed during peak drive hours. The station extended offers to Richards for a reply; he didn't respond. The station also aired a short, satirical segment including the sound of an airplane engine and an accordion, the instrument which Richards played at some public appearances. Late Tuesday night, Richards made his last weather forecast, then drove to the airport. His death in a fiery plane crash - which authorities were investigating as a possible suicide - triggered a round of name-calling on the air Wednesday morning. Guy Phillips of KYKY radio called Steve and D.C.'s show Tuesday "an unforgivable sin." Frank O. Pinion of KSD radio called the show "cruel and vicious." J.C. Corcoran of WFXB said Shannon and Chymes are "clearly partially responsible" for Richards' death. Listeners lit the switchboards at the stations. Shannon said he had tried to play the story straight. He said he would never have run it if he believed that it might have contributed to a suicide. Shannon said he'd had no malicious intent in airing the Henry interview. He said he wanted to let her tell her side of the story. "Are we responsible? No. Do we regret doing the interview? No. We regret the loss of a life. You have to feel that way." Ratings are due out soon, Shannon said. He said his detractors are trying to gain more listeners by criticizing Steve and D.C.'s handling of the Richards story. And given the chance, he said, any of his competitors would have run the Henry interview. The St. Francois County judge who ordered Richards to stay away from Henry called the media attention to the order "totally unwarranted." Associate Circuit Judge James E. Pennoyer said he issues such orders routinely. Last year, the Legislature amended the law to allow the orders even when there is no evidence of physical abuse. Pennoyer predicted the case would continue to draw attention. He said he has already turned down a request by "Inside Edition" for an interview. "I've issued thousands of these orders over the years and never saw one of them in the newspaper. What's newsworthy about this one? Maybe because it's a public personality. Is that newsworthy? I ask why?" Post-Dispatch Editor William F. Woo said he posed the same questions before authorizing publication of a story. He said the paper held the story out of Friday's editions because gaining such court orders requires little proof, while a story based on the order could damage Richards' reputation. By Friday, further reporting had assured editors that Henry's application for a court order was "not malicious, " Woo said. "We were in the midst of these discussions when the story was broken by The Associated Press, one of the most responsible news organizations in the United States. At that time, the facts of the order were known to his family and employer, news of the order was on the air. So we published seven inches subordinated on an inside page of an inside section." "That was a difficult call, even so, " Woo said. "I think, and I hope, that it was the right one." ST. LOUIS COUNTY A man was charged this week with torturing an 8-year-old boy in a north St. Louis County home. Rodney Wilson, 52, was charged Wednesday with two counts of abuse or neglect of a child, first-degree kidnapping, two counts of second-degree domestic assault and third-degree assault. Wilson was arrested Friday in the 3600 block of Chippewa Street and is being held without bond. St. Louis County police said Wilson in July tied the boy to a pole in the basement of a north St. Louis County home, beat him, and left him there for about 12 hours. Then, a month or two later, Wilson beat the child again and left a large gash on his head, police said. Around the same time, investigators wrote, Wilson choked the boy's mother in front of him. Wilson strangled the woman again late last month, police said, and she remained hospitalized this week. Police said Wilson had also punched the woman's sister in the face several times in March 2021. ST. LOUIS A six-month stalemate between the mayors office and the Board of Aldermen that has delayed the return of red-light cameras here broke Friday. First, a bill giving the board new power to regulate police surveillance which Aldermanic President Megan Green said had to pass before a cameras bill could cleared committee Friday without dissent, paving the way for full board approval. Then, a spokesperson for Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, who previously opposed the plan for added oversight, said she was amenable to it following some changes designed to reduce disruption to police operations. More power has to come with more oversight, Green said in an interview. And were getting both. The action Friday likely foreshadows a long-sought victory for Green, bill sponsor Alderman Rasheen Aldridge, and left-wing activists and organizers who have been pushing for greater transparency on police surveillance for years. It clears the way for red-light cameras to be re-authorized in the coming weeks, too. At the same time, it signals an end to a fight that pitted Jones against Green, a longtime ally, and activists growing increasingly skeptical of the mayors commitment to progressive ideals. Green, who once said the mayors opposition to the oversight bill raised questions about her commitment to government transparency, was more gracious Friday. She applauded Jones staff and police brass for negotiating a compromise. She said she wished it had happened faster, but she cast the months of disagreements as growing pains for officials still relatively new to their positions. Were still all learning how to work together, Green said. Keith Rose, a longtime activist who worked on the legislation, said the mayors office took far too long to negotiate a compromise. But he gave them credit for supporting the bill in the end. Conner Kerrigan, a spokesman for Jones, said delays were proponents fault. The development of this bill was punctuated by a consistent reluctance to address the operational issues with the bills language, he wrote in a text message. Most of those operational issues have now been addressed and necessary compromises have been made. Both Jones and Green want to use red-light and speed-tracking cameras to crack down on reckless driving and red-light running blamed for a series of high-profile deaths on city streets in recent years. They stood side-by-side at a press conference in September, when Jones announced legislation to reintroduce the cameras in a way that would satisfy a court ruling that shut them down eight years ago. But things went sideways when Green insisted on pairing the rollout with the oversight bill, which would have required police to come before the board before introducing any new surveillance technology and explain how they plan to use it and give aldermen the power to approve or disapprove their plans. Jones and Green started trading barbs in the newspaper. Jones office cast the bill as unnecessary and said it would make it harder for police to do their jobs. Green cast Jones as a flip-flopper, pointing out that she endorsed the idea during her campaign. Then last month, Jones called a press conference and accused the board of doing nothing while people were getting hit and killed on the street. Green and Aldridge accused Jones of playing politics and trying to deceive the public. But in more recent weeks, activists ramped up their lobbying of aldermen. Aldridge and Green took several lengthy meetings with Police Chief Robert Tracy and the mayors staff. And they agreed to some changes, including a contentious amendment allowing police to seek out funding for new technology before coming to the board for approval. Administration officials didnt want police to have to ask for permission both to seek out a new technology, and then use it. Advocates said aldermen could be in a tough spot if police come in asking to use something and theyve already got a grant to pay for it. But they ultimately acceded in a show of good faith. I think the mayor realized this issue wasnt going away, Green said. The full board could take initial votes on the oversight bill and the red-light camera bill as soon as next Friday. (This press release is a retraction and correction to the GEVI March 15, 2024 release.) SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 23, 2024 / Mighty Fire Breaker (MFB), a subsidiary of General Enterprise Ventures, Inc. (OTC PINK:GEVI) and a pioneer in eco-conscious fire control solutions, showcased its latest advancements in fuel treatment technology during a special event hosted by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Foundation on March 15, 2024. The live demonstration featured the company's innovative Proactive Wildfire Defense Equipment and CitroTech fire chemistry, recognized for environmental safety by the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Safer Choice program. (Correction) The name of the San Diego River Conservatory was used in error, without permission or knowledge of the San Diego River Conservatory and the San Diego River Conservatory does not endorse, recommend, or support the use of MFB's proactive Wildfire Defense Equipment or CitroTech fire Chemistry and has not undertaken any independent studies on such products. This funding was dedicated to integrating MFB's advanced technology into the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department's (SDFD) wildfire preparedness initiatives, particularly within the strategic San Diego River watershed. Wendy Robinson, the Executive Director of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Foundation, expressed the organization's dedication to bolstering the SDFD's holistic fire prevention strategy, emphasizing community safety, education, and resilience. "We deeply appreciate the San Diego River Conservancy's support. Today's event underscores a significant advancement in our city's proactive firefighting measures," said Robinson. Participants of the event were treated to a live burn test, demonstrating the effectiveness of MFB's Proactive Wildfire Defense Equipment. The demonstration vividly illustrated how the treated areas could better withstand wildfire conditions, significantly reducing the impact and enhancing firefighting efforts. This collaboration between MFB, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Foundation, and the SDFD signifies a crucial move towards combining environmental conservation with public safety in managing wildfires. By implementing Mighty Fire Breaker's cutting-edge technologies, there is a new option in protecting the communities and natural areas of San Diego from wildfire dangers. For additional information, photos, and footage from the event or to learn more about Mighty Fire Breaker's technology and mission, please contact: For more information, please visit www.mightyfirebreaker.com For technical product information: [email protected] Contact Information Twitter@GEVIOfficial Website: https://generalenterpriseventures.com/ Forward-Looking Statements: This document contains "forward-looking statements", which includes statements regarding expected financial performance and growth information relating to future events. Forward-looking statements include statements with respect to beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations, assumptions, estimates, intentions, and future performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond the control of the Company and its officers and directors, and which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by which, that performance or those results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time they are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in, or suggested by, the forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be forward-looking statements. You can typically identify these forward-looking statements through use of words such as "may," "will," "can" "anticipate," "assume," "should," "indicate," "would," "believe," "contemplate," "expect," "seek," "estimate," "continue," "plan," "point to," "project," "predict," "could," "intend," "target," "potential," and other similar words and expressions of the future. The Company expresses its expectations, beliefs and projections in good faith and believes that its expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions. However, there is no assurance that these expectations, beliefs and projections will prove to have been correct. SOURCE: General Enterprise Ventures, Inc. ("GEVI") View the original press release on accesswire.com VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 22, 2024 / Temas Resources Corp. ("Temas" or the "Company") (CSE:TMAS)(OTCQB: TMASF) announces, further to its news released dated February 8, 2024, that it has amended the terms of its non-brokered private placement (the "Financing"), reducing the price from $0.25 per unit to $0.20 per unit and thereby issuing up to of up to 7,500,000 units for gross proceeds of $1.5 million. Each Unit is comprised of one common share of the Issuer (a "Share") and one half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the Subscriber to purchase one additional common share of the Issuer (a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.40 per Warrant Share for a period of two years from the Closing Date. The Company intends to use proceeds from the financing for the purpose of advancing the La Blache project, marketing and working capital. There may be finder's fees payable in cash or securities. About Temas Resources Temas Resources Corp. is focused on the advanced La Blache and Lac Brule Iron-Titanium-Vanadium projects in Quebec. The critical metals the Company is exploring for are key to our national mineral independence. Additionally, the Company invests in and works to apply its green mineral recovery technologies across its mining portfolio to reduce the environmental impact and carbon footprint of metal extraction through advanced processing and patented leaching technologies. All public filings for the Company can be found on the SEDAR+ website www.sedarplus.ca. For more information about the Company, please visit www.temasresources.com. For further information or investor relations inquiries: Tim Fernback President and CEO [email protected] KIN Communications Inc. Tel: 604-684-6730 [email protected] Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the 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. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, the expectations of management regarding the proposed Financing, the expectations of management regarding the use of proceeds of the Financing; and regulatory approval for the proposed Financing. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements including that: the Company may not complete the Financing; the proceeds of the Offering may not be used as stated in this news release; and those additional risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed 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 time frames or at all. Except where required by 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. SOURCE: Temas Resources Corp. View the original press release on accesswire.com Proposes New Director LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News: Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN: PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA: PSH) (the Company) today issued the PSH annual report and financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023, which are now available on PSHs website, https://www.pershingsquareholdings.com/company-reports/financial-statements/. PSH also announced that its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) will be held on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at 11:00 AM BST at Trafalgar Court, Les Banques, St. Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 3QL. The results of the voting will be announced as soon as practicable after the conclusion of the AGM. At the AGM, shareholders will consider the receipt of the annual report and the financial statements, the renewal of PSHs share buy-back authority, the re-appointment of PSHs auditor and authorization of the Directors to determine its remuneration, the approval to disapply pre-emption rights for any share issuance of 10% or less (as is customary in the London investment fund market), the re-election of all the existing Directors with the exception of Anne Farlow and the election of one new Director. Ms. Farlow has been Chairman of PSH since its public listing in October 2014 and, consistent with the requirements of the AIC Code for directors serving more than nine years, will not submit herself for re-election. As previously disclosed, the Board has selected Rupert Morley to become Chairman of PSH, subject to his reelection at the 2024 AGM. Following a search process for a prospective Board candidate, the Nomination Committee recommended that the Board submit Charlotte Denton for election as an independent non-executive Director of the Company. Ms. Denton, a Guernsey resident, is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, a Chartered Director and a fellow of the Institute of Directors. She has extensive experience in the global asset management industry, including executive and non-executive positions with regulated businesses (including listed funds) in Guernsey and the UK. Ms. Denton currently serves as a non-executive director of two LSE-listed Guernsey investment companies, Starwood European Real Estate Finance Limited (LSE: SWEF) and River and Mercantile UK Micro Cap Investment Company Limited (LSE: RMMC). She also serves on the boards of several private entities, including Next Energy Capital Investment Manager Limited and the general partners of private equity groups Cinven and HitecVision. She previously served on the board of directors of Butterfield Bank (Guernsey) Limited. During Ms. Dentons executive career, she worked in various locations through roles in diverse organisations, including KPMG, Rothschild, Northern Trust, a property development startup and a privately held financial services group. Ms. Denton holds a degree in politics from Durham University. The Board is pleased to recommend that shareholders elect Charlotte to the PSH Board, said PSH Chairman Anne Farlow. Charlottes extensive experience in the asset management business will bolster the Boards financial expertise and contribute a valuable perspective in the boardroom. The specific resolutions can be found in the Notice of Annual General Meeting available on PSHs website, https://www.pershingsquareholdings.com/company-reports/notices-shareholders/. About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN: PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA: PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed-ended fund. Category: (PSH:FinancialReporting) This is a disclosure according to Article 17 of the EU Market Abuse Regulation (Regulation 596/2014/EU). The document will shortly be available for inspection on the National Storage Mechanism website: https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240322633389/en/ Media Camarco Ed Gascoigne-Pees / Julia Tilley +44 (0)20 3781 8339, [email protected] Source: Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. NEW YORK, March 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Banco Santander, S.A. (NYSE: SAN) resulting from allegations that Santander may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. SO WHAT: If you purchased Santander securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=22671 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On February 5, 2024, the Financial Times published an article entitled Iran used Lloyds and Santander accounts to evade sanctions. This article stated, in part that Santander UK provided accounts to British front companies secretly owned by a sanctioned Iranian petrochemicals company based near Buckingham Palace, according to documents seen by the Financial Times. On this news, Santanders American Depositary Shares (ADSs) fell $0.24 per ADS, or 5.7%, to close at $3.94 per ADS on February 5, 2024. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected] www.rosenlegal.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 22, 2024) - Alset Capital Inc. (TSXV: KSUM) ("Alset" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed the second tranche of its non-brokered private placement of units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.15 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of $1,222,627.05 (the "Offering"). Together with the Company's closing of the first tranche of the Offering, the Company has raised an aggregate of $6,000,000 through the Offering. Each Unit is comprised of one (1) common share in the capital of the Company (each, a "Common Share") and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each, whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one (1) additional Common Share (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.25 per Warrant Share for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance. In connection with closing of the second tranche of the Offering, the Company paid finders' fees of approximately $36,919.99 and issued an aggregate of 223,565 Common Share purchase warrants (the "Finders' Warrants") to eligible finders. Each Finders' Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one (1) Common Share (each, a "Finders' Warrant Share") at a price of $0.15 per Finders' Warrant Share for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance. The Company intends on using the net proceeds from the Offering for capital expenditures, working capital and general corporate purposes. All securities issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period of four (4) months plus one (1) day from the date of issuance, in accordance with applicable securities legislation. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States or to any "U.S. Person" (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act")) of any equity or other securities of the Company. The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act or under any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to a U.S. Person absent registration under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws or an applicable exemption therefrom. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of U.S. securities laws. On behalf of Alset Capital Inc. "Morgan Good" Morgan Good Chief Executive Officer About Alset Capital Inc. Alset Capital Inc. is an investment issuer that is focused on investment in diversified industries such as technology, healthcare, industrial, special situations, operating businesses through both debt and equity using cash resource or shares in its capital. The Company is led by an experienced, entrepreneurial group of executives having a diverse industry and capital markets background. For further information about Alset Capital Inc., please contact: Morgan Good, CEO and Director T: 604.715.4751 E: [email protected] Cautionary Note regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release may contain forward-looking information (within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation), including, without limitation, the intended use of proceeds, the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon exercise of the Warrants and the issuance of the Finders' Warrant Shares upon exercise of the Finders' Warrants. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date those statements are made. 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 regulatory actions, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to update or to publicly announce the results of any change to any forward-looking statement contained or incorporated by reference herein to reflect actual results, future events or developments, changes in assumptions, or changes in other factors affecting the forward-looking statements. If the Company updates any forward-looking statement(s), no inference should be drawn that it will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. 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. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/202896 Paid press release content from The VentureCation. The StreetInsider.com news staff was not involved in its creation. You need the best cell phone repair in Vancouver and thats where Cell Care Phone Repair shines. Their experienced professionals turn damaged devices around in no time. They mend everything from cracked screens to connectivity issues. And not just that, theyre known for their transparent pricing and quick turnaround times. Plus, all their repairs come with a six-month warranty. Afraid of stepping out? No worries, they offer mobile services too. Theres more to this top-tier repair service. Hang around just a little longer and find out what makes them your go-to solution for cell phone repairs. Understanding Cell Care Phone Repairs Expertise Diving into Cell Care Phone Repairs expertise, youll discover a team of seasoned professionals committed to providing top-notch cell phone repair services. These experts arent just technicians, theyre cell phone enthusiasts who understand the ins and outs of various phone models and brands. Youll find them to be well-trained, knowledgeable, and experienced in diagnosing and fixing a wide range of issues. Theyre tech-savvy individuals who stay updated on the latest advancements in cell phone technology. When you drop off your damaged phone, youre not just handing it over to a repair service, youre entrusting it to a team thats passionate about getting your device back up and running. With Cell Care Phone Repair, youre guaranteed a service that prioritizes your devices health and your satisfaction. Array of Repair Services Offered From cracked screens to software glitches, Cell Care Phone Repair offers a comprehensive range of cell phone repair in Vancouver to cater to all your cell phone woes. Youll find an array of services that address common issues like battery replacement, charging port repair, water damage recovery, and camera repair. They also specialize in fixing broken buttons, repairing speakers, and solving connectivity problems. Whats more, if youre battling software issues, Cell Care Phone Repairs experts can assist with that too. They offer operating system updates, virus removal, and data recovery services. Additionally, they provide unlock services for those who want to switch carriers. With Cell Care Phone Repair, you can rest assured that no matter your phones problem, theyve got a solution. Why Choose Cell Care Phone Repair During countless phone repair services, you might wonder, Why choose Cell Care Phone Repair? Well, its simple. Cell Care Phone Repair stands out for its top-notch service, competitive pricing, and quick turnaround times. Youd love the convenience that comes with their mobile repair service theyll fix your phone wherever youre in Vancouver. Theyre not just swift, theyre skilled. Their certified technicians can handle a wide range of issues, from cracked screens to water damage, ensuring your device is as good as new. They also provide a 6-month warranty on all repairs, giving you peace of mind. So, when youre in a bind with your phone, dont stress. With Cell Care Phone Repair, youre choosing reliability, efficiency, and quality service. Customer Testimonials and Reviews Dont just take our word for it, lets hear what our customers have to say about their experience with Cell Care Phone Repair. Browsing through our testimonials, youll find a wealth of positive reviews. Theyve praised our quick turnaround times, expert technical skills, and top-notch customer service. Clients rave about how weve breathed new life into their damaged devices. Youll see stories about shattered screens transformed into pristine displays, water-damaged phones restored to full functionality, and unresponsive batteries replaced with top-quality parts. Customers appreciate our transparent pricing, too. No hidden fees, no unpleasant surprises, just affordable, high-quality repairs. In their own words, our customers have endorsed us as the go-to solution for cell phone repair in Vancouver. Their satisfaction is our success. Contacting Cell Care Phone Repair in Vancouver Ready to get your phone fixed? Reach out to Cell Care Phone Repair in Vancouver, where were always prepared to tackle any cell phone issue youre facing. You can call us at our dedicated customer service line, send us an email, or simply drop by our shop. But thats not all. Weve got two locations across Vancouver for your convenience. Plus, our website is always available to provide you with all the information you need, including our opening hours, list of services, and even an FAQ section to answer your preliminary queries. Its easy to contact us, and were always ready to help you. Remember, at Cell Care Phone Repair, your phones health is our top priority. Dont wait, get in touch today! Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Qualifications of the Technicians at Cell Care Phone Repair? Youre asking about the qualifications of Cell Care Phone Repair technicians. Theyre highly trained, and possess the necessary certifications. Theyre skilled at fixing various phone issues, from screen replacements to complex hardware problems. Theyre equipped to handle your repair needs. Do They Offer Any Warranty on Their Repair Services? Yes, they do offer a warranty on their repair services. Its crucial to ensure youre covered in case any further issues arise. Youll have peace of mind knowing your device is in good hands. How Does Cell Care Phone Repair Handle Data Privacy During the Repair Process? Youre right to worry about data privacy. Cell Care Phone Repair takes this seriously. They ensure your data is secure during the repair process. They dont access personal info unless its necessary to fix your phone. What Is the Average Turnaround Time for a Repair at Cell Care Phone Repair? Youre asking about Cell Care Phone Repairs repair turnaround time. Its swift! On average, youll have your phone back, fully repaired, in about 2-3 hours. They understand you cant be without your phone for long. Does Cell Care Phone Repair Offer Any Discounts or Loyalty Programs for Repeat Customers? Yes, youre in luck! Cell Care Phone Repair does offer discounts for repeat customers. They value loyalty and provide attractive offers to their regular customers. Youll make some savings with their loyalty programs. Conclusion So, youre in Vancouver and need top-notch cell phone repair or iPhone repair in Vancouver? Look no further than Cell Care Phone Repair. Theyre your best bet with their expertise, a wide range of services, and stellar reviews. Dont just take our word for it, check out their customer testimonials. Reach out to Cell Care Phone Repair today and let their experts get your phone back in tip-top shape. Contact Them: Store: Cell Care Phone Repair Address: 3187 Main St, Vancouver, BC V5T 3G8, Canada Call Us: +1 778-227-2750 Website: https://cellcare.ca/ E-mail: [email protected] Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday: 10:00 AM 7:00 PM The post Best Cell Phone Repair Services by Cell Care in Vancouver appeared first on TheVentureCation.com. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23. The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Russia has not received any appeals from Azerbaijani citizens regarding the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, Trend reports, referring to the embassy. The Embassy states that following the terrorist attack on March 22, 2024, at Crocus City Hall concert hall, Ambassador Polad Bulbuloglu has directed all staff members to report to their workplaces at the diplomatic mission despite the holidays. "Throughout the night, a duty was formed to provide emergency aid if our residents requested it. However, there have been no appeals to the embassy so far. When initial casualty reports from the terrorist attack surfaced, the embassy closely monitored all incoming information. Sevinj Rustamova was initially listed but later deleted from the amended list. Nonetheless, among the dead is an Azerbaijani named Vugar Huseynov, born in 1983 and most certainly a Russian citizen. The Embassy of Azerbaijan is presently taking all required steps to verify this information, including locating the deceased's body and contacting their family and acquaintances. Once verified, the embassy will promptly share updates on its Telegram channel," the embassy said. The identities of 41 victims killed during the terrorist assault have been made public. It was presumed that Huseynov Vugar, born in 1983 and named on the list, was an Azerbaijani citizen. To note, the incident unfolded when unidentified individuals began shooting at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, prompting evacuations, according to reports from Russian operational services. Eyewitnesses reported that people dressed in camouflage attire fired shots from machine guns inside Crocus City Hall, just before the scheduled concert by the Picnic group. Director of the Federal Security Service of Russia Alexander Bortnikov reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the detention of 11 people, including four terrorists involved in the attack at Crocus City Hall. According to the Investigative Committee of Russia, the death toll in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall has risen to 115 people. The preliminary causes of death at Crocus Hall were gunshot wounds and poisoning from combustion products. The terrorists set fire to combustible liquid, which caused a fire to break out on the Crocus Hall grounds. During the attack, the terrorists employed automatic guns. The guns were located by the investigators. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel CAPE TOWN, South Africa , March 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Banxso, a leader in the innovative financial trading sector, today unveiled its strategic move to fortify its defenses against the escalating threat of deep fake technology scams. The company is establishing an in-house special cyber team, bringing together top-tier security experts and legal specialists, aiming to safeguard the online trading community from the perils of deep fake scams. Additionally, this newly formed team is set to issue comprehensive reports to keep the community informed about potential scam threats. In an era where digital sophistication enables fraudsters to manipulate audio and visual content with alarming realism, Banxso's initiative marks a critical step in proactive cyber defense. This bespoke team will delve into the depths of cybersecurity, employing cutting-edge technology and legal acumen to detect, analyze, and neutralize the deceptive tactics deployed by scammers. "The digital trading space is constantly evolving, and so are the threats that come with it," stated a representative from Banxso. "By assembling this dedicated cyber team, we are not just responding to the current threats; we're preparing for the future, ensuring that our clients can trade in a secure and trustworthy environment." A New Frontier in Online Trading Security Banxso's cyber team aims to lead the charge against the misuse of deep fake technology in the financial sector. Deep fakes, which can convincingly mimic individuals' appearances and voices, pose a significant challenge to the integrity of online transactions and communications. With this initiative, Banxso is setting a new benchmark for security within the online trading community. Empowering Traders Through Education and Awareness Knowledge is power, and part of Banxso's strategy involves empowering its clients with the information necessary to identify and avoid potential scams. The team's forthcoming reports on deep fake scams will serve as vital resources, offering insights and guidance to help traders navigate the complexities of the digital age with confidence. "We understand the importance of not just guarding against threats but also educating our clients," the Banxso representative added. "These reports will be an invaluable tool in our collective effort to maintain a scam-free trading environment." Collaborative Efforts for a Safer Trading Space Recognizing that the battle against cyber threats is a collective one, Banxso's cyber team will collaborate with international cybersecurity networks, regulatory bodies, and other financial institutions. This cooperative approach ensures the widest possible reach and effectiveness of their strategies, setting a new standard for cybersecurity within the financial trading industry. About Banxso Banxso is at the forefront of the online trading industry, offering an extensive range of financial products and services designed to meet the needs of today's traders. Committed to innovation, security, and client education, Banxso provides a dynamic and secure platform for traders and investors globally to achieve their financial ambitions. For further details on Banxso's cybersecurity initiatives and to access the latest deep fake scam reports, visit banxso.com. Media Contact details: Manpreet Singh [email protected] +16465064978 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/banxso-announces-formation-of-elite-cybersecurity-team-to-combat-deep-fake-scams-in-online-trading-302097644.html SOURCE Banxso GUANGDONG, China , March 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cosmoprof Bologna, a premier B2B beauty event with a legacy spanning over half a century, Founded in 1967. Once again hosted the Cosmoprof of the global beauty industry from March 21st to 24th, 2024 . Organized by the Bologna Exhibition Group, this event is renowned for providing a platform where professionals and brands from around the world can explore business expansion and market consolidation opportunities. Among the many exhibitors, Onuge Group, a powerhouse in personal care and oral health, made a significant impact with its innovative products and a commitment to spreading beauty and confidence globally. Onuge Group's Ascendancy to the Pinnacle of Beauty Innovation Onuge Group's journey to securing a top-three nomination in the COSMOPROF AWARDS in 2023 is a narrative of relentless innovation and quality. The Group's dedication to crafting exceptional products, such as the acclaimed Secret Strips, has not only earned it industry recognition but also the trust of consumers worldwide. This year, Onuge Group continued its tradition of excellence by showcasing its prowess at the Bologna Beauty Exhibition. A Glimpse into Onuge's Booth: A Confluence of Beauty and Science At Booth Hall 34, E12, Onuge Group's display was a testament to the company's commitment to providing state-of-the-art teeth whitening and anti-wrinkle solutions. The booth was a melting pot of science and aesthetics, where beauty professionals and enthusiasts could engage with Onuge's latest offerings and witness the transformation potential of its products. Onuge's Teeth Whitening: A Brighter Smile for a Confident World Onuge's teeth whitening products, including the flagship Teeth Whitening Strips series, have set a new standard in the industry. The brand's focus on delivering effective, long-lasting results has made it a top choice for those seeking a brighter smile. With a range of customized flavors and ingredients, Onuge's products not only meet health and safety standards but also cater to individual preferences. 6 authoritative professional laboratory: Stability Testing Laboratory/Efficacy Testing Room/Anticorrosion Challenge Project/Microbial Testing Room/Heavy Metal Detection Project/Sample Retention Room, to make sure your products 100% safe and effective. Secret Strips: Anti-Wrinkle Innovations the Future of Skincare In the realm of skincare, Onuge Group has introduced a new era of anti-wrinkle solutions---"Secret Strips". By combining scientific research with natural ingredients, Onuge's anti-wrinkle products are designed to combat the signs of aging and promote a youthful, radiant complexion. The brand's commitment to innovation ensures that its users can age gracefully while enjoying the benefits of cutting-edge skincare technology. Onuge Group's Global Reach and OEM/ODM Expertise With a presence in over 60 countries and 500 regions worldwide, Onuge Group has established itself as a global leader in personal care. We state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, located in Guangzhou's Huadu District , is a testament to its commitment to quality and innovation. Boasting over 10 fully automatic production lines and a 100,000+ level aseptic dust-free workshop, Onuge Group provides comprehensive tracking services at every step of the production process. Onuge's International Expansion Onuge Group's presence at the Cosmoprof Bologna is just one example of our global reach. With a strong foothold in markets across Canada , the United States , the United Kingdom , Italy , South Africa , Russia , China , Japan , the Philippines , Malaysia , and Australia , Onuge is committed to bringing its beauty-enhancing products to consumers worldwide. The company's international quality system certifications are a testament to its dedication to excellence and adherence to global standards. A Company Profile: Onuge Group's Legacy and Values Established in 2005, Onuge Group has over two decades of OEM/ODM experience in teeth whitening and personal care products. The company's 12,000m facility, just a 15-minute drive from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, is home to over 200 employees who embody the company's values of concentration, practicality, efficiency, and passion. With a daily output of over 2,000,000 dental strips and annual sales reaching $2800w, Onuge Group is a powerhouse in the industry. Onuge's Research and Development: A Driving Force The R&D team at Onuge Group is at the forefront of innovation, boasting over 50 patents and serving as a direct supplier for Fortune 500 teeth whitening brands. The company's rigorous and persistent R&D spirit is matched by its openness and cooperative approach, ensuring that every product is a testament to quality and technological advancement. The Onuge Promise: Quality and Service Onuge Group's commitment to quality extends beyond its products. The company provides a comprehensive production process that includes emulsifying, coating, die-cutting, film packaging, and multiple rounds of quality inspections. This meticulous attention to detail ensures that every product that bears the Onuge name meets the highest standards of excellence. Connect with Onuge Group Below is the Booth information: Cosmoprof Bologna, Italy March 2124 BOOTH: Hall 34,E12 Service: teeth whitening & anti wrinkle products solution You can come to our website and view more: Teeth Whitening: www.onugechina.com Anti Wrinkle: www.secretstripslab.com Email Address: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OnugePersonalCare Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onugechina Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUsl_GxyTxJxyf8wIRPoFmQ?view_as=subscriber Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onugepersonalcare/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/stanoralcare/ Onuge Group's continued participation in global events like Cosmoprof Bologna and its commitment to excellence ensure that beauty enthusiasts around the world can expect nothing but the best from this industry leader. As the company forges ahead, it is clear that Onuge is not just a brand; it is a movement towards a more beautiful and confident world. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/from-guangzhou-to-the-world-onuge-group-showcase-of-innovation-and-quality-at-cosmoprof-bologna-2024-302097631.html SOURCE Guangdong Onuojie Personal Care Products Manufacturing Group Co., Ltd. VICTORIA, Seychelles , March 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- KuCoin, a global leader among cryptocurrency exchanges and ranked in the top seven worldwide, proudly announces its latest groundbreaking milestone as the first FIU-compliant global crypto exchange in India . This achievement marks a pivotal moment in the evolving Indian cryptocurrency landscape amid recent regulatory changes and underscores KuCoin's dedication to expanding its presence in vital global markets as part of its comprehensive global strategy. Accompanying KuCoin's registration with FIU, KuCoin proposes to undertake the following initiatives to better serve local Indian users. Localized Payment Solutions: Collaborating with local banks and fiat partners to introduce unique and direct on-ramp and off-ramp services tailored for India . Meanwhile, KuCoin is also proposing to launch a partnership enrollment program to welcome more partners onboard and provide easier and more friendly service. Collaborating with local banks and fiat partners to introduce unique and direct on-ramp and off-ramp services tailored for . Meanwhile, is also proposing to launch a partnership enrollment program to welcome more partners onboard and provide easier and more friendly service. Strategic Investment Focus: Promoting investment and support for blockchain projects led by entrepreneurs with an India focus, aiding the sustainable growth of the local crypto ecosystem. Promoting investment and support for blockchain projects led by entrepreneurs with an focus, aiding the sustainable growth of the local ecosystem. Regulatory and Security Alliances: Continuing to support regulatory and Government authorities to promote a secure and regulated industry landscape. Continuing to support regulatory and Government authorities to promote a secure and regulated industry landscape. Partnerships for Education and Ecosystem: Partnering with educational institutions through KuCoin Campus to foster blockchain understanding and offer access to KuCoin's Web3, technology, and ecosystem resources, thereby nurturing the blockchain industry's development in India . Partnering with educational institutions through KuCoin Campus to foster blockchain understanding and offer access to Web3, technology, and ecosystem resources, thereby nurturing the blockchain industry's development in . Glo-cal Strategy and Team Localization: Establishing a dedicated, localized team to better understand and serve the specific needs of Indian investors and users. Going "Glo-cal" underscores KuCoin's priority as going global with a localization focus. Johnny Lyu , CEO of KuCoin, remarked, "KuCoin places utmost importance on user asset security. By successfully completing this registration in India , we are set to enhance the Indian users' experience and reaffirm our dedication to compliance and security. This milestone allows us to advance the conversation on crypto adoption in India , emphasizing user security and trading excellence. Additionally, it accelerates our investment and educational initiatives in India , aiming to stimulate industry growth and foster the blockchain landscape's sustainable development. We are eager to support local innovation and build enduring educational partnerships to contribute significantly to India's blockchain ecosystem. With this development, we at KuCoin welcome partners to join us, and promote the development of the cryptocurrency industry in India " KuCoin is immensely excited to embark on this journey with our Indian users, unlocking a realm of new possibilities and opportunities. KuCoin is eager to grow stronger together, fostering a collaborative and thriving blockchain community. Looking ahead, KuCoin is optimistic about the future we will build in Indiaa future bright with innovation, progress, and shared success. About KuCoin Launched in September 2017 , KuCoin is a global cryptocurrency exchange with its operational headquarters in Seychelles . As a user-oriented platform with a focus on inclusiveness and community action reach, it offers over 800 digital assets and currently provides Spot trading, Margin trading, P2P Fiat trading, Futures trading, Staking, and Lending to its 30 million users in more than 200 countries and regions. KuCoin is currently one of the top 7 crypto exchanges. In 2023, KuCoin was named one of the Best Crypto Exchanges by Forbes and recognized as a highly commended global exchange in Finder's 2023 Global Cryptocurrency Trading Platform Awards. Learn more at https://www.kucoin.com . View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kucoin-pioneers-as-the-first-fiu-compliant-global-crypto-exchange-in-india-302097353.html SOURCE KuCoin SINGAPORE , March 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Oak Grove Ventures , a pioneering early-stage investment firm in Web3, AI and biotech, is thrilled to announce the hosting of an exclusive industry event, Oak Grove Crypto 2024, set to take place on April 5th , one day before the highly anticipated Hong Kong Web3 Festival. The event is expected to draw an audience of 500-1000 attendees, comprising the most innovative minds and influential figures within the Web3 community, with a focus on discussing trending topics across AI, DePIN, Gaming, Bitcoin infrastructure, Bitcoin Ordinals and more. Co-Hosted with Polyhedra , the ZK infrastructure that empowers interoperability and computation via cutting-edge zero-knowledge proof systems, Alchemy Pay , a leading crypto payments solution provider that seamless connects fiat and crypto global economies for businesses, developers and end users, Ritual , the world's first community-owned AI network, and ChainCatcher , a leading Web3 Chinese media with over 1 million users and 1.5 billion reads, Oak Grove Crypto 2024 is designed to be a convergence point for thought leaders, innovators, and pioneers in Web3 and to facilitate discussions that will shape the next five years of the industry. This year, Oak Grove Ventures is proud to feature an impressive lineup of leading projects and platforms that are at the forefront of the Web3 revolution, including Binance , CoinMarketCap , BNB Chain , Trust Wallet , TRON , NEAR Protocol , Gate.io , Tabi , OKX Wallet , Bitget Wallet , Manta Network , Neo , io.net , Merlin Chain , Lifeform , Delysium , IoTeX , BounceBit , UniSat , Chromia , Conflux Network , Bit.Store , Scallop , zkMe , OKX Ventures , Xverse , Avail , Virtual Protocol , Story Protocol , Tap Protocol , Network3 , Bitlight Labs , Chasm , Reddio and Coinmaster.jp , as well as Amazon Web Services (AWS) , Google Cloud and LaPay , highlighting the diverse and dynamic nature of the Web3 ecosystem. With around 30+ esteemed institutions confirmed to join, Oak Grove Crypto 2024 promises to be an unparalleled opportunity for networking and knowledge exchange, with a curated agenda that includes keynote speeches, panel discussion and interactive sessions. Attendees will have the chance to engage with the movers and shakers of the Web3 world, gaining insights on the latest trends in Web3 such as Bitcoin, L2, DeFi, Infrastructure investment strategies and the impact of Web3 on global industries. Secure your spot and seize the opportunity to connect with top minds of the industry here: https://lu.ma/oakgrove2024 . About Oak Grove Ventures Oak Grove Ventures is an investment firm specializing in early-stage investments, with a primary focus on cutting-edge technology sectors such as Web3, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Biotechnology. Website | Twitter About Polyhedra Polyhedra Network is building the next generation of secure, interoperable, and scalable Web3 infrastructure with advanced zero-knowledge proof technology. The team has developed and deployed several next-generation zk-SNARK protocols resulting in performance improvements orders of magnitude faster than existing solutions. Their interoperability solution, zkBridge, connects over 25 blockchains and proves the validity of cross-chain messages utilizing zero-knowledge proofs. Developers building with Polyhedra Network can create secure, scalable, interoperable applications without any additional trust assumptions. Website | Twitter About Alchemy Pay Founded in Singapore in 2017, Alchemy Pay is a payment gateway that seamlessly connects crypto with traditional fiat currencies for businesses, developers, and end users. With its On & Off-Ramp solution, Crypto Card and Crypto Payments, Alchemy Pay supports payments in 173 countries. The Ramp is a one-stop solution to buy and sell crypto and fiat, easily integrated by platforms and dApps according to requirements. The Crypto Card solution empowers businesses and token issuers to provide users with branded virtual and physical cards for instant global spending. ACH is listed on world renowned exchanges like Binance, Coinbase and more. Website | Twitter About Ritual Ritual is building the first decentralized execution layer for AI. Ritual was founded by a team of operators and investors from the likes of Polychain, Paradigm, Coinbase, Protocol Labs, and Palantir, and raised $25m+ in fundraising from top crypto VCs. Visit ritual.net to learn more. Website | Twitter About ChainCatcher ChainCatcher is a leading Web3 Chinese media started in 2018, accessing to 1M+ readers and 800M annual visiting volume, our partners including Binance, OKX, Scroll, Manta, Puffer Finance, Filecoin, HashKey, Solana, Metis, Mina .etc. Website | Twitter View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oak-grove-crypto-2024-unlocking-the-next-five-years-of-web3-this-april-5th-302097629.html SOURCE Alchemy Pay Taiwan on its way to becoming a smart application exporter TAIPEI , March 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "World System Integrator Conference (WSIC) 2024" was held by the Ministry of Digital Affairs on March 19 at Hall 2 of Nangang Exhibition Center. On behalf of the ministry, Deputy Minister Huai-jen Lee warmly welcomed representatives from various domestic and international entities to the conference. The opening remarks were also delivered by guests of honor including Dr. Brain Shen , Chairman of ASOCIO; and Ms. Giang Nguyen , Vice Chairwoman and General Secretary of VINASA. The conference witnessed over 200 domestic and international digital technology enterprises, industry associations, and delegations, making it the largest gathering in its history. This year's WSIC, themed "Digital Services Accelerating Sustainable Development," addressed vital topics including "Digital Transformation and Sustainable Development," "Cross-Border Cooperation in System Integration," and "Global Partnerships in Digital Services." In addition to Mr. Jacek Kubas from EBRD sharing insights on digital technology resource deployment and regional development planning, experts from Southeast Asia also presented their countries' smart needs and solutions in various fields like smart living, smart transportation, and data market applications. During the conference, 9 MoUs were signed between Turn Cloud Technology, Linker Vision, KOGI Corporation, iMedtac, 3egreen, JGB Smart Property, UniRing Robotics, Airtree Inc., Institute for Information Industry and their counterparts from Vietnam , Malaysia , Japan , Thailand , Dubai , and Arabia, aiming to facilitate cross-border implementation of our country's industries. During his WSIC speech, Deputy Minister emphasized that assisting Taiwanese companies in exporting digital technology applications has always been one of the important tasks of the Ministry of Digital Affairs. The Administration for Digital Industries actively constructs platforms for system integration and international linkage of digital services. The success of Taiwan's digital technology export efforts was vividly demonstrated at the WSIC, affirming Taiwan's global recognition for technical expertise in system integration and digital services. Mr. Lee also underscored the pivotal role of digital technology in driving innovation across industries, emphasizing its significance in achieving sustainable development goals and how its integration can create new ecosystems, generating increased business value and social benefits. The "World System Integrator Conference" serves as a collaborative platform for exporting Taiwan's digital technologies. In its sixth year, the event welcomed the collaboration from 8 overseas institutions. The Ministry of Digital Affairs remains committed to promoting Taiwan's smart system integration solutions internationally, aspiring to be the premier trusted global hub for digital technology. By enhancing Taiwan's brand identity, fostering cross-domain services rooted in "Taiwanese values," and injecting new energy into the digital industry, we aim to cultivate a dynamic digital ecosystem. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/world-system-integrator-conference-wsic-2024--a-showcase-of-new-initiatives-302097567.html SOURCE Ministry of Digital Affairs MOGADISHU (Reuters) - At least 17 people were killed in Somalia on Saturday after Islamist group al Shabaab attacked a military base. The Busley base, in the Lower Shabelle region in the country's southwest, was briefly occupied by the attackers, security officials and the group said. Armed fighters from al Shabaab battled their way to the facility using suicide car bombs, a Somalia military officer told Reuters. He declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media. "Several suicide car bombs attacked the base after fierce fighting...al Shabaab briefly captured the base," the officer said. "Then, government reinforcement fiercely battled and drove out al Shabaab." Seven Somalia soldiers, including the commander of the base, and 10 al Shabaab fighters were killed in the fighting, he said. Some residents in the area told Reuters al Shabaab also burned military vehicles and took others during the assault. Al Shabaab issued a statement claiming responsibility for the attack. It said it had killed 57 government soldiers. The group frequently gives casualty figures that are higher than those of the government. Somalia government officials could not be reached for comment. The al Qaeda-allied group has been fighting for nearly two decades, aiming to topple Somalia's central government and establish its own rule based on its strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law. (Reporting by Abdi Sheikh; Additional reporting by Feisal Omar; Writing by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Mike Harrison) File photo: An aerial view shows the BRP Sierra Madre on the contested Second Thomas Shoal, locally known as Ayungin, in the South China Sea, March 9, 2023. MANILA/SHANGHAI (Reuters) -China's coastguard said it had taken measures against Philippine vessels in disputed waters of the South China Sea on Saturday, while the Philippines decried the moves, including the use of water cannons, as "irresponsible and provocative". China's actions led to "significant damage" and injury to personnel on a civilian boat hired to resupply troops, the Philippine task force on the South China Sea said in a statement. The incident occurred in the Second Thomas Shoal and Spratly Islands waters, according to the Chinese coastguard. The shoal is home to a small number of Filipino troops stationed on a warship that Manila grounded there in 1999 to reinforce its sovereignty claims. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including the Second Thomas Shoal, which is within the Philippines' 200-mile (320-km) exclusive economic zone, and has deployed vessels to patrol the disputed atoll. A 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration found that China's sweeping claims have no legal basis. The civilian boat was being escorted by two Philippine navy ships and two Philippine coastguard vessels, according to a statement from the Philippine military. A Philippine coastguard vessel was "impeded" and "encircled" by a Chinese coastguard vessel and two Chinese maritime militia vessels, the Philippine coastguard said in a separate statement. VESSEL ISOLATED As a result, the Philippine coastguard vessel was "isolated" from the resupply boat by the "irresponsible and provocative behaviour" of the Chinese maritime forces, the agency said. Washington "stands with its ally the Philippines and condemns the dangerous actions" of China, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement. "The PRCs actions are destabilizing to the region and show clear disregard for international law," Miller said, referring to the People's Republic of China. Gan Yu, a spokesperson for China's coastguard, said the Philippines had broken a promise to remove the grounded vessel and sent two coastguard ships and a supply ship into the Second Thomas Shoal waters, 18 days after the last round of supplies. China has not said who promised the removal or when that promise was made. The Philippine defence ministry, foreign ministry and military leaders have repeatedly said there was no such promise. Gan said the Philippines had on Saturday infringed and provoked trouble, and deliberately undermined the peace and stability of the South China Sea. The Philippine vessels ignored China's repeated warnings and route controls and forced their way in, Gan added. The China coastguard implements regulations in accordance with laws and handles matters in a reasonable, legal, and professional manner, he said. "If the Philippines continues to act unilaterally, China will continue to take resolute measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," China's foreign ministry said. "All consequences caused by this shall be borne by the Philippines." But the Philippines will not be deterred "by veiled threats or hostility" from exercising its legal rights over its maritime zones, including the Second Thomas Shoal, its task force said. (Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales in Manila and the Beijing and Shanghai Newsrooms; additional reporting by Simon Lewis in Washington; Editing by William Mallard, David Holmes and Jonathan Oatis) By David Shepardson and Rajesh Kumar Singh WASHINGTON/CHICAGO (Reuters) - United Airlines said late Friday that U.S. safety regulators will boost scrutiny of the airline after a series of recent safety incidents. United's corporate safety vice president, Sasha Johnson, said in a memo that over the next several weeks employees will see more of a presence by the Federal Aviation Administration "in our operation as they begin to review some of our work processes, manuals and facilities." The Chicago-based airline has experienced several emergencies in the past two weeks. On March 15 , an external panel was found to be missing from a United aircraft when it landed in Oregon, prompting an FAA investigation. Before that incident, a United Airlines-operated Boeing 737 MAX rolled onto the grass in Houston. A United-operated Boeing 777-200 bound for Japan also lost a tire after takeoff from San Francisco and was diverted to Los Angeles, where it landed safely. The incidents "have rightfully caused us to pause and evaluate whether there is anything we can and should do differently," Johnson's memo said adding "We welcome their engagement and are very open to hear from them about what they find and their perspective on things we may need to change to make us even safer." On Tuesday, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker told Reuters the agency was going to look at United more closely, saying United CEO Scott Kirby "knows we're going to be engaging a little more closely with them as we look into these." Asked for comment on United's memo, the FAA said on Friday it "routinely monitors all aspects of an airlines operation" including "compliance with applicable regulations; ability to identify hazards, assess and mitigate risk; and effectively manage safety." Scrutiny on planemaker Boeing has also mounted since a Jan. 5 Alaska Airlines mid-air emergency, with inquiries into safety and quality standards in its production process. Asked about additional attention many aviation incidents are drawing, Whitaker said some events getting coverage are not necessarily unusual but the FAA investigates to ensure there is no broader safety trend. Whitaker said it is important "to try to separate the signal from the noise.... The system works well because it has a lot of redundancy built into it, a lot of resilience." (Reporting by David Shepardson and Rajesh Kumar Singh; Editing by Leslie Adler and David Gregorio) FILE PHOTO: Ganjar Pranowo, presidential candidate of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), accompanied by his running mate Mahfud MD, speaks to journalists after their final campaign rally in Semarang, Central Java province, Indones JAKARTA (Reuters) - The legal team of losing Indonesia presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo filed a complaint at the country's constitutional court on Saturday, calling for a fresh election and disqualification of the winning team of defence minister Prabowo Subianto. Ganjar, a former Central Java governor supported by the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), received 16% of the votes in last month's election, behind defence minister Prabowo, who won almost 60% of the votes, and former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, who received 25%, an official tally showed. Prabowo is slated to be inaugurated this October. In a statement Todung Mulya Lubis, a lawyer with Ganjar's legal team, said Prabowo's disqualification was being called for on the grounds that his registration had violated legal and ethical provisions and that therefore the election should be re-run. Todung said the election was tainted with nepotism that resulted in "a coordinated abuse of power", he told reporters after filing the case at the constitutional court. A decision last year by the constitutional court to change eligibility rules allowed Gibran Rakabuming Raka, son of outgoing president Joko Widodo (known locally as Jokowi), to become Prabowo's running-mate. Jokowi's brother-in-law was chief justice at the time of the ruling. The legal team of the other losing candidate, Anies Baswedan, also filed a case, calling on Thursday for the court to order an election re-run that excludes Gibran, alleging his last-minute inclusion unfairly swayed the vote. Ganjar's team also complained of a "politicisation of social aid", without elaborating, and have alleged abuse of the election commission's IT system. Prabowo swept to victory with the help of young voters and his promise of continuity. Yusril Mahendra, a lawyer for his campaign, said the team has more than 30 lawyers ready to face any legal challenges. (Reporting by Bernadette Christina; Editing by David Holmes) KANO, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigeria's army has rescued 17 students and a woman who were kidnapped in a dawn raid by armed men two weeks ago in northwest Sokoto state, the state governor said on Saturday. The attack at Tsangaya school on March 9 came two days after the mass abduction of schoolchildren in Kaduna, also in the north. Those students are still missing. Sokoto Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto said the Tsangaya students were freed on Friday following an operation coordinated by the army and the office of the National Security Adviser. "All the children have been found healthy and are ready to be reunited with their parents," he said in a statement, without giving details of the rescue operation. The school owner Liman Abubakar Bakuso said he was travelling to Sokoto capital to bring back the students. "No ransom was paid because I wasn't contacted and the parents of the children were not as well on anything to do with ransom payment," Bakuso told Reuters. Kidnappings by criminal gangs with no ideological affiliation and demanding ransoms have become an almost daily occurrence, especially in northern Nigeria, tearing apart families and communities who have to pool savings to pay ransoms, often forcing them to sell land, cattle and grain to secure their loved ones' release. (Reporting by Hamza Ibrahim in Kano and Ahmed Kingimi in Maiduguri; Writing by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Mark Potter) BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23. The Chairperson of Milli Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan, Sahiba Gafarova, has sent letters of condolences to the Chairwoman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, Valentina Matviyenko, and the Chairman of the Russian Parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, Trend reports. According to the Azerbaijan Parliament, the chairwoman expressed her deep sorrow over the deaths of civilians as a result of the tragic events that took place in the Crocus City Hall concert hall. She strongly condemned the terrorist act, and on behalf of herself and members of the Azerbaijan Parliament, she expressed condolences to the Russian people, members of the Federation Council and Russian Parliament, relatives of the victims, and wished the injured a speedy recovery. To note, the incident unfolded when unidentified individuals began shooting at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, prompting evacuations, according to reports from Russian operational services. Eyewitnesses reported that people dressed in camouflage attire fired shots from machine guns inside Crocus City Hall, just before the scheduled concert by the Picnic group. Director of the Federal Security Service of Russia Alexander Bortnikov reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the detention of 11 people, including four terrorists involved in the attack at Crocus City Hall. According to the Investigative Committee of Russia, the death toll in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall has risen to 133 people with more than 100 injured. The preliminary causes of death at Crocus Hall were gunshot wounds and poisoning from combustion products. The terrorists set fire to combustible liquid, which caused a fire to break out on the Crocus Hall grounds. During the attack, the terrorists employed automatic guns. The guns were located by the investigators. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel By Marco Aquino LIMA (Reuters) - The Peruvian government said on Friday it has awarded a subsidiary of Chinese firm Jinzhao a contract to build a port in the south of the Andean nation, expected to require $405 million in investments. As part of the deal, Jinzhao Peru will receive a concession to operate the port for 30 years, according to the head of state investment agency Proinversion, Jose Salardi. "We hope that construction begins by the end of 2025 or beginning of 2026, with the first phase of the port coming online around two years later," Salardi told Reuters after the event. With the project, Jinzhao will become the second Chinese firm to build and operate a port in Peru, one of the world's top copper producers. In the north of Peru, a subsidiary of Chinese firm Cosco Shipping Ports is building a "megaport" set to kick off operations at the end of this year. Jinzhao's port, in the southern region of Ica, is near its Pampa de Pongo iron project, set to require a $2.34 billion investment in its "pre-feasibility stage." The port will transport bulk goods as well as iron concentrate and copper, according to Proinversion. In total, it will reactivate mining projects worth $15 billion, Salardi said. (Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Kylie Madry; Editing by Leslie Adler) A digital board with a date and a slogan, that reads "We mourn" displayed in memory of victims of the shooting incident, is seen opposite the burning Crocus City Hall concert venue on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia, March 23, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov By Guy Faulconbridge, Alexander Marrow and Mark Trevelyan MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia said on Saturday it had arrested all four gunmen suspected of carrying out a shooting massacre in a concert hall near Moscow, and President Vladimir Putin pledged to track down and punish those behind the attack. Militant Islamist group Islamic State claimed responsibility for Friday's rampage, but there were indications that Russia was pursuing a Ukrainian link, despite emphatic denials from Ukrainian officials that Kyiv had anything to do with it. Moscow regional Governor Andrei Vorobyov said 133 bodies had been recovered from the rubble in 24 hours and doctors were "fighting for the lives of 107 people". State TV editor Margarita Simonyan, without citing a source, had earlier given a toll of 143. In a televised address, Putin said 11 people had been detained, including the four gunmen. "They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them on the Ukrainian side to cross the state border," he said. Russia's FSB security service said the gunmen had contacts in Ukraine and were captured near the border. It said they were being transferred to Moscow. Neither Putin nor the FSB publicly presented any proof of a link with Ukraine, with which Russia has been waging war since Moscow invaded 25 months ago. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said it was typical of Putin and "other thugs" to seek to divert blame. Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson Andriy Yusov told Reuters: "Ukraine was of course not involved in this terror attack. Ukraine is defending its sovereignty from Russian invaders, liberating its own territory and is fighting with the occupiers army and military targets, not civilians." Islamic State has a strong motivation to strike Russia, which intervened against it in Syria's civil war in 2015, and security analysts said the IS claim seemed plausible as it fit the pattern of past attacks. PUTIN ADDRESS Putin cast the enemy as "international terrorism" and said he was ready to work with any state that wanted to defeat it. "All the perpetrators, organisers and those who ordered this crime will be justly and inevitably punished. Whoever they are, whoever is guiding them," Putin said. "We will identify and punish everyone who stands behind the terrorists, who prepared this atrocity, this strike against Russia, against our people." A senior Russian lawmaker, Andrei Kartapolov, said that if Ukraine was involved, then Russia must deliver a "worthy, clear and concrete" reply on the battlefield. Western nations, including the United States whose ties with Moscow have been fraught since its invasion of Ukraine, condemned the attack and expressed sympathy for the Russian people affected. Arab powers and many former Soviet republics also expressed shock and sent their condolences. The White House said the U.S. government shared information with Russia early this month about a planned attack in Moscow, and issued a public advisory to Americans in Russia on March 7. It said Islamic State bore sole responsibility for the attack. "There was no Ukrainian involvement whatsoever," U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said on Saturday. But Russia's ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, said early on Sunday the U.S. had not shared any specific information with the embassy before the shooting. "No specific information, nothing was given to us," Antonov said, according to Russia's TASS state news agency. He said there has also been no contact after the attack. Verified footage showed camouflage-clad gunmen opening fire with automatic weapons in the Crocus City Hall near Moscow. Video showed people taking their seats, then rushing for the exits as repeated gunfire echoed above screams. Investigators said some died from gunshot wounds and others in a huge fire that broke out in the complex. Reports said the gunmen lit the blaze using petrol from canisters they carried in rucksacks. People fled in panic. Baza, a news outlet with good contacts in Russian security and law enforcement, said 28 bodies were found in a toilet and 14 on a staircase. "Many mothers were found embracing their children," it said. Russian lawmaker Alexander Khinshtein said the attackers fled in a Renault vehicle that was spotted by police in Bryansk region, about 340 km (210 miles) southwest of Moscow on Friday night. He said a car chase ensued after they disobeyed orders to stop. Khinshtein said a pistol, a magazine for an assault rifle, and passports from Tajikistan were found in the car. Tajikistan is a mainly Muslim Central Asian state that used to be part of the Soviet Union. BBC News' Russian Service quoted an unnamed source familiar with the security response as saying one attacker was killed in the concert hall, and another in the car in Bryansk. The BBC said it had a copy of that dead man's passport, who it said was a 30-year-old citizen of Tajikistan. SUSPECT INTERROGATED TV editor Simonyan published a video showing one of the suspects, a young, bearded man, being interrogated aggressively by a roadside, replying in heavily accented Russian to a series of barked questions. He said he had flown from Turkey on March 4 and had received instructions from unknown people via Telegram to carry out the attack in exchange for money. The man was trembling throughout the questioning. He was initially shown lying on his stomach with his hands bound behind his back, his chin resting on the boot of a figure in camouflage uniform. Later he was hauled up onto his knees. Another man with cuts and bruises to his face was shown being questioned via an interpreter while sitting on a bench with bound hands and feet. The Kremlin said Putin had held conversations with the leaders of Belarus, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in which all sides affirmed their willingness to work together to fight terrorism. GUNFIRE AND SCREAMS Long lines formed in Moscow on Saturday for people to donate blood. Health officials said more than 120 people were wounded. Russia tightened security at airports, transport hubs and across the capital, and big public events were cancelled across the country. Islamic State, which once sought control over swathes of Iraq and Syria, claimed responsibility for the attack, the group's Amaq agency said on Telegram. Islamic State said its fighters attacked on the outskirts of Moscow, "killing and wounding hundreds and causing great destruction to the place before they withdrew to their bases safely". The statement gave no further detail. On Saturday it released a photograph of what it said were the four attackers, as well as what it said was footage of the attack. The roughly 90-second video showed a close-up view of one of the gunmen opening fire on several victims as he entered what appears to be the concert hall. A U.S. official said the United States had intelligence confirming Islamic State's claim of responsibility for the shooting. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity said Washington had warned Moscow "appropriately" in recent weeks of the possibility of an attack. Friday's attack, about 20 km (12 miles) from the Kremlin, happened two weeks after the U.S. embassy in Russia warned that "extremists" had imminent plans for an attack in Moscow. Hours before the embassy warning, the FSB said it had foiled an attack on a Moscow synagogue by Islamic State's affiliate in Afghanistan, known as ISIS-Khorasan or ISIS-K, which seeks a caliphate across Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Iran. Putin changed the course of the Syrian civil war by intervening in 2015, supporting President Bashar al-Assad against the opposition and Islamic State. "ISIS-K has been fixated on Russia for the past two years, frequently criticizing Putin in its propaganda," said Colin Clarke of the Soufan Center, a New York-based research group. The broader Islamic State group has claimed deadly attacks across the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Europe, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Reuters correspondents in Moscow, Alexander Marrow and Mark Trevelyan in London, Dan Peleschuk in Kyiv and Elaine Monaghan in Washington; Editing by Mark Potter, Frances Kerry, Alex Richardson, Daniel Wallis and William Mallard) CAIRO (Reuters) - U.S. forces conducted self-defense strikes against three Houthi underground weapons storage facilities in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Friday. The strikes targeted capabilities used by the Houthis to threaten and attack naval and merchant vessels in the region, it posted in a statement on X. CENTCOM also said its forces had destroyed four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen in self-defense. Attacks by Yemen's Houthis in the Red Sea region, which the Iran-aligned militants say are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to take longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa. The head of the Houthi supreme revolutionary committee, Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi, said earlier there had been "reckless" U.S.-British attacks on Yemen. The Houthi-run Saba News Agency said U.S. and British aircraft had launched five raids on Hodeidah, the area where Yemen's main port is located. CENTCOM said that during the time frame of the U.S. attacks on the UAVs, Houthi militants had fired four anti-ship ballistic missiles from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Red Sea. "There were no injuries or damage reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships," it said. CENTCOM said its strikes on the storage facilities were "actions are necessary to protect our forces, ensure freedom of navigation, and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels." (Reporting by Ahmed Tolba; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and William Mallard) A video screen grab shows Navajo Code Talkers during World War II. (YouTube) (Tribune News Service) Zonnie Gorman grew up hearing her fathers stories about World War II and the work he did on the Pacific front. As she got older she realized his work was not only pivotal to the Allied victory but a testament to the ingenuity and bravery of the Navajo Nation men who were code talkers. Zonnies father, Carl N. Gorman, was one of the original Navajo code talkers, also known as the first 29. The group of Navajo Marines developed a code for transmitting information back and forth to American troops based on the unwritten Navajo language. Zonnie has dedicated her life to preserving the history of the Navajo code talkers. As one of the foremost experts on the matter, she was invited to speak at the Capitol Theatre for the Yakima Town Hall speaker series. She delivered her lecture on Wednesday, where she shared her familys history, the formation of the first 29 Navajo code talkers, their struggles to develop an efficient code and their eventual success. In World War II, being able to send secret communications over communication mediums like radio was essential. Countries on both sides of the conflict rushed to develop and improve their encryption methods. The Wehrmacht had the Enigma machine, which eluded Allied forces for most of the war. Though the U.S. armed forces had similar cipher devices, they were bigger, bulkier and not fit for field use. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. was thrust into the war and the need for safe communication lines was immediate. History In her lecture, Zonnie separated the popular narrative, that Native Americans were first used to send encoded messages during World War II, from the historical fact that they had contributed to past war efforts in similar ways as far back as World War I. The U.S. Army had used Native people in World War I, Zonnie said. The Marine Corps however had never used a Native American language, so this was new to them. So they were a little apprehensive about it. Zonnie described the first time the Navajo languages capacity for sending encoded messages was demonstrated. Philip Johnston, a World War I veteran and civil engineer, spent most of his childhood living on the Navajo Reservation as the son of a missionary. Not long after Pearl Harbor was bombed, he conceived the idea of the Navajo code talkers. Familiar with the tribes complex language and the need for secure military communications, Johnston took his idea to the Navy but eventually ended up presenting it to Gen. Clayton B. Vogel. Phillip Johnston found some Navajos that were living in Los Angeles at the time and he brought them to base, Zonnie said. What the Marine Corps did is they gave them some sample messages, very typical messages that would be sent in a war situation. The Navajo men were given a few minutes to go through the messages and fill in the gaps with replacement words where Navajo and English have none in common. We dont have words for bombs, tanks, those kinds of things, so they needed to have something that they could use as a term for that, Zonnie said. A video screen grab shows a Navajo Code Talkers paraphernalia. (YouTube) After the demonstration, Vogel wrote a two-page memo to the commandant of the Marine Corps, Lt. Gen. Alexander A. Vandegrift. The memo expressed full support of the Navajo men and their ability to serve the Marine Corps. Program begins On April 6, the Marine Corps officially began the Navajo code talkers pilot program. Though Vogel recommended 200 Navajo men be recruited for the effort, Marine Corps leadership decided to start with 30 instead. Zonnie said it was around this time her father was recruited to the program. He told her a Navajo man approached Carl and his friends with information about the U.S. armed forces seeking Navajo men for a special assignment. My dad and his buddies, they kind of talked about it and said Maybe well get one of those nice uniforms and well get new shoes and three square meals a day, Zonnie said. Carl responded to the call and days later, was sent to San Diego for boot camp, along with the other 28 Navajo recruits. The 30th recruit, Zonnie discovered in her research, was a man who did not show up the day the code talkers were transported to California. The 29 recruits became the 382nd Platoon, the first all-Native American platoon in the history of the Marine Corps. Seven weeks later, after having exceeded expectations for their performance, all 29 recruits graduated from boot camp, an anomaly in the Marine Corps, where even to this day, about 10% of recruits do not make it through boot camp. It wasnt until after boot camp that the men learned about the nature of their recruitment. While most accounts of this part of their story say the recruits agreed and began developing the code, Zonnie said some concerns led to in-depth conversations among the 29 men about using their language. As one of the most coveted cultural touchstones in any society, language can define a culture. Using the language in war and imbuing it with filler words for the purposes of developing the code, was something all recruits had to agree on. It wasnt just oh yeah sure, well make a code. Zonnie said. It was a lot of thought and a lot of consideration from a cultural perspective about what they did. A lot more than what the popular narrative gives them credit for. After developing the code, which required a high-level understanding of both English and Navajo, the first 29 went on to prove the success of their methods on the Pacific front. By the end of the war in 1945, there were more than 400 Navajo code talkers serving in the Marine Corps. Their skills were employed across dozens of battles including those at Gudalcanal, Saipan, Guam and Iwo Jima. Decades later in 1968, the Navajo code talker program would be declassified by the federal government. In 2001, the original 29 code talkers were awarded Congressional Gold Medals and the other hundreds of code talkers that followed received a silver medal, according to the National Archives. Santiago Ochoas reporting for the Yakima Herald-Republic is possible with support from Report for America and community members through the Yakima Valley Community Fund. For information on republishing, email news@yakimaherald.com. (c)2024 Yakima Herald-Republic (Yakima, Wash.) Visit Yakima Herald-Republic Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. In this screen grab from video provided by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, a Chinese coast guard ship tries to block a Philippine resupply vessel Unaizah May 4 as it approaches Second Thomas Shoal, locally called Ayungin shoal, at the disputed South China Sea on Saturday, March 23, 2024. (Armed Forces of the Philippines/AP) MANILA, Philippines Chinese coast guard ships hit a Philippine supply boat with water cannons Saturday in the latest confrontation near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, causing injuries to its navy crew members and heavy damage to the wooden vessel, Philippine officials said. The United States and Japan immediately expressed their support to the Philippines, as well as alarm over Chinese forces aggression off the Second Thomas Shoal, which has been the scene of repeated confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels over the past year. The far-flung shoal has been occupied by a small contingent of Philippine navy and marines on a marooned warship since 1999, but has been surrounded by Chinese coast guard and suspected militia vessels in an increasingly tense territorial standoff. Its the second time the Philippine boat Unaizah May 4 has been damaged by the Chinese coast guards water cannon assault in March alone. The repeated high-seas confrontations have sparked fears they could degenerate into a larger conflict that could bring China and the United States into a collision. Washington lays no claims to the busy seaway, a key global trade route, but has deployed Navy ships and fighter jets in what it calls freedom of navigation operations, which China has criticized. The U.S. has also warned repeatedly that its obligated to defend the Philippines its oldest treaty ally in Asia if Filipino forces, ships or aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea. U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement Saturday that the United States stands with its ally the Philippines and condemns the dangerous actions by the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the South China Sea on March 23. He said the Chinese ships repeated employment of water cannons and reckless blocking maneuvers resulted in injuries to Filipino service members and significant damage to their resupply vessel, rendering it immobile. Escorted by two Philippine coast guard ships, the Unaizah May 4 was en route to deliver supplies and a fresh batch of Filipino sailors to the territorial outpost in the shoal at dawn Saturday when they were blocked and surrounded by Chinese coast guard ships and suspected militia vessels. Their reckless and dangerous actions culminated with the water cannoning of Unaizah May 4, causing severe damage to the vessel and injuries to Filipinos onboard, a Philippine government task force dealing with the territorial conflicts said without elaborating. The two Philippine coast guard patrol ships maneuvered through the Chinese blockade to treat the injured Filipino crew members and tow the disabled supply boat away. Another motorboat managed to transport the new batch of Filipino sailors and supplies to the Philippine outpost in the shallows of the shoal despite the Chinese coast guards attempt to block them by placing a floating barrier in the waters, Philippine officials said. The hostilities dragged on for about 8 hours, they said. The Philippines will not be deterred by veiled threats or hostility from exercising our legal rights over our maritime zones, the government task force said in a statement. We demand that China demonstrate in deeds and not in words that it is a responsible and trustworthy member of the international community. Chinese coast guard spokesperson Gan Yu said the Philippine vessels intruded into what he said was Chinas territorial waters despite repeated warnings. The China coast guard implemented lawful regulation, interception and expulsion in a reasonable and professional manner, Gan said. Washingtons ambassador to Manila, MaryKay Carlson, said that the U.S. stands with the Philippines against the PRCs repeated dangerous maneuvers and water cannons to disrupt the Philippine coast guards lawful activities in Manilas exclusive economic zone. Japans ambassador-designate to Manila, Endo Kazuya, reiterated his countrys grave concern on the repeated dangerous actions by the Chinese coast guard in the South China Sea, which resulted in Filipino injuries. Aside from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping claims in the resource-rich and busy waterway, which Beijing continues to claim virtually in its entirety despite a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated its expansive claims on historical grounds. Video released by the Philippine military shows two Chinese coast guard ships hitting the smaller wooden-hulled boat Unaiza May 4 with high-pressure water cannon sprays at close range, causing the boat to shift in the high seas. Chinese coast guard previously blasted the Unaizah May 4 with high-pressure water cannons in a confrontation near the Second Thomas Shoal on March 5, shattering its windshield and slightly injuring a Filipino admiral and four of his men with glass shards and splinters of debris. The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila summoned Chinas deputy ambassador after the March 5 confrontation to convey a protest against the Chinese coast guards actions, which it said were unacceptable. Associated Press writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. (Facebook/Air New Zealand) The global airline industry has long warned passengers theyll eventually have to pay some of the $5 trillion cost of decarbonizing air travel. The moment has come. Singapores government has announced a tax on air fares to fund purchases of pricey sustainable aviation fuel, while neighboring Malaysia has authorized carriers to charge people a carbon levy from next month. In Europe, airlines this year lose one quarter of their free emissions allowance, the first in a series of reductions thats already estimated to be adding to ticket prices. Weve entered a new era, said Rico Luman, a transport, logistics and automotive economist at ING Groep NV in Amsterdam. Flying will turn more expensive. While the policies differ from country to country, the common goal is to clean up an aviation industry that for a century has relied on fossil fuels to function. Airline chiefs fret that unless they show theyre serious about cutting emissions right now, theyll face fines, flying limits or - worst of all - be grounded completely. Sustainable aviation fuel, a cleaner-burning liquid made from waste oils or agricultural feedstock, is the industrys primary means of reaching its 2050 net zero target. But the new fuel is in short supply and can be more than double the price of normal jet kerosene, leaving airlines little choice but to pass the cost onto passengers. It means little price respite for flyers whove been whacked by soaring prices since air travel resumed after the pandemic. Now, theyll have to pay to neutralize aviations carbon footprint, too. That change is expensive, Kiri Hannifin, Air New Zealand Ltd.s chief sustainability officer, said in an interview this week. We do need to start talking to Kiwis about what flying is doing, why its impactful, why weve got to change. Air New Zealand wants sustainable fuel to account for around 20% of its total fuel consumption by 2030, one of the most ambitious targets of its kind anywhere in the world. Delta Air Lines Inc., Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., and Qantas Airways Ltd. are among those with a 10% target by the end of the decade. Singapore, Malaysia Sustainable aviation fuel can cut emissions by as much as 80%. The greener fuel is essential to reduce emissions from long-haul flights, the source of most air-travel pollution, because electric planes dont have sufficient range. Hydrogen propulsion isnt expected to make a meaningful impact for decades. With time running out, air-travel levies or mandates to buy or supply sustainable aviation fuel are rippling across the globe from Japan and Singapore to the European Union and the UK. The measures are designed to forcefully accelerate emissions reductions and assure green fuel suppliers that there will be buyers for their new, relatively expensive product. Voluntary measures have largely failed, said Dan Rutherford, director of research at the International Council on Clean Transportation. The most effective policies are those that apply equally to all airlines instead of singling out carriers from a certain country, he said. Singapore, for instance, aims to have all departing flights take off with 1% sustainable aviation fuel in jets tanks from 2026, rising to between 3% and 5% by 2030. The levy will vary depending on the length of the flight and the class of travel. An economy flight to London in 2026 would rise by S$16 ($12) under the policy. Malaysia will in April allow airlines flying in and out of Kuala Lumpur to impose a carbon levy, either to pay for sustainable fuel or to fund carbon offsets. Details of the policy appeared in a local Bernama media report this month that was later confirmed by the transport ministry. Under the European Unions ReFuelEU initiative, conventional jet kerosene must be blended with 2% sustainable aviation fuel in 2025, gradually increasing to 70% by 2050. The UK also plans to mandate SAF use next year. Its not just the price of fuel that passengers will absorb. The cost of buying new, less-thirsty aircraft is also dripping down into fares. Qantas, which has started to receive the first of dozens of next-generation planes on order, last week said its raising fares on most domestic routes by an average of 2% to 3%. Price hikes According to INGs Luman, this years reduction to aviations free emissions allowance in the EU may be adding 8 ($8.75) to the price of a return flight between London and Rome. The extra cost would be more than 30 in 2026 at current carbon prices, he said. Luman cautioned that its hard to isolate the precise impact of the policy because other factors including a lack of capacity are also pushing up fares. The International Air Transport Association calculates that aviations transition to net zero will require investment of as much as $5 trillion through 2050. Even those with the most to lose are acknowledging that passengers cant escape the bill. It pains me to suggest that travelers are going to have to pay more, Margy Osmond, chief executive officer of Tourism & Transport Forum Australia, said at a renewable aviation fuels conference in Canberra this week. Theres going to be an additional cost to aviation. Thats all there is to it. With assistance from Ram Anand. A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow on March 22, 2024. (Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP) MOSCOW The suburban Moscow music hall where gunmen opened fire on concertgoers was a blackened, smoldering ruin Saturday as the death toll in the attack surpassed 130 and Russian authorities arrested four suspects. President Vladimir Putin claimed they were captured while fleeing to Ukraine. Kyiv strongly denied any involvement in Fridays assault on the Crocus City Hall music venue in Krasnogorsk, and the Islamic State groups Afghanistan affiliate claimed responsibility. Putin did not mention IS in his speech to the nation, and Kyiv accused him and other Russian politicians of falsely linking Ukraine to the assault to stoke fervor for Russias war in Ukraine, which recently entered its third year. U.S. intelligence officials confirmed the claim by the IS affiliate. ISIS bears sole responsibility for this attack. There was no Ukrainian involvement whatsoever, National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in a statement. The U.S. shared information with Russia in early March about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow and issued a public warning to Americans in Russia, Watson said. Putin said authorities detained a total of 11 people in the attack, which also wounded more than 100. He called it a bloody, barbaric terrorist act and said Russian authorities captured the four suspects as they were trying to escape to Ukraine through a window prepared for them on the Ukrainian side of the border. Russian media broadcast videos that apparently showed the detention and interrogation of the suspects, including one who told the cameras he was approached by an unidentified assistant to an Islamic preacher via a messaging app and paid to take part in the raid. Russian news reports identified the gunmen as citizens of Tajikistan, a former Soviet republic in Central Asia that is predominantly Muslim and borders Afghanistan. Up to 1.5 million Tajiks have worked in Russia and many have Russian citizenship. Tajikistans foreign ministry, which denied initial Russian media reports that mentioned several other Tajiks allegedly involved in the raid, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the arrests. Many Russian hard-liners called for a crackdown on Tajik migrants, but Putin appeared to reject the idea, saying no force will be able to sow the poisonous seeds of discord, panic or disunity in our multi-ethnic society. He declared Sunday a day of mourning and said additional security measures were imposed throughout Russia. The number of dead stood at 133, making the attack the deadliest in Russia in years. Authorities said the toll could still rise. The raid was a major embarrassment for the Russian leader and happened just days after he cemented his grip on the country for another six years in a vote that followed the harshest crackdown on dissent since the Soviet times. Some commentators on Russian social media questioned how authorities, who have relentlessly suppressed any opposition activities and muzzled independent media, failed to prevent the attack despite the U.S. warnings. The assault came two weeks after the U.S. Embassy in Moscow issued a notice urging Americans to avoid crowded places in view of imminent plans by extremists to target large Moscow gatherings, including concerts. Several other Western embassies repeated the warning. Earlier this week, Putin denounced the warning as an attempt to intimidate Russians. Investigators on Saturday combed through the charred wreckage of the hall for more victims. Hundreds of people stood in line in Moscow to donate blood and plasma, Russias health ministry said. Putins claim that the attackers tried to flee to Ukraine followed comments by Russian lawmakers who pointed the finger at Ukraine immediately after the attack. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy angrily rejected Moscows accusations as an attempt by Putin and his lieutenants to shift the blame to Ukraine while treating their own people as expendables. They are burning our cities and they are trying to blame Ukraine, he said in a statement on his messaging app channel. They torture and rape our people and they blame them. They drove hundreds of thousands of their terrorists here to fight us on our Ukrainian soil, and they dont care what happens inside their own country. Images shared by Russian state media showed emergency vehicles still gathered outside the ruins of the concert hall, which could hold more than 6,000 people and hosted many big events, including the 2013 Miss Universe beauty pageant that featured Donald Trump. On Friday, crowds were at the venue for a concert by the Russian rock band Picnic. Videos posted online showed gunmen in the venue shooting civilians at point-blank range. Russian news reports cited authorities and witnesses as saying the attackers threw explosive devices that started the fire, which eventually consumed the building and caused its roof to collapse. Dave Primov, who survived the attack, told the AP that the gunmen were shooting directly into the crowd in the front rows. He described the chaos in the hall as concertgoers raced to escape: People began to panic, started to run and collided with each other. Some fell down and others trampled on them. After he and others crawled out of the hall into nearby utility rooms, he said he heard pops from small explosives and smelled burning as the attackers set the building ablaze. By the time they got out of the massive building 25 minutes later, it was engulfed in flames. Had it been just a little longer, we could simply get stuck there in the fire, Primov said. Messages of outrage, shock and support for the victims and their families streamed in from around the world. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement that the U.S. condemned the attack and noted that the Islamic State group is a common terrorist enemy that must be defeated everywhere. IS, which lost much of its ground after Russias military action in Syria, has long targeted Russia. In a statement posted by the groups Aamaq news agency, ISs Afghanistan affiliate said it had attacked a large gathering of Christians in Krasnogorsk. The group issued a new statement Saturday on Aamaq saying the attack was carried out by four men who used automatic rifles, a pistol, knives and firebombs. It said the assailants fired at the crowd and used knives to kill some concertgoers, casting the raid as part of ISs ongoing war with countries that it says are fighting Islam. In October 2015, a bomb planted by IS downed a Russian passenger plane over Sinai, killing all 224 people on board, most of them Russian vacation-goers returning from Egypt. The group, which operates mainly in Syria and Iraq but also in Afghanistan and Africa, also has claimed several attacks in Russias volatile Caucasus and other regions in the past years. It recruited fighters from Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union. The groups Afghanistan affiliate is known variously as ISIS-K or IS-K, taking its name from Khorasan Province, a region that covered much of Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia in the Middle Ages. The affiliate has thousands of fighters who have repeatedly carried out attacks in Afghanistan since the country was seized in 2021 by the Taliban, a group with which they are at bitter odds. ISIS-K was behind the August 2021 suicide bombing at Kabul airport that left 13 American troops and about 170 Afghans dead during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal. They also claimed responsibility for a bomb attack in Kerman, Iran, in January that killed 95 people at a memorial procession. On March 7, just hours before the U.S. Embassy warned about imminent attacks, Russias top security agency said it had thwarted an attack on a synagogue in Moscow by an IS cell and killed several of its members in the Kaluga region near the Russian capital. A few days before that, Russian authorities said six alleged IS members were killed in a shootout in Ingushetia, in Russias Caucasus region. Associated Press writers Michael Balsamo in Washington and Colleen Long in Wilmington, Delaware, contributed to this report. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres inspects relief supplies at Al Arish International Airport, after his visit to the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, Saturday, March.23, 2024. (Amr Nabil/AP) RAFAH CROSSING, Egypt U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stood near a long line of waiting trucks Saturday and declared it was time to truly flood Gaza with lifesaving aid, calling the starvation inside the enclave a moral outrage. He urged an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. Guterres spoke on the Egyptian side of the border not far from the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where Israel plans to launch a ground assault despite widespread warnings of a potential catastrophe. More than half of Gazas population has taken refuge there. Any further onslaught will make things even worse worse for Palestinian civilians, worse for hostages and worse for all people in the region, Guterres said. He spoke a day after the U.N. Security Council failed to reach consensus on the wording of a U.S.-sponsored resolution supporting an immediate and sustained cease-fire. Guterres repeatedly noted the difficulties of getting aid into Gaza, for which international aid agencies have largely blamed Israel. Here from this crossing, we see the heartbreak and heartlessness a long line of blocked relief trucks on one side of the gates, the long shadow of starvation on the other, he said. About 7,000 aid trucks are waiting in Egypts North Sinai province to enter Gaza, Gov. Mohammed Abdel-Fadeil Shousha said in a statement. Guterres added: It is time for an ironclad commitment by Israel for total access for humanitarian goods to Gaza, and in the Ramadan spirit of compassion, it is also time for the immediate release of all hostages. He later told journalists that a humanitarian cease-fire and hostage release should occur at the same time. Hamas is believed to be holding around 100 hostages as well as the remains of 30 others taken in its Oct. 7 attack that killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and sparked the war. When asked about Guterres comments, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to a social media post by Foreign Minister Israel Katz accusing the U.N. chief of allowing the world body to become antisemitic and anti-Israeli. An estimated 1.5 million Palestinians now shelter in Rafah after fleeing Israels offensive elsewhere. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday said an Israeli ground assault on Rafah would be a mistake and unnecessary in defeating Hamas. That marked a shift in the position for the United States, whose officials have concluded there is no credible way for getting civilians out of harms way. Netanyahu has vowed to press forward with military-approved plans for the offensive, which he has said is crucial to achieving the stated aim of destroying Hamas. The military has said Rafah is Hamas last major stronghold and ground forces must target four battalions remaining there. Again on Saturday night, Israelis protested in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem against Netanyahu and the government amid fears that surviving hostages held in Gaza are in ever-worsening conditions months into the war. Israels invasion has killed more than 32,000 people, according to Gaza health officials, while leaving much of the enclave in ruins and displacing some 80% of the enclaves 2.3 million people. Gazas Health Ministry said Saturday that the bodies of 72 people killed had been brought to hospitals in the past 24 hours. The Health Ministry doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants, but has said women and children make up the majority of the dead. Israel blames Hamas for civilian deaths and accuses it of operating within residential areas. Fighting raged Saturday around Gazas largest hospital. Israels military says it has killed more than 170 militants in Shifa hospital since its raid began Monday, and the commanding officer of the Southern Command, Yaron Finkelman, on Friday said we will finish this operation only when the last terrorist is in our hands. Nearby Gaza City residents told The Associated Press that Israeli troops had blown up several residential buildings. They are emptying the whole area, said Abdel-Hay Saad, who lives on the western edge of Gaza Citys Rimal neighborhood. Another resident, Mohammed al-Sheikh, said that intense Israeli bombardment was hitting anything moving. Associated Press footage showed columns of smoke billowing over the hospital area. The Health Ministry said five wounded Palestinians trapped at Shifa had died without food, water, medical services. It previously said Israels military had detained health workers, patients and relatives inside the complex. The military claimed it wasnt harming civilians, patients or workers. These conditions are utterly inhumane, the World Health Organizations director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on social media late Friday, Elsewhere, an older woman and five children were killed overnight in an Israeli airstrike on an area between Rafah and Khan Younis, health authorities said. Hunger has become deadly, too. The U.N. and Israels government again traded allegations over the lack of aid delivery to northern Gaza, the first target of Israels offensive in the war and where anguished parents have reported watching children scavenge for bread in the rubble. The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees the backbone of assistance in Gaza, Guterres said alleged that Israel had again denied permission for an aid convoy to deliver to northern Gaza. The agency known as UNRWA said that two months have passed since a convoy could reach there. Israels government replied by alleging again that hundreds of aid trucks were waiting for the U.N. and partners to distribute it. No time for misinformation. Enough, UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma told the AP in response. Samy Magdy reported from Cairo, and Sam Metz from Rabat, Morocco. Jack Jeffery contributed to this report from Jerusalem. Paralyzed Marine Corps veteran Brittany Elliott testified Thursday, March 21, 2024, to House lawmakers about the need for more veterans to have more acess to exoskeleton devices like the one shown here. The device enabled Elliott to walk again. (Lifeward) WASHINGTON Marine Corps veteran Brittany Elliott was paralyzed from the chest down in an auto accident but was able to walk again with a robotic exoskeleton provided to her in a clinical trial sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs. But after three years, a VA doctor determined Elliott no longer qualified for the assistive mobility device and told her to use a wheelchair again. Forcing veterans to stay in wheelchairs when assistive mobility devices are available is not acceptable, Elliott, 34, told lawmakers Thursday in support of the STAND Act during a hearing of the House Veterans Affairs Committees subpanel on health. The STAND Act, or the Spinal Trauma Access to New Devices Act, is legislation sponsored by Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich., a retired Marine Corps lieutenant general. We are systematically failing our veterans by not providing them with rapid access to this technology, he said at the hearing. The exoskeleton is available through a prescription at the VA, though Bergman and other lawmakers said veterans often are not informed about the devices by their doctors or evaluated for their eligibility to receive them. Some lawmakers said reporting requirements and other paperwork that doctors must complete to offer and train patients on the device has discouraged some facilities from offering it. The STAND Act would mandate annual physicals for paralyzed veterans that would include assessments to receive the exoskeleton, which has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. In my view, this bill is critical to codify what the VA already should be doing at annual medical assessments for veterans. I can tell you firsthand that they are not, Elliott said. Brittany Elliott at the congressional football game in 2023. She is pictured with Denis McDonough, secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich., and her father, Morgan Elliott. (Brittany Elliott) VA regulations now allow for powered exoskeletons as a prescribed medical device that is placed over a persons paralyzed or weakened limbs for the purpose of providing ambulation, according to the departments clinical protocol issued in 2018. But Bergman said the legislation is needed to ensure that qualifying veterans can access the devices through their VA providers. A companion bill was introduced Thursday by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. Elliott was paralyzed in 2015 when a vehicle operated by a drunken driver ran a red light and hit the car that Elliott was driving near her Tennessee home. She was a medically discharged veteran at the time, recovering from a broken right femur that she had suffered in basic training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Parris Island, S.C., and preparing to re-enlist. Roscoe Butler, associate legislative director for the nonprofit veterans group Paralyzed Veterans of America, testified in support of the bill. He described exoskeletons as life-changing options for improving functionality and independence. The computerized devices are wearable suits equipped with motorized joints, sensors and rechargeable batteries. They range in price from roughly $75,000 to $100,000 with veterans enrolled in VA health care receiving coverage for most of the cost. Worn over clothes, the exoskeleton suit wraps around an individuals legs, chest and back. In Elliotts case, she initially enrolled in a clinical trial in 2015 to try an exoskeleton. She traveled from her Tennessee home to participate in an eight-week trial at a VA facility in St. Louis, where she was fitted with the device and learned how to use it. I took the device home and used it everywhere, she said. But when she returned to the St. Louis facility in 2018 for a reassessment, her doctor informed her that she could no longer use the device, Elliott said. I was returned to my wheelchair and told to get used to it, she told lawmakers. Elliott testified that for the next four years, she with the help of her father worked to overturn the decision to take the exoskeleton device away from her. I engaged in local and regional battles to get the device back that transformed my life, she said. Elliott now advocates and speaks on the behalf of other paralyzed veterans. She said it often is a challenge for veterans who are paralyzed to receive physical exams in a timely manner at local and regional facilities. In 2022, Elliott and her father traveled to a VA health clinic in Mississippi, where a VA physician agreed to evaluate and equip her with a new exoskeleton. It is appalling to me that Brittany Elliott was told to just get used to returning to her wheelchair, said Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, a doctor and chairwoman of the House VA subcommittee on health. Miller-Meeks said she has patients with paralysis and sees the potential and benefits with assistive mobility devices. Exoskeletons need to have much more serious consideration and use at the VA to help our veterans become ambulatory, she said. Butler said the STAND Act would require the VA to provide annual medical exams for paralyzed veterans. As it is now, access is inconsistent across the nations VA clinics and hospitals. He said the annual check-ups are critical for identifying health problems -- such as urinary tract infections and pressure sores -- before they worsen and cause more serious problems. Some VA facilities do an excellent job but not all of them. There is room for improvement, Butler said. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken gestures, as he departs, at Ben Gurion International airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday March 22, 2024. (Evelyn Hockstein, Pool Photo via AP) TEL AVIV, Israel U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday once again left the Middle East empty-handed as Israels prime minister rejected American appeals to call off a promised ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which is overflowing with displaced civilians. The tough message from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sets the stage for potentially difficult talks next week in Washington between top U.S. officials and a high-level Israeli delegation. Netanyahu said Israel is ready to do it alone in Rafah if necessary. Despite their differences, the Biden administration has continued to provide crucial military aid and diplomatic support, even as Israels war against Hamas has killed more than 32,000 people in Gaza and led to a worsening humanitarian crisis. Israel says Rafah is the last remaining stronghold of Hamas and says the militant groups forces there must be defeated for Israel to meet its war objectives. Israel vowed to destroy Hamas following the groups Oct. 7 attack, which killed some 1,200 people, took 250 others hostage and triggered the fierce Israeli air and ground offensive in Gaza. But Rafah now shelters over 1 million homeless Palestinians who fled fighting elsewhere in Gaza. The U.S., along with most of the international community, fears an Israeli ground invasion will endanger civilians lives and impede the flow of desperately needed humanitarian aid into the territory, most of which comes through Rafah. Netanyahu said he told Blinken that Israel is working on ways to evacuate civilians from combat zones and to address the humanitarian needs of Gaza, where international aid officials say the entire population is suffering from food insecurity and famine is imminent in the hard-hit north. I also said that we have no way to defeat Hamas without entering Rafah, Netanyahu said. I told him that I hope we would do this with U.S. support but if necessary we will do it alone. Blinken, wrapping up his sixth visit to the Mideast since the war broke out, told reporters that the U.S. shares Israels goal of defeating Hamas. But a major ground operation in Rafah is not, in our judgment, the way to achieve it and we were very clear about that, he said, adding that Israel faces growing isolation if it presses ahead. The looming Rafah invasion has cast a shadow over ongoing efforts to forge a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas. Blinken, who also met with Arab leaders during his trip this week, acknowledged theres still a lot of work to be done. Blinken spoke shortly after a U.S.-sponsored cease-fire resolution in the U.N. Security Council was vetoed by Russia and China. Blinken said it was unimaginable that the measure had been rejected. Rafah tensions rising The U.S. initially sided strongly with Israel after the Oct. 7 attack. But relations have increasingly soured as the war drags on into its fifth month. Palestinian health officials in Gaza said Friday that at least 32,070 people have been killed, with at least two thirds of them women and children. Israel claims at least a third of the dead are Hamas militants, and says the group is responsible for civilian casualties by hiding and operating in residential areas. The U.S. position on a Rafah operation shifted in recent days. Officials had called for a plan to get civilians out of harms way. Now, they say there is no credible way to do that. It risks killing more civilians. It risks wreaking greater havoc with the provision of humanitarian assistance. It risks further isolating Israel around the world and jeopardizing its long term security and standing, Blinken said. U.S. officials say other options, including specifically targeted operations against known Hamas fighters and commanders, are the only way to avoid a civilian catastrophe. Roughly three quarters of Gazas 2.3 million people have fled into Rafah, the farthest south they can go before the Egyptian border. Sprawling tent camps now dot the city. The U.S. will share its ideas for alternatives at next weeks meetings, when a delegation led by Netanyahus national security adviser and a member of Israels War Cabinet heads to Washington. Israels defense minister, another member of the War Cabinet, will also visit. Blinken said talks would focus on post-war plans, another area of disagreement. The U.S. wants the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority which Hamas ousted from Gaza in 2007 to return to power in the territory, along with a clear path toward an independent Palestinian state beside Israel. Netanyahu rejects Palestinian independence or a role for the Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the occupied West Bank, and says Israel must maintain long-term security control over Gaza. An elusive cease-fire International mediators, led by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt, have been working on a cease-fire to pause or end the war in Gaza. Israel is seeking the release of the more than 100 hostages still held by Hamas, while Hamas wants an end not a temporary pause to the war along with the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Hamas wants Israel to release large numbers of Palestinian prisoners. After his talks with Israeli leaders, Blinken met with families of hostages who hold U.S. citizenship. He later greeted a small group of protesters who gathered in solidarity with the families outside his hotel. Protesters chanted Blinken, thank you, as he walked by the crowd. He said the U.S. was working to bring them home as he shook hands. Blinken told reporters that progress has been made in recent weeks, but the final gaps tend to be the hardest. Theres still a lot of work to be done, hard work to be done, he said. Toward those efforts, he said he also discussed the need to increase humanitarian aid entering Gaza. He said some positive steps have been taken in recent days. But its not enough. Israel says it places no restrictions on the amounts of humanitarian aid it allows into Gaza. But international aid groups say deliveries have been impeded by Israeli military restrictions, ongoing hostilities and the breakdown of public order. So little food has been allowed into Gaza that up to 60% of children under 5 are now malnourished, compared with fewer than 1% before the war began, the head of the World Health Organization said Thursday. U.N. resolution was cynically vetoed At the United Nations, Russia and China vetoed a U.S.-sponsored U.N. resolution supporting an immediate and sustained cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. The two countries called the measure ambiguous, and said it was not the direct demand to end the fighting that much of the world seeks. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 11 members in favor and three against including Algeria, the Arab representative on the council. Guyana abstained. A key issue was the unusual language that said the Security Council determines the imperative of an immediate and sustained cease-fire. The phrasing was not a straightforward demand or call to halt hostilities. It also appeared to loosen, but not drop, previous U.S. demands that Hamas release all hostages as part of a cease-fire. Blinken said the measure had been cynically vetoed and should have been embraced. We were trying to show the international communitys sense of urgency about getting a cease-fire tied to the release of hostages, Blinken said. He also said it had sought to condemn Hamas. Its unimaginable why countries wouldnt be able to do that. Federman reported from Jerusalem. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 24. President of the Argentine Republic Javier Milei has sent a congratulatory letter to Ilham Aliyev on his re-election as the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Trend reports. "I was very pleased that the foreign ministers of our countries recently had a very productive telephone conversation that served the development of our bilateral relations," the Argentine President noted. "Based on the principles of friendship and respect that underpin our relations, I would like to reiterate that I will continue to spare no effort to strengthen our bilateral cooperation and economic relations in areas of mutual interest for the welfare of our countries. I once again convey my sincerest congratulations to you on your new presidential term and, avail myself of this opportunity to express my deep respect and consideration to you," President Javier Milei emphasized. President Joe Biden waves to members of the media as he walks toward Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Friday, March 22, 2024, to travel to Wilmington, Del. (Andrew Harnik/AP) WILMINGTON, Del. President Joe Biden on Saturday signed a $1.2 trillion package of spending bills after Congress had passed the long overdue legislation just hours earlier, ending the threat of a partial government shutdown. The White House said Biden signed the legislation at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, where he was spending the weekend. It had cleared the Senate by a 74-24 vote shortly after funding had expired for the agencies at midnight. But the White House had sent out a notice shortly after the deadline announcing that the Office of Management and Budget had ceased shutdown preparations because there was a high degree of confidence that Congress would pass the legislation and the president would sign it Saturday. It took lawmakers six months into the current budget year to get near the finish line on government funding, the process slowed by conservatives who pushed for more policy mandates and steeper spending cuts than a Democratic-led Senate or White House would consider. The impasse required several short-term spending bills to keep agencies funded. The first package of full-year spending bills, which funded the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture and the Interior, among others, cleared Congress two weeks ago with just hours to spare before funding expired for those agencies. The second covered the departments of Defense, Homeland Security and State, as well as other aspects of general government. When combining the two packages, discretionary spending for the budget year will come to about $1.66 trillion. That does not include programs such as Social Security and Medicare, or financing the countrys rising debt. On Ukraine aid, which Biden and his administration have argued was critical and necessary to help stop Russias invasion, the package provided $300 million under the defense spending umbrella. That funding is separate from a large assistance package for Ukraine and Israel that is bogged down on Capitol Hill. To win over support from Republicans, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., pointed to some of the spending increases secured for about 8,000 more detention beds for migrants awaiting their immigration proceedings or removal from the country. Thats about a 24% increase from current levels. Also, GOP leadership highlighted more money to hire about 2,000 Border Patrol agents. Democrats are boasting of a $1 billion increase for Head Start programs and new child care centers for military families. They also played up a $120 million increase in funding for cancer research and a $100 million increase for Alzheimers research. The spending package largely tracks with an agreement that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California worked out with the White House in May 2023, which restricted spending for two years and suspended the debt ceiling into January 2025 so the federal government could continue paying its bills. Prospects for a short-term government shutdown had appeared to grow Friday evening after Republicans and Democrats battled over proposed amendments to the bill. But shortly before midnight, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced a breakthrough. It is good for the country that we have reached this bipartisan deal. It wasnt easy, but tonight our persistence has been worth it, Schumer said. The House passed the legislation Friday morning by a vote of 286-134, narrowly gaining the two-thirds majority needed for approval. The vote tally in the House reflected anger among Republicans over the content of the package and the speed with which it was brought to a vote. Johnson brought the measure to the floor even though a majority of Republicans ended up voting against it. He said afterward that the bill represents the best achievable outcome in a divided government. In sign of the conservative frustration, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., initiated an effort to oust Johnson as the House began the vote but held off on further action until the House returns in two weeks. Its the same tool that was used last year to remove McCarthy. The vote breakdown showed 101 Republicans voting for the bill and 112 voting against it. Meanwhile, 185 Democrats voted for the bill and 22 against. Freking and Jalonick reported from Washington. AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro and Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri and Chris Megerian in Washington contributed to this report. Judge Amy Berman Jackson attends an event at the E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse in Washington on April 21, 2016. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) A federal judge on Wednesday tossed out a lawsuit challenging a D.C. statute letting noncitizens vote in local elections, concluding that the plaintiffs failed to prove the law has harmed them. Judge Amy Berman Jackson in D.C. rejected an argument from seven D.C. voters that letting residents without citizenship cast ballots in local - but not federal - races dilutes the votes of citizens. She said the plaintiffs did not show that theyve been treated inequitably or denied opportunities because of the D.C. Noncitizen Voting Act, which the D.C. Council passed in 2022. They may object as a matter of policy to the fact that immigrants get to vote at all, but their votes will not receive less weight or be treated differently than noncitizens votes. At bottom, they are simply raising a generalized grievance, Berman wrote in an opinion accompanying her order. The D.C.-based Immigration Reform Law Institute, which represents the plaintiffs, said it would appeal the decision. The nonprofit advocates for limiting immigration. At stake is the sovereignty of the American people over this country, litigation director Christopher Hajec wrote in an email. The courts consideration of this vitally-important case has just begun. A spokeswoman for the D.C. Board of Elections declined to comment. The voters who sued the elections board last year included former Republican mayoral candidate Stacia R. Hall, who lost to Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) in 2022, and Dick A. Heller, a retired security officer whose 2008 Supreme Court case ended D.C.s gun ban. Their complaint sought to stop the board from registering noncitizens as voters, counting their ballots or spending money to implement the statute. The lawsuit also pointed out that the statute allows noncitizens to be elected to public office. Advocates for the statute argued that noncitizens have an interest in local issues, including schools and public safety, and should get a say in the public officials who shape those topics. Jose Barrios, president of the D.C. Latino Caucus, said Thursday that he was quite happy to hear that were going to have more democracy, not less in the District of Columbia. He said his organization has been contacting noncitizens to help them register to vote. We think that if people are here, if theyre paying their taxes, they are running small businesses, employing people or being employed in our city, having their kids in our schools and participating in the local economics of our city, then they should have a voice in local politics, Barrios said. The voting law took effect last year after several previous efforts to let noncitizens cast ballots failed. During the congressional review that all D.C. laws are subject to, House Republicans and some Democrats sought to block the legislation. Their resolution then expired in a Senate committee, enabling the voting bill to become law. Justin Wm. Moyer and Meagan Flynn contributed to this report. Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., addresses Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 29, 2024. Gallagher, a Marine veteran, announced that he will resign from Congress on April 19. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes) WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service) Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher said he will resign from Congress on April 19, following the four-term Republicans announcement last month that he wouldnt run for reelection. Ive worked closely with House Republican leadership on this timeline and look forward to seeing Speaker Johnson appoint a new chair to carry out the important mission of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Gallagher said Friday in a statement. Four terms serving Northeast Wisconsin in Congress has been the honor of a lifetime and strengthened my conviction that America is the greatest country in the history of the world, he added. Gallaghers announcement comes as the House GOP majority already was set to shrink, since it was Colorado Rep. Ken Bucks last day in Congress. After Gallaghers resignation takes effect, Republicans will be down to 217 members in the 435-member House, likely until special elections are held in California and Ohio later this year to fill seats that were previously held by Republicans. Theres also an special election in New York next month which Democrats are projected to win. Under Wisconsin state law, the vacancy in Wisconsins 8th District will not be filled until after the general election in November. Gallaghers announcement comes a week after the House passed a bill he led that would force ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, to divest the company or lose access to its millions of U.S. users. A self-proclaimed defense hawk and Marine Corps veteran, Gallagher focused largely on national security issues while in Congress. He was one of three Republicans who earlier this year voted against impeachment Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorakas, a vote that came days before he initially announced his retirement plans. Senate Republicans were recruiting Gallagher to challenge Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin this year, but he opted against a campaign before later deciding to leave Congress altogether. He has repeatedly held the title of the fastest man in Congress, won by dominating the competition in the American Council of Life Insurers Capital Challenge, a three-mile race in which participants include members of Congress, the judiciary, political appointees, their staff and members of the media. CQ Roll Call has acted as a race sponsor. 2024 CQ-Roll Call, Inc. Visit at rollcall.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Korean War veteran Army Cpl. Ray K. Lilly, 18, of Matoaka, West Virginia. Lillys remains were accounted for on Sept. 26, 2023. (DPAA) PRINCETON, W. Va. (Tribune News Service) Over 70 years after he died overseas while serving his country, a young man will be coming home to West Virginia for his funeral and final rest. Corporal Ray Kirby Lilly, known to his family as Kirby, was a resident of the Marys Branch community near Matoaka when he left home to join the Army in May 1950. In June that same year, the Korean War began. Kirby was assigned to the 8th Cavalry Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division, according to Army records. During the Battle of Unsan, Kirbys unit held off the attacking Chinese forces so other units could escape the enemy troops that were threatening to overwhelm them. His unit was overrun and cut off, but they kept fighting until they ran out of ammunition and were forced to surrender. Kirby and other members of his regiment were taken to a prisoner of war camp in North Korea where he later died. His fellow Americans buried him near the camp. When he was listed as missing in action on Nov. 2, 1950, he was 17 years and 11 months old. Kirby was the only son of the late Lake and Cordy Foley Lilly and he had four sisters named Eva, Norma, Carol Louise and Patricia. For decades, his family did not know where his remains were located, but this changed on Oct. 2, 2023 when his family was notified that a DNA laboratory in Hawaii had positively identified his remains. On Feb.28, a representative of the Army from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency came to Princeton and met with Kirbys family to share a detailed report from the agencys laboratory. Besides information about the DNA identification process, the report offered details about what happened to Kirby after he was captured with his fellow soldiers. According to the report, Corporal Ray Kirby Lilly died at POW Camp 5 on the Pyoktong Peninsula in North Korea. After the war, repatriated American POWs indicated that he had died in Camp 5 in either January or February 1951. Witnesses claimed that he had suffered from dysentery, pneumonia and malnutrition. The Army declared him dead as of Feb. 28, 1951, the latest date he could have been alive based on witness statements. On Jan. 16, 1956, the Department of the Army determined that Corporal Ray Kirby Lillys remains to be nonrecoverable after he remained unaccounted-for after the war. Exactly when Kirbys remains were returned to the United States was at first unclear. President Donald Trump visited North Korea in 2018 and recovering American remains still in that country was one result of that summit. About 150 sets of remains were brought out of North Korea and it was thought that Kirbys remains could have been among them. The Army later determined that they had been returned to the United States years earlier. In 1954, the opposing nations in the Korean War reached an agreement to exchange war dead, according to the report. During this exchange, known as Operation GLORY, remains were transported to the Central Identification Unit in Kokura, Japan for processing and identification. One set of Unknown Remains, designated X-14682, was reportedly recovered in Pykotong, North Korea, and could not be identified after analysis, according to the report. The remains were ultimately interred as a Korean War Unknown in the National Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1956. One family member, Andi Fleming of Princeton, said the report helped bring many of the puzzle pieces about Kirby together. Former POWS remembered Kirby and how he was from a place called Matoaka in West Virginia. One soldier remembered the town as Matoaki. The family met with the Army representative on Feb. 28, the same day Kirby was declared dead in 1951. The meeting was also the time when they learned he was brought back to the United States years ago to the military cemetery often referred to as The Punch Bowl. That was very comforting, that he was on American soil all these years, she said. A full military funeral service for Cpl. James Kirby Lilly will be conducted May 18 at the Memorial Funeral Directory near Princeton. Then a young soldier named Kirby will finally be home. (c)2024 the Bluefield Daily Telegraph (Bluefield, W.Va.) Visit the Bluefield Daily Telegraph Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday conferred the Nishan-i-Pakistan award on Saudi Arabian Minister for Defence Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, during a special investiture ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, federal ministers, the military's top brass and members of the diplomatic corps. The award was conferred on Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud in recognition of his meritorious services for Pakistan and its people, enhancing defence cooperation, strengthening of bilateral ties and contributions towards peace efforts in the region. Earlier, the visiting dignitary was a special guest at the Pakistan Day military parade held at the Shakarpariyan ground in Islamabad. The entire country is abuzz with fervour and patriotism as the nation celebrates Pakistan Day today, commemorating the historic Lahore Resolution of 1940. This day holds immense importance in the country's history as it reaffirms the commitment to the development, stability, and unity of Pakistan. The day marks the adoption of the historic Lahore Resolution in 1940, which provided a framework for achieving the goal of a separate homeland for the Muslims of South Asia. Minister for Defence of Saudi Arabia Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad today. The meeting discussed ways and means to strengthen bilateral cooperation in defence and security sectors. Views were also exchanged over regional peace and security situation. The Prime Minister underscored the need to increase defense and economic cooperation between the two countries. Mentioning the Special Investment Facilitation Council, the Prime Minister said a one-window operation has been established for investors to facilitate business and investment. Extending good wishes to the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the Saudi Crown Prince, Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan awaits the visit of Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman. On the occasion, the Saudi Defense Minister thanked Pakistan for inviting him on Pakistan Day parade. Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir , Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif were also present during the meeting. Defence Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud met Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir in Rawalpindi today. They discussed matters of mutual interest, promotion of bilateral ties and ways to enhance cooperation in different fields especially defence. Speaking on the occasion, the Saudi Defence Minister said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have strong and historical brotherly relations and have always remained well-wishers of each other. Concluding his day long visit to Pakistan, Prince Khalid bin Salman left for home. He was bid farewell by the Army Chief at Noor Khan Air Base. Ronan Moore (47), who had got in by kicking the door in, was later identified forensically from the blood trail, a court heard. A burglar who broke into a restaurant before fleeing empty-handed was tracked down after leaving a trail of his blood leading to the tills. Ronan Moore (47), who had got in by kicking the door in, was later identified forensically from the blood trail, a court heard. Judge Monika Leech gave him a six-month suspended sentence when he appeared in Dublin District Court. Moore, of Dun Saithne Avenue, Balbriggan, pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage at Yeeros, Prospect Road, Drumcondra. Garda Sergeant Maire McDevitt told Dublin District Court that gardai received an alarm activation call from the restaurant at 5am on April 2, 2021. The front door had been kicked in and gardai saw a fresh trail of blood leading to the till area and on both tills. Nothing had been taken as the tills had been emptied earlier in the evening, the court heard. The accused had left the scene and was identified from forensics, the court heard. The broken door cost 200 to repair. Moore had 86 previous convictions, for offences including burglary and robbery. He had been given a suspended sentence but the charges before the court pre-dated that, Sgt McDevitt said. At the time of the incident, Moore was in the throes of addiction, his solicitor Holly Laher said. There had since been a marked change in the accuseds circumstances: he had gone through the recovery process and was engaging with services including counselling, Ms Laher said. Moore had faced no new charges in the last two years, and had a partner and a stable home address, the court heard. A probation report had put him at a moderate risk of reoffending but Ms Laher asked the judge to take into account Moores progress and intoxicant-free status. He was adamant that he would stay in recovery and he had brought 200 compensation to court as a token of his remorse, she added. Judge Leech said Moores list of previous convictions was very lengthy but there was much to be positive about in the probation report. Moore had shown a high level of determination in his journey towards rehabilitation, and had employment prospects, the judge said. She noted the inconvenience the restaurant owners experienced. However, she said, it would not be in the interests of the accuseds recovery to jail him. She suspended the six-month sentence for two years. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23. Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, President of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), Mukhtar Babayev, has met with world leaders on climate issues at the meeting of environment ministers in Copenhagen, Denmark, Trend reports, referring to the COP29 AZ account on X. Babayev met with world leaders on climate concerns, including Dan Jrgensen, Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy, and Graham Stuart, Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. Discussions focused on NDCs, climate finance, climate change adaptation, loss and damage, and mitigation. The decision to hold COP29 in Azerbaijan was officially announced in Dubai on December 11, 2023, enabling Azerbaijan to host the event in November. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Thug ordered to pay victim 450 in compensation and complete 200 hours of community service A crystal meth user who battered his girlfriend in a bar after throwing a pint glass at her has avoided prison. Robert McConachie punched the woman a number of times before pushing her into a barrel and chasing her into the street as horrified onlookers scrambled to call the cops. The 34-year-old narrowly avoided jail earlier this month at Laganside Magistrates Court in Belfast after he pleaded guilty to common assault, criminal damage and possession of a class C drug. He was ordered to pay his victim compensation totalling 450 and complete 200 hours of community service as an alternative to prison. The court heard police were called to a bar in Belfast over reports of a man throwing a glass at his girlfriend and punching her. McConachie was seen throwing his victim over a barrel in the smoking area of the pub, with the incident captured on CCTV. According to prosecutors, the footage showed him storming to the outside space before launching the attack. They said: Upon his arrival outside, she instinctively puts her phone behind her back and he throws his pint glass against the wall beside her. He then pushes her repeatedly against a barrel, punches her several times and repeatedly pushes her head, which is being thrown backwards, a number of times. Both exit the premises and the defendant runs ahead of her into the road (to cut her off). Onlookers phoned the police because they were so concerned for her safety. (McConachie) was arrested and interviewed. The injured party initially denied the offences took place, but after speaking with her mother, she spoke to the police again. Crystal meth Solicitors for McConachie, from Mount Pleasant in Bushmills, told the court he was battling mental health problems and had expressed genuine remorse. They continued: He is now drug-free. His brother died of an overdose, so he is very aware of the pain and trauma drugs can cause. The CCTV is undeniably unpleasant viewing. McConachie, who walked out of court with a female companion, was told in no uncertain terms how lucky he was not to be going to Maghaberry Prison. District Judge Steven Keown said: Its genuinely upsetting to watch the footage because it is just stomach-churning. The only reason I am not going to jail you is because you have pleaded guilty and you have expressed your remorse. But if anything like this happens again, you will be going to custody. Lado Bendianishvilli (48) first used the card accidentally, his defence said, but then continued and ran up a bill of 124. A delivery driver who used a womans missing debit card to tap for goods in five different shops maintained he had found it. Lado Bendianishvilli (48) first used the card accidentally, his defence said, but then continued and ran up a bill of 124. Judge Monika Leech discharged him under the Probation Act, putting him on an 18-month bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour. Bendianishvilli, a father of three of Shangan Road, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to five counts of theft. Dublin District Court heard that after a womans debit card went missing on October 25 last year, there were a number of fraudulent transactions using it, all in the Clontarf area. Goods including cigarettes were bought at five shops. Bendianishvilli had no previous convictions. He had found the card and accidentally used it the first time, but then used it again in other shops, his solicitor Evan Moore said. He was trying to support his family. Judge Leech said the woman had to attend the garda station and endure an element of worry. Bendianishvilli, who had made full admissions, was very apologetic and paid 200 compensation, Mr Moore said. I dont know who this man is; he just gave that name; there was nothing else to support it Im a refugee, but someone else has my documents, were the words of a Congolese national arrested at Dublin Airport for entering the State without identification. Christian Kazadi, 32, with no fixed address, appeared at Dublin District Court on Saturday and was remanded in custody. He was stopped at Terminal 2 on Friday and charged by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) with failing to present his passport or equivalent identity documents. Garda Martin Doran said, I dont know who this man is; he just gave that name; there was nothing else to support it. Defence counsel Kevin McCrave put it to the GNIB officer that his client had told him that he had a picture of his ID on his phone. However, Garda Doran replied that he could not examine a passport on a phone and that Mr Kazadi had not mentioned it before his court appearance. The court heard the man told the GNIB that someone else had his identification documents. Counsel said his client was seeking asylum and protection and would turn up to court if granted bail. The accused, provided with a translator, did not testify during the hearing and has yet to enter a plea to the Immigration Act charge, which can carry a 12-month sentence. Judge Dempsey refused bail, granted legal aid and held the accused in custody. Albanian national Florent Jakupi, 19, was also charged with the same offence in an unrelated case. He was arrested at Terminal 1 on Friday for failing to show his passport or ID documents. The court heard he could speak perfect English in garda custody, but the defence said it was insufficient for court, and he deferred his bail application. He made no reply when charged and has not entered a plea yet. Judge Dempsey ordered that both men be provided with translators for their subsequent hearings. They will appear again next week. Mr Purdue, with an address at Shancastle Park, Clondalkin, is charged with possession of both drugs with intent to sell or supply. He is alleged to have had them when searched at Ronanstown garda station on September 6, 2022. Scott Purdue (26) has not indicated how he intends to plead. Photo: irishphotodesk.ie A Dublin man has been charged with drugs offences after he was allegedly found in possession of a combined 800 worth of crack cocaine and heroin. Scott Purdue (26) had the case against him adjourned when he appeared in Blanchardstown District Court. Mr Purdue, with an address at Shancastle Park, Clondalkin, is charged with possession of both drugs with intent to sell or supply. He is alleged to have had them when searched at Ronanstown garda station on September 6, 2022. He is also charged with related counts of simple possession of the drugs at the same place and on the same date. A garda told Judge David McHugh the accused was arrested before the court sitting and charged with the four offences. He made no reply to any of the counts after caution and was handed copies of the charge sheets, the garda said. The total value of the drugs was 800, the garda said 600 worth of crack cocaine and 200 worth of heroin. The Director of Public Prosecutions consented to the case being dealt with in the district court subject to the issue of jurisdiction being considered. The judge accepted jurisdiction after hearing the alleged value of the drugs. He adjourned the case to a date in May and granted free legal aid following an application by defence solicitor John Shanley. Mr Purdue has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to the charges, which are under Sections 3 and 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. Patrick Joyce has 42 previous convictions from both Ireland and the UK to date. A man who brought gardai on a 35 minute high-speed car chase around Dublin has been jailed for three years. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Patrick Joyce (43) of Rossfield, Tallaght, Dublin 24, pleaded guilty to two counts of endangerment and two counts of dangerous driving in various locations in the Tallaght and Palmerstown areas of Dublin on July 5, 2014. He has 42 previous convictions from both Ireland and the UK to date. Joyce was also disqualified from driving at the time of this offence. Passing sentence yesterday, Judge Elma Sheahan said that the defendant was a lucky man that no one was injured physically due to his driving. She said that this offending was serious and put a garda at risk while he was trying to do his job. Judge Sheahan said that the aggravating factors in this case were the seriousness of the offence and Joyce's disqualification from driving at the time of the offence. The judge said she would consider his guilty plea, his remorse, his addiction issues, his troubled childhood and that his cousin died tragically the day before this offence took place as mitigating factors. Judge Sheahan sentenced Joyce to three and a half years in prison and suspended the final six months for six months. She also directed that he be placed under the supervision of probation services for six months after his release and disqualified him from driving for six years. His sentence was backdated from when he went into custody on this matter. Susan Kinsella, a member of the Gardai Siochana at the time of the offence, told Rebecca Smith, BL, prosecuting, that she was on duty in a patrol car on the day in question and observed a gold Skoda Octavia coming around a corner at high speed. The gardai immediately responded and activated their blue lights. The car, which was driven by Joyce, failed to stop and continued to drive at speed, running several red lights. Ms Kinsella said that Garda Air Support, additional patrol cars and a garda on a motorcycle all joined the pursuit of Joyce. The car was seen mounting a green and driving through it. The car was driven on the M50 and through residential housing estates, all at high speed and driving through roundabouts and red lights. The gold Skoda finally came to a stop after reaching a dead end. The court heard that Joyce was arrested at the scene, and his breath smelled of intoxicants. CCTV footage obtained from the Garda Air Support helicopter was played for the court. The pursuit of Joyce lasted approximately 35 minutes. A victim impact statement was read to the court relating to one member of the gardai who was involved in the pursuit of Joyce on his motorbike. Both endangerment charges relate to the manner in which Joyce drove in the presence of this member of the gardai. Ms Kinsella agreed with Sarah Jane OCallaghan, BL, defending, that Joyce had drug and alcohol addictions at the time of this offence. The garda agreed with counsel that the day before this offence took place, Joyces cousin took his own life. Ms OCallaghan said, This is an extremely serious case and that Joyce is extremely sorry and remorseful for what he did and is grateful that he did not injure anyone. Counsel handed a number of letters to the court, which included a detailed handwritten letter from Joyce. She said her client developed addictions at a very young age and when his mother died, his life fell apart. Judge was critical of the defendants attempts to repay what she took A 30 year old single mother of three has been jailed for two years for stealing 66,595 from a community playschool where she worked over a six month period. The case had been adjourned from previous sittings of Sligo Circuit Court to allow the defendant, of Crozon Park, Sligo pay compensation but hadnt kept to the schedule and Judge Keenan Johnson said his patience was at an end with her. The court heard Emma Louise McLoughlin traded in her car in the meantime, had taken cocaine and gambled. Judge Johnson said he was sick to the teeth of getting lame excuses from the defendant. I am really sick of the excuses. Every opportunity has been given to her but she throws it back in the courts face, he said. He pointed out that the defendants latest offer at paying compensation, 40 a week, would take over thirty years to pay back. The money is gone but she can still afford to buy drink and take cocaine. Nothing adds up with this lady, he said. Mr Des Dockery SC with Mr Eoin McGovern BL, instructed by Mr Gerard McGovern, Solicitor, pointed out that a psychiatric report from March of last year stated that the defendant had said her drug and gambling habits had not been happening for a considerable time. McLoughlin was charged with 60 counts of theft from Kilmacowen Community Preschool and Play Group, Kilmacowen, Ballisodare, Co Sligo from June 16th 2020 to December 2020. She pleaded guilty to six sample counts of theft from Bank of Ireland, Stephen St, Sligo the property of Kilmacowen Community Pre-school and Play Group. The amounts were 2,5000, 8,000, 5,000, 2,000, 2,000 and 400. Mr Leo Mulrooney BL with State Solicitor, Ms Elisa McHugh (prosecuting) said the amount outstanding stood at 61,800. The Judge pointed out that the court had also been told the defendant was bi-polar but no evidence was ever produced to back this up having been pleaded on a previous occasion. I really take exception to the court being misled and then expecting leniency which is a two way street, he said. A previous court heard that McLoughlin, who recently gave birth to her third child, made full admissions to Gardai and she accepted she transferred money to her Permanent TSB and Revolut accounts. She told gardai it was something that got out of hand. She said she didnt have any debts or loans. She said during lockdown she had been working as a beautician but lost her job and became addicted to gambling online. She thought she could pay back the money but it just spiralled out of control. She said she was gambling regularly every week and sometimes every day. She was also buying stupid things through online shopping. She bought a new car and traded in an old car, the new car cost 17k and she had to pay 8k and had used some of the organisations money for this. When asked if she still had the car she said no, she sold it for 14k in July of that year and used the money to buy a second car worth 2,500. When asked where the balance was she said it was now gone. When asked by gardai what she spent it on, she replied the same thing, gambling. The offending was discovered in early January 2021 upon the realisation that staff wages were not paid over the Christmas period. Kilmacowen Community Pre-School and Playgroup is a registered charity and is run from the old Kilmacowen National School building which was built in 1846. The community preschool was founded in 1983 and prided itself on being amongst the longest running preschools in the county.Its committee has always consisted of parents who availed of their services. McLoughlin was part of this committee, serving many roles during her time on the board. Last week, Judge Johnson was informed that at the court sitting last October, McLoughlin had returned with 500 and had another 1,700 in cash at this sitting. She had consulted with MABS about a repayment plan. She was on 288 a week Jobseekers Allowance along with Child Benefit giving a total weekly income of 402 but had outgoings of 353 with 40 a week discretion. Judge Johnson said there had been a huge amount stolen causing significant amount of stress for the community. The court had extended every latitude to the defendant to reimburse but this was not forthcoming and the court had been misled which was not the fault of her legal team. He said he had to send out a clear message. He imposed a three year sentence, suspending the final year on condition she enter a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two years. She must also refrain from taking drugs and undergo 12 months post release supervision by the probation service. Judge Johnson said he would give the defendant time to get her affairs in order and said she must present herself at Sligo Garda Station at 10 am on July 9th from where she will be brought to prison. At his appeal his lawyers tried to argue that a possible defence of provocation and loss of self-control should have been allowed be put to the jury. A CONVICTED murderer whose ridiculous claim that his wife stabbed herself to death was rejected by a jury has lost an appeal against his conviction. Renato Gehlens appeal claimed that he should have been able to argue at trial that he was provoked. Murdered PayPal worker Anne Colomines was subjected to six years of abuse by killer husband Renato Gehlen before he took her life by stabbing her in the heart at their Dublin home on October 25, 2017 Gehlens trial heard that Ms Colomines had started seeing another man and told Gehlen she wanted a divorce after years of mistreatment at his hands. A jury brought back a unanimous guilty verdict following Gehlens murder trial in 2021. Mother Danielle and sister Alexandra with photos of Anne Colomines Gehlens account during Garda interviews, and his defence at trial, was that the injuries were either accidentally inflicted or self-inflicted by Ms Colomines. However, he also applied unsuccessfully to the trial judge to have the partial defence of provocation left to the jury. He appeal on the grounds that he believed the trial judge erred in his decision to refuse to leave provocation for the consideration of the jury. However, the Court of Criminal Appeal has rejected that appeal meaning Gehlen will continue to serve a life sentence for the brutal killing. Gehlen had claimed Ms Colomines produced a knife and threatened to harm herself before stabbing herself four times but State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan said this was highly unlikely and there were defensive injures to her hands. Anne Colomines The jury accepted the States case that Gehlen had displayed the ultimate in toxic masculinity by stabbing his wife to death in an effort to control the end of their marriage. The prosecution said his account that she stabbed herself to death was ridiculous and insulting. At his appeal his lawyers tried to argue that a possible defence of provocation and loss of self-control should have been allowed be put to the jury. However, in a judgement delivered by Ms Justice Una Ni Raifeartaigh the appeal was rejected by the Court of Appeal. In this case the appellant offered a detailed account of what had happened in his interviews, and positively and repeatedly advanced the case that he had not inflicted the injuries. This is not merely the absence of an account which might support the elements of the provocation defence but an account which directly conflicts with them, Ms Raifeartaigh wrote. The judge said that Gehlen relies on his account that Ms Colomines produced a knife as the provocative act however she pointed out that Gehlen said she threatened to hurt herself with it and started to do so. The act of one person in threatening self-harm could not possibly constitute a provocative act to another person for the purpose of the defencefrankly, if this were to be accepted as an act capable of constituting provocation, it would make a nonsense of the defence. It lacks reality and smacks more of a contrivance. The three judge Court of Appeal also found that could not see any evidence of a loss of self-control. Significantly, he also fails to refer to all the evidence pointing to the fact that he was very unhappy about the relationship break-up and that he had even used the word stab in a text earlier to his friend, in the context of his reaction to his wife not talking to him. The judge was referring to messages Gehlen sent to his friend before the murder saying he wasnt getting on with Ms Colomines. "The same shit, bad, no talk, cold, avoiding", followed by an emoji and letters, "F U C", and then six K's and then, "I really want to stab", and then followed by a red, emoji face. In a heartbreaking interview with the Sunday World after the murder conviction, Anne's mum, Danielle, told us how just days after Gehlen knelt before her at the couple's 2014 wedding and vowed "he would protect her all of his life", friends heard him warn Anne: "You belong to me now." And worse was to come over the course of their three-year-marriage as the Brazilian native: Would not tolerate his more successful wife wearing make-up, heels or dresses; Constantly derided her as "fat" and "ugly"; Twisted her by the ear "to correct her behaviour"; And said he was "wasting his life with her" after the couple learned she would need in vitro fertilisation (IVF) to get pregnant. "There is nothing more we can do for Anne," Danielle said. "All that is left for us now is to try and warn other women. To tell them if they are in a situation like Anne's, are with a partner like him, leave now. "He killed my daughter, after six years of humiliating her every day even though he was living at her expense, because she was finally going to leave him. He was going to lose her, his possession, so he wanted to punish her. "There was nothing but hate in that act." The officer alleged Mr Grimes was in an altercation with another male and produced the pliers as he lunged at the man in an attacking motion A SCAFFOLDER lunged at a man while brandishing long-nosed pliers during a row in central Dublin, a court heard. Anthony Grimes, 42, of St Marys Abbey, Dublin, was charged with the production of the tool which was capable of inflicting serious injury during a dispute at Marlborough Street on Friday. The father of three appeared at Dublin District Court and faced bail objections. Garda Paul Lyons told Judge Dermot Dempsey on Saturday that the accused, who made no reply to the charge, was caught red-handed. The officer alleged Mr Grimes was in an altercation with another male and produced the pliers as he lunged at the man in an attacking motion. Defence barrister Kevin McCrave said his client, who lives in a hostel, would obey strict conditions, has a family, and has a job in scaffolding. Pleading for bail, he submitted that Mr Grimes had health problems but could provide an address and was in gainful employment. Bail was refused and he was remanded in custody to appear again next week. The judge granted him legal aid and directed that he get medical attention. He also faces charges for possessing a stolen passport, ID card and a PPS card belong to two other men. When they put the offence to her, she replied, That finger, before she put up her middle digit and then crumpled her charge sheet The court heard told gardai she entered the house to 'charge my phone' A WOMAN gave gardai the finger when they charged her with burglary of a Dublin home after a frightened occupant woke to find her in their bedroom, a court heard. Jane Murphy, 43, of Dane Close, Ballymun, Dublin, was charged with the offence at a house in Artane on Friday. She appeared before Judge Dermot Dempsey at Dublin District Court on Saturday. The court heard she told gardai she entered the house to charge my phone. When they put the offence to her, she replied, That finger, before she put up her middle digit and then crumpled her charge sheet. She has yet to indicate a plea. The court that the injured party was frightened and woke up and observed the accused in the bedroom in the house. Defence solicitor Eddie OConnor submitted that his client was agreeable to a curfew and other strict conditions. He stressed that Ms Murphy had no previous convictions or warrant history, and the judge granted bail. However, he warned the woman that she must provide gardai with her phone number, remain contactable at all times, and stay out of Artane. Judge Dempsey heard that gardai needed directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions, so he ordered Ms Murphy to appear again next month. Scott Delaney is urging people to join in the protest at the former Crown Paints warehouse on the Malahide Road A convicted drug dealer who was an accessory to a notorious gangland murder has said he and his friends are going to join in the anti-asylum seeker protests in Coolock in north Dublin. Scott Delaney is urging people to join in the protest at the former Crown Paints warehouse on the Malahide Road saying he doesnt wasnt protection applicants being dumped around Irish women and children. There have been ongoing protests at the site all week with youths on horseback bringing traffic to a standstill on Wednesday night. The Department of Integration confirmed that it is considering using the site to house applicants inside modular units inside the warehouse and said it could house around 500. Delaney, who also goes by Scott Knight, said on Saturday that he is going to be at the site protesting this weekend. Theyre trying to renovate crown paints to house all these people in our country who we dont want, only them dogs in power do. Ill be there myself, a lot of my friends will, and, please god, all surrounding areas of Coolock will make it their business to come up there because its only a matter of time for all the areas theyll try to flood. Erin Go Bragh. Convicted drug dealer Delaney, who previously boasted how he flooded Ireland with drugs in the 1990s, is the son of notorious gangland killer Cotton Eye Joe Delaney. 'Cotton Eye' Joe Delaney In an infamous incident in 1996, Scott Delaney helped abduct his friend Mark Dwyer who was then brutally tortured and murdered by Cotton Eye in Dwyer was tied to a chair and beaten with iron bars for several hours after 40,000 ecstasy tablets had been stolen. Scott was initially convicted of murder in relation to the killing but this was overturned and he was subsequently convicted of accessory to murder. He gave evidence against his own father which was crucial to securing a murder conviction against him. Scott is a former fully-paid of member of the British National Party from his time living in the UK. He also previously encouraged everyone who belongs to the Irish underworld to join the far-right National Party in Ireland. The protests at the Crown site are continuing over the weekend and one video shows a protestor in a green, white and orange balaclava and a Canada Goose jacket baring his teeth as he looks in the camera saying: Coolock says no. We want them out of here. We want them gone. 'Coolock says no' protesters gather There are currently no international protection applicants at the site. The Department of Integration confirmed that it is considering using the site to house applicants inside modular units inside the warehouse. They said an accommodation provider has expressed an interest in managing the accommodation and security at the site which, if the plan goes ahead, would house families, couples and single men and women on a gradual basis. If the site is repurposed it could house up to 500 people. They added that further details and full engagement with the public and community would take place in due course. Part of the Malahide Road was blocked on Wednesday night due to the protests with youths on horses joining in and disrupting traffic. The demonstrations began after screenshots of an email detailing plans for the former warehouse, reportedly from the Department of Integration, circulated on social media. The proposal is for modular units placed inside the warehouse, providing mixed-use accommodation for families, couples, single adult males and single adult females, the email said. It went onto say that applicants would be accommodated on a gradual basis and an estimated 500 could be housed there. Subscription to paid content Gain access to all that Trend has to offer, as well as to premium, licensed content via subscription or direct purchase through a credit card. Sources said gardai are investigating if the arson attacks this month were being planned and carried out by associates of Hennessy. Jason Hennessy Sr (48) was shot in a steakhouse in Blanchardstown, Dublin, last Christmas Eve. Photo: Douglas O'Connor Detectives are investigating if associates of murder victim Jason Hennessy Sr are behind recent firebombings in the capital. Two houses in the Dublin 15 area were targeted in suspected petrol bomb attacks in the early hours of the morning. One of the properties is linked to an associate of Tristan Sherry (26), the gunman who shot up a restaurant in Blanchardstown on Christmas Eve, during which Hennessy Sr was shot. This crew have been pushing their weight around lately to show theyre still the main gang around here Sherry was then overpowered and died at the scene. Sources said gardai are investigating if the arson attacks this month were being planned and carried out by associates of Hennessy. This crew have been pushing their weight around lately to show theyre still the main gang around here, a source said. One of the houses is connected to a young man well known to Sherry, and the belief is that this link was the motive for that particular arson. These incidents happened in the early hours of the morning while innocent people were asleep inside, and its fortunate there werent any serious injuries as a result. A house and two vehicles were burnt out in Rusheeney Gardai do not believe Sherrys associate had any involvement in the restaurant gun attack. A garda spokesperson confirmed they are investigating two incidents of criminal damage in the Dublin 15 area this month. In the first, a house and two vehicles were burnt out in Rusheeney after being firebombed at 3.20am on Saturday, March 9. A spokesperson said: The fire was extinguished by local fire services. No injuries were reported. The scene was preserved for a technical examination. Investigations are ongoing. The second attack was on a property in Coolmine in the early hours of March 14. Sherry was one of two gunmen who entered Brownes steakhouse in Blanchardstown Gardai said the fire was extinguished by local fire services and no serious injuries were reported. Sherry was one of two gunmen who entered Brownes steakhouse in Blanchardstown last December 24 before firing a number of shots. Hennessy Sr (48) was struck several times and was rushed to hospital, where he died more than a week later. After firing several shots, Sherry was overpowered and died at the scene. A number of people are before the courts in relation to his death. The Irish Independent also revealed this week how the son of a now dead former senior garda is a person of huge interest in relation to the investigation The man is a leading member of the so-called Mr Flashy drugs gang and has intimate knowledge of the restaurant attack. The gardas son is aged in his early 30s and originally from west Dublin, but is currently on remand in jail in a different jurisdiction in relation to serious firearms offences. He was allegedly caught with a handgun but this was not the weapon used in the Blanchardstown attack. Gardai feared a spate of reprisal attacks following the steakhouse shooting, with one attempted hit foiled in recent weeks. Detectives believe man bundled into car in Belfast was about to be murdered by gang A driver in the lane next to me used her phone for a full three minutes on approach to the M50. Stock image The man whose life was saved when armed garda officers intercepted the car he was being held prisoner in on the M50 is refusing to co-operate with the investigation. The 35-year-old, from Belfast, is facing serious charges in Northern Ireland in relation to organised crime offences after being charged with being involved in the supply of cocaine and amphetamines. He is also facing charges connected with multiple fraud and money-laundering offences involving tens of thousands of pounds worth of criminal cash. Armed gardai stopped a BMW on Dublins M50 at Junction 4 near Ballymun at around 10pm on Thursday night. It is believed the matter is linked to organised crime and that a south Dublin gang may have ordered the mans abduction. A strong line of inquiry is that the man was about to be murdered. Detectives are investigating whether the gang had outsourced the abduction to a gang of four male criminals who were still being questioned in north Dublin garda stations last night. The suspects are all aged in their 20s. Three had been living in Galway and the other in the Clondalkin area of the capital. One of the Galway-based suspects is a convicted drug dealer who served a lengthy jail sentence after being caught with a large amount of assorted drugs. The Clondalkin-based suspect, who is 28, previously lived in Co Kildare and has convictions for assaulting a garda and a number of other offences. What is believed at this stage is that the individual who was abducted in Belfast had a very lucky escape, a source said. It is understood the victim is on bail in relation to charges in the North. He was not injured in the abduction, which began a number of hours earlier in Belfast when he was bundled into the car at gunpoint. Gardai responded after the PSNI provided them with details of the vehicle. When gardai carried out the interception of the vehicle, they found a firearm in it. An Garda Siochana continue to liaise closely with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, a garda spokesperson said. Before the arrests were made, the Dublin Roads Policing Unit had sent out officers to set up checkpoints and search for the car. In the audio records from the police department, Sizemore can be heard getting more and more annoyed A frustrated dad was arrested in the US after repeatedly calling the police to complain about his child's homework. Adam Sizemores anger about the amount of homework his child had to do led to him threatening his kids school principal, it has been reported Sizemore allegedly told the school official he better put his big boy pants on, after repeated calls to the school in Ohio. When the school stopped answering Sizemores calls, cops say he started calling their police department. He calls dispatch, I think it was 18 times, roughly, said Oxford Police Detective Sgt. Adam Price. In the audio records from the police department, Sizemore can be heard getting more and more annoyed. He can come to my f****** house. I pay for him. He can come to my house, Sizemore was heard saying in a transcript. After repeated calls, Sizemore did not get the chance to speak with the police chief he wanted. An officer wrote in the police report: "Sizemore continued to curse at me and call me names, such as 'B****,' He also told me he was going to make sure I lost my job. "I explained to Sizemore if (he) called again, I would file a Telecommunication Harassment charge on him. I ended up hanging up on him. Sizemore called right back with the same behaviour he was warned about." In other audio recordings, a dispatcher told Sizemore that they would send out officers to deal with him. That ultimately ended when we took him into custody for telecommunications harassment as well as a menacing charge, Price explained. Sizemore was charged with two first-degree complaints for telecommunications harassment. "I'm a single dad of a boy and a girl and I'm just trying to do the best I can and that's all I can do," Sizemore told reporters. "People make mistakes." He said his son gets homework which takes away from the time he has with him after school. If Sizemore is found guilty, he faces a 1,000 fine and up to six months in jail for each count of telecommunications harassment; for the menacing charge, Sizemore faces a 300 fine and up to 30 days in jail. This is a a K-5 school so there is not an abnormal amount of homework, the cop added. The deputy then asks her how much she has had to drink, to which the woman responds, a lot The moment a woman in green hair who had passed out behind the wheel after St Patrick's Day has been captured on Florida police camera footage. The bodycam video posted by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office shows a deputy approaching the car to check on a driver who had stopped at a red light but did not drive off after it turned green. The clip which was recorded in the early hours of the morning of March 18 shows the driver slumped over the steering wheel of the vehicle that appears to be parked in the middle of the road. As the deputy shines her torch in through the open drivers side window she says ma'am to attract the drivers attention. The woman in an Irish T-shirt is quizzed by cops However, the woman remains unresponsive as the deputy reaches in through the open window and tries to shake her awake. The deputy then declares, Sheriff's Office as she opens the door while shining the torch on the comatose driver as loud rap music plays on the car stereo. Get out of the vehicle, the deputy orders, with the camera then showing the driver leaning her head against the patrol car with the deputy assuring her, youre okay. The deputy then has to tell her to stay back off the road as she wanders off. The driver then leans against the patrol car, and tries to sit on the tyre, where its nice and warm the deputy tells her. The driver doubles over as the deputy asks her, what road are you on? But the woman who is wearing an Irish XL Drinking Team T-shirt mumbles the brown one. What town do you think you're in right now, the deputy continues, what city? I couldn't tell you, the woman says, shaking her head. I don't know. The deputy then asks her how much she has had to drink, to which the woman responds, a lot. Finally, the driver is arrested The next shot shows the woman attempting to walk along a line on the pavement with the deputy counting steps. Finally she is seen being handcuffed as the deputy tells her, okay, you're being arrested for DUI (Driving Under the Influence). "I promise you, getting a taxi, Uber, or Lyft is a lot cheaper than a DUI," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. This woman's irresponsible decision could have ended in tragedy if our DUI team wasn't so quick to arrive at the scene. The woman could not tell the deputy what road she was on or what town she was in. Dean Roche (31) went missing nine years ago from Co Kilkenny on March 22, 2015 Nine years have now passed since Kilkenny man Dean Roche disappeared never to be found again. Although considerable time has passed since the father-of-one vanished, his loved ones have promised to never give up searching for him. This promise was something Deans mother, Geraldine Roche, took to her grave in 2018, as right before she passed away she made Deans best friend promise to never give up searching for her son. Geraldine passed away in 2018. "Her body was cremated and her ashes and remains are at home in her other sons house as her last wish was that she didnt want to be buried or laid to rest until she could be laid to rest with Dean, explained Deans best friend Damien Hipwell. "Her last words to me was when I went to visit her in the hospital when she was very sick. She was lying on the bed and she could barely talk but she gestured me over so I went over to her and I said Hi Ger' and held her hand. "The last thing she said to me was dont forget about him. "I was so close to Geraldine, she helped me a lot over the years so I have this need to fufil that promise I made to her to not give up on Dean. I cant just leave it and walk away until we find out the truth. "That was our last promise to each other. "I told her I wont give up on him Geraldine. Sometimes what spurs me on even more is that I can hear her sometimes and I know that might sound a bit weird but she is inside my conscience somewhere and I can hear her gesturing me on and saying keep going with it buddy. "Thats all we can do, just keep going until the very end, regardless of what news that might bring. The 31-year-old was last seen by his mother Geraldine on March 22, 2015 when he left the family home in Kilkenny City to buy a new car. However Dean never returned and his car was found crashed half a mile from where he bought it in Ballyfoyle, Co Kilkenny. Deans family and friends dont believe he is still alive and want the investigation upgraded from a missing persons case to a murder inquiry. "In Ballyfoyle, the area that Dean went missing in, even though it is so big he would not have gotten far in the situations that were there at the time. "It was a really dark March night, and if you were out there at that time you could not see your hand in front of your face because it would have been so dark. Dean Roche (31) from Hebron Park, Kilkenny went missing nine years ago " So to even say that Dean made some kind of getaway out of Ballyfoyle and hasnt been found since, we just dont think its believable, explained Damien. There is one story in particular from the night in question that has left Deans family and friends puzzled and that is the story of the silver car. "The last person to see Dean out there and to make contact with Dean was a woman who described hearing a noise outside her house. "This woman went outside the front of her house and found Dean standing in the driveway. She said that Dean was very confused and very disorientated so she asked him was he ok. He said he wasnt ok and that he needed help. "The woman then went back inside her house to grab her phone and when she came back out Dean was gone. She had a little look around as she was wondering where he had gone. "Ten minutes after that, this large silver car in her words came whizzing by her house really fast, at speed. "She said she could hear it screeching to a halt at the end of the road and then all she heard was this big commotion of get in the car, get the f*ck in the car. "When she told us that story we were absolutely astounded because she had told the guards this information but they had never relayed it to us. "The guards finally told us this information themselves after Dean had been missing for two years. "The guards official take on this car is that it wasnt a large silver car, but it was a light coloured car and it stopped at the gate next to the field where Dean was and that a male occupant was heard shouting from the car get in, get the f*ck in. "For some reason the guards dont think this piece of information is very important but from the family and friends perspective, we cant understand how the car didnt have some sort of involvement. As time moves on and the prospect of finding Dean gets slimmer, Damien has argued it is even more imperative that the gardai working on the case and the family and friends of Dean work together to get answers. However, Damien is concerned that because of Dean's past involvement in drugs and petty crime, the guards have not taken the case as seriously as if it were someone with a clean record who had gone missing. "Since the very beginning of this the gardai have been absolutely atrocious in their approach to this. "I think it all boils down to the fact that Dean was a known drug user, he was a heroin addict, this is no big secret. "Unfortunately if you are mixed up in that kind of world and you have been involved in petty crime, you are not treated very favourably by gardai at all. "At the end of the day it doesnt matter what that person was involved it at some point in his life. "He is still a person that is missing, a person that is lost. He has family and friends who love him and cant move on with their lives until they get answers. "He has nieces and nephews who he has never met and they only know him as a picture on the wall and a story with no ending. The family deserve to find that ending, sighed Damien. In a statement to the Irish Independent, An Garda Siochana confirmed that the case is still open and active. "The investigation into the disappearance of Dean Roche is an ongoing missing person investigation by gardai at Kilkenny District under a Senior Investigating Officer and subject to ongoing review, read the statement. Dean was last seen on the evening of the March 22, 2015 at Newpark, Kilkenny. He is described as being 5 8 tall of slight build with green eyes and with short brown hair. When last seen he was wearing a black zip up tracksuit top and bottoms with white runners. A missing person investigation commenced immediately on Dean being reported missing, a Family Liaison Officer was appointed, an incident room was established at Kilkenny Garda Station and a Senior Investigating Officer was appointed. The investigation remains open and active, numerous searches have been carried out by investigating Gardai supported by the Garda Air Support Unit, Garda Divisional Search Unit, Garda Dog Unit, Garda Water Unit, Army Personal, Civil Defence and third party private service providers. Enquiries have been carried out across this jurisdiction and internationally on this missing persons investigation. An Garda Siochana continue to appeal to the public for information in relation to the disappearance of Dean Roche and any person who has any information or who can assist Gardai are asked to contact Kilkenny Garda station on 056 7775000, The Garda Confidential Line 1 800 666 111 or any Garda station. Bakery worker Anthony McKiernan (44) had rumbled Scap as a British agent. A man was shot dead by the IRA because he was about to expose British superspy Freddie Scappaticci, the Sunday World has learned. Bakery worker Anthony McKiernan (44) had rumbled Scap as a British agent. He made the fatal mistake of sharing the shocking information with IRA leader Brendan Ruby Davison another prized Special Branch agent who was later murdered by loyalists. And a short time later, McKiernan was shot in the head and branded an informer by the Provos. His lifeless body was discovered in a back lane off Mica Drive in the Beechmount area of Belfast on January 19, 1988. And the Sunday World learned this week that after ordering McKiernans execution, Scappaticci led a campaign of terror against his son, Anthony Jnr. At one point, the double agent known as Stakeknife who headed up the IRAs so-called Nutting Squad pointed a gun to Anthony Jnrs head and told him: If you dont shut up and stop asking questions, youll get the same as your da. Anthony Jnr had been told to meet republicans and was greeted by two IRA men wearing balaclavas. Scap only revealed his identity after McKiernan Jnr told him he recognised his voice and body shape. According to McKiernan Jnr, the incident happened in offices in the heart of republican west Belfast where he had gone by appointment, expecting answers to questions surrounding his fathers murder. And days later, Ruby Davison the IRA boss McKiernan had told about Scap being a traitor was shot dead by loyalist posing as police officers. Speaking to the Sunday World this week, McKiernan Jnr told how he had been shot several times by the IRA to make him stop asking questions about his fathers murder. He said: My family and I went through hell trying to get justice for our father. We suffered years of intimidation and threats, because we were determined to clear our fathers name. Four years ago, the Sunday World revealed how Scappaticci had personally witnessed Davisons murder at his Friendly Way home in the middle of the Market area, near Belfast city centre. Anthony McKiernan was murdered in 1988 by Freddie Scappaticci McKiernan Jnr told this week how he was one of the first on the scene. He tried to assist the IRA man, but realised he was dead. I knew there was nothing could be done for him, he said. Five years ago in an interview with the Sunday World, a former Market resident told us how she stumbled across Scappaticci observing the murder scene seconds after it happened. She said: At the time, everyone thought Ruby had been murdered by the RUC. They had been at his door shortly before. It was only later we learned he was murdered by the UVF wearing police uniforms. Rubys dead body was still lying at the door and people were busy washing away the blood. The police hadnt even arrived. My family lived nearby and I ran round to check on them. The door was unlocked and I went in to see Freddie Scappaticci sitting at the front window which overlooked Rubys flat. He had the blinds pulled down, but he could still see out on to the street. Scap was alone and he immediately ordered me out. He said, This is IRA business, Im using this house. Three years ago, the Sunday World revealed that Davison was a sadistic paedophile. But it also emerged that Davison who is buried beside IRA hunger strikers in the republican plot at Milltown Cemetery was a long-term RUC Special Branch agent who kept police informed about IRA weapons and operations in his area. We have learned that Davisons murder was planned by UVF commander Trevor King, who was a well-placed British Military Intelligence agent operating inside the UVF. He was later shot dead by the INLA. We were told that on January 19, 1988, Scappaticci sent word to Anthony McKiernan Sr at his home in Stanfield Row saying he wanted him to attend a meeting in west Belfast. That evening, McKiernan who worked in a local bakery had been planning to play a game of pool in the 3Cs Social Club in Belfast city centre. Before lifting his cue case and heading out, he informed friends he would first be attending a meeting in west Belfast and that he may be a little late for the pool match. Anthony McKiernan jnr But he was shot dead and the IRA claimed McKiernan had been an IRA member for 16 years but he had been dismissed for misconduct. A coroners report revealed he had been plied with an enormous amount of alcohol before he was shot several times. On the night his father died, 24-year-old Anthony Jnr was in his downstairs flat in Friendly Street when there was a knock at the door. Through the glass door he could see the outline of an unknown man. Aware of sectarian killers stalking the area, McKiernan slipped out a side window before asking the man who he was. It transpired he was a local radio reporter. He informed Anthony that he had received a code-worded statement from the IRA claiming it had executed his father as an informer. The news sent shockwaves through the close-knit Catholic area. His fathers murder led to many years of disputes and argument between Anthony Jnr and the IRA. In 1994, he was shot in both knees. But he continued to demand answers. And in 2003, he was arrested by the IRA near his home in Friendly Street and driven at gunpoint 30 miles to Killough, Co Down. He was then frogmarched into a field where he was shot in both feet. And as they made their escape, one of his IRA abductors told him: Keep your mouth shut or youll get it in the head. Last weeks Kenova Report examined the alleged involvement of an agent codenamed Stakeknife in 17 murders. Anthony Jnr said: The Kenova Report has changed everything. We now know our father wasnt a tout or informer. He added: Weve received hundreds of messages of support from ordinary people and that means an awful lot. The attack took place as crowds gathered for a performance by the Russian rock band Picnic IS claims it carried out deadly attack at Moscow concert hall Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that all those responsible for the deadly attack on a concert near Moscow would be punished. At least 143 people, including at least three children, died in the massacre. Another 115 people remain in hospital following the deadliest attack in Russia in years which left the 6,000 capacity concert hall in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow, in flames. Russian media share these pictures of four suspected terrorists, in the Crocus concert hall massacre in Moscow Russian law enforcement have detained a total of eleven suspects with four of them named and pictured in the media. Makhmadrasul Nasridinov (27), Rivozhidin Ismonov (51), Shokhindzhonn Safolzoda (21) and Rustam Nazarov (29) have been held in connection with the terror attack that has been claimed by the Islamic State group. It follows the identification of a white Renault with Tver region license plates used by the alleged terrorists that was stopped near the village of Teply, close to the borders with Belarus and Ukraine, according to Baza media. A Kalashnikov assault rifle lies on the ground of the venue The news site released the images of four suspects, who are all from ex-Soviet republic Tajikistan, which borders Afghanistan. It has been reported that Russian FSB security service officers are working with the suspects who have been detained. They are being checked for involvement in the terrorist attack, reported Baza. Telegram channel VChK-OGPU said earlier that one detainee from Tajikistan had named three others who he was with in a car. These are also natives of Tajikistan. They managed to hide in the forest. Now that it is light, an active search is underway for them. However, there is no confirmation yet that these people were the terrorists who attacked Crocus. Meanwhile, the condition of 44 survivors, including two children, has been described as serious with 16 other victims, including one child, in extremely serious condition. People stand at a body of a victim near the burning building of the Crocus City Hall Ukraine has released a statement categorically rejecting accusations of their alleged involvement in the massacre. A US intelligence official told The Associated Press that American agencies had learned that ISIS in Afghanistan was planning an attack in Moscow and claimed they had shared the information with Russian officials. The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed minutes after the assailants burst into the venue. The attack took place as crowds gathered for a performance by the Russian rock band Picnic, with video showing the building on fire, with a huge cloud of smoke rising into the night sky. As the blinking blue lights of dozens of fire engines, ambulances and other emergency vehicles lit up the scene, fire helicopters buzzed overhead to dump water on the blaze that took hours to contain. Graphic videos posted by Russian media and on messaging app channels showed men with assault rifles shooting screaming people at point-blank range. Rescuers work inside the Crocus City Hall the morning after the atrocity (Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP) One showed a man in the auditorium saying the assailants had set it on fire, as gunshots rang out. One woman, who was inside the concert hall when the massacre unfolded, told how she pretended to have been shot, which saved her life. (The terrorists were standing at the exit, we didn't go there, but they saw us, she said. One of them came running back and started shooting at us. I fell on the floor, and pretended to die. A girl next to me was killed. 'Then a fire started. (The terrorists) closed the door, but I guess they couldn't lock it (to trap those inside). I lay under the door and breathed the air coming through there. After a while I crawled out. Three minutes, maybe four minutes, maybe. I crawled out, looked around. Crawled to the exit and realised there was no one there, so I got outside. Another witness to the horrific attack said: We huddled in a corner at the entrance. He [gunman] came up and started shooting directly at people. They had black hair. They were shouting at each other and it was not Russian speech. Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that all those responsible for the deadly attack on a concert near Moscow would be punished. Putin, addressing the nation, said that attackers had sought to escape towards Ukraine. He said preliminary information showed that some people on the Ukrainian side had prepared to let them cross the border from Russia. Ukraine has denied any involvement in the attack, which has seen the Islamic State terror group claim responsibility. Putin said: "As for the investigation of this crime and the results of operational investigative actions, the following can currently be said. "All four direct perpetrators of the terrorist attack, all those who shot and killed people, were found and detained. They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them from the Ukrainian side to cross the state border. A total of 11 people were detained. "The Federal Security Service of Russia and other law enforcement agencies are working to identify and uncover the entire terrorist support base: those who provided them with transport, planned escape routes from the crime scene, prepared caches, caches of weapons and ammunition... "It is already obvious that we are faced not just with a carefully and cynically planned terrorist attack, but with the organised mass murder of peaceful defenceless people. The criminals were cold-blooded and purposefully going to kill, shoot our citizens at point-blank range - our children, Putin said. This afternoon the United States issued a statement strongly condemning the attack. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday: "We send our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and all affected by this heinous crime. "We condemn terrorism in all its forms and stand in solidarity with the people of Russia in grieving the loss of life from this horrific event. Its reported that while the couple enjoyed their time together, Maura who is based in London realised that there was no future for the pair. Maura previously shared an image of her and Bobby on a beach It appears to be all over for Maura Higgins and her stuntman boyfriend. Earlier this week we reported that fans were speculating after the Longford beauty and Bobby Holland Hanton unfollowed each other on social media. Now it seems the sad news has been confirmed with reports that the Love Island star ended her relationship with the Chris Hemsworth stunt double. Chris Hemsworth and Bobby Photos first emerged of the attractive pair last May and Maura and Bobby were later spotted kissing while sunbathing on a beach in Ibiza together. Its reported that while the couple enjoyed their time together, Maura who is based in London realised that there was no future for the pair. The 33-year-old is currently enjoying some downtime in Dubai where she has been posting snaps of her stay including fancy dinners and Pilates sessions. The couple seemed to be going from strength to strength and while they were coy about publicly discussing their relationship, they did share moments online and enjoyed several luxury holidays together. Maura previously shared an image of her and Bobby on a beach In January, Maura rang in the the New Year with a series of throwback shots from 2023, including a distant image of her and Bobby embracing on a beach. In December, Marua Higgins appeared on the Late Late Show where she told Patrick Kielty that she was loved up. '"I am no more single. Very happy relationship, she said as the audience cheered. She then revealed her boyfriend was sitting in the studio audience to support her, saying: He is. He's there somewhere. Maura with Chris Hemsworth Patrick then teased: He's a good looking devil, I'm not going to lie and Maura commented Oh he is. The news comes after Maura shared a series of photos on Instagram last week, including one of her smiling beside A-list actor Chris Hemsworth. She wrote: Throwbacks is all I have right now. Speaking about her social media detox, Maura wrote: Life is all about balance and your mental health is the most important thing. Always remember to take some time to unplug and set aside the world for a few moments to focus on yourself. Bobby is a successful stuntman, performing in several movies and regularly playing Chris Hemsworth's stunt double for a decade. Maura has previously dated Strictly Come Dancing professional Giovanni Pernice, as well as her Love Island co-stars Christopher Taylor and Curtis Pritchard. Bobby, who was previously married to beautician Rachel Hunter and is stepdad to her 10-year-old daughter, has acted as a stuntman for major movie stars such as Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Craig, Henry Cavill, Ryan Reynolds, Channing Tatum, and Jake Gyllenhaal. Maura doing Pilates in Dubai His first gig was stepping in as Daniel Craigs double in Quantum of Solace, but Bobby has said his most life-changing role to date was doubling for Chris Hemsworth in Thor: Dark World. Bobby and Chris sparked up a friendship on set and Chris contracted Bobby to be his stunt double for all future Marvel flicks. The pair have even launched a fitness app called Centr together, and regularly share photos with each other on social media. Repco Beach Hop has shifted into high gear, bringing tens of thousands of visitors and their classic cars to the Coromandel district for the festival which runs from March 20-24. Thursday saw dozens of shiny Ford Mustangs convoy into Thames under clear blue skies as part of the retro festivals Cruise the Loop Drive. The high-throttle thrills continued Friday with the Thunder Cruise into Onemana and lots of vintage rock and roll fun at the Beach Hop festival home base of Whangamata. Established in 2000. Beach Hop has brought hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders together for an annual rock and roll festival. This event is held in the beautiful seaside resort of Whangamata on the Coromandel Peninsula. Today's programme includes a RocknRoll Club March at 9.30am and a Grand Parade at 10.15am. Included in today's activites and shows are the Cool Classic Car & Boat Show, Meguiars Main St Car Show, Whanga BooksTot Rod Show, Repco Pre 1949 Hot Rod Show, Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Show (Casement Rd), Retro Caravan Show, NZ Petrolhead Vintage Market, Junkyard Fashion Show, Burger Fuel Vintage Show, the Whanga Bar Hop Idol Final, prize giving, a prize draw, and plenty of bands playing all over town, as well as in the clubs, bars and town centre at night On Sunday, the day includes the Classic Cover Insurance Nostalgia Fair,RocknRoll Church Service at the Baptist Church, Nostalgia Surf Fest, Top 10 Shoot Out, live music, the final prize giving and the entrants draw. For those who may wonder about the 'hop' in the name of the event. the Beach Hop is New Zealands number one nostalgia festival that celebrates the best of the 50s and 60s. It is not a Hip Hop festival! Any car made before 1972 can apply to come to Repco Beach Hop. Later model USA cars may apply to register however entry is at the organiser's discretion and their decision is final. Pre-event registration is limited to 1000 cars. A Day Entry is available for Saturday Car Shows, but these cars are not able to enter any other organised activity including the Thundercruise and Grand Parade Entry to the festival is free for the general public although they are strongly encouraged to purchase a festival program for just $5. For more information go to https://beachhop.co.nz BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 23. The Talas regional airport in Kyrgyzstan is ready for operational use, said Manasbek Samidinov, Chairman of the Board of Kyrgyzstan's Manas International Airport OJSC, during his visit to the airport, Trend reports. According to Manas International Airport, the airport's construction capsule was laid on June 15, 2023. Just nine months later, the airport is fully prepared to accommodate aircraft and passengers. It was noted that the arrival and departure halls in the new terminal of the airport are separated and fully equipped for passengers with limited mobility, providing all amenities, including a mother and child room. "Certificates from the Civil Aviation Authority of Kyrgyzstan have been obtained, passing all necessary inspections. Currently, the Talas airport is fully prepared to receive passengers and aircraft. However, due to a shortage of aircraft from TezJet Airlines (the airline operating domestic flights in the country), there is no possibility to open routes to Talas at the moment. Therefore, the Manas International Airport OJSC is exploring the possibility of serving domestic flights with its subsidiary Asman Airlines, for which new aircraft have been purchased," said Samidinov. The Talas regional airport is located at an altitude of 1266 meters above sea level. It can handle 100 passengers per hour and is intended for domestic flights. Two lucky Lotto players from Northland and Kapiti Coast will be jumping for joy after each winning $500,000 with Lotto First Division in Saturday nights live Lotto draw. The winning tickets were sold at Gloss in Northland and New World Waikanae in Kapiti Coast. Powerball was not struck on Saturday evening and has rolled over to Wednesday night, where the jackpot will be $15 million. Meanwhile, a lucky Strike player from Otago will also be celebrating after winning $200,000 with Strike Four. The winning Strike ticket was sold at Fresh Choice Roxburgh in Otago. 13 Lotto players win Second Division Thirteen lucky Lotto players will be pinching themselves after each winning $23,383 with Lotto Second Division in Saturday nights live Lotto draw. The winning Second Division tickets were sold at the following stores: Store Location MyLotto Northland Four Square Houhora Wharf Kaitaia MyLotto (x2) Auckland Countdown Mt Eden Auckland New World New Lynn Auckland MyLotto Hamilton MyLotto Rotorua Coastlands Lotto Paraparaumu Wainuiomata Pharmacy Lower Hutt Whitcoulls Nelson Nelson New World Nelson City Nelson Ashburton New World Ashburton Anyone who bought their ticket from any of the above stores should check their ticket as soon as possible in-store, on MyLotto, or through the MyLotto App. Lotto NZ exists to return 100 per cent of its profits to Kiwi communities through lottery grants programmes run by Te Puna Tahua NZ Lottery Grants Board. Pilar Martinez Malaga Saturday, 23 March 2024, 15:23 Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram Hoteliers on the Costa del Sol expect occupancy rates to be seven per cent lower than last year this Easter as reports come of a slowdown in last-minute bookings. This opens the door to the likely launch of special offers: hotel prices for this Easter are between 6% and 8% higher than those of 2023 - the most expensive in history, as highlighted by the Costa del Sol hotels association Aehcos and consulted hotel managers. The association has forecasted that occupancy will reach 80.7% in the peak period, from Wednesday of Holy Week to Easter Monday (1 April), and that, in the overall ten nights that comprise this first holiday period of the year, they expect to fill just 79% of their rooms. Aehcos has been concerned about a stagnation in sales since the end of February, yet it is confident that "the rate of bookings over the next few days, in which there are still places available, will be key to confirming that the current figures have recovered and the figures for 2023 have been exceeded". Possible rain However, forecasts of possible rain and lower temperatures, especially at the beginning and end of Easter, are slowing down sales. Jose Luque, president of Aehcos, said, "For the moment, the figures are clearly below those obtained last year at Easter, although the results are different in the different areas of [Malaga] province. We have noticed in the last two weeks a stagnation in demand so we hope that last minute bookings and the weather factor can boost demand and thus increase occupancy." Hoteliers consulted confirm this standstill and added that in the last few days they have been receiving cancellations. Even so, hotels such as the AC Marriott Malaga Palacio expect to exceed 90% occupancy from Maundy Thursday onwards and to remain above 85% for the rest of Holy Week, its director Jorge Gonzalez said. The forecasts portray the classic situation when Easter is celebrated in March, when occupancy is weighed down by factors such as competition from the recently celebrated Fallas festival in Valencia or the pull of the ski resorts, as is the case of the Sierra Nevada. In addition to this, a key element is that the airlines are still on their winter schedules, with less air capacity than in April, when the high season begins. Early Easter President and founder of MS Hotels Miguel Sanchez downplayed this decline in occupancy and said that despite the early Easter, March will close above the levels of the historic 2023 and that April sales are already approaching these records. "Easter Week responds to the usual profile when it coincides with the month of March, in which, as is happening, the risks of meteorological instability mark the wavering demand for a sun and beach destination. The year is looking very good and the summer is selling at a good pace," he said. In the same vein, the hotel chain with the most beds in the capital of the Costa del Sol, Soho Boutique Hotels, also expects a good occupancy this Easter, noting that its nine hotels will close with an average of 85% of the rooms full and that sales are going well for the high season. Aehcos anticipates that in Easter Week - from 22 March to 1 April - 78.5% of accommodation will be full, and from 27 March to 1 April, coinciding with the five busiest nights, the average occupancy rate will rise to 80.7%. In both periods the figures are lower than in 2023, when occupancy was 84.2% and 87.8% respectively in Malaga province, which includes the Costa del Sol. As for the destinations in the province that will perform best, Ronda and Malaga city are once again in the leading positions. Aehcos expects that for the ten nights over Easter, Ronda will lead hotel occupancy with a figure of 87%, above that of the 86% for Nerja, 82.9% for Malaga city and the 81.9% expected in Benalmadena. Tourist rentals On the other hand, tourist rental properties in Malaga city are expecting full occupancy during the main Easter period: Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday. The data is provided by the Association of Professionals of Tourist Homes and Apartments of Andalucia (AVVAPro), which confirmed a strong increase in demand - higher than last year's record. This group said that 70% of holiday rentals properties are already booked, a figure that is 8% higher than in 2023. "With last minute bookings, the sector expects that in some areas, such as the city centre and nearby neighbourhoods, the 'full' sign will be hung from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday," AVVAPro said. The association said that 66% of the guests expected in Malaga city this Easter are forecast to be international holidaymakers, despite this being a traditional Spanish festivity. In inland areas of Malaga province, expectations are for an occupancy rate of 65% on the key days, which is also lower than last year. Despite this, Ruralidays, the largest rural tourism platform in Andalucia, said that bookings from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday are seven per cent above the average for the region. "We expect occupancy to rise by between three and five per cent thanks to last minute sales. However, it is somewhat lower than last year as this year the holiday falls in March instead of April," Ruralidays' co-founder Felix Zea said. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. For the third time in four years, a Brooklyn brewery has been named New York states best beer company. A sour beer made by a brewery in Kingston won the Governors Cup as the states best brew. And a Central New York brewery took home the prize for the best beer made under New Yorks farm brewery rules (using at least 60% New York-produced malt and hops). These are among the results of the 2024 New York State Craft Beer Competition. Judging took place earlier this month in Rochester and awards were presented at a ceremony during the New York State Craft Brewers Conference in Albany Friday night. The competition started in 2017 and is billed as the largest state-level competition in the country. New York is now home to more than 500 breweries, second highest number after California. The 2024 competition drew a record 1,421 beer entries from 232 different breweries. In all, 96 medals were awarded in 30 different beer style categories. Brooklyns Grimm Artisanal Ales won the title of Best New York Brewery after piling up the highest number of points during the competition. Grimm previously won the best New York brewery award in 2021 and 2022 (when it tied for first place). This year, it won three Gold medals, one Silver and one Bronze. The Governors Cup for the best beer of 2024 went to Love Is Overtaking Me, a Barrel Aged Sour made by the Kingston Standard Brewing Co. in the Hudson Valley. While supplies last, you can get Love is Overtaking Me delivered to your door via the NYS Craft Beer & Chocolate Box Winter Survival Kit. Order here. The special award for the best collaboration beer (co-produced by more than one brewery) went to BreakingBird, a Wild & Sour Ale made by Strangebird Beer of Rochester in partnership with Breakside Brewery of Portland, Ore. The best New York State Farm Beer went to Coconut Cluster, made by Heritage Hill Brewhouse of Pompey in Onondaga County. Thats a strong (8.9% alcohol) Imperial Stout whose ingredient list includes coconut cream, Tahitian vanilla beans and Mexican cocoa nibs in addition to New York malt and hops. Other Central New York breweries winning medals include ONCO Fermentations of Tully, Underground Beer Lab of East Syracuse, Talking Cursive of Syracuse, Prison City of Auburn, Sheps of Auburn and Lunkenheimer of Weedsport. (See full list below). Its incredible to not only see many of the same breweries win medals each year, but its a true testament to the quality of the beer in New York State to see so many new breweries win for the first time, said Paul Leone, executive director of the New York State Brewers Association, which coordinates the competition each year. It reaffirms the fact that quality continues to be of the highest priority to the brewers in our state. 2024 Medal Winners The 2024 NYS Craft Beer Competition was sponsored by Ultimate Brew Service. The awards ceremony was hosted at the Albany Capital Center Friday by Malteurop. The competition itself is produced by the NYSBA and the non-profit Raise a Glass. Foundation. This years competition included two new categories, Cream Ales and Dark Lagers. Cream Ale, in particular, has a strong historical association with New York. Heres the list of 2024 medal winners, by category: Light Lagers (Traditional) - 66 entries Gold: Eleven - Strong Rope Brewery Silver: Bezucha Brothers - West Kill Brewing Bronze: Brook & Reed - Drowned Lands Light Lagers (Modern and Contemporary) - 77 entries Gold: Contiguity - Threes Brewing Silver: UN1 Basmati Rice Lager - Transmitter Brewing Bronze: There & Back Helles - Bright Eye Beer Company Amber Lagers - 34 entries Gold: PleasantbrAu Oktoberfest - Soul Brewing Company Silver: Fly In Any Weather - Rising Storm Brewing Company Bronze: PolotmavA Peka? - Wayward Lane Brewing Dark Lagers - 51 entries Gold: Dark Encounter - Druthers Brewing Company Silver: Nightfall - Wagner Valley Brewing Company Bronze: Heavy Handed - Kills Boro Brewing Company Wheat Beers (American, Wit, Hefe) - 33 entries Gold: Grimm Weisse - Grimm Artisanal Ales Silver: Gather House - Drowned Lands Bronze: Lit Wit - Shep's Brewing Company Golden & Blonde Ales - 32 entries Gold: Prototype - Kings County Brewers Collective Silver: Freudian Sips - Active Ingredient Brewing Company Bronze: KOLSCH NO.2 - EBBS Brewing Company Cream Ales - 43 entries Gold: Cream Ale - Prison City Brewing Silver: Premium Cream Ale 18th Ward Brewing Bronze: Wolves Den Cream Ale 1812 Brewing Company Amber & Red Ales - 54 entries Gold: NYS Celtic Red Ale K2 Bros. Brewing Silver: Altbier Swiftwater Brewing Bronze: Prince Sager-Heimer Sager Beer Works Pale Ale - 27 entries Gold: Moderance - Wild East Brewing Company Silver: Lighter Than Air - Grimm Artisanal Ales Bronze: RIP Pale Ale - Wood Kettle Brewing Hazy Pale Ale - 32 entries Gold: Future Memory - 18th Ward Brewing Silver: Kaaterskill - West Kill Brewing Bronze: Particle - Underground Beer Lab American IPA - 69 entries Gold: Golden Hour - Long Island Farm Brewery Silver: Frisco Kid - Okay Beer Company Bronze: Venomous Villains - Kings County Brewers Collective Hazy IPA - 78 entries Gold: Variable - Underground Beer Lab Silver (tie): Spectral Mass - Underground Beer Lab Citmo IPA (tie) - Resurgence Brewing Company Bronze: The One V-56 - New York Beer Project Experimental IPA - 36 entries Gold: Island Addition - New York Beer Project Silver: Forever Ever - Other Half Bronze: River Swell - Drowned Lands American DIPA - 24 entries Gold: 5 Cent Deposit Double IPA - Bright Eye Beer Company Silver: Pacific Dawn - Captain Lawrence Brewing Company Bronze: Lean To - West Kill Brewing Hazy DIPA - 44 entries Gold: FaultLine - Barrier Brewing Company Silver: Jasper - Fidens Brewing Company Bronze: Over and Out - Wayward Lane Brewing Barrel Aged (Sour) - 17 entries Gold: Love Is Overtaking Me - Kingston Standard Silver: Something Something Something - Prison City Brewing Bronze: Brewers Reserve BA Sour Blend - New York Beer Project Barrel Aged (Non-Sour) - 40 entries Gold: Portuguese Squeeze - Strangebird Silver (tie): Bourbon-Barrel Aged Dormancy - Grow Brewing Company Silver (tie): Oak Aged Aeon - Aurora Brewing Company Bronze: Double Barrel Aqueduct 2023 - Big Ditch Brewing Company Belgian Farmhouse - 22 entries Gold: Saison Blend One - ONCO Fermentations, Inc Silver: Wandering Bine - Threes Brewing Bronze: Starling - Arrowood Farm Brewery Belgian Other - 28 entries Gold: Trappist at the Track Belgian Tripel - Artisanal Brew Works Silver: Man's Best Friend - New York Beer Project Bronze: Duncan's Quadrupel - Duncan's Abbey Experimental - 29 entries Gold: Shadowtricks - Wayward Lane Brewing Silver: States Of Being - Threes Brewing Bronze: El Tepache Loco - Talking Cursive Brewing Company Fruit & Vegetable Beers (Non-Sour) - 32 entries Gold: Crispy Boys Blood Orange - Prison City Brewing Silver: Blackberry Kolsch - Lunkenheimer Craft Brewing Co. Bronze: Kettle Lakes Coconut Cream Ale - ONCO Fermentations Fruit & Vegetable Beers (Sour) - 59 entries Gold: Mimosa Sour - Valcour Brewing Company Silver: Collaborations: Carmenere - Greenport Harbor Brewing Bronze: Key Lime Pie Sour - No BS Brew Company Specialty Beer: Stouts & Porters - 52 entries Gold: Coconut Cluster - Heritage Hill Brewhouse Irish Coffee Stout - New York Beer Project Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter - Horseheads Brewing Specialty Beer: Light & Amber Ales, Lagers - 21 entries Gold: Holiday Ale - No BS Brew Company Silver: Lavel Up - Druthers Brewing Company Bronze: Pumpkin Cream Ale - Keuka Brewing Company Brown Ale - 32 entries Gold (tie): Lithology Brown Ale - Lithology Brewing Company Gold (tie): Brown Ale - Watershed Brewing Company Silver: Brooklyn Brown - Brooklyn Brewery Bronze: Alternator - Wood Kettle Brewing Porters (Non-Imperial) - 36 entries Gold: Hold Fire - Weiss Ferments LLC Silver: Portmanteau - Wayward Lane Brewing Bronze: McNally Porter - 18th Ward Brewing Stout (Non-Imperial) - 37 entries Gold: Carlow - Drowned Lands Silver: Velvet Panda - Mill House Brewing Company Bronze: STOUT NO.1 - EBBS Brewing Company Imperial Stouts & Porters - 25 entries Gold: EB Baltic Porter - Take Two Brewery Silver: Belgian Stout - Brewery Ardennes Bronze: Double Negative - Grimm Artisanal Ales Strong Ales - 33 entries Gold: XXXXX - Grimm Artisanal Ales Silver: Biteanator - Spider Bite Beer Co. Bronze: Nicnevin - Crafty Ales and Lagers Kettle and Simple Sours - 12 entries Gold: There Gose the Watermelon Farm. - Good Nature Brewing Company Silver: Incandenza - Hudson Valley Brewery Bronze: Leipzig Gose - Big Slide Brewery & Public House Wild & Sour Ales - 13 entries Gold: Ambient Fizz Koyo Berries - Grimm Artisanal Ales Silver: Breaking Bird - Strangebird Bronze: Family Tree 13 - Rare Form Brewing Company Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at (315) 470-2297 or dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook. Happy weekend, everyone! As youre keeping track of your March Madness bracket this weekend, why not check out the stories we at NY Cannabis insider published last week. Lets take a look: We ran an item that provides all the details about NY Cannabis Insiders first live event of 2024, which will be held at Madam Mikettes in Manhattans Midtown East neighborhood from 6 to 9 p.m. on April 2. The conference will feature a speaker panel that includes Brittany Carbone of Tricolla Farms, Brian Lane of NOWAVE, Coss Marte of CONBUD and Ellen Parkin of Green Analytics NY. This State of the State will dive into whats working, whats not, what needs to happen next, and what those looking to get into the industry should consider before making the leap. There will be a chance for attendees to interact directly with the speakers during and after a Q&A, along with open networking time to meet others in the industry. Following an investigation into allegations of retaliation and selective enforcement by Office of Cannabis Management Chief Equity Officer Damian Fagon, reporter Wes Parnell wrote that the OCM placed Fagon on administrative leave. To ensure a transparent, thorough investigation into the allegations made, the Office placed Mr. Fagon on leave, OCM Executive Director Chris Alexander said. Sign up for the NY Cannabis Insider Newsletter Enter your email address to get exclusive reporting on NY's cannabis market delivered to your inbox: We ran a story about a hemp-related federal lawsuit, which a judge in the Southern District of New York dismissed earlier this month. In the lawsuit, nine hemp companies allege that state officials violated their civil rights by issuing and enforcing strict rules on hemp products. Plaintiffs refiled the case after the dismissal. A ruling in their favor could limit states abilities to regulate intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids, while a ruling in favor of New York regulators would bolster all states authority to regulate or ban hemp products as they wish, notwithstanding the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp and extracts from the plant. Several guest columnists shared their insights with NY Cannabis Insider readers this week. Pilar DeJesus, a cannabis advocate and connoisseur who played a pivotal role in the passage of the MRTA, wrote about the need for more funding directed toward social equity cannabis entrepreneurs in New York. One of the fundamental pillars of [the MRTA] is the promise of social and economic equity for communities disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs, DeJesus wrote. However, the reality is stark: there is a severe lack of financial support for those who need it most. Nicolas Guarino, founder and CEO of Naturae a licensed New York cannabis processor and manufacturer contributed a column that argues that the states quarterly tax payments for cannabis businesses threatens the viability of all operators. The existing quarterly payment system is problematic for two main reasons: it requires businesses to pay taxes in advance, before collecting payments for the tax period, and it imposes a tax nearing 25% of sales on an industry yet to establish stable profit margins, unheard of in any other new industry, Guarino wrote. Cannabis tax attorney Paula Collins wrote a piece arguing that New York weed businesses should not follow the example of several large multi-state operators that have chosen to amend prior year tax returns as if the companies were non-plant-touching, and subsequently applying those savings to their current years tax liabilities. Companies have said theyre doing this in anticipation of federal rescheduling or descheduling of cannabis. My strong suggestion: play it safe. Wait until rescheduling or descheduling. It will happen one day. Some day. But wait, Collins wrote. You will be glad you saved the money on the accountants and lawyers and preserved your peace of mind. Colin Decker, owner and founder of 7 SEAZ, New Yorks first legacy-to-legal adult-use cannabis brand, contributed a column about the future of New York cannabis distribution in the wake of OCMs delinquent list. The long-awaited Office of Cannabis Management delinquent list which names retailers who are delinquent in paying for cannabis products purchased on credit from licensed suppliers is supposed to be coming to us on April 3, Decker wrote. We ran a story by reporter Mel Hyman that takes a look at differences between proposals in the New York State Senate and Assembly regarding changes to cannabis taxation policy. The Senate proposal calls for a multiyear, phased-in system, starting at 5% of wholesale sales in 2024, then graduating to 7% of sales in 2028, and culminating in 9% of sales starting Jan. 1, 2031, Hyman wrote. Meanwhile, the Assembly is proposing a permanent 7% wholesale tax rate going forward. Lastly, we also added a new entry to our People to know in NY cannabis series: Darren Gleeman, the managing partner of MBO Ventures, the cannabis industrys only investment bank dedicated to Employee Stock Ownership Plans. Have a great weekend everyone, well be back with plenty more next week. Syracuse, N.Y. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse will close its Cathedral Academy at Pompei at the end of the academic year. The diocese in a news release Saturday cited declining enrollment numbers for the decision to close the pre K-6th grade school at 923 N. McBride St. on the citys North Side. The school had 58 students this year, spokesperson Danielle Cummings said. The school was primarily funded by the Our Lady of Pompei and St. Peters churches with scholarship assistance from the diocese and other foundations, Cummings said. Bishop Douglas Lucia in a statement said I truly empathize with the families of the CAP School community, who desire a Catholic school education, but the low enrollment, the financial stress on the parish and the depleted resources have forced this difficult decision. Staff will work in the coming weeks to transition students, Cummings said. The diocese has 21 schools, including six elementary schools in Onondaga County, she said. The Cathedral Academy at Pompei was formed from the merger of two schools in 2006 Cathedral School and Our Lady of Pompei School. Staff writer Fernando Alba covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, question or comment? Reach him at falba@syracuse.com. U.S.draft setting preconditions for ceasefire in Gaza "unacceptable," says Chinese envoy Xinhua) 10:10, March 23, 2024 Representatives vote on a draft resolution during a UN Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, on March 22, 2024. A Chinese envoy said Friday that by setting preconditions for a ceasefire in Gaza, a U.S. draft resolution essentially green-lights continued killing, which is "unacceptable." (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) UNITED NATIONS, March 22 (Xinhua) - A Chinese envoy said Friday that by setting preconditions for a ceasefire in Gaza, a U.S. draft resolution essentially green-lights continued killing, which is "unacceptable." During his explanatory statement following the Security Council's vote on the Palestine-Israel issue draft resolution, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, said that "an immediate ceasefire is the basic premise" for saving lives, expanding humanitarian access, and preventing further conflict. Zhang underscored that any action by the Security Council "should withstand the test of history and the scrutiny of moral conscience." The ambassador pointed out that the U.S. draft was "unbalanced in many aspects," especially concerning Israel's recent repeated declarations of planning military attacks on Rafah. "The draft did not clearly oppose such actions, sending a very wrong signal with serious consequences," the ambassador added. "Based on a responsible attitude towards upholding justice, the United Nations Charter, and the dignity of the Security Council, and also due to the concerns and strong dissatisfaction from Arab countries towards the draft, China, along with Algeria and Russia, cast a vote against it," Zhang said. "More than 160 days have passed since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict. In the face of a human tragedy in which more than 32,000 innocent civilians have lost their lives and millions are suffering from famine, the most urgent action to be taken by the council is to promote an immediate, unconditional, and sustained ceasefire," said the ambassador. He stressed that this is the "universal call" of the international community, the decision taken by the emergency special session of the General Assembly a few months ago, and the solemn appeal by the UN secretary-general to the council while invoking Article 99 of the Charter. "The council has dragged its feet and wasted too much time in this regard," the envoy pointed out. Zhang recalled that the U.S. introduced its own draft resolution after vetoing on Feb. 20 the overwhelming consensus among council members on an immediate ceasefire. "Over the past month, the draft has undergone several iterations and contains elements that respond to the concerns of the international community. But it has always evaded and dodged the most essential issue, that is, a ceasefire," he stressed. The final text remains "ambiguous" and "does not call for an immediate ceasefire," said Zhang. "Nor does it even provide an answer to the question of realizing a ceasefire in the short term." The ambassador noted that members of the council have now before them another draft resolution that was "the result of collective consultations" among elected members of the council. "This draft is clear on the issue of a ceasefire, in line with the correct direction of the council's action, and of great relevance. China supports this draft. We hope that the members of the council will reach agreement on this basis as soon as possible and send a clear signal calling for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the fighting." Zhang noted that like other members, China has from the outset called for the immediate release of all hostages, a repeated demand in Security Council resolutions 2712 and 2720. "We welcome the mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and others to this end. And we hope that all detainees will be released at an early date." The ambassador said that China rejects the accusations by the U.S. and Britain against China's voting position. "Those are groundless accusations. If the U.S. were serious about a ceasefire, it wouldn't have vetoed time and again multiple council resolutions, and wouldn't have taken such a detour and played a game of words while being ambiguous and evasive on critical issues," he said. "If the U.S. is serious about a ceasefire, then please vote in favor of the other draft resolution clearly calling for a ceasefire, so that a ceasefire can be finally and immediately achieved, the Palestinians' sufferings ended, and hostages released at an early date. For the U.S. at the current stage, what is most important is not words, but actions," he added. The ambassador pledged that China will continue to work with council members and the international community to play "a responsible and constructive role" in order to achieve a ceasefire and put an end to the fighting, alleviate the suffering, implement the two-state solution, and promote a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the question of Palestine. Representatives vote on a draft resolution during a UN Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, on March 22, 2024. A Chinese envoy said Friday that by setting preconditions for a ceasefire in Gaza, a U.S. draft resolution essentially green-lights continued killing, which is "unacceptable." (Evan Schneider/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liu Ning) Russian President Vladimir Putin declared March 24 a day of national mourning in Russia for those killed in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, Azernews reports. The terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall last evening has left 150 people dead. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 23. The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan is ready to provide assistance to the victims of the terrorist attack in Russia, Trend reports. According to the statement from the country's Cabinet of Ministers, this was expressed in a telegram of condolences from the Chairman of the Cabinet, Akylbek Japarov, to the Prime Minister of Russia, Mikhail Mishustin, in connection with the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall. "The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan is ready to provide the necessary comprehensive assistance and join in supporting the victims. I ask you to convey words of sympathy and support to the families and loved ones of the deceased," the message says. Japarov expressed sincere and deep condolences regarding the terrorist act that resulted in numerous casualties at Crocus City Hall. To note, the incident unfolded when unidentified individuals began shooting at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, prompting evacuations, according to reports from Russian operational services. Eyewitnesses reported that people dressed in camouflage attire fired shots from machine guns inside Crocus City Hall, just before the scheduled concert by the Picnic group. The shooting resulted in the loss of 60 lives, with over 140 individuals sustaining injuries. VijayAnand1 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Stickn' Around Posts: 1,050 Thanked: 2,768 Times Re: What can be done to improve the availability of KTM Spare Parts in India? Sadly, what was once benign had now turned out to be malignant. The issue is compounded by showroom folks taking matter in their own hands primarily owing to get better margins - a job outside is a job lost and hence they sinisterly use this side of the loophole to hoodwink every guy looking for a spare. Where I live, they did deny selling me even an O ring stating the manager doesn't allow counter sale. (this is after travelling 80 kms one way to the showroom). Been a while since I've started to source here. This is where Bangalore folks come into play, KTM Kadubeesnahali and especially BTM layout and the sales guy at the BTM spares counter went above and beyond to source my requirements as the part I had asked for out of stock at the showroom. I was asked to wait for an hour -- meanwhile they sent a guy to a parts warehouse and after an hour plus of waiting, an Activa comes fully loaded with parts. Was simply astounding to say the least, was in the service bay talking to the folks and pretty much everyone was polite and helpful. Since then, I've got hold of a couple of great guys in BLR who help me with the spares availability especially old gen and I get it couriered. Regarding JG, JL, JY.. KTMs and Bajaj have a mix of all, JG JL and JY, they're all independently yet mutually exclusive. There isn't one catalogue that lists everything as JY JG or JL. It's a jungle out there. Our laws are loopsided to say the least and simply put cash is king, customer is bakra. Cheers! VJ Last edited by VijayAnand1 : 23rd March 2024 at 11:57 . A new study reveals that certain schizophrenia patients may actually have prosopometamorphopsia (PMO), a rare visual disease that distorts facial features and makes them look hideous or "demonic." Studies have shown that people with PMO often find it upsetting to look at other people's faces, and some of them report feeling these distortions for long periods. The study's senior author, Professor Brad Duchaine of Dartmouth University, described cases where individuals with PMO received an incorrect diagnosis of schizophrenia and anti-psychotic medication, according to US News & World Report. Duchaine and his colleagues created a case study with lifelike illustrations of the facial deformities that a particular patient had to help with the comprehension of PMO. Twisted, Evil Faces One such instance included a 58-year-old guy with PMO who claimed to have normal facial perception while looking at paper or screen faces. But when he saw them in person, he said they seemed twisted and evil. Antonio Mello, the primary research author, highlighted the difficulties people with PMO have while attempting to evaluate visual aids since visualizations inherently include distortions. To enhance awareness and comprehension of PMO, the Lancet Journal released images of face deformities. Even though PMO is uncommon, it may have a substantial negative influence on a person's quality of life and often results in emotional and social difficulties. (Photo : Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) David Phillis, a customer at McTears auctioneers, views Alter Ego a self portrait by artist Peter Howson on October 20, 2009 in Glasgow, Scotland. Read Also: Study Reveals Link Between Dental Bacteria and Treatment-Resistant Colorectal Cancer How PMO Impacts Patients' Lives In contrast to the "face blindness" condition that well-known people like Brad Pitt and John Hickenlooper have suffered, prosopometamorphopsia poses a unique issue, as per a CNN report. Face blindness hinders face recognition, but PMO distorts known faces in predictable ways, ensuring their recognition. Even with visible distortions like stretched features, enlarged eyes, or pointed ears, people with PMO may have little trouble recognizing loved ones or well-known faces. While similar across people, these distortions might vary in degree and presentation depending on face anatomy and movement. PMO may sometimes even alter an individual's perspective of their own face, causing them to experience distortion or injury. For instance, an April 2023 study of the literature included cases where patients observed disturbing deformities in the mirror, such as one eye appearing to separate and slide down the face. According to Science News, since 1904, less than 100 instances of PMO have been documented. The condition appears as a variety of facial deformities some patients may notice changes in the location or size of features, while some see as if their features are too stretched. Researchers believe that anomalies in the brain areas involved in processing faces or their connections may have a role in the development of PMO. The purpose of the research is to increase physician knowledge of this often misdiagnosed illness. The exact origins and processes of PMO are unknown; however, some instances are related to neurological disorders that may be treated, such as strokes or seizures. Increased understanding may lead to better therapies and shed light on more areas of face processing. Related Article: Declining Fertility Rates Will Impact Global Economy for Next 25 Years 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The US Department of Justice has specifically targeted Apple for its contribution to the well-known "green bubble" effect in text messaging, describing it as symbolic of "social stigma, exclusion and blame" within the historic antitrust lawsuit against the tech giant. The DOJ and 16 state attorneys general sued in a New Jersey federal court to spotlight Android smartphone owners' longstanding "green bubble" text message mocking, according to the New York Post. Some people have joked about preferring iPhone users over Android users online, which has societal ramifications. US Attorney General Merrick Garland argues that Apple worsens the green bubble issue by restricting Android text messaging capability to iPhones, causing Android users to lose typing indications, video quality, and encryption. The case also accuses Apple of blocking competing programs that may fix the problem, strengthening its smartphone market dominance. The complaint cites a 2022 Vox Media Code Conference conversation in which CEO Tim Cook suggested buying an iPhone instead of fixing Android-to-iPhone messaging. Green Bubble Causes Social Division Apple's iMessage system dominates iPhone texting with end-to-end encryption, read receipts, typing indications, and high-quality media sharing. Users of iPhones and Androids converse using the less secure SMS protocol (green bubbles), according to TechCrunch. The DOJ argues that this disparity creates a societal divide, especially among iPhone-using teens. Moreover, maintaining group conversations across platforms is challenging as switching to Android or another platform requires using a third-party messaging program like WhatsApp or Telegram, because iMessage is exclusive to Apple devices. Apple's 2013 emails disclose conversations about expanding iMessage to Android. Craig Federighi, Apple's SVP of Software Engineering, claimed that such a change may inspire iPhone families to switch to Android devices, while Phil Schiller, former SVP of Worldwide Marketing, said it would hurt Apple's ecosystem. Read Also: Chinese Tech Giants Racing to Dominate AI: Tencent and Kuaishou Push Next-Gen Language Models The DOJ also claims Apple discriminates against iPhone third-party texting applications. Apple limits third-party applications' ability to deliver iMessage-like communications by prohibiting functions like establishing default SMS apps. This restriction hinders messaging app innovation and competition, according to the US Justice Department. Android users responded differently to the case, with some thanking the US Department of Justice for potentially advocating for their cause. Jeff Richards, a venture entrepreneur, said on Twitter, "Those of us with mixed family group chats would love to see equality among blue and green bubbles," calling for messaging platform equity. Apple Shares Drop Some downplayed the green bubble analogy and Android users' struggles and asserted that the DOJ's involvement labeled Android users as a "protected class," while others suggested that individuals with green bubbles should be avoided, per Gizmodo. Podcaster Josh Barro joked, "If they allow iMessage on Android, then how will we tell who's a loser?" Apple's shares dropped nearly 4% after the lawsuit news, wiping approximately $113 billion in market value in one day. This decline reflects rising worries about Apple's alleged monopolistic tactics, customer choice, and price. Apple strongly opposes the case, saying it undermines innovation and cutting-edge technology. The tech giant promises a robust response to the accusations, asserting that the case is inappropriate and could set a dangerous precedent for government intervention in technological advancement. Related Article: Tim Cook in China: Apple CEO Attends New Shanghai Store Opening Amid iPhone Sales Dip 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The introduction of Lenmeldy has sparked debates over its justification as the world's most expensive medicine. This groundbreaking gene therapy involves using the patient's own stem cells to deliver a functional gene, providing a potential cure for metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD). Lenmeldy's Revolutionary Treatment The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval for a therapy targeting the genetic disorder known as MLD. With only about 40 cases reported annually in the US, MLD is a rare condition characterized by its severity, often proving fatal before affected children reach the age of seven. Orchard Therapeutics, the therapy's manufacturer, revealed that the treatment would come with a staggering price tag of $4.25 million, rendering it the most expensive medication globally. The announcement has ignited a contentious discussion regarding the justifiability of such a hefty price, raising concerns about accessibility for patients and their families. In the realm of genetic disorders, MLD poses a significant challenge. Unlike many conditions, it remains hidden during a child's early stages of life. However, there's a silent struggle because the body lacks an essential enzyme needed to break down fatty substances known as sulfatides. Without this enzyme, sulfatides build up and harm the nerves as time passes. What starts as a small problem becomes big, affecting movement and brain activity. Around the age of two, usually when kids are active and curious, signs of MLD begin to show. The condition progresses rapidly, leading to a state where the child can't recover. Also read: Asthma Drug Xolair Shows Promise in Protecting Against Severe Food Allergies: Study Lenmeldy offers a novel approach to treating MLD. It involves a gene therapy method that extracts stem cells from individuals diagnosed with MLD. These cells are then exposed to a genetically modified virus, which carries copies of crucial genes responsible for producing the enzyme necessary to break down sulfatides. After the virus introduces these genes into the stem cells, they are reintroduced into the patient's body. Once inside, these cells begin producing the vital enzyme and eventually settle in the bone marrow, where they continue generating more enzyme-producing cells. Patients who underwent this innovative treatment under Orchard's care have been under observation for more than 12 years, during which they have exhibited a remarkable improvement in their condition, leading lives akin to their unaffected peers. Justifying Lenmeldy's Price Tag Firms like Orchard argue that the hefty price tags associated with these treatments reflect their transformative impact. A single therapy session can eliminate the ailment entirely, sparing patients from lifelong medication regimens and vastly enhancing their well-being. However, the limited pool of prospective patients necessitates that the expenses incurred in researching, rigorously testing, and manufacturing these therapies be recuperated from a relatively small number of recipients, thus driving up the costs. Failure to recover these expenses could ruin companies financially, diminishing future prospects for other rare diseases. Patients are not directly responsible for footing the entire bill for these treatments, as private or public healthcare systems often cover the costs. Governments closely monitor drug advancements to anticipate potential spikes in healthcare expenditure upon the drug's availability. With a price tag exceeding $4 million per treatment, adopting gene therapies poses a substantial financial burden for healthcare systems. However, healthcare coverage is accessible to only four out of ten children in the US, leaving a considerable segment unable to afford the astronomical costs of life-saving treatments, even when they become accessible. Related Article: Generative AI Promises Patient-Focused Care: How AI Can Record Doctor-Patient Conversations, Alleviate Physician Burnout 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 23. Five individuals planning an assassination attempt on the leadership of Kyrgyzstan have been apprehended in the country, Trend reports. According to the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan, operational measures aimed at detecting and preventing illegal activities of organized criminal groups, including foreign citizens and individuals wanted internationally, were undertaken. As a result, five individuals affiliated with a transnational criminal organization came under the scrutiny of national security agencies and were subsequently apprehended on March 22, 2024. Currently, investigative procedures are underway to hold them accountable in accordance with Kyrgyzstan's legislation. It was noted that the criminal plans emerged in response to the mass renunciation activities of criminal behavior conducted in Kyrgyzstan, causing dissatisfaction among international criminal leaders, which could potentially have negative repercussions for them. Disappearance of little Emile: the child's bones have been discovered, announces the prosecution Initial research, role play, discovery of bones... The key dates of the disappearance of little Emile Medical innovation: New tests make it possible to detect cancer long before symptoms appear The week of God Twitter: from the tragedy on the Baltimore bridge to Holy Week that looks like the Flood Death of little Emile: how to explain the discovery of his bones near Haut-Vernet? Remy Martin celebrates its 300th anniversary with the most exclusive cognac in the world and only 8 bottles for Spain Israeli bombing of displaced people and journalists in the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah The revolution of the hungry is coming... even if it is delayed Pension payments will be reduced in real terms, and changes to the social security system for the new fiscal year will be The employment rate of people with disabilities required by companies will be raised to 2.5% or more. Journal de l'Afrique - Second reading of the New Constitution in Togo, a setback in the face of opposition pressure? The execution of young Palestinian men in Khan Yunis...a crime filmed by the killer who failed to bury the evidence Massive destruction by Israeli bombing that targeted the home of the Abu Aoun family in the Maghazi camp in the central Gaza Strip Infusions, ginger, lemon... an expert in digestive health teaches how to strengthen the microbiota to end spring colds Samantha Vallejo-Nagera's warning hours before the premiere of MasterChef 12: "This year's contestants are very crybaby" Tour of Flanders: Mathieu van der Poel wins for the third time in his career Loudly slamming the door: Shevchenko won the mass start at the Chechen Biathlon Championships, and Garanichevs team won the relay Premier League: City and Arsenal pave the way for Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool to the top of the table A curious own goal by Suleymanov and a saving strike by Glushenkov: Krasnodar missed out on victory over Lokomotiv in the RPL match Tennis: Sinner triumphs at the Masters 1000 in Miami by crushing Dimitrov in the final Lebanon: Easter celebrations tarnished by the situation in Gaza and the south of the country New employees take on the challenge of shearing sheep at a unique joining ceremony Shizuoka Fujinomiya Ten years at the helm of the "Yixin-Europe" China-Europe freight train: from a line to a network Hebei Chongli received more than 4.4 million tourists in the first full snow season after the Winter Olympics Chicken and egg or egg? The industry is hotly discussing in Shanghai how the domestic computing power industry will rise. China Eastern Airlines will add new and expanded routes to many airports in Guangdong during the 2024 summer and autumn flight season The price of electricity will remain negative for several hours this Monday In response to the 2024 issue, the maximum speed for large trucks on expressways will be increased to 90km/h Israeli magazine: We are faced with two options, the better of which is bitter The State Duma proposed checking the legality of passports issued over the last 10 years Sonko and the Senegalese... How did they make change despite the obstacles? A rule so that appearances do not deceive: the EU legislates against 'greenwashing' Commemoration of victims on 2nd anniversary of liberation of Bucha; many civilians killed in Russian military invasion Britain probably couldn't fight Russia alone for more than two months Until May 22: a court in Moscow arrested four accused of the terrorist attack in Crocus Algorithmic video surveillance at the Olympics: what are we talking about, and why is it worrying? Bandidos: a series so tacky that it seems taken from the Disney Channel of the 90s The Russian Embassy in Seoul condemned the cartoon of the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall Antibes: an orca dies at Marineland park, the second death in five months The captain of the expedition that crossed the Atlantic under sail as in the 17th century to make a documentary dies at the age of 75 on the high seas Daily Shincho: Mariupol residents do not feel the impact of the conflict on the life of the city Two Israelis were injured in a stabbing attack in Beersheba and the perpetrator was martyred Will Haniyeh and Nakhla's visit to Iran affect the course of the negotiations? 8 new massacres in Gaza and fierce battles between the resistance and the occupation forces Communities 2019 - Privacy The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23. Tajikistan's Foreign Ministry has denied the involvement of the country's citizens in the terrorist attack in Moscow, Trend reports, referring to the ministry. "To media representatives, Regarding the recent terrorist incident at Crocus City Hall concert complex in Moscow, we urge the responsible handling of information regarding the alleged involvement of Tajik citizens or individuals from Tajikistan. It's crucial to note that the Tajik authorities have not received official confirmation from Russian authorities regarding the circulating false information implicating Tajik citizens. Thus, we strongly advise relying on material released by Russian government agencies that is officially sanctioned," the foreign ministry said. As emphasized, it's important to consider that spreading unverified and unreliable information could potentially harm Tajik citizens currently abroad. To note, the incident unfolded when unidentified individuals began shooting at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, prompting evacuations, according to reports from Russian operational services. Eyewitnesses reported that people dressed in camouflage attire fired shots from machine guns inside Crocus City Hall, just before the scheduled concert by the Picnic group. The shooting resulted in the loss of 60 lives, with over 140 individuals sustaining injuries. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Senegal presidential candidates hold final rallies ahead of vote Dakar, March 22 (AFP) Mar 22, 2024 Senegal's presidential candidates on Friday gathered crowds of supporters for their final rallies, marking the end of a rushed campaign for what is considered an unprecedented election after weeks of political crisis. Seven million people are eligible to vote Sunday in the traditionally stable West African nation set to become an oil producer, but where more than a third live in poverty and half the population are aged under 20. After the last-minute withdrawal of two candidates, 17 contenders remain in the race for president, with campaigning officially due to end at midnight Friday. The winner will be tasked with steering the nation out of years of tension and managing revenues from recently discovered oil and gas reserves. President Macky Sall, in power since 2012, is not standing again, making it the first Senegalese poll where the incumbent is not on the ballot. Two former tax inspectors are considered the favourites to win -- the governing coalition's candidate and ex-prime minister Amadou Ba, 62, and anti-establishment figure Bassirou Diomaye Faye, 43. Faye was only released from prison last week, nearly a week into the electoral campaign, together with popular and charismatic firebrand Ousmane Sonko, who is barred from standing but backs Faye. Disqualified candidate Karim Wade, the son of former president Abdoulaye Wade, Friday told his supporters to vote for Faye -- giving the opposition candidate a potentially significant last-minute endorsement. In the early evening, thousands of Faye's supporters holding up his picture gathered at a stadium in the western town of Mbour, where he was set to hold his final rally, AFP photographers reported. In Dakar's Place de la Nation, hundreds of supporters of Amadou Ba awaited his arrival to the tune of celebratory music, an AFP journalist saw. "We know that these are the two who will emerge if there is no tsunami," said El Hadji Mamadou Mbaye, a political science lecturer and researcher at the University of Saint-Louis, referring to Ba and Faye. "The whole issue will come down to the third (place candidate) who will be the referee," he added. A victory for Faye would represent a political "earthquake," Mbaye said, with the arrival of "a player who does not come from the system". The former mayor of the capital Dakar, Khalifa Sall, 68, has been mentioned as a possible third place candidate in the first round. A second-round vote is likely given the number of candidates and the need for an absolute majority, but no date has yet been set. - Foreign interest - Senegal was originally due to vote on February 25, but an 11th-hour postponement by Sall triggered the worst political crisis in decades which left four dead. Sall finally set the date of March 24 under constitutional pressure, which shortened the campaign period from three to two weeks and coincided with the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. International partners will be closely monitoring the vote in the country of 18 million. With 39 percent of Senegalese living in poverty, according to the UN World Food Programme, many have set off in boats on treacherous sea routes aiming to reach Europe. Senegal has traditionally been considered a beacon of stability in a coup-hit region, maintaining close ties with the West while neighbouring Sahel states pivot towards Russia. The country is also due to launch oil and gas production later this year following the discovery of offshore reserves. Senegal has witnessed bouts of deadly unrest since 2021, triggered partly by a stand-off between Sonko and the state. Sonko's rhetoric emphasising sovereignty and attacking elites, multinationals and former colonial ruler France, has drawn a passionate following among young people. - 'Hungry for change' - Since his release from prison following an amnesty law, Sonko has campaigned alongside Faye, who pitches himself as the "candidate for system change" and "left-wing pan-Africanism". "I think young people are hungry for change," said political science lecturer Mbaye. But Amadou Ba has urged people to vote "for experience and competence instead of entrusting the reins of the country to adventurers". Ba says he wants to ensure stability and the continuation of Sall's multi-year development plan. However, the president's legacy also includes persistent poverty, 20 percent unemployment, high debt, and the arrest of hundreds of opponents. The desire for calm "is going to play a big part (in the election)," said Sidy Diop, deputy editor of Le Soleil daily. "We are coming out of a very tense period. All the candidates are presenting themselves as the one who will reconcile the Senegalese people," he added. Provisional results could be known as early as Sunday night. Rights court condemns Peru over one of world's most polluted towns San Jose, March 22 (AFP) Mar 22, 2024 The Inter-American Court of Human Rights said Friday that Peru had violated residents' "right to live in a healthy environment" in an Andean mining town considered one of the most polluted places on earth. The city of La Oroya, situated in a high-altitude valley at 3,750 meters (12,300 feet), is home to a heavy metal smelter that has poisoned residents and the environment for almost a century. A group of La Oroya residents filed suit against the Peruvian government, demanding it take action against the pollution. The town has often featured on lists of the most polluted places on the planet, rubbing shoulders with sites like Ukraine's nuclear-sullied Chernobyl and Russia's Dzerzhinsk, the site of Cold War-era factories which produced chemical weapons. In its ruling, which is binding, the Costa Rica-based court blamed the Peruvian State "for the violation of the rights to a healthy environment, health, personal integrity, a dignified life... to the detriment of the 80 victims" who filed the lawsuit. The court ordered that Peru carry out an analysis of the contamination of the air, water and soil in La Oroya, provide free medical care to the victims, and adapt the allowed standards for lead, sulfur dioxide, arsenic, mercury and particulate matter. "We have waited for this for more than 20 years," said Yolanda Zurita, one of the plaintiffs, who now lives in the town of Matahuasi about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from La Oroya. The 65-year-old said pollution in her former home did not "allow her to be a mother," without giving further details. She also suffers from seizures and problems with her lungs and pancreas. "We have achieved our justice, the ruling is in favor of the people who were contaminated," plaintiff Manuel Enrique Apolinario, a 68-year-old retired teacher, told AFP by telephone from La Oroya. "Now the Peruvian State has to fully comply with the sentence." - 'Significant risk to health' - Since 1922, the gigantic smelter that was long the economic heartbeat of La Oroya has processed copper, zinc, lead, gold, selenium, and other minerals from nearby mines. The court said the complex "has had a significant impact on the environment, contaminating the air, water and soil." The ruling also said that "exposure to lead, cadmium, arsenic and sulfur dioxide constituted a significant risk to the health of the victims, and they did not receive adequate medical care from the State." In 2013, the International Federation for Human Rights said that 97 percent of La Oroya children aged between six months and six years, and 98 percent aged between seven and 12, had elevated levels of lead in their blood. The smelting complex went bankrupt in 2009 -- crippling the town's economy -- but re-opened last year under the management of a company made up of almost 1,300 shareholders -- many of whom are former foundry workers. The new administration has promised not to further pollute the town, where small houses cluster around towering black chimneys, surrounded by ashen mountain slopes corroded by heavy metals and long devoid of vegetation. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23. Three citizens of Tajikistan, whose APBs were circulated in Telegram channels after the terrorist attack in Moscow, are not involved in the crime in Russia, said the Tajik Interior Ministry, Trend reports According to the information, two of them are in the country at the moment, and the other one is working in Russian Samara city. Rivodjiddin Islomov and Mahmadrasul Nasriddinov arrived in Tajikistan from Russia on November 26, 2023, and are currently at their place of residence. The Interior Ministry also provided a photo of them. Additionally, Rustam Nazarov is currently employed as a cab driver in Samara, according to the Interior Ministry. To note, the incident unfolded when unidentified individuals began shooting at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, prompting evacuations, according to reports from Russian operational services. Eyewitnesses reported that people dressed in camouflage attire fired shots from machine guns inside Crocus City Hall, just before the scheduled concert by the Picnic group. Director of the Federal Security Service of Russia Alexander Bortnikov reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the detention of 11 people, including four terrorists involved in the attack at Crocus City Hall. According to the Investigative Committee of Russia, the death toll in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall has risen to 115 people. The preliminary causes of death at Crocus Hall were gunshot wounds and poisoning from combustion products. The terrorists set fire to combustible liquid, which caused a fire to break out on the Crocus Hall grounds. During the attack, the terrorists employed automatic guns. The guns were located by the investigators. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Two East Baton Rouge School Board members are claiming the formation of working groups, where a mix of board members and administrators meet in private to discuss the budget, charter school policy and other issues potentially violate Louisiana's Open Meeting Law. School Board President Mike Gaudet, who said he formed the groups in hopes of accelerating action on a number of thorny issues, now says hes open to converting these groups into formal committees with open meetings and published agendas. But he continues to defend them as nothing nefarious. I felt since Ive been on the board there were many, many issues that were not moving forward at a pace they needed to be, Gaudet said. And there were many, many issues where because the board had had no input before it came to the board, the board didnt have a decent chance to shape the policy. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23. The total trade turnover of Turkmenistan with Italy for the whole of 2023 amounted to more than 229 million euros, a source at Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, told Trend. According to the data, during the specified period, the volume of trade turnover between Turkmenistan and Italy increased by 32.8 percent compared to 2022, when it amounted to 172.37 million euros. Italy's imports from Turkmenistan in 2023 reached 80.17 million euros, an increase of 18.1 percent compared to the corresponding period in 2022, when they amounted to almost 67.87 million euros. At the same time, Italy's exports to Turkmenistan last year reached a total of about 148.83 million euros, which is almost 42.4 percent more than in the whole of 2022, when it amounted to 104.5 million euros. Meanwhile, in the previous year, trade between Turkmenistan and EU nations surged to 1.87 billion euros, marking an 87 percent increase from the 1 billion euros recorded in 2022. Miles Real Estate agents Paul Evans and Mark Dixon have scheduled an auction for April 19. They are expecting between $2.9 million and $3.1 million. Evans said he expected either a developer to rebuild the site as a small mixed-use site or that an owner-occupier would buy it. A recent update from the Victorian Legal Services Board stated its investigation into Adams fake loan sideline was ongoing. The loan business operated out of a separate bank account from the AMS trust account, which the VLSB says limits its scope to investigate the Ponzi scheme. Our investigative powers enable us to conduct investigations into the affairs of a law practice with an emphasis on trust money, trust property or trust accounts. Our powers are more limited in relation to matters concerning money/property that is not trust money or trust property, the February 6 update says. Receiver appointed Mortgagees have taken control of two properties owned by collapsed property developer the Residence Company and have put them on the market. Last month, KordaMentha was appointed as receiver-managers to the 30-year-old company, run by Mark Oman. The Residence Company developed an apartment building at 10-16 Lilydale Grove in East Hawthorn during Covid-19 without any pre-sales. Since completion, 55 of the apartments have been sold but 36 remain. 10-16 Lilydale Grove, Hawthorn Theyre for sale in one line through JLLs Jesse Radisich, Josh Rutman and MingXuan Li, along with Jellis Craig Projects Stephen Bowtell and Andrew Macmillan. Records show the Moundous familys Monland has a mortgage over the property. Builder Merkon Constructions put a caveat over the title more than a year ago. Monland also has a mortgage over 550 Swan Street, a double-storey showroom and office at the riverside end of the thoroughfare. Financier Pallas Funds slapped a caveat over the property in November 2023. The 2758 sq m building is on a 1627 sq m site down the road from Charter Halls 12-level office anchored by Australia Post and Homes new build-to-rent project Richmond Traders. Recent deals in the neighbourhood put a likely price of $15 million-plus on the site. Its short-term leases return $475,796 a year in rent. 550 Swan Street, Richmond Cushman & Wakefields Daniel Wolman, Hamish Burgess, and Joe Kairouz, with JLLs Radisich, Rutman, and Tim Carr are running the campaign. Standout A Box Hill development site on the southern fringe of the high-rise suburban CBD, has traded off-market for $12.25 million Records show Chinese-backed developers paid $10 million for the 18-20 Rutland Street site in two transactions over 2021-22. Stonebridge agent Chao Zhang, who did the deal with Julian White and Andrew Milligan, said the buyer was sourced from the firms Asia practice. Loading The final price is a standout result for the area, being the strongest land rate on record for any development site sold east of Station Street, Zhang said. The property, on the south side of the railway tracks, includes two offices previously owned by the professional services occupiers. The land rate, which equalled $10,057 a sq m, is not far off the bigger prices paid for more central sites. Number 874 Whitehorse Road sold for $8.6 million last July at $12,991 a sq m and 69 Carrington Road fetched $12.78 million, or $11,421 a sq m, one year ago. The buyer, a privately owned Chinese developer, is keen on the Box Hill metrics, including its position on the Suburban Rail Loop. They were planning a mixed-use development, Zhang said. They are big believers in the future of Box Hill. Medical clinic Australian Unity reaped a cool $65 million in medical clinic sales in the past few months and it is flipping another centre in Greensborough. The Greensborough Medical & Dental Centre at 9-13 Flintoff Street is next door to the City of Banyule offices and the Watermarc Aquatic Centre. Its across the road from a strip of other medical services. The new clinic was purpose-built for tenant Healius in 2017 and records show Banyule sold the site to Australian Unity in 2016 for $7.26 million. Colliers agents Ian Sanders, Justin Hazell, Chris ODriscoll and Anna Cavar are handling expressions of interest. Its expected to fetch more than $40 million. 9-13 Flintoff Street, Greensborough Australian Unity recently sold the Manningham Medical Clinic in Lower Templestowe for $45 million and another one in Corrimal, NSW, for $20 million. Australian Unity general manager of Healthcare Property Chris Smith said sales would be used to reduce debt and fund new projects, including the $100 million Wyvern Private Hospital in Terrey Hills, NSW, and the $70 million Infinite Care Knox aged care development. Shaved off Developer Genesis Property is paying $9 million for a 13,540 sq m parcel of land in the tightly held industrial precinct of Campbellfield. Vendor McMullin Property has shaved off the site from a larger parcel of land it bought in 2021 for $8.25 million. The vacant site, lot 2 at 27-36 Cooper Street, is earmarked for a new industrial unit project. It will neighbour McMullin Propertys new 17-unit CooperRex Business Park. Jones Real Estates Tim Spargo negotiated the deals for McMullin Property. A few weeks ago, my mother handed me a box of old primary school report cards. Shes doing something called Swedish death cleaning, where you slowly shed yourself of everything youve been hanging onto. Shes not dying or anything, just decluttering. One comment on my year three report card caught my eye. Thomas is an enthusiastic and eager reader, wrote my teacher. He can often be found sitting silently in the corner tucked up with a good book! As far as I am concerned, Year Three Thomas knew what he was doing; this is how reading is supposed to be enjoyed: quietly, privately, without fanfare. The internet has decided that being a reader makes you sexy and mysterious, but I remain unconvinced by the hot newcomers. Credit: Michael Howard This brings me to the 8:09 am train to the city and the man seated in front of me. Conventionally good-looking in a Jude Law kind of way, he surely works in advertising, based on the logo-free luxury of his totally neutral wardrobe. The rest of us doom-scroll until our eyes hurt, but he is doing something far more noble: reading Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. A 38-year-old man has been charged with murder after a man was found dead on a footpath in a quiet western Sydney street following what police suspect was a pre-arranged fight. A passer-by discovered the body of a 32-year-old man on Georgina Crescent in Melonba, just north of Mount Druitt, at 8.45pm on Friday, NSW Police said. Police have established two crime scenes in the area. Credit: Peter Rae The man was found with significant head and body injuries and was treated by paramedics but could not be revived, police said in a statement. Police allege his body was dumped on the street after a short drive from a home where a pre-arranged fight had taken place. Across the city and suburbs, high-tech vending machines are showing up. In Melbourne Central, collectable store Pop Mart has a vending machine outside the front of its shop. The Robo Tea franchise is also located in Woolworths, Fishermans Bend, and Sanctuary Lakes Shopping Centre, in Point Cook. There are currently nine temporary pop-ups scattered across the station and those to come include Gacha Gacha, a Japanese capsule toy machine, and a card machine selling Pokemon, NBA, and Marvel cards, said Patten. All through Europe and Asia vending machines are providing innovative retail solutions, with everything being vended from bunches of flowers to t-shirts. The Tokyo train stations were also an inspiration for the team, she said. As there was a large turnover in tenancies after the pandemic it was thought that some short-term vending machines, or pop-ups, would be a good way to still provide a retail offering to customers while work on the tenancies was carried out, Patten said. But Nick Aronis, vending machine supplier and owner of Ventrader, said its not a trend that he sees taking off in Australia like it has in other parts of the world. He said the issue with high-tech vending machines is that they can cost anywhere between $20,000 to $30,000 and require more maintenance than a standard vending machine. The blowfly in the Robo Tea machine on Friday. Credit: Simon Schluter Over the years we have supplied machines with large touch screens, video, as well as various products that are inside the machine. A lot of people want them but nobody wants to pay for them, said Aronis, who has been in the industry for 20 years. Its a gimmick. Although we play around in that sector, Australias population is very small in comparison to Japan and China, where those products have flourished, he said. Aronis also pointed to the US market as an example of the high-tech vending machine not taking off. Historically when you look at the US market we are typically two years behind the US and weve seen that product die in the US and people went back to the traditional equipment. If it doesnt work there, its highly unlikely that it will work here. A Perth GP who told family and friends she was walking the Bibbulmun Track with a group in December, has not been heard from since, sparking concerns from WA Police and her family. Dr Nathalie Casal, 71, deactivated her Facebook account before setting out on the trail four months ago. Dr Nathalie Casal, 71, told family she was going to walk the Bibbulmun Track in December. Credit: Police Media Police believe she may have started the walk in Mundaring but have now received information that indicates she may have stopped in the south west town of Northcliffe for supplies last Thursday. If that information is correct, it is believed Dr Casal would now be somewhere between Northcliffe and Walpole, on her way to Albany, a police spokesperson said. Against the backdrop of record migration numbers reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Englishman Douglas Murray author of The Strange Death of Europe and The War on the West is set to appear at Sydneys Enmore Theatre on Sunday. His arrival has been met with protest. It is amusing to consider that, if Murray had framed his concerns over migration as a matter of housing or sustainable development, he might have received a heros welcome from the nearly 60 per cent of Australians who believe that overseas migration is too high. Instead, because Murray is primarily concerned about what will happen to the tolerant liberal culture of the West if immigration and integration arent thoughtfully managed, he is facing accusations of racism and bigotry. Immigration levels are higher than the government forecast. Credit: Marija Ercegovac Australia, which is cushioned by sea borders and a bipartisan stance on unregulated migration, is catching up with Europe on this debate. The European Union has recently acknowledged that, while Europeans were denying that taking in large numbers of people without a plan for integrating them would cause problems and calling anyone who suggested it might, racist parallel societies took root. Now the EU is embarking on a collaborative strategy to reduce unregulated migration and to protect the European way of life. The cries of racism have become faint and are drowned out at the ballot box, as more EU voters give their support to parties that promise to crack down on immigration. Tensions in Europe are high and immigration is regularly a front-page issue. Its also increasingly the lens through which all manner of topics, including welfare, housing and national budgets, are viewed. Inaugural flight marks major milestone toward return of supersonic travel XB-1 provides the foundation for Boom's supersonic airliner, Overture MOJAVE, Calif. and DENVER, March 22, 2024 -- Boom Supersonic , the company building the world's fastest airliner, Overture, today announced the successful flight of XB-1 , the world's first independently developed supersonic jet, at the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California. Like Overture, XB-1 leverages state-of-the-art technologies to enable efficient supersonic flight including carbon fiber composites, advanced avionics, digitally-optimized aerodynamics, and an advanced supersonic propulsion system. "Today, XB-1 took flight in the same hallowed airspace where the Bell X-1 first broke the sound barrier in 1947," said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic. "I've been looking forward to this flight since founding Boom in 2014, and it marks the most significant milestone yet on our path to bring supersonic travel to passengers worldwide." XB-1 was flown by Boom Chief Test Pilot Bill "Doc" Shoemaker and Test Pilot Tristan "Geppetto" Brandenburg flew the T-38 chase aircraft which monitored the flight. XB-1 took off from the Mojave Air & Space Port and flew in the same airspace that hosted many historic first flights, including the flights of the Bell X-1, the North American X-15, and the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. XB-1 met all of its test objectives, including safely and successfully achieving an altitude of 7,120 feet and speeds up to 238 knots (273 mph). "Everyone on the XB-1 team should be incredibly proud of this achievement," said Bill "Doc" Shoemaker, Chief Test Pilot for Boom Supersonic. "It has been a privilege to share this journey with so many dedicated and talented professionals. The experience we have gained in reaching this milestone will be invaluable to Boom's revival of supersonic travel." Two decades after Concorde's retirement, the first flight of XB-1 marks the return of a civil supersonic aircraft to the skies and paves the way for the revival of mainstream supersonic travel. The XB-1 program provides the foundation for the design and development of Overture, while establishing a safety-first culture in engineering and manufacturing. XB-1 validates key technologies and innovations, including: Augmented reality vision system: Two nose-mounted cameras, digitally augmented with attitude and flight path indications, feed a high resolution pilot display enabling excellent runway visibility. This system enables improved aerodynamic efficiency without the weight and complexity of a movable nose. Two nose-mounted cameras, digitally augmented with attitude and flight path indications, feed a high resolution pilot display enabling excellent runway visibility. This system enables improved aerodynamic efficiency without the weight and complexity of a movable nose. Digitally-optimized aerodynamics: Engineers used computational fluid dynamics simulations to explore thousands of designs for XB-1. The result is an optimized design that combines safe and stable operation at takeoff and landing with efficiency at supersonic speeds. Engineers used computational fluid dynamics simulations to explore thousands of designs for XB-1. The result is an optimized design that combines safe and stable operation at takeoff and landing with efficiency at supersonic speeds. Carbon fiber composites: XB-1 is almost entirely made from carbon fiber composite materials, enabling it to realize a sophisticated aerodynamic design in a strong, lightweight structure. XB-1 is almost entirely made from carbon fiber composite materials, enabling it to realize a sophisticated aerodynamic design in a strong, lightweight structure. Supersonic intakes: XB-1's engine intakes slow supersonic air to subsonic speeds, efficiently converting kinetic energy into pressure energy, allowing conventional jet engines to power XB-1 from takeoff through supersonic flight. The inaugural flight of the XB-1 demonstrator takes place as Overture continues to advance toward production, with a growing global network of Tier 1 suppliers and an order book including 130 orders and pre-orders from American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines. Overture will carry 64-80 passengers at Mach 1.7, about twice the speed of today's subsonic airliners. Optimized for speed, safety, and sustainability, Overture is designed to run on up to 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). For more information about XB-1, please visit: https://boomsupersonic.com/xb-1 For more information about Overture, please visit: here About Boom Supersonic Boom Supersonic's mission is to make the world dramatically more accessible through flights that are faster, more affordable, more convenient, and more sustainable. Boom is developing Overture, the world's fastest airliner, optimized for speed, safety, and sustainability. Overture will fly at twice the speed of today's airliners and is optimized to run on up to 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Overture's order book stands at 130 aircraft, including orders and pre-orders from American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines. Boom is working with Northrop Grumman for government and defense applications of Overture. Suppliers and partners collaborating with Boom on the Overture program include Aernnova, Aciturri, Collins Aerospace, Eaton, Honeywell, Latecoere, Leonardo, Safran Landing Systems, and the United States Air Force. Symphony is the propulsion system that will power Overture, a Boom-developed engine with world-class suppliers including Florida Turbine Technologies (FTT), a business unit of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc., GE Additive, and StandardAero. XB-1 is Boom's technology demonstrator aircraft and the world's first independently developed supersonic jet. The aircraft first took flight in Mojave, CA in March 2024. For more information, visit https://boomsupersonic.com . Photos and video available at here Connect with Boom Supersonic on X , LinkedIn , Facebook , Instagram , YouTube SOURCE Boom Supersonic BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23. Turkmenistan condemns the terrorist attack in Moscow, Trend reports. "Turkmenistan strongly condemns the terrorist attack that occurred on March 22, 2024, at Crocus City Hall concert hall in Krasnogorsk city, Moscow region. We express our condolences and support to the families and friends of the deceased. We wish a speedy recovery to all those injured," a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan reads. To note, the incident unfolded when unidentified individuals began shooting at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, prompting evacuations, according to reports from Russian operational services. Eyewitnesses reported that people dressed in camouflage attire fired shots from machine guns inside Crocus City Hall, just before the scheduled concert by the Picnic group. The shooting resulted in the loss of 60 lives, with over 140 individuals sustaining injuries. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 23. Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan amounted to $23 million from January through February 2024, Trend reports. According to Azerbaijan's State Customs Committee, this figure is $11.1 million lower than the previous year ($34.1 million). During this period, Uzbek imports from Azerbaijan reached $3.8 million. Exports represented 0.08 percent of total foreign trade turnover. Furthermore, between January and February, the country's exports to Azerbaijan totaled $19.2 million, accounting for 0.79 percent of total international trade turnover. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan's commercial turnover in 2023 was $178.7 million. Uzbek imports from Azerbaijan totaled $47.1 million, $700,000 higher than the same period in 2022 ($46.4 million), while its exports to Azerbaijan totaled $131.6 million in 2023, down $5.2 million from the same time in 2022 ($136.8 million). Moreover, Azerbaijan's foreign trade turnover from January through February 2024 increased by 0.77 percent, or $55.186 million, compared to the same period in 2023, from $7.1 billion to $7.2 billion. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23. Moscow has blocked access to the Red Square, Trend reports, referring to Russian media. Red Square in the heart of Moscow has been fully blocked off by law authorities following the terrorist incident at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, which is close to Moscow. Right now, the square's entrances are completely blocked. Officers from the OMON (special purpose police unit) and patrol-post personnel keep watch over the area. Additionally, this weekend's big events in Moscowsports, cultural, and otherwisehave been postponed. To note, the incident unfolded when unidentified individuals began shooting at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, prompting evacuations, according to reports from Russian operational services. Eyewitnesses reported that people dressed in camouflage attire fired shots from machine guns inside Crocus City Hall, just before the scheduled concert by the Picnic group. The shooting resulted in the loss of 60 lives, with over 140 individuals sustaining injuries. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Order of the Druk Gyalpo Bhutan honours PM Modi with highest civilian award THIMPHU : PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Friday received Bhutans highest civilian award, the Order of the Druk Gyalpo, making him the first foreign Head of the Government to receive the honour. The award recognises Prime Minister Modis contribution to strengthening the India-Bhutan friendship and his people-centric leadership. The honour was conferred on him by the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. Modi in his address to a gathering here after receiving the award said the affinity between the people of India and Bhutan makes their bilateral relationship unique while emphasising that Bharat resides in peoples hearts in this Himalayan nation. Modi said the successful endeavour of one country is cheered by the other. The affinity between people of India and Bhutan makes our relationship unique, he said. In his address, he told the Bhutanese people that India resides in your hearts. Prime Minister Modi on Friday arrived in Bhutan on a two-day State visit to further cement Indias unique relations with the Himalayan nation as part of the countrys Neighbourhood First Policy, also announced that New Delhi will provide support of Rs 10,000 crore to Thimphu over next five years. In his address, he addressed the gathering as My dear friends of Bhutan and greeted them with a namaskar, receiving a thud of applause from the audience. King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the Fifth King of Bhutan, and members of the royal family were also present on the occasion. In his address in Hindi, Modi asserted that Our ties are inseparable. Our friendship is inseparable. Our mutual cooperation is inseparable. And, the main thing is our faith is unwavering. And, that is why this day is very special for me. People from Bhutan dressed in their native wear and holding flags of both countries clapped intermittently as Modi addressed them. As an Indian, it is a great day for me. You have honoured me with Bhutans highest (civilian) award. Every award is credible. But, when that award comes from a different country, then that faith gets strengthened that we both countries are moving forward in the right direction, he said. Modi said it enhances our belief that through our efforts welfare of people of both countries has taken place. It gives us enthusiasm and energy to work harder. But this honour is not my personal achievement. This is an honour for India and 140 crore Indians, Modi said. The Indian prime minister said on this great land of Bhutan, on behalf of all Indians I humbly accept this award. He thanked Bhutan and its people from the bottom of his heart. Modi said 140 crore Indians know that the people of Bhutan are akin to their family members... He said the people of Bhutan also know this and accept that India is their family. As per ranking and precedence established, the Order of the Druk Gyalpo was instituted as the decoration for lifetime achievement and is the pinnacle of the honour system in Bhutan, taking precedence over all orders, decorations and medals. The citation added that the award also honours Indias rise as a global power under his leadership, and celebrates Bhutans special bond with India. Prime Minister Modis leadership has set India on the path of transformation, and that Indias moral authority and global influence have grown, a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs said. 2nd Stage RLV-LEX-02 Reusable launch vehicle tech test successful BENGALURU : ISRO on Friday said it has achieved a major milestone in the area of reusable launch vehicle technology through the RLV LEX-02 landing experiment. This is the second of the series conducted at Aeronautical Test Range, Chitradurga, in Karnataka at 7.10 am. After the RLV-LEX-01 mission was accomplished last year, RLV-LEX-02 demonstrated the autonomous landing capability of reusable launch vehicle (RLV) from off-nominal initial conditions at release from helicopter, the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency said in a statement. The RLV was made to undertake more difficult maneuvers with dispersions, correct both cross-range and downrange and land on the runway in a fully autonomous mode, it said. The winged vehicle, called Pushpak, was lifted by an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter and was released from 4.5 km altitude. After release at a distance of 4 km from the runway, Pushpak autonomously approached the runway along with cross-range corrections. It landed precisely on the runway and came to a halt using its brake parachute, landing gear brakes and nose wheel steering system, ISRO said. It added that this mission successfully simulated the approach and high-speed landing conditions of RLV returning from space. With this second mission, ISRO has re-validated the indigenously developed technologies in the areas of navigation, control systems, landing gear and deceleration systems essential for performing a high-speed autonomous landing of a space-returning vehicle, the space agency said. The winged body and all flight systems used in RLV-LEX-01 were reused in the RLV-LEX-02 mission after due certification/ clearances. Hence, reuse capability of flight hardware and flight systems is also demonstrated in this mission, ISRO said. Based on the observation from RLV-LEX-01, the airframe structure and landing gear were strengthened to tolerate higher landing loads, it said. The mission was accomplished by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) along with the Liquid Propulsion System Centre (LPSC) and the ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU). ISRO chairman S Somanath congratulated the team for the flawless execution of this complex mission. On the success of the landing experiment, VSSC Director Dr S Unnikrishnan Nair said through this repeated success, ISRO could master the terminal phase maneuvering, landing and energy management in a fully autonomous mode, which is a critical step towards the future. At UN, Maharaja Hari Singh's grandson hails Indian government's decision to abrogate Article 370 Geneva [Switzerland], March 23 (ANI): Senior BJP leader MK Ajatshatru Singh in his address to the United Nations hailed the Government of India's bold decision to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Ajatshatru, the grandson of Maharaja Hari Singh who had signed the treaty of accession of the region with India in 1947 expressed his deep concern for the plight of those living under Pakistan occupation and sought UN intervention to ameliorate them. In his address at the UN on Friday, the senior BJP leader said, "Since the constitutional reforms in 2019, there has been a significant decline in terrorist incidents in the region. From 2004 to 2014, Jammu and Kashmir experienced a total of 7,217 terrorist incidents. However, thanks to the reforms, terror incidents have decreased by over 70 per cent. This improvement underscores the effectiveness of the government's actions in restoring peace and stability to the region." "Moreover, on the socio-economic front, the reduction of poverty in Jammu and Kashmir from 40.45 per cent in 2005-2006 to a mere 2.81 per cent in 2022-2023 is a testament to the optimal utilization of development funds. The recent interim budget for 2024 allocated a substantial USD 14 billion for Jammu and Kashmir, further demonstrating the government's commitment to the region's prosperity," he said. Ajatshatru said that over the past nine years, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a remarkable revolution in infrastructure development, including the establishment of new medical colleges, tunnels, railway lines, and civic infrastructure. These advancements have been achieved while preserving the rich cultural heritage of the region, said the son of Karan Singh, the titular king of undivided Jammu and Kashmir. However, it is essential to acknowledge that not all parts of Jammu and Kashmir have benefited equally. Recent protests in regions under Pakistani occupation highlight the growing awareness of economic disparities compared to those under Indian administration. The former minister appealed to the United Nations to take concrete steps in accordance with Security Council resolutions to ameliorate the situation faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir under Pakistan occupation. It is imperative that the international community addresses their grievances and ensures their fundamental rights are upheld, he concluded. (ANI) Kejriwal kingpin of Excise Policy scam: ED LEFT (Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal being produced before the Rouse Avenue Court in New Delhi on Friday. (PTI)) RIGHT (Delhi Minister Atishi with AAP workers being detained during a protest at ITO against the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by ED in New Delhi on Friday. (PTI)) NEW DELHI : A COURT here on Friday sent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to the Enforcement Directorates custody till March 28, a day after his arrest in the Excise Policy-linked money laundering case. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja at the Rouse Avenue court said Kejriwal will be produced before the court on March 28 at 2 PM. The court passed the order on the Enforcement Directorates (ED) application seeking a 10-day custody in the case. During the hearing for remand, the ED said that Kejriwal -- the AAPs national convenor -- was a key conspirator in the excise policy scam case along with other ministers and party leaders. The ED told Judge Baweja that Kejriwal received several crores of rupees as kickbacks from the South group for formulating and implementing the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. He demanded Rs 100 crore from some accused from the South group for contesting the Punjab elections, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, who appeared for the agency, told the court. The law officer said the money trail showed that Rs 45 crore kickback used in the Goa elections came from four hawala routes. He said the statements of the accused and witnesses have been corroborated through Call Detail Records (CDR). The AAP chief was produced before the court around 2 PM amid tight security on and around the court premises. We have given an application for 10 days remand, ASG Raju told the court. He said the AAP is not an individual but a company, and every person responsible for the conduct of the company will be held responsible. Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who was representing Kejriwal, said this is the first time in the history of India that a sitting Chief Minister has been arrested. The power of arrest is not equal to the need of arrest and there was no necessity of arresting this man, he said. Please dont look at remand as a routine exercise... It requires application of significant judicial mind... Larger issues of democracy involved, Singhvi said. Lawyer Vikram Chaudhari, who was also representing the Delhi Chief Minister, told the court that the ED has become judge, jury and executioner. Kejriwals lawyer on Friday told a Delhi court that there was no material or evidence to show any wrongdoing in excise policy formulation or receipt of any proceeds by the AAP supremo. There is no material or evidence to show any wrongdoing in policy formulation or any receipt of any proceeds by the arrestee. That despite investigating the matter for over the year and despite conducting more than 200 raids, no incriminating material showing involvement of arrestee in any crime or involvement in any process/ activity was found, he contended. No bail to K Kavitha: SC NEW DELHI : THE Supreme Court on Friday refused to grant bail to BRS leader K Kavitha, who has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi Excise Policy scam case. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna, MM Sundresh and Bela M Trivedi asked Kavitha to approach the trial court, saying it is a practice which this court is following and cannot bypass the protocol. The bench said as far as Kavithas plea challenging the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) is concerned, the court is issuing notice to the ED and seeking its response in six weeks. The petition challenging the provisions will come up with the pending matters, the bench told senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Kavitha. At the outset, Sibal told the bench that he has one request to the court that he should not be asked to go to the high court. Short reach of outreach RTMNU reaches only 7 colleges to promote its schemes Staff Reporter : Expressing surprise over the indifference of Students Development Department, which reached only 7 colleges for the promotion of its schemes, Dr Prashant Bokare, Acting Vice Chancellor of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur asked its head to reach institutions by April 15, 2024. Students Development Department has brought about 30-40 schemes for the benefit of the students. Considering that there are 514 colleges under RTMNU, the Department decided to reach the colleges in a phase-wise manner to let the students know about the schemes. Many students are not aware of the schemes run by university for their welfare. Students Development Department prepared a book named Garudzep, wherein all these schemes and their details are given. The Department, with the help of Senate members, planned to reach 75 colleges initially from January 12, 2024 and handover the book Garudzep. Shubhangi Naxine, a senate member, on Friday, asked university as to how many colleges the department could reach under the campaign 75 Colleges to be contacted and handover Garudzep to them. Mangesh Pathak, Director of the Department, told the House that only 7 colleges were contacted. This shocked everybody present in the House. Shubhangi Naxine brought to the notice of Vice-Chancellor she, along with some other senate members, tried to reach the colleges while spending money from their own pockets but no steps were taken by University. Dinesh Sheram pointed out, University has made the schemes for the benefit of the students but only a few are availing the advantage. If this book is distributed, then everyone would come to know about the schemes. Dr Babanrao Taywade narrated a story of a handicapped girl who is in dire need of financial aid. Dr Taywade alleged that Students Development Department failed to help the student. Adv Manmohan Bajpai made it clear that the book should reach all the colleges affiliated to RTMNU. Dr Bokare asked Mangesh Pathak to be ready with the books, distribute those to affiliated colleges, conducted colleges, constituent colleges, Post Graduate Departments, all members of statutory bodies by April 15, 2024. The dance of sound! By Srinivasan Umashankar : Indian classical music is a reflection of the countrys glorious culture. It has the immense power to heal and transform our body and minds. Music helps us to connect with our inner self, experience divinity and revitalise our energy. It was a grand musical evening, the other day with the famous Sarod player Pt Shankar Bhattacharya (City Line, March 19) who regaled the audience with his captivating performance in various raags that transported them to the higher sphere of life. The atmosphere inside the hall turned electrifying and the capacity audience was still seated. It seemed for a while that the rain god was immensely pleased and touched by this musical melody. As he descended; the city witnessed thundershowers to drench the earth. The artist seized the opportunity and justified the situation to present one last item in the Raag Miyamalhar and eventually to receive a thunderous applause from the audience. All his presentations and expressive variations revealed a touch of an absolute class and his mastery over the instrument. Unmukh, the cultural wing of the Bengali Education Society deserves praise for organising this classical Sarod recital and also making it a truly memorable one. UP Board of Madarasa Edn Act unconstitutional: HC LUCKNOW : THE Allahabad High Court Friday declared the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarasa Education Act, 2004, unconstitutional and violative of the principle of secularism, and asked the State Government to accommodate current students in the formal schooling system. A division bench comprising Justice Vivek Chaudhary and Justice Subhash Vidyarthi of the Lucknow bench of the court declared the law ultra vires on a writ petition filed by a person named Anshuman Singh Rathore. In his reaction to the order, UP Madarasa Education Board Chairman Iftikhar Ahmed Javed said the board will study the decision and decide the further course of action. Now after 20 years, the Madarasa Education Act has been declared unconstitutional. Obviously there has been some mistake somewhere. Our lawyers could not present their case properly before the court, he said. Senior All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali said the order should be challenged in the Supreme Court. The petitioner had challenged the constitutionality of the UP Madarasa Board as well as objected to the management of Madarasa by the Minority Welfare Department, rather than the education department. The petitioner and his counsel submitted that the Madarasa Act violates the principles of secularism, which is the basic structure of the Constitution, fails to provide quality compulsory education up to the age of 14 years/Class-VIII as is mandatorily under Article 21-A; and fails to provide universal and quality school education to all the children studying in madarsas. Thus, it violates the Fundamental Rights of the students of the madarsas, they claimed. Opposing the petitioners, the State Government counsel said that no doubt the Madarasa Board is providing religious education as well as religious instructions to the students, but the State has sufficient power to impart such education under the Constitution of India and is rightly permitting such education. Providing religious education and instructions is not barred or illegal. For such religious education a separate Board is necessarily required, which needs to have members of such particular religion, he said. There are about 25,000 madarasas in Uttar Pradesh of which 16,500 are recognised by the Uttar Pradesh Madarasa Education Board. Of them, 560 madarasas receive grants from the Government. Apart from this, there are 8,500 unrecognised madarasas in the state. Reacting on the decision of the High Court, Madarasa Education Board Chairman Javed told PTI that his lawyer probably could not present their case properly before the court. Javed said that the High Courts order will have a major impact on government-aided madarasas. If the Madarasa Education Act is repealed, teachers of aided madarasas will become unemployed, he said. In 2004, the Government itself enacted the Madarasa Education Act. Similarly, Sanskrit Education Council has also been formed in the State. The objective of both the boards was to promote languages like Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit, he said. On the question whether this decision of the High Court will be challenged in the Supreme Court, Javed said, Now it is for the Government to decide, because the court has given orders to it. AIMPLB member Farangi Mahali said this order of Allahabad High Court should be challenged in the Supreme Court. He said the Muslim community has established madarasas as per its constitutional rights, just like there are Sanskrit schools. Modern education is also being given in madarasas. If the Madarasa Education Act itself is abolished, then teachers of hundreds of madarasas in the State will become unemployed and there will be a question mark on the future of the children studying in them, he said. This will create a very difficult situation, hence this order must be challenged in the Supreme Court, Farangi Mahali said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23. The security of Crocus City Hall was provided by a private security company, said the head of the Russian Parliament's Committee on Information Policy, Alexander Khinshtein, Trend reports, referring to Russian media. He added that the assertion regarding the Rosgvardiya's (the National Guard of the Russian Federation) involvement in securing the facility is false. To note, the incident unfolded when unidentified individuals began shooting at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, prompting evacuations, according to reports from Russian operational services. Eyewitnesses reported that people dressed in camouflage attire fired shots from machine guns inside Crocus City Hall, just before the scheduled concert by the Picnic group. The shooting resulted in the loss of 60 lives, with over 140 individuals sustaining injuries. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN Get Free Report)s share price gapped down prior to trading on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $380.44, but opened at $363.99. Accenture shares last traded at $351.91, with a volume of 1,278,883 shares trading hands. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on shares of Accenture from $374.00 to $381.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday. Mizuho reissued a buy rating and issued a $398.00 target price (down from $426.00) on shares of Accenture in a research report on Friday. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on shares of Accenture from $363.00 to $395.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, March 18th. Guggenheim began coverage on shares of Accenture in a research report on Tuesday. They issued a buy rating and a $425.00 target price for the company. Finally, Redburn Atlantic upped their price objective on shares of Accenture from $410.00 to $445.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $382.77. Get Accenture alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on ACN Accenture Stock Performance The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $370.57 and a 200-day simple moving average of $339.99. The stock has a market capitalization of $211.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.28, a PEG ratio of 3.53 and a beta of 1.20. Accenture (NYSE:ACN Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, March 21st. The information technology services provider reported $2.77 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.66 by $0.11. The company had revenue of $15.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $15.85 billion. Accenture had a return on equity of 29.08% and a net margin of 10.65%. Accentures quarterly revenue was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.69 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Accenture plc will post 12.2 earnings per share for the current year. Accenture Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, April 11th will be given a $1.29 dividend. This represents a $5.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.53%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 10th. Accentures payout ratio is currently 47.82%. Insider Activity In related news, Director Jaime Ardila sold 3,000 shares of Accenture stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $353.18, for a total value of $1,059,540.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 11,392 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,023,426.56. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other Accenture news, insider Ellyn Shook sold 5,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $371.81, for a total value of $1,859,050.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 20,316 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,553,691.96. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Jaime Ardila sold 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $353.18, for a total value of $1,059,540.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 11,392 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,023,426.56. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 26,000 shares of company stock valued at $9,549,498 in the last ninety days. 0.07% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ACN. Cooksen Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Accenture during the 4th quarter valued at about $36,000. Grayhawk Investment Strategies Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Accenture during the 4th quarter valued at about $35,000. M3 Advisory Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Accenture during the 4th quarter valued at about $230,000. Walden Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Accenture during the 4th quarter valued at about $3,040,000. Finally, Ables Iannone Moore & Associates Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Accenture during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Institutional investors own 70.42% of the companys stock. Accenture Company Profile (Get Free Report) Accenture plc, a professional services company, provides strategy and consulting, industry X, song, and technology and operation services worldwide. The company offers application services, including agile transformation, DevOps, application modernization, enterprise architecture, software and quality engineering, data management; intelligent automation comprising robotic process automation, natural language processing, and virtual agents; and application management services, as well as software engineering services; strategy and consulting services; data and analytics strategy, data discovery and augmentation, data management and beyond, data democratization, and industrialized solutions comprising turnkey analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions; metaverse; and sustainability services. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Accenture Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Accenture and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Citigroup upgraded shares of American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE:AMH Free Report) from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday morning, MarketBeat.com reports. They currently have $41.00 price objective on the real estate investment trusts stock, up from their prior price objective of $37.00. Other analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $39.00 price target on shares of American Homes 4 Rent in a research report on Monday, February 26th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of American Homes 4 Rent from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the company from $34.00 to $41.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 2nd. StockNews.com lowered American Homes 4 Rent from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Wednesday. BNP Paribas started coverage on American Homes 4 Rent in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. They issued an outperform rating and a $42.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Mizuho boosted their target price on American Homes 4 Rent from $37.00 to $39.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, American Homes 4 Rent presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $38.92. Get American Homes 4 Rent alerts: Read Our Latest Analysis on AMH American Homes 4 Rent Stock Down 0.8 % American Homes 4 Rent Increases Dividend AMH stock opened at $36.32 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $13.30 billion, a PE ratio of 36.32, a PEG ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58, a quick ratio of 0.46 and a current ratio of 0.46. The firms 50 day moving average price is $35.59 and its 200-day moving average price is $35.29. American Homes 4 Rent has a one year low of $28.78 and a one year high of $37.97. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Investors of record on Friday, March 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.26 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $1.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.86%. This is an increase from American Homes 4 Rents previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. American Homes 4 Rents payout ratio is presently 104.00%. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, CAO Brian Reitz sold 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.53, for a total transaction of $106,590.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 35,343 shares in the company, valued at $1,255,736.79. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, COO Bryan Smith sold 50,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.77, for a total transaction of $1,838,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 125,580 shares in the company, valued at $4,617,576.60. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CAO Brian Reitz sold 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.53, for a total transaction of $106,590.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 35,343 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,255,736.79. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 60,263 shares of company stock worth $2,212,078. Corporate insiders own 6.32% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On American Homes 4 Rent Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Land & Buildings Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in American Homes 4 Rent by 35.1% in the second quarter. Land & Buildings Investment Management LLC now owns 858,060 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $30,418,000 after acquiring an additional 222,970 shares in the last quarter. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. acquired a new position in American Homes 4 Rent in the third quarter valued at $510,000. Bank of Nova Scotia boosted its stake in American Homes 4 Rent by 18.1% in the third quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 7,711 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $260,000 after acquiring an additional 1,183 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in American Homes 4 Rent by 2.8% in the third quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 135,180 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $4,554,000 after acquiring an additional 3,736 shares in the last quarter. Finally, O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in American Homes 4 Rent by 86.3% in the third quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 10,745 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $362,000 after acquiring an additional 4,977 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.97% of the companys stock. American Homes 4 Rent Company Profile (Get Free Report) AMH (NYSE: AMH) is a leading large-scale integrated owner, operator and developer of single-family rental homes. We're an internally managed Maryland real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on acquiring, developing, renovating, leasing and managing homes as rental properties. Our goal is to simplify the experience of leasing a home and deliver peace of mind to households across the country. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for American Homes 4 Rent Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for American Homes 4 Rent and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SG Americas Securities LLC grew its holdings in Amphenol Co. (NYSE:APH Free Report) by 543.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 110,698 shares of the electronics makers stock after purchasing an additional 93,491 shares during the period. SG Americas Securities LLCs holdings in Amphenol were worth $10,973,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Hixon Zuercher LLC lifted its stake in shares of Amphenol by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Hixon Zuercher LLC now owns 21,437 shares of the electronics makers stock valued at $2,125,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares during the last quarter. Norway Savings Bank lifted its stake in shares of Amphenol by 1.2% in the 4th quarter. Norway Savings Bank now owns 28,141 shares of the electronics makers stock valued at $2,790,000 after purchasing an additional 320 shares during the last quarter. Whitaker Myers Wealth Managers LTD. acquired a new position in Amphenol during the 4th quarter worth about $200,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC acquired a new position in Amphenol during the 4th quarter worth about $56,000. Finally, Whittier Trust Co. lifted its stake in Amphenol by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 120,610 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $11,956,000 after acquiring an additional 409 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.46% of the companys stock. Get Amphenol alerts: Insider Activity In related news, VP Lance E. Damico sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $104.75, for a total transaction of $1,571,250.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 25,700 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,692,075. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In related news, VP Lance E. Damico sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $104.75, for a total transaction of $1,571,250.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 25,700 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,692,075. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, insider Peter Straub sold 20,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $110.64, for a total value of $2,212,800.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 305,000 shares of company stock worth $31,846,050. 2.22% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Amphenol Stock Up 0.0 % Shares of APH traded up $0.01 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $114.42. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,489,508 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,435,939. Amphenol Co. has a 12-month low of $72.00 and a 12-month high of $115.18. The stock has a market cap of $68.63 billion, a PE ratio of 36.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.27 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 2.17 and a quick ratio of 1.48. The companys 50 day moving average is $105.11 and its 200 day moving average is $94.33. Amphenol (NYSE:APH Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 24th. The electronics maker reported $0.82 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.77 by $0.05. Amphenol had a return on equity of 23.94% and a net margin of 15.36%. The business had revenue of $3.33 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.16 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.78 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Amphenol Co. will post 3.27 EPS for the current fiscal year. Amphenol Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 19th will be issued a $0.22 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 18th. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.77%. Amphenols payout ratio is currently 28.30%. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Truist Financial increased their target price on Amphenol from $97.00 to $109.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, December 15th. Robert W. Baird increased their target price on Amphenol from $100.00 to $106.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Citigroup assumed coverage on Amphenol in a research note on Friday, January 5th. They set a buy rating and a $117.00 target price on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on Amphenol from $107.00 to $119.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on Amphenol from $88.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Amphenol currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $102.11. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on APH Amphenol Profile (Free Report) Amphenol Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, primarily designs, manufactures, and markets electrical, electronic, and fiber optic connectors in the United States, China, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Harsh Environment Solutions, Communications Solutions, and Interconnect and Sensor Systems. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding APH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Amphenol Co. (NYSE:APH Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Amphenol Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Amphenol and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Bank of Nova Scotia (TSE:BNS Get Free Report) (NYSE:BNS) has received an average rating of Hold from the fourteen research firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, twelve have issued a hold recommendation and one has assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is C$66.66. Several research firms have weighed in on BNS. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on Bank of Nova Scotia from C$66.00 to C$69.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 28th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on Bank of Nova Scotia from C$63.00 to C$66.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 28th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on Bank of Nova Scotia from C$62.00 to C$64.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 28th. Desjardins increased their price target on Bank of Nova Scotia from C$64.00 to C$68.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, February 28th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group increased their price target on Bank of Nova Scotia from C$65.00 to C$67.50 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, February 28th. Get Bank of Nova Scotia alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on BNS Bank of Nova Scotia Stock Up 0.1 % Shares of BNS opened at C$68.38 on Friday. Bank of Nova Scotia has a 12-month low of C$55.20 and a 12-month high of C$69.17. The firm has a market capitalization of C$83.42 billion, a PE ratio of 11.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 0.96. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is C$64.37 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$62.24. Bank of Nova Scotia (TSE:BNS Get Free Report) (NYSE:BNS) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 27th. The bank reported C$1.69 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of C$1.61 by C$0.08. Bank of Nova Scotia had a return on equity of 10.20% and a net margin of 26.75%. The firm had revenue of C$8.43 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$8.12 billion. Analysts anticipate that Bank of Nova Scotia will post 6.4854369 EPS for the current year. Bank of Nova Scotia Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 26th. Investors of record on Tuesday, April 2nd will be issued a dividend of $1.06 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 1st. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.20%. Bank of Nova Scotias payout ratio is presently 69.39%. About Bank of Nova Scotia (Get Free Report The Bank of Nova Scotia provides various banking products and services in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Colombia, the Caribbean and Central America, and internationally. It operates through Canadian Banking, International Banking, Global Wealth Management, and Global Banking and Markets segments. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Bank of Nova Scotia Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of Nova Scotia and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ariose Capital Management Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman Co. (NYSE:NOC Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 6,000 shares of the aerospace companys stock, valued at approximately $2,809,000. Northrop Grumman accounts for 1.1% of Ariose Capital Management Ltds portfolio, making the stock its 14th largest holding. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. London Co. of Virginia acquired a new position in shares of Northrop Grumman in the 3rd quarter valued at $165,786,000. Invesco Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Northrop Grumman by 74.7% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,174,556 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $517,028,000 after purchasing an additional 502,060 shares during the period. Raymond James Trust N.A. lifted its stake in shares of Northrop Grumman by 19.7% in the 4th quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 16,515 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $7,731,000 after purchasing an additional 2,723 shares during the period. Comerica Bank acquired a new position in shares of Northrop Grumman in the 2nd quarter valued at $59,403,000. Finally, Phraction Management LLC purchased a new stake in Northrop Grumman in the 3rd quarter worth $677,000. 82.40% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Northrop Grumman alerts: Northrop Grumman Stock Up 0.3 % NYSE:NOC traded up $1.26 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $468.75. The stock had a trading volume of 615,412 shares, compared to its average volume of 746,401. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $457.71 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $459.90. The company has a market capitalization of $70.33 billion, a PE ratio of 34.77, a PEG ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 0.34. Northrop Grumman Co. has a twelve month low of $414.56 and a twelve month high of $496.89. The company has a current ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. Northrop Grumman Dividend Announcement Northrop Grumman ( NYSE:NOC Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The aerospace company reported $6.27 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.80 by $0.47. The firm had revenue of $10.64 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.43 billion. Northrop Grumman had a net margin of 5.23% and a return on equity of 23.07%. The firms revenue was up 6.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $7.50 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Northrop Grumman Co. will post 24.66 EPS for the current year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 13th. Investors of record on Monday, February 26th were issued a $1.87 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 23rd. This represents a $7.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.60%. Northrop Grummans dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 55.49%. Insider Activity at Northrop Grumman In other Northrop Grumman news, VP Kathryn G. Simpson sold 1,273 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $450.37, for a total value of $573,321.01. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 2,735 shares in the company, valued at $1,231,761.95. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, VP Kathryn G. Simpson sold 1,273 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $450.37, for a total transaction of $573,321.01. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 2,735 shares in the company, valued at $1,231,761.95. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Michael A. Hardesty sold 955 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $450.37, for a total transaction of $430,103.35. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 4,137 shares in the company, valued at $1,863,180.69. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 3,149 shares of company stock valued at $1,421,147 over the last 90 days. 0.26% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In NOC has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. StockNews.com lowered shares of Northrop Grumman from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, January 29th. Wolfe Research lowered shares of Northrop Grumman from a peer perform rating to an underperform rating and set a $450.00 price objective for the company. in a report on Thursday, December 14th. Royal Bank of Canada reissued a sector perform rating and issued a $450.00 price objective (down previously from $515.00) on shares of Northrop Grumman in a report on Friday, January 26th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut shares of Northrop Grumman from a buy rating to a hold rating and decreased their target price for the company from $541.00 to $473.00 in a research report on Friday, December 15th. Finally, Robert W. Baird decreased their target price on shares of Northrop Grumman from $505.00 to $475.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $494.33. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Northrop Grumman About Northrop Grumman (Free Report) Northrop Grumman Corporation operates as an aerospace and defense technology company in the United States, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and internationally. The company's Aeronautics Systems segment designs, develops, manufactures, integrates, and sustains aircraft systems. This segment also offers unmanned autonomous aircraft systems, including high-altitude long-endurance strategic ISR systems and vertical take-off and landing tactical ISR systems; and strategic long-range strike aircraft, tactical fighter and air dominance aircraft, and airborne battle management and command and control systems. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Northrop Grumman Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Northrop Grumman and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mizuho began coverage on shares of AutoZone (NYSE:AZO Free Report) in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, Marketbeat reports. The brokerage issued a buy rating and a $3,450.00 price target on the stock. Several other analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on AutoZone from $2,900.00 to $3,100.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 28th. Raymond James raised AutoZone from an outperform rating to a strong-buy rating and raised their price target for the stock from $2,850.00 to $3,100.00 in a report on Wednesday, December 6th. DA Davidson raised their price target on AutoZone from $2,770.00 to $3,025.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, February 28th. TheStreet downgraded AutoZone from a c rating to a d+ rating in a report on Wednesday, December 20th. Finally, UBS Group raised their target price on AutoZone from $3,100.00 to $3,425.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 28th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, AutoZone currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $3,044.61. Get AutoZone alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on AZO AutoZone Stock Up 0.9 % NYSE:AZO opened at $3,239.06 on Tuesday. The businesss 50 day moving average is $2,866.54 and its two-hundred day moving average is $2,680.99. AutoZone has a 52 week low of $2,277.88 and a 52 week high of $3,256.37. The company has a market cap of $56.05 billion, a PE ratio of 22.81, a P/E/G ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.70. AutoZone (NYSE:AZO Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 27th. The company reported $28.89 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $26.08 by $2.81. AutoZone had a negative return on equity of 56.06% and a net margin of 14.70%. The company had revenue of $3.86 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.32 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $24.64 EPS. AutoZones quarterly revenue was up 4.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that AutoZone will post 151.33 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, Director George R. Mrkonic, Jr. sold 414 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $2,541.85, for a total value of $1,052,325.90. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 3,470 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,820,219.50. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In related news, COO Thomas B. Newbern sold 7,800 shares of AutoZone stock in a transaction on Friday, January 5th. The stock was 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 of the companys stock, valued at $6,427,530.78. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director George R. Mrkonic, Jr. sold 414 shares of AutoZone stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $2,541.85, for a total value of $1,052,325.90. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 3,470 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,820,219.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 21,097 shares of company stock worth $59,636,500 in the last three months. 2.50% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Institutional Trading of AutoZone A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton boosted its position in AutoZone by 8.2% during the third quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton now owns 53 shares of the companys stock valued at $135,000 after purchasing an additional 4 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC lifted its position in shares of AutoZone by 1.3% in the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 301 shares of the companys stock worth $765,000 after buying an additional 4 shares during the last quarter. Private Trust Co. NA lifted its position in shares of AutoZone by 2.9% in the third quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 142 shares of the companys stock worth $361,000 after buying an additional 4 shares during the last quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of AutoZone by 2.0% in the third quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 202 shares of the companys stock worth $513,000 after buying an additional 4 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Plancorp LLC lifted its position in shares of AutoZone by 3.0% in the third quarter. Plancorp LLC now owns 136 shares of the companys stock worth $345,000 after buying an additional 4 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.34% of the companys stock. AutoZone Company Profile (Get 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. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for AutoZone Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AutoZone and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises (NYSE:BW Free Report) had its price target trimmed by DA Davidson from $4.00 to $3.50 in a report released on Tuesday morning, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the technology companys stock. Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Stock Up 24.5 % BW opened at $1.32 on Tuesday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $1.23 and a 200-day moving average of $2.10. The firm has a market capitalization of $118.11 million, a P/E ratio of -0.56 and a beta of 1.37. Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises has a 12-month low of $0.75 and a 12-month high of $6.64. Get Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises alerts: Insider Transactions at Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises In other news, CEO Kenneth M. Young acquired 29,229 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 20th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $1.03 per share, for a total transaction of $30,105.87. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer now owns 241,745 shares in the company, valued at $248,997.35. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders purchased 59,229 shares of company stock valued at $62,006 over the last three months. 3.19% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Trading of Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises About Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its stake in shares of Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises by 192.0% in the 3rd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 5,641 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 3,709 shares during the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada increased its holdings in shares of Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises by 65.5% during the 2nd quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 5,966 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 2,362 shares during the last quarter. Ensign Peak Advisors Inc acquired a new stake in Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $43,000. Dark Forest Capital Management LP boosted its position in Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises by 3,147.3% during the first quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LP now owns 7,826 shares of the technology companys stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 7,585 shares during the period. Finally, Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio bought a new position in shares of Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises in the second quarter valued at approximately $51,000. 85.81% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. (Get Free Report) Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides energy and emissions control solutions to a range of industrial, electrical utility, municipal, and other customers worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Babcock & Wilcox Renewable; Babcock & Wilcox Environmental; and Babcock & Wilcox Thermal. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bezeq The Israel Telecommunication Corp. Ltd (OTCMKTS:BZQIY Get Free Report)s share price was down 3.3% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $6.39 and last traded at $6.39. Approximately 210 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 40% from the average daily volume of 350 shares. The stock had previously closed at $6.60. Bezeq The Israel Telecommunication Price Performance The firm has a fifty day moving average of $6.86 and a 200-day moving average of $6.65. About Bezeq The Israel Telecommunication (Get Free Report) Bezeq The Israel Telecommunication Corp. Ltd provides communications services to business and private customers in Israel. It operates through Domestic fixed-line communications, Cellular Communication, Internet, International Communication, and ICT Solutions, and Multi-Channel Television segments. The company offers telephony services, including basic telephony services on the household telephone line, as well as associated services, such as voice mail and caller ID; national numbering services; and transmission and data-communication services. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Bezeq The Israel Telecommunication Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bezeq The Israel Telecommunication and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23. The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations has released the first list of individuals who lost their lives in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, Trend reports. The list, comprising 13 names, is now available on the ministry's website as of 17:00 on March 23. Additionally, the Ministry of Emergency Situations continues to update the list of victims, relying on information provided by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. The incident occurred on March 22, when unidentified assailants opened fire at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, leading to evacuations. Eyewitnesses described individuals in camouflage attire firing machine guns inside Crocus City Hall just before the scheduled concert by the Picnic group. Director of the Federal Security Service of Russia, Alexander Bortnikov, briefed Russian President Vladimir Putin on the detention of 11 individuals, including four terrorists involved in the attack at Crocus City Hall. The death toll has reached 133. Shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (NYSE:BIP Get Free Report) (TSE:BIP.UN) have received a consensus rating of Moderate Buy from the ten research firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, seven have issued a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year target price among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $39.11. BIP has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. TD Securities dropped their price objective on Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from $47.00 to $46.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Raymond James lifted their target price on Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from $40.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. National Bankshares cut Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and set a $32.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. National Bank Financial cut Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on Brookfield Infrastructure Partners in a research note on Tuesday, February 27th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Get Brookfield Infrastructure Partners alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Price Performance Shares of NYSE:BIP opened at $29.42 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $30.36 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $29.04. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners has a 1-year low of $21.03 and a 1-year high of $37.32. The stock has a market cap of $13.57 billion, a PE ratio of 210.16 and a beta of 0.95. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (NYSE:BIP Get Free Report) (TSE:BIP.UN) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 1st. The utilities provider reported ($0.20) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.79 by ($0.99). Brookfield Infrastructure Partners had a net margin of 1.34% and a return on equity of 0.79%. The company had revenue of $4.97 billion for the quarter. As a group, analysts forecast that Brookfield Infrastructure Partners will post 3.32 EPS for the current fiscal year. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 29th will be issued a $0.405 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $1.62 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.51%. This is a positive change from Brookfield Infrastructure Partnerss previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. Brookfield Infrastructure Partnerss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 1,157.23%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Creekmur Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners in the 4th quarter worth about $192,000. Scarborough Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners during the 4th quarter valued at about $59,000. Novak & Powell Financial Services Inc. purchased a new position in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners during the 4th quarter valued at about $805,000. FIL Ltd grew its holdings in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners by 0.9% during the 4th quarter. FIL Ltd now owns 2,275,703 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $71,721,000 after buying an additional 19,292 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sanibel Captiva Trust Company Inc. purchased a new position in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners during the 4th quarter valued at about $3,741,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 55.52% of the companys stock. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Company Profile (Get Free Report Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. owns and operates utilities, transport, midstream, and data businesses in North and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company's Utilities segment operates approximately 60,000 kilometers (km) of operational electricity transmission and distribution lines; 2,900 km of electricity transmission lines; 4,200 km of natural gas pipelines; 7.8 million electricity and natural gas connections; and 540,000 long-term contracted sub-metering services. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brookfield Infrastructure Partners and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. George Weston (OTCMKTS:WNGRF Get Free Report) and CP ALL Public (OTCMKTS:CVPUF Get Free Report) are both consumer staples companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, profitability, institutional ownership, earnings, valuation, risk and analyst recommendations. Profitability This table compares George Weston and CP ALL Publics net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Get George Weston alerts: Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets George Weston 2.55% 10.99% 3.05% CP ALL Public N/A N/A N/A Analyst Ratings This is a summary of recent ratings for George Weston and CP ALL Public, as provided by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score George Weston 0 0 0 0 N/A CP ALL Public 0 0 0 0 N/A Insider & Institutional Ownership George Weston presently has a consensus price target of $125.50, indicating a potential upside of . Given George Westons higher probable upside, research analysts clearly believe George Weston is more favorable than CP ALL Public. 0.0% of George Weston shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 1.4% of CP ALL Public shares are held by institutional investors. 53.6% of George Weston shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Earnings and Valuation This table compares George Weston and CP ALL Publics gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio George Weston $44.54 billion 0.00 $1.14 billion $7.94 N/A CP ALL Public N/A N/A N/A $1.09 1.35 George Weston has higher revenue and earnings than CP ALL Public. George Weston is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than CP ALL Public, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Dividends George Weston pays an annual dividend of $1.05 per share. CP ALL Public pays an annual dividend of $0.81 per share and has a dividend yield of 55.1%. George Weston pays out 13.2% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. CP ALL Public pays out 74.6% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Summary George Weston beats CP ALL Public on 9 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks. About George Weston (Get Free Report) George Weston Limited provides food and drug retailing, and financial services in Canada. The company operates through two segments, Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw) and Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (Choice Properties). The Loblaw segment provides grocery, pharmacy and healthcare services, health and beauty products, apparel, general merchandise, and financial services. This segment also offers credit card and other banking services, insurance brokerage services, guaranteed investment certificates, and wireless mobile products and services. The Choice Properties segment owns, operates, manages, and develops retail commercial and residential properties, leased to necessity-based tenants, industrial, and mixed-use and residential assets. It markets its products under the Shoppers Drug Mart, Joe Fresh, President's Choice Bank, no name, Farmer's Market, T&T, Life Brand, and PC Optimum brands. The company was founded in 1882 and is based in Toronto, Canada. George Weston Limited is a subsidiary of Wittington Investments, Limited. About CP ALL Public (Get Free Report) CP ALL Public Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, operates and franchises convenience stores under the 7-Eleven name to other retailers primarily in Thailand. It operates through four segments: Convenience stores, Wholesale, Retail and Mall, and Other. The company also operates frozen food plants and bakeries; distributes various commercial cards and tickets, catalog merchandises, and food and non-food products; and retails health and beauty products. In addition, it offers bill payment, software development, information system design and development, logistics, digital healthcare, medical consultancy, delivery rental, storage, marketing and consulting, research and development, and microbiologic and scientific laboratory services. Further, the company engages in the e-commerce, insurance broker, and telecommunication businesses. Additionally, it operates training centers and educational institutions; produces ready meals; and trades and retails equipment, as well as offers maintenance of convenience stores equipment. The company was formerly known as C.P. Seven Eleven Public Company Limited. The company was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Nonthaburi, Thailand. Receive News & Ratings for George Weston Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for George Weston and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Research analysts at StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Comstock (NYSE:LODE Get Free Report) in a research note issued on Thursday. The brokerage set a sell rating on the stock. Comstock Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:LODE opened at $0.36 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $41.68 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.50 and a beta of 2.04. Comstock has a 1-year low of $0.30 and a 1-year high of $0.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.56 and a current ratio of 1.56. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $0.45 and a 200 day moving average price of $0.45. Get Comstock alerts: Comstock (NYSE:LODE Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 28th. The company reported ($0.03) earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of ($0.04) by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $0.45 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.10 million. Comstock had a net margin of 718.51% and a negative return on equity of 4.04%. On average, research analysts anticipate that Comstock will post -0.15 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Comstock Comstock Company Profile Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in LODE. Northern Trust Corp lifted its position in shares of Comstock by 28.6% in the 1st quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 104,083 shares of the companys stock valued at $174,000 after acquiring an additional 23,164 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its position in shares of Comstock by 38.3% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 174,116 shares of the companys stock valued at $291,000 after acquiring an additional 48,229 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in Comstock by 2.0% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,703,112 shares of the companys stock worth $715,000 after buying an additional 33,293 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its position in Comstock by 609.3% in the 4th quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 320,206 shares of the companys stock worth $88,000 after buying an additional 275,060 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Comstock in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $44,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 5.17% of the companys stock. (Get Free Report) 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. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Comstock Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Comstock and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CX Institutional acquired a new stake in shares of Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF (NYSEARCA:FDIS Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 22,629 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,786,000. CX Institutional owned about 0.13% of Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of FDIS. IFP Advisors Inc increased its position in shares of Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF by 27.0% in the second quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 678 shares of the companys stock worth $50,000 after purchasing an additional 144 shares during the last quarter. Comerica Bank bought a new position in shares of Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF in the third quarter worth approximately $67,000. Chilton Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF in the first quarter worth $63,000. Citigroup Inc. lifted its stake in Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF by 20.7% in the third quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 1,361 shares of the companys stock worth $95,000 after acquiring an additional 233 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can lifted its stake in Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF by 451.5% in the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 1,478 shares of the companys stock worth $121,000 after acquiring an additional 1,210 shares during the period. Get Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF alerts: Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF Trading Down 0.8 % Shares of Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF stock opened at $81.73 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.81 and a beta of 1.25. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $79.26 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $75.10. Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF has a 12 month low of $61.16 and a 12 month high of $82.70. About Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF The Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF (FDIS) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in consumer discretionary equity. The fund tracks a market-cap-weighted index of stocks in the US consumer discretionary sector. FDIS was launched on Oct 21, 2013 and is managed by Fidelity. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FDIS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF (NYSEARCA:FDIS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Guggenheim initiated coverage on shares of DXC Technology (NYSE:DXC Free Report) in a research report report published on Tuesday morning, Marketbeat reports. The firm issued a neutral rating and a $22.00 price objective on the stock. Other research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered shares of DXC Technology from a neutral rating to an underweight rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $27.00 to $24.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Royal Bank of Canada reissued a sector perform rating and set a $24.00 price objective on shares of DXC Technology in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, Citigroup lowered shares of DXC Technology from a neutral rating to a sell rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $24.00 to $21.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and six have assigned a hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $23.20. Get DXC Technology alerts: Get Our Latest Research Report on DXC DXC Technology Price Performance Shares of DXC stock opened at $20.45 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $3.74 billion, a PE ratio of -10.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 1.86. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $21.70 and a 200-day simple moving average of $21.90. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15. DXC Technology has a twelve month low of $18.61 and a twelve month high of $28.89. DXC Technology (NYSE:DXC Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $0.87 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.77 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $3.40 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.36 billion. DXC Technology had a negative net margin of 3.35% and a positive return on equity of 19.00%. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.95 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that DXC Technology will post 3.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Insider Activity at DXC Technology In related news, EVP William L. Deckelman, Jr. sold 18,102 shares of DXC Technology stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.73, for a total value of $393,356.46. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 124,806 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,712,034.38. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.87% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Institutional Trading of DXC Technology A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Ameriprise Financial Inc. raised its holdings in shares of DXC Technology by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 2,992,875 shares of the companys stock worth $62,342,000 after purchasing an additional 8,235 shares in the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of DXC Technology by 9.9% in the 3rd quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 63,800 shares of the companys stock worth $1,329,000 after purchasing an additional 5,735 shares in the last quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group raised its holdings in shares of DXC Technology by 338.4% in the 3rd quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group now owns 434,204 shares of the companys stock worth $9,044,000 after purchasing an additional 335,161 shares in the last quarter. Caxton Associates LP bought a new stake in shares of DXC Technology in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $833,000. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp raised its holdings in shares of DXC Technology by 38.7% in the 3rd quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 950,875 shares of the companys stock worth $20,121,000 after purchasing an additional 265,248 shares in the last quarter. 88.09% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. DXC Technology Company Profile (Get Free Report) DXC Technology Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides information technology services and solutions primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, Australia, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Global Business Services (GBS) and Global Infrastructure Services (GIS). Read More Receive News & Ratings for DXC Technology Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for DXC Technology and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Eclectic Associates Inc. ADV lessened its stake in Vanguard Real Estate ETF (NYSEARCA:VNQ Free Report) by 15.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 10,659 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 1,983 shares during the period. Eclectic Associates Inc. ADVs holdings in Vanguard Real Estate ETF were worth $942,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Ironwood Wealth Management LLC. lifted its stake in shares of Vanguard Real Estate ETF by 120.3% during the first quarter. Ironwood Wealth Management LLC. now owns 3,790 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $411,000 after buying an additional 2,070 shares during the period. MAS Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Vanguard Real Estate ETF by 1.5% in the 1st quarter. MAS Advisors LLC now owns 88,453 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $9,704,000 after purchasing an additional 1,333 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. increased its position in shares of Vanguard Real Estate ETF by 17.9% in the first quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 4,268 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $463,000 after acquiring an additional 648 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in Vanguard Real Estate ETF by 6.9% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 250,514 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $27,148,000 after acquiring an additional 16,158 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. raised its stake in Vanguard Real Estate ETF by 20.0% during the 1st quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 1,500 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $163,000 after purchasing an additional 250 shares during the last quarter. Get Vanguard Real Estate ETF alerts: Vanguard Real Estate ETF Stock Performance Vanguard Real Estate ETF stock traded down $1.07 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $84.57. 3,923,435 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,789,547. The firm has a market capitalization of $32.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.40 and a beta of 0.91. The firms 50 day moving average is $85.20 and its 200-day moving average is $81.95. Vanguard Real Estate ETF has a fifty-two week low of $70.61 and a fifty-two week high of $90.09. Vanguard Real Estate ETF Profile Vanguard REIT ETF (the Fund) is an open-end investment company. The Fund invests in stocks issued by real estate investment trusts (REITs), companies that purchase office buildings, hotels, and other real property. It tracks the return of the MSCI US RIT Index, a gauge of real estate stocks. The Vanguard Group, Inc provides investment advisory services to the Fund. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VNQ? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Vanguard Real Estate ETF (NYSEARCA:VNQ Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Vanguard Real Estate ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vanguard Real Estate ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:FND Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $132.45 and last traded at $131.85, with a volume of 740811 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $123.33. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms have recently commented on FND. Wells Fargo & Company lowered Floor & Decor from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and raised their price target for the stock from $85.00 to $105.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. Truist Financial raised their price target on Floor & Decor from $102.00 to $127.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 20th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on Floor & Decor from $71.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, February 26th. Bank of America lifted their target price on Floor & Decor from $125.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, March 14th. Finally, Piper Sandler lifted their target price on Floor & Decor from $98.00 to $105.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, February 23rd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have issued a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $108.55. Get Floor & Decor alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Floor & Decor Floor & Decor Price Performance The stock has a market capitalization of $13.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 57.36, a PEG ratio of 6.44 and a beta of 1.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10, a quick ratio of 0.18 and a current ratio of 1.14. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $113.55 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $100.76. Floor & Decor (NYSE:FND Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 22nd. The company reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.27 by $0.07. Floor & Decor had a return on equity of 13.38% and a net margin of 5.57%. The firm had revenue of $1.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.01 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.64 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up .0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. will post 1.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Insider Buying and Selling In other Floor & Decor news, EVP Steven Alan Denny sold 5,152 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.52, for a total value of $636,375.04. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 13,271 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,639,233.92. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In related news, EVP Steven Alan Denny sold 5,152 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.52, for a total transaction of $636,375.04. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 13,271 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,639,233.92. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, President Trevor Lang sold 13,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.28, for a total value of $1,602,640.00. Following the sale, the president now owns 170,844 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,061,648.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 90,867 shares of company stock worth $11,016,089 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 2.50% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Floor & Decor Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Polen Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Floor & Decor by 59,133.5% during the 4th quarter. Polen Capital Management LLC now owns 25,184,312 shares of the companys stock worth $27,861,000 after buying an additional 25,141,795 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. raised its stake in Floor & Decor by 19.1% during the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 9,468,096 shares of the companys stock worth $984,303,000 after buying an additional 1,519,603 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors raised its stake in Floor & Decor by 39.7% during the 2nd quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 2,481,257 shares of the companys stock worth $257,951,000 after buying an additional 705,451 shares during the period. Capital World Investors raised its stake in Floor & Decor by 5.6% during the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 11,908,550 shares of the companys stock worth $1,328,518,000 after buying an additional 627,256 shares during the period. Finally, FMR LLC raised its stake in Floor & Decor by 13.1% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 4,605,699 shares of the companys stock worth $416,816,000 after buying an additional 531,891 shares during the period. Floor & Decor Company Profile (Get Free Report) Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc together with its subsidiaries, operates as a multi-channel specialty retailer of hard surface flooring and related accessories, and commercial surfaces seller in Georgia. The company offers tile, wood, laminate, vinyl, and natural stone flooring products, as well as decorative accessories, wall tiles, and installation materials and tools; and vanities, shower doors, bath accessories, faucets, sinks, custom countertops, bathroom mirrors, and bathroom lighting. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Floor & Decor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Floor & Decor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Global Trust Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS Free Report) by 3.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,991 shares of the investment management companys stock after purchasing an additional 102 shares during the quarter. Global Trust Asset Management LLCs holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $1,154,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Cambridge Trust Co. raised its stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 82.0% during the 3rd quarter. Cambridge Trust Co. now owns 91 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 41 shares during the period. Truvestments Capital LLC raised its stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 88.0% during the 3rd quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC now owns 94 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the period. BKM Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group during the 4th quarter worth $32,000. Pacific Center for Financial Services bought a new stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group during the 1st quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Worth Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group during the 1st quarter worth $33,000. 69.06% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get The Goldman Sachs Group alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, Treasurer Philip R. Berlinski sold 11,650 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $390.64, for a total value of $4,550,956.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the treasurer now owns 18,408 shares in the company, valued at $7,190,901.12. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, CFO Denis P. Coleman sold 12,680 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $394.43, for a total value of $5,001,372.40. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 29,417 shares of the companys stock, valued at $11,602,947.31. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Treasurer Philip R. Berlinski sold 11,650 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $390.64, for a total value of $4,550,956.00. Following the completion of the sale, the treasurer now directly owns 18,408 shares in the company, valued at $7,190,901.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 38,907 shares of company stock worth $15,080,021. 0.54% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms have recently commented on GS. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $357.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 18th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $382.00 to $440.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. Oppenheimer lowered their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $506.00 to $446.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. Morgan Stanley upgraded The Goldman Sachs Group from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $333.00 to $449.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $421.00 to $424.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $406.87. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on GS The Goldman Sachs Group Trading Down 1.7 % Shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock traded down $6.89 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $406.82. 2,190,278 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,365,624. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.29, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a current ratio of 0.76. The company has a market cap of $132.03 billion, a PE ratio of 17.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.61 and a beta of 1.42. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $386.18 and a 200-day moving average of $354.96. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $289.36 and a 12 month high of $416.76. The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 16th. The investment management company reported $5.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.62 by $1.86. The business had revenue of $11.32 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.80 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a return on equity of 8.03% and a net margin of 7.85%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $3.32 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 32.6 EPS for the current fiscal year. The Goldman Sachs Group Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 29th will be issued a $2.75 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $11.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.70%. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 48.20%. About The Goldman Sachs Group (Free Report) The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in financing under securities to resale agreements. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Savers Value Village, Inc. (NYSE:SVV Get Free Report) CEO Mark T. Walsh sold 4,512 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, March 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $18.05, for a total value of $81,441.60. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Savers Value Village Stock Down 1.3 % Savers Value Village stock opened at $17.50 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $18.94 and a 200 day moving average price of $17.29. Savers Value Village, Inc. has a 52 week low of $10.16 and a 52 week high of $26.88. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.09. Get Savers Value Village alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On Savers Value Village Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Invesco Ltd. grew its position in Savers Value Village by 5.1% during the third quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 446,637 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,339,000 after acquiring an additional 21,637 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. purchased a new stake in Savers Value Village during the second quarter valued at about $33,147,000. Deutsche Bank AG grew its position in Savers Value Village by 44.5% during the third quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 433,564 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,095,000 after acquiring an additional 133,564 shares during the period. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P grew its position in Savers Value Village by 17.8% during the third quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 695,890 shares of the companys stock valued at $12,992,000 after acquiring an additional 105,231 shares during the period. Finally, Oliver Luxxe Assets LLC purchased a new stake in Savers Value Village during the third quarter valued at about $2,470,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 98.78% of the companys stock. About Savers Value Village Savers Value Village, Inc sells second-hand merchandise in retail stores in the United States, Canada, and Australia. It operates stores under the Savers, Value Village, Value Village Boutique, Village des Valeurs, Unique, and 2nd Avenue brands. The company purchases secondhand textiles, including clothing, bedding, and bath items; shoes; accessories; housewares; books; and other goods from non-profit partners and then processes, selects, prices, merchandises, and sells them in its stores. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Savers Value Village Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Savers Value Village and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. MP Materials (NYSE:MP Free Report) had its price objective cut by Jefferies Financial Group from $36.00 to $28.00 in a research report released on Tuesday morning, Benzinga reports. They currently have a buy rating on the stock. Several other brokerages have also recently weighed in on MP. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price objective on shares of MP Materials from $14.00 to $17.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Friday, March 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of MP Materials from $22.00 to $20.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 23rd. Canaccord Genuity Group lowered their price objective on MP Materials from $23.00 to $22.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, March 13th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut MP Materials from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $26.00 to $15.50 in a research note on Wednesday, March 13th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $25.44. Get MP Materials alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on MP MP Materials Stock Down 4.0 % Shares of MP opened at $13.65 on Tuesday. MP Materials has a one year low of $12.68 and a one year high of $28.75. The company has a market cap of $2.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 105.01, a P/E/G ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 2.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 10.42 and a quick ratio of 9.54. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $15.65 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $17.18. MP Materials (NYSE:MP Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 22nd. The company reported ($0.05) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of ($0.05). MP Materials had a net margin of 9.59% and a return on equity of 3.86%. The company had revenue of $41.21 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $47.40 million. Research analysts forecast that MP Materials will post 0.32 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional Investors Weigh In On MP Materials Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of MP. Natixis Advisors L.P. grew its holdings in MP Materials by 22.9% during the first quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 18,394 shares of the companys stock worth $1,055,000 after buying an additional 3,430 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can grew its holdings in MP Materials by 18.5% during the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 45,673 shares of the companys stock worth $2,576,000 after buying an additional 7,124 shares in the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in MP Materials by 53.4% during the first quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 41,394 shares of the companys stock worth $2,374,000 after buying an additional 14,406 shares in the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers grew its holdings in MP Materials by 8.9% during the first quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 84,009 shares of the companys stock worth $4,817,000 after buying an additional 6,843 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BlackRock Inc. grew its holdings in MP Materials by 29.1% during the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 6,398,647 shares of the companys stock worth $366,898,000 after buying an additional 1,441,580 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 59.41% of the companys stock. MP Materials Company Profile (Get Free Report) MP Materials Corp., together with its subsidiaries, produces rare earth materials. The company owns and operates the Mountain Pass Rare Earth mine and processing facility in North America. It holds the mineral rights to the Mountain Pass mine and surrounding areas, as well as intellectual property rights related to the processing and development of rare earth minerals. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for MP Materials Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for MP Materials and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fariz Jafarov, executive director of the Center for Analysis and Coordination of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4SIM) under the Ministry of Economy, participated in the "Innovation 2024" event of the Global Government Forum held in London, the capital of Great Britain, on March 19-20, Azernews reports, citing 4SIM. According to information, he attended the session "Artificial Intelligence and innovation in machine learning" as a speaker, "How to prepare the public sector for artificial intelligence?" made a presentation on the subject. F. Jafarov said that in order to prepare the public sector globally for the era of Artificial Intelligence, action is required on 5 main goals: education and workforce development, research and innovation, regulatory framework and ethical issues, infrastructure and data management, international cooperation. Later, the reforms carried out in the field of public services in Azerbaijan, services provided to citizens, including the activities of ASAN service centers, work done in the field of electronic and digital government, presented digital solutions, approaches and successful experiences were shared. It was noted that the country's digital economy strategy covering the period up to 2030 is currently being prepared, and the experiences and initiatives planned to be implemented within the framework of this strategy, as well as the projects currently being implemented by the center in the field of artificial intelligence, were reported. Co-hosted by the UK Government, the UK Civil Service and the Cabinet Office, the Global Government Forum exhibition-conference is a unique event that brings together government leaders, leading technology and consultancy companies from around the world responsible for transforming and accelerating public sector organizations and services. This year, more than 4,000 participants from 70 countries attended the event. The event included discussions on the role and obligations of the public and private sectors in the sustainable and transparent development of the innovation ecosystem, the challenges faced in this direction and the exchange of successful experiences. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 24. I would like to express my deep gratitude to the selfless security guards, employees of Crocus City Hall and neighboring organizations, to all the employees who worked on the night of the tragedy, did not stand aside from the common misfortune and provided assistance to people, First Vice President of Russia's Crocus Group Emin Agalarov wrote on Instagram, Trend reports. "Among them are director Alexey Vysotsky, administrator Sonya Meyer, head of the special projects department Serge Maksimenkov, security officers of neighboring facilities Alexander Pozdnyakov and Alexander Antipov, Crocus City Hall security guard Alexey Osanushkov and many, many others. The feat of these people is invaluable and will never be forgotten. There was a terrible tragedy for all of us. I offer my sincere condolences to the families of the victims, and with all my heart I wish recovery and spiritual strength to the victims," he noted. Eyewitnesses described individuals in camouflage attire firing machine guns inside Crocus City Hall just before the scheduled concert by the Picnic group. Director of the Federal Security Service of Russia, Alexander Bortnikov, briefed Russian President Vladimir Putin on the detention of 11 individuals, including four terrorists involved in the attack at Crocus City Hall. The death toll has reached 133. Archford Capital Strategies LLC grew its holdings in LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB Free Report) by 38.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,203 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,715 shares during the period. Archford Capital Strategies LLCs holdings in LyondellBasell Industries were worth $590,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Blair William & Co. IL grew its stake in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 1.0% during the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 10,812 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $1,112,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares in the last quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC lifted its position in LyondellBasell Industries by 0.8% in the third quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC now owns 14,386 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $1,362,000 after acquiring an additional 111 shares during the last quarter. Coombe Bender & Co LLC lifted its position in LyondellBasell Industries by 0.5% in the second quarter. Coombe Bender & Co LLC now owns 25,164 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $2,311,000 after acquiring an additional 113 shares during the last quarter. Paragon Capital Management Ltd lifted its position in LyondellBasell Industries by 4.6% in the third quarter. Paragon Capital Management Ltd now owns 2,575 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $244,000 after acquiring an additional 113 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Covestor Ltd lifted its position in LyondellBasell Industries by 33.9% in the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 446 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $46,000 after acquiring an additional 113 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.41% of the companys stock. Get LyondellBasell Industries alerts: LyondellBasell Industries Stock Performance LyondellBasell Industries stock opened at $100.98 on Friday. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $97.06 and its 200-day simple moving average is $95.51. The company has a market cap of $32.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 1.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 1.84 and a quick ratio of 1.17. LyondellBasell Industries has a fifty-two week low of $84.14 and a fifty-two week high of $102.93. LyondellBasell Industries Announces Dividend LyondellBasell Industries ( NYSE:LYB Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.26 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.33 by ($0.07). LyondellBasell Industries had a return on equity of 21.89% and a net margin of 5.16%. The firm had revenue of $9.93 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.85 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.29 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was down 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that LyondellBasell Industries will post 8.86 EPS for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 11th. Investors of record on Monday, March 4th were given a dividend of $1.25 per share. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.95%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 1st. LyondellBasell Industriess payout ratio is presently 77.28%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have recently commented on LYB. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $107.00 target price on shares of LyondellBasell Industries in a report on Monday, February 5th. Barclays lowered their price target on shares of LyondellBasell Industries from $102.00 to $98.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, February 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of LyondellBasell Industries from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and upped their price objective for the company from $95.00 to $100.00 in a research note on Monday, February 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded shares of LyondellBasell Industries from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $105.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. Finally, Citigroup downgraded shares of LyondellBasell Industries from a buy rating to a neutral rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $105.00 to $98.00 in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $100.92. Get Our Latest Stock Report on LYB Insider Activity at LyondellBasell Industries In related news, CAO Chukwuemeka A. Oyolu sold 7,084 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.47, for a total transaction of $711,729.48. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 27,575 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,770,460.25. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other LyondellBasell Industries news, CAO Chukwuemeka A. Oyolu sold 7,084 shares of LyondellBasell Industries stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.47, for a total value of $711,729.48. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 27,575 shares in the company, valued at $2,770,460.25. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Michael C. Mcmurray sold 16,940 shares of LyondellBasell Industries stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.84, for a total transaction of $1,708,229.60. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 88,858 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,960,440.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 80,853 shares of company stock valued at $8,077,267. Corporate insiders own 0.12% of the companys stock. LyondellBasell Industries Company Profile (Free Report) LyondellBasell Industries N.V. operates as a chemical company in the United States, Germany, Mexico, Italy, Poland, France, Japan, China, the Netherlands, and internationally. The company operates in six segments: Olefins and PolyolefinsAmericas; Olefins and PolyolefinsEurope, Asia, International; Intermediates and Derivatives; Advanced Polymer Solutions; Refining; and Technology. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LYB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for LyondellBasell Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for LyondellBasell Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Meridian Mining UK Societas (CVE:MNO Get Free Report) traded up 9.6% on Thursday . The company traded as high as C$1.07 and last traded at C$1.03. 247,282 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 12% from the average session volume of 220,803 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.94. Meridian Mining UK Societas Stock Performance The company has a market capitalization of C$152.09 million and a PE ratio of -3.30. The company has a 50 day moving average price of C$1.03 and a 200 day moving average price of C$1.03. Meridian Mining UK Societas Company Profile (Get Free Report) Meridian Mining UK Societas, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Brazil. The company explores for manganese, gold, copper, and tin deposits. It holds interest in the EspigAo polymetallic project and the Ariquemes tin project located in RondAnia. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Meridian Mining UK Societas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Meridian Mining UK Societas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Legato Capital Management LLC lifted its position in MGIC Investment Co. (NYSE:MTG Free Report) by 10.6% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 78,778 shares of the insurance providers stock after acquiring an additional 7,518 shares during the period. Legato Capital Management LLCs holdings in MGIC Investment were worth $1,520,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vest Financial LLC boosted its position in MGIC Investment by 29.4% during the 4th quarter. Vest Financial LLC now owns 690,877 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $13,327,000 after purchasing an additional 157,036 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. boosted its position in MGIC Investment by 47.3% during the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 3,174,560 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $52,983,000 after purchasing an additional 1,019,759 shares during the period. Virginia Retirement Systems ET AL acquired a new position in MGIC Investment during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $11,829,000. LSV Asset Management boosted its position in MGIC Investment by 8.5% during the 3rd quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 10,427,565 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $174,036,000 after purchasing an additional 820,182 shares during the period. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in MGIC Investment by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,792,357 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $46,604,000 after purchasing an additional 40,502 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.41% of the companys stock. Get MGIC Investment alerts: MGIC Investment Price Performance Shares of MTG traded down $0.12 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $21.79. The stock had a trading volume of 2,021,319 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,544,332. MGIC Investment Co. has a 52 week low of $12.16 and a 52 week high of $22.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 0.98 and a quick ratio of 0.98. The firms 50 day moving average price is $19.88 and its 200-day moving average price is $18.50. The company has a market capitalization of $5.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.75, a P/E/G ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 1.23. MGIC Investment Dividend Announcement MGIC Investment ( NYSE:MTG Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 31st. The insurance provider reported $0.67 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.57 by $0.10. MGIC Investment had a return on equity of 14.82% and a net margin of 61.72%. The company had revenue of $284.72 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $302.96 million. On average, analysts forecast that MGIC Investment Co. will post 2.43 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 5th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 15th were given a dividend of $0.115 per share. This represents a $0.46 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.11%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 14th. MGIC Investments dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 18.47%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades MTG has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. UBS Group initiated coverage on MGIC Investment in a research report on Wednesday, December 6th. They set a neutral rating and a $18.50 price objective for the company. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on MGIC Investment from $18.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, Roth Mkm boosted their price target on MGIC Investment from $21.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, February 2nd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $20.50. Read Our Latest Research Report on MTG MGIC Investment Profile (Free Report) MGIC Investment Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides private mortgage insurance, other mortgage credit risk management solutions, and ancillary services to lenders and government sponsored entities in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. The company offers primary mortgage insurance that provides mortgage default protection on individual loans, as well as covers unpaid loan principal, delinquent interest, and various expenses associated with the default and subsequent foreclosure. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MTG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for MGIC Investment Co. (NYSE:MTG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for MGIC Investment Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for MGIC Investment and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com upgraded shares of National Fuel Gas (NYSE:NFG Free Report) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report released on Wednesday morning. National Fuel Gas Price Performance Shares of National Fuel Gas stock opened at $51.90 on Wednesday. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $48.96 and its 200-day simple moving average is $50.74. National Fuel Gas has a 52 week low of $45.32 and a 52 week high of $58.25. The company has a market capitalization of $4.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.88, a PEG ratio of 1.61 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a quick ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 0.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75. Get National Fuel Gas alerts: National Fuel Gas (NYSE:NFG Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The oil and gas producer reported $1.46 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.32 by $0.14. National Fuel Gas had a return on equity of 14.81% and a net margin of 21.58%. The business had revenue of $525.36 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $664.57 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.84 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was down 20.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that National Fuel Gas will post 5.19 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. National Fuel Gas Dividend Announcement Institutional Trading of National Fuel Gas The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 28th will be paid a dividend of $0.495 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $1.98 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.82%. National Fuel Gass payout ratio is currently 41.51%. A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Raymond James & Associates increased its position in shares of National Fuel Gas by 0.4% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 47,532 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $3,265,000 after acquiring an additional 170 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of National Fuel Gas by 22.9% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 29,127 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $2,001,000 after acquiring an additional 5,424 shares in the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of National Fuel Gas by 12.3% during the 1st quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 15,176 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $1,043,000 after acquiring an additional 1,658 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS lifted its stake in National Fuel Gas by 10.9% in the 1st quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 33,513 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $2,302,000 after buying an additional 3,282 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Great West Life Assurance Co. Can lifted its stake in National Fuel Gas by 15.2% in the 1st quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 54,988 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $3,885,000 after buying an additional 7,259 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 73.70% of the companys stock. National Fuel Gas Company Profile (Get Free Report) National Fuel Gas Company operates as a diversified energy company. It operates through four segments: Exploration and Production, Pipeline and Storage, Gathering, and Utility. The Exploration and Production segment explores for, develops, and produces natural gas and oil. The Pipeline and Storage segment provides interstate natural gas transportation services through an integrated gas pipeline system in Pennsylvania and New York; and owns and operates underground natural gas storage fields. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for National Fuel Gas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for National Fuel Gas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. New Hampshire Trust lessened its holdings in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT Free Report) by 0.5% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 11,888 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 56 shares during the quarter. New Hampshire Trusts holdings in Caterpillar were worth $3,515,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Rockline Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Caterpillar during the 4th quarter worth approximately $271,000. Cedar Brook Financial Partners LLC increased its stake in Caterpillar by 80.5% during the 4th quarter. Cedar Brook Financial Partners LLC now owns 1,928 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $563,000 after buying an additional 860 shares in the last quarter. Advisor Resource Council purchased a new stake in Caterpillar during the 4th quarter worth approximately $691,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC purchased a new stake in Caterpillar during the 4th quarter worth approximately $39,000. Finally, Davis Investment Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Caterpillar during the 4th quarter worth approximately $407,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 69.20% of the companys stock. Get Caterpillar alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities research analysts have commented on the company. Evercore ISI lowered Caterpillar from an outperform rating to an in-line rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $321.00 to $338.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th. Citigroup upped their price target on Caterpillar from $255.00 to $340.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, February 12th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on Caterpillar from $285.00 to $293.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 19th. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on Caterpillar from $210.00 to $257.00 and gave the company an underperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price target on Caterpillar from $216.00 to $245.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Thursday, December 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $297.89. Caterpillar Trading Down 1.8 % CAT opened at $357.87 on Friday. Caterpillar Inc. has a one year low of $204.04 and a one year high of $365.52. The stock has a market capitalization of $178.72 billion, a PE ratio of 17.77, a P/E/G ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 1.16. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $321.04 and its 200 day moving average price is $285.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a current ratio of 1.35. Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 5th. The industrial products company reported $5.23 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $4.76 by $0.47. Caterpillar had a return on equity of 56.99% and a net margin of 15.41%. The company had revenue of $17.07 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $17.06 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $3.86 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 2.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Caterpillar Inc. will post 21.25 EPS for the current year. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Caterpillar news, insider Anthony D. Fassino sold 4,575 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $329.80, for a total transaction of $1,508,835.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 23,474 shares in the company, valued at $7,741,725.20. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, insider Anthony D. Fassino sold 4,575 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $329.80, for a total value of $1,508,835.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 23,474 shares in the company, valued at $7,741,725.20. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Lange Bob De sold 21,194 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $325.52, for a total value of $6,899,070.88. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 61,092 shares in the company, valued at $19,886,667.84. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 45,769 shares of company stock worth $14,509,306 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.33% of the companys stock. Caterpillar Profile (Free Report) Caterpillar Inc manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives in worldwide. Its Construction Industries segment offers asphalt pavers, compactors, road reclaimers, forestry machines, cold planers, material handlers, track-type tractors, excavators, telehandlers, motor graders, and pipelayers; compact track, wheel, track-type, backhoe, and skid steer loaders; and related parts and tools. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CAT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Caterpillar Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Caterpillar and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Owens Corning (NYSE:OC Get Free Report)s share price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $167.06 and last traded at $165.98, with a volume of 196556 shares. The stock had previously closed at $160.65. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on OC shares. Truist Financial boosted their price target on shares of Owens Corning from $115.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. UBS Group dropped their price target on shares of Owens Corning from $175.00 to $169.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price target on shares of Owens Corning from $183.00 to $175.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Owens Corning from a hold rating to a buy rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $130.00 to $180.00 in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of Owens Corning from $164.00 to $163.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $157.43. Get Owens Corning alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on OC Owens Corning Stock Down 0.1 % The company has a quick ratio of 1.17, a current ratio of 1.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. The firm has a market cap of $14.44 billion, a PE ratio of 12.65, a P/E/G ratio of 0.45 and a beta of 1.46. The firms 50 day moving average is $151.85 and its 200-day moving average is $141.21. Owens Corning (NYSE:OC Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 14th. The construction company reported $3.21 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.82 by $0.39. Owens Corning had a net margin of 12.36% and a return on equity of 25.88%. The business had revenue of $2.30 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.25 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.49 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up .8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Owens Corning will post 14.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Owens Corning Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 4th. Investors of record on Monday, March 4th will be given a dividend of $0.60 per share. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.45%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 1st. Owens Cornings dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 18.29%. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, CEO Brian Chambers sold 9,100 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.57, for a total transaction of $1,397,487.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 269,696 shares of the companys stock, valued at $41,417,214.72. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Brian Chambers sold 9,100 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.57, for a total value of $1,397,487.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 269,696 shares of the companys stock, valued at $41,417,214.72. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Gunner Smith sold 7,442 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.99, for a total transaction of $1,108,783.58. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 36,140 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,384,498.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 21,672 shares of company stock valued at $3,325,799. Insiders own 0.89% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Owens Corning A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in OC. Norges Bank bought a new position in Owens Corning during the 4th quarter valued at $111,343,000. Invesco Ltd. boosted its stake in Owens Corning by 156.1% during the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,487,665 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $202,932,000 after acquiring an additional 906,782 shares during the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in Owens Corning by 6,116.6% during the 4th quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 832,594 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $123,415,000 after acquiring an additional 819,201 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in Owens Corning by 878.0% during the 1st quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 623,176 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $5,861,000 after acquiring an additional 559,459 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Federated Hermes Inc. lifted its position in shares of Owens Corning by 1,602.4% in the 3rd quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 475,539 shares of the construction companys stock worth $64,868,000 after buying an additional 447,606 shares during the last quarter. 90.22% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Owens Corning (Get Free Report) Owens Corning manufactures and sells building and construction materials in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. It operates in three segments: Roofing, Insulation, and Composites. The Roofing segment manufactures and sells laminate and strip asphalt roofing shingles, oxidized asphalt materials, and roofing components used in residential and commercial construction, and specialty applications. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Owens Corning Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Owens Corning and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Pioneer Natural Resources (NYSE:PXD Free Report) had its target price hoisted by Mizuho from $276.00 to $290.00 in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. Mizuho currently has a neutral rating on the oil and gas development companys stock. PXD has been the topic of several other research reports. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on shares of Pioneer Natural Resources from $243.00 to $224.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Argus cut Pioneer Natural Resources from a buy rating to a sell rating in a report on Friday, November 24th. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Pioneer Natural Resources in a research note on Tuesday, March 12th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Susquehanna increased their price objective on Pioneer Natural Resources from $237.00 to $246.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, March 4th. Finally, UBS Group lowered their price objective on Pioneer Natural Resources from $269.00 to $250.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have assigned a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $254.90. Get Pioneer Natural Resources alerts: Get Our Latest Report on Pioneer Natural Resources Pioneer Natural Resources Stock Performance PXD opened at $255.47 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $59.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.62 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.72. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $233.04 and a 200 day moving average price of $233.31. Pioneer Natural Resources has a 1 year low of $186.01 and a 1 year high of $257.76. Pioneer Natural Resources (NYSE:PXD Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 22nd. The oil and gas development company reported $5.28 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $5.41 by ($0.13). The firm had revenue of $5.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.28 billion. Pioneer Natural Resources had a net margin of 25.28% and a return on equity of 22.42%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 2.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $5.91 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Pioneer Natural Resources will post 20.35 earnings per share for the current year. Pioneer Natural Resources Cuts Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 22nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 4th were given a $2.56 dividend. This represents a $10.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.01%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 1st. Pioneer Natural Resourcess dividend payout ratio is presently 24.70%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, EVP Jerome D. Hall, Jr. sold 7,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, March 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.74, for a total transaction of $1,755,180.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 76,885 shares in the company, valued at $19,278,144.90. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other Pioneer Natural Resources news, EVP Jerome D. Hall, Jr. sold 7,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.74, for a total transaction of $1,755,180.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 76,885 shares of the companys stock, valued at $19,278,144.90. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Mark H. Kleinman sold 3,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $234.35, for a total value of $820,225.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 49,856 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,683,753.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 29,000 shares of company stock valued at $7,070,380. Company insiders own 0.57% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Pioneer Natural Resources Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hartford Financial Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Pioneer Natural Resources by 61.1% in the 4th quarter. Hartford Financial Management Inc. now owns 116 shares of the oil and gas development companys stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. Sachetta LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Pioneer Natural Resources during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. BluePath Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Pioneer Natural Resources during the third quarter worth $29,000. Ancora Advisors LLC increased its stake in Pioneer Natural Resources by 77.4% during the first quarter. Ancora Advisors LLC now owns 149 shares of the oil and gas development companys stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. Finally, DecisionPoint Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Pioneer Natural Resources during the second quarter worth $34,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.72% of the companys stock. About Pioneer Natural Resources (Get Free Report) Pioneer Natural Resources Company operates as an independent oil and gas exploration and production company in the United States. The company explores for, develops, and produces oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and gas. It has operations in the Midland Basin in West Texas. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Irving, Texas. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Pioneer Natural Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pioneer Natural Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc. (NYSE:SITE Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $186.38 and last traded at $185.77, with a volume of 58525 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $178.51. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms recently issued reports on SITE. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on SiteOne Landscape Supply from $150.00 to $157.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Barclays lifted their price objective on SiteOne Landscape Supply from $121.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered SiteOne Landscape Supply from a buy rating to a hold rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $150.00 to $167.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 19th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a sell rating and issued a $120.00 price objective (down from $123.00) on shares of SiteOne Landscape Supply in a research report on Friday, December 8th. Finally, Robert W. Baird lifted their price objective on SiteOne Landscape Supply from $175.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, SiteOne Landscape Supply currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $172.88. Get SiteOne Landscape Supply alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on SITE SiteOne Landscape Supply Price Performance The company has a market capitalization of $8.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 49.04 and a beta of 1.54. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $165.41 and a 200-day moving average price of $155.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a current ratio of 2.43. SiteOne Landscape Supply (NYSE:SITE Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 14th. The industrial products company reported ($0.08) earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.15) by $0.07. SiteOne Landscape Supply had a return on equity of 12.13% and a net margin of 4.03%. The business had revenue of $965.00 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $942.21 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted ($0.02) EPS. SiteOne Landscape Supplys revenue for the quarter was up 8.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts expect that SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc. will post 4.2 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Activity In other news, CFO John T. Guthrie sold 3,000 shares of SiteOne Landscape Supply stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $180.00, for a total transaction of $540,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 15,467 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,784,060. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other SiteOne Landscape Supply news, CFO John T. Guthrie sold 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $180.00, for a total value of $540,000.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 15,467 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,784,060. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Doug Black sold 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $176.35, for a total value of $1,763,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 574,657 shares in the company, valued at approximately $101,340,761.95. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 23,000 shares of company stock worth $3,836,400 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 2.70% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On SiteOne Landscape Supply A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in SITE. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of SiteOne Landscape Supply by 15.4% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 4,436 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $717,000 after purchasing an additional 593 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC raised its stake in shares of SiteOne Landscape Supply by 186.3% during the 1st quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 2,525 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $408,000 after purchasing an additional 1,643 shares in the last quarter. Citigroup Inc. raised its stake in shares of SiteOne Landscape Supply by 14.8% during the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 10,831 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,751,000 after purchasing an additional 1,398 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can bought a new stake in shares of SiteOne Landscape Supply during the 1st quarter worth approximately $410,000. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of SiteOne Landscape Supply during the 1st quarter worth approximately $309,000. About SiteOne Landscape Supply (Get Free Report) SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the wholesale distribution of landscape supplies in the United States and Canada. The company provides irrigation products, including controllers, valves, sprinkler heads, irrigation pipes, micro irrigation, and drip products; fertilizer, grass seed, and ice melt products; control products, such as herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, and other pesticides; landscape accessories that include mulches, soil amendments, drainage pipes, tools, and sods; nursery goods, which consist of deciduous and evergreen shrubs, ornamental, shade, evergreen trees, field grown and container-grown nursery stock, roses, perennials, annuals, bulbs, and plant species and cultivars; hardscapes, such as pavers, natural stones, blocks, and other durable materials; and outdoor lighting products that include lighting fixtures, LED lamps, wires, transformers, and accessories. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for SiteOne Landscape Supply Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SiteOne Landscape Supply and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Squarespace, Inc. (NYSE:SQSP Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $35.51 and last traded at $35.13, with a volume of 116870 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $34.25. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts have recently commented on SQSP shares. Piper Sandler reiterated an overweight rating and set a $40.00 target price on shares of Squarespace in a research note on Thursday, February 29th. Mizuho upped their target price on shares of Squarespace from $32.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, February 29th. B. Riley lifted their price target on Squarespace from $41.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, February 29th. JMP Securities upped their price objective on Squarespace from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, March 18th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised Squarespace from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and increased their target price for the stock from $30.00 to $39.00 in a report on Monday, March 4th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $38.42. Get Squarespace alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on SQSP Squarespace Stock Performance The company has a market capitalization of $4.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -700.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.35 and a beta of 0.49. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $32.35 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $30.56. Squarespace (NYSE:SQSP Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 28th. The company reported $0.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.16 by ($0.12). Squarespace had a negative net margin of 0.70% and a negative return on equity of 2.24%. The firm had revenue of $270.72 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $263.41 million. During the same quarter last year, the business posted ($0.07) earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 18.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Squarespace, Inc. will post 0.52 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, CEO Anthony Casalena sold 43,539 shares of Squarespace stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.64, for a total transaction of $1,377,573.96. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 3,648,251 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $115,430,661.64. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Anthony Casalena sold 43,539 shares of Squarespace stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $31.64, for a total transaction of $1,377,573.96. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 3,648,251 shares in the company, valued at approximately $115,430,661.64. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Nathan Gooden sold 5,129 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.85, for a total transaction of $163,358.65. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 66,503 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,118,120.55. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 366,859 shares of company stock worth $11,767,561 in the last quarter. 47.14% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its holdings in Squarespace by 124.8% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 7,015,353 shares of the companys stock worth $203,235,000 after acquiring an additional 3,894,084 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Squarespace by 56.3% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,645,279 shares of the companys stock valued at $93,392,000 after buying an additional 1,313,755 shares during the period. First Trust Advisors LP bought a new stake in shares of Squarespace during the first quarter worth $27,254,000. BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Squarespace by 38.7% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 3,427,924 shares of the companys stock worth $108,117,000 after acquiring an additional 956,920 shares during the period. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its position in Squarespace by 152.8% in the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 932,500 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,411,000 after acquiring an additional 563,600 shares in the last quarter. 43.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About Squarespace (Get Free Report) Squarespace, Inc operates platform for businesses and independent creators to build online presence, grow their brands, and manage their businesses across the internet. Its suite of integrated products enables users to manage their projects and businesses through websites, domains, e-commerce, marketing tools, scheduling, and hospitality services, as well as tools for managing a social media presence. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Squarespace Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Squarespace and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Summit Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG Free Report) by 0.3% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 43,128 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 148 shares during the quarter. Procter & Gamble comprises approximately 2.4% of Summit Financial Group Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 6th largest holding. Summit Financial Group Inc.s holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $6,320,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Dfpg Investments LLC grew its position in Procter & Gamble by 1.7% during the 4th quarter. Dfpg Investments LLC now owns 24,892 shares of the companys stock worth $3,680,000 after purchasing an additional 424 shares during the last quarter. Garrett Wealth Advisory Group LLC grew its position in Procter & Gamble by 6.3% during the 3rd quarter. Garrett Wealth Advisory Group LLC now owns 4,419 shares of the companys stock worth $645,000 after purchasing an additional 260 shares during the last quarter. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC grew its position in Procter & Gamble by 14.6% during the 3rd quarter. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC now owns 94,424 shares of the companys stock worth $13,772,000 after purchasing an additional 12,016 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its position in Procter & Gamble by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 16,003,260 shares of the companys stock worth $2,298,184,000 after purchasing an additional 131,339 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in Procter & Gamble by 26.9% during the 2nd quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 10,823,380 shares of the companys stock worth $1,642,339,000 after purchasing an additional 2,293,824 shares during the last quarter. 63.43% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Procter & Gamble alerts: Procter & Gamble Stock Performance Shares of PG opened at $161.66 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The stock has a market cap of $380.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.08, a PEG ratio of 3.30 and a beta of 0.44. The company has a 50-day moving average of $157.54 and a two-hundred day moving average of $151.94. The Procter & Gamble Company has a 12-month low of $141.45 and a 12-month high of $162.73. Procter & Gamble Announces Dividend Procter & Gamble ( NYSE:PG Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 23rd. The company reported $1.84 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.70 by $0.14. The company had revenue of $21.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $21.48 billion. Procter & Gamble had a net margin of 17.60% and a return on equity of 34.04%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.59 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that The Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.45 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 19th were given a $0.9407 dividend. This represents a $3.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.33%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 18th. Procter & Gambles dividend payout ratio is presently 62.98%. Insider Activity In other news, insider Marc S. Pritchard sold 101,704 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.57, for a total value of $15,618,683.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 163,428 shares of the companys stock, valued at $25,097,637.96. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In related news, insider Marc S. Pritchard sold 101,704 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.57, for a total transaction of $15,618,683.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 163,428 shares of the companys stock, valued at $25,097,637.96. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Ma. Fatima Francisco sold 74,443 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $153.30, for a total transaction of $11,412,111.90. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 973 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $149,160.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 279,063 shares of company stock valued at $43,187,745 over the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.17% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Procter & Gamble from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, February 29th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on shares of Procter & Gamble from $156.00 to $157.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Procter & Gamble from $160.00 to $165.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on shares of Procter & Gamble from $155.00 to $157.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their target price on shares of Procter & Gamble from $172.00 to $178.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Procter & Gamble presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $168.41. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Procter & Gamble Procter & Gamble Profile (Free Report) The Procter & Gamble Company provides branded consumer packaged goods worldwide. It operates through five segments: Beauty; Grooming; Health Care; Fabric & Home Care; and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. The Beauty segment offers conditioners, shampoos, styling aids, and treatments under the Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, Pantene, and Rejoice brands; and antiperspirants and deodorants, personal cleansing, and skin care products under the Olay, Old Spice, Safeguard, Secret, and SK-II brands. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Procter & Gamble Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Procter & Gamble and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23. The Administration of the President of Turkiye has announced that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trend reports. During the conversation, President Erdogan conveyed heartfelt condolences regarding the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall. Erdogan emphasized the imperative of resolving regional crises peacefully at the earliest opportunity, as demonstrated by the recent attack. He underscored Turkiye's readiness to enhance collaboration with Russia in combating terrorism. The incident occurred on March 22, when unidentified assailants opened fire at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, leading to evacuations. Eyewitnesses described individuals in camouflage attire firing machine guns inside Crocus City Hall just before the scheduled concert by the Picnic group. Director of the Federal Security Service of Russia, Alexander Bortnikov, briefed Russian President Vladimir Putin on the detention of 11 individuals, including four terrorists involved in the attack at Crocus City Hall. The death toll has reached 133. Compagnie Lombard Odier SCmA decreased its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM Free Report) by 2.2% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 128,614 shares of the semiconductor companys stock after selling 2,883 shares during the period. Compagnie Lombard Odier SCmAs holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing were worth $13,376,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Natixis Investment Managers International boosted its holdings in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 3.3% in the 2nd quarter. Natixis Investment Managers International now owns 56,651 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $5,717,000 after buying an additional 1,822 shares in the last quarter. Congress Wealth Management LLC DE raised its position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Congress Wealth Management LLC DE now owns 30,905 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $2,686,000 after buying an additional 671 shares during the last quarter. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd purchased a new position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing during the 2nd quarter worth $39,611,000. Metropolis Capital Ltd raised its position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 21.0% during the 3rd quarter. Metropolis Capital Ltd now owns 1,136,061 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $98,724,000 after buying an additional 196,867 shares during the last quarter. Finally, LGT Capital Partners LTD. raised its position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 4.4% during the 3rd quarter. LGT Capital Partners LTD. now owns 1,554,790 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $135,111,000 after buying an additional 65,220 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 16.51% of the companys stock. Get Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing alerts: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Trading Up 0.8 % Shares of TSM stock traded up $1.09 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $140.54. 9,944,135 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 18,678,198. The firm has a market cap of $728.90 billion, a PE ratio of 27.14, a PEG ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.15. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited has a 1 year low of $81.21 and a 1 year high of $158.40. The company has a quick ratio of 2.13, a current ratio of 2.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $126.11 and a 200 day moving average of $105.58. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Cuts Dividend Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing ( NYSE:TSM Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 18th. The semiconductor company reported $1.44 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.37 by $0.07. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing had a net margin of 38.80% and a return on equity of 25.24%. The business had revenue of $19.62 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.99 billion. Analysts expect that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited will post 6.19 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 11th. Investors of record on Thursday, June 13th will be issued a $0.4408 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 13th. This represents a $1.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.25%. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings payout ratio is 33.78%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages have commented on TSM. TD Cowen upped their price objective on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $85.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Friday, January 12th. Needham & Company LLC upped their price target on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $115.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, January 19th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $110.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, January 19th. StockNews.com raised shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Finally, Susquehanna raised their price target on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $130.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a positive rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $128.25. Get Our Latest Analysis on TSM Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Profile (Free Report) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, packages, tests, and sells integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices in Taiwan, China, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Japan, the United States, and internationally. It provides complementary metal oxide silicon wafer fabrication processes to manufacture logic, mixed-signal, radio frequency, and embedded memory semiconductors. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TSM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Independent Wealth Network Inc. lessened its position in The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE:SHW Free Report) by 5.8% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,790 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock after selling 110 shares during the quarter. Independent Wealth Network Inc.s holdings in Sherwin-Williams were worth $558,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. First Hawaiian Bank lifted its holdings in shares of Sherwin-Williams by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. First Hawaiian Bank now owns 7,559 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $2,358,000 after buying an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. Hutner Capital Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Sherwin-Williams by 1.8% in the second quarter. Hutner Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,062 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $548,000 after purchasing an additional 37 shares during the period. Arthur M. Cohen & Associates LLC lifted its position in shares of Sherwin-Williams by 4.7% during the 4th quarter. Arthur M. Cohen & Associates LLC now owns 848 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $263,000 after purchasing an additional 38 shares during the last quarter. Midwest Financial Group LLC boosted its stake in Sherwin-Williams by 1.6% during the 3rd quarter. Midwest Financial Group LLC now owns 2,540 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $648,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the period. Finally, Montag A & Associates Inc. increased its position in Sherwin-Williams by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. Montag A & Associates Inc. now owns 1,825 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $465,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.87% of the companys stock. Get Sherwin-Williams alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several brokerages have recently issued reports on SHW. Argus raised their price objective on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $330.00 to $378.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, December 21st. Barclays upped their target price on Sherwin-Williams from $285.00 to $315.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Monday, January 29th. Seaport Res Ptn downgraded shares of Sherwin-Williams from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report on Monday, January 8th. Wolfe Research started coverage on shares of Sherwin-Williams in a research note on Friday, March 1st. They issued a peer perform rating on the stock. Finally, Evercore ISI raised their price target on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $355.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $318.72. Insider Transactions at Sherwin-Williams In related news, SVP Gregory P. Sofish sold 1,830 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $320.70, for a total value of $586,881.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 6,329 shares in the company, valued at $2,029,710.30. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other news, insider Todd D. Rea sold 2,449 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $313.54, for a total value of $767,859.46. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 9,329 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,925,014.66. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Gregory P. Sofish sold 1,830 shares of Sherwin-Williams stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $320.70, for a total transaction of $586,881.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 6,329 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,029,710.30. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 32,050 shares of company stock worth $10,340,237 in the last quarter. 0.60% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Sherwin-Williams Stock Performance Shares of Sherwin-Williams stock opened at $342.87 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $318.75 and a 200 day simple moving average of $287.66. The Sherwin-Williams Company has a fifty-two week low of $205.43 and a fifty-two week high of $347.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.25, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.48. The firm has a market cap of $87.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.07, a P/E/G ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 1.15. Sherwin-Williams (NYSE:SHW Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.81 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.80 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $5.25 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.23 billion. Sherwin-Williams had a return on equity of 74.72% and a net margin of 10.36%. The firms quarterly revenue was up .4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.89 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that The Sherwin-Williams Company will post 11.44 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Sherwin-Williams Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 8th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 26th were paid a $0.715 dividend. This represents a $2.86 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.83%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 23rd. This is a positive change from Sherwin-Williamss previous quarterly dividend of $0.61. Sherwin-Williamss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 30.92%. About Sherwin-Williams (Free Report) The Sherwin-Williams Company engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of paints, coating, and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers. It operates through three segments: Paint Stores Group, Consumer Brands Group, and Performance Coatings Group. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SHW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE:SHW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Sherwin-Williams Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sherwin-Williams and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23. The United States strongly condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and expresses solidarity with the Russians mourning those killed in the Crocus City Hall near Moscow, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, Trend reports. We express our deepest condolences to the families and relatives of the victims, Blinken said. The incident occurred on March 22, when unidentified assailants opened fire at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, leading to evacuations. The incident occurred on March 22, when unidentified assailants opened fire at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, leading to evacuations. Eyewitnesses described individuals in camouflage attire firing machine guns inside Crocus City Hall just before the scheduled concert by the Picnic group. Director of the Federal Security Service of Russia, Alexander Bortnikov, briefed Russian President Vladimir Putin on the detention of 11 individuals, including four terrorists involved in the attack at Crocus City Hall. The death toll has reached 133. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 24. The US administration is seeking more information about the emergency that occurred at the Crocus City Hall near Moscow, describing it as a horrific attack, coordinator for strategic communications at the White House National Security Council John Kirby, Trend reports. "These shots are simply terrible. They are hard to watch and our thoughts are of course with the victims of this horrific shooting attack," he added. Kirby also described the incident as a "violent shooting." "I cannot provide further details. I learned about the events only before this briefing," the White House spokesman added. Explosives recovered | IMPHAL, Mar 23 : A combined team of Kakching commandos and Waikhong police recovered one pistol and explosives from Waikhong Uyung Khunou Maning Ching today. The police said that they carried out a search operation at the area on receiving inputs about some arms and ammunition being kept hidden there. The recovered items include one country made pistol with an empty magazine and two hand grenades without detonators and they have been handed over to Waikhong Police Station. Meanwhile, a press release issued by IGAR (S) said that a team of Assam Rifles and Territorial Army seized two cordex wrapped IEDs from Saigon in Tengnoupal on March 21. There is lots to catch up on this week from Only Watch news to exclusive interviews, and exciting releases. See what you missed in our special weekly round-up Editorial Only Watch Could Return This Spring To kick off the week, our Editorial Director Sophie Furley shared the news that broke the Internet: Only Watch has come out from the last few tumultuous auditing months and could return on May 10th. WorldTempus spoke to Luc Pettavino, Founder/Organizer of Only Watch, and Tess Pettavino, Director of the Association Monegasque contre les Myopathies, to find out more. Only Watch cover Only Watch Time to Care: Omega and the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital Speaking of charities and good causes, in this new series, WorldTempus takes a closer look at a different side of watchmaking, where watches can also create change. First up, Omegas collaboration with the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital an organization that provides people support with vision loss all around the world. Read on here. Flying Eye Hospital Omega The Answer to Everything Blancpain just launched a new Fifty Fathoms model in two versatile 42mm variations. Our editor in chief Suzanne Wong believes it is the answer to everything. Click here to find out why. Fifty Fathoms Automatique 42mm Blancpain Franziska Gsell-Etterlin: For us and for me Schaffhausen means home and the world Next, Sophie had the pleasure of sitting down with Franziska Gsell-Etterlin, IWC Schaffhausens Chief Marketing Officer to get a sneak peek into the world of the brand in the run-up to Watches and Wonders. Catch the whole conversation here. Chief Marketing Officer Franziska Gsell-Etterlin IWC Schaffhausen Breitling Celebrates a Double Anniversary With the Aerospace This year, Breitling marks its 140th anniversary, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the first non-stop round-the-world balloon flight. To commemorate these milestones, Breitling unveils a special edition watch integrating an original piece of the envelope from the original Breitling Orbiter 3 balloon. Aerospace B70 Orbiter Breitling Maurice Lacroix: Black Is Beautiful Speaking of new launches, Maurice Lacroix announces its second collaboration with Geneva design studio Label Noir. The release of its bold skeleton Masterpiece in a limited series could pose a risk to the Saignelegier-based watchmaker. Find out why here. Masterpiece Skeleton Label Noir Maurice Lacroix Team Test: WorldTempus x Claude Meylan Next up, the editorial team tested the Claude Meylan "Fenetre Sur Temps" this week. Discover what they thought about the watch in this review where our journalists pass the watch around to get not just one, but five different points of view. Claude Meylans Fenetre Sur Temps Sophie Furley / WorldTempus New Releases Last but not least, apart from the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, the Breitling Aerospace B70 Orbiter and the Maurice Lacroix x Label Noir, for our new releases of the week, we have the Carl F. Bucherer Heritage BiCompax Annual, the Chopard Happy Sport Rose de Caroline, the Jaquet Droz Tourbillon Skelet Sapphire Opal, the Kross Studio KS 05 Titanium Moss Agate and the MB&F Legacy Machine FlyingT Onyx. Trinamul Congress national general secretary Abhishek banerjee today cautioned the people that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power in 2024 Lok Sabha election it will go out of the way to stop Bangla Shasya Bima and Lakshmir Bhandar. He was addressing a gathering titled Janagarjon Sabha at East Burdwan this afternoon. BJP believes in the politics of vendetta and they will try their best to stop Lakshmir Bhandar and kishan bima schemes. The beneficiaries belonging to general category under Lakshmir Bhandar will get Rs 1,000 and the SC and ST Rs 1,200 from 1 April, he said. Advertisement He said the election in 2024 is to establish the right of the people and protest against the lies circulated by the BJP. Mr Banerjee said Trinamul Congress had published its report card containing the work done in Bengal before 2021 Assembly election and urged the BJP to do the same before the polls. We had published the report card and it is now the responsibility of the saffron party to publish it if they have the guts, he said. He said after getting a thrashing in 2021 Assembly election, the BJP took revenge and refused to clear the dues of Awas Yojana. They have not cleared dues worth Rs 8,000 crore. Rest assured, if the Centre does not pay the money, Didi has assured that state government will construct houses in batches. Mr Banerjee showed a 5-minute video clip from the speeches delivered by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah before 2021 Assembly election in East Burdwan. Listen to their speeches and they did not keep their promises. The income of the farmers has not gone up as promised by them. The other schemes promised by them have nosedived. On the contrary, Mamata Banerjee had kept all her promises. This is the difference between Modi and Didi. Modis guarantee is free speech while Didis is free ration; Modis guarantee is protection of corrupt people, Didis guarantee is to stand by common people in times of need. He said after coming to power Mamata Banerjee government did not impose any new tax while the Centre is looting people by taking Rs 1,000 for PAN and Aadhaar link. Calling the CAA a big hoax, Mr Banerjee said, The BJP took five years to frame the rules and the notification has been issued just before the announcement of the date of the polls. One has to declare that he is not an Indian citizen and then apply for citizenship. He alleged that the names of 12 lakh Hindus got dropped in the NRC in Assam. Mr Banerjee urged people to keep their eyes and ears open and cast their votes, applying their mind. See what the state government did for you and judge the garbage of lies spread by the BJP before casting your vote, he said. There has been a reduction of 36.69 per cent in the volume of coal imported for blending by thermal power plants, amounting to 19.36 million tons (MT) during April 2023 to January 2024, compared to the same period of the previous year, the Coal Ministry said on Friday. This reduction in imported coal for blending signifies a shift towards utilising domestic coal, thus reducing reliance on imports. Imported coal is blended with coal from domestic mines to increase its calorific value. Conversely, there has been a notable increase of 94.21 per cent in coal imports by imported coal-based power plants during April 2023 to January 2024, compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. These power plants are designed to run only on imported coal, and the growth in imports has been spurred by the sharp decline in international prices of the fuel. Advertisement India primarily imports thermal coal from South Africa and Indonesia, and average prices from these countries decreased by approximately 54 per cent and 38 per cent respectively during April 2023 to January 2024, compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. Overall there has been a reduction in the share of coal import in the total coal consumption in the country. The share of coal import declined to 21 per cent during April 2023 to January 2024, which was 22.48 per cent during the corresponding period of previous year, according to the Coal Ministry statement. Furthermore, there has been a substantial reduction in the auction premium received by CIL, over the notified price of coal. It has decreased from 278 per cent in the period from April 2022 to January 2023, to 82 per cent during the same period in the fiscal year 2023-24. The reduction in auction premium is a testament to the ample availability of coal (currently 96 MT coal stock with coal companies) in the market, the statement added. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK on Friday confirmed that it is launching an in-depth investigation into the proposed $19 billion merger between Vodafone and Three UK, saying the deal could lead to higher prices for the consumers. Vodafone UK (owned by Vodafone Group Plc) and Three UK (owned by CK Hutchison Holdings Limited) are two major providers of mobile telecommunication services in the UK. Last year, the companies announced a new joint venture agreement, which would bring their 27 million customers under a new, single network provider. Advertisement The CMA in January this year launched a formal probe into the proposed $19 billion merger. The Phase 1 investigation found that combining these two businesses will reduce rivalry between the mobile operators to win new customers. The CMA is concerned that the deal, which combines two of the four mobile network operators in the UK, could lead to mobile customers facing higher prices and reduced quality, the regulator said in a statement. The CMA is also concerned that the deal may make it difficult for smaller mobile virtual network operators such as Sky Mobile, Lebara and Lyca Mobile to negotiate good deals for their customers. Our initial assessment of this deal has identified concerns which could lead to higher prices for customers and lower investment in UK mobile networks, said Julie Bon, Deputy Chief Economic Advisor, CMA. These warrant an in-depth investigation unless Vodafone and Three can come forward with solutions. Both Vodafone UK and Three UK have five working days to respond with meaningful solutions to the CMA, otherwise, the deal will be referred to a more in-depth Phase 2 investigation. Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav said on Saturday that the BJP government has misused the institutions of the country to harass the opposition. The BJP has lost the trust of the public. There has been a debate going on for a long time regarding ED, CBI and Income Tax, he said. On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, Akhilesh Yadav garlanded his statue and paid floral tributes at Lohia Park in Gomtinagar. Advertisement He said that it is being heard that the BJP has also made recovery through electoral bonds from the company which is involved in alleged scam in Delhi. We hope that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will get complete justice from the court, he said. Akhilesh Yadav said the SP is following the path and ideas shown by Dr Lohia and Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. In todays political circumstances, prosperity can be brought to the country only by following the ideas of these two great men. Socialists are remembering Dr Lohia and pledge to follow his ideas and fulfill his dreams, he said. Meanwhile, in an interview given to a TV channel on Saturday, SP President said that the BJP is not able to compete with the issues. The BJP has lost the elections. Hence instead of fighting the battle democratically, they are seizing the accounts of the parties.The voice of the opposition is being suppressed, he said. Going beyond seizing accounts, the BJP government is now seizing the Chief Minister too. False cases were filed against Azam Khan. He is a big leader of the party, he said. He claimed that INDIA bloc is in the election field with full strength. The public also wanted an alliance between the Samajwadi Party and the Congress Party, he said, adding that we moved forward in the same direction. The BJP will lose in the Lok Sabha elections. The public will break the pot of BJPs arrogance. The BJP will lose four hundred seats in the country, he claimed. Sandeshkhali has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. A team of the West Bengal Commission for Women had visited Sandeshkhali in North 24-Parganas in February. It is still awaiting the final report from the police on the same. Chairperson of state womens commission Leena Gangopadhyay, spoke to Ashok Chatterjee of The Statesman. Recounting her visit to the troubled spots, she cast doubts about the manner in which the National Commission for Women team from New Delhi, which visited the village just after the state womens commission, found 11 victims of sexual abuse. Excerpts: Q: Sandeshkhali is now at the centre-stage of state politics. You went to the troubled village last month. What has been your observation? Advertisement A: Sandeshkhali has become the most talked-about topic. There has been too much media glare. Some incidents happen at certain places. But due to the hype, the charged-up atmosphere was not conducive for us to let out our observations. When we first went there on 12 February (after the first allegation surfaced on 10 February) we could identify two women who were sexually abused. One of them was not at home to meet us as she had gone to court (for some other reason) and the other refused to talk to us. Q: Was there any follow-up of your visit there? A: We had left our phone numbers with them so that they could call us or, if needed, our commission members could accompany them to our office in Kolkata, in case they felt any pressure while talking to us in their village. But no one turned up at our office. We had also kept in touch with the women there over the phone. One of the women, who had made allegations about atrocities, did not entertain our calls later. Q: There were central teams also visiting the village after your visit. A: We abstained from our second visit as the police was not allowing everyone at Sandeshkhali and we did not want to vitiate the atmosphere further. Around two days after our visit to Sandeshkhali, the NCW (National Commission for Women) team visited the area for the first time. They too had similar findings as us. But when the second team visited, including the NCW chairperson, they could identify 11 women and get their complaints registered at the local police station. Q: You had asked for a report from the police. What happened to it? A: Based on the developments, the police have given us a report, which is incomplete. We have with us the initial report and not the final report. This report will have to be given to us within this week. Q: So, you are saying that you could not establish the facts? A: Rest of the complaints we got were authentic; these women were called at odd hours and asked to engage in personal work. The gripe of the people about police inaction was also found to be true. But we could not find any proof of complaints of women being made to toil the whole day or night at the whims of the leaders. Beyond this, we had cases of economic exploitation. Q: But the NCW team had recommended Presidents rule after its second visit? A: I have a few questions. How did these women (victims) feel more comfortable speaking to people who are from outside the state and do not share the same language? If these atrocities were being committed for the past 11 years, why they didnt inform anyone so far? If I take into consideration that there are factions within the party, the other faction should have heard from them. Q: What kind of complaints do you get from the victims at your toll-free number? A: Most of the applications we get are of domestic violence. The home is supposed to be the most secure place. This is becoming unsafe for women, which is very disappointing. Property dispute is another reason. Acid attack cases are now getting fewer with only one or two cases coming to us per year. We are dealing with victims 247. Mails also come from abroad. We have a dedicated number on which we are talking to them. I also take calls. Many problems have been addressed and that is the reason they trust us and are coming out with their problems. Q: How would you rate West Bengal in comparison to other states in terms of womens security? A: West Bengal is much better placed as it records far fewer incidents of crime against women. We have seen incidents in other states where there is aggression on basic needs, what women will wear, eat. We have seen that in some states they have been dictated what they can eat and what they cannot. These are basic needs of humanity. There can be no imposition of ideas on us. Women are much safer here and the biggest proof of it is that a major chunk of them are working and are employed in varied challenging professions. Rather I would say women are comparatively unsafe at home. We are getting increasing cases of domestic violence, where the police, the administration or the womens commission cannot monitor. Still a lot more women are vocal now and are complaining. Also, rural girls are studying in greater numbers and there are fewer dropouts, post Covid. Here, girls are given much more encouragement to study but if they do not want to continue with studies, then we cannot help Q: You are also a scriptwriter and have extensively explored human relationships. How much are they changing with time? A: Relationships happen and then break. There are many more chances of complexities in a relationship in this modern age. People are much more driven by their ego, which leads to separation. But the bonds do not get weak easily. We all are affected by these sensibilities. Gen-Next has very little trust in themselves, they are very mechanical. This is probably the reason why they change friends very fast. Loyalty, integration are being tested by this generation. They do not even suffer from the pain of love or separation. The shift in generations preferences is hard to fathom. This change has affected relationships. Q: You mean the Gen-Next has different emotions from the previous generation? A:Without being judgmental, Im stating my observations. The outlook has changed, they are much more focused on career, relations becoming second-fiddle to them. And this is not restricted to just lovers, it is also true to their relations with parents. These youngsters are leaving the country to build a career but never think of coming back. The earlier generation too left for abroad but the numbers were not this alarming. The city homes are transforming into oldage homes. If any of their parents die, the other one is put into old-age homes. It is a sad state of affairs. Q. You recently brought out a book, a biography on the yesteryears actress Madhabi Mukherjee. A: I have known her for many years. With her permission, I have compiled this book. During the writing of this book a lot of things which people do not know have come out in the open. We mostly know her or see her through the prism of her adulthood. She did not have to struggle much as she got name and fame pretty early and then held on to it. But people are not aware of her struggles as a five-year-old. This book has glimpses of it. Christopher Reeve, an American actor, public figure, and director, has often been called a superhero, not only for his role as Superman in the movie of the same name but also for his good deeds off-screen. The tragic story of his paralysis did not break him but rather hardened him. ADVERTISIMENT Reeve has been dead for 20 years, but his good and selfless deeds live on in the memory of his fans. OBOZ.UA decided to recall how the actor with a complicated fate went down in history. As we mentioned above, the actor gained worldwide fame when he took on the role of Superman in the 1978 American film of the same name and its three sequels. However, he had dozens of other movie projects behind him. Perhaps there would be many more of them if Christopher Reeve had not had a tragic accident in 1995. The actor fell from a horse during a horse race in Virginia, broke his neck vertebrae, and remained paralyzed for the rest of his life. Doctors were unable to put the star back on his feet but saved his life by performing a complex operation. ADVERTISIMENT Due to his paralysis, the actor could not breathe or speak, so an electric stimulator was attached to his diaphragm, which caused the main respiratory muscle to contract. This allowed the star to be discharged from the hospital, although he remained confined to a wheelchair. After six months of rehabilitation, Reeve returned to work for the Creative Coalition public foundation, took part in the 1997 Oscars and made his debut as a director of the television drama At Twilight. ADVERTISIMENT In May 1998, Reeve's autobiography was published, in which the actor talked about himself, his life and fate, and the misfortune that befell him. He only dreamed of getting a chance to fully recover and get back on his feet, but 9 years after the accident he died of a heart attack. The actor and his wife devoted the last years of their lives to a center for teaching paralyzed people to live independently. Christopher Reeve shared his experience and encouraged those who had also lost the ability to walk. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The Opposition Congress on Saturday released its fourth list of 46 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections 2024, which will be held in seven phases from April 19. The grand old party has once again fielded its Uttar Pradesh unit chief Ajay Rai from Varanasi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The fourth list also features senior leader Digvijay Singh, and former BSP leader Danish Ali. While Singh will contest from Rajgarh Lok Sabha constituency, Ali will be Congress partys candidate from Amroha seat. Advertisement Imran Masood from Saharanpur, Virender Rawat from Haridwar, Akhilesh Pratap Singh from Deoria, and Mahesh Kumar from Ujjain are other prominent names in the list. Notebly, the Congress party has also announced candidates on four seats in Maharashtra where it is yet to finalise a seat-sharing alliance with its MVA partners Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawars NCP faction. Congress has left Rajasthans Nagaur for Hanuman Beniwals RLP. Anil Chopra has been given ticket from Jaipur rural, while Bhajan Lal Yadav will be the grand old partys candidate from Karauli-Dholpur seat. Piya Roy Chowdhury will be Congress partys Lok Sabha candidate from West Bengals Coochbehar constituency. Congress releases the first list of 18 candidates for the upcoming Sikkim Assembly polls pic.twitter.com/EfpaV3Sc10 ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2024 The highly anticipated Lok Sabha elections 2024 will be held in seven phases with the first phase beginning from April 19, second phase on April 26, third phase on May 7, fourth phase on May 13, fifth phase on May 20, sixth phase on May 25 and the seventh phase on June 1. The counting of votes will take place on June 4 and the results are also expected to be announced the same day. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that no one can be above the law, while referring to the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Yogi said that there is democracy in the country, that is why Arvind Kejriwal could become the Chief Minister of Delhi again and again. But democracy does not allow any person, party or organization to commit dacoity. The Chief Minister is not the owner of the state. Our work is that of public servant and custodian, said Chief Minister Yogi during an interaction with a private TV news channel on Saturday. Advertisement If anyone, even if it is me, behaves against the rules, the law of the country will apply to me too. It is wrong if any person or government starts considering itself above the law. ED is an independent regulatory body and Kejriwals case is in the court, now only the court will decide it, he said. The CM announced that he will launch his election campaign from Mathura after Holi festival. Talking about the SP-Congress alliance, he said that this has happened before also in UP. The people of the state had taught them a lesson well. This is the reason why Rahul and Priyanka are not able to show courage to come to UP. Now you cannot throw dust in the eyes of the people of the state by making false promises. The BJP with its allies is going to give its best performance till date in UP. This will be the first election about whose results the entire country is confident. The country has faith in Modis guarantee. Results will come on June 4 and Modi ji will become the Prime Minister of the country for the third time, he claimed. CM Yogi said that the party is in a strong position in Karnataka, Telangana and Maharashtra. Apart from this, we will also get good seats in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala where BJP was once behind. The CM said about BSP that it has its own vote bank. Its leader Mayawati has been the CM of the state thrice. If BSP weakens, the BJP will benefit from it. In 2019, SP and BSP have tried their strength together. CM Yogi also indicated that this time BJP will win all 80 seats of UP. He said that whatever change is seen in UP, the credit for it should be given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of UP. Today the perception of the country and the world about the state has changed. Before 2017, people here were facing identity crisis. There was a riot every other day. Neither the daughter nor the businessman were safe. The security situation was worse. There was no environment of development in the state. Only some political families were developed and the state was divided in the name of caste. But, today it is the new UP of new India, which is the emerging economy state of the country. Most of the investment work has been done here. Today, UP has become the state which is pursuing infrastructure development plans with the most intensity, he claimed. The Chief Minister assured that Uttar Pradesh will perform better than last time in the Lok Sabha elections. He informed that the seven-year tenure of his government is about to be completed in the state. For three years the government faced a global pandemic like Corona. We got only four years to effectively implement our plans on the ground. Despite this, we were successful in doubling the GDP of UP. Today UP has become a revenue surplus state. Before 2017, we did not even have money to pay salaries to our employees. No big bank would give us money.But now scenario has changed, he said. The CM said that BJP talks about development and does not do politics of polarization. We respect peoples faith. We do not impose curfew, we pave the way for Kanwar Yatra. There is a lot of potential in spiritual tourism in UP, he said. He said that no Chief Minister has visited Ayodhya, Mathura and Kashi as many times as he has. This is the reason why there has been 100 times increase in possibilities in Ayodhya since 2017 and Ayodhya now. Lakhs of people have got employment. The CM described the Badaun incident as gruesome. He said that the bulldozer runs along with the unjust and oppressors as well as for infrastructure development. On the encounters in the state, the CM said that the police does its work as per the rules. If anyone harasses the daughter and the businessman, whatever measures are necessary will be taken to establish the rule of law. CM Yogi said that, we could not play with Hindu faith, hence we could not make a place in the minds of Muslims. He said in India we have to respect the original soul of this place. Hindu is the basic soul of India. It cannot be insulted, if someone misunderstands that we will do politics by insulting this sentiment, then we will stumble upon such politics. We cannot compromise on the security of the country and respect for Hindu faith. Gods grace and peoples blessings are with us, he said. On the issue of paper leak, the Chief Minister said that strict action has been taken in this matter. Strict action will be taken against those who play with the future of youth. In the case of Azam Khan, the CM said that due to his actions he has been punished by the court. The judiciary of India is independent. On the question of CAA, CM Yogi said that the population of Muslims in India has increased many times faster than that of Hindus after independence. But the Hindu population in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan has decreased manifold. If the Government of India is giving Indian citizenship through CAA to the refugees born here who follow all the religious traditions, then it should have been welcomed. Instead, if someone adopts the path of violence then he should be dealt with strictly. CAA is the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam of India, he said. On the issue of modernization of madrassas, the Chief Minister said that Shariat can be our personal subject, but it cannot be above the Constitution. We are modernizing madrassas. We need scientists, engineers and skilled manpower. We have to make our educational institutions accordingly. Our priority is to give uniformity to the education system of the state, he said. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after its remarks that Arvind Kejriwal will not resign as Delhi chief minister and run the government from jail, saying gangs are run from the prison. Those who are repeatedly saying they will run the government from jail, remember we have seen gangs being run from jail and not the government, BJP Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari said. Tiwari accused Kejriwal of looting Delhi and claimed people of the national capital distributed sweets after his arrest. Advertisement He has given his life to bring Delhi to the brink of misery. The people of Delhi are very angry with him and thats why sweets were distributed after his arrest. His government has done no work in Delhi and they have only looted and filled their pockets. Kejriwal has looted Delhi, he said. Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday night in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. The AAP national convenor has been sent to ED custody till March 28 after the probe agency accused him of being the kingpin behind the alleged scam. Kejriwals party has denied any wrongdoing and termed his arrest a BJP conspiracy ahead of Lok Sabha elections to stop him from campaigning. Meanwhile, Kejriwals wife Sunita Kejriwal has issued a video statement reading out her jailed husbands message. My dear countrymen, I have been arrested. Whether I am inside the jail or not, I will continue to serve the country. My entire life is dedicated to the country. I have struggled a lot in my life, and I know that this will continue. Therefore, this arrest has not surprised me, said Ms Kejriwal, quoting her jailed husband. She further called upon the people of the country to identify the forces that were trying to weaken India and defeat them. There are several forces within and outside India that are weakening the country. We have to be alert, identify these forces and defeat themWomen in Delhi must be thinking that Kejriwal is behind bars. Who knows if they would get Rs 1000. I appeal to them to trust their brother, their son. There is no jail that can keep him behind bars for long. I will come out soon and keep my promise, she read out the message. India on Saturday lodged a strong protest with Germany over its comments on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi excise policy case, charging Berlin with interfering in the internal affairs of this country. Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy George Enzweiler was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) this morning and was told that India sees Germanys remarks on the arrest as interference in Indias judicial process and undermining the independence of its judiciary. India is a vibrant and robust democracy with rule of law. As in all legal cases in the country, and elsewhere in the democratic world, law will take its own course in the instant matter. Biased assumptions made on this account are most unwarranted, the German diplomat was firmly told by MEA officials. Advertisement The German Foreign Ministry spokesperson, in a statement on the Delhi CMs arrest, said, We have taken note, India is a democratic country. We assume and expect that the standards relating to independence of Judiciary and basic democratic principles will also be applied in this case. Like anyone facing accusations, Mr Kejriwal is entitled to a fair and impartial trial, this includes he can make use of all available legal avenues without restrictions. The presumption of innocence is a central element of the rule of law and must apply to him. Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar on Saturday asserted that his force displayed a high degree of professionalism and upheld the principles of international law and commitment to ensuring safe seas and maritime security in the region. He said the Indian Navy ships deployed in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden will ensure the safety of seafarers. As part of the ongoing Operation Sankalp, Indian Navy ships are deployed in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden towards the safety of seafarers and mercantile trade passing through the region, the navy chief told the media on the completion of 100 days of naval operations for anti-drone, anti-missile, and anti-piracy attacks in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and Red Sea. Advertisement Vowing further naval interventions to secure distressed shipping assets on the high seas, he flagged concerns over the resurfacing of piracy as an industry to gain from disorder in the region. Admiral Kumar said the Navy will continue taking affirmative action to prevent such incidents, adding that Operation Sankalp, the naval operation to secure the crew of Bulgaria-flagged merchant vessel MV Ruen, has broken the myth of short and swift operations and stressed the need for sustained interventions to ensure the safety and stability of shipping assets in the oceans. Piracy has resurfaced as an industry to gain from the disorder in the region. We will take affirmative action to prevent that, the Navy chief said. We have deployed 10 warships in the entire region for anti-piracy, anti-missile, and anti-drone operations under Operation Sankalp. The task is to ensure safety and stability for merchant vessels carrying cargo to reach shores safely. Because they are deployed there, they can respond to attacks or incidents as first responders, he added. The Navy chief noted no Indian vessels were targeted by pirates, adding that the Houthi rebels were targeting vessels linked to Israel. None of our Indian vessels have been targeted. The Houthis have been targeting vessels with linkages to Israel. They are also targeting ships with flags of Western countries like the UK and the US. We are getting involved because we have Indian crew on almost all these ships, the Navy chief said. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday moved the Delhi High Court, challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the now-scrapped excise policy-linked money laundering case. The Delhi Chief Minister was arrested by the central.probe agency on Thursday night after around two hours of questioning. Later, he was remanded to the custody of ED till March 28 by the Rouse Avenue Court here. Kejriwal has sought urgent listing and hearing of his plea on Sunday, March 24. Following his arrest, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief had moved a petition in the Supreme Court but later withdrew it. Advertisement He is the fourth prominent leader after former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, AAP MP Sanjay Singh and BRS leader K Kavitha to be arrested in the Delhi excise policy case. Earlier today, Kejriwals wife Sunita Kejriwal released a video statement in which she read out a message sent by her husband. My dear countrymen, I have been arrested. Whether I am inside the jail or not, I will continue to serve the country. My entire life is dedicated to the country. I have struggled a lot in my life, and I know that this will continue. Therefore, this arrest has not surprised me, said she, quoting her husband. She further called upon the people of the country to identify the forces that were trying to weaken India and defeat them. There are several forces within and outside India that are weakening the country. We have to be alert, identify these forces and defeat themWomen in Delhi must be thinking that Kejriwal is behind bars. Who knows if they would get Rs 1000. I appeal to them to trust their brother, their son. There is no jail that can keep him behind bars for long. I will come out soon and keep my promise, she added. In an unprecedented move, the Kerala government has moved the Supreme Court against President Droupadi Murmu, challenging her decision to withhold assent for four bills passed by the state Assembly without providing any reason. Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has also been named in the petition for allegedly delaying the bills and subsequently referring them to the President for consideration. In its petition, the Kerala government contended that the Presidents decision to withhold assent for the four bills without providing any reason violates Articles 14, 200, and 201 of the Constitution. The Kerala government argued that the action was arbitrary and lacked Constitutional morality. The petition seeks to recall the presidential reference to the seven bills. It also sought to declare the action of the Governor in reserving the seven bills passed by the Assembly, including the four bills for the consideration of the President. Advertisement The petition seeks that the action of the President in not granting assent to the four bills the University Laws (Amendment) (No.2) bill 2021, the Kerala Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill 2022, the University Laws (Amendment) Bill 2022 and the University Laws (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2022 be declared unconstitutional. The Kerala government has made the Union government, Secretary to the President of India, and the Additional Secretary to the Kerala Governor as respondents in the case. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned the terrorist attack in Moscow last night in which at least 115 persons were believed dead. In a post on the X, he said: We strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation in this hour of grief. The terrorist attack claimed 115 lives. Condemning it, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed shock at last nights attack on Crocus City Hall in Moscow and condemned it in the strongest possible terms. Advertisement The United Nations Security Council called on all states to cooperate actively with the Government of the Russian Federation, as well as all other relevant authorities to bring to account those responsible for the terrorist attack. Several countries, the US, EU, UK, France, Spain and UAE have also expressed shock. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his countrys solidarity with the victims, their loved ones and all Russian people. Spain said it was shocked at events in Moscow, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said it was an odious act of terrorism and expressed her full solidarity with the affected people and the victims families. The Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) has claimed responsibility for the attack on the concert venue, according to reports. The Kremlin said 11 people including four suspected gunmen have been arrested in connection with the shooting rampage. Russias Investigative Committee said the death toll had risen to 115 in the attack in which camouflage-clad gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons. It said, the death toll is expected to rise. Health officials said more than 120 people were wounded. Prime minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief minister Yogi Adityanath are BJPs two faces most in demand in Uttarakhands Lok Sabha campaigns. Party leaders want at least three rallies each of Adityanath and Modi in the next 25 days of the campaign as the state will undergo polling on April 19. Senior BJP leaders in Dehradun informed that local party units in almost all assembly constituencies have raised demands for Uttar Pradesh chief minister Adityanath to campaign in Uttarakhand besides Modi. According to these leaders, although official demand for star campaigners as sent by the state organisation to the BJPs central leadership include five to six top choice names, two names are most sought after by all five Lok Sabha candidates in Tehri, Pauri Garhwal, Nainital, Haridwar and Almora seats. Advertisement State BJP president Mahendra Bhatt informed that the Uttarakhand organisation has sent its demand for star campaigners Prime Minister Modi, Uttar Pradesh CM Adityanath, Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda, Amit Shah and Smriti Irani as top choices. He informed that the State BJP has also finalised its programmes for rallies and roadshows of its leaders. As soon as the star campaigners list is received from the national leadership, all efforts will be made to implement the plans. BJP candidates have already started their campaigns at different levels. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the most sought after face followed by Yogi Adityanath. We are also looking forward to Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and national party president JP nadda to address people here. We hope the party soon finalises the star campaigners list as desired by the state unit. Uttarakhand BJP will contribute all its constituencies in the prime ministers call for 400 plus seats in the 2024 general election said former Uttarakhand chief minister and BJPs Haridwar candidate Trivendra Singh Rawat. A senior BJP leader and state office bearer under the condition of anonymity said Demands for Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Modi are almost at par. State leadership wants a minimum of three rallies each of the two leaders in the state. This is because besides being an Hindu icon, Adityanath also appeals to the local public for being a native of Uttarakhand. Adityanath has also impressed the Himalayan state by his marvelous works in the neighbouring state, the leader added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned home on Saturday after his two-day state visit to Bhutan where he, along with Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay, inaugurated the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital, built with Indian assistance in Thimphu. In a special gesture, King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Bhutanese PM Dasho Tshering Tobgay came to see off Mr Modi at the airport. The Prime Minister posted on the X: I am honoured by the special gesture by His Majesty the King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of coming to the airport as I leave for Delhi. This has been a very special Bhutan visit. I had the opportunity to meet His Majesty the King, PM @tsheringtobgay and other distinguished people of Bhutan. Our talks will add even more vigour to the India-Bhutan friendship. I am also grateful to have been conferred the Order of the Druk Gyalpo, he said. Advertisement I am very thankful to the wonderful people of Bhutan for their warmth and hospitality. India will always be a reliable friend and partner for Bhutan, Mr Modi said. The Indian Government supported the development of the 150-bed Mother and Child Hospital in two phases. Phase one of the hospital was constructed at a cost of Rs 22 crore and is operational since 2019. The construction of the second phase was taken up in 2019, as part of the 12th Five Year Plan at a cost of Rs 119 crores, and was completed now. A Joint Statement released at the end of the Prime Ministers Bhutan visit said that Over centuries, Bharat and Bhutan have enjoyed close bonds of friendship and cooperation anchored in mutual trust, goodwill and understanding. Our cultural links and common geography connect us. Strong economic and financial ties bind us. The close friendship between people of Bharat and Bhutan lies at the heart of our friendship. The relations between our two nations are an example of exceptional neighbourly ties, it said. The enduring partnership between our two nations is anchored in our common values as well as our shared cultural and spiritual heritage. Bharat for Bhutan and Bhutan for Bharat is an abiding reality of the region, nurtured by the enlightened vision of successive Druk Gyalpos of Bhutan and the political leadership in India and Bhutan, the Joint Statement said. We express satisfaction with the cooperation between our two countries related to our mutual security. We agree to continue with our close coordination and cooperation with each other on issues relating to our national interests, the Joint Statement said. Together, we will pursue a transformative partnership that advances our unique and special relations. This includes promoting connectivity in its broadest form physical connectivity through rail links, roads, air, waterways, trade infrastructure for seamless cross-border movement of goods and services, economic as well as digital connectivity, the statement said. The two nations agreed to further joint endeavours to harness technologies for rapid economic growth and promoting the well-being of the two peoples. The two countries will strengthen trade and investment linkages with each other, particularly through the private sector, including development of the Gelephu Special Administrative Region. We will nurture our people to people linkages by promoting exchanges of scholars, academics, tourists, students, youth, sport persons, the statement said. Bharat has entered a new chapter in its history, one which is characterised by rapid socio-economic progress and technological advancements, and striving to become a developed nation by 2047 in the Amrit Kaal. Bhutan has the vision to become a high-income nation by 2034 and is embarking on a new phase in its economic development. In the common quest for progress and prosperity, Bharat and Bhutan will continue to be the closest of friends and partners, the Joint Statement said Ukrainian theater and film actor Pavlo Aldoshyn, who is currently defending the country in the Armed Forces, spoke about his love for his native land. The soldier addressed his fellow countrymen and admitted that he misses his village of Semykhaty near Henichesk, Kherson region, which is currently occupied. ADVERTISIMENT Aldoshyn shared his opinion that every Ukrainian should realize their self and their connection to their homeland. "I believe that a child should be brought up in love for himself or herself and for his or her land. I, a child, had to realize that my "I" comes from this basic point, because I have no other. This is where you were born, where your parents and friends are, where your goats, electric poles, fence, fields, Syvash are," he said in an exclusive interview with OBOZ.UA. The star emphasizes that if everyone felt the love that his native land gave him, "there would be no issues of overcrowding in cities and impoverished villages at all." He wished his countrymen to realize this important factor while they are forced to live under occupation. ADVERTISIMENT "Because they think in terms of 'so that there is no war,' that is, they are ready to live with another passport. This is a misconception, the opinion of a slave who is not even aware of his statehood, his citizenship, his belonging to a nation... These are wild things for them," said Pavlo Aldoshyn. The soldier said he had heard many stories about his place of power, Lake Syvash. In particular, about how it turned red during World War II from the blood of soldiers, both Ukrainian and German. The actor believes that "this battle is still ahead" and even if nothing remains of his home, Aldoshyn will restore everything himself. ADVERTISIMENT Read the full interview with Pavel Aldoshin on OBOZ.UA on Sunday, March 24. Earlier, OBOZ.UA told how actor Pavel Aldoshin from the Armed Forces of Ukraine put Farion in her place and explained why no one has the right to teach soldiers: "You can die because of the Russian language." Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Two security personnel sustained severe injuries in a confrontation between security forces and Maoists along the border of Dantewada-Bijapur districts in Chhattisgarh. The incident occurred amidst the security forces dedicated efforts to ensure the successful completion of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the Bastar region. According to reports, a joint team of police forces from Dantewada, Bijapur and Sukma districts was deployed to conduct search operations in the Purangel and Pidiya region following intelligence inputs on Maoist activity. The situation escalated when the Bijapur police encountered Maoists, resulting in a fierce exchange of gunfire. Meanwhile, a reinforcement team from Dantewada was en route to support the operation. However, tragedy struck amidst the dense jungles of Pidiya as two soldiers of the Bastar Fighters fell victim to an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by the Maoists. The injured soldiers, identified as Rakesh Markam and Vikas Kumar, were promptly evacuated from the scene and airlifted to Raipur for urgent medical attention. In a daring midnight rescue operation, the police swiftly evacuated the injured soldiers from the dense jungles of Maoist stronghold Pidiya. Advertisement In response to the Maoist aggression, the police swiftly retaliated and neutralised two insurgents. The bodies of the deceased Maoists were recovered from the encounter site, underscoring the intensity of the confrontation. Confirming the incident, Dantewada SP Gaurav Rai reaffirmed the security forces commitment to eradicate the Maoist menace. This incident follows a recent escalation of tensions along the Chhattisgarh border. During a clash just three days earlier, police forces successfully curbed Maoist aggression, resulting in the elimination of two insurgents, including a female Maoist identified as Dodi Lakhe. As authorities intensify efforts to counter the Maoist threat, it is imperative to prioritise the safety and well-being of both civilians and security personnel. At least five people were killed and 26 others wounded in a wave of Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukraine, the National Police said in a statement. Three people were killed and 15 others were injured in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, where missiles hit Ukraines largest hydroelectric station, DniproHes, local authorities said on Friday. In the western Khmelnytsky region, two people were killed and eight injured. The power supplies in the region have also been disrupted in the wake of the attack, Xinhua news agency reported. Advertisement The air strike, which was described by Ukrainian authorities as the largest till date attack on the countrys energy infrastructure, damaged more than 100 buildings and energy facilities. Meanwhile, the Russian Defence Ministry confirmed that the Russian military on Friday launched massive missile and drone attacks on energy and military facilities in Ukraine. Today, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a massive strike with high-precision long-range air, sea, ground-based weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles against energy facilities, the military-industrial complex, railway junctions, arsenals, places of deployment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and foreign mercenaries, the Ministry said in a statement. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas political bureau, exchanged views over phone two days ago on the latest developments of Gaza, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry. Haniyeh on Friday elaborated on the latest political and field developments of Gaza, describing as critical the humanitarian situation in northern Gaza, Xinhua news agency reported. He said the international community needed to implement immediate measures to send sufficient humanitarian aid to Gaza and counter Israels policy of starvation enforced against the citizens of the coastal enclave, especially children. Advertisement The Hamas leader elaborated on Hamas conditions for reaching a truce and exchanging captives, which he said were based on the Palestinians legitimate demand, stressing that Israel was throwing a wrench into the process. Amir-Abdollahian, for his part, briefed the Hamas leader on Irans latest consultations and diplomatic efforts in support of the Palestinians, including the countrys active participation in international meetings on Gaza and the Palestine issue. He urged international organisations to take immediate action to end the killing of the helpless Palestinian people, including women and children, in Gaza and the West Bank and guarantee immediate and unlimited humanitarian aid deliveries to all citizens across Gaza. A total of 31,988 Palestinians have been killed and more than 74,188 others were injured in the Gaza Strip since Israel began its offensive against Hamas on October 7, 2023, according to the Gaza-based Health Ministry on Thursday. The war began after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel, which claimed the lives of around 1,200 Israelis, according to the Israeli authorities. Visiting chair of the NATO Military Committee, Robert Bauer, said the alliance is prepared for a possible war with Russia, a media outlet reported. Are we ready? The answer is yes! This is our main task to be ready. If it happens today, we will have to fight with available means, Bauer was cited as saying on Friday as quoted by Xinhua news agency report. In recent years, NATO has significantly strengthened its eastern flank, launching an Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) operation in Baltic countries, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, he said. Advertisement At present, NATO has eight battalion-size battlegroups, which can repel a possible Russian attack on the alliances eastern flank, he added. On Thursday, Bauer made his first trip to Kiev since the start of the full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022. During his visit, Bauer met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and participated in the 16th annual Kyiv Security Forum, according to local media reports. Princess of Wales Kate Middleton has revealed that she has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy treatment. In a video message posted on her social media Friday, the Duchess said that she underwent major abdominal surgery in January, which was successful. But, the tests after the operation detected the presence of cancer. This comes after weeks of speculation regarding Middletons health. She was not seen in public since Christmas. I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you, personally, for all the wonderful messages of support and for your understanding whilst I have been recovering from surgery, she said in the video message, adding that it has been an incredibly tough couple of months for the entire family. Advertisement In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was noncancerous. The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment, she added. The Princess of Wales said that this has come as a shock to the entire family and thanked the love and support of her husband Prince Williams and all others. As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK, she further said. She also requested for time, space and privacy as she undergoes the cancer treatment and also extended her wishes for others suffering from the disease. We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery, the Duchess said. She added, At this time, I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone. This comes as another shock to the British Royal Family after King Charles III was diagnosed with cancer. It was said that he was caught with an unspecified type of cancer that was caught while undergoing a procedure for a benign enlarged prostate. Charles (75) has withdrawn from public duties while he is undergoing cancer treatment. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has expressed her support for Kate while wishing her a speedy recovery and saying that the whole countrys thoughts are with her. My thoughts are with the Princess of Wales, Prince of Wales, the Royal Family and in particular her three children, in this difficult time, UK PM Rishi Sunak said in a statement. She has shown tremendous bravery with her statement today. In recent weeks she has been subjected to intense scrutiny and has been unfairly treated by certain sections of the media around the world and on social media. When it comes to matters of health, like everyone else, she must be afforded the privacy to focus on her treatment and be with her loving family, he added. Recently, a photo of Kate Middleton along with her three children, released by her office at Kensington Palace to celebrate Mothers Day in the UK, created a controversy after several people pointed out irregularities in it. Kate issued an apology and said that she was experimenting with editing the photograph. Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused, she posted on X. Plow operators were kept busy Saturday morning after a coastal storm produced 5-10cm of snow across southern Quebec. It was the first plowable snow in Montreal in over a month. Much heavier accumulations were observed across the Eastern Townships and northern New England, with storm totals expected to reach 20-35cm. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. The relatives of Princess Kate Middleton of Wales, British citizens and country leaders reacted to the resonant news that the future queen was diagnosed with cancer. The duchesses expressed their support and condemned the "conspiracy theorists" who had been spreading rumors about her for months. ADVERTISIMENT Among those who publicly supported Kate Middleton were King Charles III, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the princess's brother, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the White House, and others. OBOZ.UA decided to collect their statements. Buckingham Palace was the first to publicly react to the news of the princess's illness. A spokesman for the royal family told reporters that King Charles III was "proud of the courage of his beloved daughter-in-law." By the way, he is also undergoing treatment for cancer. Shortly after Kate Middleton's revelation, touching words appeared on her brother James' page. He posted an archival photo of them with a caption, "Over the years, we have conquered many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one." ADVERTISIMENT Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was the next to address the British on the occasion of the Duchess's disappointing announcement. On behalf of the whole of the UK, he wished Kate Middleton a full recovery and also shamed the media for putting pressure on her at such a difficult time. "When it comes to her health, she, like everyone else, should be given personal space so she can focus on her treatment and her loving family. I know I speak for the entire country in wishing her a full and speedy recovery, and I look forward to her return when she is ready," the politician wrote. The Dukes of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who live in the United States and are believed to have strained relations with other family members, reacted too. ADVERTISIMENT "We wish health and recovery to Kate and her family and hope they can do so in peace and quiet," the couple said in a brief statement. World leaders did not stand aside either. The White House assured that it wishes her a full recovery. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The suspense over the next move of the Aam Aadmi Party deepened even as Sunita Kejriwal, wife of arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, read out the latters message soliciting support of the people. The tone and tenor of the message delivered by AAP supremos wife added fuel to speculations that she might step into her husbands shoes. Sunita has always been seen by her husbands side on all important occasions ever since Kejriwal started his journey from an activist to the three-time chief minister of Delhi. In the 2020 Assembly elections, Sunita had managed the campaign in New Delhi constituency while her husband campaigned for the party's other candidates. She also campaigned for the AAP in the Assembly elections in Punjab, where she addressed the women electorate on the pro-women promises of the party. The message Sunita read out today sought to remind the people about the welfare measures of the AAP regime in Delhi and was also an attempt to tap into the goodwill for Kejriwal. The message reminded the people that he was their 'son' and 'brother'. Speaking from the same setting her husband useswith a national flag, pictures of Bhagat Singh and B.R. Ambedkar in the backgroundshe said, Your son and brother Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has sent a message from the jail. Whether I am inside the jail or not, I will continue to serve the country. My entire life is dedicated to the country. I have struggled a lot in my life, and I know that this will continue. Therefore, this arrest has not surprised me, she read out the message. I appeal to them to trust their brother, their son. There is no jail that can keep him behind bars for long. Main jald bahar aaounga (I will come out soon) and keep my promise. The fact that the AAP chose her to deliver the address reflects that the party wants to continue communicating with the people without hampering the personal connect. Some reports even claim that Kejriwals arrest may go in favour of the AAP and the sympathy factor may kick-in. This may turn out to be true as there are a lot of swing voters in the national capital. The sympathy factor may work in AAPs favour as some polls show, said an expert. Even as her morning address ratcheted-up the talks that she might replace her husband as the Delhi chief minister in times of such crises, senior AAP leaders maintained that he will continue to be the CM. But, how long he can remain as the CM from jail is a big question that the AAP will have to face sooner or later. Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai, meanwhile, said that the fight against the BJP-led central government will continue and the PM House gherao will be done on March 26. We are reaching out to everyone to join hands with us in fight against this tyrant regime, said Rai. For now, the AAP, it seems, is keeping all its ends loose. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday moved the Delhi High Court against his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy scam. In his petition, the Aam Aadmi Party leader termed his arrest and remand as illegal and contended that he was entitled to be released from custody immediately. Kejriwal has also sought an early hearing of his petition, preferably by Sunday. The chief minister was arrested on Thursday evening after he skipped several summons issued by the central agency for questioning in connection with its probe. The arrest came hours after the high court refused to grant him protection from coercive action by the agency. The trial court on Friday remanded Kejriwal in ED's custody till March 28 "for his detailed and sustained interrogation". The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 which was later scrapped. The ED has alleged that the accused were in touch with Kejriwal for formulating the policy that allegedly resulted in undue benefits to them in return for which they paid kickbacks to the AAP. Top AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are in judicial custody in the case. A Delhi Court extended Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K. Kavithas remand till March 26 in the scrapped Delhi excise policy scam case on Saturday. The Telangana politician demanded Election Commissions intervention as politicians are being arrested during the elections. "It is a fake case, but we are fighting it. Why politicians are being arrested during the elections? The ECI should intervene and protect the democracy in this country," the BRS leader said after the court extended her custody by three days. The Enforcement Directorate arrested the leader on March 15 in connection with the liquor policy scam. The agency on Saturday petitioned for five days of custody and the court granted three days. The ED has alleged that Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, was a key member of the South Group that has been accused of paying the AAP kickbacks of Rs 100 crore in return for a big share of liquor licences in the national capital. After producing her in court, the ED said that she was confronted with the statements of four people and a forensic report of the data extracted from her phone. The probe agency also told the court that raids were being conducted at the house of her nephew in Hyderabad. BRS leader's counsel filed a bail plea in court. On Friday, the Supreme Court dismissed her bail plea and directed her to approach the trial court. Delhi chief minister has also been remanded to six-day custody in the same case. Nine former Himachal Pradesh MLAs, including six disqualified Congress legislators and three independents who resigned, joined the BJP on Saturday amid the continuing political crisis in the state. The former lawmakers slammed the Congress government in the state headed by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, saying development work has stalled since it came to power. They joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Anurag Thakur, former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, its national general secretary Arun Singh and State Unit President Rajeev Bindal. Welcoming the former lawmakers into the party, Anurag Thakur said their presence will further strengthen the BJP as he accused the Congress government in the state of failing to fulfil its promises, leading to all-round anger among people. Anurag Thakur said six of the former lawmakers, despite being Congress MLAs, supported the BJP in the recent Rajya Sabha election as they chose to reflect the "public anger" against the Sukhu government. The former Congress MLAs who joined the BJP are Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma and Devinder Kumar Bhutto -- all disqualified on February 29 for defying a party whip to be present in the House and vote in favour of the state government during a cut motion and budget. Ashish Sharma, Hoshiyar Singh and K.L. Thakur, who were elected as independents and resigned on Friday, also joined the BJP, with Singh saying they decided to be part of the country's development journey under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Development works in the state have stopped since the Congress came to power, he said. BJP leaders cited a host of development measures taken by the Modi government for the state, including highway and rail projects, and said the former MLAs decided to strengthen the prime minister's leadership. These former lawmakers will be given due respect in the BJP, they said. They are expected to contest the bypolls from their respective seats as candidates of the saffron party. Jai Ram Thakur described the six former Congress MLAs joining the BJP as a big political development for such a small state, noting that several of these leaders had held senior positions within the party. The Election Commission has announced bypolls for the six constituencies held by these former Congress MLAs. Bypolls are expected to be announced on the three seats held by the independents too. The Congress government was last month plunged into a crisis after the BJP won the Rajya Sabha poll for the state's lone seat due to the support of these nine MLAs. Though Sukhu has been putting up a brave face and there appears to be no immediate threat to his government, the BJP is looking to bring down his dispensation with bypoll wins amid a view that it may draw more legislators of the ruling party into its fold. With the disqualification of the six Congress MLAs, the strength of the ruling party came down from 39 to 33 in the now 62-member assembly. Its original strength is 68. The BJP has 25 members. The Speaker, who can vote only in the case of a tie during a floor test, is affiliated to the Congress. The resignations of the three independent MLAs have further reduced the assembly's strength. Warship INS Kolkata, carrying 35 pirates who were apprehended in an operation off the coast of Somalia, reached Mumbai on Saturday morning, the Navy said. These pirates were then handed over to the Mumbai police, it said. The exercise was undertaken as part of the ongoing Operation Sankalp, wherein Indian Navy ships are deployed in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden for the safety of seafarers and mercantile trade passing through the region. "INS Kolkata, with the 35 apprehended pirates, returned to Mumbai on March 23 and handed over the pirates to the local police for further legal action in accordance with Indian laws, specifically the Maritime Anti Piracy Act 2022," the Navy said. In an operation lasting over 40 hours that commenced in the early hours of March 15, INS Kolkata intercepted Pirate Ship ex-MV Ruen in the Arabian Sea based on inputs received by Indian Navy's Information Fusion Centre -Indian Ocean Region from UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations). The ship was being used as a Mother Ship for undertaking piracy attacks and hijacking of merchantmen, it said. INS Kolkata started shadowing the Pirate Ship in the early hours of March 15. The vessel, upon sighting INS Kolkata, reversed course and started heading towards the Somali Coast. Several armed pirates were observed on the upper deck of the ship, the Navy said. INS Kolkata directed the pirate ship to stop for investigation in accordance with International Law, especially the United Nations Conventions on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS). However, the pirate ship refused to comply and instead opened fire. "INS Kolkata thereafter acted in self-defence and used kinetic measures required to disable the ship and compel the pirates to surrender," it said. INS Subhadra joined INS Kolkata in the operation. Further, the Indian Navy undertook long-range deployment and paradrop of Marine Commandos over the sea in the vicinity of the pirate ship using C17s in coordination with the Indian Air Force. Aerial surveillance for the operation was undertaken by Indian Navy P8I aircraft, Sea Guardian UAV, and the ship's integral helicopters and spotter drones. "In the face of decisive action by the Indian Navy, all pirates onboard surrendered. The 35 pirates and 17 crew members were duly taken into custody and shifted to Indian Naval ships," it said. The Indian Navy searched and sanitised the ship with respect to arms, ammunition and contraband, rendering it safe. In addition, assessment of seaworthiness and essential repairs were undertaken by the naval technical team, to make the ship fit for further voyage. The ocean is a mysterious and enigmatic part of our planet. Its depths hide many secrets that scientists have been trying to unravel for years. ADVERTISIMENT One of these mysteries is a strange sound that was recorded at the most remote point on the planet - Nemo Point. IFLscience told about it and the reaction of scientists to this strange phenomenon. Point Nemo is a conventional place in the Pacific Ocean, which is considered the farthest from any land on the planet. It is located at a distance of 2689 kilometers from the Earth. For comparison, when the International Space Station flies over your head, the astronauts are only 400 kilometers away. It was at Nemo Point in 1997 that the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration detected a strange ultra-low frequency sound. It was one of the loudest sound ever recorded underwater. ADVERTISIMENT Hydrophones picked up the sound at a distance of 4,800 kilometers. Some scientists have speculated that it could have been caused by a marine animal, but no creature known to mankind can roar that loudly. Therefore, one of the most popular versions was that it could have been a giant squid or other unknown sea monster. This is not the only speculation, however. Oceanographer Chris Fox noted that such a loud sound could be caused by large icebergs as they crack and break. "Ice always comes from the south. We suspect that this is ice off the coast of Antarctica, in which case it is so loud," the scientist said. Icequakes have sufficient amplitude to be detected by several sensors at a distance of more than 5000 kilometers. Thus, so far there is no objective evidence that unknown giant kraken live in the most remote point of the planet. ADVERTISIMENT Subscribe to OBOZ.UA channels on Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events. India on Saturday summoned German deputy chief of mission to protest against the country's comments on arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying it "undermined the independence of our judiciary". The Ministry of External Affairs called George Enzweiler, the deputy head of the German embassy, to lodge an official protest on the country's Foreign Office Spokesperson's comments on "internal affairs". "We see such remarks as interfering in our judicial process and undermining the independence of our judiciary," the ministry said in a statement. "India is a vibrant and robust democracy with rule of law. As in all legal cases in the country, and elsewhere in the democratic world, law will take its own course in the instant matter. Biased assumptions made on this account are most unwarranted," added the statement. The MEA's "strong protest" comes after a spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry said, "We have taken note, India is a democratic country. We assume and expect that the standards relating to independence of Judiciary and basic democratic principles will also be applied in this case." "Like anyone facing accusations, Mr Kejriwal is entitled to a fair and impartial trial, this includes he can make use of all available legal avenues without restrictions. The presumption of innocence is a central element of the rule of law and must apply to him," the spokesperson of the German Foreign Ministry said earlier," the spokesperson added. Kejriwal was on Friday remanded in ED custody for seven days till March 28 a day after the central agency arrested him. His wife, Sunita Kejriwal, said that no jail can keep the Delhi CM behind the bars for long and he would come out soon. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the excise policy case claimed on Saturday that a senior police officer misbehaved with him, said reports. The AAP national convener alleged that the police officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police A.K. Singh, had earlier restrained former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia by the neck when reporters asked him questions on the premises of a Delhi court. The incident was recorded on video and Sisodia had lodged a complaint against the officer. Delhi police denied any wrongdoing on the ACP's part, claiming the action was necessary for security, reported NDTV. In an application filed in a local court, Kejriwal sought to remove the ACP from his security cordon. Kejriwal alleged that Singh misbehaved with him when he was brought for a hearing in the ED's remand application on Friday. The court remanded Kejriwal to ED's custoday for seven days after the agency said it required to confront the Delhi CM with the other accused. In an unusual move, the Kerala government has petitioned the Supreme Court against President Droupadi Murmu withholding assent to four bills passed by the state assembly. The plea, filed through advocate CK Sasi, said the matter relates to the acts of the Kerala governor in reserving seven bills, which he was required to deal with himself, to the President. Not one of the seven bills had anything to do with Centre-state relations. The state government said these bills had been pending with the governor for as long as about two years and his action "subverted" the functioning of the state legislature, rendering its very existence "ineffective and otiose". "The bills include public interest bills which are for the public good, and even these have been rendered ineffective by the Governor not dealing with each one of them as soon as possible as required by the proviso to Article 200," the plea said. The state government said that on February 23 and 29, the Ministry of Home Affairs informed it that the president has withheld assent to four of the seven billsUniversity Laws (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2021, the Kerala Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022, the University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2022, and the University Laws (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill, 2022. The petition urged the court to declare as unconstitutional the president not granting assent to these bills without assigning a reason. The Constitution is silent on how much time the president can take in granting assent to a bill passed by a state legislature and referred to the Rashtrapati Bhavan for presidential consideration or for denying consent. The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government has made the Union government, the Secretary to the President of India, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and his additional secretary the parties to the case. Article 361 of the Constitution says the president, or the governor of a state shall not be answerable to any court for the exercise and performance of the powers and duties of his office or for any act done or purporting to be done by him in the exercise and performance of those powers and duties. Besides several other reliefs, the state government has urged the court to declare as "illegal" Governor Arif Mohammed Khan reserving a total of seven bills, including these four, for the consideration of the president. "The conduct of the Governor in keeping Bills pending for long and indefinite periods of time, and thereafter reserving the Bills for the consideration of the President without any reasons relatable to the Constitution is manifestly arbitrary and violates Article 14 (equality before law) of the Constitution," the plea said. Equally, it added, the aid and advice tendered by the Union of India to the president to withhold assent to the four bills, which are wholly within the domain of the state, while disclosing no reason whatsoever, is also manifestly arbitrary and violates Article 14. "Additionally, the actions impugned defeat the rights of the people of the State of Kerala under Article 21 (protection of life and personal liberty) of the Constitution, by denying them the benefits of welfare legislation enacted by the State Assembly," it said. The plea said not dealing with the bills presented for assent for periods as long as 24 months, or seven months to sixteen months, the governor has rendered ineffective and otiose the functioning of a limb of the State under the Constitution, the legislative assembly. "The very existence of the legislative assembly of the State has been rendered meaningless by the Governor, though the Governor is a part of the Legislative Assembly," it said. The actions of the governor are clearly lacking in bona fides and in good faith, it said. "The actions of the Governor subvert the delicate balance envisaged by the Constitution between the three organs of State, by rendering the functioning of the elected executive, which has drafted and introduced the Bills, and then the State legislature, which has passed the Bills, wholly ineffective and otiose. The actions of the Governor also subvert the federal structure of the Constitution, by reserving for the President (acting on the aid and advice of the Union Cabinet) Bills which are wholly within the domain of the State under the Constitution," it said. The plea said the governor has often been addressing the media and making public criticism of the state government and the chief minister in particular. "Whether the reservation for the President is as a result of this (criticism) or not, to refer Bills which have been pending before the Governor for as long as two years to the President is a grave injustice to the post that the Governor holds and to his constitutional duties as well. One can only say that at no cost was the Governor prepared to allow the Government of Kerala and the State legislative assembly to function in accordance with the Constitution and the laws," it added. The state government said the governor carried out what was his constitutional duty only after it had approached the top court last year by granting assent to one bill, while referring the rest of the seven bills to the president on November 28, 2023. It said, the president has thereafter withheld assent to four of these bills. "The actions of the Union Government, in advising the President of India to withhold assent to Bills which had been passed by the state legislative assembly as long as 11-24 months back, and which were wholly within the domain of the state government, subverts and disrupts the federal structure of the Constitution of India, and is a grave encroachment into the domain entrusted to the state under the Constitution," it said. While the Constitution is silent about when the president should give or deny assent to a bill, Article 200 says: When a Bill has been passed by the Legislative Assembly of a State or, in the case of a State having a Legislative Council, has been passed by both Houses of the Legislature of the State, it shall be presented to the Governor and the Governor shall declare either that he assents to the Bill or that he withholds assent therefrom or that he reserves the Bill for the consideration of the President. "Provided that the Governor may, as soon as possible after the presentation to him of the Bill for assent, return the Bill if it is not a Money Bill together with a message requesting that the House or Houses will reconsider the Bill or any specified provisions thereof and, in particular, will consider the desirability of introducing any such amendments as he may recommend in his message and, when a Bill is so returned, the House or Houses shall reconsider the Bill accordingly, and if the Bill is passed again by the House or Houses with or without amendment and presented to the Governor for assent, the Governor shall not withhold assent therefrom," it says. "Provided further that the Governor shall not assent to, but shall reserve for the consideration of the President, any Bill which in the opinion of the Governor would, if it became law, so derogate from the powers of the High Court as to endanger the position which that Court is by this Constitution designed to fill," it adds. The apex court had in December 2023 questioned the delay on the part of Tamil Nadu governor R N Ravi in disposing of the bills submitted for his assent since January 2020, asking why should state governors wait for parties to move the top court with their grievances. Like Kerala governor Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Ravi has had frequent run-ins with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals wife Sunita Kejriwal said that no jail can keep the Aam Aadmi party leader behind bars for long and he would come out soon. Sunita Kejriwal read a message from the Delhi chief minister, in Enforcement Directorates custody, and said, I appeal to all the workers of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that work of social welfare and public welfare should not stop with me going to jail. Don't hate the BJP people due to this. They are our brothers and sisters. I will come back soon. Kejriwal added, There are several forces within and outside India that are weakening the country. We have to be alert, identify these forces and defeat them. Women in Delhi must be thinking that Kejriwal is behind bars, who knows if they would get Rs 1,000. I appeal to them to trust their brother, their son. There is no jail that can keep him behind bars for long. I will come out soon and keep my promise. In a post in Hindi on X, Sunita Kejriwal on Friday tweeted, "Modiji got your thrice-elected chief minister arrested due to his arrogance of power and is trying to crush everyone. This is a betrayal of the people of Delhi. Your chief minister has always stood with you. Whether inside (jail) or outside, his life is dedicated to the country. The public is supreme and knows everything. Jai Hind." A Delhi court on Friday remanded Kejriwal on judicial custody till 28 March in connection with the excise policy case. Leaders of the AAP and INDIA alliance, including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann protested in the national capital on Saturday condemning Kejriwals arrest. Mann said the whole country has been angry since Friday and the BJP wants to bring in dictatorship in India. Mann charged that the BJP is not letting the AAP government function in Delhi as their government was not formed in the national capital. Since their government was not formed in Delhi, they are not letting the government function; the lieutenant governor has been given all the powers. In Punjab, their government was not formed, so the governor will interfere; in West Bengal, their government was not formed, so they want governor to rule. B.R. Ambedkar's constitution is in danger. I want to appeal to the 140 crore to come and assemble or else this country is going towards destruction, Mann said. -with inputs from PTI/ANI. Even as Moscow is reeling from a deadly attack at a concert hall, it has come to light that the United States had warned Russia about the possibility of a terrorist attack a few weeks ago. "Earlier this month, the US government had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow potentially targeting large gatherings, to include concerts - which prompted the State Department to issue a public advisory to Americans in Russia," said Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council. "The US government also shared this information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding duty to warn policy." Gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons at the Crocus City Hall near Moscow, leaving more than 60 dead and over 100 injured. The toll made it one of the worst attacks on Russia since the 2004 Beslan school siege, when Islamist militants tookmore than 1,000 people hostage, including hundreds of children. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, the group's Amaq agency said on Telegram. "We did warn the Russians appropriately," one of the US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, was reported as saying by Reuters. The US embassy in Russia warned on March 8 that "extremists" had imminent plans for an attack in Moscow, hours after Russian security services said they had foiled a planned shooting at a synagogue by a cell of Islamic State. The embassy gave no further details about the nature of the threat, but said people should avoid concerts and crowds and be aware of their surroundings. Russia is yet to confirm that the US warned them. Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has worsened the relations between Kremlin and Washington. After Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, announced her cancer diagnosis, messages of support wishing her a speedy recovery poured in from several quarters. The princess said that she is in the early stages of preventive chemotherapy after the diagnosis. Soon after her emotional personal video message released by Kensington Palace on Friday, King Charles III praised her for her courage in speaking about it openly. "Following their time in hospital together, His Majesty has remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks. Both Their Majesties [Charles and Camilla] will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time," Buckingham Palace said in a statement. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also praised her bravery and wished for a speedy recovery. "When it comes to matters of health, like everyone else, she must be afforded the privacy to focus on her treatment and with her loving family. I know I speak for the whole country in wishing her a full and speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her back in action when she's ready, said Sunak in a statement posted on X. From around the world, US President Joe Biden wrote on X that he and his wife Jill "join millions around the world in praying for your full recovery, Princess Kate". Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex also shared a message of support for their sister-in-law in a statement. "We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they can do so privately and in peace," it said. French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X: "In this difficult period you are going through, Brigitte and I wish you a full recovery. Your strength and resilience inspire us all." "On behalf of Canadians, I'm sending my support as she undergoes treatment. We're all wishing her a swift recovery," wrote Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Even messages of support flooded social media from hundreds with the hashtag #GetWellSoonCatherine and #WeLoveYouCatherine. Kate underwent major abdominal surgery in London in January. Though her condition was thought to be non-cancerous, tests after the operation revealed that cancer was present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment, she said in the video. "As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be ok, she said on a note of optimism. "For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone," she added. Kate started her course of preventive chemotherapy in late February. Russian intelligence agency Federal Security Service (FSB) on Saturday said the Moscow attackers were heading to Russia's Ukrainian border and they had contacts on the Ukrainian side, reported Interfax. The agency said the attack was carefully planned before being executed. However, Russia is yet to make public any evidence of a Ukrainian connection in the attack. Ukraine presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Kyiv had "nothing to do" with the attack. "Let's be straight about this: Ukraine had absolutely nothing to do with these events," Podolyak said. However, Russia has accused the US of withholding information about the involvement of Ukrainians in the attack. Responding to a question on Ukrainians' involvement in the terror attack, US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said, "There is no indication at this time that Ukraine, or Ukrainians, were involved in the shooting. I would disabuse you at this early hour of any connection to Ukraine." Alexander Bortnikov, the head of FSB, revealed that four terrorists directly involved in the attack were among the 11 people detained by the agency, reported Tass, Russia's state news agency. The revelation comes as the death toll in the Moscow attack on Friday rose to 115. Reports said that 143 others were also injured in the attack. The attack in western Moscow occurred after assailants stormed into a concert hall and opened fire on the crowd. The hall was up in flames and the roof collapsed, raising the casualty. ISIS-K has claimed responsibility for the attack, which is the deadliest in Russua in years. This is not the first attack by the Islamic State on Russia. In 2015, a bomb planted by the terror group downed a Russian passenger plane over Egypt's Sinai, killing all 224 aboard. Nigerian army rescued 17 students and a woman who were kidnapped by armed men in north-west Sokoto state. According to the state governor, Tsangaya students were freed on Friday after an operation coordinated by the army and the office of the national security adviser. The attack at Tsangaya school took place on March 9 after the mass abduction of students in Kaduna. All the children have been found healthy and are ready to be reunited with their parents, said Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, Sokoto governor. Reportedly, no ransom was sought by the kidnappers as the parents did not get any calls or messages from the abductors. In the latest two mass abductions, nearly 300 students were kidnapped. However, kidnappings at schools in Nigeria are not something new. It was first carried out by by jihadist group Boko Haram. Over 200 students were captured from a girls school in Chibok in Borno state. Though many were released, some girls have never been released. by the jihadist group Boko Haram. Though many were released, some girls have never been released. The mass kidnappings that happened two weeks back were the first since July 2021. Underlining that Pakistan is sponsoring terrorism almost at an "industry level", External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday asserted that the mood in India now is not to overlook terrorists and it "will not skirt this problem anymore". Jaishankar, who is on a three-day visit to Singapore, made these remarks during a Q&A round held post his lecture session on his authored book 'Why Bharat Matters' at Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) of National University of Singapore (NUS). "Every country wants a stable neighbourhood...if nothing else, you want at least a quiet neighbourhood," he said in response to a question on India's ties with Pakistan. However, unfortunately, it is not the same with India, he said. Underlining that Pakistan has been sponsoring terrorism against India, Jaishankar asked, "How do you deal with a neighbour who does not hide the fact that they use terrorism as an instrument of statecraft?" "It's not a one-off happening...but very sustained, almost at an industry level...So what we have come to conclude is that we have to find a way of addressing (the menace), that dodging the problem gets us nowhere, it only invites more trouble," he said. "I don't have a quick instantaneous fix (to this issue). But what I can tell you is that India will not skirt this problem anymore. We are not going to say, 'well, that happened and let's continue our dialogue'...we have a problem and we must be honest enough to face up to that problem, however difficult it is...we should not give the other country a free pass, saying there's nothing they can do about it or it's a very hard problem, or there's so much else at stake that let us overlook," he asserted. In India now, Jaishankar said, "the mood is not to overlook terrorists". Ties between India and Pakistan strained after a terror attack on the Pathankot Air Force base in 2016 by terror groups based in the neighbouring country. The relationship nosedived after India's warplanes pounded a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist training camp deep inside Pakistan on February 26, 2019, in response to the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. The relations deteriorated further after India announced the withdrawal of the special powers of Jammu and Kashmir and the bifurcation of the state into two union territories in August 2019. India has repeatedly told Pakistan that it desires normal neighbourly relations with it in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence. Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, said late on Friday that she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy after tests taken post her abdominal surgery in January revealed she had cancer. Ending speculations over her health due to her prolonged absence from public life, Kate, in a personal video message released by Kensington Palace, said her planned "major" abdominal surgery in January was "successful" and it was initially thought her condition was non-cancerous. "Tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment. "This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family... It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be okay, the 42-year-old said. "As I have said to them; I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits," she added. "For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone." Kate's office, Kensington Palace, said the video message was filmed on Wednesday by BBC Studios, the production arm of the BBC, and that it would give no further details about the type of cancer that had been found, saying the princess had a right to medical privacy. The news comes as a fresh blow to the British royal family, as King Charles III is also undergoing treatment for cancer. The 75-year-old underwent a corrective procedure for an enlarged prostate at the same hospital as Kate in January. Even the temporary loss of DniproHES's capacity is significant for the Ukrainian energy system. The extent of the damage is currently difficult to assess. ADVERTISIMENT Ihor Syrota, CEO of Ukrhydroenergo, told the Associated Press. The CEO noted that Ukraine's largest hydroelectric power plant had stopped working after missile strikes, and the station lost part of its generating capacity, which led to significant losses for the United Energy System of Ukraine. Ihor Syrota also emphasized that the extent of the damage is difficult to assess at this time, but the reconstruction will be lengthy. "This attack was especially dangerous because the enemy combined various means of attack, kamikaze drones, ballistic and cruise missiles," Kudrytskyi, the chairman of the board of NPC Ukrenergo, told the Associated Press. He explained that the Russians "tried to destroy every significant energy facility that feeds the city of Kharkiv," leaving at least 700,000 people without electricity. Several hundred thousand consumers were also left without power in other regions. ADVERTISIMENT The missile strike on March 22 was the largest attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure since the beginning of the full-scale phase of the war. As OBOZ.UA previously wrote, it will take three days to fully assess the consequences of the Russian strike on the DniproHES in Zaporizhzhia, although it was previously predicted that it would take a day. At the moment, it has been established that part of the ceiling and walls of the power plant's engine room have collapsed. However, there is no risk of a dam breach, and the plant will resume operations. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Armed men opened fire in a concert hall in Moscow on Friday, killing over 60 people and injuring more than 100. They also set fire to the venue, leaving the 6,200-seater Crocus City Hall in flames and with a collapsing roof, which hampered rescue efforts. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on affiliated channels on social media. The attack comes days after President Vladimir Putin's landslide win in the nationwide elections. The assailants entered the Crocus City Hall, a large music venue just west of Moscow, and sprayed the civilians with bullets just before Soviet-era rock group 'Picnic' was to perform to a full house. It is yet to be known whether the attackers have been apprehended or they have escaped. The Investigative Committee, the top state criminal investigation agency, reported early on Saturday that more than 60 people were killed. Health authorities released a list of 145 injured - 115 of them hospitalised, including five children. Reports suggest that victims might have been trapped inside because of the fire. Videos posted by Russian media and on social media showed men with assault rifles shooting screaming people at point-blank range. One video showed a man in the auditorium saying the assailants had set it on fire, as gunshots rang out incessantly. Another showed people taking cover inside the hall as gunshots could be heard in the background. The prosecutor's office said several men in combat fatigues entered the concert hall and fired on concertgoers. Guards at the concert hall did not have guns, and some could have been killed at the start of the attack, Russian media reported. Some Russian news outlets suggested the assailants fled before special forces and riot police arrived. Reports said police patrols were looking for vehicles the attackers could have used to escape. US intelligence officials confirmed the claim by the Islamic State group's branch based in Afghanistan that it was responsible for the Moscow attack, a US official told the AP. The official said US intelligence agencies had gathered information in recent weeks that the IS branch was planning an attack in Moscow. He said US officials had privately shared the intelligence earlier this month with Russian officials. * Prime Minister Narendra Modi departs for India after fruitful two-day visit to Bhutan PM Modi inaugurates modern hospital built with Indian assistance in Bhutan Russia says 60 dead, 145 injured in concert hall raid; Islamic State group claims responsibility Stories related to political developments in Pakistan. Stories on Israel-Gaza war. Stories on Russia-Ukraine war. * PY PY Westerly, RI (02891) Today Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 37F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 37F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Shortly before Shabbos, a fast moving fire ripped through a Jewish-owned home in the Kensington section of Brooklyn between Flatbush and Boro Park. FDNY tells YWN that the fire started at 413 E 3rd Street, near Avenue C at around 5:45PM. The fire quickly escalated to a second, and then a third alarm blaze, as a neighboring home caught fire. An elderly Jewish woman was pulled out of the home, and rushed to the hospital by Flatbush Hatzolah in critical condition. Please say Tehillim for Tova Leah bas Sophi (YWN World Headquarters NYC) The IDF announced on Motzei Shabbos that IDF soldier Sgt. First Class Ilay Dovid Garfinkel, Hyd, 21, was killed in a gun battle with the terrorist who engaged in an almost five-hour gun battle with IDF soldiers after shooting at an Israeli minibus on Friday morning. Garfinkel, zl, a commando in the elite Duvdevan unit, was a resident of Sitria, a moshav in central Israel. According to the IDF, the terrorist opened fire at the IDF soldiers with a sniper rifle. Seven other soldiers were wounded in the exchanges of fire, two seriously, including an IDF commander. During the incident, the terrorist opened fire on an MDA ambulance. Bullet holes were later found on the front windshield and the roof of the ambulance but bchasdei Hashem no one was injured. A strike from an IDF attack helicopter eventually killed the terrorist. The IDF posted footage of the strike as seen in the video below: U.S. trained and armed Palestinian sniper carried out terror attack, killing 1st Sgt.Ilay David Garfunkel and moderately wounding several more. Lets give these murderers a state! Right? https://t.co/9sU1wSz1cj Caroline Glick (@CarolineGlick) March 23, 2024 (YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis haShabbos in Israel) Chief Rabbi of Russia HaRav Berel Lazar instructed all the Jewish kehillos in Russia to cancel their Purim celebrations with music on Motzei Shabbos and Sunday in the wake of the deadly terror attack in Moscow on Friday night that killed at least 133 and injured over 100, with dozens in critical condition. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on Saturday and claimed that the attack is linked to Ukraine. However, US intelligence agencies have confirmed that ISIS was responsible for the attack and said that it warned Russia of an imminent attack. Putin declared Sunday a day of national mourning. HaRav Lazar instructed kehillos to instead increase their activities to fulfill the mitzvos of Purim bhiddur, including Kriyas HaMegillah, mishloach manos, and especially matanos levyonim to all Jews, including those in medical centers and prisons. Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed his condolences to Russia on behalf of Israel on Motzei Shabbos, stating: I condemn in the strongest terms the barbaric terrorist attack perpetrated in Moscow last night. I spoke with the Russian Ambassador to Israel to convey on behalf of the Israeli people my condolences to the families of the victims, to the Russian people and its leadership for the terrible loss of life, and wished a speedy recovery to all those injured. I emphasized that terrorism of any kind, especially jihadist terror, indiscriminately targets all peoples, of all beliefs and religions, while sowing fear and destruction. Fighting terrorism is a major international challenge, and the countries of the world must firmly fight it together. CNN reported on Motzei Shabbos that Defense Intelligence of Ukraine spokesperson Andrii Yusov firmly denied his country had anything to do with the terror attacks at a concert hall in Russias Moscow region. There are official statements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Presidential Office, and the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. Of course, Ukraine had nothing to do with it, Yusov said on Ukrainian national TV Saturday. (YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis haShabbos in Israel) Russia and China on Friday vetoed a U.S.-sponsored United Nations resolution supporting an immediate and sustained cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, calling the measure ambiguous and saying it was not the direct demand to end the fighting that much of the world seeks. The vote in the Security Council became another showdown involving world powers that are locked in tense disputes elsewhere, with the United States taking criticism for not being tough enough against its ally Israel. A key issue was the unusual language that said the Security Council determines the imperative of an immediate and sustained cease-fire. The phrasing was not a straightforward demand or call to halt hostilities. The resolution reflected a shift by the United States, which has found itself at odds with much of the world as even allies of Israel push for an unconditional end to fighting. In previous resolutions, the U.S. has closely intertwined calls for a cease-fire with demands for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. This resolution, using wording thats open to interpretation, continued to link the two issues, but not as firmly. Before the vote, Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Moscow supports an immediate cease-fire, but he criticized the diluted language, which he called philosophical wording that does not belong in a U.N. resolution. He accused U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of deliberately misleading the international community. This was some kind of an empty rhetorical exercise, Nebenzia said. The American product is exceedingly politicized, the sole purpose of which is to help to play to the voters, to throw them a bone in the form of some kind of a mention of a cease-fire in Gaza and to ensure the impunity of Israel, whose crimes in the draft are not even assessed. Chinas U.N. ambassador, Zhang Jun, said the U.S. proposal set preconditions and fell far short of expectations of council members and the broader international community. If the U.S. was serious about a cease-fire, it wouldnt have vetoed time and again multiple council resolutions, he said. It wouldnt have taken such a detour and played a game of words while being ambiguous and evasive on critical issues. The U.S. has vetoed three resolutions demanding a cease-fire, the most recent an Arab-backed measure supported by 13 council members with one abstention on Feb. 20. Thomas-Greenfield urged the council to adopt the resolution to press for an immediate cease-fire and the release of the hostages, as well as to address Gazas humanitarian crisis and support ongoing diplomacy by the United States, Egypt and Qatar. The vote in the 15-member council was 11 members in favor and three against, including Algeria, the Arab representative on the council. There was one abstention, from Guyana. After the vote, Thomas-Greenfield accused Russia and China of voting for deeply cynical reasons, saying they could not bring themselves to condemn Hamas terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, which the resolution would have done for the first time. She accused Russia of again putting politics over progress and having the audacity and hypocrisy to throw stones after launching its unwarranted invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. At the White House, national security spokesman John Kirby said Russia and China would rather shoot down something we authored simply because we authored it. While the most recent resolution would have been officially binding under international law, it would not have ended the fighting or led to the release of hostages. But it would have added to the pressure on Israel amid global demands for a cease-fire at a time of rising tensions between the U.S. and Israeli governments. Meanwhile, the 10 elected members of the Security Council have put their own resolution in a final form. It demands an immediate humanitarian cease-fire for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan that began March 10 to be respected by all parties leading to a permanent sustainable cease-fire. The Palestinian U.N. ambassador said the vote would take place Saturday morning. The resolution also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and emphasizes the urgent need to protect civilians and deliver humanitarian aid throughout the Gaza Strip. The Russian, Chinese and Algerian ambassadors urged council members to support it, but Thomas-Greenfield said the texts current form fails to support sensitive diplomacy in the region. Worse, it could actually give Hamas an excuse to walk away from the deal on the table. The Security Council had already adopted two resolutions on the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, but none has called for a cease-fire. Russia and China vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution in late October calling for pauses in the fighting to deliver aid, protection of civilians and a halt to arming Hamas. They said it did not reflect global calls for a cease-fire. A day earlier, the U.S. circulated a rival resolution, which went through major changes during negotiations before Fridays vote. It initially would have supported a temporary cease-fire linked to the release of all hostages, and the previous draft would have supported international efforts for a cease-fire as part of a hostage deal. The vote took place as Blinken, Americas top diplomat, was on his sixth mission to the Middle East since the war began, discussing a deal for a cease-fire and hostage release, as well as post-war scenarios. The final U.S. resolution eliminated language in the initial draft that said Israels offensive in Rafah should not proceed under current circumstances. Instead, in an introductory paragraph, the council emphasized its concern that a ground offensive into Rafah would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement, potentially into neighboring countries, and would have serious implications for regional peace and security. Chinas Zhang criticized the backtracking on unequivocal U.S. opposition, saying it would send an utterly wrong signal and lead to severe consequences. (AP) (YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis haShabbos in Israel) Financial influencers on social media sites such as TikTok are the second most popular place for under-25s to get financial advice, according to research. More than a third (36 per cent) of people in that age bracket said they relied on money influencers or 'finfluencers' as their main source of financial information. It was second only to speaking to a close family member, which 39 per cent of under-25s said was their first port of call for money advice. Less than a tenth of said they would head to a financial services provider for similar help. It's not just Generation Z that are looking for money tips online, however. Social media generation: Under 25s are the most likely to follow TikTok savings challenges such as 'loud budgeting' Some 52 per cent of all UK adults reported that they already are, or would consider, using a savings tip from social media, according to the research by Intuit Credit Karma. In fact, a majority of UK adults who took financial advice from social media reported that tips from TikTok in particular had improved their finances. Money influencers have a big following on TikTok, where the hashtag #Fintok - short for financial TikTok - has accrued almost four and a half billion views. Videos sharing tips for younger people on how to save more money are particularly popular. Akansha Nath, Intuit Credit Karma general manager, international said: 'As consumer appetite for money advice grows, there's never been so much financial information available and from such a wide variety of sources. 'Social media and specifically TikTok has become increasingly popular, offering advice in a format young people in particular are confident and comfortable with.' 'No spend' challenge appeals to young users Often, financial advice gleaned from social media comes in the forms of savings challenges and trending money tricks, such as the 'no spend money challenge'. More than half of the survey's respondents said they were considering, or had tried, this trend, which sees people try to have as many days of spending no money as they can over a month. As many as 70 per cent of under 25s said they would be prepared to try the challenge. Be wary: Akansha Nath warns that there is misinformation on social media 'Some challenges can be helpful depending on a person's situation. For example, the "no spend" money challenge can get people thinking about where they spend their money, and really assess if they are getting the most out of some purchases,' Nath said. Just under half, meanwhile, said they would try 'zero-based budgeting', which sees spending allocated only to essentials, with the rest being saved. The trend that under 25s are most likely to take part in is 'penny saving', through which participants increase the amount saved each day by 1p, reaching 3.65 on the last day of the year, and saving 667.925 in total. While young adults may be unlikely to turn to financial advisers for financial advice, by looking to TikTok they may find that they aren't actually saving as much as they might have been promised. While more than half said the social media tricks had helped them save more, 39 per cent said they made no difference, and two per cent said they were actually worse off. Should you trust a 'finfluencer'? Despite their popularity, 'finfluencers' may not be the most reliable source of advice. 'There's lots of misinformation on social media, particularly when it comes to investing or cryptocurrency, so it's really important to double check financial advice of any nature that you've seen online,' says Nath. 'Always take care when following financial advice from a new source, especially when it comes to advice that could risk you losing money or put your finances in jeopardy.' She said: 'The FCA has also recently stated it is concerned that some finfluencers are not labelling some content as ads or are promoting inappropriate financial products without understanding the risk or how they work. 'That's why it's really important to double-check financial advice of any nature that you've seen online.' A spokesperson for the Financial Conduct Authority told This is Money: 'We want to see more young people engaging with their money, and social media can be a helpful resource to get you started and find support. But financial services can be complex, and people should be wary of being misled by scams or dubious advice promoting specific investments.' 'We're updating our guidance for firms and influencers marketing financial products online so they can stay on the right side of our rules. For those touting products illegally, we will be taking action against you.' Britain's top defence firms have joined calls for the UK to spend more on its Armed Forces. In an unusual intervention, the UK boss of Airbus, which employs 12,000 staff in the UK, said the invasion of Ukraine had shown the sector can no longer be seen as a 'nice-to-have'. The world's biggest plane maker provides vital Army kit such as helicopters. Ben Bridge, UK boss of Airbus defence and space, told The Mail on Sunday: 'The imperative for the UK to improve spending on defence and nurture its sovereign defence capabilities is not merely a vanity project. 'It is the minimum requirement at this time to ensure we comprehensively pre-empt the rapidly evolving nature of warfare and ensure Nato remains unified against any potential threat.' Flying the flag: We launched a campaign for an immediate cash boost to the Armed Forces David Lockwood, head of Babcock International, which provides training and equipment to the Armed Forces and is the second biggest contractor in the sector behind BAE Systems, said the war in Ukraine had 'fundamentally changed assumptions about the risks we face'. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has repeatedly called for defence spending to be raised from 2.2 per cent to at least 2.5 per cent of national income. The Daily Mail has launched a campaign for an immediate cash boost to the Armed Forces so Britain can deter further aggression by Vladimir Putin and counter growing global threats. The campaign has been backed by four former defence secretaries Sir Michael Fallon, Sir Gavin Williamson, Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Lord Hammond. An increase in spending would trickle down into Britain's world-class defence sector, which employs almost 150,000 people. But a House of Commons public accounts committee report has found a funding gap of up to 29 billion over the next decade, which MPs say will lead to vital equipment plans being axed. Shapps has warned that the UK has moved from a 'post-war world to a pre-war world' and criticised the Chancellor for not increasing support in the Budget. Charles Woodburn, head of BAE Systems, said: 'Devastating conflicts around the world demonstrate that the peace dividend era is well and truly over.' The Ministry of Defence says the UK is spending record sums on defence, including an extra 24 billion between 2020 and 2025, with the military deployed on 'every single' Nato mission, supporting Ukraine and tackling Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. Mizuho assumed coverage on shares of Advance Auto Parts (NYSE:AAP Free Report) in a report released on Tuesday, MarketBeat reports. The brokerage issued a neutral rating and a $78.00 price target on the stock. AAP has been the topic of several other reports. William Blair reissued a market perform rating on shares of Advance Auto Parts in a report on Wednesday, December 13th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on Advance Auto Parts from $47.00 to $68.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Thursday, February 29th. Barclays upped their price target on Advance Auto Parts from $56.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 29th. TheStreet upgraded Advance Auto Parts from a d+ rating to a c- rating in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Finally, Truist Financial upped their price target on Advance Auto Parts from $53.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, February 29th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seventeen have issued a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $69.41. Get Advance Auto Parts alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on AAP Advance Auto Parts Price Performance AAP opened at $85.81 on Tuesday. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $68.91 and its 200 day simple moving average is $60.79. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 1.20 and a quick ratio of 0.29. Advance Auto Parts has a 1 year low of $47.73 and a 1 year high of $129.90. The firm has a market cap of $5.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 115.96, a PEG ratio of 1.54 and a beta of 1.14. Advance Auto Parts (NYSE:AAP Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 28th. The company reported ($0.59) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.24 by ($0.83). The firm had revenue of $2.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.47 billion. Advance Auto Parts had a net margin of 0.39% and a return on equity of 1.68%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.88 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Advance Auto Parts will post 3.94 earnings per share for the current year. Advance Auto Parts Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 26th. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 12th will be paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 11th. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.17%. Advance Auto Partss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 135.14%. Insider Activity In other news, EVP Herman L. Word, Jr. sold 1,858 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $86.08, for a total value of $159,936.64. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 10,448 shares in the company, valued at $899,363.84. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, EVP Herman L. Word, Jr. sold 1,858 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $86.08, for a total value of $159,936.64. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 10,448 shares in the company, valued at $899,363.84. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Carla Jean Bailo purchased 310 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, March 18th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $81.19 per share, for a total transaction of $25,168.90. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now directly owns 5,789 shares of the companys stock, valued at $470,008.91. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Company insiders own 0.63% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of Advance Auto Parts Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Private Advisor Group LLC purchased a new position in Advance Auto Parts in the first quarter valued at $232,000. MetLife Investment Management LLC lifted its position in Advance Auto Parts by 21.9% in the first quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 16,965 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,511,000 after purchasing an additional 3,046 shares during the period. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS lifted its position in Advance Auto Parts by 5.5% in the first quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 8,343 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,727,000 after purchasing an additional 435 shares during the period. Cibc World Market Inc. lifted its position in shares of Advance Auto Parts by 120.6% during the 1st quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 11,593 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,399,000 after acquiring an additional 6,338 shares during the period. Finally, Blair William & Co. IL increased its stake in shares of Advance Auto Parts by 14.4% during the 1st quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 4,620 shares of the companys stock worth $956,000 after purchasing an additional 582 shares in the last quarter. 88.75% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Advance Auto Parts Company Profile (Get Free Report) Advance Auto Parts, Inc provides automotive replacement parts, accessories, batteries, and maintenance items for domestic and imported cars, vans, sport utility vehicles, and light and heavy duty trucks. The company offers battery accessories; belts and hoses; brakes and brake pads; chassis and climate control parts; clutches and drive shafts; engines and engine parts; exhaust systems and parts; hub assemblies; ignition components and wires; radiators and cooling parts; starters and alternators; and steering and alignment parts. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Advance Auto Parts Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Advance Auto Parts and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The UN General Assembly on Thursday adopted a landmark resolution on the promotion of safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI) systems that will also benefit sustainable development for all. Adopting a US-led draft resolution without a vote, the UNGA also highlighted the respect, protection and promotion of human rights in the design, development, deployment and the use of AI. The text was co-sponsored or backed by more than 120 other Member States. The General Assembly also recognised AI systems potential to accelerate and enable progress towards reaching the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It represents the first time the Assembly has adopted a resolution on regulating the emerging field. The US National Security Advisor reportedly said earlier this month that the adoption would represent an historic step forward for the safe use of AI. The Assembly called on all Member States and stakeholders to refrain from or cease the use of AI systems that are impossible to operate in compliance with international human rights law or that pose undue risks to the enjoyment of human rights. It pointed out that "the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online, including throughout the life cycle of artificial intelligence systems." The Assembly also urged all states, the private sector, civil society, research organisations and the media, to develop and support regulatory and governance approaches and frameworks related to safe, secure and trustworthy use of AI. NSDC Secretary Oleksii Danilov said that Ukraine will not ask anyone for advice on the destruction of legitimate military targets on the territory of the terrorist state of Russia. We will continue to destroy Russians wherever we find them. ADVERTISIMENT In this way, the official commented on a Financial Times article in which US administration had called on Ukraine to stop striking Russian oil refineries. Danilov voiced his position during the 16th annual Kyiv Security Forum on March 22. "In terms of our war, we are not going to ask anyone what to attack on the territory of Russia," the NSDC Secretary said. He emphasized that Ukraine will continue to destroy Russians "wherever it finds them" and "will not ask anyone for permission." As a reminder, the FT article stated that American officials allegedly fear that attacks on Russian refineries could lead to higher fuel prices, particularly in the United States. The article was published on March 22, the day Russia carried out the most massive attack on Ukraine's energy facilities in recent times. ADVERTISIMENT The White House has neither confirmed nor denied the information that the United States allegedly appealed to the Ukrainian special services to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries. However, Biden's administration hinted that they were mostly against such strikes. The American Institute for the Study of War concluded that a series of attacks by Ukrainian drones on Russian refineries could have disabled up to 11% of Russia's total capacity. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey (OTCMKTS:FREVS Get Free Report) and NexPoint Residential Trust (NYSE:NXRT Get Free Report) are both real estate companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, risk, dividends, profitability, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and valuation. Earnings and Valuation This table compares First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey and NexPoint Residential Trusts gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Get First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey alerts: Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey N/A N/A N/A $1.69 9.62 NexPoint Residential Trust $277.53 million 2.82 $44.26 million $1.68 18.10 NexPoint Residential Trust has higher revenue and earnings than First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey. First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than NexPoint Residential Trust, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Insider & Institutional Ownership Dividends 78.3% of NexPoint Residential Trust shares are held by institutional investors. 12.0% of First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 13.0% of NexPoint Residential Trust shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth. First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey pays an annual dividend of $1.56 per share and has a dividend yield of 9.6%. NexPoint Residential Trust pays an annual dividend of $1.85 per share and has a dividend yield of 6.1%. First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey pays out 92.3% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. NexPoint Residential Trust pays out 110.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. NexPoint Residential Trust has raised its dividend for 8 consecutive years. First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio. Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey and NexPoint Residential Trust, as reported by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey 0 0 0 0 N/A NexPoint Residential Trust 1 2 2 0 2.20 NexPoint Residential Trust has a consensus price target of $38.50, suggesting a potential upside of 26.60%. Given NexPoint Residential Trusts higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe NexPoint Residential Trust is more favorable than First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey. Profitability This table compares First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey and NexPoint Residential Trusts net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey N/A N/A N/A NexPoint Residential Trust 15.97% 8.92% 2.04% Summary NexPoint Residential Trust beats First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey on 10 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks. About First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey (Get Free Report) First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey, Inc. is a publicly traded (over-the-counter symbol FREVS) REIT organized in 1961. Its portfolio of residential and commercial properties are located in New Jersey and New York, with the largest concentration in northern New Jersey. About NexPoint Residential Trust (Get Free Report) NexPoint Residential Trust is a publicly traded REIT, with its shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "NXRT," primarily focused on acquiring, owning and operating well-located middle-income multifamily properties with "value-add" potential in large cities and suburban submarkets of large cities, primarily in the Southeastern and Southwestern United States. NXRT is externally advised by NexPoint Real Estate Advisors, L.P., an affiliate of NexPoint Advisors, L.P., an SEC-registered investment advisor, which has extensive real estate experience. Receive News & Ratings for First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com lowered shares of Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note published on Wednesday morning. EW has been the topic of several other research reports. Wolfe Research downgraded shares of Edwards Lifesciences from a peer perform rating to an underperform rating and set a $57.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Tuesday, November 28th. Royal Bank of Canada raised 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. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $80.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Evercore ISI cut Edwards Lifesciences from an outperform rating to an in-line rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $80.00 to $77.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised 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. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $88.50. Get Edwards Lifesciences alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on Edwards Lifesciences Edwards Lifesciences Trading Down 0.9 % Shares of EW stock opened at $93.79 on Wednesday. Edwards Lifesciences has a 12 month low of $60.57 and a 12 month high of $95.27. The company has a quick ratio of 2.40, a current ratio of 3.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. The businesss 50 day moving average is $84.31 and its two-hundred day moving average is $75.49. The company has a market cap of $56.40 billion, a PE ratio of 40.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.61 and a beta of 1.05. Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The medical research company reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.64. Edwards Lifesciences had a return on equity of 23.56% and a net margin of 23.35%. The company had revenue of $1.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.50 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.64 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 13.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts predict that Edwards Lifesciences will post 2.76 EPS for the current year. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, VP Donald E. Bobo, Jr. sold 14,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $91.01, for a total value of $1,319,645.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 39,503 shares in the company, valued at $3,595,168.03. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, Director Michael A. Mussallem sold 29,350 shares of Edwards Lifesciences stock in a transaction on Friday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.98, for a total value of $2,141,963.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 4,486 shares in the company, valued at $327,388.28. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP Donald E. Bobo, Jr. sold 14,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $91.01, for a total value of $1,319,645.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 39,503 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,595,168.03. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 196,859 shares of company stock valued at $16,445,296 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 1.29% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Edwards Lifesciences Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 52,363,400 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $3,992,709,000 after buying an additional 729,984 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 0.4% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 27,053,304 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $2,551,938,000 after buying an additional 108,102 shares during the period. Capital International Investors lifted its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 4.9% in the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 27,015,032 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $2,548,023,000 after purchasing an additional 1,255,926 shares during the period. Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 20,512,235 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,934,919,000 after purchasing an additional 66,763 shares during the period. Finally, Brown Advisory Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 20.1% in the 4th quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 18,181,420 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,386,333,000 after purchasing an additional 3,048,274 shares during the period. 79.25% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Edwards Lifesciences Company Profile (Get 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. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Edwards Lifesciences Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Edwards Lifesciences and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Science Applications International (NYSE:SAIC Free Report) had its target price raised by Wells Fargo & Company from $141.00 to $143.00 in a report issued on Tuesday morning, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an equal weight rating on the information technology services providers stock. SAIC has been the topic of several other reports. StockNews.com downgraded Science Applications International from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, December 5th. Truist Financial increased their target price on Science Applications International from $115.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their target price on Science Applications International from $113.00 to $110.00 and set a sell rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 29th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut Science Applications International from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and increased their target price for the company from $130.00 to $142.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $127.50. Get Science Applications International alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on SAIC Science Applications International Trading Down 1.0 % Shares of NYSE SAIC opened at $126.51 on Tuesday. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $133.83 and its 200-day moving average price is $122.20. The company has a market cap of $6.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.29 and a beta of 0.71. Science Applications International has a fifty-two week low of $95.43 and a fifty-two week high of $145.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a current ratio of 0.98. Science Applications International (NYSE:SAIC Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, March 18th. The information technology services provider reported $1.43 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.44 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $1.74 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.64 billion. Science Applications International had a return on equity of 23.73% and a net margin of 6.41%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 11.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.04 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Science Applications International will post 8.14 earnings per share for the current year. Science Applications International Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 26th. Investors of record on Friday, April 12th will be given a $0.37 dividend. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.17%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 11th. Science Applications Internationals payout ratio is currently 16.72%. Insider Activity at Science Applications International In related news, Director Donna S. Morea sold 1,209 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.11, for a total value of $151,257.99. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 31,834 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,982,751.74. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, EVP Michelle A. Ohara sold 4,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $127.45, for a total value of $509,800.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,238 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,344,033.10. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Donna S. Morea sold 1,209 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $125.11, for a total transaction of $151,257.99. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 31,834 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,982,751.74. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.29% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Science Applications International Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of SAIC. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in shares of Science Applications International by 5.0% during the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 4,062,059 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $504,995,000 after purchasing an additional 194,160 shares during the period. Virtu Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Science Applications International during the 4th quarter worth approximately $635,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its stake in shares of Science Applications International by 9.4% during the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 28,853 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $3,588,000 after purchasing an additional 2,490 shares during the period. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio grew its stake in shares of Science Applications International by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 22,064 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $2,743,000 after purchasing an additional 174 shares during the period. Finally, Barclays PLC lifted its position in shares of Science Applications International by 13.2% during the 4th quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 168,246 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $20,917,000 after buying an additional 19,624 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.31% of the companys stock. Science Applications International Company Profile (Get Free Report) Science Applications International Corporation provides technical, engineering, and enterprise information technology (IT) services primarily in the United States. The company's offerings include engineering; technology integration; IT modernization; maintenance of ground and maritime systems; logistics; training and simulation; operation and program support services; and end-to-end services, such as design, development, integration, deployment, management and operations, sustainment, and security of its customers' IT infrastructure, as well as cloud migration, managed services, infrastructure modernization, and enterprise IT-as-a-service solutions; and data management platform solutions. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Science Applications International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Science Applications International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sunstone Hotel Investors (NYSE:SHO Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at StockNews.com from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report released on Thursday. A number of other research firms also recently weighed in on SHO. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Sunstone Hotel Investors from $9.50 to $10.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Friday, December 22nd. Truist Financial upped their target price on shares of Sunstone Hotel Investors from $12.00 to $13.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, March 14th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Sunstone Hotel Investors from an underweight rating to a neutral rating and raised their price target for the stock from $9.00 to $10.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and five have issued a hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $10.00. Get Sunstone Hotel Investors alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on SHO Sunstone Hotel Investors Stock Performance NYSE:SHO opened at $10.93 on Thursday. The firms 50-day moving average is $10.93 and its 200-day moving average is $10.21. The company has a market cap of $2.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.75, a PEG ratio of 4.35 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43, a quick ratio of 7.03 and a current ratio of 7.03. Sunstone Hotel Investors has a 52-week low of $8.60 and a 52-week high of $11.59. Sunstone Hotel Investors (NYSE:SHO Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 23rd. The real estate investment trust reported $0.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.16 by $0.44. Sunstone Hotel Investors had a return on equity of 11.32% and a net margin of 20.95%. The firm had revenue of $219.20 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $192.56 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.26 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was down 10.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Sunstone Hotel Investors will post 0.85 earnings per share for the current year. Institutional Trading of Sunstone Hotel Investors Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in Sunstone Hotel Investors by 9.0% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 34,473,209 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $324,738,000 after acquiring an additional 2,843,715 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its holdings in shares of Sunstone Hotel Investors by 26.5% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 13,652,726 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $129,260,000 after purchasing an additional 2,863,572 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its stake in shares of Sunstone Hotel Investors by 14.7% in the second quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 10,315,334 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $104,391,000 after buying an additional 1,321,934 shares in the last quarter. Rush Island Management LP raised its holdings in shares of Sunstone Hotel Investors by 30.3% in the third quarter. Rush Island Management LP now owns 9,579,732 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $89,570,000 after buying an additional 2,225,579 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cbre Investment Management Listed Real Assets LLC lifted its position in Sunstone Hotel Investors by 6.1% during the 2nd quarter. Cbre Investment Management Listed Real Assets LLC now owns 4,896,273 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $49,550,000 after buying an additional 280,067 shares in the last quarter. Sunstone Hotel Investors Company Profile (Get Free Report) Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc is a lodging real estate investment trust ("REIT") that as of the date of this release owns 14 hotels comprised of 6,675 rooms, the majority of which are operated under nationally recognized brands. Sunstone's strategy is to create long-term stakeholder value through the acquisition, active ownership, and disposition of well-located hotel and resort real estate. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Sunstone Hotel Investors Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sunstone Hotel Investors and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Matson (NYSE:MATX Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report published on Wednesday morning. Separately, Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on Matson from $108.00 to $109.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. Get Matson alerts: View Our Latest Stock Report on Matson Matson Price Performance Shares of Matson stock opened at $108.04 on Wednesday. Matson has a one year low of $56.51 and a one year high of $122.99. The stocks fifty day moving average is $112.83 and its 200 day moving average is $101.43. The stock has a market cap of $3.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.89 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a current ratio of 1.07. Matson (NYSE:MATX Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 20th. The shipping company reported $1.78 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.75 by $0.03. Matson had a return on equity of 12.71% and a net margin of 9.60%. The company had revenue of $788.90 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $733.60 million. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.10 EPS. Matsons revenue for the quarter was down 1.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Matson will post 8.2 earnings per share for the current year. Matson Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 7th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 8th were paid a $0.32 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 7th. This represents a $1.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.18%. Matsons payout ratio is presently 15.27%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, SVP Christopher A. Scott sold 1,171 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $107.83, for a total transaction of $126,268.93. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 12,958 shares in the company, valued at $1,397,261.14. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 1.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Matson by 1.2% in the 4th quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC now owns 9,379 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $1,028,000 after acquiring an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Matson by 4.0% in the 1st quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC now owns 2,995 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $361,000 after acquiring an additional 115 shares during the last quarter. U S Global Investors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Matson by 13.4% in the 4th quarter. U S Global Investors Inc. now owns 997 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $109,000 after acquiring an additional 118 shares during the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Matson by 2.1% in the 4th quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 6,033 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $661,000 after acquiring an additional 122 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Exchange Traded Concepts LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Matson by 1.7% in the 4th quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 7,862 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $862,000 after acquiring an additional 128 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.04% of the companys stock. About Matson (Get Free Report) Matson, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of ocean transportation and logistics services. It operates through two segments, Ocean Transportation and Logistics. The Ocean Transportation segment offers ocean freight transportation services to the domestic non-contiguous economies of Hawaii, Japan, Alaska, and Guam, as well as to other island economies in Micronesia. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Matson Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Matson and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CAVA Group, Inc. (NYSE:CAVA Get Free Report) has been assigned an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the thirteen ratings firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1 year price objective among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $56.50. CAVA has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of CAVA Group from $50.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday. Argus initiated coverage on shares of CAVA Group in a research note on Monday, January 29th. They set a hold rating on the stock. TD Cowen initiated coverage on shares of CAVA Group in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th. They set an outperform rating and a $46.00 price objective on the stock. William Blair reiterated an outperform rating on shares of CAVA Group in a research note on Tuesday, February 27th. Finally, Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on shares of CAVA Group from $46.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 28th. Get CAVA Group alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on CAVA Group CAVA Group Stock Up 0.2 % Shares of CAVA stock opened at $67.96 on Friday. CAVA Group has a fifty-two week low of $29.05 and a fifty-two week high of $69.20. The firms 50 day moving average price is $54.33 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $42.16. CAVA Group (NYSE:CAVA Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 26th. The company reported $0.02 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.01 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $175.50 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $240.03 million. CAVA Group had a net margin of 1.82% and a return on equity of 4.28%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 52.6% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that CAVA Group will post 0.24 EPS for the current year. Insider Buying and Selling at CAVA Group In other CAVA Group news, major shareholder Ronald M. Shaich sold 1,500,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $57.20, for a total transaction of $85,800,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 4,457,634 shares in the company, valued at $254,976,664.80. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Institutional Trading of CAVA Group Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. LPL Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of CAVA Group in the 2nd quarter worth about $415,000. Barclays PLC bought a new stake in shares of CAVA Group during the second quarter valued at approximately $250,000. Lido Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of CAVA Group during the second quarter worth approximately $209,000. Private Advisor Group LLC bought a new position in CAVA Group in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $619,000. Finally, Artisan Partners Limited Partnership acquired a new stake in CAVA Group in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $4,131,000. Institutional investors own 61.83% of the companys stock. CAVA Group Company Profile (Get Free Report CAVA Group, Inc owns and operates a chain of restaurants under the CAVA brand in the United States. The company also offers dips, spreads, and dressings through grocery stores. In addition, the company provides online and mobile ordering platforms. Cava Group, Inc was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Washington, the District of Columbia. Read More Receive News & Ratings for CAVA Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CAVA Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Packaging Co. of America (NYSE:PKG Get Free Report) has earned an average rating of Hold from the six brokerages that are covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $165.33. Several research firms have recently issued reports on PKG. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Packaging Co. of America from $147.00 to $173.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Thursday, November 30th. Bank of America raised Packaging Co. of America from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $172.00 to $202.00 in a research note on Monday, March 4th. Seaport Res Ptn downgraded shares of Packaging Co. of America from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, January 29th. StockNews.com cut Packaging Co. of America from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. Finally, Truist Financial lifted their price target on Packaging Co. of America from $170.00 to $187.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 4th. Get Packaging Co. of America alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on PKG Packaging Co. of America Price Performance Packaging Co. of America stock opened at $184.72 on Friday. Packaging Co. of America has a one year low of $122.20 and a one year high of $188.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a quick ratio of 1.77 and a current ratio of 2.57. The business has a fifty day moving average of $173.28 and a two-hundred day moving average of $162.41. The company has a market cap of $16.55 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.50 and a beta of 0.77. Packaging Co. of America (NYSE:PKG Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The industrial products company reported $2.13 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.83 by $0.30. Packaging Co. of America had a return on equity of 20.25% and a net margin of 9.81%. The company had revenue of $1.94 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.90 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.35 earnings per share. Packaging Co. of Americas quarterly revenue was down 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that Packaging Co. of America will post 8.18 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Packaging Co. of America Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a $1.25 dividend. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.71%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. Packaging Co. of Americas payout ratio is 58.96%. Insider Buying and Selling at Packaging Co. of America In other Packaging Co. of America news, VP Thomas A. Hassfurther sold 14,191 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $173.80, for a total value of $2,466,395.80. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 183,930 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $31,967,034. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, VP Thomas A. Hassfurther sold 13,850 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $181.06, for a total transaction of $2,507,681.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 187,647 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $33,975,365.82. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, VP Thomas A. Hassfurther sold 14,191 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $173.80, for a total value of $2,466,395.80. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 183,930 shares in the company, valued at $31,967,034. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 38,041 shares of company stock valued at $6,799,177 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 1.60% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. AEGON ASSET MANAGEMENT UK Plc bought a new position in Packaging Co. of America during the 4th quarter worth $16,338,000. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. grew its stake in Packaging Co. of America by 60.4% during the 3rd quarter. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. now owns 5,020 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $771,000 after buying an additional 1,890 shares during the last quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC grew its stake in Packaging Co. of America by 75.0% during the 3rd quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 15,884 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $2,436,000 after buying an additional 6,809 shares during the last quarter. Fjarde AP Fonden Fourth Swedish National Pension Fund grew its stake in shares of Packaging Co. of America by 16.7% in the third quarter. Fjarde AP Fonden Fourth Swedish National Pension Fund now owns 700 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $107,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Packaging Co. of America by 14.2% during the third quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 86,831 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $13,333,000 after purchasing an additional 10,769 shares during the period. 90.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About Packaging Co. of America (Get Free Report Packaging Corporation of America manufactures and sells containerboard and corrugated packaging products in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Packaging, Paper, and Corporate and Other. The Packaging segment offers various containerboard and corrugated packaging products, such as conventional shipping containers used to protect and transport manufactured goods; multi-color boxes and displays that help to merchandise the packaged product in retail locations; and honeycomb protective packaging products, as well as packaging for meat, fresh fruit and vegetables, processed food, beverages, and other industrial and consumer products. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Packaging Co. of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Packaging Co. of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC Get Free Report) has earned an average rating of Moderate Buy from the fifteen brokerages that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and eleven have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $45.92. Several research firms have issued reports on AMRC. Piper Sandler cut their price target on shares of Ameresco from $42.00 to $32.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 5th. Bank of America lowered Ameresco from a buy rating to a neutral rating and upped their target price for the company from $29.00 to $37.00 in a research report on Friday, December 15th. BNP Paribas raised Ameresco from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and set a $34.00 price target for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 12th. Canaccord Genuity Group dropped their price target on Ameresco from $50.00 to $36.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 29th. Finally, B. Riley decreased their price objective on shares of Ameresco from $46.00 to $40.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Monday, February 5th. Get Ameresco alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on AMRC Ameresco Price Performance Shares of AMRC stock opened at $19.74 on Friday. The stocks 50-day moving average is $21.49 and its 200 day moving average is $28.63. Ameresco has a 1-year low of $17.55 and a 1-year high of $63.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 1.24. The company has a market cap of $1.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.73, a PEG ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.54. Ameresco (NYSE:AMRC Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 28th. The utilities provider reported $0.69 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.60 by $0.09. Ameresco had a net margin of 4.54% and a return on equity of 7.49%. The business had revenue of $441.40 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $399.98 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.35 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 33.1% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that Ameresco will post 1.4 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its stake in shares of Ameresco by 17.8% in the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 1,169,158 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $45,083,000 after buying an additional 176,971 shares during the last quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Ameresco by 32.6% during the 3rd quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 284,617 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $10,975,000 after purchasing an additional 69,997 shares during the period. Boston Partners purchased a new position in shares of Ameresco during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $2,143,000. Deutsche Bank AG lifted its stake in shares of Ameresco by 16.6% in the 3rd quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 17,058 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $658,000 after purchasing an additional 2,426 shares during the period. Finally, Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust boosted its holdings in Ameresco by 20.0% during the third quarter. Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust now owns 292,411 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $11,275,000 after buying an additional 48,737 shares in the last quarter. 61.61% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Ameresco Company Profile (Get Free Report Ameresco, Inc, a clean technology integrator, provides a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable energy supply solutions in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. It operates through U.S. Regions, U.S. Federal, Canada, Europe, Alternative Fuels, and All Other segments. The company offers energy efficiency, infrastructure upgrades, energy security and resilience, asset sustainability, and renewable energy solutions for businesses and organizations. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Ameresco Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ameresco and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS Free Report) had its price objective reduced by Oppenheimer from $506.00 to $446.00 in a research note released on Tuesday morning, Benzinga reports. Oppenheimer currently has an outperform rating on the investment management companys stock. A number of other research analysts have also recently weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $333.00 to $449.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $357.00 to $360.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, January 18th. JMP Securities restated a market outperform rating and issued a $440.00 price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $398.00 to $421.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 9th. Finally, Daiwa Capital Markets upgraded shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $410.00 to $430.00 in a report on Thursday, March 14th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $406.87. Get The Goldman Sachs Group alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on GS The Goldman Sachs Group Price Performance Shares of GS opened at $406.82 on Tuesday. The Goldman Sachs Group has a 1-year low of $289.36 and a 1-year high of $416.76. The stock has a market cap of $132.02 billion, a PE ratio of 17.83, a P/E/G ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 1.42. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $386.18 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $354.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.29, a current ratio of 0.76 and a quick ratio of 0.76. The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 16th. The investment management company reported $5.48 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.62 by $1.86. The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 7.85% and a return on equity of 8.03%. The business had revenue of $11.32 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.80 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $3.32 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 6.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that The Goldman Sachs Group will post 32.56 EPS for the current year. The Goldman Sachs Group Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 29th will be given a dividend of $2.75 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $11.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.70%. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio is presently 48.20%. Insider Activity at The Goldman Sachs Group In related news, CAO Sheara J. Fredman sold 4,300 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $380.15, for a total value of $1,634,645.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 11,463 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,357,659.45. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, insider Brian J. Lee sold 3,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $376.39, for a total transaction of $1,129,170.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 10,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,809,443.19. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CAO Sheara J. Fredman sold 4,300 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $380.15, for a total transaction of $1,634,645.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 11,463 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,357,659.45. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 38,907 shares of company stock worth $15,080,021 in the last 90 days. 0.54% of the stock is owned by insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On The Goldman Sachs Group A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of GS. State Street Corp grew its stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 0.4% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 19,822,469 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $6,393,539,000 after purchasing an additional 76,641 shares during the period. Capital World Investors grew its stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 6.0% during the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 6,012,564 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $2,319,470,000 after purchasing an additional 338,181 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley grew its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 40.0% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 5,936,351 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $2,038,425,000 after acquiring an additional 1,696,350 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 2.8% in the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 5,518,035 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $2,128,693,000 after acquiring an additional 152,474 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 5,195,203 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $2,004,153,000 after acquiring an additional 27,524 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 69.06% of the companys stock. About The Goldman Sachs Group (Get Free Report) The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in financing under securities to resale agreements. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. New Hampshire Trust reduced its holdings in Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC Free Report) by 7.6% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 21,536 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 1,766 shares during the period. New Hampshire Trusts holdings in Bank of America were worth $725,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Buckingham Strategic Partners raised its stake in Bank of America by 23.7% during the second quarter. Buckingham Strategic Partners now owns 54,963 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,577,000 after purchasing an additional 10,535 shares during the period. Goodman Advisory Group LLC increased its position in shares of Bank of America by 104,312.4% during the second quarter. Goodman Advisory Group LLC now owns 194,207 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $5,572,000 after acquiring an additional 194,021 shares during the last quarter. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Bank of America by 8.2% in the third quarter. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC now owns 55,348 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,515,000 after purchasing an additional 4,187 shares in the last quarter. Eastern Bank grew its holdings in shares of Bank of America by 354.5% in the third quarter. Eastern Bank now owns 119,713 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $3,278,000 after purchasing an additional 93,375 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Bank of America by 3.7% during the 3rd quarter. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC now owns 65,495 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,793,000 after acquiring an additional 2,332 shares in the last quarter. 68.06% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Bank of America alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms have commented on BAC. Odeon Capital Group cut shares of Bank of America from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $33.90 price target for the company. in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Oppenheimer reduced their price objective on shares of Bank of America from $50.00 to $46.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on shares of Bank of America from $30.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 1st. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Bank of America from $39.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 2nd. Finally, Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Bank of America from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $32.00 to $41.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Bank of America has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $35.65. Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, major shareholder Of America Corp /De/ Bank acquired 5,398 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 27th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $10.56 per share, for a total transaction of $57,002.88. Following the acquisition, the insider now directly owns 5,398 shares in the company, valued at approximately $57,002.88. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.27% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Bank of America Price Performance Shares of NYSE BAC opened at $37.05 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $292.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.07, a PEG ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 1.38. Bank of America Co. has a 52 week low of $24.96 and a 52 week high of $37.61. The companys 50-day moving average price is $34.08 and its 200 day moving average price is $31.05. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15. Bank of America (NYSE:BAC Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 12th. The financial services provider reported $0.70 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.69 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $22 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $23.70 billion. Bank of America had a net margin of 15.42% and a return on equity of 11.38%. The firms revenue was down 10.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.85 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Bank of America Co. will post 3.12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Bank of America Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 1st will be paid a dividend of $0.24 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 29th. This represents a $0.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.59%. Bank of Americas dividend payout ratio is currently 31.27%. About Bank of America (Free Report) Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. It operates in four segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth & Investment Management (GWIM), Global Banking, and Global Markets. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Bank of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. On the night of March 23, the Russian occupation army once again attacked the settlements of the Dnipropetrovsk region. Nikopol district came under enemy attack. ADVERTISIMENT Russian terrorists used artillery and kamikaze drones. This was reported by the head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration Serhii Lysak on Telegram. According to him, there were three kamikaze drones and two artillery hits in the Nikopol district during the night. The terrorists targeted Nikopol and Chervonohryhorivka community. The attack damaged an energy facility. The occupants also damaged a college building, two apartment buildings and one private house. In addition, two outbuildings were destroyed in Nikopol district, and four more were damaged. The occupiers also targeted a greenhouse and power lines. Fortunately, no one was killed or injured. RMA head emphasized that Ukrainian defenders shot down 5 UAVs in Nikopol, Synelnykivka and Kryvyi Rih districts overnight. The administration noted that all those whose homes were cut off due to the massive attack on the region had their electricity restored. ADVERTISIMENT ADVERTISIMENT On the night of March 23, the Russian terrorist army attacked Kharkiv with Shahed kamikaze drones. Putin's troops hit the city three times. A rescuer and a policeman were injured after the second enemy shelling. Earlier, it was reported that on March 22, Russian invaders continued to massively shell Kherson region. Residential areas of 19 settlements in the region and Kherson came under enemy fire. Michael Hill International Limited (ASX:MHJ Get Free Report) insider David Whittle acquired 70,431 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 19th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of A$0.69 ($0.45) per share, for a total transaction of A$48,597.39 ($31,971.97). Michael Hill International Price Performance The company has a current ratio of 1.61, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 99.59. Get Michael Hill International alerts: Michael Hill International Cuts Dividend The company also recently disclosed a Interim dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 21st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 21st were given a dividend of $0.018 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, March 6th. This represents a dividend yield of 2.57%. Michael Hill Internationals payout ratio is 166.67%. Michael Hill International Company Profile Michael Hill International Limited owns and operates jewelry stores and provides related services in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. The company offers rings, earrings, bracelets and bangles, necklaces and pendants, chains, watches, collections, and gifts, as well as birthstones. It also provides care plans and diamond warranty services. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Michael Hill International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Michael Hill International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Realty Income Co. (NYSE:O Get Free Report)s stock price shot up 0.4% on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $52.89 and last traded at $52.67. 1,009,263 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 86% from the average session volume of 7,244,463 shares. The stock had previously closed at $52.44. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages have weighed in on O. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on Realty Income from $58.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 11th. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on Realty Income in a report on Tuesday, February 13th. They set a market perform rating and a $57.00 price objective for the company. StockNews.com raised Realty Income from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Mizuho dropped their price objective on Realty Income from $60.00 to $56.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 7th. Finally, Wolfe Research upgraded Realty Income from a peer perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $66.00 target price for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 6th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $60.96. Get Realty Income alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on O Realty Income Price Performance The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a current ratio of 1.28. The company has a 50-day moving average of $53.61 and a 200-day moving average of $53.41. The firm has a market capitalization of $44.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.44 and a beta of 0.92. Realty Income (NYSE:O Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 21st. The real estate investment trust reported $0.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.02 by ($0.72). Realty Income had a net margin of 21.39% and a return on equity of 4.06%. The business had revenue of $1.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.02 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.00 earnings per share. Realty Incomes revenue for the quarter was up 21.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Realty Income Co. will post 4.17 EPS for the current fiscal year. Realty Income Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a mar 24 dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Investors of record on Monday, April 1st will be given a $0.257 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 28th. This is a positive change from Realty Incomes previous mar 24 dividend of $0.26. This represents a dividend yield of 6%. Realty Incomes payout ratio is currently 244.45%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Realty Income A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its position in Realty Income by 25.0% during the 4th quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 89,018 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $5,111,000 after acquiring an additional 17,806 shares during the last quarter. Walden Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in Realty Income during the 4th quarter worth approximately $217,000. Leo Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Realty Income during the 4th quarter worth approximately $250,000. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in Realty Income by 2.7% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 113,920,054 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $6,541,290,000 after acquiring an additional 3,046,630 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Trust Co. of Vermont boosted its position in Realty Income by 2.2% during the 4th quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont now owns 170,087 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $9,766,000 after acquiring an additional 3,738 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.82% of the companys stock. About Realty Income (Get Free Report) Realty Income, The Monthly Dividend Company, is an S&P 500 company and member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats index. We invest in people and places to deliver dependable monthly dividends that increase over time. The company is structured as a real estate investment trust ("REIT"), and its monthly dividends are supported by the cash flow from over 15,450 real estate properties (including properties acquired in the Spirit merger in January 2024) primarily owned under long-term net lease agreements with commercial clients. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Realty Income Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Realty Income and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Watsco, Inc. (NYSE:WSO Get Free Report)s share price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $436.44 and last traded at $436.01, with a volume of 61244 shares. The stock had previously closed at $423.15. Analysts Set New Price Targets WSO has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Stephens boosted their price objective on Watsco from $450.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, December 11th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded Watsco from a hold rating to a buy rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $387.00 to $500.00 in a report on Friday, December 8th. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on Watsco from $400.00 to $410.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $396.00. Get Watsco alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on WSO Watsco Stock Up 0.1 % The company has a current ratio of 3.36, a quick ratio of 1.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. The company has a market cap of $17.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.17, a P/E/G ratio of 3.41 and a beta of 0.89. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $397.75 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $388.98. Watsco (NYSE:WSO Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 13th. The construction company reported $2.06 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.50 by ($0.44). The firm had revenue of $1.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.65 billion. Watsco had a net margin of 7.36% and a return on equity of 21.36%. The companys revenue was up 1.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.35 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Watsco, Inc. will post 14.26 earnings per share for the current year. Watsco Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 31st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 17th were paid a dividend of $2.45 per share. This represents a $9.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.23%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, January 16th. Watscos dividend payout ratio is currently 71.74%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Watsco Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its holdings in shares of Watsco by 2.6% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 648,662 shares of the construction companys stock worth $245,013,000 after acquiring an additional 16,589 shares during the last quarter. Hamlin Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Watsco by 5.7% during the 4th quarter. Hamlin Capital Management LLC now owns 295,833 shares of the construction companys stock worth $126,756,000 after acquiring an additional 16,006 shares during the last quarter. Portside Wealth Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Watsco by 1.9% during the 3rd quarter. Portside Wealth Group LLC now owns 3,342 shares of the construction companys stock worth $1,265,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares during the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB increased its holdings in shares of Watsco by 1.9% during the 3rd quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 120,564 shares of the construction companys stock worth $46,137,000 after acquiring an additional 2,295 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Raleigh Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Watsco by 35.0% during the 3rd quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 108 shares of the construction companys stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.49% of the companys stock. Watsco Company Profile (Get Free Report) Watsco, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the distribution of air conditioning, heating, refrigeration equipment, and related parts and supplies in the United States and internationally. The company distributes equipment, including residential ducted and ductless air conditioners, such as gas, electric, and oil furnaces; commercial air conditioning and heating equipment systems; and other specialized equipment. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Watsco Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Watsco and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CBIZ, Inc. (NYSE:CBZ Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week high on Thursday . The company traded as high as $78.48 and last traded at $78.31, with a volume of 28939 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $76.68. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Separately, Sidoti downgraded CBIZ from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $63.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Tuesday, January 2nd. Get CBIZ alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on CBZ CBIZ Trading Down 0.9 % The company has a market cap of $3.87 billion, a PE ratio of 32.52 and a beta of 0.83. The company has a current ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $70.18 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $61.22. CBIZ (NYSE:CBZ Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The business services provider reported ($0.26) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of ($0.27) by $0.01. CBIZ had a return on equity of 15.49% and a net margin of 7.60%. The firm had revenue of $327.50 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $308.87 million. During the same period last year, the company earned ($0.21) EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that CBIZ, Inc. will post 2.74 EPS for the current fiscal year. Hedge Funds Weigh In On CBIZ A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. KBC Group NV acquired a new stake in shares of CBIZ during the 4th quarter worth $34,000. Comerica Bank acquired a new position in shares of CBIZ in the 3rd quarter valued at about $41,000. Fortis Group Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of CBIZ during the 3rd quarter worth about $45,000. West Tower Group LLC acquired a new stake in CBIZ during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $47,000. Finally, Federated Hermes Inc. raised its holdings in CBIZ by 56.4% in the third quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 1,117 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $48,000 after buying an additional 403 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 88.06% of the companys stock. CBIZ Company Profile (Get Free Report) CBIZ, Inc provides financial, insurance, and advisory services in the United States and Canada. It operates through Financial Services, Benefits and Insurance Services, and National Practices segments. The Financial Services segment offers accounting and tax, financial advisory, valuation, risk and advisory, and government healthcare consulting services. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for CBIZ Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CBIZ and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. New Hampshire Trust cut its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO Free Report) by 1.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 6,199 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 121 shares during the period. New Hampshire Trusts holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $3,290,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Phoenix Holdings Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 21.4% during the third quarter. Phoenix Holdings Ltd. now owns 9,366 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $4,750,000 after buying an additional 1,654 shares in the last quarter. DMC Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 16.5% in the third quarter. DMC Group LLC now owns 592 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $300,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares during the last quarter. Montchanin Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 1.1% in the second quarter. Montchanin Asset Management LLC now owns 4,550 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $2,374,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. Check Capital Management Inc. CA bought a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in the third quarter worth $219,000. Finally, Tower Bridge Advisors grew its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 0.5% in the third quarter. Tower Bridge Advisors now owns 33,046 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $16,727,000 after purchasing an additional 155 shares during the last quarter. 87.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Thermo Fisher Scientific alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts recently weighed in on TMO shares. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $592.00 to $642.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. Raymond James boosted their price objective on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $515.00 to $605.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. HSBC began coverage on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research report on Monday, December 18th. They set a buy rating and a $610.00 price target on the stock. TheStreet raised shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research report on Friday, December 22nd. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a market perform rating on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research report on Monday, January 8th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Thermo Fisher Scientific currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $599.00. Thermo Fisher Scientific Price Performance Shares of NYSE TMO opened at $583.09 on Friday. The firms 50-day moving average price is $562.41 and its 200-day moving average price is $519.25. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 1-year low of $415.60 and a 1-year high of $603.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $222.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.74, a P/E/G ratio of 2.45 and a beta of 0.80. The company has a current ratio of 1.75, a quick ratio of 1.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The medical research company reported $5.67 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $5.64 by $0.03. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a net margin of 13.99% and a return on equity of 18.78%. The company had revenue of $10.89 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.73 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $5.40 EPS. The firms revenue was down 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 21.52 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Thermo Fisher Scientific Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be paid a $0.39 dividend. This is a positive change from Thermo Fisher Scientifics previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.27%. Thermo Fisher Scientifics dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 10.10%. Insider Activity In related news, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 10,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $597.98, for a total value of $5,979,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 123,816 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $74,039,491.68. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, SVP Michael A. Boxer sold 14,566 shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific 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 filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $597.98, for a total transaction of $5,979,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 123,816 shares in the company, valued at approximately $74,039,491.68. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 50,277 shares of company stock valued at $28,513,384 in the last three months. Company insiders own 0.32% of the companys stock. 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 North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and internationally. The company's Life Sciences Solutions segment offers reagents, instruments, and consumables for biological and medical research, discovery, and production of drugs and vaccines, as well as diagnosis of infections and diseases; and solutions include biosciences, genetic sciences, and bio production to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural, clinical, healthcare, academic, and government markets. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TMO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Thermo Fisher Scientific Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Thermo Fisher Scientific and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC bought a new position in Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE:HIMS Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 5,500 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $48,000. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in HIMS. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Hims & Hers Health by 3.1% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 14,126,744 shares of the companys stock valued at $88,857,000 after acquiring an additional 428,671 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Hims & Hers Health by 11.1% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 9,929,061 shares of the companys stock valued at $93,333,000 after acquiring an additional 991,959 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its position in Hims & Hers Health by 48.0% in the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 5,875,867 shares of the companys stock valued at $55,233,000 after buying an additional 1,904,930 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC boosted its position in Hims & Hers Health by 145.8% in the 4th quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 3,524,750 shares of the companys stock worth $22,594,000 after purchasing an additional 2,090,833 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp boosted its position in Hims & Hers Health by 16.3% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 3,021,045 shares of the companys stock worth $16,857,000 after purchasing an additional 423,361 shares in the last quarter. 61.45% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Hims & Hers Health alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. TheStreet upgraded Hims & Hers Health from a d rating to a c rating in a research report on Monday, March 4th. Leerink Partnrs reiterated a market perform rating on shares of Hims & Hers Health in a research report on Monday, February 26th. SVB Leerink began coverage on Hims & Hers Health in a research note on Monday, February 26th. They issued a market perform rating and a $10.00 price objective for the company. Citigroup increased their price objective on Hims & Hers Health from $12.00 to $16.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 27th. Finally, Tigress Financial increased their price objective on Hims & Hers Health from $14.00 to $15.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, January 5th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $13.45. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Hims & Hers Health news, CEO Andrew Dudum sold 50,361 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.34, for a total transaction of $822,898.74. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, CEO Andrew Dudum sold 50,361 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.34, for a total transaction of $822,898.74. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Soleil Boughton sold 13,744 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $8.80, for a total transaction of $120,947.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 154,345 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,358,236. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 501,318 shares of company stock worth $5,625,418 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 31.63% of the companys stock. Hims & Hers Health Stock Performance Shares of Hims & Hers Health stock traded down $0.40 on Friday, reaching $16.33. The company had a trading volume of 3,782,326 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,305,501. Hims & Hers Health, Inc. has a 52-week low of $5.65 and a 52-week high of $16.88. The firms 50 day moving average price is $11.28 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $8.72. The firm has a market cap of $3.50 billion, a PE ratio of -148.45 and a beta of 0.89. Hims & Hers Health (NYSE:HIMS Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, February 26th. The company reported $0.01 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.02) by $0.03. Hims & Hers Health had a negative net margin of 2.70% and a negative return on equity of 7.21%. The firm had revenue of $246.60 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $245.84 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned ($0.05) EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 47.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Hims & Hers Health, Inc. will post 0.1 EPS for the current year. Hims & Hers Health Company Profile (Free Report) Hims & Hers Health, Inc operates a telehealth platform that connects consumers to licensed healthcare professionals in the United States, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company offers a range of curated prescription and non-prescription health and wellness products and services available to purchase on its websites and mobile application directly by customers. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Hims & Hers Health Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hims & Hers Health and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Global Trust Asset Management LLC grew its stake in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IWP Free Report) by 0.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 18,767 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 140 shares during the period. iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF makes up approximately 0.9% of Global Trust Asset Management LLCs holdings, making the stock its 29th largest holding. Global Trust Asset Management LLCs holdings in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF were worth $1,960,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Authentikos Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF during the third quarter valued at $29,000. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. bought a new position in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF during the third quarter valued at $30,000. BluePath Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF during the third quarter valued at $32,000. Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO bought a new position in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF in the third quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, Ambassador Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF by 198.0% in the first quarter. Ambassador Advisors LLC now owns 441 shares of the companys stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 293 shares during the last quarter. Get iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF alerts: iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF Trading Down 0.6 % Shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF stock traded down $0.71 during trading on Friday, reaching $113.14. The companys stock had a trading volume of 383,523 shares, compared to its average volume of 769,014. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $108.54 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $99.94. iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF has a one year low of $85.24 and a one year high of $114.48. The stock has a market capitalization of $15.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.03 and a beta of 1.10. About iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF 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). Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IWP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IWP Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. MKT Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 1,823 shares of the healthcare product makers stock, valued at approximately $202,000. A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ABT. Fairfield Bush & CO. acquired a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the 1st quarter valued at about $131,000. United Bank grew its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 7.2% during the 1st quarter. United Bank now owns 27,280 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $3,229,000 after acquiring an additional 1,826 shares in the last quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp raised its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 1.9% in the 1st quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 813,253 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $96,257,000 after purchasing an additional 15,521 shares in the last quarter. Kinneret Advisory LLC boosted its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 2.3% during the 1st quarter. Kinneret Advisory LLC now owns 19,467 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $2,304,000 after acquiring an additional 436 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Lumature Wealth Partners LLC raised its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 636.2% during the first quarter. Lumature Wealth Partners LLC now owns 2,216 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $262,000 after purchasing an additional 1,915 shares in the last quarter. 73.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Insider Activity at Abbott Laboratories In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 12,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.00, for a total value of $1,500,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 78,704 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,444,480. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 12,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.00, for a total transaction of $1,500,000.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 78,704 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,444,480. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, VP John A. Jr. Mccoy sold 472 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.50, for a total value of $55,932.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 18,760 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,223,060. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 56,435 shares of company stock worth $6,451,298. 1.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $128.00 price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. TheStreet upgraded Abbott Laboratories from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Thursday, December 21st. Citigroup boosted their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $123.00 to $126.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Barclays increased their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $141.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Finally, Raymond James boosted their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $124.00 to $127.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $120.00. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Abbott Laboratories Abbott Laboratories Trading Down 0.8 % ABT stock traded down $0.94 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $110.57. The stock had a trading volume of 5,387,719 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,953,289. The companys 50-day moving average price is $115.33 and its 200 day moving average price is $106.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 1.64 and a quick ratio of 1.16. The firm has a market cap of $191.86 billion, a PE ratio of 33.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 0.75. Abbott Laboratories has a 12-month low of $89.67 and a 12-month high of $121.64. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.19 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $1.19. The firm had revenue of $10.24 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.19 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 20.65% and a net margin of 14.27%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.03 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.62 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 15th will be paid a $0.55 dividend. This represents a $2.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.99%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 12th. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio is currently 67.48%. Abbott Laboratories Profile (Free Report) Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The company provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Meniere's disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Abbott Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Abbott Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton lessened its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (BATS:USMV Free Report) by 5.2% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 3,232 shares of the companys stock after selling 177 shares during the quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamiltons holdings in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF were worth $252,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in USMV. Bank of Montreal Can raised its position in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 7.8% in the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 8,253 shares of the companys stock worth $646,000 after purchasing an additional 594 shares in the last quarter. Blair William & Co. IL raised its position in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 1.7% in the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 95,612 shares of the companys stock worth $7,417,000 after purchasing an additional 1,612 shares in the last quarter. AJ Wealth Strategies LLC raised its position in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 4.4% in the first quarter. AJ Wealth Strategies LLC now owns 1,348,690 shares of the companys stock worth $104,618,000 after purchasing an additional 57,434 shares in the last quarter. Founders Financial Securities LLC raised its position in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 27.0% in the first quarter. Founders Financial Securities LLC now owns 88,779 shares of the companys stock worth $6,887,000 after purchasing an additional 18,853 shares in the last quarter. Finally, West Michigan Advisors LLC raised its position in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 6.1% in the first quarter. West Michigan Advisors LLC now owns 12,575 shares of the companys stock worth $975,000 after purchasing an additional 719 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF alerts: iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF Trading Down 0.3 % BATS:USMV traded down $0.21 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $82.69. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,024,237 shares. The company has a market capitalization of $31.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.17 and a beta of 0.75. iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF has a fifty-two week low of $47.44 and a fifty-two week high of $55.45. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $80.88 and a 200-day moving average of $77.03. iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF Company Profile The iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (USMV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Minimum Volatility (USD) index. The fund tracks an index of US-listed firms selected and weighted to create a low-volatility portfolio subject to various constraints. USMV was launched on Oct 18, 2011 and is managed by BlackRock. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding USMV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (BATS:USMV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Independent Wealth Network Inc. increased its position in SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEARCA:GLD Free Report) by 10.5% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 9,018 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 856 shares during the period. SPDR Gold Shares comprises 0.9% of Independent Wealth Network Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 26th largest position. Independent Wealth Network Inc.s holdings in SPDR Gold Shares were worth $1,724,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Sei Investments Co. bought a new position in shares of SPDR Gold Shares in the 1st quarter worth about $24,420,000. Covestor Ltd increased its position in SPDR Gold Shares by 69.4% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 532 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $96,000 after buying an additional 218 shares in the last quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC raised its stake in SPDR Gold Shares by 18.6% during the first quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 2,773 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $501,000 after buying an additional 435 shares during the last quarter. First Western Trust Bank bought a new stake in SPDR Gold Shares in the first quarter worth $256,000. Finally, Prudential Financial Inc. grew its stake in shares of SPDR Gold Shares by 32.5% in the first quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 36,898 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $6,666,000 after acquiring an additional 9,049 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 40.99% of the companys stock. Get SPDR Gold Shares alerts: SPDR Gold Shares Price Performance Shares of GLD stock opened at $200.34 on Friday. SPDR Gold Shares has a one year low of $168.30 and a one year high of $203.92. The companys 50-day moving average is $191.24 and its 200 day moving average is $185.65. SPDR Gold Shares Company Profile SPDR Gold Trust (the Trust) is an investment trust. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the Trusts expenses. The Trusts business activity is the investment of gold. The Trust creates and redeems Shares from time to time, but in one or more Baskets (a Basket equals a block of 100,000 Shares). Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GLD? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEARCA:GLD Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for SPDR Gold Shares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SPDR Gold Shares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Recent strikes on Russian refineries have likely disrupted at least 10% of Russia's oil refining capacity. Due to the sanctions, it will take a long time to repair the equipment, and although Moscow has promised to "cover" the refineries with "shells," it is unlikely that it will be able to protect all "vulnerable" facilities. ADVERTISIMENT This is stated in the UK intelligence report published on March 23 on the social network X. According to the agency, on March 17, a representative of Ukrainian intelligence said that Ukraine had successfully struck 12 Russian refineries using UAVs. On March 15-16, Ukrainian media reported that three large refineries in the Samara region in southern Russia were also attacked. "Some of the most remote facilities under attack are located approximately 900 kilometers from Ukraine, which underscores the range of Ukrainian UAV attacks. These strikes are causing a financial cost to Russia by affecting the domestic fuel market," the British intelligence service said. The report also says that the strikes on refineries in Russia have probably disrupted the operation of at least 10% of Russia's refining capacity. ADVERTISIMENT Overhauls could take considerable time and money, and sanctions are likely to increase the time and cost of replacing equipment, according to British intelligence. "According to a representative of the Russian Ministry of Energy, it is planned to deploy the Pantsyr air defense system to protect oil refineries. However, given the size and scale of the Russian energy industry, it is unlikely that Russia will be able to protect all vulnerable facilities," the report says. As OBOZ.UA reported earlier, ISW concluded that a series of attacks by Ukrainian drones on refineries in Russia could have seriously undermined Russia's oil refining capacity. Up to 11% of the total capacity could have been out of commission. ADVERTISIMENT According to Bloomberg, at least nine major refineries have been attacked in Russia since the beginning of the year, meaning that Ukraine has entered a new phase in the war. After the attacks, Moscow was forced to impose a ban on gasoline exports and is now trying to increase crude oil sales. However, according to Reuters, oil exports from Russia may soon fall along with its production volumes, as there will be no place to store the raw materials. Lionsbridge Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:TLH Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 28,888 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,127,000. iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF makes up 2.5% of Lionsbridge Wealth Management LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 16th biggest holding. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC acquired a new position in iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF during the 2nd quarter worth $28,000. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its holdings in iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF by 86.9% during the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 271 shares of the companys stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 126 shares in the last quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. acquired a new position in iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF during the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF by 74.1% during the 1st quarter. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC now owns 350 shares of the companys stock worth $40,000 after buying an additional 149 shares in the last quarter. Finally, DB Wealth Management Group LLC acquired a new position in iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF during the 4th quarter worth $54,000. Get iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF alerts: iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF Stock Up 0.8 % NYSEARCA:TLH traded up $0.85 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $104.43. 275,741 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 681,488. The companys 50 day moving average is $104.39 and its two-hundred day moving average is $102.32. iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF has a twelve month low of $93.08 and a twelve month high of $116.76. About iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF The iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLH) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the ICE U.S. Treasury 10-20 Year TR index. The fund tracks a market-weighted index of debt issued by the U.S. Treasury TLH was launched on Jan 5, 2007 and is managed by BlackRock. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners Ltd. (NYSE:BAMR Get Free Report) shot up 2.4% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $42.10 and last traded at $42.10. 1,721 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 92% from the average session volume of 20,993 shares. The stock had previously closed at $41.11. Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners Stock Down 1.5 % The stocks 50-day moving average price is $40.24 and its 200 day moving average price is $36.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.28 and a quick ratio of 0.28. Get Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of BAMR. Swiss National Bank boosted its stake in Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners by 5.5% during the first quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 21,000 shares of the companys stock worth $1,198,000 after buying an additional 1,100 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its stake in Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners by 149.0% during the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 3,302 shares of the companys stock worth $189,000 after buying an additional 1,976 shares during the period. Mackenzie Financial Corp boosted its stake in Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners by 2.5% during the first quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 53,097 shares of the companys stock worth $3,036,000 after buying an additional 1,285 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners during the first quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Verition Fund Management LLC purchased a new position in Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners during the first quarter worth about $6,242,000. 39.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners Company Profile Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides annuity-based reinsurance products to insurance and reinsurance companies. The company operates in two segments, Reinsurance and Pension Risk Transfer. It also acts as a direct issuer of pension risk transfer products for pension plan sponsors. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. LVW Advisors LLC increased its position in MSCI Inc. (NYSE:MSCI Free Report) by 28.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,613 shares of the technology companys stock after buying an additional 360 shares during the quarter. LVW Advisors LLCs holdings in MSCI were worth $912,000 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 the company. RB Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in MSCI by 16.5% in the first quarter. RB Capital Management LLC now owns 1,276 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $642,000 after acquiring an additional 181 shares during the last quarter. Markel Corp boosted its holdings in MSCI by 3.4% in the first quarter. Markel Corp now owns 141,700 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $71,258,000 after acquiring an additional 4,700 shares during the last quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund boosted its holdings in MSCI by 42.2% in the first quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 1,237 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $622,000 after acquiring an additional 367 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. boosted its holdings in MSCI by 6.0% in the first quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 1,831 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $921,000 after acquiring an additional 104 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Prudential PLC bought a new stake in MSCI in the first quarter valued at approximately $701,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.61% of the companys stock. Get MSCI alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research firms have issued reports on MSCI. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on MSCI from $544.00 to $617.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Redburn Atlantic cut MSCI from a neutral rating to a sell rating and cut their price target for the stock from $620.00 to $470.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. Raymond James reiterated a market perform rating on shares of MSCI in a report on Friday, January 5th. StockNews.com cut MSCI from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. Finally, Edward Jones began coverage on MSCI in a report on Friday, December 22nd. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $578.21. MSCI Trading Down 1.9 % Shares of MSCI stock traded down $10.67 on Friday, hitting $553.11. 364,319 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 388,870. The firm has a market capitalization of $43.82 billion, a PE ratio of 38.41, a P/E/G ratio of 2.83 and a beta of 1.07. MSCI Inc. has a one year low of $451.55 and a one year high of $617.39. The firms 50 day moving average is $564.97 and its two-hundred day moving average is $537.42. MSCI (NYSE:MSCI Get Free Report) last posted 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. MSCI had a negative return on equity of 111.17% and a net margin of 45.42%. The company had revenue of $690.11 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $662.64 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.84 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 19.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts expect that MSCI Inc. will post 14.8 earnings per share for the current year. MSCI Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 16th were paid a $1.60 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 15th. This represents a $6.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.16%. This is an increase from MSCIs previous quarterly dividend of $1.38. MSCIs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 44.44%. About MSCI (Free Report) MSCI Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides critical decision support tools and solutions for the investment community to manage investment processes worldwide. The Index segment provides indexes for use in various areas of the investment process, including indexed financial product, such as ETFs, mutual funds, annuities, futures, options, structured products, and over-the-counter derivatives; performance benchmarking; portfolio construction and rebalancing; and asset allocation, as well as licenses GICS and GICS Direct. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MSCI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for MSCI Inc. (NYSE:MSCI Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for MSCI Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for MSCI and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Stokes Capital Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Canadian Natural Resources Limited (NYSE:CNQ Free Report) (TSE:CNQ) by 151.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 69,047 shares of the oil and gas producers stock after acquiring an additional 41,637 shares during the quarter. Stokes Capital Advisors LLCs holdings in Canadian Natural Resources were worth $4,524,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in CNQ. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership acquired a new position in shares of Canadian Natural Resources during the 1st quarter worth about $960,796,000. Capital International Investors lifted its holdings in shares of Canadian Natural Resources by 88.2% in the 1st quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 7,930,544 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $491,064,000 after purchasing an additional 3,716,523 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Canadian Natural Resources by 6.2% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 40,235,475 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $2,493,796,000 after purchasing an additional 2,332,528 shares during the last quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund lifted its holdings in shares of Canadian Natural Resources by 43.2% in the 3rd quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 7,640,000 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $494,262,000 after purchasing an additional 2,305,000 shares during the last quarter. Finally, BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Canadian Natural Resources by 842.8% in the 2nd quarter. BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp now owns 2,486,809 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $139,791,000 after purchasing an additional 2,223,039 shares during the last quarter. 73.88% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Canadian Natural Resources alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Canadian Natural Resources from $101.00 to $102.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, January 11th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Canadian Natural Resources currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $94.00. Canadian Natural Resources Stock Performance CNQ traded down $0.17 on Friday, hitting $74.10. 1,821,724 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,962,316. The company has a 50 day moving average of $66.10 and a 200-day moving average of $65.23. The company has a quick ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. The stock has a market capitalization of $79.56 billion, a PE ratio of 13.38 and a beta of 1.53. Canadian Natural Resources Limited has a 12-month low of $50.08 and a 12-month high of $74.52. Canadian Natural Resources Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.774 per share. This represents a $3.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.18%. This is an increase from Canadian Natural Resourcess previous quarterly dividend of $0.72. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. Canadian Natural Resourcess dividend payout ratio is 53.25%. 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). Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CNQ? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Canadian Natural Resources Limited (NYSE:CNQ Free Report) (TSE:CNQ). Receive News & Ratings for Canadian Natural Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canadian Natural Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. LVW Advisors LLC decreased its stake in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report) by 40.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 37,038 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 25,138 shares during the period. LVW Advisors LLCs holdings in Pfizer were worth $1,066,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of PFE. Compagnie Lombard Odier SCmA boosted its stake in Pfizer by 308.0% during the 4th quarter. Compagnie Lombard Odier SCmA now owns 250,655 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $7,216,000 after purchasing an additional 189,223 shares during the period. Mutual Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Pfizer by 29.6% during the 4th quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC now owns 216,586 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $6,236,000 after purchasing an additional 49,521 shares during the period. Premier Path Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Pfizer during the 4th quarter worth $1,327,000. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC boosted its stake in Pfizer by 1.9% during the 4th quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC now owns 24,334 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $701,000 after purchasing an additional 457 shares during the period. Finally, Sweet Financial Partners LLC boosted its stake in Pfizer by 73.7% during the 4th quarter. Sweet Financial Partners LLC now owns 18,516 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $533,000 after purchasing an additional 7,858 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.05% of the companys stock. Get Pfizer alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts recently weighed in on PFE shares. Argus cut shares of Pfizer from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday. Guggenheim initiated coverage on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Friday, February 23rd. They set a buy rating and a $36.00 price objective for the company. TD Cowen downgraded shares of Pfizer from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and set a $32.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. Truist Financial cut their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $42.00 to $36.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. Finally, Barclays cut their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $34.00 to $28.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Pfizer has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $36.88. Pfizer Price Performance NYSE:PFE traded down $0.30 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $27.36. 28,830,115 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 48,466,376. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a current ratio of 0.91. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $27.53 and its 200 day simple moving average is $29.70. Pfizer Inc. has a 1 year low of $25.61 and a 1 year high of $42.22. The company has a market cap of $154.93 billion, a PE ratio of 76.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 0.61. 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 (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.19) by $0.29. Pfizer had a net margin of 3.62% and a return on equity of 10.88%. The company had revenue of $14.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.37 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.14 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 41.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts expect that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.22 EPS for the current year. Pfizer Profile (Free Report) Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, Zavzpret, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Abrysvo, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The F-16 fighter jets that Ukraine is about to receive are needed to counter Russian Su-34 and Su-35 jets that are dropping guided bombs on Ukrainian positions and frontline settlements. Currently, our country "can do very little to repel them". Thus, F-16s may give it a chance. ADVERTISIMENT Forbes writes about this. "50 or 60 F-16 jets that Ukraine is going to receive from Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway could give Ukrainian commanders new opportunities," the article says. By detecting targets up to 70 miles away with their AN/APG-66(V)2 radars, F-16 pilots could launch AIM-120 missiles from a distance sufficient to hit Russian aircraft without going deep into Russian-controlled territory. The authors note that the F-16, although equipped with the AN/ALQ-213 self-defense system, which allows it to safely approach the front line, is not a superweapon or invulnerable to enemy missiles. Because of this, the publication predicts that Ukraine may lose these aircraft - "potentially many of them" - in the first weeks and months. Forbes writes that if Ukrainian commanders truly realize the danger that Russian guided bombs pose to Ukrainian ground positions, they should "aggressively deploy the jets" and target Russian aircraft with cruise missiles. ADVERTISIMENT "The problem posed by the widespread use of UAVs is likely to persist. It can only be solved by additional purchases and deployment of Patriot and F-16 air defense systems equipped with modern air-to-air missiles," the Ukrainian analytical group Frontelligence Insight explains. The article states that Russian anti-aircraft missiles are probably the decisive weapon in the 25th month of the full-scale war. With their help, the occupiers are systematically destroying Ukrainian defense, making it easier for their army's assault groups to advance. That is why Ukrainian F-16 jets must "hunt" Russian fighters even if it is dangerous. As reported, Ukraine will receive F-16 fighters in the first half of this year. First, the planes will arrive from Denmark. Meanwhile, it has become known that the first group of Ukrainian pilots has successfully completed intensive basic flight training on F-16 jets under the guidance of instructors from the British Royal Air Force. This program included basic flight, technical and language training, which took place in the UK. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Marjorie Taylor Green, a Republican congresswoman from the U.S. House of Representatives, initiated the ouster of the speaker, her fellow party member Mike Johnson. She accused the politician of betraying the party. ADVERTISIMENT As you know, today the House of Representatives voted for the country's state budget. However, Democrats cast more votes for the document than Republicans, even though the latter outnumber the former in the US Congress. It was the support of Democrats that turned Republicans against Speaker Johnson, according to The Hill. Green emphasized that her initiative is only a "warning". "Speaker Johnson betrayed our party and broke our rules. I respect our party, I pay my dues, I am a member in good standing. I don't want to hurt our party. This is a warning. It's time for us to go through the process and take our time to find a new Speaker of the House who will support Republicans in our Republican majority and not play for the Democrats," she said. Green made a statement to the media accusing Johnson of "giving too much to President Biden and the Democrats during negotiations" even before her filing. This refers to the budget bill, to which both Republicans and Democrats submitted their proposals. ADVERTISIMENT As reported, the US presidential administration assured that the House of Representatives would approve the national security bill, which contains additional assistance for Ukraine. This document should receive strong bipartisan support. This was stated by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan during his visit to Kyiv. However, the American official did not say when this would happen. Earlier, the White House said that the U.S. House of Representatives needs to approve additional funding to support Ukraine rather than discuss the idea of a loan. This is "the only right option". Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Last year at this time KCMO counted 36 homicides in a year that would break historic records. Thankfully and mostly due to an arctic blast in January . . . The 2024 numbers remain lower than 2023 so far. Still . . . This is the second KC homicide in less than 24 hours and Springtime deadly gunfire has seen a noticeable spike this week. Here is the first report on the latest KCPD homicide investigation . . . Homicide 28th Ter. and Cleveland This morning at 01:45 am officers were dispatched to 28th Ter. and Cleveland on a shooting call. On arrival officers were led to a wooded area next to an empty parking lot. They located an adult male shooting victim there, who was unresponsive. Officers rendered aid and called in EMS who transported the victim to the hospital where he was declared deceased. Preliminary investigation indicates the victim and an unknown suspect had an interaction at that location that led to the suspect firing a shot or shots at the victim striking him. Crime scene investigators are processing the scene and detectives are canvassing for witnesses. If anyone heard or saw anything in this area or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline. We are committed to assisting victims of violent crimes through use of Missouris Protection Program for Victims/Witnesses of Violent Crime. Funding for temporary, or even permanent relocation, may be available but is subject to pre-approval by the States administering agency. We are working with Partners for Peace in all our homicide investigations to monitor risks for retaliation and provide social services to affected residents. ################### Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Man shot, killed early Saturday near 28th and Cleveland Police were called to the area just before 2 a.m. This longtime local newsman does an EXCELLENT job of synthesizing a recent book but ultimately misses the point. Here's his takeaway . . . "Until the Hamas-Israel war ends (if even then), there's every reason to imagine that the explosions of antisemitism from all these and other sources will continue. As a Christian, I am appalled at the role Christianity has played in helping to create modern antisemitism." That's nice . . . But in making the argument about himself he misses the bigger picture and glosses over the main point of the book he reviews --- So-called progressives are now at the forefront of ancient hatred . . . Or, on second thought, maybe his subtext accurately implicates his political ideology as part of a growing problem which contradicts otherwise worthwhile religious ideas. There's a lot to unpack in this post and, as always, plenty of blame to share . . . Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Faith Matters Blog: How can this bitter resurgence of antisemitism be explained? Actually and objectively . . . Despite so many amateur economists online . . . The promise of more Kansas City jobs is substantial and worthy of public subsidy . . . Sadly, the Royals campaign is so secretive and timid that there's nobody out there driving this point home. Releasing economic info tidbits on a Friday night was a mistake and gives our beloved Crossroads resistance the upper-hand when, in fact, most small biz in the hipster district aren't hiring half as many people as a stadium could. Sorry . . . But the niche Crossroads economy has only supported a small sect of part-time workers and owners WHEREAS bold municipal construction projects power economies across the world . . . Even when, tragically, they tear down your favorite tattoo shop. Yes . . . We're playing devil's advocate just a bit if only because online skeptics seem to be dominating the conversation by way of cherry-picked crib notes from right-wing think tanks which have always sought the demise of Kansas City, Missouri amid their desperate attempts to achieve upper-class tax breaks. And so . . . Here's the rosy economic predictions that won't help so many people who just want to sit at home and complain on the Internets . . . Check-it: "According to a Friday morning presentation, the new stadium is estimated to create about 26,000 jobs and generate an estimated $1.8 billion in income over the construction period. "Within the first year of operation, 5,400 jobs are expected to be supported with a projection of $300 million in labor income from these new jobs. After the first year, 8,400 jobs are expected to be created on an annual basis with $440 million in labor income." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Royals' economic projections for proposed Crossroads location sparks support, skepticism Specifically, the team's projections include 26,000 construction jobs and $3.8 billion of economic impact during that phase. KC Royals share projected economic impact of proposed stadium The Royals say the future of the Crossroads District as their potential new home is bright. They shared updates about its projected economic impact on Friday. Royals predicting huge economic impact for downtown stadium Ahead of the quickly approaching April 2 vote, the Kansas City Royals are making some big predictions about the economic impact of a downtown stadium. Developing . . . Again . . . We like that he's not afraid to fact check his opponents in a debate . . . And nobody every denied that he can speak authoritatively about complicated development projects. Objectively . . . During his tenure Mayor Sly garnered a great deal of criticism and more than his fare share of rebuke BUT LOOKING BACK the Sly years were FAR MORE PEACEFUL & PROSPEROUS THAN Mayor Q's reign. Homicide stats and any chat with local biz will confirm as much. And so . . . Here's a worthwhile chat with the former mayor . . . In our interview with James Wednesday, he said one of the reasons the East Village wasnt picked for the Royals new stadium site was the cost of rebuilding the highway interchange downtown would have been too expensive for the state. Number two, the fact that it was brought up that by doing that and building an entertainment district around it, youre actually competing with Power and Light, and that doesnt help, James said that day. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Like it or not . . . If he's factoring in wage loss and the worsening odds TKC has confronted when ordering delicious-smelling tamales out of some lady's semi-legal food truck . . . He's probably right. Here's his election year argument in the shadow of the wall they never built . . . Tell that to the good Missourians who were attacked and stabbed in OFallon, Missouri by an illegal immigrant, Hawley adds. Weve got more and more reports all across the state of folks getting attacked by illegal immigrants, having acts of violence committed against them by illegal immigrants. And thats before we talk about the drugs that are pouring into every single school district in Missouri, across the southern border, run by the cartels. All of us are in danger. No family in the state, sadly, is safe. No school district is exempt. No community is removed from the dangers of illegal immigration and the total chaos I mean total chaos that it is forcing on this country. It is time to close that border. We are a sovereign nation. Its time to close the border and start protecting our people. Neither are Missourians jobs safe from the worst of these multinational corporations, he says, pointing to Tysons decision to close a plant in Iowa and two in Missouri, as well as others, while moving to hire illegal immigrants elsewhere. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . When you visit these remote northern latitudes, you notice it right away. Perhaps its the built-up static electricity of a cold climate. Or the added magnetism, with the North Pole much closer than usual. But way up here, hundreds of kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, there just seems to be more energy. Every time you step outside, everything kind of crackles. And that electricity is definitely in the air on this sunny but cold day, as we load off the gangway and into Zodiac boats. Anticipation hangs heavy as we make our way through the shallows at the mouth of Coningham Bay, at Prince of Wales Island, Nunavut. Here, with tundra in all directions, the sight lines seem to stretch forever, and everyone searches the shoreline for the kings and queens of the Arctic. Soon, they appear, at first just tufts of white across a dun-coloured horizon. One, two, three, we count. Then more, as many as a dozen. Big males, mothers and cubs. A safe distance away but seemingly close enough to touch. You only see this many polar bears together when theres lots of food, says Mark Mallory, a wildlife biologist and renowned ornithologist, who is driving this Zodiac today. As if on cue, his radio crackles, and soon were off to see another northern wonder. Weve got belugas, too! We are several days into the ultimate voyage for modern-day polar explorers. While many ships sail the High Arctic, completing a Northwest Passage remains special. Embarking on the small expedition ship Ocean Endeavour with Adventure Canada in the port of Kugluktuk on the western edge of Nunavut on the Coronation Gulf, Im set to sail more than 5,000 kilometres over 17 days, all the way to the coast of Greenland. The Northwest Passage has long been a fabled route, and it figured heavily into the history of Canadian Arctic exploration. For centuries, European sailors, searching for an easier way to the riches of China and India, navigated north and mostly found frustration. Some of these trips ended in mutiny, while others, including the infamous Franklin expedition of 1845, found tragedy. The first successful voyage didnt happen until 1903, when the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen took three years to navigate the full length of the Northwest Passage. Today, for about a month every year between August and September, the ice melts enough to allow ships through. And while trips to Antarctica are growing in popularity, the allure of the Arctic remains distinct. In addition to the wildlife you wont find any polar bears or narwhals in the ultimate south two other factors set the Far North apart: recent human history, and rocks. On one of the first full days of the voyage, we land at an uninhabited area called Port Epworth. Some would look at this windswept place and see only desolation. But geologist Marc St-Onge, one of our guides and a visiting scholar at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, gets excited about it. Because of the stromatolites. Once, this landscape of dwarf birch and alder and rhododendron was the floor of a prehistoric sea. And there, layers of primitive, single-cell organisms grew. The oldest ones date back 3.5 billion years. Now fossilized, they look like ancient coral when I admire them at my feet. Think about what these have seen, not just the whole march of human history, says St-Onge, noting thats just a tiny fraction of their existence. These fossils mesmerized Margaret Atwood, too. The literary legend sails every year with Adventure Canada, and penned a short story called Stone Mattress, where stromatolites play a starring role. (St-Onge as well the geologist in the narrative is based on him.) I walk across the tundra to chat with Susie Evyagotailak, one of our on-board Inuit cultural educators. Standing alone, shes resplendent, with her sunburst fringe made from wolf fur. She points to a nearby place where she recently discovered the remains of a soapstone lamp. This was once a place of trade among Northern peoples, and Evyagotailak notes that a long-ago hunter, who was perhaps hauling a muskox or caribou, left it behind in his igloo. Each one would have his own lamp, to keep warm, she explains. Northwest Passage voyages navigate in both directions into it, and out and we continue east. During a bright summer night, the ship passes relatively close the final resting places of the Franklin expeditions H.M.S. Erebus and H.M.S. Terror, discovered in 2014 and 2016, respectively. Landing on a broad, sandy beach in Gjoa Haven (Uqsuqtuuq in Inuktitut), I make my way to the hamlets impressive museum. The explorer Amundsen spent three winters and two summers here. Former mayor and longtime teacher Joanni Sallerina happens to be in the museum when I visit and interprets the artifacts for me. Some, he explains, were brought back all the way from Norway. Amundsen had learned how to speak Inuktitut in Greenland, and he got a lot of local help, says Sallerina. People here showed him how to build an igloo and wear caribou and use a dog team. As the Ocean Endeavour continues north, the wind and cold stiffen, even in early September. Our excursions include sightings of polar bears, narwhals and glaciers, visits to historic RCMP posts, and walks on the worlds oldest rocks (yes, even older than the stromatolites). At the Bellot Strait, our captain is careful to enter at high tide. This narrow waterway is the key to our Passage, cutting out hundreds of extra kilometres. It is a place of strong currents, a stretch of gunmetal grey between the Boothia Peninsula and Somerset Island. To our right is the northernmost point of the Americas. To our left, theres nothing but islands and ice, all the way to the North Pole. After snapping photos from the bow, I walk to the stern of the ship, joining a tight cluster of other guests, spiced rum in hand. There, author, geographer and guide James Raffan raises a toast as we pass Zenith Point, the absolute end of the North American mainland. Inspired, one guest starts to sing the Stan Rogers classic named after this sea route. Enchanted, everyone else joins in: Ah, for just one time, I would take the Northwest Passage, to find the hand of Franklin reaching for the Beaufort Sea. The quality of our voices is poor this is no professional choir singing. But somehow, the majesty and vastness of this place elevate everything, coupled with the magnitude of the moment. Plus, that crackling Arctic energy. All of it propels us ever-forward, with many wonders still ahead. Tim Johnson travelled as a guest of Adventure Canada, which did not review or approve this article. Visiting Maine is sometimes overlooked by travelers, and choose locations that are often overcrowded. But this Spring break, you deserve peace and quiet, even just for a while! Maine, with its rugged coastline and quaint small towns, offers a retreat like no other. Think less about the city life and more about the quiet moments that await you in Pine Tree State. From the whispering pines to the crisp, salty air of the Atlantic, Maine's small towns are the heart of New England's charm. In places like these towns, you will find the essence of Maine in every corner. So, why not give yourself the gift of peacefulness this Spring break? Dive into the real Maine beyond the well-trodden paths and find your slice of paradise among its underrated gems. Camden Camden, often called the jewel of the Maine coast, offers natural beauty and nautical charm. Here, the Camden Hills State Park provides a background for adventurers and nature lovers. You can take a hike up Mount Battie and catch a panoramic view that stretches out to the sea. Down in the harbor, sailboats dot the landscape, promising leisurely days spent on the water. Local cafes and shops line the picturesque downtown, each with a story to tell. Camden proves that Maine's beauty lies in its ability to merge the wild with the welcoming. Rockland Rockland shines as a perfect place for artists and foodies. The Farnsworth Art Museum is the center of American art, with a special focus on Maine's own Winslow Homer. Just steps away, the town's vibrant Main Street bursts with galleries, boutiques, and eateries. You have not truly experienced Maine until you try the lobster dishes here, fresh from the harbor. In April, the Pies on Parade event showcases the town's culinary creativity. Related Article: Five Of The Best Coastal Towns In America Stonington In Stonington, the rhythm of life follows the tides. This working waterfront is home to one of the state's largest lobster fishing fleets. Watching the boats come and go provides a sneak peek into the heart of Maine's maritime heritage. Beyond the docks, Deer Isle's natural beauty calls for exploration, with trails winding through woods and along the shore. The town's small, but mighty, arts scene adds color to the granite landscape. Stonington embodies Maine's enduring connection to both land and sea. Bethel Bethel serves as the perfect starting point for outdoor lovers looking to explore western Maine. The Androscoggin River offers kayaking and fishing opportunities with stunning scenery. Nearby, Grafton Notch State Park's hiking trails promise encounters with waterfalls and wildlife. After a day of adventure, Bethel's cozy downtown invites you to relax with comfort food from local diners and pubs. Each season here has its own atmosphere, but spring breathes new life into the landscape. Kennebunkport Kennebunkport captures the spirit of Maine's coastal elegance. The town's historic district is a mosaic of beautifully preserved 18th and 19th-century buildings. A walk along Dock Square provides boutique shops, art galleries, and seafood restaurants. Just outside town, the beaches offer peaceful spots for relaxation and reflection. The annual May Day Festival brings the community together with flowers, food, and fun. Read Also: Underrated Places That are Worth Visiting in New Jersey Thirty years ago, Eric Mazur (Amsterdam, 1954) decided to stop giving lectures in class and instead introduced Peer Instruction, through which his students learn about a topic by debating in a group. His method for teaching large lecture classes interactively was copied by many colleagues at Harvard University, where he is the academic dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences as well as the Balkanski Professor of Physics and Applied Physics. Since then, Peer Instruction has spread throughout the world. Now, Mazur has torn down the walls of the classroom and each group of five students works collectively from wherever they want. The basis of it all is Perusall, his social learning platform, which he says is already being used by 4.4 million students globally. Mazur rejects the idea of final exams and embraces artificial intelligence (AI). Mazur delivered the inaugural address at the Reinventing Higher Education meeting of university experts that Spains IE University organized in Miami and to which EL PAIS was invited. Question. In your talks you say that adults should learn like we do in kindergarten. Answer. In kindergarten people learn how to work together, how to interact together. These are basic skills that are crucial to life. And if you look at society, almost all of the problems in organizations and companies and societies as a whole, are people not getting along with each other, not knowing how to work with each other, not knowing how to embrace diversity. Q. Do you use AI in your classes? A. Yes. I tell my students that they can use anything they want, any resource that they would use later in their career. But when we assess them, we assess them as individuals, mostly verbally. And they cannot pull out their phone and then ask a question. They have to know how to think, so I train them to use whatever is at their disposal, including the internet, ChatGPT, whatever they want. Universities need to anticipate that and adjust their education to that future. I think thats the key question. Many people are scared. They think we should prohibit students from using ChatGPT. Thats the most stupid thing you can do because our students will need to use ChatGPT. Calculators and computers were also banned in class when they came out. Q. How do you organize your classes? A. Each team has an average of 25 presentations each semester and each of its members presents at least five times. Everyone has to be prepared, they dont know which of them is going to have to speak. Not even me. A program tells me: Today ask Pablo. And if you are not prepared, all of our great scores go down. So, if Pablo doesnt do his work before coming to class, the others wont be very happy and he wont feel good. Theres a kind of social pressure to do well, like in society, right? Q. You avoid master classes, but you need some theoretical basis to learn from others. A. We use a series of scaffolded activities that start with interactively reading the textbook. We developed a program called Perusall, which is a social learning platform. I developed it for my class and now 4.4 million students around the world use it. I would never have believed it. Q. How does it work? A. It helps students assimilate, do more than just information transfer, but in interacting with each other and interacting with either text or video to lay the basis. And then we have a set of activities where they work together, but its facilitated by me and my assistants. Q. There is an intense debate about the educational use of screens. A. Its not the technology. Its not the screen itself. Its what is on the screen that matters. If theyre on Facebook the whole day, thats not going to help advance them as individuals. I make sure they use technology in class for what they need. Q. But your students are at the top. A. Yes, they are, but they are very, very unmotivated. Every year I ask them an important question: if you have to choose between facing challenges or getting good grades, what do you choose? You would hope that individuals who are going to be leaders of society choose challenge over grade. But no, they choose grades over challenges. Q. But a Harvard graduate will always have a job. A. You are part of a club and they may offer you a job, but theres no correlation between grades in college, grades at Harvard and future work success. I heard in the development office that the biggest donors to the university come from the bottom of the class [but were more successful in professional life]. They had better things to do [when studying] than simply trying to please their teachers. Grades are not only meaningless, theyre a disincentive to deep learning. If you want to be creative, you have to do wild things and try them out and many things will fail. Failure is essential and grades stigmatize failure. We end up generating many individuals who are afraid of failure, who are afraid of creativity and innovation because of that. So some individuals manage to drop out like Bill Gates or Steve Jobs, be very creative. Others go through the system and who knows where theyll end up. Q. You have received a lot of criticism from Ben Nelson, founder of the disruptive Minerva University, which is so fashionable now. A. Ive been lucky that Ive been able to experiment and people have let me do what I wanted to do, but Harvard was not always a successful university. 100 years ago it was mediocre. And then we had a president who really was innovative and tried to change the university, Charles Elliot [at the helm from 1869 to 1909]. And then it slowly became a better middle university. But when I joined in 1980, in my department, we had six Nobel Prize winners, six. And Harvard has had tons of Nobel awards. But now there are few. Just as you can build up a brand, you can destroy it very quickly. Q. Harvard is said to be, along with the Vatican, the richest private institution in the world. A. Very rich, but the endowment of Harvard now is due to the accomplishments of the past, not the accomplishments of the present. Q. Larry Bacow, former president of Harvard, said last summer to EL PAIS that he accepted the position because he felt that the university was in danger. A. Universities are in danger worldwide. Just as the calculator makes it unnecessary to use a slide rule, or the internet makes it unnecessary to memorize lots of information, AI will make a lot of tasks much more efficient. And therefore many of the people we train will no longer get a job. We need to really rethink how were going to train people. Q. Bacow was referring to Trump. A. Oh, thats true too! Society is no longer valuing universities. And I think for a good reason, because we are not really listening to societys needs. Q. What does society want? A. I think the incredible divide and polarization that is happening right now, not just in the U.S., really all over the world, is in part because the universities were created to serve the needs of society, especially in the last few centuries. But I think right now were not really fulfilling that need the way we should be doing. A Ukrainian woman carries her child as they get off a train from Zaporizhzhia at Przemysl train station on September 30, 2022 in Przemysl, Poland. Polands government has prepared new legislation to boost the nations capacity for self-defense, including more funding for first aid courses, better public warning systems, and more emergency shelters, officials said Friday. Ministers of defense and of the interior said the bill was prompted by the war that neighboring Ukraine is fighting against Russias aggression. Russia has recently captured territory in the east, while Ukraine is running critically low on ammunition. The legislation will be put before Parliament probably in May, after consultations with the public and with local authorities, ministers said. Because of the developments that we can see across our eastern border, we are talking here about extreme situations ..., about an armed conflict, said Marcin Kierwinski, minister of the interior and administration. Poland is one of Ukraines staunchest supporters on the military and the humanitarian levels and has taken in almost 1.5 million refugees. Defense minister Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said they were presenting the bill in order to deter, not to frighten anyone, but we must be ready for every potential situation. The law will allow Poles, including school children, to go through organized self-defense and first aid courses, starting this year. It also calls for improving Polands public warning systems and increasing the number and quality of emergency shelters in the coming years. A recent report by the state Supreme Audit Office said that currently only some 4% of residents in this nation of 38 million would be able to find proper shelter in an emergency. Amid a public discussion about the scant availability of shelters, Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski said last week that the city will invest some 117 million zlotys ($30 million) into upgrading existing shelters and adapting other sites for the purpose, as well as providing training for residents. A large part of the work involved in increasing public security lies with local authorities, who will receive financial support from the central government, but also could use their own means. Some of the money will also come from the massive European Union funds that were recently unfrozen for Poland, after a euro-sceptic government was replaced with a pro-EU one in December. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The country is tonight mourning the loss of one of its legal luminaries... who also served i The death toll in Russia's March 22 missile and drone attack on Ukraine has increased to five. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in a video address to Ukrainians, reports Ukrinform. "Overall, the strikes harmed over 30 people across the country. As of now, five people have been reported killed... My condolences to their close ones. A significant part of the energy system has been damaged," he said. According to Zelensky, recovery efforts are underway everywhere there were impacts. "All services, repair brigades, rescue teams of Ukraine's State Emergency Service, police, and everyone involved will be working around the clock to overcome this terror to the maximum extent possible," he said. On March 22, Russian troops carried out an unprecedented missile and drone attack on Ukraine. From 04:00, the enemy began to launch missile strikes on Zaporizhzhia and the Zaporizhzhia region. About 20 explosions rang out. Seven private houses were destroyed, and dozens were damaged. The Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant suffered the greatest destruction. The dam is currently closed to traffic. Earlier, Zaporizhzhia region governor Ivan Fedorov said that the attack had killed an 8-year-old girl and her father, 35. In addition, the 62-year-old driver of a trolleybus who was driving along the HPP dam was also killed. The Security Service of Ukraine has pressed charges in absentia against a Russian military serviceman who, during the temporary occupation of the village of Mokrets in Kyiv region is believed to have shot a local resident only to rob him of his cell phone. This was reported by the SBU press center, Ukrinform saw. "This is Timur Seferov - a 32-year-old contracted soldier with the 15th separate motorized rifle brigade, the Central Military District of the Russian Armed Forces. In the occupied village of Mokrets, Brovary district, together with other invaders, the ruscist opened fire at private residences, broke into them, and took people's property," the statement reads. It has been documented that during one of these raids, Seferov decided to take a cell phone from a 53-year-old local man. Having faced resistance, the Russian shot the civilian several times in the backyard of his home, killing the man on the spot. The soldier is charged under Art. 438 Part 2 of the Criminal Code (violation of laws and customs of war). Read also: SBU nabs spouse of former regional official over spying for Russia The SBU intends to put the perpetrator on the international wanted list. As Ukrinform reported earlier, Ukraines law enforcers pressed charges in absentia against a Russian National Guardsman, who is believed to have opened deadly fire on civilians trying to flee the town of Hostomel in their cars. Freedom, pure energy, equality, and respect. These are just some of the words that commonly come up when you ask a Berliner about the techno club culture in Germanys capital. This special culture that turned the city into a mecca for techno music fans will now be protected by UNESCO after being included a few days ago on its list of intangible cultural heritage. The first thing that makes Berlin club culture special is that there are no time restrictions, at least in general. This means that there are many of them, and they have a lot of freedom, explains DJ Laurine about one of the main features of the electronic scene in the German capital. Politically speaking, a culture is allowed to exist here. At the end of the day, that is the essence of everything. DJ Laurine, a native of Italy who settled in Berlin 15 years ago, now plays in such famous clubs as the Berghain and is the co-founder of the Slow Life label. For her, club culture means freedom of expression above all. She came one weekend on vacation and immediately saw that it was her place. I realized that everything I needed to be happy was here. The facade of the legendary Berghain club in Berlin. Alamy Stock Photo While in other parts of Europe it is normal for clubs to close at six in the morning, after which time people have to go to the so-called after parties, in Berlin there has been no closing time since 1949. That year, after a tug-of-war between East and West Berlin over the curfew, a hotelier named Heinz Zellermayer managed to convince the Allies to lift the restriction. When the Wall fell in 1989, East Berlin also adopted this measure. Adding to the lack of closing times was the fall of the Berlin Wall and the fact that the police had other more important things to deal with in the 1990s. In this breeding ground, a unique cultural scene was born that knew how to occupy the numerous empty spaces left in the city. Techno became the soundtrack of the spirit of optimism after reunification, UNESCO argued when it declared this culture a form of intangible heritage. This followed a petition presented in 2021 by Rave the Planet, a collective of DJs led by Dr. Motte. The famous DJ from Berlin is one of the creators of the legendary Love Parade, which in the 1990s brought together more than a million people to the rhythm of techno. Berlin is not the only place where techno culture originated. Its roots are found in locations as diverse as Detroit, Chicago and Belgium, and in early electronic music genres such as electronic body music, synth-pop and new beat. But its peculiarities made it unique, with DJs such as Tanith, Cle, Kid Paul, Marc Reeder, Cosmic Baby, Ellen Allien, Mike Banks, Robert Hood. A kind of utopia was created, that is, a place where it doesnt matter where you come from, what your sexuality is, your skin color, or your religion, explains Alexander Kruger, organizer of the FEEL festival, in the video that accompanied the petition. The exterior of the Wilde Renate club photographed in 2023. Adam Berry (Getty Images) Berlin would lose something absolutely huge if this stopped happening, adds Dimitri Hegemann, founder of the Tresor club. Opened in 1991, it is one of the most famous techno clubs in the world. This is the place where everyone comes. The entire industry is here, with acts such as Resident Advisor, Ableton, Native Instruments, Beatport. If you want to be an actor, go to Hollywood, if you want to be a DJ, go to Berlin, says DJ Alan Oldham. Techno culture in Berlin is not only a specific musical style, but also includes artistic expressions and the famous raves, clandestine electronic music parties, which for years were held across the entire center of the city and that have currently moved to the outskirts. From the beginning, techno united people of all ages and without distinctions. It defined an entire era. Berlins club culture had a very strong influence on me. I was lucky to be a teenager in the nineties, remembers Paul Frick, a DJ and musician with Brandt Brauer Frick, and Tangerine Dream for a couple of years. I went to places like Tresor or WMF, clubs that I thought were impressive and that introduced me to the music and the people, he says about two legendary places from the 1990s. In retrospect, of course, the exciting thing about that time was the anarchy. The fact that Berlin was not very regulated because the authorities had much bigger problems to deal with, the Berlin musician adds. He also remembers the illegal parties he had with his friends on the banks of the Spree River something that would be impossible today. That era has passed, of course, but Berlin still has a very rich and diverse club culture, with a lot to offer to different people. The list of clubs remains endless despite the fact that many closed their doors due, above all, to the gentrification that Berlin has undergone in recent years with some as popular as About Blank, Sisyphos, Kater Blau, Watergate, Club der Visionaere, Else, Hoppetosse, Zenner, Golden Gate, Wilde Renate, and the legendary Tersor, KitKatClub, and Berghain, to name just a few. There are club nights which cater for all tastes, and which change depending on the time and the day. You can go to dinner with some friends and then go dancing or meet for breakfast on a Sunday and then go to a club to listen to electronic music starting at 10 a.m. The club nights and imagination have no limits in Berlin, which also has a strict no-photo policy. For example, the Wilde Renate hosts the House of Lunacy every two months, a sex positive party with a theme each time and a strict dress code. Along the same lines, although it is only for men, is the Lab.oratory, in the Berghain. This club located in a former power plant is famous for having one of the best sound systems in the world. The best DJs in the world play there. This turned the Berghain into the temple of electronic music and one of the great magnets of so-called electronic tourism. If its sometimes difficult to get into a club, trying to understand the Berghains esoteric door policy has become something like trying to navigate a Greek labyrinth. There may be many failed attempts before you can enter. Celebrities are not the exception either. Additionally, an Instagram account tells you the current wait time, which can easily top five hours or more. But for Berlin to remain Berlin, electronic music and club culture must be protected from real estate developers. That is why UNESCOs decision was described by the Berlin club network Clubcommission as a milestone. At the moment it is not entirely clear, but in the medium and long term it will serve to increase funding and have more possibilities to protect clubs from exclusion or in licensing procedures, explains Lutz Leichsenring. The executive member of the Clubcommission board recalls the fact that they have already achieved things such as being recognized by the German Parliament as cultural facilities. Leichsenring recognizes that urban pressure takes its toll on clubs. The situation was and is very tense due to the construction of the A100 motorway, he says about a controversial expansion project that would close dozens of clubs, including About Blank or Wilde Renate. No one can stop the transformation of a city that is growing every year and where prices have risen relentlessly compared to more than 10 years ago when Berlin was, as its mayor at the time said, poor, but sexy. However, as DJ Laurine points out, it has clearly changed, but it is still the only city in the world where you can experience such a unique electronic scene. The law firm 1800 Migrante denounced on Thursday the kidnapping of 95 Ecuadorians near Tapachula, a Mexican city on the border with Guatemala. Criminals seized the buses on Wednesday in which the migrants wanted to continue their journey north to the United States. Their course changed to a house in Puerto Chiapas, where the kidnappers demanded ransoms from the Ecuadorians families. One of them managed to contact William Murillo, spokesman for the legal organization, who made the case public and then received threats for it. If you continue informing we will return them in bags, the lawyer said he was told. The detainees managed to flee last Thursday night before a raid that the captors found out about in time. The odyssey of the nearly one hundred Ecuadorian migrants began Wednesday afternoon on the outskirts of Tapachula. I contacted the family [of the kidnapped boy] a few minutes ago and they tell me it was not violent. They were taken to a warehouse in the buses that were transporting them from the border with Guatemala, Murillo explains. One of the migrants, upon realizing that he was kidnapped, managed to pass his location to 1800 Migrante, based in the United States. I automatically contacted the Ecuadorian consular body in New York. They coordinated the information to pass this data to the consular offices in Mexico, explains the lawyer. The consul general of the South American country then decided to contact the Chiapas Prosecutors Office to organize an operation in the house where the migrants were kidnapped. State police and National Guard patrols during the search in Tapachula, this March 22 at dawn. Damian Sanchez Jesus (Cuartoscuro) Upon arriving Thursday night at the warehouse in Puerto Chiapas, federal, state and municipal agents found no one, according to a statement from the Chiapas Attorney Generals Office. Activist and director of the Center for Human Dignification, Luis Rey Villagran, accompanied the raid and spoke with locals. The neighbors say that there had been a great movement for more than two hours and they noticed that many people ran out of the place where they were supposedly being held, the activist reports. Murillo has also confirmed with one of the relatives of the kidnapped that the migrants fled. There was no one there because the kidnappers ran away and said the migra is coming. Everyone ran away and thats why they didnt find anyone. It seems that the operation was leaked, explains the lawyer. The National Guard and other police forces deployed a search operation of which there is no news so far. During the time the migrants were held, the criminals tried to extort the families by demanding money for their release. According to Murillo, some of these people even paid the ransom. At the same time, the kidnappers tried to intimidate the lawyer for making the case public. The kidnappers called me to threaten me, to tell me not to interfere. That if I did anything they would hand them over to us in plastic bags, explains the lawyer. He also denounces the change in the human trafficking scheme that migrants suffer from organized crime in Chiapas, a region that is in dispute between the Sinaloa and Jalisco Nueva Generacion cartels. The traditional coyoteros are being displaced by narco-coyoteros who use high caliber weapons, killing without mercy, he adds. Soldiers and agents of the National Guard, this Friday during the search. Damian Sanchez Jesus (Cuartoscuro) The Ecuadorian lawyer has confirmed to EL PAIS that 19 Ecuadorian migrants are in custody in the offices of the National Migration Institute (INM) in Tapachula. Moreover, Rey Villagran indicates that the immigration authorities detained some thirty migrants from that country in the sweep following the operation. The Government of Ecuador has not been informed by any Mexican authority so far, according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabriela Sommerfeld. Given the news of the alleged kidnapping of 95 Ecuadorian citizens in Mexico, the Mexican authorities have been contacted and there is no official information, she maintained, reports Carolina Mella. Both the activist and the lawyer agree that the opacity of the institutions regarding the case is a problem that only harms the migrants. The escape, which was also confirmed to us by the boy who contacted us, is something that the authorities do not want to say. We are surprised by this complicit attitude of the authorities, Murillo denounces. It is the competence of the INM, and neither they nor the Attorney Generals Office have given an official position on the facts. For us, they are putting up a curtain of opacity that once again puts migrants and those of us who are working on the issue at risk, explains activist Rey Villaran. The law firm 1800 Migrante was the first to report on February 17 an armed attack against a group of migrants near the town of Saric, Sonora, just 80 kilometers from the U.S. border. Thanks to the harrowing accounts of witnesses to the attack, the State Prosecutors Office was forced to come forward with explanations, in a country where crimes often go unpunished. They admitted the murder of Jonzi, a four-year-old Ecuadorian boy, and two women from Peru and Ecuador. The Attorney Generals Office never updated this information, despite the fact that 1800 Migrante reported days later the death of another Honduran migrant. They say and maintain that there are three dead and we have even published the photo and the name of the fourth dead, explains Murillo. So far, in the southern border, the authorities have not made any statement about the kidnapping and release of the 95 Ecuadorians. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz has expressed her severe indignation over the frequent occurrence of kite flying incidents despite imposition of a ban on it LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Mar, 2024) Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz has expressed her severe indignation over the frequent occurrence of kite flying incidents despite imposition of a ban on it. She ordered to run a campaign for eradication of kite flying across the province. She ordered stern action against those found involved in violating the kite flying ban. The CM ordered the Chief Secretary, district administration and police to ensure implementation on the said orders. On the direction of CM, a notification has been issued in this regard. Maryam Nawaz has sought a report from IG Police about the death incident of a youth due to kite flying in Faisalabad within 48 hours. She directed the IG Police to submit a report after ascertaining those elements found responsible for the death of an innocent youth. CM stated," Despite imposition of a ban on kite flying under the Punjab Prohibition of Kite Flying Ordinance 2001, occurrence of such incidents across Punjab is highly deplorable. A crackdown must be launched against those found involved in committing violation of kite flying ban. (@Abdulla99267510) The ISPR says this historic day reminds us of the greatest sacrifices and contributions of our forefathers which they made in the struggle for creation of Pakistan. ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-March 23rd, 2024) The Armed Forces of Pakistan, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and Services Chiefs have congratulated the nation on 84th anniversary of "Pakistan Day." According to a statement of ISPR, this historic day reminds us of the greatest sacrifices and contributions of our forefathers which they made in the struggle for creation of Pakistan. The statement said plight of Muslims in India in general and IIOJK in particular, who are facing worst form of brutalities at the hands of the fascist regime, reminds us of the importance and value of the Independence where we cherish and respect our freedom every day. It added that on this day, Armed Forces of Pakistan renew their resolve to defend the motherland and protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity at all times and at any cost, and uphold the national flag. The nation celebrated Pakistan Day on Saturday with National zeal and fervour, reaffirming the commitment to work hard for the development, stability, and unity of Pakistan ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Mar, 2024) The nation celebrated Pakistan Day on Saturday with National zeal and fervour, reaffirming the commitment to work hard for the development, stability, and unity of Pakistan. The day was dawn with 31-gun salute in the federal capital and 21-gun salute in provincial capitals while special prayers were offered in mosques after Fajr prayers for the prosperity and solidarity of the country. The national flag was hoisted on major government buildings. The main feature of the day was the grand military parade in Islamabad where contingents of three armed forces and other security forces conducted march past while fighter planes presented aerobatic maneuvers. Besides President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, federal cabinet members, services chiefs, diplomats, notables from different walks of life and a huge number of citizens attended the ceremony. Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud was the guest of honour in the military parade while the contingents of China and Azerbaijan were also being featured in the parade. President Asif Ali Zardari in his speech said that Pakistan was a peace-loving and responsible nuclear state but it would neither make any compromise on its sovereignty nor would tolerate any efforts of terrorists or any group aimed at destabilizing it. "Pakistan wants relations with all its neighbors. We are a peace-loving country and a responsible nuclear state. However, let me make it clear that we will not compromise on our sovereignty. .. We will not tolerate any efforts by terrorists or any group to destabilize our country," the president said addressing the Pakistan Day Parade ceremony held here. An investiture ceremony was held at Aiwan-e-Sadar in the afternoon where President Asif Ali Zardari conferred awards and medals to personalities for their outstanding contribution in different fields. The President conferred Nishan-i-Pakistan award on Minister for Defence Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, federal ministers, military top brass and members of the diplomatic corps. The award was conferred in recognition of Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud's meritorious services for Pakistan and its people, enhancing defence cooperation, strengthening of bilateral ties and contributions towards peace efforts in the region. Sindh Governor Mohammed Kamran Khan Tessori visited the mausoleum of the Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammed Ali Jinnah and paid rich tributes to him on the occasion of Pakistan Day. Sindh Ministers including Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon were also present on the occasion. Acting Governor Balochistan Capt (retd) Abdul Khaliq Achakzai conferred civil awards to 15 individuals on behalf of the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan province for their outstanding contributions in various spheres of life. (@Abdulla99267510) President Asif Ali Zardari says Pakistan wants good relations with all its neighbors. ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-March 23rd, 2024) President Asif Ali Zardari has emphatically stated that Pakistan will not compromise on its sovereignty. Addressing Pakistan Day Military Parade at Shakarparian Parade avenue in Islamabad on Saturday (today), he said Pakistan wants good relations with all its neighbors. We are a peace loving country and a responsible nuclear state. He however said Pakistani nation and its armed forces are always ready for defense of the country and respond to any aggression. The President said we will not tolerate any efforts by the terrorists or any group to destabilize our country. He said today's parade is a reminder of our unity, strength and pride. He said the world community recognizes Pakistan's efforts and sacrifices in the war on terrorism. The President pointed out that the Indian illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir is one of the main reason of instability in the region. He said the Kashmiri people have been demanding their right to self-determination for the last seventy six years. Condemning the Indian brutalities and human rights violations in illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, he urged the international community to ensure the implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions. He reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to always stand by the Kashmiri people in their just struggle against tyranny. Alluding to the challenges faced by the country, the President said that a democratic government is in place following the electoral exercise. He said responsibility now rests with all of us to collectively address the challenges. Our people are hardworking and intelligent. He said the youth equipped with immense capabilities are the trustees of the country's development. He said Special Investment Facilitation Council has been established to improve the economy. He was confident that under this platform, foreign investments will develop the agriculture, livestock, minerals and mining, Information Technology and energy sectors. The President also called upon all the political parties to rise above their political interests and work collectively for the country's security and prosperity. Expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people, Asif Ali Zardari appealed to the international community to take measures to ensure that the killings of innocent Palestinian people including children and women are immediately halted. He emphasized that ceasefire be announced and a humanitarian corridor is opened on priority basis. He said Pakistan will continue to support the Palestinian people till the resolution of Palestine issue as per their aspirations. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Mar, 2024) President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday said that Pakistan was a peace-loving and responsible nuclear state but it would neither make any compromise on its sovereignty nor would tolerate any efforts of terrorists or any group aimed at destabilising it. "Pakistan wants relations with all its neighbors. We are a peace-loving country and a responsible nuclear state. However, let me make it clear that we will not compromise on our sovereignty... We will not tolerate any efforts by terrorists or any group to destabilize our country," the president said addressing the Pakistan Day Parade ceremony held here. Pakistan Day is observed in remembrance of the adoption of the Lahore Resolution on March 23, 1940. This resolution, put forth by the All-India Muslim League, called for the creation of a distinct homeland for Muslims of the subcontinent. The day started with a 31-gun salute in the Federal capital and a 21-gun salute in the provincial capitals. Besides President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, federal cabinet members, services chiefs, diplomats, notables from different walks of life and a huge number of citizens attended the ceremony. Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, who previously served as an F-15 pilot in Royal Saudi Air Force, was the guest of honour of the ceremony. In his address, President Zardari said that the Pakistani nation and armed forces were always ready to respond to any aggression at all times. "Today's parade is a reminder of our unity, strength, and pride," said the president who earlier reviewed the parade after arriving at the venue escorted in his chariot by the presidential guards mounted on horses. The president congratulated the nation on the Day which commemorated the historic struggle of the Muslims of the subcontinent to achieve a separate homeland under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He also paid tribute to the martyrs and Ghazis with a resolve to make all-out efforts to protect national security and sovereignty. The president's address encompassed domestic subjects like recent elections, efforts against terrorism, economic challenges, and the establishment of SIFC, and the regional situation including the human rights abuses in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir as well as Gaza. He told the gathering that the Kashmir dispute was the main reason for instability in the region as the people of Kashmir had been demanding their self-determination rights for the last 76 years. Condemning the Indian brutalities and the human rights violations in Kashmir, President Zardari urged the international community to play its role in the implementation of the UN Security resolution. He also assured the Kashmiris that the people of Pakistan would continue standing by them till they were given their right to self-determination. Coming to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, he appealed to the international community to take measures to ensure that killings of women and children was stopped and a ceasefire was declared, besides establishing a humanitarian corridor. The president also reiterated Pakistan's continued support for the Palestinian people till the resolution of the issue as per their aspirations. Recounting the country's journey marked with many ups and downs, he said despite numerous challenges, the Pakistani nation achieved distinctions in the fields of defense, agriculture and technology, besides its internationally recognised contribution to fighting against terrorism. Highlighting the current social, political and economic challenges facing the country, he said following the successful holding of elections and the formation of a democratic government, it was the responsibility of all to seek solutions to all the issues. "I believe that the way we faced the difficulties in the past, can steer the country out of the pervading problems even today. The Pakistani nation is hardworking and intelligent. The youth, using their mental capabilities, can guarantee a bright future," he remarked. President Zardari told the ceremony that the Special Investment Facilitation Council had been formed to attract investment in agriculture, livestock, mining, Information Technology and energy sectors. He also requested all the political parties to set aside their political interests and work unitedly to bring in country's prosperity. The president also thanked the friendly countries including China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and the UAE for supporting Pakistan in the difficult times. The parade commenced with the national anthem, the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, after a special salute was paid to the national flag. President Asif Zardari reviewed the parade led by Parade Commander Brigadier Shahzad Ali Arshad which followed the fly-past formation of the Pakistan Air Force and the Pakistan Navy. The contingents of the three armed forces and other security forces conducted a march while fighter planes presented aerobatic maneuvers. After the PAF fighters' mesmerising show, Pakistan Army, PAF and Navy paratroopers demonstrated their skills with free-falls. Meanwhile, the PAF's aerobatics display team enthralled spectators with their unmatched aerial maneuvers. (@FahadShabbir) Culiacan, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Mar, 2024) Authorities in Mexico said Saturday that they have found 18 people alive a day after they were abducted in the country's northwest. On Friday, an emergency hotline received reports of abductions from several homes in a working-class neighborhood of Culiacan, Sinaloa state security secretary Gerardo Merida said in a brief statement. Now, "18 people have been freed who had been kidnapped in Culiacan," the statement said. "There are another seven who have yet to be released." Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha said on X, formerly Twitter, that those released were nine adults and nine children, and that the search for the others was ongoing. The latest incidents followed an armed clash Thursday that left three people dead in the Sinaloa town of Badiraguato, birthplace of notorious drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, who is serving a life sentence in the United States. Authorities declined to speculate on any connection between the two incidents. Culiacan was the scene of violent riots by the Sinaloa cartel in October 2019 during an aborted operation to capture El Chapo's son, Ovidio Guzman, and again in January 2023, when the son was finally arrested. Murders, abductions and forced disappearances are daily occurrences in Mexico, particularly in areas gripped by turf wars between drug gangs such as Guzman's Sinaloa cartel. Nearly 450,000 people have been murdered across Mexico since 2006, when then-president Felipe Calderon launched a controversial anti-drug military campaign, according to official data. (@FahadShabbir) NEW DELHI, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Mar, 2024) The High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi on Saturday held a flag-hoisting ceremony to commemorate the National Day of Pakistan with patriotic zeal. The Charged' Affaires of Pakistan to India Saad Ahmad Warraich hoisted the national flag at the Chancery lawn. The messages of the president and prime minister of Pakistan were read on the occasion. Eulogizing the inspiring leadership of the Quaid-i-Azam, the Charge d' Affaires stressed that the struggle for Pakistan's independence was paved by the sacrifices of millions of people including women and children across the subcontinent. The best homage to the memory of the martyrs was to redouble our collective efforts towards the prosperity and development of Pakistan according to the vision of our founding fathers, he added. Noting the tremendous strides made by Pakistan since independence, the Charge d' Affaires underlined that Pakistan's greatest strength was its resilient and enterprising people who had overcome every challenge through their indomitable spirit and characteristic grit and determination. Endowed with rich natural resources and a geostrategic location as a bridge between the East, West and Central Asia, the Charge d' Affaires said that Pakistan would continue to play its pivotal role as a centerpiece for trade, connectivity and regional integration. Underscoring that Pakistan was born of a peaceful struggle postulated on the inalienable right of the Muslims of the subcontinent to determine their destiny as per their own choice, the Cd'A said that peaceful coexistence based on equality and mutual respect serves as guiding principles of Pakistan's foreign policy. These principles also underpinned Pakistan's desire for a peaceful relationship with India, he said. The quest for sustainable peace and stability in South Asia could only be achieved through a peaceful settlement of all issues including the core Jammu and Kashmir dispute, the Cd'A stressed. "Our desire for peace is reflective of the constructive and positive outlook of a strong and self-assured nation", Warraich concluded. Response Plus Holding, a key pre-hospital care and emergency medical services provider in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, has reported solid growth for FY 2023 with the groups net profit surging by 68% to AED49.39 million ($13.4 million) from the previous year's figures of AED29.31 million ($7.9 million). Announcing its audited financial results for the period ending December 31, 2023, Response Plus Holding said the groups revenue increased to AED345.36 million as of December 31, 2023 against AED320.86 million a year ago. Similarly, the Groups equity soared to AED230.04 million as of December 31, 2023 from AED222.9 million the previous year. The Earnings Per Share (EPS) increased to AED 0.25 in 2023 from AED 0.15 a year before, reflecting the groups commitment to profitability and shareholder value creation. The surge in the net profit and revenue illustrates the groups growth strategy, strong performance across its business verticals, and expansion in the UAE and region, coupled with its commitment to cost optimisation, efficiency, and productivity across its operations. On the solid results, Chairman Omran Al Khoori said: "The robust performance of Response Plus Holding during 2023 demonstrates the success of our diversified operations in the UAE, KSA, and around the region. We are confident of delivering on our solid foundation in the years to come, and accelerate our growth trajectory by deepening our expertise across pre-hospital care and emergency medical services." "This years dynamic growth positions us to drive future expansion across new markets in the region and beyond," he stated. Last year, the group had expanded its geographical presence in the region throughits key unit Response Plus Medical Complex (RPMC) in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, the first specialised private occupational healthcare centre in KSA. During the year, RPM Projects won contracts for 100 site clinics. The Group also achieved its Emiratisation targets and received JCI accreditation for ambulatory care services at Adnoc site clinics during 2023. CEO Dr Rohil Raghavan said: "The Groups strong performance during 2023 is a testament to our commitment to excellence across our operations, as well as our strategy to develop new strategic partnerships in the region and beyond. We are looking at expanding our services into different business verticals in pre-hospital care, and focusing on operational synergies and cost efficiencies." "We are well positioned for a strong growth trajectory in the coming years, driven by the vision of our leadership and board, supported by our teams expertise, and backed by the trust of our shareholders." he added.-TradeArabia News Service A terrorist attack at the concert venue Crocus City Hall, located northwest of Moscow, on Friday killed at least 130 people and wounded more than a hundred, according to the Russian Investigative Committee, a prosecuting body that reports to the presidency. It is the worst attack in Russia in two decades. At this time, there is no official confirmation on the authorship of the attack, although the Islamic State took responsibility for it on its Telegram channel, according to Reuters. This Saturday, the arrest of 11 suspects was reported, four of them accused of direct involvement in the attack. The following are the details known so far: The place of the attack: a concert hall Crocus City Hall is located in the city of Krasnogorsk, 15 miles northwest of Moscow. A group of people dressed in camouflage entered the concert hall with assault weapons and opened fire just before the start of the band Picnics performance at 20.00 on Friday. The 6,200 tickets available for the event were sold out and videos from the venue show the point-blank shooting of some attendees as they tried to flee. Other victims The attackers also set fire to the leisure center housing the concert hall, where a series of childrens contests were being held with children from the Vologda region, located 300 miles north of Moscow. The Russian press reported that numerous people, including children, were trapped in the burning part of the building. Less than 20 minutes It all happened in just 18 minutes. According to a chronology by the Russian channel Shot, a white Renault stopped in front of the entrance of the concert hall at 19.55 Moscow time, as the band Picnic was scheduled to start playing five minutes later. The terrorists got out of the vehicle with assault weapons and opened fire on the guards and other people present at the buildings reception. According to Shot, at 20.03 they arrived at the auditorium and fired at the spectators. They also set the place on fire with several containers of gasoline they were carrying. Finally, the white Renault Simbol with four terrorists inside left the parking lot of the Crocus hall at 20.13. Who is behind the attack There is no official confirmation of responsibility. Russian media point to citizens of Tajikistan as suspects. A branch of the Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack on Friday night. The United States and the United Kingdom issued a warning of possible terrorist attacks in Russia two weeks ago, shortly after Russian intelligence services announced that they had foiled an Islamic State attack on a synagogue in the Russian capital. Washington stressed in its warning the risk of attacks on events with many people, such as concerts. Russian President Vladimir Putin downplayed the threat and said: All this looks like outright blackmail with the intention of intimidating and destabilizing our society. Does Ukraine have anything to do with it? In the aftermath of the attack, some accusing fingers were pointed at Ukraine as a country with motives to attack in Moscow, but Washington said there is no indication that Kyiv is behind the terrorist attack. Before the Islamic States claim was known, Kyiv had denied being responsible for the massacre. Mikhail Podoliak, advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, categorically rejected any connection with the attack. Ukraine has absolutely and definitely nothing to do with the event. We have an intense and huge full-scale war with the Russian army and with the Russian Federation. And, in spite of everything, everything will be decided precisely on the Ukrainian battlefield, Podoliak stressed, adding that the Ukrainian authorities do not use terrorist methods. Who has been detained Among those reported arrested on Saturday were four alleged attackers, Russian news agency Tass informed. At least five of the 11 suspects would be citizens of Tajikistan, according to information published by Baza, Shot and Ostorodzhno media, Novosti and a deputy of the State Duma, which have revealed the identities, including photos, of the suspects. According to leaked information, the car of the alleged attackers has been intercepted in the Bryansk region, 400 kilometers southwest of Moscow, near the border with Belarus. Five attackers have been identified as citizens of Tajikistan who fled the Crocus hall in the Renault Simbol: Muhammadsobir Fayzov (19 years old, from Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, injured and arrested in his escape attempt), Shokhinjonn Safolzoda (21 years old), Rustam Nazarov (29 years old), Majmadrasul Nasridinov (37 years old) and Rivozhidin Ismonov (51 years old). In addition, they were registered as residents of the Russian regions of Yaroslavl, Ivanovo and Samara. One more alleged terrorist fled with them, but has not been identified, according to preliminary information. What relationship does Tajikistan have with Russia? Tajikistan, bordering Afghanistan, is one of the hot spots of Islamic terrorism in the post-Soviet space. The Kremlin supports the Dushanbe authorities militarily to control extremist groups crossing that porous border, and the risk of attacks is a concern that often comes up at meetings of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Russias alternative to NATO. Moreover, Russia has become a major target of ISIS because of its support for both the government of Bashar el-Assad in Syria and the Taliban movement in Afghanistan, a traditional ally of another extremist faction that is an enemy of ISIS, al-Qaeda. Tajikistan has sent its condolences to Russia. The worst attack in two decades Russia has a long history of terrorist attacks, which rocked the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union and during the first years of Vladimir Putins rule. Most of them were part of the two bloody separatist wars in Chechnya, which the Russian leader crushed with an iron fist. The terrible images of the venue, where thousands of people were waiting to attend a concert, recall those of the attack on the Dubrovka theater in the Russian capital in 2002, when a group of Chechen militants staged a gigantic hostage crisis. The operation by Russian security forces to free the theater, using an anesthetic gas, resulted in 130 deaths. In 2004, two years after the Dubrovka street theater tragedy, a group of Chechen terrorists took 1,200 hostages in a school in the city of Beslan. 334 people died, including 186 children. The most recent attack occurred in 2017, in the St. Petersburg metro, where 15 people were killed. Russian authorities linked the attackers to an Islamist group. In 2015, a Russian airliner exploded over Egypts Sinai desert with 224 people on board, most of them Russian citizens, in an attack that was claimed by the self-declared Islamic State. With information from Javier G. Cuesta (Moscow), Maria R. Sahuquillo (Brussels) y Cristian Segura (Kiyv). Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Washington, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Mar, 2024) The United States warned Russian authorities earlier in March about a terrorist attack possibly targeting "large gatherings" in Moscow, the White House said Friday, hours after a mass shooting killed at least 60 people outside the Russian capital. "Earlier this month, the US government had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow -- potentially targeting large gatherings, to include concerts" and Washington "shared this information with Russian authorities," National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said. Watson said the administration of US President Joe Biden was complying with a long-standing "duty to warn" policy, in which the United States alerts nations or groups when it receives intelligence of specific threats to kidnap or kill multiple victims. Gunmen opened fire at a Moscow concert hall earlier in the day killing more than 60 people, wounding more than 100 and sparking an inferno, authorities said, with the Islamic State group claiming responsibility. US officials have told AFP they believe the claim of responsibility by the Islamic State to be credible. Russia's Investigative Committee said Saturday that more than 60 people had been killed, raising an earlier toll of 40, according to Russian news agencies. Kyiv, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Mar, 2024) Kyiv said Saturday it rejected Russian claims of a Ukrainian link to an attack on a Moscow concert hall that killed more than 100 people. Russia's FSB security service said Saturday it had arrested the gunmen behind the attack while they were trying to flee to Ukraine. "The versions of Russian special services regarding Ukraine are absolutely untenable and absurd," Mykhaylo Podolyak, an aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, the deadliest in Russia in almost two decades. The FSB had said the perpetrators had "tried to escape, travelling by car towards the Russian-Ukrainian border . .. the criminals intended to cross the Russian-Ukrainian border and had appropriate contacts on the Ukrainian side." It did not provide further details. Some Russian lawmakers, as well as former president Dmitry Medvedev, have also evoked a possible Ukrainian connection, without providing evidence. Russia said Saturday it had arrested 11 people -- including four assailants -- though Moscow has not responded to Islamic State's claim of responsibility or said who it believes was behind the attack. Kyiv's own intelligence services had on Friday said it was a "planned and deliberate provocation by the Russian special services on Putin's orders." bur-jc/ach (UroToday.com) The 2024 Southeastern Section of the AUA (SESAUA) annual meeting featured an AUA Course Lecture and a presentation by Dr. Marc Bjurlin discussing current approaches and future opportunities for integrating molecular imaging into urologic oncology clinical practice. As part of this AUA course, Dr. Bjurlin noted that, in addition to himself, there were several faculty involved including the following: Spencer Behr, MD: Associate Professor of Clinical Radiology at University of California, San Francisco Michael A. Gorin, MD: Faculty in the Milton and Carroll Petrie Department of Urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY Tracy L. Rose, MD, MPH: Associate Professor in Medical Oncology at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center Dr. Bjurlin highlighted that regardless if the patient has kidney, bladder, prostate, or testis cancer, the following figure highlights a possible diagnostic algorithm: Dr. Bjurlin started by discussing molecular imaging in prostate cancer, with slides courtesy of Dr. Behr. Currently, there are several radiopharmaceuticals studied in prostate cancer: Choline ( 11 C, 18 F, 18 F-fluoroethylcholine) C, F, F-fluoroethylcholine) Acetate ( 11 C, 18 F) C, F) 18 F-FDG F-FDG FACBC ( 18 F-flucicolovine) F-flucicolovine) 11 C-serotonin C-serotonin 11 C-methionine C-methionine 18 F-FDHT F-FDHT PSMA ( 68 Ga, 18 F, 111 In, 177 Lu) Ga, F, In, Lu) Bombesin ( 68 Ga, 18 F, Tc99m, 177 Lu) Ga, F, Tc99m, Lu) NaF, 99mTc-MDP, Ra-223 Radiotracers 99mTc-labeled diphosphonates (MDP and HDP) and 18F NaF have a mechanism of incorporating in the bone matrix, thus images are secondary to osteoblastic activity and not tumor burden. FDA approval is for metastatic bone disease and response to therapy. F18-NaF PET/CT for staging is more accurate and sensitive than 99mTc-labeled diphosphonates, has higher specificity with CT, but does not allow assessment of soft tissues. The following figure highlights a historical perspective of staging imaging in the context of ideal minimum PSA levels: Dr. Bjurlin notes that PSMA has a normal biodistribution in the lacrimal glands, salivary glands, liver, spleen, bowel, kidneys, ureters, and urinary bladder. The clinical indications for PSMA PET/CT are delineated by each guideline: AUA Initial staging: high risk for metastatic disease with negative conventional imaging Recurrence: PSA recurrence after failure of local therapy or in the setting of negative conventional imaging NCCN Initial staging: equivocal results on initial bone imagine or soft tissue imaging Recurrence: preferred for bone and soft tissue (full body) imaging SNMMI Appropriate Use Criteria Newly diagnosed unfavorable intermediate-, high-, or very-high-risk prostate cancer Recurrence Non-metastatic castrate resistance prostate cancer (M0) on conventional imaging With regards to imaging before a prostatectomy, an MRI provides T-staging and an accurate local assessment of disease involvement (extracapsular extension, seminal vesicle invasion, etc). PSMA PET/CT improves the detection of the primary, as well as nodal and metastatic disease, and may even outperform MRI. A 2020 meta-analysis of studies in high-risk pre-prostatectomy patients noted that PSMA PET had a sensitivity of 23-100%, specificity of 67-100%, PPV of 20-100%, and NPV of 41-100%, also suggesting that PSMA PET is superior to anatomical imaging (CT and MRI): In the biochemical recurrent setting, PSMA PET should be considered post-prostatectomy PSA > 0.2 ng/mL and for a post-radiotherapy rise of serum PSA 2 ng/mL or more above nadir. As follows is an example of a 68-year-old with a PSA of 2.5 ng/mL after radical prostatectomy: Several studies have looked at the impact of PSMA PET/CT on patient care, including a 2018 meta-analysis that found that PSMA PET changes management in ~54% of cases.1 There were increases in the utilization of radiotherapy (56% 61%), surgery (1% 7%), focal therapy (1% 2%), and multimodal treatment (2% 6%). However, there were also decreases in systemic treatment (26% 12%) and no treatment (14% 11%). Dr. Bjurlins key takeaways from this section of his talk regarding molecular imaging and prostate cancer were as follows: There has been incredible change in molecular imaging in prostate cancer PSMA PET is exceptionally sensitive with a significant impact on patient care, even in situations of a low PSA PSMA uptake is not as specific as the name would imply, and if it does not look like typical prostate cancer metastasis, we must consider other etiologies (thyroid, RCC, HCC, etc). Furthermore, we must be careful with solitary bone lesions (false positives) Conversely, not all prostate cancers are PSMA avid Dr. Bjurlin then discussed the histologic characterization of the indeterminate renal mass with molecular imaging, with slides courtesy of Dr. Gorin. The histology of indeterminate small renal masses is vast, with ~15% of these entities being benign: As such, can we use molecular imaging to differentiate between the various renal tumor histologies? Two types of molecular imaging modalities include 99mTc-sestabmibi and G250/girentuximab/TLX25-CDx (targeting carbonic anhydrase IX): Dr. Bjurlin discussed the results of the ZIRCON trial, which was initially presented at ASCO GU 2023. ZIRCON was an open-label, multicenter clinical trial. Patients with an indeterminate renal masses ( 7 cm; tumor stage cT1) who were scheduled for partial nephrectomy within 90 days from planned TLX250-CDx administration were eligible. Enrolled patients received a single dose of TLX250-CDx IV (37 MBq 10%; 10 mg girentuximab) on Day 0 and underwent PET/CT imaging on Day 5 ( 2 days) prior to surgery: Blinded central histology review determined clear cell RCC status. The co-primary objectives were to evaluate both the sensitivity and specificity of TLX250-CDx PET/CT imaging in detecting clear cell RCC in patients with indeterminate renal masses, using histology as the standard of truth. Key secondary objectives included sensitivity and specificity of TLX250-CDx PET/CT imaging in the subgroup of patients with indeterminate renal masses 4 cm (cT1a). Other secondary objectives included positive and negative predictive values, safety, and tolerability. There were 300 patients enrolled between August 2019 and August 2022 among 36 sites in 9 countries that received TLX250-CDx. Of 284 evaluable patients included in primary analysis, the average across all 3 readers for sensitivity and specificity was 86% [95% CI 80%, 90%] and 87% [95% CI 79%, 92%], respectively, for co-primary endpoints, and 85% [95% CI 77%, 91%] and 90% [95% CI 79%, 95%], respectively, for key secondary endpoints. For all readers, the lower boundaries of 95% CI for co-primary and key secondary endpoints were > 75%. For all evaluable patients, positive and negative predictive values were 91.7% and 73.7%, respectively. Dr. Bjurlin notes there are several limitations of girentuximab PET: It is an antibody based radiotracer with a long-circulating time (interval is 5-7 days, which introduces logistical hurdles to test administration) The high cost of PET in general Limited availability of PET in certain parts of the world Availability is limited by distribution network Once approved, this agent will be on a patent for >10 years It only tells you clear cell RCC versus all other histologies (benign vs malignant) 99mTc-sestabmibi is a mitochondrial imaging agent used primarily for detecting oncocytomas. Work from Gorin et al.2 assessed 50 patients with a solid clinical T1 renal mass that was imaged with (99m)Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT prior to surgical resection. Following surgery, 6 (12%) tumors were classified as renal oncocytomas and 2 (4%) as hybrid oncocytic/chromophobe tumors. With the exception of 1 (2%) angiomyolipoma, all other tumors were renal cell carcinomas (82%). (99m)Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT correctly identified 5 of 6 (83.3%) oncocytomas and 2 of 2 (100%) hybrid oncocytic/chromophobe tumors, resulting in an overall sensitivity of 87.5% (95% CI, 47.4-99.7%). Only two tumors were falsely positive on SPECT/CT, resulting in a specificity of 95.2% (95% CI, 83.8-99.4%): Pooled data among 278 patients and 284 tumors reports a sensitivity of 78.1%, specificity of 91.4%, PPV of 72.5%, and NPV of 93.5% for detection of oncocytoma. Future directions of dual tracer SPECT imaging may be as follows: Dr. Bjurlin concluded this section of his talk by discussing molecular imaging for small renal masses with the following thoughts: Molecular imaging offers a promising non-invasive means of determining the histology of renal tumors 99m Tc-sestabmibi SPECT/CT (positive = oncocytoma/oncocytic neoplasm) is an inexpensive and readily available test to aid with the risk stratification of renal tumors, but the literature on this test is limited by single-center studies Tc-sestabmibi SPECT/CT (positive = oncocytoma/oncocytic neoplasm) is an inexpensive and readily available test to aid with the risk stratification of renal tumors, but the literature on this test is limited by single-center studies 89Zr-girentuximab/TLX250 PET/CT (positive = clear cell RCC/clear cell papillary RCC) has shown excellent diagnostic performance characteristics in a large multicenter trial, and we should anticipate this test becoming clinically available in the very near future Next, Dr. Bjurlin discussed molecular imaging in bladder cancer, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of 18F-FDG, 11C-choline, 11C-acetate, 99mTc-MDP, and 18F-NaF: FDG PET provides a limited assessment of the bladder, which can be improved by capturing images 60 minutes after injecting 20 mg of IV Lasix + water: Work from Kollberg et al.3 in 2015 noted that FDG PET/CT improves staging in patients with high-risk muscle-invasive bladder cancer scheduled for radical cystectomy. Among 103 patients, compared to CT alone, FDG-PET/CT provided more additional findings suggesting malignant manifestations in 48 (47%) patients. These additional FDG-PET/CT findings led to an altered provisional treatment plan in 28 (27%) patients, detection of disseminated bladder cancer and subsequent cancellation of the initially intended cystectomy in 16 patients (16%), and identification of disseminated disease and treatment with induction chemotherapy before radical cystectomy in 12 patients (12%): In a retrospective comparison of 711 patients (CT vs FDG PET/CT), clinical stage changed in 26% of patients.4 Upstaging was more frequent than downstaging (25.5% vs 0.4%) and occurred most frequently in patients with cM1a disease (44% upstaging to cM1b): FDG PET/CT can also be used to assess response to 2 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy: for those with no response, they may proceed straight to cystectomy, and for those with partial response, additional chemotherapy can be given (sensitivity 57%, specificity of 92%): An emerging question regarding radiotracers and immunotherapy is how to predict which patients will respond to anti-PD-(L)1 therapy (given that our current approaches are imperfect). This results in a significant percentage of patients that do not derive clinical benefit, but who are exposed to immune-related adverse events. Thus, it is important to identify responders as early as possible, and avoid unnecessary treatment or toxicity, and allow earlier treatment with other effective agents. Dr. Bjurlin concluded this portion of this talk by discussing molecular imaging in bladder cancer with the following thoughts regarding the pragmatic use of PET/CT in clinical practice: For indeterminate lymph nodes or bone lesions Patients who cannot get contrasted axial imaging Suspected cT3 disease High risk histology: plasmacytoid, micropapillary, small cell/neuroendocrine features Finally, Dr. Bjurlin discussed the use of PET in the diagnosis and management of germ cell tumors, with slides courtesy of Dr. Rose. The use of PET/CT for initial staging is recommended against in the ESMO and NCCN guidelines. This negative recommendation is secondary to 72 patients (did not meet accrual goal of 169 patients) with clinical stage I/II NSGT undergoing FDG PET prior to primary RPLND. Overall, 19 patients had pathologic nodal involvement (26%) and the primary endpoint was not reached with a negative predictive value of 78%.5 In patients with seminoma, the size of residual masses is used to predict likelihood of viable seminoma after chemotherapy (rate of residual disease in post-chemotherapy seminoma <3 cm is <10%). Based on 3 studies, the rates of residual seminoma if the mass is >= 3 cm ranges from 13-55%: However, the management of FDG PET + post-chemotherapy seminoma >3 cm remains controversial. In 2018, Cathomas et al.6 assessed the International Global Germ Cell Cancer Group Registry (n = 90 with metastatic seminoma with PET-positive residual lesions after chemotherapy), finding that over a median follow-up of 29 months, the median diameter of the largest residual mass was 4.9 cm (range: 1.1 to 14 cm). Post-PET management included repeated imaging in 51 patients (57%), resection in 26 patients (29%), biopsy in nine patients (10%), and radiotherapy in four patients (4%). Histology of the resected specimen was necrosis in 21 patients (81%) and vital seminoma in five patients (19%). Relapse or progression occurred in 15 patients (17%) after a median of 3.7 months (IQR, 2.5 to 4.9 months), and all but one patient who experienced relapse were successfully treated with salvage therapy. The PPV for FDG-PET was only 23%: Importantly, miR371 (or others) are likely to supplant PET/CT in the evaluation of residual seminoma. Dr. Bjurlin concluded this portion of his talk on molecular imaging in testicular cancer with the following conclusions: There is currently no role for PET in NSGCT FDG avidity has a high negative predictive value for post-chemotherapy residual seminoma Management of FDG avid residual seminoma > 3 cm is nuanced and RPLND and surveillance are options PET may be used to predict early treatment response and de-escalated chemotherapy, but this remains investigational Presented by: Marc Bjurlin, DO, MSc, FACOS, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC Written by: Zachary Klaassen, MD, MSc Urologic Oncologist, Associate Professor of Urology, Georgia Cancer Center, Wellstar MCG Health, @zklaassen_md on Twitter during the 2024 Southeastern Section of the American Urological Association (SESAUA) Annual Meeting, Austin, TX, Wed, Mar 20 Sat, Mar 23, 2024. References: The 2024 Budget Session of the Wyoming Legislature has concluded. Now that Gov. Mark Gordon has taken final action on the budget and other legislation, heres a report on issues affecting the University of Wyoming. All in all, it was a successful session for UW, with the Legislature and the governor continuing their strong support for the states university. The newly adopted state budget includes these additional provisions beyond our $338 million block grant for the coming biennium, which spans July 1, 2024-June 30, 2026: $1.8 million to help us improve mental health services for our students, faculty and staff. $2.5 million in matching funds to develop artificial intelligence expertise. $5 million to upgrade classroom technology. $3 million to increase stipends for graduate assistants. $10 million for the University Endowment Challenge Program and $2 million expendable match for priorities identified and approved by the Board of Trustees (which occurred at the recently completed March board meeting). $1 million for library collections. $1 million for our new Neltje Center for Excellence in Creativity and the Arts. $60.9 million for major maintenance. $2.5 million in endowment matching dollars for research, education and extension in ranch and rangeland management, agronomy and soil science. Additionally, the budget bill includes a $25 million appropriation for the second phase of the Wyoming Gas Injection Initiative and $40 million in matching funds for research, services, software acquisition and technological capabilities. These projects are led by our Center of Innovation for Flow Through Porous Media. And there are several provisions adding over $20 million to the School of Energy Resources for building nuclear energy capacity, matching programs, and research and programming. While legislators and the governor continue their generous support for UW on multiple university priorities, other action will require us to rethink or change the way we do things. Most notably, the Legislature reduced our block grant by $1.73 million, the budgeted biennial amount for our Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and directed through a budget footnote that no state dollars be spent on the DEI office, effective July 1, 2024. They also directed that no state funding be spent on DEI activities, functions or programs, but the governor used his line-item veto on that second piece of the budget footnote. We are now considering how to manage this situation. There are some student success, access and community engagement functions we will need to continue, so as to not jeopardize federal funding for research and other programs. We certainly will continue to value and serve students, employees and community members of all genders, ethnicities and backgrounds, and work to make everyone feel welcome. But the message from lawmakers, regardless of the welcomed line-item veto from the Governor, is that our DEI efforts must change, and discussions are underway to determine the best path forward. This will include appointment of a working group that includes faculty, staff and students to look closely at all of UWs programs and activities in this area; consider which can and should be continued; and explore how funding sources other than state appropriations can potentially be deployed to support some essential functions. We will be in touch with more details as we determine how to comply with and respond to this legislative action. In the meantime, we express appreciation to those who worked tirelessly to represent the university during the legislative session. Our role as Wyomings land-grant and flagship university is paramount, and we are committed to serving the state to the best of our ability. Sincerely, Ed Seidel, President France vs Germany will be streamed on the Blue To Go app. If you want to watch France vs Germany in real time online, VAVEL Mexico is your best option. Officials in Algeria are chiding television stations over the content choices they've made since the start of Ramadan last week, injecting religion into broader discussions about how the country regulates content and advertising in media. Their criticisms come amid broader struggles facing journalists and broadcasters, where television stations and newspapers have historically relied heavily on advertising from the government and large state-aligned enterprises in the oil-rich nation. After meeting with station directors on Sunday, Algerian Communications Minister Mohamed Lagab accused networks of not respecting ethical and professional lines, calling their programmatic choices "out of keeping with the social traditions of our society and especially the sacredness of the month of Ramadan." Lagab, a former journalism school professor, preemptively rebuffed accusations of censorship, arguing that his ministry's push didn't run counter to Algeria's constitutional press freedom guarantees. "Television stations have the right to criticize, but not by attacking our society's moral values," he said. Though he did not explicitly name any specific stations or programs, Lagab cited soap operas as a particular concern. His ministry last week summoned a director for the country's largest private station, Echourouk, over a soap opera called El Barani that showed characters consuming alcohol and snorting cocaine depictions that sparked rebuke from viewers concerned they were incompatible with Ramadan. Lagab also criticized stations for dedicating excessive airtime to advertising, so much so that it rivaled the run time of certain shows. "If we put advertising (and programs) side by side, we would conclude they last longer than the soap operas broadcast," Lagab said. His remarks followed statements from Algeria's Authority of Audiovisual Regulations, which polices television and radio stations. Throughout March, it has called on national television stations to rein in advertising and respect families and viewers during Ramadan, a holy month observed throughout the Muslim-majority country and broader region. Lagab's two-pronged attack against stations' content and advertising is the latest challenge facing Algerian television stations, which are preparing for deepened financial strain as the government prepares new regulations on advertising in media. In anticipation of a new law, stations, especially private ones, have ramped up advertising to an unprecedented extent, hoping to rake in profits before the government sets new limits. The advertising blitz has been particularly pronounced since Ramadan began last week. As demand increases for food and other consumer products used throughout the holy month, stations have found no shortage of advertisers. Even if stations don't change course after meeting with Lagab, experts say the government's criticisms are unlikely to escalate into punishments like sanctions or fines. "Most of these channels are politically aligned with the government and zealously support it," said Kamal Ibri, a journalist whose news website closed for lack of advertising revenue. Algeria's largest television stations are a mixture of publicly and privately owned. Networks including the private Echourouk, private El Bilad and the state-owned ENTV broadcast news and other programming, including soap operas. In prior years, viewers have grown accustomed to special Ramadan-specific programs during that period. Though some private channels have begun platforming opposition parties recently, few broadcast pointed criticisms of the government. Those that do have in recent years been penalized. Journalist Ihsane El Kadi 's media company, which oversaw web television and radio programming was shuttered and had its equipment confiscated. He was sentenced to prison for "threatening state security" in April 2023. The number of arrests for illegally crossing the U.S. southern border with Mexico nudged upward February over the previous month. But at a time when immigration is increasingly a concern for voters, the numbers were still among the lowest of Joe Biden's presidency. According to figures from Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol agents made 140,644 arrests of people attempting to enter the country between the legal border crossing points during February. The figures are part of a range of data related to immigration, trade and fentanyl seizures that is released monthly by CBP. The immigration-related figures are a closely watched metric at a time of intense political scrutiny over who is entering the country and whether the Biden administration has a handle on the issue. Republicans have charged that Biden's policies have encouraged migrants to attempt to come to the U.S. and that the border is out of control. The Biden administration counters that Republicans failed to work with Democrats to fund a key border security bill and argues that what is happening on the southern border is part of a worldwide phenomenon of more people fleeing their homes to seek safety. The numbers come after a December that saw the Border Patrol tally 249,785 arrests a record that increased tensions over immigration before the numbers plunged in January to 124,220. Officials have credited enforcement efforts by Mexico as well as seasonal fluctuations that affect when and where migrants attempt to cross the border for the drop from December to January and February. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said during a February 29 trip to Brownsville, Texas, with Biden that the "primary reason is the enhanced enforcement efforts on the part of the Mexican government." But he said encounters remained up in Arizona in part because Sonora, which is the Mexican state directly south of Arizona, is difficult to patrol. In February, the Tucson sector in Arizona was by far the busiest region for migrant crossings between the ports of entry, followed by San Diego and El Paso, Texas. Separately, 42,100 migrants used an app called CBP One to schedule an appointment to present themselves at an official border crossing point to seek entry into the United States. The app has been a key part of the Biden administration's efforts to reduce chaos at the border by encouraging migrants to wait for an appointment instead of wading through the river or trekking across the desert and seeking Border Patrol agents to turn themselves in. The administration has also allowed 30,000 people a month into the country from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela using the administration's humanitarian parole authority. The migrants must have a financial sponsor in the U.S. and fly into an American airport. According to the data released Friday, 386,000 people from those four countries have been admitted to the country since that program was announced in January 2023. It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family. That was one of the phrases with which Catherine, Princess of Wales, 42, began the video in which on Friday, March 22 she revealed that she has cancer. The disease was detected after she had abdominal surgery in January. Since then, the Princess of Wales has been undergoing chemotherapy treatment, as she explained in the video she shared. I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits. She spoke optimistically, but the news was another blow to the British royal family. Indeed, it has been a difficult past few months for them, a period that could well be compared to the annus horribilis of 1992, as Queen Elizabeth II described it at the time. When Prince Charles became king at the age of 74 after his mothers death in September 2022, he wanted to expand his public events and appearances to consolidate his image and popularity after decades of waiting as the longest-serving heir in the history of the British monarchy. But his aspirations were dashed in January. On the same day it was announced that the Princess of Wales had undergone abdominal surgery which, at the time, Kensington Palace denied was for anything cancerous Buckingham Palace announced that the King was to be admitted to the same private London clinic to treat his hypertrophic prostate. As with his daughter-in-law, he was found to have cancer during the operation; no further details have been given about his illness. King Charles III in an audience with Korean War veterans at Buckingham Palace on March 19, 2024. Jonathan Brady (via REUTERS) The illnesses of the king and the Princess of Wales have thrust Queen consort Camilla and Prince William into starring roles. They are two so-called state advisors, people who can replace the monarch in his public duties in case of serious illness, incapacitation or absence abroad (Charless siblings Princess Anne and Prince Edward can also fulfill that role). This mechanism has not been officially activated, since Charles III is still dispatching official business. But it was a tremendous surprise when the heir to the throne announced that he was going to take a few days away from his public duties to attend to his children and his wife. Because of the absence of his father, William resumed his schedule a few days later: at an awards presentation, at a gala fundraising dinner, at the funeral of his friend Thomas Kingston, at this weeks meeting on homelessness ... But he canceled his attendance at the mass in memory of Constantine of Greece, his godfather, shortly before the start of the ceremony in St. Georges Chapel at Windsor Palace. Although he has been seen in public, Prince Williams schedule has been reduced considerably. As a result, the task of representing the British royal family at public events has fallen almost exclusively to Queen consort Camilla. In the early months of 2024, the Queen consort has become the most active Windsor. But the overload of being the public face of the British monarchy has taken its toll on her, and earlier this March she announced she was taking a weeks vacation. My view is that King Charles insisted that she has a break. She is working nonstop; she has done so much in this last week. She has also been there for him all the time. I think that it is a sign that he has improved quite well, British royal biographer Angela Levin told GB News at the time. Queen consort Camilla at an event in Belfast on March 21, 2024. Samir Hussein (via REUTERS) But illness is not the only thing that is weighing on the British royal family this year; other scandals over the personal decisions of its members have also played a part. Beyond health, the most serious issue is the situation of Prince Andrew, the third son of Queen Elizabeth II (he is younger than Charles and Anne and older than Edward). At 64, Elizabeth IIs so-called favorite has been in disgrace for almost five years, when his association with pedophile businessman Jeffrey Epstein was first discovered. He himself acknowledged that he was not up to the task in a convoluted BBC interview that did him in. But this year his name is, and will continue to be, dragged through the mud, for two reasons. First, because of the declassification of dozens of Jeffrey Epsteins documents in January; Andrew was his friend and his name appeared in those papers. His involvement with minors and at the businessmans parties is no longer an open secret, but something that witnesses and victims portray in black and white in their court statements and with evidence. While it is true that there is no definitive list of the late Epsteins clients, Prince Andrews name appears next to his on dozens of occasions in the declassified documents. For example, of the first 40 known documents, the princes name appears in 12 of them, and the lead plaintiff, Virginia Giuffre, who claims she had non-consensual sex with him, mentions Andrew numerous times. Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew in 'Scoop,' which will premiere on Netflix on April 5, 2024. Netflix The second issue and the reason why Andrews name will be much more exposed in the coming weeks is the Netflix premiere of Scoop. In fact, it is a film about him and about the disastrous BBC interview in which he came off poorly. Prince Andrew will be played by Rufus Sewell, while Gillian Anderson will portray journalist Emily Maitlis. According to the Netflix, The interview is so significant, but its 5% of the story. What we do is we take you on the journey to how this all began. The April 5 premiere of the film will put Andrew back in the spotlight. In addition, Andrew seen another family member get cancer. The prince married Sarah Ferguson in 1986, they separated in 1992 and finally divorced in 1996, but since then, and especially in recent years, they have remained very close; in fact, they even share a house. In January 2024, the Duchess of York announced that she had been diagnosed with skin cancer, after publicly revealing in June 2023 that she had been treated for breast cancer. While she is not exactly a member of the British royal family, her daughters (Beatrice and Eugenie) are, and Sarah Ferguson maintained a close relationship with both Diana (who introduced Fergie and Andrew) and Queen Elizabeth II until her death in September 2022. In fact, last Christmas Sarah Ferguson was seen with the Windsors at Sandringham for the first time in thirty years. Another issue complicating the world of the British Royal House is Charless son Harry, Duke of Sussex, and his wife, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex. The couple have been living together in California since March 2020, where they moved, as the pair has explained on numerous occasions, because they were exhausted by the medias persecution of them and dissatisfied with their roles in the British royal family. In February of this year, King Charles IIIs youngest son went to visit his father when it became known that his father had cancer. How did you get the news that the king was ill? he was asked in a television interview a few days later. I spoke to him, he explained. I jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could. However, Harrys relationship with his brother Prince William (and his wife Kate), as he revealed in his own memoir and as has come to light in interviews and other biographies, is virtually nonexistent. In his biography, Harry revealed that William even physically assaulted him in a fight. Now, in California, several sources close to the couple have explained that neither Harry nor Markle had information about what was happening to his sister-in-law, after so much speculation. The couple who do not have social media as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex issued a statement in which they said, we wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Avian influenza is killing tens of thousands of seals and sea lions in different corners of the world, disrupting ecosystems and flummoxing scientists who don't see a clear way to slow the devastating virus. The worldwide bird flu outbreak that began in 2020 has led to the deaths of millions of birds and spread to wildlife all over the globe. This virus isn't thought to be a major threat to humans, but its spread in farming operations and wild ecosystems has caused widespread economic turmoil and environmental disruptions. Seals and sea lions, in places as far apart as Maine and Chile, appear to be especially vulnerable to the disease, scientists said. The virus has been detected in seals on the east and west coasts of the U.S., leading to deaths of more than 300 seals in New England and a handful more in Puget Sound in Washington. The situation is even more dire in South America, where more than 20,000 sea lions have died in Chile and Peru and thousands of elephant seals have died in Argentina. The virus can be controlled in domesticated animals, but it can spread unchecked in wildlife, and marine mammals such as South America's seals that lacked prior exposure to it have suffered devastating consequences, said Marcela Uhart, director of the Latin America program at the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at the University of California, Davis. "Once the virus is in wildlife, it spreads like wildfire, as long as there are susceptible animals and species," Uhart said. "Movement of animals spreads the virus to new areas." Scientists are still researching how the seals have contracted bird flu, but it is most likely from contact with infected seabirds, Uhart said. High mortality has affected South American marine mammals consistently since the virus arrived late in 2022, and birds in Peru and Chile have died by the hundreds of thousands from the virus since then, she noted. The virus is still spreading and was detected in mainland Antarctica for the first time in February. The deaths of seals and sea lions disrupts ecosystems where the marine mammals serve as key predators near the top of the food chain. Seals help keep the ocean in balance by preventing overpopulation of the fish species they feed on. Many species affected, such as South American sea lions and Southern elephant seals, have relatively stable populations, but scientists worry about the possibility of the virus jumping to more jeopardized animals. Scientists have said bird flu might have played a role in the deaths of hundreds of endangered Caspian seals in Russia last year. "The loss of wildlife at the current scale presents an unprecedented risk of wildlife population collapse, creating an ecological crisis," the World Organization for Animal Health, an intergovernmental organization, said in a statement. In New England, scientists with the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University found an outbreak of bird flu that killed more than 330 harbor and gray seals along the North Atlantic coast in 2022 turned out to be worse than initially thought. It's possible the seals contracted the virus from gulls by coming into contact with sick gulls' excrement or by preying on an infected bird, the scientists reported. The U.S. government determined the seal die-off was an "unusual mortality event" attributable to bird flu. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has declared the event is over, but concerns remain about a possible repeat. "Marine mammals are still pretty unique in the scale of the outbreaks that are occurring," said Wendy Puryear, an author of the Tufts study. "One of the connections is there is a lot of virus that circulates in coastal birds. A lot of opportunities for those wild birds to host the virus and pass it on to marine mammals." Some scientists and environmental advocates say there could be a link between the outbreaks and climate change and warming oceans. Warmer sea temperatures off northern Chile decrease the population of forage fish, and that makes sea lions weaker and more susceptible to disease, said Liesbeth van der Meer, director of the environmental group Oceana in Chile. Scientists and environmentalists are hopeful vaccinating poultry will help lessen the spread of the disease, van der Meer said, adding that it's also important for people to avoid potentially infected animals in the wild. "Authorities have carried out campaigns about the disease, strongly recommending to stay away from seabirds or marine mammals with symptoms or found dead in the coastal areas," van der Meer said. Even seals in aquariums are not considered completely safe from bird flu. The New England Aquarium, where outdoor harbor seal exhibits delight thousands of visitors every year, has taken strict sanitation precautions to prevent transmission of the virus to its animals, said Melissa Joblon, the Boston aquarium's director of animal health. Staff aren't allowed to bring backyard poultry products to the aquarium, and an awning protects the seal exhibit from birds that could carry the virus, she said. "We do know that it's a risk for the animals that reside here," said Joblon, adding that none of the aquarium's seals have been infected. The deaths of marine mammals are even more concerning because of mutations of the avian virus, according to a paper in the journal Nature Communications last fall. The mutations "warrant further examination and highlight an urgent need for active local surveillance to manage outbreaks and limit spillover into other species, including humans," the study stated. Another study, published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases in February, found the bird flu virus has adapted to spread between birds and mammals. Researchers found nearly identical samples of the virus in dead sea lions, a dead seal and a dead seabird. They said the finding is significant because it confirms a multispecies outbreak that can affect marine mammals and birds. More seal deaths could disrupt critical ecosystems around the world, said Lynda Doughty, executive director of Marine Mammals of Maine, a rescue organization that responded to seals with bird flu during the New England outbreak. "You need this happy ecosystem. If we're taking out some important species, what is the trickle-down effect of that? That's the million-dollar question," Doughty said. Women slain with babies wrapped against their bodies, lifeless children intertwined together, a baby on the ground with puppies crawling on his tiny frame. The scenes were horrifying, but the 32-year-old farmer documented them, proof of the carnage in his central Burkina Faso village. More than a dozen relatives were killed November 5 when security forces attacked with trucks, guns and drones, he told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, for fear of retaliation. He said he hid in a neighbor's compound and took a series of photos before fleeing the next morning. Dozens more were killed that day in Zaongo village, according to his account and that of two other survivors, as well as a U.N. report citing government figures. The images the man sent to the AP and the interviews with the three survivors are rare firsthand accounts amid a stark increase in civilian killings by Burkina Faso's security forces as the junta struggles to beat back a growing jihadi insurgency and attacks citizens under the guise of counterterrorism. Most attacks including the slaying of children by soldiers at a military base last year, uncovered in an AP investigation go unpunished and unreported in a nation run by a repressive leadership that silences perceived dissidents. More than 20,000 people have been killed since jihadi violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group first hit the West African nation nine years ago, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, a U.S.-based nonprofit. The fighting has divided a once peaceful population, blockaded dozens of cities and led to two military coups. Burkina Faso's government spokesman didn't respond to requests for comment about the November 5 attack. Previously, officials have denied killing civilians and said jihadis often disguise themselves as soldiers. The three survivors told AP they're certain the men were security forces. They describe them wearing military uniforms, one with a Burkina Faso flag fastened to him. The farmer saw a helicopter flying toward the village in the attack's aftermath those are used solely by the military, not insurgents. The United Nations urged the government to investigate, hold those responsible accountable and compensate victims, said Seif Magango of the U.N. Human Rights Office. Burkina Faso's prosecutor's office said it opened an investigation. Four months later, survivors said they had no news. They massacred them It was early Sunday morning when the farmer heard gunshots in the distance. Violence in Namentenga province is frequent, locals said; shootings and patrolling soldiers are common. About 3 p.m., the farmer said, hundreds of men most in military fatigues stormed through on motorbikes and trucks and started indiscriminately killing people. He hid at the neighbor's home, he said, and after hours of gunshots, the man with the flag entered. "The soldier told us that his colleagues were in the other compound," the farmer said. "He said he didn't want to hurt us, but if the others realized we were still alive, they'd kill us." When the guns stopped, he said, he left the compound and saw Zaongo littered with the dead. It's unclear what prompted the attack, but locals said most times, security forces think villagers are working with extremists. Junta today Since seizing power in September 2022, the junta has threatened rights groups and journalists and carried out attacks against civilians. It's on a war footing as it tries to beat back the jihadis, who've overtaken more than half the country, according to conflict analysts and experts. The junta is distancing itself from regional and Western nations that don't agree with its approach. This year, it left the West African regional economic bloc known as ECOWAS and created an alliance with Mali and Niger, also run by military juntas. The junta severed military ties with former colonial ruler France. Officials have welcomed several dozen Russians tasked in part with keeping the junta in power, according to several conflict experts and a diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss the matter. In November, days after the Zaongo massacre, 50 Russians arrived in Burkina Faso to protect the junta, influence public opinion and provide security services, said Lou Osborn with All Eyes on Wagner, a project focusing on the Russian mercenary group, which operates in a handful of African countries. The United States said it has suspended assistance to Burkina Faso's military but still supplies nonlethal equipment to civilian security forces such as the national police. In January, it delivered nearly 100 bikes and pickups. "We are not aware of any diversion or misuse of recent equipment," it said. "We take allegations seriously and will continue to monitor and evaluate." Civilians in the middle During the November 5 attack, men in military uniforms speaking French and local language Moore called for men to leave their houses, a 45-year-old mother told AP. Through the window of the home where she hid, she said, she saw more than 15 relatives killed. She said a soldier motioned for her to lie down silently. The men dressed, looked and sounded like soldiers who pass through inspecting people's documents, she said. The third survivor who spoke to AP, a 55-year-old man, said villagers had been accused of working with jihadis because they refused to join tens of thousands of volunteers fighting alongside the military. We're frightened Survivors fear that bodies still lie on the ground rotting in Zaongo, now occupied by jihadis. Some relatives returned a week after the deaths, but there were too many bodies and not enough time to bury them, they said. It's still unclear how many were killed reports from survivors, the U.N. and aid groups vary, from 70 to more than 200. During Chinas annual national legislature this month, Premier Li Qiang announced plans to construct more solar and wind farms as well as hydropower projects. China is already the worlds largest producer of renewable energy and also holds near-monopolies on the globes renewable energy manufacturing and supply chain. Last year alone China produced more solar panels than the U.S. has ever produced in total. Chinas dominance in electric vehicle battery components and solar power panels has rattled Western governments, including those of the European Union and the United States, which blame Beijings "huge" state subsidies. The U.S. has responded with its own subsidies and incentives to boost American production. China is also the worlds biggest consumer of fossil fuels and the globes biggest emitter of carbon dioxide. But analysts say that puts Beijing in a good position to partner on renewable energy growth with a somewhat surprising group oil producers in the Persian Gulf. Gulf States including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Kuwait and Iraq produced about a third of the worlds crude oil in 2022, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. But theyre also diversifying away from those industries with help from China, say analysts. Energy and Geopolitics Researcher Elai Rettig at Israels Bar-Ilan University tells VOA its a mutually beneficial investment as the shift to green energy will free up oil for sale to the Gulfs main consumers in Asia, especially China. "In that region, oil is cheaper than water," notes Rettig. "The more you invest in the Gulf, the more you can trust theyll see you get oil even under sanctions. China is the biggest oil importer in the world and needs to make sure someone will sell them cheap oil if theres a confrontation with the U.S." But its less about the Gulf states love of China and more about Beijings ability to deliver on large-scale projects at lower costs, says Li-Chen Sim, a nonresident fellow at the Washington-based Middle East Institute. "The Chinese can produce low-priced, polysilicon for solar panels because labor costs are cheaper, so products are cheaper. Solar model assembly in China is 50% cheaper than in Europe," she told VOA. Western countries have raised tariffs on Chinese imports and offered fresh subsidies to encourage domestic competition. The European Union this month approved import taxes on Chinese electric vehicles and is considering them for solar panels. The EU this month moved closer to banning products made with forced labor, which is expected to include polysilicon components for solar panels made in Chinas western Xinjiang region, which supplies nearly half the global demand. The United States stopped all imports from the region in 2022 as part of a crackdown on forced labor imposed on the regions ethnic Uyghur Muslim minority, which China denies. Despite pushback from the West, plunging solar prices are making it harder to compete with Chinese manufacturers. Nonetheless, China has some competition when it comes to renewable energy in the Gulf States, says Sim. "China plays a role [in the Gulf] in the financing, contractor and equipment sectors in financing they are significant. But in fact, not as significant as the Japanese," she said. "Japans role in green energy financing in the Gulf is huge." During his July 2023 Middle East tour aimed at promoting Japans green technology and regional economic ties, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida signed signed 23 agreements with the UAE to strengthen cooperation and existing partnerships. Japan in 2017 became the first country in the world to formulate a national hydrogen strategy with plans to become the first "hydrogen society." But it will have to compete with China, already the worlds top producer and consumer of hydrogen, though most of it is generated with high-carbon emission fossil fuels like coal. At least 54 people have lost their lives to cholera in Somalia in recent months. Nine of those deaths occurred within the past week, marking the highest weekly death toll this year, humanitarian group Save the Children said. In an interview with VOA Somali, Mohamed Abdulkadir, acting operations director for Save the Children Somalia, said the statistic highlights how vulnerable children are to the deadly disease. "In collaboration with Somalia's Ministry of Health and Human Services, Save the Children reveals that among 4,388 confirmed cases in 2024, 59% belong to children under the age of five," Abdulkadir said. In the southern states of the country, Mogadishu, the country's capital, has experienced a significant surge in reported cholera cases in the past two weeks. Abdulkadir said 586 new cases have been reported in 23 districts, with 331 of them affecting children under the age of five. The outbreak, which began in January of this year, is believed to be a direct consequence of severe flooding that occurred in October and November 2023. "We believe that the recent devastating flooding in areas like Mogadishu, Beledweyne and Baidoa has contributed to the outbreak of the disease," said Abdulkadir. He said Save the Children is urgently calling for action from local governments and health agencies to combat the rapid spread of cholera. "We call for an action from the Somali federal government and the local governments to fight against this highly contagious disease, which primarily spreads through contaminated water areas with inadequate sewage treatment, flooded regions," he said. People who lack safe drinking water are particularly susceptible to the cholera outbreak, especially in the wake of flooding, he added. To prevent further transmission of the disease, he said Save the Children is implementing an emergency response strategy. The aid agency is establishing two cholera treatment centers, providing essential hygiene kits and water treatment supplies in Beledweyne. Abdulkadir emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that Somalia is at the forefront of the climate crisis. He said the combination of relentless rainfall, floods, and a devastating drought has left children and families extremely vulnerable to illness. He stressed the urgent need for clean drinking water and sanitation facilities to prevent the cholera outbreak from spiraling out of control when the rainy season begins in a month. In 2023, Somalia recorded more than 18,300 cases of cholera, with 10,000 of those cases affecting children under the age of five. Both Save the Children and the Somali government attributed the devastating rise in numbers to the destructive El Nino flooding in November and December, which destroyed toilets and latrines. Consequently, many communities, particularly those recently displaced by flooding and conflict, resorted to open defecation. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that Cyprus should be a Turkish state. Erdogan defended his countrys 1974 invasion of Cyprus, saying there would be no Cyprus problem had Turkish forces gone farther and taken over the entire state. The remarks angered Greece, sparking fresh tension between the two age-old foes. The government in Athens slammed what it called the provocative remarks. Officials in Athens attribute the outbursts to upcoming local elections in Turkey and efforts by Erdogan to spoil what opinion polls show as growing gains being made by his partys main opponent in the key city of Istanbul. There is no doubt, Greek Immigration Minister Dimitris Keridis said, that Erdogan will polarize voters as they head to the elections and that Erdogan is bound to continue appealing to the hardline nationalist vote to support his key candidates. Erdogans remark came during an iftar dinner this week with top military commanders. Turkish media quoted him as saying that had Turkish troops pushed south, "there would be no more north and south, and Cyprus would be completely ours. The timing of Erdogan's remarks comes as the United Nations is exploring new ways to jump-start peace talks on Cyprus, which after 50 years remains divided between a Turkish-Cypriot north and a Greek-Cypriot south. Since 1974, several efforts by the United Nations and the United States to reunite the island have failed. However, attempts by Athens and Ankara in recent months to bridge long-standing differences and to ease tensions have given the U.N. new incentive to revisit the peace talks. Constantinos Filis, director of the Institute of Global Affairs in Athens, said Erdogans remarks aim to set his countrys conditions. The immediate message he wants to send to the U.N. is that Turkey is a strong player, in control of developments on the ground, and that all efforts should be focused on it if the talks are to restart, Fillis said. Turkey has long supported the permanent partition of Cyprus, a solution that the U.N. and the global community have refused on grounds it would legalize the 1974 Turkish invasion of the island. Whether Turkeys uncompromising stance will scupper the U.N.s latest peace efforts remains to be seen. Greek government officials contacted by VOA say that nonetheless, the latest tiff with Turkey will not spoil plans by the prime minister to meet with Erdogan in high-level talks set to take place in May. More than 13 years after Syria erupted into civil war, the United Nations says the country has become a more dangerous place for civilians, noting that the oppressive government of President Bashir al-Assad that sparked the flames of conflict remains in power and continues to escalate hostilities on multiple fronts. The Syria crisis remains one of the most deadly to civilians in the world. Hostilities continue to plague various parts of Syria and have recently seen a sharp spike, particularly in the north, said Adam Abdelmoula, resident and humanitarian coordinator for Syria, at a news conference in Geneva Friday. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, says 454 civilians, including 88 women and 115 children, were killed in the first 10 months of 2023 because of the conflict. Those casualties are the latest manifestation of the toll taken by the war on Syrias population. The U.N. estimates that since the start of the war on March 15, 2011, 300,000 people have been killed, more than 12 million have been displaced 6.8 million inside Syria and 5.4 million as refugees in five neighboring countries. Speaking from the capital, Damascus, Abdelmoula said, Today, a staggering 16.7 million people require some form of humanitarian assistance in Syria, noting that nearly 13 million people are suffering from acute hunger. He said the economy is in freefall, causing prices for the most basic commodities to soar. We hear daily how people are forced to forgo meals, pull their children from school so they can help support the family, or mothers choosing to skip their medications in order to feed their children. This is unconscionable. While man-made disasters are largely responsible for the catastrophic situation facing Syrias civilian population, natural disasters and climate shocks have exacerbated the distress. OCHA says that the devastating earthquake in February 2023 in northern Syria killed some 6,000 people and injured more than 12,800, increasing the strain on services, causing displacement, and inflicting widespread damage, adding that many families lost their main breadwinner at a time when the economic situation was already dire. OCHA says two days of heavy flooding last week affected more than 15,700 people at several displacement camps in Idlib and northern Aleppo. It says that more than 3,300 family tents have been damaged and 500 destroyed in more than 100 flooding incidents in northwest Syria this year. The U.N. is appealing for $4.07 billion to provide lifesaving humanitarian assistance to 10.8 million people out of the 16.7 million Syrians in need this year. Abdelmoula warns that funding is almost nonexistent and that the spillover effects of the war in Gaza and other crises are making it difficult to receive support for Syria from the international community. We are competing with so many crises. Look at the global picture. You have Gaza, you have Ukraine, you have Sudan, you have Afghanistan and the list goes on and on, Abdelmoula said. With each emerging crisis, the Syrian one keeps being pushed to the back burner. We are struggling to keep global attention on Syria, and that is proving to be challenging, he said. Abdelmoula warns that ignoring Syrias calls for help will have a dangerous, destabilizing impact in the region and beyond, including a resurgence of terrorism, which we have seen lately. He also warned that turning a blind eye to Syrias plight will likely trigger a renewed flow of refugees into countries such as Lebanon and Jordan, which already are buckling under the strain of hosting large numbers of Syrian refugees. We could see a situation where migration to Europe would increase, he said, noting that migration numbers in Europe already are surging. In 2023, we have seen 181,000 new applications for asylum in Europe. That represents a 38% increase over 2022, he said. If increased resources are not provided because the Syrian people need them, then donor countries should provide them out of sheer national interest, he said. Migration is going to increase very significantly, unless we can keep people in their national borders. We are still in the first quarter of the year, but with the level of funding that we have and the vulnerability that we see around us, it is not hard to conclude that the migration will only increase. It is less costly to provide for people to remain in their countries as opposed to providing for them when they reach any destination of refuge, he said. Indonesia is expanding its use of a payment system that is popular in China as a way for Chinese tourists to spend easily at even the smallest shops. The expanded payment system employs QR codes. Although it is primarily aimed at developing regional interconnectivity with other Southeast Asian nations, it plays into Indonesias effort to attract Chinese tourists. The central Bank Indonesia is expanding its QR payment system to include Chinese banks as well as banks in Japan and South Korea, two other tourist sources. QR payments are ubiquitous in China, used to purchase everything from snacks to one-of-a-kind items at luxury boutiques. The pandemic accelerated adoption of contactless payments and made credit cards almost as obsolete as cash by using QR code payments that link directly to a payees bank account via mobile phone. The official Peoples Daily reported that a 2022 report by the Payment & Clearing Association of China found 95.7% of Chinese mobile phone users pay with QR code scanning. We want to increase the number of Chinese tourists coming in, and increase their length of stays and spending, said Sandiaga Uno, Indonesias minister for tourism and creative economy. The ministry held its first Wonderful Indonesia promotional event in China in May 2023, the first in three years. The ministry set a target of attracting up to 1.5 million Chinese tourists in 2024, promoting activities such as chocolate making and elephant bathing, according to Wisnu Sindhutrisno, director of regional tourism marketing from Indonesia's ministry of tourism and creative economy. Until the pandemic upended travel, Indonesia was becoming an increasingly popular destination for Chinese tourists with 858,000 visiting in 2013 and 2,072,000 Chinese tourists visiting in 2019, according to Statista. Since the introduction of QR payments to Indonesia in 2019, Indonesians have embraced the nations Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard, or QRIS, with usage tripling nearly every year since. In October 2023, Indonesias central bank recorded over 43 million QRIS users and more than 29 million merchants registered with QRIS, with most of them small and medium scale enterprises. The central bank also recorded more than 1.6 billion transactions with a value of $16 billion, an increase of 186%. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on November 14, 2022, in Bali, Indonesia, on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders Summit, focused on unifying QR code payment systems among the banking systems of Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. Although each country has its own national QR system, linking allows users to do a QR scan to make payments directly from their home bank to a seller of goods or services in another country, usually at better conversion rates than those set by credit cards. As the MOU was signed, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said in a video statement that he expected the cross-border payment initiative to extend to the global level. The governor of Bank Indonesia, Perry Warjiyo, said that the MOU would make payments throughout the region very fast and easy. He described the system as a first step into a global digital world. Vietnam signed the MOU in August 2023. Bank Indonesia Deputy Governor Filianingsih Hendarta said Indonesia signed an MOU with the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates for QRIS in December 2023. And Japans Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry announced last week that Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations plan to unify QR payment systems. The flip side to the expanded QR payment system means Indonesian tourists will be able to shop using rupiah in participating countries. Some 221,600 Indonesians visited China in 2023. Cindy Tan is a freelance tour leader in Jakarta who has been leading trips to China for Indonesians for seven years. She believes the expanded QR payment system will streamline payments for her clients as they travel in China. She envisions paying in China using the QRIS system rather than dealing with many options, including Alipay, one of Chinas QR payment systems. In China, I usually pay using cash because sometimes its easier, she said, adding that outside big cities, it can be difficult to pay using Visa and Mastercard because normally they wont accept international credit cards. The United Nations said in its yearly report on water access that the world is facing a water crisis and listed Iran as one of the countries experiencing extremely high water stress. The U.N. World Water Development Report issued this week ahead of World Water Day, observed Friday, said that in the two decades ending in 2021, droughts affected more than 1.4 billion people worldwide, causing nearly 21,000 deaths. In a report in August, the Washington-based World Resources Institute highlighted Iran among the 25 nations grappling with extremely high water stress. The most water-stressed regions are the Middle East and North Africa, where 83% of the population is exposed to extremely high water stress, along with South Asia, where 74% is exposed, according to the report. It said that the 25 countries which house one-quarter of the global population use over 80% of their renewable water supply for irrigation, livestock, industry and domestic needs, and that even a short-term drought puts these places in danger of running out of water. The report named the five most water-stressed countries as Bahrain, Cyprus, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and Qatar. Other countries in the top 25 were Saudi Arabia, Israel, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Botswana, Jordan, Chile, San Marino, Belgium, Greece, Tunisia, Namibia, South Africa, Iraq, India and Syria. Global water demand is projected to increase by 20% to 25% by 2050, while the number of regions facing water scarcity each year is expected to increase by 19%, according to the World Resources Institute. For the Middle East and North Africa, this means 100% of the population will live with extremely high water stress by 2050, it said. The institute's report cites Iran as an example where decades of poor water management and unsustainable water use for agriculture are already causing protests tensions that will only intensify as water stress worsens. Nikahang Kowsar, a water resources expert, told VOA, "Water scarcity in numerous countries worldwide, including the Middle East, stems from various factors, including population growth, unsustainable development, overutilization and the impacts of climate change, such as shifting precipitation patterns and increased evaporation." Kowsar said top-down decision-making, the absence of democratic practices in governance and a lack of participation in decision-making are contributing factors exacerbating difficult conditions in numerous regions across Iran. He further emphasized that "the overexploitation of aquifers to fulfill the demands of agriculture and urban areas has led Iran into water bankruptcy." Kowsar said with the significant depletion of groundwater levels and the failure to replenish extracted water, it is anticipated that in the coming years, water scarcity in some regions of Iran will escalate, leading to instability and heightened tensions. The World Resources Institute's says at least 50% of the world's population around 4 billion people live under highly water-stressed conditions for at least one month of the year, jeopardizing people's lives, jobs, food and energy security. Thailand will face a population crisis should the countrys low birth rate continue, possibly shrinking its population by half. Experts say the government must prioritize boosting Thailands parenthood welfare to find a solution to the crisis. The average number of children born to one woman in Thailand is about 1.16, according to the World Bank figures for 2021, while some media report the rate was 1.08 for 2022. Thai health officials confirmed fewer than half-a-million new births, 485,085, in 2022 the lowest number in 70 years. Experts say that by the year 2083, Thailands population will shrink to 33 million should the current trend continue, with the majority being senior citizens. Thailand currently has a workforce of about 39 million out of a nationwide population that exceeds 70 million. Thai Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew has said the countrys birth rate decline is at a critical level. Variety of causes Sasiwimon Warunsiri Paweenawat, associate professor of economics at Thammasat University, cites numerous reasons for the declining birth rate. Its decreasing a lot because we have an improvement of the health care system and the excess of the birth control, she told VOA. And in the past, the government has the policy to encourage the birth control. Thailands first national population program began in the 1970s. Sasiwimon said the government promoted a policy for the population to have fewer children. Data show it worked: From 1963 to 1983, Thailand saw approximately 1 million new births annually before it steadily declined over four decades. They even had the slogan that if you have more children, you will become poorer, Sasiwimon said. Cholnan wants to rid Thailand of that notion under the Give Birth, Great World campaign, which makes boosting the countrys birth rate a national cause. He said the campaign aims to increase fertility throughout the country and provide medical help to those with reproductive issues. Thailand isnt the only Asian country grappling with low birth rates. Singapore, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan all have declining birth rates. Sasiwimon says said education, cost of living, changing attitudes and maternity leave also affect Thailand's low birth rate. In Thailand pregnant women are entitled to no more than 98 days, or 14 weeks, maternity leave, which is one of the lowest in the Southeast Asia region. The International Labor Organization Maternity Protection Convention recommends 18 weeks maternity leave for a parent to recover from the pregnancy. In my research we found when women have more and more years of education, they prefer to have fewer children. When women are more educated, they join the labor market and earn income. If they have more and more children, they lose that income because of the costs, she said. Having children, [costs are] very high now and the more educated the woman, the less likely they are to have children. Changing opinions about family Many younger Thais have different attitudes than their elders. The attitude among the Thai population, the Gen Y, around 21 to 37 years old, are a large group of Thai population right now. Compared to Gen X, who prioritize the family, this generation Y, they prioritize their career path and their personal life, Sasiwimon said. So, that's why getting married or having children is their last priority. Instead of a work-family balance, they tend to prioritize themselves and it becomes a work-and-me balance. Jongjit Rittirong, associate professor for the Institute for Population and Social Research at Mahidol University, says Thailand has no time to waste implementing better welfare structures for parents. Increasing the birth rate within a short period or in a few years is impossible, she told VOA. Thailand needs a national plan in all policies to maintain the fertility level and needs a lot of effort to increase the birth rate, which may take years. According to the lesson from other developed countries, she said, increasing the birth rate is not that simple. It requires effort in many dimensions of social welfare to raise the birth rate." Rittirong also told VOA that families need a socially supportive environment to raise a child. For example, working couples need safe childcare in the first five years to care for their kids during working time. Some prefer childcare at their workplace, so they can stop by during the day to see their kids and give breastfeeding, she said. Longer paid parental leave, flexible working hours for working parents, quality of school with affordable tuition fees, affordable housing with a friendly environment for kids activities, [and] medical insurance for young children [are also needed]. Despite the concerns, Sasiwimon said she is happy Thailands new government is paying attention to the issue. The good news? The current government, they made it a national agenda to encourage people to have children, she said. When I look at the policy, if that can implement, it will be very good the government has to adjust to the environment, provide a family friendly policy, provide assistance for mothers and encourage the role of both father and mother. This would be good to correct this crisis. If you want to adjust the population structure, it takes time, Sasiwimon said. If you want to have one child today, it can be in [the] labor force after 15 years. So, its a long-term plan, but Im quite happy they have said it is a national agenda." US. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the gaps are narrowing in negotiations between Israel and Hamas for a cease-fire and hostage release deal. EU leaders meet in Brussels with Ukraine and their own defense topping the agenda. The U.N. weather agency's annual State of the Global Climate report Tuesday was a red alert. With the clock is ticking, will humanity take the action needed to prevent the worst impacts of global warming. Emojis are part of our daily lives. Chats, posts and social media comments are almost always punctuated with little yellow smileys, animals, hearts, flames and much more, depending on the emotion that we want to convey. These small, brightly colored symbols are so common that some people even take their absence as a sign that the other person is being rude... or perhaps they are angry. However, not everyone reads those digital hieroglyphs equally. Researchers from the University of Nottingham say that age, gender and culture can influence the way we interpret them. The study, published in February in the journal Plos One, had 523 participants from China and the UK, ranging from 18 to 84 years old. The authors used six emojis from four different platforms (Apple, Android, Windows and WeChat) that represented six emotions: happiness, disgust, fear, sadness, surprise and anger. The article explains that women are slightly more accurate in recognizing happy, fearful, sad and angry emojis. Lead author Ruth Filik believes it is a matter of interpretation rather than accuracy. In this case, the female participants labeled the emojis the same way as the researchers more often than the men, she notes. The six emojis that were used in the study to convey happiness, disgust, fear, sadness, surprise and anger. Plos ONE As for the faces representing surprise and disgust, there were no differences in perception between women and men. In fact, disgust was the only emotion in which no differences were seen by age, gender or culture when identifying the face that represented it. Xandra Garzon, who specializes in the figure of women in the digital world, suggests that there could be a greater tendency to show only positive emotions, which would push the symbols of negative emotions to a less frequent use. Thus, a lesser used emoji could be more difficult to identify or interpret. Regarding age, there is an accuracy advantage for younger participants, explains the text. One of the factors taken into account is how familiar they were with each symbol. This lack of habit may explain the differences in results between older and younger people, says Filik. For Garzon, a clear example of generational differences can be found in family WhatsApp groups: The use is completely different, to the point that it often escapes us older people. Culture is the aspect that makes the biggest difference, with the British participants being more accurate in associating the faces with the right emotion than the Chinese. The authors point out that the explanation may have to do with the way these symbols are used, as Chinese respondents tend to represent these emotions with completely different emojis: for instance, they use happy faces with negative connotations, such as sarcasm. Agnese Sampietro, a professor and researcher at the Jaume I University (Spain), points out that it is difficult to find any functions of emojis that might be considered universal, and that the way these symbols are presented to respondents matters. Without any context, it is normal to obtain different interpretations explains the linguist, who has several studies on the subject, but some context can help. Sampietro also emphasizes that the differences in identifying emojis are not necessarily a sign of misunderstandings or obstacles in communication. A person selecting an emoji to use in a conversation. picture alliance (dpa/picture alliance via Getty I) Cristina Vela, vice dean of the University of Valladolid (Spain) and author of Los emojis en la interaccion digital escrita (Emojis in written digital interaction), explains that these symbols obtain their meaning through the use they are given. You interpret them as you use them, and that takes place in a speech community that is marked by a certain culture. Vela highlights that studies such as the one from the University of Nottingham shed some light on interesting aspects of the contemporary way of communicating, and can help improve it. Research in the virtual sphere is increasingly relevant because a large part of our lives takes place in these virtual environments, says Garzon. The internet is where we relax, where we work, where we do absolutely everything. Communication evolves Emojis help to understand what the person that sent the message really wants to express and add a touch of color, points out Sampietro. It allows you to personalize a conversation that could be too flat with the default format of social media. Garzon adds that they make communication simpler and more fluid, even more effective. Still, not everyone uses them with this in mind, says Vela; some just use them because it looks pretty. Their interpretation and use depend on who you are writing to. People are not going to use the same emojis in a work chat than in a conversation with family or friends, as they are different kinds of relationships, says Sampietro; one is closer than the other. In addition, Garzon points out, their communicative function is also different: The way I feel about something will probably not be very interesting in the work group, and certain emojis make no sense there. Both the symbols and their interpretation have changed over time. These tiny pictograms have been increasing in complexity and diversity: in 2015, emojis representing body parts or people performing actions began to be available in different skin tones. That same year, same-sex couples were also included. Garzon points out that these details are not at all banal; it is a matter of identity. These types of digital representations are absolutely fundamental. These symbols have become part of peoples identity in such a way that we could even identify some people in a chat solely by the emojis they use, states Garzon. Emojis may facilitate communication, but it is us who give them a meaning, she concludes. A new national security law came into force in Hong Kong on Saturday despite growing international criticism that it could erode freedoms in the city, which is ruled by China but has some autonomy stemming from its history as a British colony. The law took effect at midnight, when it was published on a government website, days after Hong Kong's pro-Beijing lawmakers passed it unanimously, fast-tracking legislation to plug what authorities called national security loopholes. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee signed the new national security law on Friday evening, saying it "accomplished a historic mission, living up to the trust placed in us by the Central [Chinese] Authorities." On Friday, Australia and Britain criticized China for its actions in Hong Kong after a meeting in Adelaide, noting in a joint statement "deep concerns about the continuing systemic erosion of autonomy, freedoms and rights." Australia and Taiwan updated their travel advisories for Hong Kong, urging citizens to exercise caution. "You could break the laws without intending to and be detained without charge and denied access to a lawyer," the Australian government said. However, in a statement, Hong Kong authorities "strongly condemned such political maneuvers with skewed, fact-twisting, scaremongering and panic-spreading remarks." Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the guarantee that its high degree of autonomy and freedoms, including freedom of speech and of assembly, would be protected under a "one country, two systems" formula. The United Nations and the European Union criticized the extremely swift passage of the law, which was first tabled as a draft bill in early March. "It is alarming that such consequential legislation was rushed through the legislature through an accelerated process, in spite of serious concerns raised about the incompatibility of many of its provisions with international human rights law," the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said earlier. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the law would have "broad implications" for American citizens and companies in Hong Kong. "We share concerns expressed by other nations that Hong Kong authorities could seek to apply the new legislation extraterritorially in their ongoing campaign of transnational repression, and condemn efforts to intimidate, harass and limit the free speech of U.S. citizens and residents," he said in a statement. The new law encompasses treason, espionage and external interference and is being closely watched by diplomats and businesses who fear it could further dent Hong Kong's allure as an international financial hub. China and the Hong Kong government have defended the security crackdown as essential to restoring order after months of sometimes violent anti-government street protests in 2019. In recent years, many pro-democracy politicians and activists have been jailed or have gone into exile, and liberal media outlets and civil society groups have been shut down. About 291 people have been arrested for national security offenses, with 174 people and five companies charged so far, according to official figures. Chinese authorities insist all are equal before the national security laws that have restored stability to Hong Kong, and that individual rights are respected, though no freedoms are absolute. A previous attempt to pass the national security law, called Article 23, was scrapped in 2003 after 500,000 people protested. This time around, public criticism has been muted amid the security crackdown. Overseas Hong Kongers are planning protests in Britain, Taiwan, Canada and Japan on Saturday. Taiwan called Saturday for the swift return of one of its military officers who was rescued by Chinese authorities after losing contact during a fishing vacation. Two men from Taiwan's outlying Kinmen island were found on March 18 by the coast guard of China's Fujian province after the engine of their boat failed. Chinese authorities said one of the anglers, surnamed Hu, was an active member of Taiwan's military, accusing him of intentionally concealing his identity. Taiwan's defense ministry confirmed Saturday that Hu was part of the Kinmen Garrison Brigade. "(He) went fishing during his vacation and lost contact due to heavy fog. He contacted his family and service unit that he was rescued by the Chinese coast guard and is safe," said Kinmen's Defense Command in a statement. It added that they were cooperating with other agencies and hoped "for the safe return of its personnel to Kinmen as soon as possible on humanitarian grounds." Kinmen Defense Command also said it will tell soldiers "to refrain from participating in various risky activities during their vacation." The other man in the fishing boat, surnamed Wu, was repatriated to Kinmen by Taiwan's coast guard Saturday. According to video footage shared by Kinmen lawmaker Chen Yu-jen who was at the dock Wu was greeted by his tearful mother with a hug when he stepped off the boat. Hu's mother told reporters that she hoped China would allow family members to go visit him. "Our hearts are filled with anxiety when we can't see him in person, although my son has sent a message saying he is safe," she said. China's Taiwan Affairs Office a mainland body tasked with handling cross-strait relations had told Chinese state news agency Xinhua that Hu needed to be held "to further verify and understand the situation." China claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory and has said it will not rule out force to bring the island under Beijing's control. This incident comes after an ongoing row between Taipei and Beijing over a fatal boat incident last month. A Chinese speedboat carrying four people capsized on February 14 near Kinmen while Taiwan's coast guard was pursuing it, leaving two dead. The coast guard had defended its actions, saying the boat was within "prohibited waters" and was zigzagging before it capsized, but Beijing has accused Taipei of "hiding the truth" about the incident. Since then, China said it would step up patrols around Kinmen a territory administered by Taipei but located just 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the mainland city of Xiamen. Taiwan has been grappling with debates over the last week about a potential visit to an island in the disputed South China Sea by its outgoing president. Some lawmakers from the main opposition party Kuomintang, which advocates friendlier ties with China, have urged Tsai Ing-wen, who will leave office in May, to visit Itu Aba, in the contested Spratly Islands, and assert Taiwans sovereignty over the island. Taiwan took control of the 46-hectare (114-acre) islet, which Taiwan and China call Taiping Island, in 1956. China, Vietnam and the Philippines all claim sovereignty. It hosts 200 members of Taiwans coast guard and contains a hospital, a farm and a runway to facilitate military resupply missions. In January, Taiwan completed a dredging project that would allow larger vessels to dock at the wharf. In 2016, a Hague tribunal ruled that Itu Aba is not an island, under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, and thus not subject to claims of sovereignty. Since the South China Sea arbitration downgraded Taiping Island to a reef in 2016, the Tsai administration hasnt protested against the ruling, Ma Wen-chu, a Kuomintang legislator, wrote on her official Facebook page. Instead, her administration urged Kuomintang not to claim sovereignty over the South China Sea. President Tsai should really go to Taiping Island and declare Taiwans sovereignty over the island, she said, adding that lawmakers from the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee are planning a trip to the island in early May. However, Taiwans foreign minister and top security official have advised the president not to take the trip at the moment, saying she should consider current regional tensions and international perception of the potential trip. Many countries' aircraft and ships are interfered with by relevant countries when passing through, [so] it is necessary [for the government] to assess whether the president's aircraft's flight safety can be maintained during the 1,600-kilometer flight, Tsai Ming-yen, director-general of Taiwans National Security Bureau, told journalists Thursday. Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said Wednesday that while the Taiwanese government remains committed to upholding Taipeis sovereignty over Itu Aba, it needs to consider how other countries might interpret a potential visit to the island by Tsai. Pointing to the standoff between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, Wu said Taiwan must consider how to use peaceful means to resolve the South China Sea issue, and not let others think we are creating difficulties. While both of Tsais predecessors visited Itu Aba, Tsai hasnt made similar trips in office. Taiwan has built a runway on Itu Aba to facilitate military resupply missions, but the island is lightly defended compared with nearby islands controlled by China. The debate comes as Taiwan prepares for the inauguration of President-elect Lai Ching-te on May 20, whom Beijing views as a separatist. It also follows the increased activities by Chinese coast guard vessels around disputed waters near Taiwans outlying Kinmen Island in recent weeks. Some analysts said a potential visit to Itu Aba could inflame tensions between Taiwan and other countries with territorial claims in the South China Sea. A trip to the island by Tsai could be used by China to further strain [cross-strait] relations, Timothy Rich, an expert on Taiwan politics at Western Kentucky University, told VOA in a written response. Since Itu Aba lies about 230 miles from the Philippines and is more than 900 miles from Taiwan, Rich said Taiwans attempt to assert sovereignty over the island through a potential trip by Tsai could strain relations with Manila, whose administration seems particularly open to strengthening relations with Taipei. In addition to allowing China to increase pressure on Taiwan, other experts told VOA that a potential trip to Itu Aba by Tsai could also damage the diplomatic progress that Taiwan has achieved since 2016. A trip to Taiping Island would be counterproductive to Tsais New Southbound Policy and the diplomatic progress that Taipei has made with regional partners over the past 8 years, said Ivan Kanapathy, who served on former U.S. President Donald Trump's National Security Council as director for China, Taiwan and Mongolia, in a written response. As China maintains an aggressive posture in the South China Sea, some Taiwanese analysts think it is in Taiwans interest to defend its territorial interest in the disputed water through a peaceful approach. Since tensions remain high between China and the Philippines and Vietnam in the South China Sea, itll be favorable for Taiwan if the government uses more peaceful ways to safeguard its territorial integrity, Su Tzu-yun, a military analyst at the Taipei-based Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told VOA by phone. Growing Chinese military activities Amid ongoing debates about the Taiwanese presidents potential trip to Itu Aba, China has increased military activities around Taiwan over the last few days. A total of 68 Chinese military aircraft and 11 Chinese naval vessels were detected in areas near Taiwan between Wednesday and Friday, according to statistics released by Taiwans Defense Ministry. Su in Taiwan said the uptick in Chinese military activities around Taiwan is a way for Beijing to express its displeasure toward U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinkens trip to the Philippines, during which he reiterated Washingtons ironclad commitment to defend Manila, and Taiwanese Vice President-elect Hsiao Bi-Khims recent trip to the Czech Republic. China is showcasing its displeasure toward Washingtons and Taipeis recent diplomatic activities by increasing the scale of its military activities around Taiwan, he told VOA. With less than two months until Taiwans President-elect Lai takes office, Rich at Western Kentucky University said China may try to keep up the pressure on his administration by increasing the frequency of its military activities around Taiwan. I assume Chinas increased naval and air exercises around Taiwan still serve as means to persuade the Lai administration into what they see as a more pro-China policy, [but] the strategy is unlikely to bear fruit, he told VOA. Amid increased Chinese military activities near Taiwan, the top U.S. military commander in the Indo-Pacific warned that China remains ready to potentially invade Taiwan by 2027. All indications point to the PLA [Chinas Peoples Liberation Army] meeting President Xi Jinpings directive to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027, Indo-Pacific Command chief Admiral John Aquilino told the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday. Kanapathy, now the senior vice president of Washington-based consultant Beacon Global Strategies, said that since China's Xi has told his military to be ready for a potential Taiwan invasion in 2027, the world should take him at his word. Beijing is investing heavily to buy down its perceived risks for an invasion operation, including by expanding lift capacity and nuclear capabilities, he told VOA. Russia shot down 10 Ukrainian missiles over Sevastopol in Crimea and captured a village near Bakhmut on Saturday, Russian officials said. As Ukraine has suffered shortages of ammunition, Russia has captured several villages on the front line in eastern Ukraine. On Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry said it had taken the village of Ivanivske. The town of Chasiv Yar is nearby, and beyond that lies the city of Kramatorsk. While the ground war may be moving slowly, the two militaries have kept up their aerial assaults. Ukrainian forces shot down 31 of 34 attack drones launched overnight by Russia, the Ukrainian air force said Saturday, as the country continues to recover from Russias massive assault on Ukrainian energy infrastructure Friday. The drones were downed over parts of central, southern and southeastern Ukraine, the countrys military said. Power grid recovers slowly Energy workers are still working to restore electricity to some Ukrainians, though, a day after Moscow launched what Kyiv said was the largest attack of the war on the countrys power grid, authorities said Saturday. The technical possibility for electricity supply had been restored in most affected regions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram. But the situation remained difficult in the region of Kharkiv, which was hit particularly hard. People in Kharkiv city, as well as the western Khmelnytskyi region, were still without power, national grid operator Ukrenergo said in a statement. The Russian assault killed at least five people and left more than 1 million people without power. It also struck Ukraines largest dam. On Saturday morning, meanwhile, two people were killed and seven were injured in Ukrainian air attacks on Russias Belgorod region, regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. Its shaping up to be a difficult morning, Gladkov said in a post on Telegram. An overnight drone attack by Ukraine on Russias Samara region caused a fire at a major oil refinery. In turn, Russias Defense Ministry said Saturday its forces had taken control of the village of Krasnoye in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. Some information in this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse. During a visit to the Rafah crossing Saturday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said blocked aid to Gaza is a moral outrage. Here from this crossing, we see the heartbreak and heartlessness of it all. A long line of blocked relief trucks on one side of the gates, the long shadow of starvation on the other, Guterres said. That is more than tragic. It is a moral outrage, he said. In his remarks, Guterres called for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire and urged Israel to allow total, unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza. Rafah offensive The secretary-generals visit comes as Israel threatens to launch a major military operation in Rafah, where the majority of Gazas displaced population are now sheltering. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is among those urging Israel to not attack Rafah. Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday in Tel Aviv to discourage an assault on the southern Gaza city. It risks killing more civilians. It risks wreaking greater havoc with the provision of humanitarian assistance. It risks further isolating Israel around the world and jeopardizing its long-term security and standing, Blinken said after his meeting with Netanyahu and his war Cabinet. But Netanyahu said Israel didnt need U.S. support to attack Rafah. I also said that we have no way to defeat Hamas without going into Rafah and eliminating the rest of the battalions there. And I told him that I hope we will do it with the support of the U.S., but if we have to we will do it alone, Netanyahu said in a statement. More than a million Palestinians are sheltering in Rafah, many of them after fleeing other parts of Gaza to try to find safety amid the war. Cease-fire talks Blinken's meeting with Israeli officials in Tel Aviv on Friday came as efforts continued to secure a six-week cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in exchange for the release of hostages seized in the October 7 terror attack. The threat of a potential invasion of Rafah cast doubts over the talks. The U.S. made a proposal Saturday at the talks in Qatar to try to close the gap between the sides on how many prisoners Israel would release for every hostage Hamas releases if a truce is reached. Hamas announced Saturday that an Israeli hostage has died, it said, due to lack of medicine and food. Israel generally does not comment on these announcements. The U.N. Security Council on Friday failed to call for a cease-fire in Gaza after Russia and China vetoed a U.S.-drafted resolution supporting a halt to the fighting. This was the seventh time the council failed to agree on a cease-fire resolution since the war started in October. A Security Council vote on a cease-fire alternative is set to take place Monday morning. Al-Shifa raid As Israeli officials consider a military operation in Rafah, Israeli forces continued their days-long raid on al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Israeli forces have killed more than 170 gunmen during the raid, which began Monday, the military said Saturday. Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, both U.S.-designated terrorist groups, said they were fighting Israeli forces in the vicinity of the hospital but deny being inside the sprawling compound. The military has previously described the raid as an effort to thwart terrorist activity. But five of the wounded Palestinians at the hospital have died, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said in a statement Saturday. The hospital has no water, food or health services due to the siege, the ministry said. The Israeli military moved patients to a designated space in the hospital and unloaded 2 metric tons of food and 3 metric tons of water, the army said. Medical staff and Hamas reject that the hospital is used for military purposes or to hide fighters. Hamas' October 7 terror attack inside Israel triggered the war, killing about 1,200 people. Israel's subsequent counteroffensive in Gaza has killed nearly 32,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry. Delivery of humanitarian assistance has been difficult, and a U.N.-backed food insecurity report said last week that more than 1 million Palestinians are at risk of famine in the coming weeks. Some information in this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Venezuelan opposition powerhouse Maria Corina Machado on Friday named a substitute to her presidential bid while she fights a government ban on her running for office. The announcement comes as Machado faces increasing political repression from the government of President Nicolas Maduro as well as pressure from foreign leaders and fellow government opponents to abandon her candidacy. Machado made the announcement two days after authorities arrested two of her campaign staffers and issued warrants for seven more, accusing them of links to an alleged anti-government plot. She told reporters that college professor Corina Yoris will be registered as an opposition faction's presidential candidate ahead of a Monday deadline. The presidential election is set for July 28. "Today is a great day and we have taken a big step, a great step, for the electoral victory in which we will defeat Nicolas Maduro," Machado said from her campaign headquarters in Venezuela's capital, Caracas. She said Yoris is "a person with my full confidence, honorable, who will carry out this process with the support and trust of everyone." Machado, a former lawmaker, overwhelmingly won an October primary election organized by an opposition faction. But the governing party-loyal Supreme Tribunal of Justice in January affirmed a ban on her running for office, and fellow government critics pressed her to stand down to get behind an alternate candidate. The primary of the United States-backed Unitary Platform coalition was organized by an independent commission without any assistance from Venezuela's electoral authorities. Machado is not part of the coalition, but she was allowed to run as an independent. But the government moved to block Machado's candidacy from the start, announcing she was barred from running for office only a few days after she officially entered the primary race in June. After she won the primary, authorities issued arrest warrants for three of her staffers in connection to an alleged plot to sabotage a referendum the government held in December over a territorial dispute with Guyana. Authorities did not arrest the staffers, but they took into custody Roberto Abdul, a longtime collaborator of Machado with whom she co-founded a pro-democracy group more than two decades ago. She filed paperwork with the country's top court in December alleging in part that her ban from office was null and void because she was never officially notified of the administrative decision. The following month, without ever holding a single hearing, the court reaffirmed the ban. It has been 15 years since the last fatal crash of a U.S. airliner, but you would never know that by reading about a torrent of flight problems in the last three months. There was a time when things like cracked windshields and minor engine problems didn't turn up very often in the news. That changed in January, when a panel plugging the space reserved for an unused emergency door blew off an Alaska Airlines jetliner 16,000 feet above Oregon. Pilots landed the Boeing 737 Max safely, but in the United States, media coverage of the flight quickly overshadowed a deadly runway crash in Tokyo three days earlier. And concern about air safety especially with Boeing planes has not let up. Is flying getting more dangerous? By the simplest measurement, the answer is no. The last deadly crash involving a U.S. airliner occurred in February 2009, an unprecedented streak of safety. There were 9.6 million flights last year. The lack of fatal crashes does not fully capture the state of safety, however. In the past 15 months, a spate of close calls caught the attention of regulators and travelers. Another measure is the number of times pilots broadcast an emergency call to air traffic controllers. Flightradar24, a popular tracking site, just compiled the numbers. The site's data show such calls rising since mid-January but remaining below levels seen during much of 2023. Emergency calls also are an imperfect gauge: the plane might not have been in immediate danger, and sometimes planes in trouble never alert controllers. Safer than driving The National Safety Council estimates that Americans have a 1-in-93 chance of dying in a motor-vehicle crash, while deaths on airplanes are too rare to calculate the odds. Figures from the U.S. Department of Transportation tell a similar story. "This is the safest form of transportation ever created, whereas every day on the nation's roads about a 737 full of people dies," Richard Aboulafia, a longtime aerospace analyst and consultant, said. The safety council estimates that more than 44,000 people died in U.S. vehicle crashes in 2023. But a shrinking safety margin A panel of experts reported in November that a shortage of air traffic controllers, outdated plane-tracking technology and other problems presented a growing threat to safety in the sky. "The current erosion in the margin of safety in the (national airspace system) caused by the confluence of these challenges is rendering the current level of safety unsustainable," the group said in a 52-page report. What is going on at Boeing? Many but not all of the recent incidents have involved Boeing planes. Boeing is a $78 billion company, a leading U.S. exporter and a century-old, iconic name in aircraft manufacturing. It is one-half of the duopoly, along with Europe's Airbus, that dominates the production of large passenger jets. The company's reputation, however, was greatly damaged by the crashes of two 737 Max jets one in Indonesia in 2018, the other in Ethiopia the following year that killed 346 people. Boeing has lost nearly $24 billion in the last five years. It has struggled with manufacturing flaws that at times delayed deliveries of 737s and long-haul 787 Dreamliners. Boeing finally was beginning to regain its stride until the Alaska Airlines Max blowout. Investigators have focused on bolts that help secure the door-plug panel, but which were missing after a repair job at the Boeing factory. The FBI is notifying passengers about a criminal investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration is stepping up oversight of the company. "What is going on with the production at Boeing? There have been issues in the past. They don't seem to be getting resolved," FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said last month. CEO David Calhoun says no matter what conclusions investigators reach about the Alaska Airlines blowout, "Boeing is accountable for what happened" on the Alaska plane. "We caused the problem and we understand that." Where do design and manufacturing fit in? Problems attributed to an airplane manufacturer can differ greatly. Some are design errors. On the original Boeing Max, the failure of a single sensor caused a flight-control system to point the nose of the plane down with great force that happened before the deadly 2018 and 2019 Max crashes. It is a maxim in aviation that the failure of a single part should never be enough to bring down a plane. In other cases, such as the door-plug panel that flew off the Alaska Airlines jet, it appears a mistake was made on the factory floor. "Anything that results in death is worse, but design is a lot harder to deal with because you have to locate the problem and fix it," said Aboulafia, the aerospace analyst. "In the manufacturing process, the fix is incredibly easy don't do" whatever caused the flaw in the first place. Manufacturing quality appears to be an issue in other incidents too. Earlier this month, the FAA proposed ordering airlines to inspect wiring bundles around the spoilers on Max jets. The order was prompted by a report that chafing of electrical wires due to faulty installation caused an airliner to roll 30 degrees in less than a second on a 2021 flight. Even little things matter. After a LATAM Airlines Boeing 787 flying from Australia to New Zealand this month went into a nosedive it recovered Boeing reminded airlines to inspect switches to motors that move pilot seats. Published reports said a flight attendant accidentally hitting the switch likely caused the plunge. Not everything is Boeing's fault Investigations into some incidents point to likely lapses in maintenance, and many close calls are due to errors by pilots or air traffic controllers. This week, investigators disclosed that an American Airlines jet that overshot a runway in Texas had undergone a brake-replacement job four days earlier, and some hydraulic lines to the brakes were not properly reattached. Earlier this month, a tire fell off a United Airlines Boeing 777 leaving San Francisco, and an American Airlines 777 made an emergency landing in Los Angeles with a flat tire. A piece of the aluminum skin was discovered missing when a United Boeing 737 landed in Oregon last week. Unlike the brand-new Alaska jet that suffered the panel blowout, the United plane was 26 years old. Maintenance is up to the airline. When a FedEx cargo plane landing last year in Austin, Texas, flew close over the top of a departing Southwest Airlines jet, it turned out that an air traffic controller had cleared both planes to use the same runway. Separating serious from routine Aviation-industry officials say the most concerning events involve issues with flight controls, engines and structural integrity. Other things such as cracked windshields and planes clipping each other at the airport rarely pose a safety threat. Warnings lights might indicate a serious problem or a false alarm. "We take every event seriously," former NTSB member John Goglia said, citing such vigilance as a contributor to the current crash-free streak. "The challenge we have in aviation is trying to keep it there." Twenty-five years ago, NATO launched an air campaign to stop ethnic cleansing by Serbian forces against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, then a province of Serbia in the former Yugoslavia. It was the first humanitarian intervention of its kind, and it was spearheaded by the United States. The intervention started after Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic refused to sign a deal for interim broad autonomy for Kosovo. The air campaign lasted 78 days until June 10, 1999. The United Nations Security Council did not back the intervention, and critics say it was a violation of international law. Reflecting on those events and their repercussions, retired General Wesley Clark then the NATO Commander who led the air campaign tells VOA he is proud of what the Alliance accomplished with that operation. He says the situation in the region is still unacceptable because Serbia doesn't recognize the independence of Kosovo. In light of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, Clark tells VOA's Keida Kostreci that a renewed Western push for normalization between Kosovo and Serbia is very much tied to what happens between Moscow and Kyiv. This interview is edited for clarity and brevity. VOA: General Clark, it has been a quarter century since NATO intervened in Kosovo to stop the ethnic cleansing. As NATO commander then, what are your reflections today after 25 years? General Wesley Clark (retired): Well, I'm proud of the action that NATO took then to end the ethnic cleansing campaign directed against the Kosovar Albanians. I think NATO's action was done with minimum force, with every possible measure of precaution taken to avoid harming innocent civilians, and it still accomplished the purpose of halting the ethnic cleansing. VOA: General Clark, at that time, there was a lot of debate internationally. [Humanitarian intervention] was not something that was done often. With the hindsight of today, how would you see that as a matter of international relations? Clark: I would say that this was a necessary intervention advanced strictly for humanitarian purposes, and it accomplished its mission. VOA: Do you see Kosovo today as you imagined it would be 25 years ago? Clark: What we knew at the outset of the campaign was that we would put our NATO force in. We did not know at the time that the Serbs would leave completely. We never had any intention to split Kosovo or divide it in any way, or even to cause it to become independent. However, the actions of the Serb military and police during the campaign, the ruthless murder of civilians, the efforts to eradicate Kosovar Albanians' holdings, the brutal conduct of neighbor against neighbor in this campaign, made it impossible really for the Serbs to stay. And so, NATO did eventually call as one of its objectives that Serb forces must leave. What happened after that, under the international auspices of the United Nations, was that Kosovo decided it would become independent. But the situation, to be honest with you, is still unacceptable in the region because Serbia doesn't recognize the independence of Kosovo, and Serbia is still interfering inside Kosovo, and the political pressures on Kosovo, as a smaller country are still very, very heavy and difficult. VOA: Kosovo has been one of the most pro-American countries, and that was in a large part due to that intervention that you led. And now the relation between the U.S. and Kosovo, or at least between the governments, is at its lowest point. What would you say about that? Clark: It is important to understand that two states that are side by side, Kosovo and Serbia, can't move forward in relationships if they're continuing to embroil themselves in each other. When the United States is asking both sides to come together, I think it has to put the heaviest pressure on [President Aleksandar] Vucic in Serbia. And the reason being, of course, Serbia is the larger country. It's the more powerful country. It's the country that has the greatest flexibility in this case. And it's clear that Serbia hasn't yet really reconciled to the fact that this part, Kosovo, is independent today. And that's a recognition that has to come. It's an historical consequence of all the tensions and the feuds. This deeply embedded historic friction between the two groups could only result in a separation of two nations. And now the two nations have to find ways to coexist, to get along, and to work together economically for the betterment of their citizens. And that's the challenge, and it's a very difficult challenge to overcome. Memories are still fresh on both sides, and I think it's a work and a labor that can't be forced, I think it has to come and move forward naturally. And the problem is that the Russian action in Ukraine has further complicated the situation, because everyone understands that Serbia has an historic affiliation with Russia, and Russia is using Serbia to prepare the way for, should it succeed in Ukraine, causing greater chaos again in the western Balkans. VOA: You mentioned the new geopolitical context with the war in Ukraine by Russia. Considering that there are critics who say it's because of the war that more pressure has been put on Kosovo, so that those challenges are not added. Clark: With the [Russia-Ukraine] conflict, of course, it's normal and natural that the West would like to see this resolved, to see Serbia totally in the Western camp and affiliated with the European Union in the most positive way. But it's precisely because of the tensions between Russia and Ukraine that that's unlikely to happen. And so, the problems between Kosovo and Serbia seem to me to be the caboose on the train, so to speak. And these problems reflect the larger geopolitical tensions in the region. VOA: The latest threat assessment by the intelligence community in the United States in terms of the Balkans, mentions the situation between Kosovo and Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina as the points that could flare up. Clark: I think it's a situation that certainly needs to be watched. As I said earlier, these tensions are inflamed by Russian efforts. Russia would like to spark discord and chaos in the area, and all the work that we do in the Balkans will not end fruitfully until we also address the issue between Ukraine and Russia. VOA: Do you think that in this case, there needs to be a change in tactics and strategy in how the U.S. and the West in general deal with Kosovo and Serbia? Clark: What I see is that whatever strategy we adopt, [it] is still held hostage to the fact of what's going on 1,000 miles or 800 miles to the east, along the Donbas or conflict zone, and what Russia's aims are. And on one hand, this is driving Europe to want to resolve this crisis between Serbia and Kosovo, and on the other hand, making it much more difficult to do so. VOA: But is that right for the future of the normalization between the two countries? Clark: I think the process is going to have to continue for a while, and I think it's a matter of keeping the process alive, and continue a dialogue. If we have a breakthrough, that would be wonderful, but I wouldn't anticipate a breakthrough. As I said, this is a secondary issue in Europe that is in many respects dependent on the outcome between Russia and Ukraine. MOSCOW Assailants opened fire at a large concert hall in Moscow on Friday, killing more than 60 people, injuring more than 100 others, and setting fire to the venue. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on the group's Telegram channel. In a statement posted by its Aamaq news agency, the group said it attacked a large gathering of Christians in Krasnogorsk on Moscow's outskirts, killing and wounding hundreds. On Friday, several gunmen dressed in camouflage burst into the Crocus City Hall, a 6,200-seat venue on the Western edge of Moscow, according to witnesses and social media posts. Video posted on social media show people rushing for the exits as repeated volleys of gunfire are heard. Other videos show men with rifles moving through the venue and shooting people at point-blank range. Video from outside the building showed helicopters flying overhead to dump water on the blaze. Media reports said the roof of the building had partially collapsed. Russia's Federal Security Service put the death toll from the attack at more than 60 people. Russian health authorities released a list of 145 injured 115 of them hospitalized. US warned of extremists The United States collected intelligence earlier this month about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow, potentially targeting large gatherings. The U.S. government "shared this information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding 'duty to warn' policy," Adrienne Watson, National Security Council spokesperson, said in a statement Friday night. The U.S. embassy also issued a warning earlier this month that "extremists" had imminent plans for an attack in Moscow. Those warnings were repeated by other Western embassies and came hours after Russia's top security agency said it foiled an attack the Islamic State group was preparing for a Moscow synagogue. The New York Times reported Friday that the U.S. intelligence specifically involved Islamic State-Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, the branch of the group based in Afghanistan. ISIS members have been active in Russia, one U.S. official told the paper. Moscow mayor cancels gatherings Friday's attack came just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin won reelection in polls in which he faced no effective opposition due to the intimidation or jailing of most potential opponents. The Kremlin said Putin was informed about the attack minutes after it began. "The president constantly receives information about what is happening and about the measures being taken through all relevant services. The head of state gave all the necessary instructions," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. Following the attack, Moscow's mayor canceled all large gatherings and ordered theaters and museums to close for the weekend. Large-scale events were also canceled across the country. t is not clear what happened to the assailants after the attack. The Islamic State group said its fighters carried out an attack on the outskirts of Moscow, "killing and wounding hundreds and causing great destruction to the place before they withdrew to their bases safely." The statement gave no further details. Islamic State operates mainly in Syria and Iraq, but also in Afghanistan and parts of Africa. Ukraine denies involvement The Kremlin did not immediately blame anyone for the attack, but some Russian lawmakers were quick to point a finger at Ukraine, where Russia has been carrying out a full-scale war for more than two years. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, denied any involvement by Ukraine. "Ukraine has never resorted to the use of terrorist methods," he posted on X. "Everything in this war will be decided only on the battlefield." Earlier this week, Putin said the Western embassy warnings about a possible attack in Moscow were an attempt to intimidate Russians. "All that resembles open blackmail and an attempt to frighten and destabilize our society," he said. John Kirby, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, told reporters on Friday that "the images [from the attack] are just horrible. And just hard to watch." "Our thoughts are going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack," he said. Responding to a question about whether Washington had any information about the assault before it happened, Kirby responded: "I'm not aware of any advance knowledge that we had of this terrible attack." Deadliest attack in decades Friday's attack was the deadliest in Russia in years. In 2004, Islamist militants took hundreds of people hostage at a school in Beslan in southern Russia. More than 330 died in that attack, half of them children. In 2002, Chechen militants took about 800 people hostage at a Moscow theater. Special forces attacked the theater to end the crisis and 130 people were killed, most of them from the gas that Russian forces used to subdue the attackers. Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence-France Presse. Gunmen who opened fire at a Moscow concert hall killed more than 60 people and wounded over 100 while sparking an inferno, authorities said Saturday, with the Islamic State group claiming responsibility. Attackers dressed in camouflage uniforms entered the building on Friday, opened fire and threw a grenade or incendiary bomb, according to a journalist for the RIA Novosti news agency at the scene. Fire quickly spread through the Crocus City concert hall in Moscow's northern Krasnogorsk suburb, as smoke filled the building and screaming visitors rushed to emergency exits. Alexei, a music producer, was about to settle into his seat before the start of a concert by Soviet-era rock band Piknik when he heard gunfire and "a lot of screams". "I realised right away that it was automatic gunfire and understood that most likely it's the worst: a terrorist attack," said Alexei, who would not give his last name. As people ran towards emergency exits, "there was a terrible crush" with concert-goers climbing on one another's heads to get out, he added. Russia's Investigative Committee said Saturday that more than 60 people had been killed, raising an earlier toll of 40, according to Russian news agencies. Russia's Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said 115 people were hospitalised, including five children, one of whom was in grave condition. Of the 110 adult patients, 60 were in serious condition. Authorities said a "terrorist" investigation had been started and President Vladimir Putin was receiving "constant" updates, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies. Russia's national guard said it was on the scene and looking for the perpetrators. An AFP reporter saw police officers with sniffer dogs inspecting vehicles parked next to the building. The Islamic State group said its fighters attacked "a large gathering" on Moscow's outskirts and "retreated to their bases safely". - Fire contained - Telegram news channels Baza and Mash, which are close to security forces, showed video images of flames and black smoke pouring from the hall. Other images also showed concert-goers hiding behind seats or trying to escape. Security services quoted by Interfax said between two and five people "wearing tactical uniforms and carrying automatic weapons" opened fire on guards at the entrance and then started shooting at the audience. A witness told AFP it was a few minutes before the start of the concert when automatic gunfire rang out. About 100 people escaped through the theatre basement, while others were sheltering on the roof, the emergency services ministry said on its Telegram channel. Three helicopters were involved in efforts to put out the fire, dumping water on the giant concert venue that can hold several thousand people and has hosted top international artists. Shortly after midnight, the emergencies ministry said the fire had been contained. Andrey Vorobyov, the Moscow region governor, later said the flames had been "mostly eliminated", and rescuers had been able to enter the auditorium. Putin -- who was informed of the attack "within the first minutes", according to the Kremlin -- wished a speedy recovery to the wounded victims, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. Putin has not commented publicly on the attack. - 'Odious crime' - Outside the burning building, heartbroken relatives of those at the concert spoke of hopelessness as they frantically tried to contact loved ones. Semyon, 33, whose wife was at the venue, said "nobody knows" where she is. "I've called five hospitals, all busy," he said. "I'm in a complete panic, my whole body hurts." Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it had been a "bloody terrorist attack". "The whole international community must condemn this odious crime," she said on Telegram. The US presidency called the attack "terrible" and said there was no immediate sign of any link to the conflict in Ukraine. Ukraine's presidency said Kyiv had "nothing to do" with the attack, while its military intelligence called the incident a Russian "provocation" and charged that Moscow special services were behind it. The Freedom of Russia Legion, a pro-Ukrainian militia responsible for attacks on Russia's border regions, also denied any role. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev vowed on Telegram that Ukraine's top officials "must be found and ruthlessly destroyed as terrorists" if they were linked to the attack. The United Nations, European Union, France, Spain, Italy and several other countries also condemned the attack. The White House said its "thoughts are with the victims of this terrible shooting attack", while French President Emmanuel Macron also expressed "solidarity with the victims, their loved ones and all the Russian people". Chinese President Xi Jinping sent his "condolences" to his Russian counterpart, saying he "firmly supports the Russian government's efforts to safeguard its national security and stability", according to state-run news agency Xinhua. Orthodox church leader Patriarch Kirill was "praying for peace for the souls of the dead", said his spokesman Vladimir Legoyda. - Previous warnings - Moscow and other Russian cities have been the targets of previous attacks by Islamist groups but there have also been incidents without any clear political motive. Earlier this month, the US embassy in Russia said it was monitoring reports that "extremists" were planning "to target large gatherings in Moscow", including concerts. The White House said Friday that the United States warned Russian authorities earlier in March about a "planned terrorist attack" possibly targeting "large gatherings" in Moscow. Washington had "shared this information with Russian authorities", National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said. In 2002, Chechen separatist fighters took 912 people hostage in a Moscow theatre, the Dubrovka, demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops from the region. Special forces attacked the theatre to end the hostage-taking and 130 people were killed, nearly all suffocated by a gas used by security forces to knock out the gunmen. bur/aph/ach Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., nominates Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in the House chamber as the House meets for a second day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress in Washington, Jan. 4, 2023. Rep. Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican who has spearheaded House pushback against the Chinese government, said Friday he would resign from the House, leaving House Republicans with the thinnest of majorities. Gallagher, age 40, announced he would resign his position on April 19. It will leave Republicans with a 217-213 majority in the House, meaning that they cannot afford to lose more than one vote on a party-line vote. The thin majority has already proved to be a challenge for Republican leadership and forced House Speaker Mike Johnson to work with Democrats to pass practically any legislation. Gallagher had already announced he would not seek reelection. A former Marine who grew up in Green Bay, he has represented northeastern Wisconsin in Congress since 2017. He spent last year leading a new House committee dedicated to countering China. During the committees first hearing, he framed the competition between the U.S. and China as an existential struggle over what life will look like in the 21st century. Gallagher said in a statement, Ive worked closely with House Republican leadership on this timeline and look forward to seeing Speaker Johnson appoint a new chair to carry out the important mission of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. There also wont be a special election for Gallaghers seat. His resignation will happen within a window in Wisconsin law that dictates the seat be filled in the general election. A Republican state senator, Andre Jacque of De Pere, and a former state senator, Roger Roth, are running for the Wisconsin 8th Congressional District seat that is being vacated. The district is solidly Republican, but the Wisconsin Democratic Party said in a statement that it would be fighting hard for the seat and called Gallaghers resignation a remarkable indictment of a do-nothing GOP majority obsessed with creating chaos. For a time, Gallagher was seen as a rising star in the GOP and was one of the highest-profile Republicans considering a run for U.S. Senate this year against incumbent Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin. But he abandoned the idea in June. He said then that he wanted to focus on countering China through the committee and that he planned to run for a fifth term in the House. Gallagher led the successful push this month to pass in the House a bill that would lead to a nationwide ban of the popular video app TikTok if its China-based owner doesnt sell its stake. He, along with a wide bipartisan contingent, argued that the companys current ownership represented a national security threat. But Gallagher found himself at odds both with former President Donald Trump and his supporters. He also angered fellow Republicans last month by refusing to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The GOP was looking to oust Mayorkas as a way to punish the Biden administration over its handling of the U.S.-Mexico border, but the Houses first impeachment attempt fell just one vote short in February after Gallagher and two other Republicans refused to support the action. They argued that Republicans were misusing impeachment. Still, GOP members surrounded Gallagher on the House floor in an attempt to change his mind, but he refused to change his vote. Republicans were eventually able to impeach Mayorkas when other lawmakers returned from absences. But just days after the first failed impeachment vote, Gallagher announced he would leave the House. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Shareholders approved a merger Friday to list Donald Trump's social media venture on the US stock market, providing a potential financial lifeline to the former president as he faces possible seizure of his properties. After many previous delays, investors voted to approve the merger of Digital World Acquisition and Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) -- owner of the Truth Social platform, company officials said on a webcast of the vote. The action could potentially provide Trump some $3 billion, as he faces a $454 million court payment for his New York fraud case, although he may not be able to access the funds for several months. The ex-president, who is running once-again for the White House, started Truth Social after he was booted from Facebook and Twitter in January 2021. The social media sites took the unprecedented step of banning a sitting president after a mob of Trump's supporters attacked the US Capitol, following Trump's repeated calls for his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden to be overturned. His accounts have since been restored. Trump's expected bounty stems from millions of shares he owns in Trump Media that are now worth billions with Friday's vote to combine with Digital World, a shell company created specifically to combine with an operating business. However, such deals require principal shareholders such as Trump to hold the equity for six months before selling. - Looming deadline - Shares of Digital World -- which is expected to be renamed in Trump's name -- ended Friday's session sharply lower at $36.94, down 13.7 percent. DWAC was set up as a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, a shell company that goes public with the aim of merging with an operating entity. DWAC's investors prior to the deal included a relatively small share of institutional investors, according to public filings that suggest most holders are individual investors. The transaction drew criticism Friday from the watchdog Citizens for Responsiblity and Ethics in Washington (CREW), which pointed out that the largest holder in DWAC with about two percent was Susquehanna International Group, which is led by Republican donor Jeff Yass. "There's a strong public interest in knowing the investors behind this deal that is poised to provide Trump a massive financial lifeline," the group said on X, the former Twitter. Trump, who has clinched the Republican nomination for this year's presidential election, is appealing his $355 million penalty, plus interest, after a New York court ruled that he, his sons and their family business lied for years about the value of his assets, deceiving banks and insurers. A 30-day grace period to put up the money expires Monday, raising immediate questions about how Trump will respond. According to US media reports, New York Attorney General Letitia James has taken some preliminary steps to seize Trump assets in New York, but additional court actions would be needed if the properties were going to be taken. "This transaction has been kicking around for a while," Usha Rodrigues, an expert in SPAC transactions at the University of Georgia School of Law. "The reason this closed is because he needs the money." - Trump fury - Trump lashed out at prosecutors earlier Friday, and claimed again without evidence that the New York case is a political conspiracy orchestrated by Biden, his expected opponent again in November. "No trial, no jury, no crime, no victim," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Only a crooked judge and a corrupt, Trump-hating attorney general, who takes her orders directly from the White House. "Election interference at a level never seen before!" Despite the real-estate mogul's $2.6 billion estimated net worth -- and his own claims of having cash on hand -- his lawyers say that it has been impossible to come up with the $454 million bond, due Monday. Typically, such bonds would be underwritten by an insurer or specialized bond company. But Trump's lawyers say that after approaching 30 such companies, none will take the ex-president's real-estate holdings as collateral. tu-nr-jmb/des In his re-election speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted at a possible compromise in Ukraine, allegedly floated by former NATO supreme commander Admiral James Stavridis, of a Korean-type solution: the Dnieper River would serve as a natural border between the Russian and Ukrainian sides. Russia would then abandon its plan to liberate Odessa and link up with Transnistria. Ukraine would abandon Crimea, Donbass and most of Novorossiya. Before NATO responded, France deployed its Foreign Legion to Odessa [1]. President Emmanuel Macron believes that Russia will not dare to attack Odessa and reunite Novorossiya and Transnistria. According to director of Russias foreign intelligence service (SVR) Sergei Naryshkin, France has planned to deploy 2,000 soldiers [2] . He said the "sword" of the Russian Federation was waiting for them. The French president doesnt seem to understand Russian culture. He is mistaken when he thinks that Moscow will not dare to attack because of the presence of military personnel from a nuclear power. He risks discovering, at the expense of his soldiers, that the nuclear power of France allows it to defend itself, but not to impose its will on Russia. Odessa is historically both Russian and French. It was founded by Marshal Potemkin, lover of Tsarina Catherine II, who wanted to make it a territory administered according to the principles of the French philosopher Voltaire. In 1801, Tsar Paul entrusted the administration to Armand-Emmanuel du Plessis de Richelieu (whose statue stands in the center of the city) before he became, in 1815, the Prime Minister of the King of France, Louis XVIII. The French Ministry of the Armed Forces described Sergei Naryshkins remarks as "a new example of Russias systematic use of massive disinformation" and called for "the utmost vigilance to avoid any instrumentalization by this type of campaign". Sergei Naryshkin said that dozens of French citizens, presumably volunteer soldiers, have been killed in Ukraine since the fighting began more than two years ago. "As the French Ministry of the Armed Forces unofficially admits, the country has not suffered such losses abroad since the Algerian War in the second half of the 20th century." We have regularly followed Russian accusations regarding the presence of French "mercenaries" in Ukraine. Last August in particular, at the time of the death of General Jean-Louis Georgelin, former Chief of Staff of the Presidency of the Republic and former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, we reported that his body had not been exposed and that he had probably died on a mission in Ukraine (see VIN n50). Switzerland has announced that it is preparing to host Russian-Ukrainian talks, but Moscow has already made it clear that if it is to discuss President Volodymyr Zelenskys ten-point plan, it will not participate. The Regina King-starring biopic about the first Black woman presidential candidate doesnt do its subject (or the star who plays her) justice. Photo: Glen Wilson/Netflix To damn by faint praise: Shirley is a perfectly serviceable film. John Ridleys docudrama about Shirley Chisholms trailblazing but ill-fated 1972 presidential run doesnt do much beyond the very basics of the genre. It doesnt reinterpret Chisholm for the modern public consciousness. It doesnt really serve as a character study, offering little genuine insight into the politician as a person. It doesnt even provide much tangible context for the era surrounding her quest for the highest office in the land. For the most part, Shirley sticks to the soft lens of hagiographic symbolism, which may well be a reasonable function for a movie about a severely underrecognized political figure who once said she ran for presidency despite hopeless odds, to demonstrate the sheer will and refusal to accept the status quo. But whats frustrating is how Shirley doesnt seem to have any larger ideas about who Chisholm was as a politician and presidential candidate. It views her with an all-too-neat moralism about electoral politics, and this ultimately produces a movie that fails to match the actual power of its subject or Regina King, the star who plays her. Written and directed by John Ridley (Needle in a Timestack, Five Days at Memorial), Shirley maintains a tight frame by almost exclusively focusing on Chisholms 1972 campaign. Elections make for natural dramatic structure: All the characters are driving toward a discernible resolution, and the journey is usually replete with the ups and downs of losses, wins, and hurdles. Broadly speaking, Shirley conforms to the template. After a brief opening sequence taking place around the time Chisholm becomes the first Black woman to be elected to Congress, the film jumps four years ahead to the moment she decides to become the first Black woman to run for the presidency, eventually working up to the dramatic climax of the 1972 Democratic National Convention. Ridleys script hits the major beats around Chisholms run. Her campaign faced the same challenges that continue to plague Black women in all political arenas. The white feminist movement was reluctant to throw its weight behind her, opting instead to prioritize other policy goals; Gloria Steinem gave her endorsement to George McGovern, though with the edge of regarding him as the best white male candidate in the cycle. The Black political Establishment, then overwhelmingly male, ultimately treated Chisholm as a negligible concern. These conflicts hover over the films depiction of Chisholms electoral struggle, though in a noteworthy choice thats never substantially grappled with, it seems predominantly interested in her clash with Black men, as represented by her campaign manager Stanley Townsend (Brian Stokes Mitchell); Ron Dellums (Dorian Missick), the Californian congressman who supports her run early before switching his allegiance to McGovern; and Walter Fauntroy (Andre Holland, always fantastic), the politician and civil rights activist whos also pursuing the presidency. As Chisholm, Regina King, who also produced the film with her sister Reina, gives an unequivocally compelling central performance. Dressed with era-appropriate hair and costume, King makes tangible the volcanic determination that powered Chisholm through her political journey. When she quips, after falling back into a native Guyanese Bajan accent following a burst of emotion, Slipping into my Bajan roots when I lose my religion, its hard not to be taken by the electricity of Kings innate charisma. Most of her supporting cast are doing decent work as well. Its lovely to see the late Lance Reddick, who plays the organizer Wesley Mac Holder, in one of his final roles, and youll also find Lucas Hedges as Robert Gottlieb, a young law-school student who becomes Chisholms national student coordinator. (Though Hedges should probably consider diversifying out of playing shy, awkward men.) However, one eyebrow-raising detail here is the casting of Terrence Howard, whos been the subject of multiple physical-assault allegations dating back to the early 2000s. He plays Arthur Hardwick Jr., a former state legislator who would eventually become Chisholms second husband, and in Shirley, Hardwick Jr. is primarily portrayed as an adviser and a source of uncomplicated emotional support for Chisholm. His inclusion feels not only strange, but underbaked. It should go without saying that Chisholm a teacher whose strong will, self-belief, and religiosity informed her desire to run for the presidency was a fascinating person. But those qualities could also produce liabilities. Her religious beliefs, for example, were said to inform her decision to visit George Wallace, one of American historys most prominent segregationists, after a failed attempt on his life, which shocked her supporters at the time. Shirley sometimes gives us scenes where she makes the wrong strategic read, like an early sequence where she declares California to be a big, shiny object thatll leave us distracted and defeated, only for the state to end up being an important target for her campaign. To its credit, Shirley does gesture to these frictions, though not in any substantial way. It also carved out some time to illustrate how Chisholms political self-belief placed her at odds with her family, whether its her husband Conrad (Michael Cherrie), whose needs she often steamrolled over, or her sister Muriel St. Hill, played by Reina King. Those aspects, too, suffer from a lack of serious exploration. All these flaws are made even more vivid by the fact there are other stronger documents on Chisholms legacy in pop culture, including a standout episode of Mrs. America featuring a spectacular Uzo Aduba as Chisholm and an award-winning documentary, Chisholm 72, from 2005, which covers the exact same ground as Shirley. In different ways, those pieces grappled with the full complexity of Chisholm and her political era she operated in. Shirleys biggest flaw is its lack of genuine engagement with the muck of politics, and in this, the film mirrors its own portrayal of its subject. Just more backroom politics, Chisholm scoffs during a meeting with Fauntroy, who sought to cut a deal for the D.C. primary, in what is perhaps the very first scene in Shirley that has any spark, which comes about 30 minutes into the picture. The movie ultimately sides with her on this note, and that elides the reality of how politics is often a grimy process at every point in history. Part of whats interesting about Chisholm, at least as portrayed in the film, is how her idealism constantly teeters on the brink of political liability. Little girl, the first thing you gotta do is vote, she says to a young Barbara Lee (Christina Jackson). If all youre doing is outside yelling and screaming, thats all youre ever gonna be, a yeller and a screamer. Politics, of course, is never as simple as that. KYODO NEWS - Mar 23, 2024 - 19:23 | World, All Two Chinese coast guard vessels on Saturday fired water cannon at a Philippine boat on a supply mission to a grounded navy ship in the South China Sea, leaving the supply vessel heavily damaged, the Philippine military said. The civilian boat, contracted by the Philippine armed forces to transport troops for rotation assignment and provisional supplies at the BRP Sierra Madre in Manila-controlled Second Thomas Shoal, was also subjected to dangerous maneuvers by the Chinese coast guard vessels, according to the military. The Chinese coast guard fired water cannon at the same boat on March 5 while it was on the same mission, leaving it damaged and injuring four personnel. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, and its coast guard said at the time that only one Philippine vessel is allowed to bring "necessities of life" to BRP Sierra Madre. The Philippines intentionally grounded the ship at the shoal in 1999 to enforce its claim in the area. In a statement about the latest incident, the Chinese coast guard accused the Philippines of attempting to transport construction materials. A Philippine Navy spokesman denied the allegation. The Philippine government's task force in charge of the issue said in a statement that the "systematic and consistent manner" in which China "continues to carry out these illegal and irresponsible actions belies its hollow claims to peace, dialogue, and adherence to international law." A Philippine coast guard vessel managed to reach the damaged supply boat to provide assistance, according to the military. Some navy personnel and "essential cargoes" were eventually transferred to BRP Sierra Madre using an inflatable boat. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in a 2016 ruling invalidated China's sweeping claim to the resource-rich sea. But Beijing has rejected the decision. Related coverage: Japan policy paper to focus on U.S., Philippine ties to counter China Chinese ships fire water cannons at Philippine boat, injures 4 Philippines condemns China actions after South China Sea confrontations MARWANIEH, Lebanon Shortly before sunset on a recent evening, Mervat Reslan and a group of other women made french fries in vats of boiling oil to serve with that nights iftar the meal that breaks the daily fasts Muslims observe during the holy month of Ramadan. They belong to roughly 60 families who have been sheltering at an abandoned hotel in the southern Lebanon town of Marwanieh to escape the shelling and airstrikes that have made it too dangerous to stay in their homes in the countrys border region with Israel. Although theyve become a family of sorts to one another, many long to return home. Especially during Ramadan, you start thinking that your house is better that you and your family all used to gather together, your children and their children, your in-laws and neighbors. And now youre sitting by yourself in a room, said Reslan. Advertisement Those living at the Hotel Montana, which went out of business in 2005, are among an estimated 90,000 people from southern Lebanon who have been displaced by the near-daily clashes between the militant group Hezbollah and Israeli forces. Another 60,000 Lebanese civilians have decided to stay in the border zone and risk the danger, according to a United Nations agency. The border clashes began with a few Hezbollah rockets fired across the frontier on Oct. 8, the day after Hamas' deadly incursion into southern Israel and Israels ensuing bombardment of the Gaza Strip. They quickly escalated to near-daily exchanges of rockets, shelling and airstrikes across the border and sometimes beyond. Israeli strikes have killed more than 300 people in Lebanon. Most were militants from Hezbollah or allied groups, but more than 40 were civilians. Hezbollah strikes, meanwhile, have killed at least eight Israeli civilians and 11 soldiers, and displaced tens of thousands on that side of the border. Advertisement The cross-border attacks seem unlikely to end before a cease-fire is reached in Gaza and possibly not even then. The prolonged state of limited conflict has left Lebanon, and particularly the displaced families, in limbo. School, work and farming in Lebanons border region have been put on hold. For a while, many hoped that a cease-fire would coincide with the start of Ramadan, but half of the holy month has passed without clear prospects for a solution. Most of the displaced Lebanese have moved in with relatives or found shelter in vacant houses or rooms offered up by residents farther north. Those with the means have relocated to their second homes or rented apartments. Shelters like the Hotel Montana are a last resort. A person can deal with 10, 15, 20 days, a month (of displacement), but were now entering the sixth month and it looks like it will go on longer, said Ali Mattar, who heads the union of municipalities for the Sahel al-Zahrani region, which includes Marwanieh. Advertisement The cash-strapped municipalities have been given much of the responsibility for dealing with the displacement, a task made more difficult by the four years of economic crisis the country has faced. Share this article Share The Lebanese government has promised to compensate residents of the south whose homes have been damaged or destroyed. But the funding hasnt been secured, said Maj. Gen. Mohammad Kheir, who heads the countrys Higher Relief Committee. A comprehensive survey hasnt been conducted to assess how many houses are damaged, though it is in the thousands, he said. Hezbollah has been providing monthly payments to many of the displaced families, an official with knowledge of the situation said. The official, who was not allowed to brief journalists and spoke on condition of anonymity, did not give a precise amount, saying it depends on a familys size and needs. Advertisement Local and international nongovernmental organizations and religious charities have taken up much of the slack, but their resources are also strained. At the Hotel Montana, for instance, the Red Cross provides diesel to run a generator, but it can only be run for two hours in the morning and five in the evening because the supply is limited, said Salam Badreddine, who oversees disaster management for the union of municipalities. The U.S. and France, among other countries, have engaged in diplomatic missions to try to prevent the border conflict from escalating into full-scale war. But even if they succeed, some fear that a continuous state of low-level conflict could become the new normal. I think the risk of an all-out war still exists, and I would argue that its high, said Emile Hokayem, director of regional security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think tank. But there is also a potential for a long-term simmering conflict that would exhaust the struggling Lebanese economy and society, he said. Advertisement What I worry about is this ability to rationalize levels of violence and adjust to them, and (to think that) as long as weve avoided the big one, were fine, he said. Reslan said her family was briefly displaced during the brutal monthlong war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006, but this time feels different. Shelling has already damaged her familys house, and she is afraid that the extended displacement will become permanent. Were afraid not of Israel but that we wont return to our houses and villages. Thats the only thing were afraid of, she said. Mohammed Issa, a construction worker and farmer, fled the village of Aitaroun with his wife and three children on Oct. 8, when shells began falling next to his house. They stayed for two months with another family before moving to the Hotel Montana. Now hes counting the days until they can go home. Advertisement If theres a cease-fire, well be on the highway and at our house within an hour, he said. When displaced families do finally return home, they could face the grim reality of damaged homes, burned fields and a lack of resources to help, said Jasmin Lilian Diab, director of the Institute for Migration Studies at the Lebanese American University. 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 This story is part of the March 23 edition of Good Weekend. See all 18 stories . This is how Julianne Moore reassures herself that she is home: an egg-white omelette and a bagful of design magazines with features about the seven most beautiful pagodas around the world. I just got back from Madrid last night and Im soooo happy to be here, she says, arriving for lunch at Cafe Cluny, a venue not far from her home in Manhattans West Village. Snow is expected later, so she is bundled up in a black sweater, corduroy trousers worn over her boots. On screen, Moores freckled beauty can be slightly mask-like a kind of armour, angular and unreadable in profile lending an air of fiercely protected mystery to the most seemingly ordinary of women. One thinks of the obsessive housewives she has played for director Todd Haynes, baking cakes and using words like jiminy as they wallpaper over the abyss, or her Oscar-winning role in Still Alice as a Manhattan mother with Alzheimers. The sphinx next door, screenwriter Bruce Wagner once called her. In person, Moore Julie to her friends has something of the Annie Hall-ish energy she first showed in The Kids Are All Right: bright, friendly, slightly scattered, talking at a merry clip. I always have the same thing, she says, perusing the menu as the waiter appears to take her order: egg-white omelette with spinach and cheddar cheese, well done, with mixed greens and a side of zucchini fries. Her black leather handbag is stuffed with American and French editions of Architectural Digest, bought from the magazine store on the corner on the way over from her home, which Moore has filled with Isamu Noguchi lamps, Moroccan carpets and other vintage finds. I love to decorate, she says. I love furniture. I say that cleaning is my superpower. Im just really, really good at it. I always have been, not ashamed of it. Thats interesting, I say, because in your films, its Chaos? she suggests, and laughs. Yeah. Absolutely. But thats the Flaubert quote, isnt it? Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work. Advertisement For years now, Moore has sought to strike an immaculate balance between the two, picking roles for their proximity to New York Still Alice, Vanya on 42nd Street, Maggies Plan, After the Wedding and What Maisie Knew were all filmed within 16 kilometres of her home so she could concentrate on raising her family. Her son Caleb and daughter Liv attended the same school since they were in kindergarten. But both are now fully grown Caleb is 26 and Liv is 21 and have left home to pursue careers in music and film, leaving Moore and her husband, filmmaker Bart Freundlich, with an empty nest, but also opening up a whole new world of film projects for Moore. In Madrid, she was rehearsing for two weeks with Tilda Swinton and Pedro Almodovar for the directors first English-language feature, The Room Next Door. When my kids were little or in high school, I just wouldnt take the part. Everything I did had to be in New York, or I could go away in little bits or in the summertime, she says. I really, really valued having a family. I wanted my kids to feel rooted somewhere. I wanted to have the experience of being in a family, and that meant making certain choices about work that would allow me to do that. Its a very different situation when you can just up and go. But it is still a challenge. Youre like, Wait, wait, wheres my life? Flanked by her husband, Bart Freundlich and children, Liv and Caleb, while attending the March For Our Lives event in 2018. Credit: Getty Images As for many parents facing a suddenly empty nest, the new freedoms can seem a little dizzying. She recently spent four-and-a-half months in London filming her first period drama for TV, Mary & George (now streaming on Binge), in which she is Mary Villiers, an ambitious player in the court of King James I who groomed her son to be a favourite of the King. Advertisement In the process, Villiers became one of the most influential figures the English court had ever seen and was later buried in Westminster Abbey. During filming, Moore stayed in a house in Notting Hill very near the restaurant Ottolenghi, so I had plenty of delicious takeout, and visited her favourite restaurant Sumi every week: I love that place. Her husband travelled over a few times, as did her sister, Caleb and his girlfriend, so I had lots of visitors. Even so, the production was challenging. Shed pulled off an English accent before for The End of the Affair and An Ideal Husband but this was her first time in front of a full court of Brits. I was the only American, so it was daunting because everything culturally, historically was not my world. In terms of Jacobean history, it was a very short period. Theres not a lot that even English people know, and American people even less. So there would be times when I would say, Listen, guys, I need to defer to you in terms of behaviours and culture and all of that. Its not my first language I think the hardest part was in January. I got there and it was so wet. I was like, Oh, no. It was lonely sometimes because, like I said, youre away from your life. In her first period drama for TV, Mary & George, with Nicholas Galitzine. Credit: Binge The show was shot in various stately homes including Knole in Kent, Ham House in Richmond and Hatfield House in Hertfordshire requiring lots of early morning wake-ups, when London was still dark, to drive to some beautiful, cold, old property where she would spend two hours in hair and make-up, before costumier Annie Symons and her team would literally construct Moores fur-lined gowns and embroidered bodices around her body. She was in a lot, every day, filming in these cold castles and homes, says Tony Curran, who plays James I. In one scene, Mary Villiers makes a debut in the Kings court that goes so badly she throws up afterwards. I said, Are you all right? remembers Curran. Oh yes, yeah, Im fine. Im fine. And she was buttoned up in this tight bodysuit. Im like, You sure youre all right? She goes, Yeah, I cant breathe, but Ill be fine. All her work is done before she sets foot in front of a camera. Shes gymnastic in the way she moves through a scene. She took my breath away. Nicola Walker, who acted with Moore in Mary & George. Advertisement I mean, the women, god bless them, strapped into these bodices. Thats the way it was for the women at the time and thats the way it was for the actresses. If it was daunting to Julie, it certainly didnt show. Its tough to do these shows to have that glint in your eye, as it were but she carried the whole thing. Shes a powerhouse. She led that production so quietly but completely, says Nicola Walker, who plays Lady Hatton, Villiers nemesis in the series, the two exchanging blood- curdling insults with one another every time they meet. Off-camera, they formed a tight bond. I felt I could do anything with her, continues Walker. You could go anywhere and she would go there with you, because all her work is done before she sets foot in front of the camera. Shes gymnastic in the way she moves through a scene. She took my breath away. In 2012s What Maisie Knew. You wonder if Moores sense of being an outsider didnt, in fact, play into the role in some way. After all, Mary Villiers was the consummate arriviste. Born into humble circumstances in 1570, she married Sir George Villiers as a teenager and gave birth to four children. Upon his death, she dispatched her second son, George, to the French court to cultivate him so she could dangle him in front of the homosexual King James. Let us seize what should be f---ing ours, declares Mary in the show, which is pungently scripted with lashings of salty language, sex, blood and black humour. This is not your grandmothers period drama, but a dark comedy of power and ambition. Called variously a harridan, a creature and barely a woman, Villiers would have been, in another era, the villain of the piece, in the mould of Lady Macbeth. As Moore plays her, she is a wily survivor, not above a little blackmail, and even poison, to get what she wants. Even the vulnerability she shows that day throwing up at court is a clever feint: play-acting the underdog to win sympathy. Advertisement For Moore, the scene showed how bold Mary is, how brave and how determined to outwit everyone, she says. I mean heres this woman, just in terms of sexual politics, shes somebody who has no agency, no autonomy, no property, she has nothing and probably not a lot of education either. She has absolutely no options, except through marriage or through her male children. So its like, how do I live? How do I stay afloat? How do I prepare my children? How do I help them into the world? Loading She will do everything that she can to advance her children and herself. Because of her ambition. Because of her intelligence and that ambition, shes considered barely a woman. Because if she were a woman, shed rely solely on her beauty. Also, shes older, too. Some people are like, its unseemly to be that old and doing what shes doing I dont think ambition is a dirty word at all. I think anything worth doing is worth doing well. Thats really all ambition is. Shes one of the most lovely and charming people you will ever meet, but thats not part of the kind of roles that she plays. Film director Todd Haynes Its hard not to hear these words, spoken with such quiet conviction amid the clatter and chatter of Cafe Cluny or indeed not to take Moores fierce performance in Mary & George as something of a cri de coeur from an actor who, at 63, still commands a regular flow of juicy roles on screen and off, dazzling the fashion press with Chanel catwalk looks on the red carpet. Whats so remarkable about Julianne Moore is that shes one of the most lovely and charming people you will ever meet, but thats not part of the kind of roles that she plays, says Todd Haynes, who has directed Moore in five films, including Safe, Far From Heaven and, most recently, May December, opposite Natalie Portman. The film was Oscar-nominated for its original screenplay [where it lost out to Anatomy of a Fall], but many feel it was unjustly overlooked for best film. In May December with Natalie Portman. Credit: Netflix Advertisement The March 23 edition Video killed the radio star, so the song goes but it never really did, as we now know. Even in the 2020s, with podcasts one of the most popular media formats, morning talkback hosts are as powerful as ever in setting the news agenda of the day. Evidence for the latter can be found in Neil Mitchells send-off after 34 years as host of 3AWs top-rating Mornings program. As Konrad Marshall writes in todays magazine, the Melburnian was seated at his farewell lunch between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. A power table if ever there was one. Taking over from Mitchell at 3AW is Tom Elliott, whos walking a similar path to that Ben Fordham trod in 2020 when he succeeded another media stalwart, Alan Jones, at Sydneys 2GB. Like Fordham, whose father was a well-known celebrity agent, Elliott is used to walking in the shadow cast by famous men: his father was the late controversial businessman John Elliott. Far from being thrown by the legacy of either his dad or his Mornings predecessor, however, Elliott appears comfortable enough in his own skin to do things his way. Elsewhere in todays issue: life lessons from the luminescent Julianne Moore who, at 63, is securing some of the acting roles of her career; and behind Saudi Arabias fantastical building boom, including how MBSs commitment to architecture and design beyond the Wests wildest of dreams squares with his countrys problematic human rights record. Dont miss, too, Celeste Barbers insightful and funny chat with Benjamin Law; and Damien Woolnoughs Autumn Style Edit. Enjoy. Katrina Strickland, editor The group that claimed credit for the deadly terrorist attack in Moscow on Friday is the Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan called Islamic State Khorasan Province, or ISIS-K. ISIS-K has been fixated on Russia for the past two years and frequently criticises President Vladimir Putin in its propaganda, said Colin Clarke, a counterterrorism analyst at the Soufan Group, a security consulting firm based in New York. This frame from a video shows a Taliban fighter standing guard outside the site of a bomb explosion inside a mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif province. Credit: AP ISIS-K accuses the Kremlin of having Muslim blood in its hands, referencing Moscows interventions in Afghanistan, Chechnya and Syria. ISIS-K was founded in 2015 by disaffected members of the Pakistani Taliban, who then embraced a more violent version of Islam. The group saw its ranks cut roughly in half, to about 1500 to 2000 fighters, by 2021 from a combination of US airstrikes and Afghan commando raids that killed many of its leaders. KYODO NEWS - Mar 23, 2024 - 14:15 | All, Japan Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed Saturday to enhance his country's defense capabilities in an increasingly severe security environment. "We will deter emergencies and prevent threats to our country, such as an invasion," Kishida said in a speech at the graduation ceremony for the National Defense Academy in Yokosuka near Tokyo. He suggested working toward the goals of three key defense documents, including the National Security Strategy, which the government updated in December 2022 to obtain counterstrike capabilities, marking a major shift from Japan's postwar security policy under its war-renouncing Constitution. With China continuing to expand its military activities, Kishida said there are increasing attempts to "unilaterally change the status quo by force," adding Japan is in the "most difficult and complex security environment of the postwar period." Kishida also referred to the Ukraine crisis saying, "Moves challenging the existing international order are becoming evident." The ceremony was also attended by Defense Minister Minoru Kihara, who said Japan's next-generation fighter jets, set to be co-developed with Britain and Italy for deployment by 2035, will serve as a "pillar of safety and stability in the world." He urged the graduates, expected to become senior members of the Self-Defense Forces, to eradicate harassment in the organization. His remarks followed the case of former SDF member Rina Gonoi, who came forward as a victim of long-term sexual harassment and abuse by colleagues in her unit. A court in December found three of her colleagues guilty of sexual indecency. Excluding foreign students, 383 graduated from the academy this year, of whom 44 were female. Related coverage: Japan's ruling bloc approves next-gen fighter jet exports Mari Corduff is the Cake Queen! But like many other businesswomen, its not something she set out to be. Mari owns The Cake Queen coffee shop in Belmullet and produces novelty cakes for all occasions as well. Like a lot of others, the business grew out of a deep love for baking, which began at home with Maris mother. Mari took a leap of faith and set up her baking business ten years ago and progressed to a coffee shop two years ago. She is busy, not just with her business, but with her two children as well, but you get the impression that she thrives on producing a good quality product and providing a space in the community where people can congregate. We sit down to chat in The Cake Queen on a sunny day in Belmullet. Angelina: Mari, thanks for talking to me. Tell me a little bit about yourself. Mari: I was raised in Rossport. I moved out of Rossport when my little fella was two - we moved to Belmullet. I started doing a little bit of cake decorating in the house. I just had a bit of interest in baking, but every time I was baking, I was eating the end result! So I said, right, I need to come up with an idea that I can bake and move them on to other people. I started doing that, and then I wondered what it'd be like to get into decorating them rather than just doing a basic baked cake. My sister-in-law's sister was christening their baby and I did a cake for them as a gift. It was the very first cake that I ever made at that level, and I actually still have a picture of it. And when I look back now, I'm thinking, I can't believe I gave that to them! At the time I thought it was brilliant. But that's where it started. And I just ordered a box of icing and went from there. Angelina: That's over ten years ago, but was it something you would have had an interest in when you were younger, was it not? Mari: My mum was a big baker, so we obviously grew up around that. I love baking, and I find it very therapeutic. I did it a lot in the evenings because I had a young child at the time as well. It was tough trying to juggle everything. Dylan, my son, turns 16 in June. So it was working around that as well and trying to find something that would allow me to be at home with him, but also something that I enjoyed doing. There was no big ambition to turn this into a business. So I kept going at that for about a year, making bits and pieces for my friends and family. And then I thought, what have I to lose by trying it at a business level? I decided to try it from the house - baking cakes in the kitchen. I had to go down the road of getting the kitchen certified with the Environmental Health Officer. And before I knew it, it all just fell into place. I registered the kitchen, the business, the whole lot, in November 2013. I had my little girl in 2015. It was after that I knew I wanted to get out and talk to people during the day. When she started pre-school, I thought, look, I'd love to find something for the hours that they're in school, just to get out for a bit of adult conversation and not be stuck in my own head for the whole day, as much as I loved the baking. So I actually started working in Brogan's Eurospar. At the time I started in the deli. And I ended up loving that. And Annette Brogan was brilliant at the time. I had said to her that I only could work whilst the kids were in school. She was so accommodating in that sense, and I loved it. I worked there for three years until I decided that The Cake Queen was going to happen. Angelina: So how did that come about? Mari: I used to go for a walk in the evenings with my friend, and I used to say to her, 'I'll open a bakery in Belmullet at some stage, or a coffee shop'. Whether I believed it would happen or not was another thing! We were away one weekend when I just had this notion that the only way it'd happen was if I actually started looking. Is there any unit in Belmullet that I could start from? My partner said to me, 'Actually, I think Tom Talbot is renting out the unit on Barrack Street.' So I called him and he said that he was going to rent it out. I asked if I could look at it. We came in and walked around it. And of course, I said, 'We're going to make something happen. We agreed on all the little bits, and I went to the bank for a loan. I remember at the time, I said, 'I'm going to make it happen. Whether you want to back me or not, I will open the business.' The guy in the bank was laughing at what I said on the phone. I said, 'I just obviously would prefer to take out a loan and be able to get straight into it.' They approved the loan, and I got decorating. And then it was just all a whirlwind and I knew it was happening, whether I liked it or not. Angelina: So you opened during Covid times, the tail end of that? Mari: Covid had passed, but it was still very uncertain. All your stickers had to be put down, all those protocols had to be met, which we did. That Christmas of 2021, all the staff that I had employed came down with Covid on that Christmas Week. I ended up closing two days before Christmas Eve. We just had to close and forget about it until January. But look, it definitely wasn't the only place that happened in either. We got up and running again once Christmas had passed, so we opened properly in January and here we are. We're here two years since last December 10th. And it's been a learning curve. Angelina: Mari, what does a typical day look like - I know you probably don't have typical days but what does your day entail? Mari: Early morning baking is a big part of it! We do scones, sausage rolls, croissants, brownies. About 70% of the stuff we have here, we bake ourselves, and then we buy in certain things, because obviously we're not a machine, so we have to have a bit of a break. Then at lunchtime, we have soup, sandwiches, paninis, wraps and then all your coffees. I wasn't a coffee drinker. I only started drinking coffee maybe two or three years before I opened the business. You need to go and study it to open a business like this. We trained with the Galway Barista School. And then, obviously, I worked with EHO to lay out the kitchen for me, so that whatever specifications they needed, I had to meet all of that first. And they were a great help because otherwise you'd be putting stuff everywhere and not knowing what's what. When I opened first, I was only planning on doing sweet stuff. Savoury wasn't really in the plan because I was like, no, I'm the Cake Queen! Cakes are my thing. I'm sticking to sweet stuff. And everyone was saying to me, you'll find it hard to just do sweet stuff. And when I looked into it, I was like what extra is it, really? All you needed was your panini machine and your sandwich fillings and stuff like that. Before I knew it, I had a full menu. We do novelty cakes as well, so birthday cakes, wedding cakes, etc. Angelina: I know during the recent red weather warning, you provided a space for people to do if they had no power. Mari: My attitude is if you're in a position to help someone, then do it. That's how I was brought up. I was open here anyway. And the smallest thing, it isn't exactly an act of heroism. I mean, without my community where would I be? I just think it's lovely to walk in and have a friendly place where they can come in and spend a bit of time. They could be having the worst day ever, and you just want someone to smile and say, 'Hello, how are you?' and put the coffee on. It might only be for the 10 or 15 minutes that they're in here, but just to have a place. Life goes on again. When you go back out the door, it doesn't get rid of any problems, but it's nice to be greeted with a bit of smile and a bit of craic and stuff like that. Angelina: What keeps you driven Mari? Mari: Usually on Friday evenings I decide I'm closing and then by Monday, I'm going to stay open! I'm exhausted and everything else and there's a line of stuff that still needs to be done on Saturday. And you're like, 'No, I'm done'. And then by Monday, you're like, 'right, let's go'. I think you either have it or you don't. It's not something that you just decide to have if the goal isn't in you and if you don't love it. You could have a day where you just think everything is going against you. Every problem that you could have is happening today, but I still come away from it by saying, I love what I'm doing. Angelina: What advice would you give to someone who wants to try getting into business? Mari: Bite now and learn to chew later. Just go for it. My attitude the entire way through it was 'What's the worst that can happen?' You can revert back to whatever you were doing beforehand, but at least you'll never be able to say, 'Oh, I wonder if I had done that, what would it have been like?' Even on those days where I think 'This just is not good'. But the worst that can happen is you close the door, and it didn't work out, but at least you tried. By Shun Yoshioka, KYODO NEWS - Mar 23, 2024 - 07:41 | Feature, All In a country notorious for its reliance on cash, municipalities across Japan have been staging electronic payment uptake drives to stimulate digitalized consumption by granting shopping points for transactions using QR codes. The campaigns, run mostly as one-off events in collaboration with local businesses and shop owners, have become increasingly popular, carried out on numerous occasions by many of the municipalities involved. But not everyone is happy. Some remain reluctant, especially elderly people and others who find digital devices difficult to operate, and who continue to view cash as the be-all and end-all for making purchases. Japan's abnormally large elderly demographic appears to be a key reason for the country's lack of enthusiasm about adopting electronic payment systems, which accelerated dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic. In carrying out the QR code initiatives, local governments are striving to eliminate perceived inequities among various demographics by providing people who prefer them paper gift certificates, while conducting smartphone workshops targeting seniors. Tagawa in Fukuoka Prefecture is a case in point. The government of the southwestern Japan city, which has a population of 45,000, implemented its QR code-based consumption stimulation program for the fourth time in January. Once a thriving coal mining city, Tagawa is currently among the municipalities experiencing the most significant aging of its population in the prefecture. City officials there are nonetheless pushing ahead with its cashless payment drive, including the QR code program. "Citizens say they would like to see this run every month," said Mitsugu Setoguchi, 46, a section chief at the city's industrial promotion division dealing with commerce and enterprise. Local governments usually implement programs to encourage consumer spending in cooperation with major QR code payment system operators, using funding resources such as special local grants for regional revitalization from the central government. The QR code was invented in 1994 by Denso Wave Inc., a Japanese industrial equipment manufacturer in the corporate group led by major automotive parts maker Denso Corp., to keep track of its company's inventory. Nowadays, QR codes have much broader commercial applications and are often used as a contactless payment method, allowing consumers to scan codes to purchase items or services from mobile apps. Tagawa conducted its QR code program for the first time in October 2020 and now has tie-ups with digital payment systems PayPay, au Pay and d-pay. The city said that following the introduction of its first program, which offered a 20 percent discount on products when using the payment system, the number of QR code users in its jurisdiction increased by 30 percent for the period. But individuals unfamiliar with digital devices, as well as many elderly people who do not own smartphones, do not believe they stand to benefit from such a campaign. As of Oct. 1, 2023, elderly people aged 65 and older accounted for 34 percent of Tagawa's population, higher than the prefecture's 31 percent average. Before the introduction of the program, the municipal government received several complaints from people who said that they could not see how the campaign benefitted them, as they did not own smartphones. But Tagawa has continued to run similar campaigns, even since the pandemic subsided. And the number of local governments that have followed suit has been growing steadily. PayPay Corp., which began the initiative in July 2020 and plays a central role in providing the service, said that as of Feb. 15, 457 municipalities had either implemented QR code uptake programs or were scheduled to do so. Of those, Sakata in Yamagata Prefecture and Nagahama in Shiga Prefecture were among 281 that had conducted such programs twice or more, while Hanamaki in Iwate Prefecture had implemented it as many as 10 times. A PayPay official said the programs can be mutually beneficial for local governments and consumers alike, leading the electronic payment campaigns to be implemented across multiple domains. "It makes it unnecessary for local governments to issue and print shopping vouchers for refunds, and consumers need not leave their homes to purchase vouchers," the official said. For local governments, getting people who put their faith in cash to change over to cashless payments is urgent business. Part of the "digital poor," seniors are often left out of enjoying the convenience and benefits of digital access compared to younger people. In a survey of some 1,600 respondents conducted by the Cabinet Office in July and August 2023, roughly half of those aged 70 and older said that they either "hardly use" digital devices such as smartphones or "never use them." Under such circumstances, the Tagawa municipal government has decided to continue issuing the paper-based shopping vouchers that were first offered in 2009. "Trust in paper remains strong," one official said. To encourage elderly people to take part in the uptake programs, the city holds seminars teaching them how to operate smartphones. Similarly, the Hanamaki city office provides assistance to people at mobile shops, while many other local governments have set up consultation services within their buildings. Setoguchi, the Tagawa city official, suggested teaching people how to use smartphones is the quickest way of getting them to go cashless. "First and foremost, we hope to use this opportunity of having people learn about cashless payments to familiarize them with how to operate smartphones," he said. Related coverage: FEATURE: Edible bug businesses 'hearing crickets' at crossroads in Japan "Neo-Japanesque" dance show finds new life in Asakusa after pandemic FEATURE: Baseball manager Masato Yoshii touts benefits of higher learning An exciting festival looking at art in the landscape is coming to Mayo this April. The Festival of Change in Mayo takes place on Friday and Saturday, April 12th and 13th. The Festival of Change is a collaboration between Offaly County Council, Mayo County Council and Visual Artists Ireland and is funded through the Arts Councils Invitation to Collaboration Scheme. The festival will offer an eclectic programme of events and activities, looking at the impact art (both physical and intangible) can have on place and people, socially, economically, and culturally. The festival will be based on two sites in the respective counties: the Tir Saile Sculpture Trail in Mayo, and Lough Boora Sculpture Park in Offaly. In Mayo, the Festival will kick off at Aras Inis Gluaire in Belmullet, on the morning of Friday, April 12th, with Tionol, a gathering of big and small ideas about art in the landscape. Through an open call for ideas about the possibilities art in the landscape can hold, a number have been selected for presentation to the public as part of the festival. Lunch and an opportunity for attendees to network will follow. Throughout the afternoon there will be talks and discussions, including: An illustrated talk by photographer and film maker Tim Smith and multi-disciplinary artist Hardeep Singh Sahota. They have been inspired by the local landscape and stories gathered from local people in Offaly and North Mayo, talking about their employment in industries such as peat extraction and the making of textiles. The talk will explore how the artists have used creative expression to explore the rhythms of peoples working lives and discuss how their commissioned project has adapted and evolved through collaborating with different people and in different places in the two counties. A practice share with artist Eileen Hutton, who will discuss her proposed site-specific response to Tir Saile, Soil Portraits of Tir Saile, which is based on soil chromatography, an alternative photography process that creates a soil portrait on light sensitive filter paper. Eileen will demonstrate the process and talk about some of her current and past projects. A scoping session with the Wilderness project for artists, living and working in Mayo. The session will be of particular interest to those who are interested in developing sustainable arts practices, and will include a short, illustrated introduction to the project and a discussion on how the project can respond to local need. On Friday evening the festival moves to the new Oweninny Wind Farm Visitor Centre, for the Bhangra Ceili, an evening of dance that will leave you feeling energised. For the very first-time ever, the traditional Irish Ceili, led by local people, will meet Bhangra, led by UK-based practitioner Hardeep Singh Sahota. The evening will include live ceili music and a demonstration with some easy to learn Bhangra moves! On Saturday, April 13th, the focus shifts further west to the new SOLAS Centre on the Mullet Penninsula. Presented in partnership with Community Futures, Culturally Rich Neighbourhoods invites communities to come along to a facilitated panel discussion exploring how local economies can benefit from collaboration between the arts, heritage, local business, tourism, and local government. Lunch will be followed by workshops and tours, all seeking to look at practical ways in which the mornings conversations might be applied by communities in Mayo. Buses for this event will run from and return to Ballina (Ballina Arts Centre, departing at 9am sharp) and Castlebar (New Lough Lanngh Leisure Complex F23 A257, departing at 9am). Advance booking essential. Central to the festival is the commissioning of two new art works one in Offaly and one in North Mayo. The commission was curated by Dr Helen Pheby, Associate Director of Yorkshire Sculpture Park and invited curator for the Art in the Landscape project. Bringing the festival to a close in Mayo on Saturday evening in Ballina Civic Offices, Hardeep Singh Sahota and Tim Smith will present an exhibition and commission showcase - Rhythm of Light. Hardeep and Tim have many years of experience in collaborating with communities, using Bhangra dance and the ephemeral qualities of light-painting. The exhibition will run at Ballina Civic Offices, from April 15th to 26th and will be open Monday to Friday from 10am until 1pm. All festival events are free, but booking is required. Early booking is advised given the limited capacity of many of the events. For the full festival programme and booking information, please visit www.mayo.ie. BOYERTOWN, Pa. Nearly two dozen people were forced to evacuate a burning apartment building in Boyertown. More than 50 firefighters were called in to battle the blaze early Saturday morning. "Coming down the stairs from our upstairs, we could actually smell the smoke inside our home," said Brenda Kulp, a neighbor. Kulp said she heard a siren around 2:30 a.m. and saw firefighters responding to an apartment building fire in the 200 block of East Philadelphia Avenue in Boyertown. "I was like 'Oh, that's right outside our back door," said Kulp. Dennis Harvey Jr. and his father were also nearby. "And he was standing there looking and I'm like 'what's he looking at?" And I came over and I went 'whoa what the heck' and flames were coming out of the corner," said Harvey Jr. He said they could see people getting out. "We saw cops going up the steps and stuff and shouting, kind of shouting like 'Hey is everyone out, is everyone out," said Harvey Jr. Boyertown Area Fire and Rescue Chief Greg Dieterich said the fire started in the roof. "We got the roof opened up, got the fire stopped. Just took a little bit of time to do it," said Chief Dieterich. He said there is damage to the third floor and water damage throughout. "There was 20 residents that were displaced and the Red Cross is taking care of that," said Chief Dieterich. Chief Dieterich said several departments responded and the fire was under control by 4:30 a.m. "It was just good teamwork by all the departments," said Chief Dieterich. The Chief said nobody was injured and that a State Police Fire Marshal has been brought in to investigate. U. BERN TWP., Pa. Travis Jerrell Pugh from Jacksonville, Florida is charged with first-and-third-degree murder in the deadly shooting of 40-year-old James Alexander Hilton, of Southampton, New Jersey. Authorities say around 2:45 a.m. they responded to Love's Travel Stop near I-78 in Upper Bern Township for a report that a truck driver shot another truck driver in the parking lot. They say Hilton died at the scene, and Pugh fled. "We had witnesses that provided a vehicle description of the suspect's vehicle immediately," says Lt. Ray O'Donnell, Pennsylvania State Police. Police issued an alert to authorities within 99 miles. "While conducting their search troopers observed a tractor-trailer that matched the description of the alert on the exit 45 ramp... it then proceeded to travel back onto the interstate 78 westbound ramp," says Capt. Robert Bailey, Pennsylvania State Police. At around 3:30 a.m., the suspect was taken in by police near the Kutztown exit. "I want to commend the great work of the Pennsylvania State Police to take this violent offender off the streets within an hour of this incident," says John Adams, Berks County District Attorney. Authorities say there was an argument before the shooting. "Based on the information right now we don't know if they knew each other," Bailey says. State police say these types of incidents are rare. "We do have prior incidents in which truck drivers would get into road rage problems, small arguments or an occasional fight but nothing of this magnitude in our area that we're aware of," O'Donnell says. Pugh is also charged with weapons and disorderly conduct offenses. Pugh is locked up in the Berks County Prison. A gofundme has been created in support of Hilton's family. Watch the entire Friday news conference by State Police about the incident here: PETROPOLIS, Brazil (AP) Heavy rains in Rio de Janeiro state have killed at least seven people, authorities said Saturday, while a 4-year-old girl was rescued after more than 16 hours under mud. The girl was pulled out alive in the city of Petropolis, 69 kilometers (43 miles) north of Rio. Rescue teams had to stop their work Friday night because of risks of new landslides in the region. The girl's father died as a house was knocked to the ground. She survived because he protected her with his body, members of rescue teams said. Three more people died in the same place. My son was a warrior, he spent all that time there and saved his little daughter, Roberto Napoleao, the grandfather of the girl, told journalists. You can't imagine what it is like to lose a son. It hurts so much. Mayors in the state and Gov. Claudio Castro had alarmed residents of potential problems for the weekend since Thursday. Firefighters have struggled to reach those hit by heavy rains, many of them residents of long endangered areas. Sniffing dogs were also part of the rescue efforts. Almost 100 people had been saved, authorities said. Local authorities in Teresopolis, close to Petropolis, said that one person was still missing after the heavy rains. Meteorologists say the heavy rains that hit Rio state are moving towards the neighboring state of Espirito Santo. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visited Puerto Rico on Friday as part of a whirlwind trip to tout the federal aid the U.S. territory has received following deadly hurricanes and attend a Democratic fundraiser. Her visit comes days after U.S. President Joe Biden launched a campaign targeting Latino voters ahead of the November general elections. While those in Puerto Rico cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections despite being U.S. citizens, more than 5 million Puerto Ricans live in the U.S. mainland. Accompanying Harris for the roughly five-hour visit to the island were U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Housing and Urban Development Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman. Welcoming them was Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, a Democrat whose New Progressive Party has long pushed for statehood. Harris first stop was to visit a new home in the northern municipality of Canovanas, located near the capital. It had been destroyed after Hurricane Maria hit the island in September 2017 as a powerful Category 4 storm, killing nearly 3,000 people in its aftermath. En route, the motorcade passed people holding their phones up as it went by. Some onlookers leaned out of their cars to take photos as they waited for the motorcade to pass, while others stood outside businesses and homes as the motorcade continued. One girl held a sign imploring help to fix their home. I see we are making a difference. There is still more work to do, Harris said as she stood on the lawn of the new home draped with a large Puerto Rican flag. We are ambitious. Yes, we are impatient. It was Harris first visit to Puerto Rico as vice president. She visited as a U.S. senator in 2017 after devastating hurricanes Irma and Maria pummeled the island. Harris said one of the ongoing challenges Puerto Rico faces is intermittent energy sources, with outages still occurring daily since Maria razed the power grid. She noted that the federal government has provided some $3 billion in reliable energy sources, including rooftop solar panels. It also shipped mega generators last year to minimize outages. (This) is about an upgrade on quality of life and just the well being and dignity of each family to be able to satisfy their basic needs," she said, adding that hurricane resistance technology is being used. Puerto Rico taught us some lessons. Meanwhile, Todman said that more than 6,000 homes have been repaired and more than 3,500 new units built since the devastating storm. Its undeniable that more work remains to be done, she said. Reconstruction in the years following Maria was slow, in part given the spending restrictions that the Trump administration implemented at the time. During Harris visit on Friday, Pierluisi thanked her and Biden for their help: Theyre with us in connection with this reconstruction. Hours before Harris arrival, a couple dozen protesters gathered in Puerto Ricos capital to decry the islands territorial status and demand a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. We find her presence disrespectful, said Joselyn Velazquez, protest spokeswoman, as a group around her waved Palestinian flags. Nearby, one demonstrator stood on a U.S. flag while others gathered additional U.S. flags and set them on fire. She is not welcome here, said one protester. After visiting the home in Canovanas, Harris stopped by a community center in San Juan where a handful of protesters gathered, yelling, Yankee, go home! as supporters chanted, U.S.A.! U.S.A.! One protester held a sign that said Kamala Harris war criminal. Harris later spoke at a campaign reception before flying back to the U.S. mainland Friday evening. She addressed about a couple dozen attendees gathered at an upscale apartment complex owned by developer Nicholas Prouty, who hosted the event. Harris thanked him and Pierluisi, noting that the governor does not pass up the opportunity to have a list of what Puerto Rico needs. Mad respect, she said. Turning to the general election, Harris said, We are going to win, adding that everything is at stake. What we are looking at is fundamentally an election thats going to require us each to answer a question, Harris said. "What kind of country and world do we want to live in? Harris then talked about the full-on attacks on fundamental rights and said but the thing about being a role model is people watch what you do to see if it matches what you say. She described Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, as someone who has expressed admiration of dictators and "someone who has, speaking of Puerto Rico, used words like dirty and poor and corrupt. Associated Press videographer Alejandro Granadillos contributed to this report. Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america KYODO NEWS - Mar 23, 2024 - 10:04 | All, Japan The 2025 World Exposition in Osaka will exhibit a dome made out of a new form of carbon-capturing concrete with the potential to make a significant impact in cleaning up the construction sector, which currently accounts for around 40 percent of greenhouse emissions globally. The special concrete hardens by capturing CO2 in the air and will reduce CO2 emissions in its construction phase by 70 percent compared with a structure built with conventional concrete, according to construction firm Kajima Corp. The construction of the 5.45-meter tall, oval-shaped dome with a width of up to 23 meters comes as the government aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. "We would like to develop even more new technologies by using the expo as a point of departure," said an official of Kajima, the major Japanese general contractor. The dome is expected to be used as a venue for educating the public on environmental issues during the expo, slated for April 13 to Oct. 13 in 2025 on Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay, western Japan. Kajima plans to begin the construction of the dome in mid-April, aiming for completion in November. Meanwhile, Britain unveiled earlier this month the design of its self-built pavilion under the theme of "Come Build the Future," becoming the last member among the Group of Seven countries to release its design. The British pavilion will include exhibits on renewable energy, drug discovery, and museums and contemporary art, said Julia Longbottom, the British ambassador to Japan. The pavilion will reuse some of the materials utilized in the 2012 London Olympics as well as the 2021 Tokyo Games. They can be relocated and used for other events after the expo, according to the expo organizer. Related coverage: Osaka Pref. eyes collecting fixed fee for inbound tourists from 2025 2025 Osaka Expo operating expenses up 1.4-fold on rising labor costs Japan to host 2025 Expo as scheduled despite powerful quake: gov't By Ko Hirano, KYODO NEWS - Mar 23, 2024 - 07:38 | World, All, Japan Japan conducted its first-ever cybersecurity exercise with five Pacific island countries in February, apparently aiming in conjunction with the United States to create secure and robust digital connectivity in the strategically important region where China is expanding its influence. Security experts hailed the recent event in Guam as significant -- with some seeing it as Japan's first foray into cyber diplomacy with Pacific island nations -- saying it deserves attention when Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hosts Pacific island leaders for a summit in July in Tokyo. The Feb. 18-26 session came as the United States and Australia have also taken steps to improve cyber defense capabilities in the Western and South Pacific that are connected to them, Japan and other countries via submarine communications cables, especially in the midst of heightened tensions over Taiwan. "When it comes to cybersecurity, Pacific island countries have been what I call a 'soft belly,' very vulnerable to cyberattacks," said Hideyuki Shiozawa, senior program officer for Pacific island nations at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, a Tokyo-based think tank. "Hackers could attack government networks and crucial infrastructure of Japan and Taiwan, for example, via these countries," he said in an interview. "Giving these countries technical training and providing them with antivirus software and other cybersecurity tools will also reduce security risks in other parts of the Indo-Pacific." Led by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the exercise involved government officials and communications providers from Palau, Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Nauru and Kiribati. Fiji and Tonga also joined as observers. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, sent two officials, including an instructor, and offered training materials, according to a ministry official. Participants carried out a cyber defense excise against possible malware attacks targeting key infrastructure and underwent cyber incident response training, the official said, adding the participants expressed hope that Japan will continue the initiative. "The exercise is effectively the launch of Japan's cyber diplomacy with Pacific island countries," Shiozawa said. "Japan should expand and possibly institutionalize this initiative in partnership with the United States and Australia." As part of efforts to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law, Japan is running a similar program with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, having launched the ASEAN-Japan Cybersecurity Capacity Building Center in Thailand in 2018. Brad Glosserman, deputy director of the Center for Rule-making Strategies at Tama University in Tokyo, also hailed the latest exercise as "important and valuable," at a time when Tokyo, Washington and Canberra are funding a 2,250-kilometer undersea cable project linking Micronesia, Nauru and Kiribati, with expected delivery in late 2025. "It is impossible to overestimate the significance of cybersecurity for any nation's security, economic vitality and resilience," Glosserman said in an interview. "Infrastructure must be strong for a country to develop and grow on its own terms. Helping countries and not forcing them into China's arms is important, too." In a series of developments that have alarmed the United States and its allies in the region, Nauru in January severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of China and recent news reports said Chinese police are working in Kiribati, which also switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 2019. Chinese survey ships have operated unauthorized in Palau's exclusive economic zone, apparently sailing over submarine cables connecting Southeast Asia with the United States. Glosserman also underscored the significance of the exercise with Pacific island countries and the existing framework with ASEAN, particularly in terms of being better prepared for possible cyberattacks against Taiwan, a self-ruled democratic island China regards as its own. As Kishida has said, "Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow," Russia's invasion of Ukraine has sharply raised the level of concerns about Beijing's territorial ambitions with regard to Taiwan and the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. In September last year, Japan's National Police Agency and the National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity joined U.S. counterparts in warning of malware attacks by China-linked cyber actors known as BlackTech on a wide range of U.S. and East Asia public organizations and private entities. "BlackTech actors have targeted government, industrial, technology, media, electronics, and telecommunication sectors, including entities that support the militaries of the U.S. and Japan," they said in a joint statement with the U.S. National Security Agency, CISA and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Microsoft Corp. warned in May 2023 the Chinese hacking group Volt Typhoon has targeted infrastructure in Guam and elsewhere in the United States, and that the state-sponsored hackers are pursuing capabilities to "disrupt critical communications infrastructure between the United States and the Asia region during future crises." Despite concerns about cybersecurity and geopolitical issues, analysts say it was shrewd for Japan's communications ministry to announce the exercise as a capacity-building measure while making little reference to the strategic implications amid a power struggle between major powers. Any regional initiative by Japan would be better received if it is designed not to force participating countries -- be they Pacific island states or ASEAN members -- to choose sides between the Japan-U.S. alliance and China, they argue. "Perhaps it was a desire to downplay the regional competition with China," Glosserman said. "That is in line with Japan's traditional approach to regional support, this time focusing on an area Pacific island nations are interested in, and denies opponents a chance to call it part of the China competition." Related coverage: FOCUS: Boosting regional cybersecurity critical in connected world FOCUS: U.S. nuke legacy leaves Marshall Islanders "in exile even in death" Atalaya Mining (LON:ATYM Free Report) had its price objective lowered by Canaccord Genuity Group from GBX 540 ($6.87) to GBX 530 ($6.75) in a research report released on Tuesday morning, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Canaccord Genuity Group currently has a buy rating on the stock. Atalaya Mining Trading Up 6.6 % Atalaya Mining stock opened at GBX 388 ($4.94) on Tuesday. Atalaya Mining has a 52-week low of GBX 281 ($3.58) and a 52-week high of GBX 389 ($4.95). The company has a quick ratio of 1.64, a current ratio of 1.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 11.67. The firm has a market capitalization of 542.81 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,552.00, a PEG ratio of -2.02 and a beta of 1.65. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of GBX 333.38 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 326.92. Get Atalaya Mining alerts: About Atalaya Mining (Get Free Report) Recommended Stories Atalaya Mining Plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the mineral exploration and development in Spain. The company's flagship property is its 100% owned Proyecto Riotinto mine, an open-pit copper mine located in the Andalusia region of Spain. It produces copper concentrates, including silver by-products. Receive News & Ratings for Atalaya Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Atalaya Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CBIZ, Inc. (NYSE:CBZ Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high on Thursday . The company traded as high as $78.48 and last traded at $78.31, with a volume of 28939 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $76.68. Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Sidoti downgraded CBIZ from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $63.00 price target for the company. in a research note on Tuesday, January 2nd. Get CBIZ alerts: Read Our Latest Report on CBZ CBIZ Stock Performance The company has a market cap of $3.87 billion, a PE ratio of 32.52 and a beta of 0.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 1.20 and a quick ratio of 1.20. The companys fifty day moving average price is $70.18 and its 200 day moving average price is $61.22. CBIZ (NYSE:CBZ Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The business services provider reported ($0.26) earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.27) by $0.01. The company had revenue of $327.50 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $308.87 million. CBIZ had a net margin of 7.60% and a return on equity of 15.49%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned ($0.21) earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that CBIZ, Inc. will post 2.74 earnings per share for the current year. Institutional Trading of CBIZ Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Morgan Stanley raised its holdings in shares of CBIZ by 853.9% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 3,871,416 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $181,376,000 after buying an additional 3,465,585 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of CBIZ by 5.6% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 3,440,914 shares of the business services providers stock worth $183,332,000 after acquiring an additional 184,006 shares during the last quarter. Eaton Vance Management boosted its stake in shares of CBIZ by 14.3% in the 1st quarter. Eaton Vance Management now owns 2,923,896 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $122,716,000 after purchasing an additional 364,887 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of CBIZ by 1.9% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 2,718,316 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $170,139,000 after purchasing an additional 51,127 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. raised its position in CBIZ by 5.5% in the 4th quarter. Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. now owns 2,151,499 shares of the business services providers stock worth $134,662,000 after purchasing an additional 112,117 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 88.06% of the companys stock. CBIZ Company Profile (Get Free Report) CBIZ, Inc provides financial, insurance, and advisory services in the United States and Canada. It operates through Financial Services, Benefits and Insurance Services, and National Practices segments. The Financial Services segment offers accounting and tax, financial advisory, valuation, risk and advisory, and government healthcare consulting services. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for CBIZ Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CBIZ and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. China Longyuan Power Group Co. Limited (OTCMKTS:CLPXY Get Free Report)s share price traded down 1.8% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as C$6.76 and last traded at C$6.97. 5,724 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 81% from the average session volume of 30,511 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$7.10. China Longyuan Power Group Price Performance The businesss fifty day moving average price is C$6.56 and its 200 day moving average price is C$7.41. About China Longyuan Power Group (Get Free Report) China Longyuan Power Group Corporation Limited generates and sells wind and coal power in the People's Republic of China and internationally. It operates through two segments: Wind Power and Coal Power. The company designs, develops, constructs, manages, and operates wind and coal power plants. It also operates other power projects, such as photovoltaic, tidal, biomass, and geothermal. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for China Longyuan Power Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for China Longyuan Power Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cohen Klingenstein LLC lessened its holdings in GSK plc (NYSE:GSK Free Report) by 6.3% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 123,940 shares of the pharmaceutical companys stock after selling 8,400 shares during the period. Cohen Klingenstein LLCs holdings in GSK were worth $4,593,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in GSK. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its stake in GSK by 2,816.7% during the 4th quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 700 shares of the pharmaceutical companys stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 676 shares during the period. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new stake in shares of GSK during the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. BKM Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in GSK in the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Larson Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in GSK by 271.8% in the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 885 shares of the pharmaceutical companys stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 647 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Nelson Van Denburg & Campbell Wealth Management Group LLC increased its holdings in GSK by 61.3% in the 1st quarter. Nelson Van Denburg & Campbell Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 968 shares of the pharmaceutical companys stock valued at $42,000 after acquiring an additional 368 shares during the last quarter. 13.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get GSK alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Citigroup raised GSK from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, February 13th. Guggenheim upgraded shares of GSK from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, March 4th. Morgan Stanley began coverage on GSK in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. They issued an equal weight rating for the company. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised GSK from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy. GSK Trading Down 0.0 % GSK stock traded down $0.02 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $42.35. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,482,677 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,822,703. The company has a 50 day moving average of $41.40 and a 200-day moving average of $38.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.88. The stock has a market cap of $87.17 billion, a PE ratio of 14.07, a P/E/G ratio of 1.92 and a beta of 0.64. GSK plc has a one year low of $33.33 and a one year high of $43.84. GSK (NYSE:GSK Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The pharmaceutical company reported $0.72 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.76 by ($0.04). GSK had a return on equity of 51.45% and a net margin of 16.24%. The company had revenue of $10 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.79 billion. On average, research analysts anticipate that GSK plc will post 4.08 EPS for the current year. GSK Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 11th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 23rd will be issued a $0.3564 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 22nd. This represents a $1.43 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.37%. This is a positive change from GSKs previous quarterly dividend of $0.34. GSKs payout ratio is currently 52.82%. GSK Company Profile (Free Report) GSK plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research, development, and manufacture of vaccines, and specialty and general medicines to prevent and treat disease in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Commercial Operations and Total R&D. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for GSK Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for GSK and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cousins Properties Incorporated (NYSE:CUZ Get Free Report) has earned a consensus recommendation of Hold from the seven brokerages that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, one has issued a hold recommendation and four have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $23.86. A number of research firms have recently weighed in on CUZ. Truist Financial dropped their price objective on Cousins Properties from $27.00 to $26.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Cousins Properties from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and increased their price target for the company from $26.00 to $27.00 in a research note on Monday, December 18th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Cousins Properties from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, March 14th. Get Cousins Properties alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on CUZ Cousins Properties Stock Performance Shares of CUZ opened at $23.01 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $23.16 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $21.88. The stock has a market cap of $3.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.84, a PEG ratio of 6.42 and a beta of 1.27. Cousins Properties has a 52 week low of $17.40 and a 52 week high of $25.19. Cousins Properties (NYSE:CUZ Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 7th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.12 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.65 by ($0.53). The business had revenue of $197.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $198.47 million. Cousins Properties had a return on equity of 1.81% and a net margin of 10.33%. The businesss revenue was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.66 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Cousins Properties will post 2.61 EPS for the current year. Cousins Properties Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 4th will be issued a $0.32 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 3rd. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.56%. Cousins Propertiess payout ratio is 232.73%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in Cousins Properties by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 22,896,977 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $557,541,000 after acquiring an additional 216,657 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. boosted its position in Cousins Properties by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 20,004,686 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $456,107,000 after acquiring an additional 98,087 shares in the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its position in Cousins Properties by 13.0% during the 4th quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 12,208,784 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $297,284,000 after acquiring an additional 1,407,164 shares in the last quarter. APG Asset Management US Inc. boosted its position in Cousins Properties by 1.4% during the 2nd quarter. APG Asset Management US Inc. now owns 8,530,706 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $194,500,000 after acquiring an additional 117,829 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp boosted its position in Cousins Properties by 0.9% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 8,465,793 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $180,999,000 after acquiring an additional 73,517 shares in the last quarter. About Cousins Properties (Get Free Report Cousins Properties Incorporated ("Cousins") is a fully integrated, self-administered, and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company, based in Atlanta and acting through its operating partnership, Cousins Properties LP, primarily invests in Class A office buildings located in high-growth Sun Belt markets. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Cousins Properties Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cousins Properties and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com lowered shares of Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday. Several other research analysts have also commented on the company. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on Edwards Lifesciences from $70.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Wells Fargo & Company raised Edwards Lifesciences from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and set a $94.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Bank of America upgraded Edwards Lifesciences from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, March 7th. Mizuho boosted their price target on Edwards Lifesciences from $85.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Edwards Lifesciences from $80.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $88.50. Get Edwards Lifesciences alerts: Read Our Latest Analysis on Edwards Lifesciences Edwards Lifesciences Trading Down 0.9 % Edwards Lifesciences stock opened at $93.79 on Wednesday. The businesss fifty day moving average is $84.31 and its 200 day moving average is $75.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a current ratio of 3.38 and a quick ratio of 2.40. Edwards Lifesciences has a one year low of $60.57 and a one year high of $95.27. The stock has a market capitalization of $56.40 billion, a PE ratio of 40.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.61 and a beta of 1.05. Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW Get Free Report) last posted 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. Edwards Lifesciences had a return on equity of 23.56% and a net margin of 23.35%. The company had revenue of $1.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.50 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.64 EPS. Edwards Lifesciencess revenue was up 13.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Edwards Lifesciences will post 2.76 EPS for the current year. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Edwards Lifesciences news, VP Daniel J. Lippis sold 1,715 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $90.98, for a total transaction of $156,030.70. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 17,213 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,566,038.74. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other news, VP Daniel J. Lippis sold 1,715 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $90.98, for a total transaction of $156,030.70. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 17,213 shares in the company, valued at $1,566,038.74. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CFO Scott B. Ullem sold 14,510 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $76.55, for a total transaction of $1,110,740.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 19,248 shares in the company, valued at $1,473,434.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 196,859 shares of company stock valued at $16,445,296. 1.29% 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 the business. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its stake in Edwards Lifesciences by 11.4% in the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 9,181 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $1,081,000 after purchasing an additional 941 shares in the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. increased its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 34.7% in the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 1,738 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $204,000 after buying an additional 448 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd grew its holdings in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 18.2% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,223 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $144,000 after purchasing an additional 188 shares during the last quarter. Mather Group LLC. grew its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 53.5% during the 1st quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 7,182 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $846,000 after acquiring an additional 2,503 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp lifted its position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 3.1% in the 1st quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 655,567 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $77,173,000 after purchasing an additional 19,798 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 79.25% of the companys stock. About Edwards Lifesciences (Get Free Report) Edwards Lifesciences Corporation provides products and technologies for structural heart disease and critical care monitoring in the United States, Europe, Japan, and internationally. It offers transcatheter heart valve replacement products for the minimally invasive replacement of aortic heart valves under the Edwards SAPIEN family of valves system; and transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement products to treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases under the PASCAL PRECISION and Cardioband names. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Edwards Lifesciences Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Edwards Lifesciences and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Town & Country Bank & Trust CO dba First Bankers Trust CO lifted its position in Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE:XOM Free Report) by 16.3% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 52,482 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after buying an additional 7,353 shares during the quarter. Exxon Mobil accounts for approximately 2.4% of Town & Country Bank & Trust CO dba First Bankers Trust COs portfolio, making the stock its 8th biggest position. Town & Country Bank & Trust CO dba First Bankers Trust COs holdings in Exxon Mobil were worth $5,247,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of XOM. 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 worth $13,604,575,000 after purchasing an additional 123,254,064 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Exxon Mobil during the 4th quarter worth about $5,226,390,000. Imprint Wealth LLC boosted its position in shares of Exxon Mobil by 9,115.2% during the 2nd quarter. Imprint Wealth LLC now owns 11,304,343 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $1,130,434,000 after acquiring an additional 11,181,673 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley boosted its position in shares of Exxon Mobil by 11.9% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 52,478,674 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $5,788,398,000 after purchasing an additional 5,566,797 shares during the period. Finally, FMR LLC boosted its position in shares of Exxon Mobil by 3.0% in 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 purchasing an additional 4,162,149 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 58.53% of the companys stock. Get Exxon Mobil alerts: Insider Activity In related news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 2,400 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.00, for a total transaction of $252,000.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 30,189 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,169,845. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.06% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of analysts recently issued reports on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on Exxon Mobil from $134.00 to $127.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 8th. TD Cowen raised Exxon Mobil from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $115.00 target price for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Erste Group Bank reissued a hold rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research report on Friday, December 22nd. Mizuho upped their target price on Exxon Mobil from $119.00 to $125.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, UBS Group reduced their price objective on Exxon Mobil from $133.00 to $132.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Exxon Mobil presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $128.18. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Exxon Mobil Exxon Mobil Stock Performance Shares of XOM stock opened at $113.49 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The business has a 50 day moving average of $104.09 and a two-hundred day moving average of $106.01. Exxon Mobil Co. has a 52 week low of $95.77 and a 52 week high of $120.70. The company has a market cap of $450.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.77, a PEG ratio of 4.16 and a beta of 0.96. Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM Get Free Report) last released 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. The company had revenue of $84.34 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $90.03 billion. Exxon Mobil had a return on equity of 18.51% and a net margin of 10.45%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $3.40 earnings per share. As a group, analysts anticipate that Exxon Mobil Co. will post 9.11 EPS for the current year. Exxon Mobil Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 11th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 14th were issued a dividend of $0.95 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 13th. This represents a $3.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.35%. Exxon Mobils dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 42.74%. 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. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding XOM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE:XOM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Exxon Mobil Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Exxon Mobil and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. General Electric (LON:GEC Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as GBX 176.61 ($2.25) and last traded at GBX 174.92 ($2.23), with a volume of 3169 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 105 ($1.34). General Electric Stock Performance The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 80.25, a current ratio of 1.17 and a quick ratio of 0.68. The company has a market cap of 1.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 1.22. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of GBX 110.35 and a 200 day simple moving average of GBX 109.71. About General Electric (Get 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. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for General Electric Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for General Electric and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. HB Wealth Management LLC reduced its holdings in The Southern Company (NYSE:SO Free Report) by 4.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 156,190 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 7,240 shares during the period. HB Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Southern were worth $10,952,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Insight Folios Inc boosted its holdings in shares of Southern by 4.4% during the 4th quarter. Insight Folios Inc now owns 92,255 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $6,469,000 after buying an additional 3,919 shares during the period. Mutual Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Southern by 6.2% in the 4th quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC now owns 26,932 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,889,000 after purchasing an additional 1,580 shares during the period. Premier Path Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in Southern in the 4th quarter valued at about $259,000. Hudson Valley Investment Advisors Inc. ADV boosted its holdings in Southern by 19.4% in the 4th quarter. Hudson Valley Investment Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 21,654 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,563,000 after purchasing an additional 3,524 shares during the period. Finally, Willis Johnson & Associates Inc. boosted its holdings in Southern by 3.6% in the 4th quarter. Willis Johnson & Associates Inc. now owns 4,365 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $306,000 after purchasing an additional 151 shares during the period. 62.85% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Southern alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes SO has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on shares of Southern from $75.00 to $72.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Southern from $69.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Wednesday, November 29th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of Southern from $75.00 to $72.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 16th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $80.00 price objective on shares of Southern in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. Finally, Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Southern from $68.00 to $67.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $73.46. Southern Stock Down 0.1 % Shares of SO stock traded down $0.10 on Friday, hitting $69.80. The stock had a trading volume of 3,137,925 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,518,958. The business has a 50 day moving average of $68.48 and a 200 day moving average of $68.75. The stock has a market cap of $76.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.36 and a beta of 0.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.56. The Southern Company has a 12-month low of $61.56 and a 12-month high of $75.80. Southern (NYSE:SO Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The utilities provider reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.59 by $0.05. Southern had a net margin of 15.79% and a return on equity of 11.40%. The company had revenue of $6.05 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.90 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.26 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 14.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that The Southern Company will post 4 EPS for the current year. Southern Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 6th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th were paid a $0.70 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 16th. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.01%. Southerns payout ratio is 77.14%. Insider Activity In other news, insider David P. Poroch sold 10,099 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.96, for a total value of $706,526.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 28,691 shares in the company, valued at $2,007,222.36. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Southern news, insider David P. Poroch sold 10,099 shares of Southern stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.96, for a total transaction of $706,526.04. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 28,691 shares in the company, valued at $2,007,222.36. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of Southern stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $68.92, for a total transaction of $344,600.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 126,528 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,720,309.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 25,998 shares of company stock worth $1,806,063. 0.28% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Southern Company Profile (Free Report) The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Southern Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southern and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. KYODO NEWS - Mar 23, 2024 - 22:55 | All, World At least 133 people were killed and dozens were injured when gunmen stormed a concert hall in a Moscow suburb on Friday, Russia's Investigative Committee said, while Tass news agency said four people suspected of direct involvement were detained. The attack by several people clad in fatigues at Crocus City Hall, where explosions and a fire were reported, prompted the country's federal authorities to launch a terrorism investigation, according to media reports. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack through a news agency affiliated with the militant group. A U.S. official said the United States had intelligence confirming the claim, the reports said. Interfax news agency said up to five people were involved in the attack, in which weapons including hand grenades were used against concertgoers awaiting the start of a show. Images posted on social media appeared to show several people with backpacks storming the concert hall from the main entrance and shooting automatic rifles. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak denied Kyiv was involved in the incident, saying on the X social media platform, "Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall." In Washington, White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters, "There is no indication at this time that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved in the shooting." The complex housing the city hall was ablaze after the explosions and dozens of fire trucks were at the scene. Police and security forces searched for the attackers around the area. Earlier this month, the British Foreign Office and the U.S. Embassy in Moscow urged their nationals in Russia to avoid crowds, citing the possibility of terrorist attacks. HB Wealth Management LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE Free Report) by 0.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 75,939 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 203 shares during the period. HB Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Intercontinental Exchange were worth $9,753,000 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 business. Mutual Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Intercontinental Exchange by 9.8% during the 4th quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC now owns 2,654 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $341,000 after purchasing an additional 236 shares in the last quarter. Premier Path Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Intercontinental Exchange during the 4th quarter valued at about $292,000. Hixon Zuercher LLC boosted its position in shares of Intercontinental Exchange by 0.6% during the 4th quarter. Hixon Zuercher LLC now owns 39,696 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $5,098,000 after purchasing an additional 231 shares in the last quarter. Norway Savings Bank boosted its position in shares of Intercontinental Exchange by 3.2% during the 4th quarter. Norway Savings Bank now owns 15,184 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,950,000 after purchasing an additional 465 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Whitaker Myers Wealth Managers LTD. acquired a new position in Intercontinental Exchange during the 4th quarter worth approximately $231,000. Institutional investors own 87.91% of the companys stock. Get Intercontinental Exchange alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Intercontinental Exchange In other Intercontinental Exchange news, CAO James W. Namkung sold 1,182 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $132.03, for a total transaction of $156,059.46. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 16,396 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,164,763.88. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Jeffrey C. Sprecher sold 58,388 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $125.90, for a total value of $7,351,049.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,152,375 shares of the companys stock, valued at $145,084,012.50. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CAO James W. Namkung sold 1,182 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $132.03, for a total value of $156,059.46. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 16,396 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,164,763.88. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 157,617 shares of company stock valued at $20,784,288. Company insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock. Intercontinental Exchange Stock Performance Shares of ICE traded down $1.87 on Friday, reaching $136.23. 2,024,105 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,562,404. The company has a current ratio of 1.00, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80. The stock has a market cap of $78.01 billion, a PE ratio of 32.44, a PEG ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 1.02. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $133.39 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $121.27. Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has a 52-week low of $95.66 and a 52-week high of $140.43. Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The financial services provider reported $1.33 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.29 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $2.20 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.20 billion. Intercontinental Exchange had a return on equity of 12.91% and a net margin of 23.91%. Intercontinental Exchanges revenue was up 24.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.25 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. will post 5.91 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Intercontinental Exchange Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.45 per share. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.32%. This is a positive change from Intercontinental Exchanges previous quarterly dividend of $0.42. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. Intercontinental Exchanges dividend payout ratio is 42.86%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts recently weighed in on ICE shares. Rosenblatt Securities upped their price target on Intercontinental Exchange from $154.00 to $164.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, February 9th. Barclays upped their price target on Intercontinental Exchange from $148.00 to $153.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, February 12th. Raymond James upped their price target on Intercontinental Exchange from $135.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, January 5th. UBS Group upped their price target on Intercontinental Exchange from $145.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, February 12th. Finally, Citigroup increased their price objective on Intercontinental Exchange from $146.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Intercontinental Exchange has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $145.83. Read Our Latest Report on ICE Intercontinental Exchange Profile (Free Report) Intercontinental Exchange, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of market infrastructure, data services, and technology solutions for financial institutions, corporations, and government entities in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Singapore, India, Abu Dhabi, Israel, and Canada. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ICE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Intercontinental Exchange Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Intercontinental Exchange and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Legato Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Seaboard Co. (NYSEAMERICAN:SEB Free Report) by 0.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 542 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 4 shares during the period. Legato Capital Management LLC owned 0.06% of Seaboard worth $1,935,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. increased its stake in Seaboard by 3,450.0% in the 1st quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 71 shares of the companys stock worth $298,000 after buying an additional 69 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. bought a new stake in Seaboard during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $383,000. Citigroup Inc. lifted its holdings in Seaboard by 36.4% in the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 30 shares of the companys stock worth $126,000 after purchasing an additional 8 shares in the last quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund purchased a new position in Seaboard in the 1st quarter worth approximately $400,000. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Seaboard in the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 19.41% of the companys stock. Get Seaboard alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on SEB shares. StockNews.com cut Seaboard from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, December 14th. TheStreet cut Seaboard from a b rating to a c+ rating in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Seaboard Price Performance Shares of SEB stock traded down $40.26 on Friday, reaching $3,233.80. 2,380 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,063. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.03 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a quick ratio of 1.42 and a current ratio of 2.52. Seaboard Co. has a 52 week low of $3,145.02 and a 52 week high of $4,080.11. Seaboard (NYSEAMERICAN:SEB Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 13th. The company reported $64.67 earnings per share for the quarter. The company had revenue of $2.28 billion during the quarter. Seaboard had a net margin of 2.36% and a return on equity of 4.55%. Seaboard Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 4th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 23rd were issued a dividend of $2.25 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 22nd. This represents a $9.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.28%. Seaboards dividend payout ratio is currently 4.41%. About Seaboard (Free Report) Seaboard Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an agricultural and ocean transportation company worldwide. It operates through six segments: Pork, Commodity Trading and Milling (CT&M), Marine, Sugar and Alcohol, Power, and Turkey. The Pork segment produces and sells pork products to further processors, food service operators, grocery stores, and distributors; hogs; and biodiesel. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SEB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Seaboard Co. (NYSEAMERICAN:SEB Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Seaboard Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Seaboard and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Legato Capital Management LLC lowered its stake in shares of Employers Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:EIG Free Report) by 19.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 36,836 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 8,796 shares during the period. Legato Capital Management LLC owned 0.14% of Employers worth $1,451,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in EIG. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Employers by 13.6% in the third quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 2,516 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $101,000 after buying an additional 302 shares in the last quarter. Advisor Partners II LLC increased its stake in Employers by 1.9% in the first quarter. Advisor Partners II LLC now owns 17,452 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $728,000 after acquiring an additional 317 shares during the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its stake in Employers by 7.3% in the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 5,127 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $214,000 after acquiring an additional 349 shares during the last quarter. Swiss National Bank increased its stake in Employers by 0.7% in the third quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 59,100 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,361,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. Finally, GSA Capital Partners LLP increased its stake in Employers by 1.8% in the third quarter. GSA Capital Partners LLP now owns 25,667 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,025,000 after acquiring an additional 466 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.57% of the companys stock. Get Employers alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Truist Financial raised their price objective on Employers from $53.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th. Janney Montgomery Scott cut Employers from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 27th. Employers Price Performance EIG traded down $0.42 on Friday, hitting $44.00. The company had a trading volume of 132,381 shares, compared to its average volume of 147,048. Employers Holdings, Inc. has a 52-week low of $35.43 and a 52-week high of $46.78. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $43.18 and a 200-day simple moving average of $40.56. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.84 and a beta of 0.24. Employers (NYSE:EIG Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, February 16th. The financial services provider reported $1.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating 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 firm had revenue of $225.70 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $215.38 million. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.25 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 1.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that Employers Holdings, Inc. will post 3.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Employers Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 13th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 28th were issued a $0.28 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 27th. This represents a $1.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.55%. Employerss payout ratio is currently 25.06%. Employers Profile (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. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EIG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Employers Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:EIG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Employers Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Employers and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. LVW Advisors LLC cut its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Free Report) by 4.0% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 17,042 shares of the companys stock after selling 710 shares during the quarter. LVW Advisors LLCs holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S were worth $1,763,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Pacific Center for Financial Services increased its position in Novo Nordisk A/S by 100.0% in the third quarter. Pacific Center for Financial Services now owns 270 shares of the companys stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 135 shares during the period. Copeland Capital Management LLC increased its position in Novo Nordisk A/S by 100.0% in the third quarter. Copeland Capital Management LLC now owns 282 shares of the companys stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 141 shares during the period. Bell Investment Advisors Inc increased its position in Novo Nordisk A/S by 79.9% in the third quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 286 shares of the companys stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 127 shares during the period. Citizens National Bank Trust Department increased its position in Novo Nordisk A/S by 100.0% in the third quarter. Citizens National Bank Trust Department now owns 300 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 150 shares during the period. Finally, Tyler Stone Wealth Management increased its position in Novo Nordisk A/S by 100.0% in the third quarter. Tyler Stone Wealth Management now owns 292 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 146 shares during the period. 6.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Novo Nordisk A/S alerts: Novo Nordisk A/S Price Performance NVO stock traded down $0.14 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $128.76. 3,229,452 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 6,159,821. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $120.01 and a 200 day simple moving average of $101.75. Novo Nordisk A/S has a one year low of $74.57 and a one year high of $138.28. The company has a market cap of $577.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.60, a P/E/G ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a current ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. Novo Nordisk A/S Increases Dividend Novo Nordisk A/S ( NYSE:NVO Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The company reported $0.71 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.66 by $0.05. Novo Nordisk A/S had a return on equity of 90.36% and a net margin of 36.03%. The business had revenue of $9.51 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.14 billion. Equities analysts forecast that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.36 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently declared a Semi-Annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 2nd. Investors of record on Monday, March 25th will be given a $0.664 dividend. This is a positive change from Novo Nordisk A/Ss previous Semi-Annual dividend of $0.22. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 22nd. This represents a dividend yield of 0.9%. Novo Nordisk A/Ss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 22.92%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. TD Cowen raised their price target on Novo Nordisk A/S from $105.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, December 4th. Morgan Stanley assumed coverage on Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. They set an overweight rating and a $120.00 price target on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and set a $160.00 price target on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Wednesday. Finally, UBS Group assumed coverage on Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. They set a neutral rating on the stock. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $126.25. Get Our Latest Analysis on Novo Nordisk A/S Novo Nordisk A/S Profile (Free Report) Novo Nordisk A/S, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research and development, manufacture, and distribution of pharmaceutical products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, North America, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Diabetes and Obesity Care, and Rare Disease. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NVO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Novo Nordisk A/S Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Novo Nordisk A/S and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Science Group plc (LON:SAG Get Free Report) declared a dividend on Thursday, March 21st, Upcoming.Co.Uk reports. Investors of record on Thursday, June 20th will be given a dividend of GBX 8 ($0.10) per share on Friday, July 19th. This represents a yield of 2.14%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 20th. This is an increase from Science Groups previous dividend of $5.00. The official announcement can be viewed at this link. Science Group Stock Performance Shares of SAG opened at GBX 401 ($5.11) on Friday. The stocks fifty day moving average price is GBX 383.44 and its two-hundred day moving average price is GBX 393.55. Science Group has a 1 year low of GBX 362 ($4.61) and a 1 year high of GBX 439 ($5.59). The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 21.54, a current ratio of 1.47 and a quick ratio of 1.56. The firm has a market cap of 182.29 million, a PE ratio of 1,670.83 and a beta of 0.42. Get Science Group alerts: About Science Group (Get Free Report) Read More Science Group plc, a science, engineering, and technology business company, provides consultancy services in the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, North America, Asia, and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Services Operating Business, Product Operating Business, and Freehold Properties. Receive News & Ratings for Science Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Science Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SG Americas Securities LLC lessened its stake in HDFC Bank Limited (NYSE:HDB Free Report) by 7.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 181,696 shares of the banks stock after selling 14,970 shares during the quarter. SG Americas Securities LLCs holdings in HDFC Bank were worth $12,194,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of HDB. Baillie Gifford & Co. raised its position in HDFC Bank by 183.8% in the 3rd quarter. Baillie Gifford & Co. now owns 9,560,478 shares of the banks stock worth $564,164,000 after buying an additional 6,191,548 shares during the last quarter. PineStone Asset Management Inc. raised its position in HDFC Bank by 363.2% in the 3rd quarter. PineStone Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,139,056 shares of the banks stock worth $185,236,000 after buying an additional 2,461,325 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in HDFC Bank by 57.1% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 4,838,182 shares of the banks stock worth $296,725,000 after buying an additional 1,757,638 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors raised its position in HDFC Bank by 7,387.1% in the 2nd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 1,292,350 shares of the banks stock worth $90,073,000 after buying an additional 1,275,089 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Aikya Investment Management Ltd purchased a new position in HDFC Bank in the 4th quarter worth about $77,036,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 17.24% of the companys stock. Get HDFC Bank alerts: HDFC Bank Stock Performance NYSE:HDB traded down $1.22 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $54.39. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,299,061 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,632,951. HDFC Bank Limited has a 12-month low of $52.16 and a 12-month high of $71.39. The firms fifty day moving average price is $55.55 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $59.29. The company has a current ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.78. The stock has a market cap of $101.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.79, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.87. About HDFC Bank HDFC Bank ( NYSE:HDB Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 16th. The bank reported $0.82 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.71 by $0.11. HDFC Bank had a net margin of 17.34% and a return on equity of 15.98%. The firm had revenue of $8.62 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.67 billion. On average, equities analysts forecast that HDFC Bank Limited will post 2.72 EPS for the current fiscal year. (Free Report) HDFC Bank Limited provides banking and financial services to individuals and businesses in India, Bahrain, Hong Kong, and Dubai. The company operates in three segments: Wholesale Banking, Retail Banking, and Treasury Services. It accepts savings, salary, current, rural, public provident fund, pension, and demat accounts; fixed and recurring deposits; and safe deposit lockers, as well as offshore accounts and deposits, and overdrafts against fixed deposits. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HDB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for HDFC Bank Limited (NYSE:HDB Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for HDFC Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for HDFC Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Stifel Nicolaus reiterated their buy rating on shares of ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW Free Report) in a research report released on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. Stifel Nicolaus currently has a $820.00 target price on the information technology services providers stock. A number of other research analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on ServiceNow from $630.00 to $850.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Barclays raised their price target on ServiceNow from $765.00 to $870.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Argus lifted their price objective on ServiceNow from $675.00 to $770.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 6th. Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on ServiceNow from $750.00 to $830.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, Robert W. Baird lifted their price objective on ServiceNow from $780.00 to $870.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $762.96. Get ServiceNow alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on ServiceNow ServiceNow Stock Up 0.1 % ServiceNow stock opened at $774.15 on Wednesday. ServiceNow has a fifty-two week low of $427.01 and a fifty-two week high of $815.32. The firm has a market capitalization of $158.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 92.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.89 and a beta of 0.97. The stocks fifty day moving average is $766.16 and its two-hundred day moving average is $674.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a current ratio of 1.06. ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The information technology services provider reported $3.11 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.77 by $0.34. ServiceNow had a return on equity of 11.85% and a net margin of 19.30%. The business had revenue of $2.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.40 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.88 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 25.6% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that ServiceNow will post 6.11 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, CEO William R. Mcdermott sold 5,030 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $753.08, for a total transaction of $3,787,992.40. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 17,177 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $12,935,655.16. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other ServiceNow news, CEO William R. Mcdermott sold 5,030 shares of ServiceNow stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $753.08, for a total transaction of $3,787,992.40. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 17,177 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,935,655.16. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Paul John Smith sold 5,159 shares of ServiceNow stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $745.32, for a total value of $3,845,105.88. Following the sale, the insider now owns 5,453 shares in the company, valued at $4,064,229.96. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 13,164 shares of company stock valued at $9,940,303. Corporate insiders own 0.24% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On ServiceNow Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. First Foundation Advisors increased its holdings in shares of ServiceNow by 2.1% in the 2nd quarter. First Foundation Advisors now owns 5,292 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $2,974,000 after acquiring an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. First Hawaiian Bank increased its holdings in shares of ServiceNow by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. First Hawaiian Bank now owns 7,514 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $4,200,000 after acquiring an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC increased its holdings in shares of ServiceNow by 7.3% in the 2nd quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 64,245 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $36,104,000 after acquiring an additional 4,352 shares during the last quarter. F M Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of ServiceNow in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $1,624,000. Finally, Treasurer of the State of North Carolina increased its holdings in shares of ServiceNow by 2.1% in the 2nd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 91,705 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $51,535,000 after acquiring an additional 1,920 shares during the last quarter. 87.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About ServiceNow (Get Free Report) ServiceNow, Inc provides end to-end intelligent workflow automation platform solutions for digital businesses in the North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company operates the Now platform for end-to-end digital transformation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotic process automation, process mining, performance analytics, and collaboration and development tools. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for ServiceNow Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ServiceNow and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. LVM Capital Management Ltd. MI lifted its holdings in The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG Free Report) by 1.1% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 182,121 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,998 shares during the period. Procter & Gamble accounts for about 3.4% of LVM Capital Management Ltd. MIs investment portfolio, making the stock its 4th biggest holding. LVM Capital Management Ltd. MIs holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $26,688,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in PG. Axiom Financial Strategies LLC raised its holdings in Procter & Gamble by 7.0% in the first quarter. Axiom Financial Strategies LLC now owns 1,728 shares of the companys stock worth $276,000 after purchasing an additional 113 shares during the period. AMI Investment Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Procter & Gamble by 7.2% during the first quarter. AMI Investment Management Inc. now owns 3,461 shares of the companys stock worth $529,000 after acquiring an additional 233 shares in the last quarter. LSV Asset Management increased its position in shares of Procter & Gamble by 5.7% during the first quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 18,600 shares of the companys stock worth $2,842,000 after acquiring an additional 1,000 shares in the last quarter. Ergoteles LLC bought a new stake in shares of Procter & Gamble during the first quarter worth $3,073,000. Finally, Wsfs Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Procter & Gamble by 12.0% during the first quarter. Wsfs Capital Management LLC now owns 4,256 shares of the companys stock worth $650,000 after acquiring an additional 455 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 63.43% of the companys stock. Get Procter & Gamble alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on shares of Procter & Gamble in a research report on Friday, March 1st. They issued a neutral rating and a $168.00 target price for the company. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $156.00 to $157.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. Truist Financial upgraded shares of Procter & Gamble from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the company from $160.00 to $175.00 in a research report on Monday, March 11th. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Procter & Gamble from $172.00 to $178.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 24th. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $160.00 to $165.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $168.41. Insider Activity In other Procter & Gamble news, insider Marc S. Pritchard sold 101,704 shares of Procter & Gamble stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $153.57, for a total value of $15,618,683.28. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 163,428 shares in the company, valued at $25,097,637.96. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, COO Shailesh Jejurikar sold 31,275 shares of Procter & Gamble stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $154.90, for a total transaction of $4,844,497.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 9,623 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,490,602.70. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Marc S. Pritchard sold 101,704 shares of Procter & Gamble stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.57, for a total value of $15,618,683.28. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 163,428 shares of the companys stock, valued at $25,097,637.96. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 279,063 shares of company stock worth $43,187,745. Company insiders own 0.17% of the companys stock. Procter & Gamble Stock Performance Shares of NYSE PG traded down $0.20 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $161.66. 6,378,981 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 6,923,928. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $157.54 and a 200 day moving average of $151.94. The stock has a market capitalization of $380.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.31 and a beta of 0.44. The Procter & Gamble Company has a 1 year low of $141.45 and a 1 year high of $162.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a current ratio of 0.64. Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 23rd. The company reported $1.84 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.70 by $0.14. The business had revenue of $21.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $21.48 billion. Procter & Gamble had a return on equity of 34.04% and a net margin of 17.60%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.59 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that The Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.45 earnings per share for the current year. Procter & Gamble Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 19th were paid a $0.9407 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 18th. This represents a $3.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.33%. Procter & Gambles payout ratio is 62.98%. About Procter & Gamble (Free Report) The Procter & Gamble Company provides branded consumer packaged goods worldwide. It operates through five segments: Beauty; Grooming; Health Care; Fabric & Home Care; and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. The Beauty segment offers conditioners, shampoos, styling aids, and treatments under the Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, Pantene, and Rejoice brands; and antiperspirants and deodorants, personal cleansing, and skin care products under the Olay, Old Spice, Safeguard, Secret, and SK-II brands. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Procter & Gamble Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Procter & Gamble and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tri Pointe Homes (NYSE:TPH Get Free Report) and Smith Douglas Homes (NYSE:SDHC Get Free Report) are both construction companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their risk, dividends, profitability, valuation, institutional ownership, earnings and analyst recommendations. Analyst Ratings This is a summary of recent ratings and recommmendations for Tri Pointe Homes and Smith Douglas Homes, as provided by MarketBeat. Get Tri Pointe Homes alerts: Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Tri Pointe Homes 0 1 4 0 2.80 Smith Douglas Homes 0 5 1 0 2.17 Tri Pointe Homes presently has a consensus price target of $38.20, indicating a potential upside of 4.00%. Smith Douglas Homes has a consensus price target of $27.70, indicating a potential downside of 9.92%. Given Tri Pointe Homes stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities analysts plainly believe Tri Pointe Homes is more favorable than Smith Douglas Homes. Institutional and Insider Ownership Profitability 97.6% of Tri Pointe Homes shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.0% of Tri Pointe Homes shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. This table compares Tri Pointe Homes and Smith Douglas Homes net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Tri Pointe Homes 9.37% 11.75% 7.12% Smith Douglas Homes N/A N/A N/A Valuation and Earnings This table compares Tri Pointe Homes and Smith Douglas Homes top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Tri Pointe Homes $3.67 billion 0.96 $343.70 million $3.45 10.65 Smith Douglas Homes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Tri Pointe Homes has higher revenue and earnings than Smith Douglas Homes. Summary Tri Pointe Homes beats Smith Douglas Homes on 9 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks. About Tri Pointe Homes (Get Free Report) Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. engages in the design, construction, and sale of single-family attached and detached homes in the United States. The company operates through a portfolio of six regional home building brands comprising Maracay in Arizona; Pardee Homes in California and Nevada; Quadrant Homes in Washington; Trendmaker Homes in Texas; TRI Pointe Homes in California, Colorado, and the Carolinas; and Winchester Homes in Maryland and Northern Virginia. It operates active selling communities, and owned or controlled lots. The company sells its homes through own sales representatives and independent real estate brokers. It provides financial services, such as mortgage financing, title and escrow, and property and casualty insurance agency services. The company was formerly known as TRI Pointe Group, Inc. and changed its name to Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. in January 2021. Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. was founded in 2009 and is based in Incline Village, Nevada. About Smith Douglas Homes (Get Free Report) Smith Douglas Homes Corp. engages in the design, construction, and sale of single-family homes in the southeastern United States. The company operates in metropolitan Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte, Huntsville, Nashville, Raleigh-Durham, and Houston. It also provides closing, escrow, and title insurance services. The company was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Woodstock, Georgia. Receive News & Ratings for Tri Pointe Homes Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tri Pointe Homes and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Citigroup reiterated their neutral rating on shares of Vodafone Group Public (LON:VOD Free Report) in a report issued on Wednesday, Marketbeat.com reports. They currently have a GBX 68 ($0.87) price target on the cell phone carriers stock. Separately, Barclays reaffirmed an equal weight rating and set a GBX 92 ($1.17) price target on shares of Vodafone Group Public in a research report on Wednesday, December 20th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Vodafone Group Public presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of GBX 99.80 ($1.27). Get Vodafone Group Public alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on VOD Vodafone Group Public Stock Performance Insider Buying and Selling at Vodafone Group Public Shares of VOD stock opened at GBX 68.43 ($0.87) on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 109.39, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a current ratio of 0.89. The firm has a market capitalization of 18.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 213.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.59 and a beta of 0.48. Vodafone Group Public has a one year low of GBX 62.71 ($0.80) and a one year high of GBX 97.05 ($1.24). The company has a 50 day moving average price of GBX 67.47 and a 200 day moving average price of GBX 71.58. In related news, insider Luka Mucic purchased 2,460,000 shares of Vodafone Group Public stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 15th. The shares were acquired at an average price of GBX 70 ($0.89) per share, with a total value of 1,722,000 ($2,192,234.25). 5.70% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Vodafone Group Public Company Profile (Get Free Report) Vodafone Group Public Limited Company provides telecommunication services in Europe and internationally. It offers mobile connectivity services comprising end-to-end services for mobile voice and data, messaging, device management, BYOx, and telecoms management, as well as professional and consulting services; and fixed line connectivity, such as fixed voice and data, broadband, software-defined networks, managed WAN, LAN, ethernet, and satellite; and financial services, as well as business and merchant services. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Vodafone Group Public Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vodafone Group Public and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The pressure on mining companies to find sustainable solutions, meet financial stability goals, and reduce environmental impacts is greater than ever before. Working towards a greener future, long-term energy solutions have emerged as a key driver of change in the mining industry, notes Aggreko, AMEA. Today, these solutions are helping mining companies all over the world implement more sustainable and cost-effective practices. In this blog post, we'll dig deeper into the six ways long-term energy solutions are reshaping the future of mining, what forms they take, and what benefits you can expect from integrating these solutions into your mining operations. Sustainability and a leg up on the shift to clean energy Mining processes still contribute up to 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, a more sustainable energy architecture is one of the most pressing priorities for the mining sector. This is mainly because sustainable energy solutions help mining companies to avoid overreliance on either grid-based or off-grid power. In addition, implementing a more sustainable energy architecture also aligns with global commitments to transition to clean energy. According to PwCs Mine report, mining companies should all strive to join the global transition to clean energy. Although the mining sector has already made strides towards adopting renewable and alternative energy sources, achieving the right balance of power across multiple operations and locations remains a significant challenge for the mining industry to overcome. Mining companies are increasingly aligning themselves with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 7: ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. This commitment to sustainable energy, however, comes with challenges such as high costs and grid instability. Reducing costs and carbon footprints The cost of energy is a significant expense for mining companies, accounting for around 30% of their total cash operating costs. However, effective energy management and cutting-edge mine design can reduce this cost by up to 20%. This reduction translates into better cost efficiency, better alignment with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals, a reduced carbon footprint, and a more attractive investment profile. Mining companies must find new and advanced approaches to manage costs while investing in energy solutions. This includes exploring renewable energy sources, cost-cutting methods, and forming joint ventures to achieve economies of scale. This also ties in with the industrys efforts to meet the International Council on Mining and Metals' goal of achieving net zero Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 another major priority for the industry. Flexibility in energy solutions No mining project is the same. As a result, the mining industry today is moving towards flexible and hybrid energy solutions that are more scalable and adaptable. Given the changing dynamics of different mining projects especially in off-grid locations with shorter lifecycles permanent power structures are no longer financially viable. As a result, mining companies are increasingly considering scalable microgrids that provide them with the energy they need while still maintaining flexibility. Phased energy transitions One approach to flexibility involves breaking down a mines energy transition into phases. A phased approach not only simplifies the transition but also reduces the risks associated with rapid change. In addition, it offers savings by significantly reducing diesel usage and adopting alternative fuels like renewable energy, all without compromising operations. Sustainability-focused financing and risk mitigation Financing mining projects can be challenging for several reasons, including high costs; extended project timelines; volatile prices; and the influence of economic, geopolitical, and regulatory factors. To cope with these challenges, financing options for mining companies have evolved, providing opportunities to better manage finances without compromising growth, energy investment, or strategic goals. Examples of mining financing options Venture capital investments While venture capital investments are valuable for established mining organisations, they may not be accessible to newer mines or projects. Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions Investors are increasingly targeting smaller mining companies to expedite returns, a trend observed in regions like Africa. Debt financing Mining companies can use debt financing to access the necessary funds for operations while leveraging future cash flows from mining activities to repay debt obligations. Green financing The shift towards financing built on ESG principles means companies can access credit facilities based on sustainability commitments. It opens up new sources of capital, such as sustainability-related bonds. Overcoming volatility The mining industry is inherently volatile, and its operations are susceptible to economic, political, and social fluctuations. The challenge for mining companies is to embark on decarbonisation while also refining their energy portfolios and remaining agile in a changing market. Flexibility in energy solutions is crucial to adapt to unforeseen changes in project scope or economic conditions. On-demand power generation assets In volatile commodities markets, mining companies must manage their operations flexibly whether thats by altering the size of operations or adjusting a mine's life span. Thats why flexible energy solutions provide on-demand power generation assets, ready to adapt to changing global environments and power requirements. Solving the hybrid energy trilemma The energy trilemma encompasses the challenge of balancing three main factors: sustainability, cost, and reliability of mining operations. Hybrid energy solutions have emerged as a way to overcome this trilemma by combining renewable energy sources like wind, hydropower, solar, and battery storage with the reliability of thermal generators. These solutions offer mines a way to achieve balance across three crucial power supply priorities: decarbonisation, security of supply, and low cost of electricity. Customisation and prioritisation Mining companies must decide which of the three priorities decarbonisation, security of supply, or low cost of electricity is their top focus and build their hybrid power solutions accordingly. This will ensure that the solution meets their expectations, while still complying with regulations. Aggreko's solutions: Pioneering sustainable mining Weve covered the six ways that long-term energy solutions are reshaping the future of mining. But how can Aggreko help in this shift? As a trusted partner in the mining industry, Aggreko offers a range of solutions to optimise hybrid power solutions, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance energy efficiency. Our modular, scalable equipment provides the flexibility to adapt to changing energy needs. We also understand that no one project is the same, which is why we collaborate closely with mining companies to create solutions tailored to them.-- TradeArabia News Service KYODO NEWS - Mar 23, 2024 - 06:39 | All, World Russia and China on Friday vetoed a resolution proposed by the United States at the U.N. Security Council that would have asked for a cease-fire in Gaza in connection with the release of hostages by the Hamas militant group. A total of 11 countries of the 15-member council, including Japan, voted in favor of the resolution, while Guyana abstained. Algeria voted against it. The resolution would have expressed "the imperative for an immediate" and sustained cease-fire and supported the ongoing indirect negotiations under way between Israel and Hamas "to secure such a cease-fire in connection with the release of all remaining hostages." The draft also condemned the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel by the Hamas militant group as "acts of terrorism." "We were trying to show the international community a sense of urgency about getting a cease-fire tied to the release of hostages," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters in Tel Aviv after the vote. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Washington's envoy to the world body, said, "Russia and China simply did not want to vote for a resolution that was penned by the United States, because it would rather see us fail than to see this council succeed." The death toll in the Gaza Strip has topped 32,000 since the war between Israel and Hamas began, according to the Palestinian health authorities. "What we want is (an) immediate, unconditional ceasefire, without linking this issue to many other issues," Zhang Jun, the Ambassador of China, told reporters before the vote. During the council session, Russia's U.N. ambassador Vassily Nebenzia slammed the draft resolution as "exceedingly politicized" and criticized past U.S. vetoes of cease-fires in Gaza. "We have already stated that we will no longer tolerate pointless resolutions which do not contain a call for a ceasefire which (leads) us to nowhere," Nebenzia said. The United States, which supports Israel in its fight against Hamas, has so far vetoed four attempts by the key world security panel to seek a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip since the start of the conflict. The 15-member council consists of five permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- each of which holds a veto. For any resolution to pass, at least nine members must vote in favor while no permanent member exercises its veto power. Related coverage: Death toll in Gaza tops 30,000 as Israel-Hamas war continues Whitecap Resources Inc. (OTCMKTS:SPGYF Get Free Report) announced a dividend on Thursday, March 21st, investing.com reports. Investors of record on Thursday, March 28th will be given a dividend of 0.045 per share on Monday, April 15th. This represents a yield of 7.2%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. Whitecap Resources Stock Performance Shares of Whitecap Resources stock opened at $7.42 on Friday. Whitecap Resources has a one year low of $6.02 and a one year high of $8.98. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $6.75 and a two-hundred day moving average of $7.24. Get Whitecap Resources alerts: About Whitecap Resources (Get Free Report) See Also Whitecap Resources Inc, an oil and gas company, focuses on the acquisition, development, and production of oil and gas assets in Western Canada. The company's primary areas of focus of its development programs are in Northern Alberta and British Columbia, Central Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Whitecap Resources Inc was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Receive News & Ratings for Whitecap Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Whitecap Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. KUNMING, March 22 (Xinhua) Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin has called for efforts to secure employment, promote people's income growth, and support women's employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. Shen made the remarks during a three-day fact-finding tour that ended Thursday on employment-related work as well as work related to women and children in southwest China's Yunnan Province. Shen visited multiple sites in the province including an enterprise, a school, a resident community and an employment service center. During the tour, Shen noted that efforts should be made to promote employment opportunities while advancing high-quality development, requiring fiscal and financial policies and other special policies to support relevant work. She also stressed developing industries with local characteristics, enhancing vocational skills training, as well as efforts to provide more employment opportunities for women. Shen visited Zhang Guimei, a July 1 Medal winner and an exemplary educator in the province. She also emphasized the need of supporting children's healthy growth and overall development. (Source: Xinhua) Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. This photo provided by NASA shows three APEP rockets at NASA Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va., on Feb. 21, 2024, with Mission Principal Investigator Dr. Barjatya, top left, and NASA Mission Manager Jay Scott, top right, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and NASA personnel. During the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse, the rockets will blast off with science instruments into the electrically charged portion of the atmosphere near the edge of space known as the ionosphere. Will you go blind if you look directly at the total solar eclipse? KYODO NEWS - Mar 23, 2024 - 20:00 | All, Japan Japan will introduce a new national accreditation system for Japanese-language schools from April in an effort to ensure their quality meets the needs of the country's growing foreign population. Under the new system, Japanese language schools will have to meet certain requirements on staffing and curriculum to receive the accreditation, while instructors at accredited schools will need to obtain new national qualifications for teaching Japanese. The changes come as the number of foreign nationals residing in Japan hit a record high of over 3.4 million in 2023. Despite there being some 220,000 Japanese learners as of fiscal 2022, standards among the around 2,700 Japanese-language schools in Japan vary greatly. The new system will require schools to report to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology on the content of their lessons and other details every fiscal year. If a school's management is deemed inappropriate, it will be subjected to a corrective order. Japanese-language schools that can currently accept foreigners with student visas, and wish to continue to do, will need to get national accreditation after a transitional period of five years following the law's enforcement. The names of accredited schools will be disclosed on the education ministry's website. To qualify as a registered Japanese language teacher, an applicant will need to pass a national exam that measures the degree of knowledge and skills required for Japanese-language education, followed by practical training. Instructors will need to obtain this qualification within five years to teach at an accredited institution. The education ministry will accept applications for school accreditation from May, with the first exam to become certified as a registered Japanese language teacher scheduled for November. Makoto Murakami, director of the Aoyama International Education Institute in Tokyo's Minato Ward, views the new system in a positive light as it "will improve both the quality of schools and teachers." The institute, which is preparing to apply for accreditation, currently has about 350 international students from countries including China and Vietnam who are aiming to advance to universities and vocational schools. But some, like the institute's acting director Yukinobu Nishihara, have voiced concerns that stricter requirements for full-time teaching staff may create challenges in securing teachers for schools. Japanese-language education for foreign workers and residents will remain unchanged even with the introduction of the new accreditation system. The education ministry plans to partner with the Immigration Services Agency and other entities to address the language support needs of foreign workers in the future. Related coverage: Record 3.4 million foreign residents in Japan as work visas rise More foreign students set to be eligible for Japan government scholarships Japan Cabinet OKs new foreign trainee program to promote longer stays Rep. Mike Gallagher talks with reporters in the US Capitol on March 13. GOP Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin will resign from Congress early, handing another blow to Speaker Mike Johnson and his razor thin Republican majority. Calls for UK Government to replace outdated Barnett funding formula The Senedd called on the UK Government to replace the outdated Barnett funding formula with a new needs-based way of setting public spending in Wales. Opening a Plaid Cymru debate, Rhun ap Iorwerth said having to make a case for fair funding speaks volumes about Wales status within an unequal union. He told the chamber the population-based Barnett formula, which was devised in the late 1970s and only intended as a temporary measure, does not reflect the needs of Wales. The Plaid Cymru leader described the funding formula as a weak, short-term solution from the 20th century based on the needs of another country. He said: It has become more and more apparent over the years that the Barnett formula is well past its sell-by date. Barriers Calling out apathy at Westminster, Mr Iorwerth accused the Conservatives of placing barriers before any attempts to reform and he criticised Labour for refusing to promise change. He urged the new first minister to stand up for Wales, saying: I want to hear a Labour first minister putting Wales first and not taking no for an answer from Keir Starmer. Mr Iorwerth told MSs the Barnett formula has been a cornerstone for a broader pattern of unfairness faced by Wales in recent years. He raised examples such as a lack of powers over the Crown Estate and 4bn in consequential funding for Wales from the HS2 project being withheld. The Ynys Mon MS said: This general theme of injustice that flows through all of those cases, and more, all emerge fundamentally from the failure to have fair and appropriate funding arrangements in place, and the Barnett formula is at the heart of that. Record funding Peter Fox said Wales continues to receive record funding, with the largest block grant in the history of devolution supplemented by about 440m of levelling-up funding. The Conservatives shadow finance minister agreed that there needs to be a rethink about how the Barnett formula is calculated to better address Wales unique challenges. Mr Fox said some strides were made to make the settlement fairer, with a 115% funding floor agreed between the Welsh and UK Governments in 2016. He told the chamber: That ensures the Welsh settlement will never drop below 115% of the money spent on public services in England. But we know currently that that floor hasnt had to kick in, as the current settlement is delivering 120%, ie 1.20 for every 1 spent. Mr Fox stopped short of calling for the Barnett formula to be scrapped, saying it would be unrealistic in the UK context. Utterly unsustainable Peredur Owen Griffiths, Plaid Cymrus shadow minister, said the state of the Welsh budget for the financial year from April shows in stark terms how poorly Wales is served. He warned: The experiences of the past few months have conclusively demonstrated that Welsh public finances are on an utterly unsustainable trajectory. The South Wales East MS argued the Barnett formula is ill-equipped to address the precarious state of council finances, with the threat of bankruptcy looming large. He told the chamber that Wales 22 councils have a combined debt of 5.6bn, according to a UK public accounts committee report, with a 354m funding gap next year. He said: It would take a work of fiscal fiction that Jeremy Hunt himself would be proud of to argue the Barnett formula, in its current form, is sufficient to rectify this dire predicament. Vital investment Mabon ap Gwynfor focused on the needs of Wales, saying: The truth is, its more expensive to provide health and social care to older, more rural and impoverished communities. He argued replacing the Barnett formula should be regarded as a vital investment in health. Sioned Williams, a fellow Plaid Cymru MS, said a needs-based model would not be an instant panacea but it would undoubtedly be a necessary step in the right direction. She said: We need to be honest with voters that the current arrangements will only keep us standing still on a path to a fairer and more equal society. Mike Hedges, a Labour backbencher, pointed out that the local government funding formula shows that a needs-based solution can still be controversial. The discussion we need is about how to get a needs-based framework to work, he said. Quick fixes Rebecca Evans told the chamber it is clear the UK funding model does not work for Wales. The finance minister said the funding system for devolved governments is characterised by quick fixes, inconsistency, uncertainty and instability. Ms Evans called for a new relative needs-based approach, overseen by a body independent of the UK Government and to be agreed by all four nations She said: That would be fairer but also more efficient and effective, and it would help reduce the distortions and inefficiencies that arise from the current system. It would enable a more rational, transparent allocation of public spending across the UK. The Plaid Cymru motion and Conservative amendment were defeated following the debate on March 20. The motion as amended by the Welsh Government was agreed, 37-15. By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter [email protected] KYODO NEWS - Mar 23, 2024 - 13:07 | Sports, All Ozeki Takakeisho withdrew from the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on Saturday because of a chest injury. The four-time Emperor's Cup winner is believed to have hurt his right pectoral muscle a day earlier while battling fellow ozeki Kotonowaka. Takakeisho started the 15-day meet at Edion Arena Osaka as a demotion-threatened "kadoban" ozeki following his withdrawal from the January tournament, but he secured the winning record needed to stay at sumo's second-highest rank by defeating Kotonowaka on Day 13. He will forfeit his scheduled bout Saturday against ozeki Kirishima, leaving him with an 8-6 record. Takakeisho's latest withdrawal is the 12th time he has pulled out of a grand tournament. He dropped out early in the New Year meet at Ryogoku Kokugikan due to a neck injury. The 27-year-old Hyogo Prefecture native had been in contention at the ongoing competition before suffering three straight losses from Day 10. Sumo's only current yokozuna, Terunofuji, pulled out a week into the tournament due to lower back pain and other health problems. Related coverage: Sumo: Hoshoryu hands star rookie Takerufuji 1st loss in Osaka Coleg Cambria achieves record medal haul at Skills Competition Wales Coleg Cambria and its industry partners achieved more individual medals than ever before at this years prestigious Skills Competition Wales. Across 16 categories, the college based in Wrexham, Northop, Deeside and Llysfasi secured an outstanding 24 top three places. This included five golds, eight silvers and 11 bronze medals. Receiving gold medals were Leo Jones (Lloyd Morris Electrical Ltd Electrical Installation), Robert Jones (Airbus Aeronautical Engineering), Dylan Rosedale-Blackwell (Deeside Inclusive Skills: Automotive Technology), Mark Wright (International Crusher Solutions Ltd Construction Metalwork), and Rodrigo Da Silva (Yale IT Support Technician). Learner Experience and Enterprise Manager Rona Griffiths praised the learners for their commitment in balancing preparation for the competition with their work and studies. I am especially thrilled for our for Inclusive Skills medal winners, Foundation students who have really excelled in three different categories, said Rona. Every year we are so proud to have a skilled, dedicated group of apprentices and students who represent Coleg Cambria with pride and passion. On behalf of the college and their employers, thank you and congratulations these results, as always, are incredible. Competitions were held throughout January and February, with experts evaluating participants based on industry standards and criteria. The celebration event was held last night (Thursday) at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Newport, with virtual watch parties taking place at satellite sites across the country. This year saw record numbers of interest and registrations for Skills Competition Wales, with over 1,400 competitors across 64 competitions being represented by more than 75 different organisations across Wales, including colleges, employers, and training providers. We are immensely proud of all the participants who showcased their talents and skills, said Emma Banfield, Project Manager at Inspiring Skills Wales. The ceremony was a proud occasion for us to celebrate their achievements and honour the dedication they have shown in their respective fields. We believe in the power of skills to transform lives and drive economic growth in Wales. Skills Competition Wales is a testament to the incredible talent we have in our nation, and we are committed to nurturing and supporting these talents for a brighter future. [email protected] For the fortieth anniversary of the 1984-85 miners strike, Britains leading serious broadcasters have both produced television documentaries. And both the BBCs Miners Strike: A Frontline Story and Channel 4s Miners Strike 1984: The Battle for Britain work to a right-wing political agenda. Their overriding message is that the critical experience of class struggle in post-war Britain was essentially a tragic misunderstanding. However heroic and self-sacrificing the miners actions over their year-long strike, the escalation was regrettable, and moderation could have ensured the industrys managed decline. Screenshot on BBC website of the programme: Miners Strike: A Frontline Story [Photo: BBC] They pursue the line that Prime Minister Margaret Thatchers destruction of the industry was brutal but corresponded with economic realities. National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) President Arthur Scargill, by contrast, was holding back this tide of history while waging a political struggle against the Conservative government counter to the interests of the miners. The three-part Channel 4 series is directed by Tom Barrow, who previously worked on the documentary series 24 Hours in Police Custody, like the BBCs producer Zac Beattie. The first of Channel 4s three independent episodes focuses on Shirebrook in Derbyshire. This was a contested region during the strike, as its pits were not among those initially targeted for closure. Barrow gives equal weight to the voices of strikers and scabs (dignified as working miners). The Shirebrook episode gives us our first sight of Roland Taylor, who played a politically calculated role in organising scabbing. Here he pleads contemptibly for respect for following his beliefs. But strikers and scabs did not have equal weight in the conflict, as the states onslaught and promotion of strikebreaking demonstrated. The dispute was between the working class and the capitalist state. Scabs took a hostile class position. Screenshot of Channel 4 programme: Miners' Strike 1984: The Battle for Britain Barrows second episode deals with the attempted mass picket of Orgreave coking plant, which met with a brutal police attack. Workers were batoned and cavalry-charged by mounted officers. Police then launched a propaganda offensive claiming self-defence. Former miners told both programmes of their wariness towards the media which had circulated this campaign of distortion and lies. The state escalated proceedings against 55 miners using the extremely serious charge of riot. The allegations and media misrepresentations were finally discredited in court using the polices own footage. Barrows last episode centres on David Hart, a right-wing adviser who urged Thatcher to crush the miners. He is presented as a maverick outsider who pushed a not-unwilling Thatcher further than she had initially intended. This is propagandist nonsense. Hart was a virulently anti-communist millionaire, chosen as the go-between for Thatcher and National Coal Board president Ian McGregor to shield the Tories from charges that they were waging a political struggle to break the NUM and the miners. On the Tories behalf, he bankrolled scabbing through his National Working Miners Committee (NWMC) and paid for the founding of the breakaway Union of Democratic Miners (UDM) following the strikes defeat. David Hart [Photo: Margaret Thatcher: The Authorized Biography, Volume Two: Everything She Wants] Any suggestion that Thatchers intervention only followed picket line violence is ludicrous. In 1979 Thatcher was already armed with the Ridley Plan to defeat any repeat of the miners strikes that had ousted Edward Heaths Tory government in 1974. The government stockpiled coal for the confrontation, and Orgreave demonstrated their long preparation to use the full physical and legal power of the state against the miners. Roland Taylors interviews do show the state organisation of scabbing. For all the scabs claims to be defending democratic rights within the NUM, Taylor is clear that Harts NWMC was a government vehicle. Thatcher invited the Committee to dinner, which Taylor calls maybe a thank you. Presenting such a conflict as internecine, pit against pit, requires ignoring the economic and political background to the strike. Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire were more profitable than the South Yorkshire, South Wales and Kent fields slated for closure. Nottinghamshire was historically the heartland of breakaway company unions for that reason. There was an economic basis to the scabbing, and a political basis to the governments onslaught. That is why corporatist unions were used to undermine the strike, but their pits were also closed anyway. Channel 4s focus on Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire is aimed at erasing those questions. NUM delegates from these areas repeatedly deny that this was (or should have been) any political uprising. Both programmes feature strikers, scabs and police officers, while Channel 4 also interview political advisers to Thatcher and journalists (including Anna Soubry, later a Tory MP herself). In the guise of even-handed coverage, this advances the governments political lies and the filthy excuses of its agents and accomplices as good coin. The desperate conditions experienced by strikers are shown, by the BBC particularlywhen David Ropers week-old infant died, he was not eligible for a funeral grant because he was striking, and the child was buried in someone elses coffinbut are reduced to the tragically inevitable outcome of a political misjudgement. The Channel 4 series was more naked in its platform for and justification for scabbing. The BBCs straightforward historical narrative makes its testimony from strikers more valuable, but it shared the political line. A Nottinghamshire scab told interviewers that Scargill had wanted to bring down the government, as if this was a terrible thing. Former National Union of Mineworkers President Arthur Scargill speaking at the 40th Anniversary event at the Hatfield Pit Club, March 9, 2024 We have well-documented differences with Scargill, centred on his refusal to politically challenge the Labour Party and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in favour of a reliance on mass picketing, reflecting his aim of convincing a future Labour government to implement a national Plan for Coal. But there is an unbridgeable gulf between political criticisms of him from the left and such apologias for the Tories, scabs and scab-herders. This essence of both documentaries was summarised in The Observer by Tim Adams. Adams wrote that documentaries are sometimes tempted to portray those clashes as part of a straightforward class warworkers against the capitalist statebut they were, on the ground, equally internecine conflicts, pit against pit. Spelling out the political alternative to this that he and the documentaries were advancing, Adams wrote of watch[ing] voices for compromise quietly erased in favour of that simpler binary of head-on conflict between the working class and the bourgeois state. Whose omission is he lamenting? None other than then Labour leader Neil Kinnock, whom he calls a rare voice of reason! Bitterly hostile to Scargillearning him Adamss supportKinnock later dismissed as sheer fantasy any notion that he could have transformed the conditions of the strike by calling on workers, in [Scargills] phrase, to come out in support of the miners. Adams restates the arguments of Kinnock and the NUM moderates, platformed extensively here, insisting that the strikes weakness was the NUMs failure to call a national ballot, rather than the isolation and betrayal of the strike by the Labour Party and the TUC. Neil Kinnock meeting Dutch Labour Party leader Joop den Uyl in 1984 CC BY 1.0] [Photo by Rob Bogaerts/Anefo Adams speaks for a layer whose real regret is that there was a militant strike at all. Kinnock led the witch-hunt of Labours lefts and smoothed Labours path to Tony Blair. He did very well out of it. He and wife Glenys pocketed 10 million in pay, allowances and pension entitlements during their period working at the European Union. Both were ennobled becoming peers in the House of Lords. Adamss article bore the bizarre title, They didnt understand us at all: why the miners strike still captivates Britain, 40 years on. Captivates is an extraordinary word. A complacent middle class is savouring its disaster tourism in the brutalities of a class struggle it insists cannot be understood. He invoked a 2022 BBC drama that embodied this political outlook. What was remarkable about Sherwood was that it used the license extended to dramatic presentation to produce a work of fiction almost wholly divorced from reality. Based on the real-life 2005 murder of a former striker in a Nottinghamshire pit village, Sherwood tried to show the continued tensions and trauma in the community. Even more clumsily and ineptly than the documentaries, however, it presents everybody involved as a victim of forces outside of their control. The murdered mans family are still estranged from his scab brother next door. The local policeman leading the investigation was a young officer during the strike, while the outside officer now investigating the murder had also been sent from London on overtime to police the picket lines, where he began a relationship with a local woman. Another undercover police officer had not only begun a relationship in the village but stayed there ever since, continuing to hide their identity as a spy to do so. Screenshot from BBC website of the programme Sherwood [Photo: BBC] The author, James Graham (b.1982), is from the area, but there is nothing authentic in his script. His police officers plead for sympathy (We were just kids!). No, they were adults who knew exactly what they were doing and were well paid to brutalise striking miners and their families. One former officer told the BBC, We were political pawns. But this was a cold statement of fact, not the handwringing of Sherwood, where a former undercover officer commits suicide as details of his operation come to light. The inquiry into undercover police agents in the British labour movement reveals they did have relationships and children with their victims. These were to facilitate their infiltration, not romantic, and the officers did not stick around. For Graham, it is all an incomprehensible mess of personal tragedies. Sherwoods climax makes his argument explicit. The murder victims widow declares: A former mining town? How the hell are we to move on when we talk about ourselves in terms of what we arent any more? Weve had 40 years of this. You get one bloody life and we are spending it hating. Arent you all tired? I am. So fucking tired James Graham [Photo: James Graham/X] Graham is a prolific playwright, awarded an OBE [Order of the British Empire] for his efforts. He has shown a not particularly healthy interest in depicting backroom political negotiations and vote-wrangling. From this less than insightful position he has turned to the miners strike, concluding that we should put it all behind us. But it is not all behind us. The defeat of the miners was the blunt end of the decades-long smashing up of work and social conditions that followed. Former miners faced long-term unemployment in communities devastated by pit closures while others could often only find low-paid jobs in the distribution warehouses that sprang up in their place. But a new generation of workers is moving into struggle against brutal exploitation, the destruction of social services and democratic rights, and imperialist backing for the genocide in Gaza. And they will reject with contempt all such appeals to pessimism and political and social conformity advanced by sections of the complacent middle classes. Marking the 40th anniversary of the strike, former miners and their families, marching with the Hatfield colliery National Union of Mineworkers banner, leave the site of the now closed pit, March 9, 2024 There is a telling moment in the BBC documentary. A miners daughter speaks of her embarrassment at a solidarity theatre performance by some Cambridge feminists. Her awkwardness is that it was misjudged, but also she recognises the sincerity of the solidarity and the idealism animating their efforts. For Adams, however, this provides an opportunity for a cynical sneer: it is solidarity and idealism themselves that belong in the past. This is the product of the social conditions borne out of the defeat of the miners. The ruling class has enriched itself beyond measure, and layers of the upper middle class have become accustomed to considerable social comfort even as the working class has been under relentless assault. These documentaries should be watched, but critically. The events they misrepresent need to be understood, although the documentaries cannot help there. Artists need to reject the smug limitations on display to be able to create anything of substance for the future. And they will no doubt do so. YANGON, March 23 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese diplomat and Myanmar officials said recently that the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) has been promoting regional economic integration and common development as the week ending on March 24 this year marks the seventh Lancang-Mekong Week and the eighth anniversary of the launch of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC). Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai said in a signed article on Wednesday that the construction of a community with a shared future for LMC countries has been deepened and consolidated since LMC has started from scratch. China-Myanmar cooperation under the LMC framework has achieved fruitful results and made significant contributions to Myanmar's sustainable economic and social development and improvement of people's livelihood, he said in the article titled "Improving Quality and Efficiency of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation" in Myanmar's official media Global New Light of Myanmar and Myanma Alinn. The ambassador said that the Chinese-style modernization will bring new benefits to the development of Myanmar and other LMC countries, and add greater momentum to Lancang-Mekong Cooperation. Launched in 2016, the LMC has become a "golden model" of regional cooperation, and positive progress has been made in building a community of shared future for LMC countries. The level of regional interconnection has been significantly improved, accelerating regional economic, trade and personnel exchanges. The annual trade volume between China and LMC countries has doubled in the past seven years. The LMC Special Fund has supported Myanmar in carrying out a total of 106 projects, ranking among the top countries along the Mekong River in both quantity and funding. Ohnmar Khine, a deputy director from Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Xinhua on Thursday that LMC model's focus on regional integration and its significance in steering countries away from Cold War mentalities, highlighting the LMC success in fostering unity, mutual understanding and development among members. Noting China's support for infrastructure, technology sectors and educational programs in the countries, U Kyaw Thet Oo, a director from Myanmar's Ministry of Science and Technology, told Xinhua on Friday that cooperation in various fields facilitated by the LMC benefits regional people, including development of local businesses, production of technologically advanced products and creation of jobs. Deputy Director General of Ministry of Cooperatives and Rural Development Daw Nyo Nyo Win said Thursday that the LMC has expanded cooperation in sectors such as health, natural disaster prevention, environmental conservation, cultural cooperation, tourism, education and media in the Mekong River basin countries, bringing significant all-round development in the river basin countries. Daw Myat Thiri Aung, an official from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture, on Wednesday expressed her hopes that the LMC will contribute to sustainable development, regional peace, the well-being of people and the reduction of developmental gaps among member countries. Despite attempts by both sides to downplay tensions, the visit to Australia this week by Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi only underscored the deep divide between the two countries as Canberra lines up with Washington in its accelerating war preparations throughout the Indo-Pacific against Beijing. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Canberra, March 20, 2024 [Photo: @AlboMP] Wang is the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit Australia in years. There has been a souring of relations over trade and investment but, above all, Australias direct involvement in the US-led military build-up in the region. Wang visited the country in 2017 and Chinese President Xi Jinping last made the trip in 2014, a decade ago. Nominally, Wang was in Australia to meet with Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Wednesday for the seventh Australia-China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue, following on from the sixth dialogue in Beijing in December 2022. Both sides, for their own reasons, have sought to improve fractured relations. The Labor government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is seeking the reopening of markets in China, the worlds second largest economy and Australias largest trading partner. While Canberra, backed by Washington, has condemned Beijing for imposing trade restrictions on several Australian exports, Chinas actions have been in response to Australias blocking of Chinese investment on spurious security grounds. For its part, China, confronted with US efforts to tighten the strategic noose around China through its alliances in both Asia and Europe, is trying to loosen those ties, by arguing for a multipolar worldthat is, one not dominated by the US. The strategic interests of Australian imperialism and the European imperialist powers have, however, been closely bound up with the post-World War II order controlled by Washington. The lack of any fundamental agreement was on open display during Wangs visit. Whatever was discussed behind closed doors by the two foreign ministers and their advisers, it was only reported, separately, to the Australian and Chinese media in the most general terms. Despite the meeting being billed as a foreign policy and strategic dialogue, no joint statement was released and no press conference was held. That, in itself, demonstrated the lack of agreementthe inability to cobble together, even in the anodyne language typical of bourgeois diplomacy, a few points on views held in common. A press conference, in particular, would have rapidly exposed the antagonistic interests. Any question on the anti-China AUKUS military pact announced in 2021 between the US, UK and Australia, or the nuclear-powered attack submarines to be provided to the Australian navy under the agreement, would have provoked sharply divergent responses. In her comments to the media before and after the talks, Wong said she had confronted Wang on Chinas failure to condemn Russia over the Ukraine war as well as on maritime securitya veiled reference to US-stoked tensions in the South China Seaand on the utterly hypocritical issue of human rights, including the suspended death sentence on the dubious figure Yang Hengjun, a former Chinese intelligence agent turned Australian citizen and democracy advocate. This is from an Australian government and foreign minister that have followed the US in backing to the hilt Israels genocidal war in Gaza. As reported in the Chinese media, Wang suggested that Australia should provide a non-discriminatory business environmenta reference to various Australian bans on Chinese investment. He said the most valuable thing for the relationship was independence and autonomyan obvious reference to Australian strategic dependence on the US. Wang, who visited New Zealand (NZ) earlier in the week, reportedly voiced Chinese objections to AUKUS and to New Zealands push to join the military pact in discussions with NZ Foreign Minister Winston Peters. In comments to the media, Peters declared that New Zealand stood on the right of countries to organise their defence arrangements and suggested that China was a threat to NZs long-term security. As in New Zealand, the talks in Australia yielded nothing of substancefurther dialogue, vague cooperation on climate and energy, a potential visit by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, not President Xi as earlier mooted, a possible reduction of Chinese tariffs on Australian wine exports and a longer stay by two Chinese pandas at the Adelaide Zoo. As well as meeting with Prime Minister Albanese, Opposition leader Peter Dutton and Australian business leaders, Wang pointedly organised a meeting on Thursday with former Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating, one of the very few vocal ruling class critics of AUKUS and Australias line-up with the US war drive against China. Keating, who represents corporate layers reliant on trade with China and anxious about the prospect of war, was remarkably reserved, according to the Chinese account of the meeting. Reportedly he referred only to Labors role in developing ties with Beijing and to Chinese economic growth as conducive to regional peace and stability. That did not stop the political attacks, particularly in Murdochs Australian, denouncing the meeting as illegitimate, Wang for holding it and Keating for taking part. While the opposition Coalition welcomed Wangs visit, its foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham condemned Keatings decision as reckless and irresponsible. Malcolm Davis of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, which is closely aligned with the pro-US military and intelligence establishment, denounced Wang for proposing the meeting and Keating for being a fool, or, by implication, a traitor. Davis said the meeting showed Chinas hostile intentions and represented a huge propaganda victory for Beijing. Wangs aim, he said, was to undermine Australia-US relations, destroy AUKUS and ensure that ultimately where that leads is for Australia to effectively bend the knee to Beijing and align with China. Actually, the Australian government organised a thinly-disguised provocation to coincide with Wangs visit to Australia. Having barely concluded her meeting with Wang, Foreign Minister Wong walked into a meeting on Friday of the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) with Defence Minister Richard Marles and their British counterparts. The AUKMIN meeting did conclude with a joint statement and media conference. It made absolutely clear the unqualified British and Australian support for US-backed wars against Russia in Ukraine, Israel in Gaza and the intensifying US-led confrontation with China. These are the first shots of a far broader global conflict involving nuclear-armed powers. The statement specifically linked Europe and Asia, declaring that the security and prosperity of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific are inseparable. Already part of AUKUS with the US, Britain is ratchetting up its military and strategic presence in the Indo-Pacific with the assistance of Australia. Among other measures, the statement, as well as parroting key aspects of Washingtons anti-China propaganda, highlighted the establishment of a status of forces agreement allowing greater mutual military access, joint action in response to alleged military threats and the expanded involvement of British military forces in Australian war games and military intelligence. Wangs meeting with Keating hardly foreshadowed the transformation of Australian imperialism into a Chinese vassal. The AUKMIN talks, by contrast, laid out concrete steps for greater British and Australian participation in Washingtons advanced plans for war with China in a reckless bid to ensure US global dominance. President Joe Biden speaks with Vice President Kamala Harris after addressing the Democratic National Committee winter meeting on Friday, February 3, 2023 in Philadelphia. [AP Photo/Patrick Semansky] The Democratic Party is spending millions of dollars on lawyers, operatives and propaganda to ensure that workers and youth will have no choice in the 2024 US presidential election except Joe Biden, responsible for the genocide in Gaza, and Donald Trump, the aspiring dictator. In the last two weeks, major articles published in the media have spelled out the Democratic Partys plan to block, to the extent possible, any third party or independent candidates from appearing on the ballot this November. This includes the Socialist Equality Party campaign of Joseph Kishore and Jerry White. The media reports employ the language of a military offensive, referring to the all-out war the party is preparing, the army of lawyers it is mobilizing, the state-by-state counterinsurgency plan that it is implementing. The choice of words is telling. Indeed, the Democratic Party and the ruling class as a whole are waging a war against the democratic and social rights of the working class. In a country with 330 million people, the financial oligarchy demands that ballot access be restricted to their corporate-dominated parties. The extreme contempt for basic democratic principles is glaring. There are concerns [in the Democratic Party] that giving people more choices on the ballot is more likely to hurt Mr. Biden, the New York Times writes, an argument befitting of a dictatorship. The Times quotes Robert Lenhard, an outside lawyer for the Democrats, as stating that the effort to limit ballot access is meant to ensure that the people who are on the ballot have legitimate bases of support, by which he means the backing of the corporate-financial oligarchy. A Pew Research poll conducted in 2022 found that the disdain for the Democrats and Republicans is as high as it has been in more than two decades of polling. Under these conditions, the Democrats lawyer tells the Times, it is necessary to prevent voters from having more choice on the ballot, that is, the ability to vote for candidates they actually support. It is not broadly understood, including by workers in the United States, how deeply undemocratic the American electoral system actually is. The number of signatures third parties are required to gather in some states is colossal: 219,403 in California, 145,040 in Florida, 113,151 in Texas, 82,452 in North Carolina, 45,000 in New York, 43,000 in Arizona, 36,944 in Indiana, 25,000 in Illinois, 23,737 in Oregon, and at least 10,000 in Massachusetts, Missouri, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, South Carolina and Colorado. Collectively, independent candidates and third parties would have to gather over 900,000 signatures to get on the ballot in every state and Washington D.C. Furthermore, in order to overcome the Democrats and Republicans ruthless challenges to the signatures collected, third parties are compelled to gather at least 50 percent more than the official requirement, or roughly 1.5 million signatures nationally. In contrast, getting on the ballot nationally in Russiaconstantly denounced by the American media as the most authoritarian and undemocratic country in the worldrequires the gathering of 100,000 signatures. These measures have been implemented by both parties with the specific aim of excluding left-wing opposition to their domination. As ballot access expert Richard Winger has noted, many of the most onerous requirements were enacted after the 1930s, during the Great Depression and in the period that followed, to prevent the Communist Party and other left-wing parties from getting on the ballot. Between 1929 and 1960, 10 states drastically increased ballot restrictions, Winger notes in his essay, How Ballot Access Laws Affect the U.S. Party System, while only three states opened up access. Between 1961 and 1983, this process accelerated, with 25 states restricting ballot access. Despite repeated, and expensive, court challenges by third parties, state and US Supreme Court decisions have frequently upheld anti-democratic ballot access laws, or ruled in such a narrow fashion that legislatures were allowed to re-write laws to achieve the same effect. During the 2020 elections, courts in Michigan and California rejected lawsuits brought by the Socialist Equality Partys candidates arguing that massive signature requirements were unconstitutional under conditions of a global pandemic. Beyond the ballot access laws themselves, the state and the media are set up to maintain the institutional control of the Democrats and Republicans. This has been accompanied by other anti-democratic measures, such as the escalating campaign of internet censorship, including the targeting of the World Socialist Web Site by Google and every social media outlet, all of which are controlled by billionaire oligarchs. The present effort of the Democrats to thwart third party and independent campaigns marks a vast acceleration of this process. The Democrats assert, of course, that their anti-democratic conspiracies are necessary to stop Trump and the Republicans. This is a cynical fraud. First of all, the response of the Democrats and the Biden administration to the fascistic coup of January 6, 2021 was to insist on the need for a strong Republican Party. And while Biden occasionally declares that democracy is on the ballot in November, he has repeatedly offered to accept virtually the entire anti-immigrant agenda of his Republican friends in exchange for bipartisan agreement to finance the US-NATO war against Russia over Ukraine. Moreover, the ability of Trump to exploit social grievances is bound up with the systematic exclusion from the political system, enforced by the Democrats, of any genuine expression of the social interests of the broad mass of the working class. In a statement issued on Twitter/X yesterday, Socialist Equality Party presidential candidate Joseph Kishore condemned the Democrats all-out war on third parties and independent candidates, stating: The SEP supports the right to appear on the ballot for all independent and third party candidates, including the SEP campaign as well as the campaigns of Jill Stein, Cornel West and others. Kishore added: The defense of democratic rights is impossible without addressing the root cause of dictatorship: the staggering concentration of wealth in the hands of the capitalist oligarchy. The wealth of the billionaires must be expropriated, and the gigantic corporations must be transformed into publicly controlled utilities, run on the basis of social need, not private profit. The Democrats war on third parties and independent candidates is, in fact, a war on the most basic democratic rightthe right to vote. It is part of the broader assault on democratic rights and the turn by the ruling class toward authoritarianism and fascism. These rights can only be secured in a political offensive against both the Democrats and Republicans and the capitalist system they defend. The defense of democratic rights is inseparable from the fight for socialism. Willie James Pye, who was convicted in 1993 for the rape and murder of his former girlfriend, was put to death by means of lethal injection on Wednesday night by the state of Georgia. Willie James Pye [AP Photo/Georgia Department of Corrections via AP] Pye, 59, was administered the sedative pentobarbital in the execution chamber of the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Butts County, about 50 miles southeast of Atlanta. He was pronounced dead by the Georgia Department of Corrections at 11:03 p.m. The execution of Pye was the first in Georgia since 2020 and was carried out after the US Supreme Court denied his final appeal late on Wednesday. The Georgia Parole Board, which can grant clemency to death row inmates, also denied a 36-page clemency request on Tuesday. In a tersely worded statement, the state parole board said, Following a meeting to consider clemency for condemned inmate Willie James Pye, and after thoroughly considering all of the facts and circumstances of the case, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles has denied clemency. A report in the Washington Post described Pyes last minutes, saying he accepted a final prayer but did not record a final statement before he was put to death, said Lori Benoit, a spokeswoman for the Georgia Department of Corrections. He was visited by six family members, a clergy member and an attorney on the day of his execution. Reporter Jennifer Peebles, of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, described what she saw in the execution chamber on Wednesday night: Willie James Pye lay strapped to a gurney in the death chamber. No one in the witness room spoke. No one moved. Witnesses were taken by vans to the small building on the prison campus that houses the states death chamber. Each group was led single-file by a prison officer up a short cement ramp, the base flanked by two members of the prisons tactical team in full riot gear. They cradled assault rifles. The face shields on their helmets were lowered. The outside darkness gave directly into the full light of the execution witness room. By the time media witnesses crossed the threshold, the warden had pulled back the curtains over tall windows. The condemned man, strapped in place, was in full view. The gurney was positioned to face the witnesses and tilted so Pyes head was elevated, his feet lowered. His arms were splayed out on either side and each was hooked up to intravenous lines. A sheet covered most of his body. After Warden Shawn Emmons read Pyes death warrant, he and the chaplain exited the death chamber. Then a fatal dose of pentobarbital began flowing into Pyes veins. The execution took five, maybe 10 minutes. Witnesses were not allowed to wear watches or bring in cellphones. The clock on the wall was visible to the officials in the death chamber but not to those on the back row of the gallery. When the time came, Pye briefly glanced up at the ceiling, then shut his eyes and didnt open them again. For a moment, he began to snore. His cheeks puffed with air few times as he took his final breaths. His head shuttered slightly at one point, briefly. He tilted his head to one side, and after a little bit, to the other. After a few moments, Pye stopped moving. The warden reappeared with two men in white coats with stethoscopes. They evaluated Pye, then nodded slightly to each other. In 2021, a panel of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals granted relief and vacated Pyes sentence on the grounds that he was inadequately represented by his public defender but after a full review the appeals court reimposed the sentence. Willie James Pye was the fifty-fourth inmate in Georgia to be put to death by lethal injection. In all, there have been seventy-five men and one woman executed in Georgia since the US Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. The execution of Pye was a barbaric act of state murder. Everyone in the judicial system from the Eleventh Circuit Appeals Court on up to the US Supreme Court is well aware of the fact that Pye, who was 28 at the time of the murder of Alicia Lynn Yarbrough, was intellectually disabled and railroaded at his trial. His sentence of death resulted from a combination of a vicious prosecutor and a corrupt public defender. According to the court record, Pye had planned in 1993 to rob a man with whom Yarbrough was living along with two accomplices. He was angry with Yarbrough because that man had signed the birth certificate of a child Pye claimed was his. Pye bought a .22 pistol before the three men went wearing ski masks to the mans home, where Yarbrough was alone with the baby. Pye kicked in the door and held Yarbrough at gunpoint, while the men took her ring and necklace. The three then abducted her, took her to a motel and raped her. The court document says they drove Yarbrough down a dirt road, where Pye ordered her out of the car and told her to lie face down. He then shot her three times. Pye was convicted based on the testimony of one accomplice as well as DNA evidence taken from the Yarbroughs body. While Pye was given a death sentence, his accomplices were given life sentences for their roles in Yarbroughs murder. Among the reasons for clemency submitted to the Georgia Parole Board by the Federal Defender Program were: The conditions of Pyes childhoodwhere he faced from birth profound poverty, neglect, constant violence and chaos in his family homecontributed to his developmental disabilities. These factors were never presented to the jury in his trial. The Georgia Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that executions of the intellectually disabled violate the state constitution. Pye has never been a threat to the lives of corrections staff, contrary to the prosecutors representation to the jury. The jurors who sentenced Pye to death have now asked that he not be executed. Pye expressed remorse for the harm he caused the family of Alicia Lynn Yarbrough. Appealing to the parole board, Pyes clemency attorneys wrote, Had defense counsel not abdicated his role, the jurors would have learned that Mr. Pye is intellectually disabled and has an IQ of 68. The public defenders wrote that Pye grew up in an impoverished home and was subjected to constant violence, and, This is precisely the kind of evidence that supports a life sentence verdict. None of these facts were sufficient to stop the execution of Pye from going forward. Since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, at least thirty-five people with mental disability have been executed in the United States. The exact number of people with a cognitive disability who are on death row awaiting execution is not known; experts believe there may be two or three hundred. According to a recent analysis published by the University of Pennsylvania, disabled people make up two-thirds of the federal prison population. The study also showed that disabled incarcerated people are more than twice as likely as nondisabled incarcerated people to have previously resided in therapeutic institutions, such as psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment facilities, and group homes (46% vs. 20%). A survey published by the Bureau of Justice Statistics showed that 38 percent of incarcerated individuals reported a disability, which translates into 760,000 inmates. The report also said approximately one quarter of those surveyed reported having a cognitive disability, such as difficulty remembering or making decisions. A similar proportion reported at some point being told they had attention deficit disorder, and fourteen percent were told they had a learning disability. A terror attack at a popular Moscow concert hall, Crocus City Hall, Friday evening local time left at least 60 dead and 145 injured. Russian authorities declared that the number of dead may well rise. Among those injured are several children. The Afghan-based fundamentalist Islamist group ISIS-K has claimed responsibility for what is the largest terrorist attack in Russia in two decades. A Russian Rosguardia (National Guard) servicemen secures an area as a massive blaze seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. [AP Photo] The attack involved a group of at least four armed men who began shooting at the crowd of some 6,000 people shortly before the beginning of a concert by the popular rock group Piknik (Picnic) at 8pm local time. Video footage of the attack has widely circulated on social media and survivors of the attack have described horrific scenes to the media. A woman called Eva told Gazeta.Ru, First we saw something that looked like fireworks, and then the sounds of gunfire began, people shouting to run. Of course, people were in panic. People in Crocus were building barricades, trying to break the windows. The Russian secret service FSB and Russias national guard stormed the building but reports indicate that the rescue operation took well over an hour. According to Russian media reports, drivers who passed by the building helped people evacuate the site of the attack. In addition to the machine gunfire, several explosive devices went off, setting the theater ablaze and leading to the collapse of its roof. Russian media reports indicated that the fire extended to an area of almost 13,000 square meters. As of this writing, fire-fighting operations were ongoing and Russian authorities were still looking for the perpetrators. Heightened security measures were introduced at metro stations throughout the capital as well as the airports in the Moscow area, and all large-scale public events in the capital were canceled for this weekend. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not yet issued a statement. The terror attack took place as tensions between NATO and Russia, which are engaged in a proxy war in Ukraine, were reaching fever-pitch. Days before the attack, Vladimir Putin was confirmed the victor in last weekends presidential elections. The elections were preceded by announcements of French President Emmanuel Macron that NATO was considering to deploy troops to Ukraine amidst a severe crisis of the NATO-backed Ukrainian army. In the days leading up to the election, a series of missile strikes on the border region of Belgorod killed at least 5 civilians and forced the closure of schools and shopping malls. During the election itself, Russian neo-Nazi militias, backed by Ukraine and NATO, launched an incursion of Russian territory. It was the first attack on Russian territory involving tanks since the defeat of the Nazis by the Red Army in World War II. Over the past two years of the war, terrorist attacks, mostly targeting prominent supporters of the Kremlin in the war, drone strikes on Moscow as well as Russian oil refineries and ports, have become a central component of NATOs and Ukraines war strategy. Hours before the attack took place, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlins press secretary, for the first time used the term war, as opposed to the official term of a special military operation, to describe Russias conflict with NATO in Ukraine. Peskov stated, Yes, it started as a special military operation. But as soon as this gang developed and the collective west started participating in the conflict on the side of Ukraine, for us it became a war. Volodymyr Zelensky and several of his advisers were quick to deny wide-spread speculations that Ukraine was behind the terrorist attacks and John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications for the National Security Council, declared that the US believed that Ukraine was not involved in the attack. On March 7, the US embassy in Moscow had issued a security alert, urging Americans to avoid crowded places in the Russian capital for the next 48 hours in view of imminent plans by terrorists to target large gatherings, including concerts. Several Western embassies repeated the warnings. On Tuesday, Putin denounced these warnings as provocative statements and blackmail aimed to destabilize the country. When asked about the March 7 warning of the US embassy on Friday, John Kirby stated that I dont think that was related to this specific attack. Shortly thereafter, ISIS-K (Islamic State-Khorasan), the Afghanistan-based group of the Islamist terrorist organization Islamic State (ISIS), claimed responsibility for the attack on social media. US officials confirmed the claim and told the New York Times that they had gathered intelligence in March about an impending attack. According to the Times, which routinely functions as a mouthpiece for the US intelligence services, US officials had privately told Russian officials about the intelligence pointing to an impending attack. As of this writing, the Russian authorities have not commented on the claims by the US or ISIS-K. In February, the Russian secret service, FSB claimed that it had broken up an ISIS cell in Kaluga, a city southwest of Moscow, and killed two ISIS members from Central Asia. In early March, the FSB reported that it had liquidated another ISIS cell in the Kaluga region, which was composed of militant Islamists from Afghanistan. Fridays attack was the deadliest attack in Russia since the 2004 Beslan school siege by Islamist fundamentalists, which killed at least 334 people, roughly half of them children, and the deadliest in the Russian capital since the 2002 siege of a Moscow theater which resulted in more than 170 dead. These sieges were part of a series of Islamist terrorist attacks that rocked Russia, especially in the 2000s. There have also been several Islamist terrorist attacks over the past decade, but virtually all of them took place in the predominantly Muslim North Caucasus. That wave of terrorist attacks took place in the context of two brutal wars that the Kremlin waged on Chechnya and an Islamist separatist movement between 1994 and 2009 to prevent the break-off of the predominantly Muslim North Caucasian republic from the Russian Federation. It is estimated that up to a tenth of the Chechen population was killed in these wars. Especially in the 1990s, Chechen separatist forces enjoyed the backing of US imperialism which has long sought to foster separatist, ethnic and religious tensions in the multi-national country, in order to bring about the destabilization and break-up of Russia. The country is home to about 14 million Muslims (roughly ten percent of the population.) Islamist separatists from the North Caucasus are known to have developed close ties with al-Qaeda, ISIS as well as the Taliban which have ruled Afghanistan since the US troop withdrawal in 2021. Other Chechen radical Islamists have joined US-backed Islamist militias that have been fighting against the Russian-backed Assad government in the civil war in Syria. The close ties between Chechen Islamist separatists and various Islamist fundamentalist groups throughout Central Asia and the Middle East, many of which have connections to the US, have been a central concern of the Kremlin for many years. In 2021, the Wall Street Journal reported that US intelligence agents and elite counterinsurgency troops, who had been trained by the CIA and the Pentagon during the 20-year US occupation of Afghanistan, were joining the Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K), the group that now claims responsibility for the attack in Moscow. As the WSWS explained at the time, the CIA had intimate connections to the emergence of ISIS. The CIA had also trained Osama bin Laden and other future al-Qaeda leaders as part of the US-funded mujahideen guerrilla war in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union in the 1980s. Regardless of the immediate culprit of Fridays terrorist attack, it is clear that it took place in a context of an expanding and escalating war against Russia by the imperialist powers. This conflict already extends well beyond Ukraine to the Middle East and other parts of the world. It has destabilized the entire former Soviet Union, large parts of Central Asia and Eastern Europe, and the forces unleashed by this growing global conflict involve not only Russian and Ukrainian neo-Nazis but also Islamist militias that have been bred by decades of US wars of plunder in the Middle East. A week after their powerful one-day sickout and unanimous vote to strike, Flint teachers still have no resolution on their wages dispute with Flint Community Schools (FCS), nor are they on strike. Educators in the district have had their wages frozen since 2014 following years of concessionary contracts imposed by the district and agreed upon by the United Teachers of Flint (UTF) union. On Wednesday, March 20, the school board met in advance of talks with the union on March 22, 25 and 26. In January, the district unilaterally reneged on the contract with the UTF, citing a $14 million deficit. That agreement, initially signed in 2022, would have brought teachers to the salary step commensurate with their experience. It provided a single step increase in August 2023, and another in August 2024. Despite the unheard-of reversal of the key provisions of a legally-binding contract by the district, the UTF failed to call a strike vote until forced to do so by the mass sickout on Wednesday, March 13. All 119 district teachers refused to report to work, closing every school in FCS. When the strike vote was held that afternoon, it was unanimous. Continuing to prevent teachers from mobilizing their strength through strike action, the union then claimed a date was set but declined to divulge it. Now, the UTF is presenting the boards decision to hold talks as a win. Michigan Education Association (MEA) UniServ director Bruce Jordan said, Its at least a baby step in the right direction You dont get a settlement agreement without changing things. Do you know what I mean? Theyre tied. While the board operates with impunity, the fate of Flint teachersmany of whom make as little as $38,000 annuallyhas been relegated to a grievance procedure by the union, subject to state mediation. The union has issued no statement pointing out the legal implications of FCS arbitrarily denying pay increases by citing budget deficits, followed by negotiating on an already-negotiated deal. Such measures could be used by districts everywhere to rescind already-inadequate pay schedules and push through deepening austerity. Angry educators spoke to the World Socialist Web Site at the school board meeting. Kimberly Beach, a special ed teacher for 17 years, said she had not had a wage increase in 10 years. Referring to the sickout, Kimberly said, something needed to be done. [We] needed to wake people up to realize how serious we are about this. We need to move forward and [get FCS to] agree to what they agreed to from the beginning. Kimberly emphasized, Its actually unprecedented they reneged on a contract thats already been signed. Pointing to the enormous difficulties of working in special education in Flint after the mass lead poisoning of thousands of children, Kimberly stated, We have a lot of kids that have behavioral issues and cognitive issues, and were starting to get more and more kids who are eligible for special ed. Melissa Koronka, an award-winning science teacher, told the WSWS that after nearly three decades on the job, she is only at step eight (out of 15) on the pay schedule. She commented, We made concessions over the years and make less money than any of the other teachers. When this board took over, they promised to make teachers whole. when we had the tentative agreement, I was so hopeful, so positive and energized. Then when they voted it down, it just felt like a slap in the face. Pointing to the FCS abrupt reneging on the pay agreement, Melissa noted how teachers paychecks were unexpected left completely short. One thing Im not clear onthere was already a contract that was signed in 2022. So, what happened the day you were supposed to go in to your next step for your wage increase in 2023? The battle of Flint teachers is just one front in a nationwide and indeed international war against public education by capitalist governments globally. Throughout Michigan and across the US, both the Democrats and Republicans are gutting education spending, imposing mass budget cuts, layoffs and austerity while diverting virtually all funding to the military and corporate handouts. Significantly, last week students in New York, Oregon, and Washington walked out of their classrooms in protest against budget cuts and layoffs being planned in each district. On Thursday, the nearby Ann Arbor school district began issuing layoff notices to staff, with plans to cut $25 million from their 2024-25 budget. Laid off educators expect to learn their fate on April 30. On March 11, the Grand Rapids school board authorized $1.6 million in cuts, including an undisclosed number of layoffs. Socialist Equality Party (SEP) vice-presidential candidate Jerry White spoke to the Flint teachers and community members at the March 20 board meeting, emphasizing the broader context of their struggle. He stated, Capitalism only promises war, poverty and dictatorship. The $5.5 trillion controlled by American billionaires is more than seven times spent on K-12 education and 30 times what economist calculate is needed to end poverty in the US. The SEP demands billions for education, not bombs and missiles. We demand that the GM and other corporations, which have bled this city dry, be put under workers control and the ill-gotten fortunes of the billionaires expropriated and used for social need. On Thursday, White also spoke at the school board meeting in Wayne-Westland, Michigan, which had an overflow audience of more than 100 educators, bus drivers, other school workers, parents and students. The school board entered the meeting with plans to rubber-stamp multimillion-dollar budget cuts which they have been discussing for months. However, when an audience member exposed the fact that they were ramming the cuts through at that very meeting, without any review or input from the community, a crisis erupted and the majority of the school board maneuvered tactically to delay the cuts. In his remarks at the meeting, White stated, Backroom talks between the MEA and the big business politicians are not going to resolve the question. Everything depends on rank-and-file educators like yourselves taking the initiative, uniting with Flint teachers, uniting with Detroit teachers, and organizing a fight to defend the right to high quality public education, not private profit. Towards the end of the meeting, the anger of the audience erupted once again after board member David Cox provocatively denounced district bus drivers for supposedly neglecting children. In his remarks, it was clear that Cox and the school board intend to resolve the districts budget crisis in part by privatizing the school bus system. A further report and video from the meeting will be posted on the WSWS Sunday. The petty-bourgeois nationalists of the Workers Cause Party (PCO) have launched a new attack against the World Socialist Web Site and the struggle of the Socialist Equality Group (GSI) to establish the political independence of the working class in Brazil. In response to the WSWS analysis, One year since the January 8 fascist uprising in Brazil, the PCOs newspaper Causa Operaria published a slanderous article titled The left that doesnt understand coups detat helps them. Bolsonaro supporters face off with troops in Brasilia on January 8, 2023 [Photo: Joedson Alves/Agencia Brasil] The article consists of a miserable attempt to deny the established fact that former president Jair Bolsonaro and the Brazilian military top brass actively prepared a fascist coup detat and, at the same time, to shield the Workers Party (PT) government from any criticism from the left. In the narrative fabricated by the PCO, the systematic conspiracy by Bolsonaro and the generals to establish a dictatorial regime, culminating in the fascist insurrection of January 8 in Brasilia, is nothing more than a fictitious coup that only exists in the minds of the petty-bourgeois left. On the other hand, they accuse the WSWS of fomenting a real coup detat in Brazil by attacking the broad front government of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, particularly by denouncing its accommodation with the military and fascistic forces that continue to prepare a violent coup against the working class. What a fraud! Contrary to what the PCO would have its readers believe, its reactionary attacks against the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) did not suddenly emerge from the conflict with its positions on the January 8 events and the Lula government. In July 2023, the WSWS published a devastating exposure of the PCO for its hailing the re-election of Turkeys right-wing president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as a defeat for imperialism. As we wrote at the time: Despite focusing their activity entirely upon the national political sphere, it is in their choice of international allies that organizations like the PCO most openly expose their reactionary character. Cornered, the PCO responded with hysterical chauvinist attacks against the ICFI, fraudulently accusing the Brazilian GSI of being a gringo group and pro-imperialist. This attack failed miserably. It only further exposed the PCOs bankrupt nationalist outlook. The PCOs slanders against the ICFI and its grotesque falsifications of Trotskyism were extensively debunked by the GSI in an analysis published in December. As political cowards, the PCO remained silent and retreated behind the scenes to prepare a new stage in its slander campaign against the ICFI. In its latest piece, the PCO sought to refurbish its crude slanders against the WSWS in an even more underhanded fashion. After presenting the WSWS as an organization that has an arm in the US, they conclude their text with a cry: Out with the imperialist NGOs that are behind various coup-plotting factions. This obscure denunciation of imperialist NGOs, thrown out with no explanation, has the aim of sowing unfounded suspicion about the ICFIs unblemished political record. It echoes unmistakably the anti-globalist conspiracy theories of fascist ideologues like Steve Bannon, which the PCO has admitted resemble its views on anti-imperialism (as we reported here). The politically criminal methods employed by the PCOinsinuation, lies, covering up the facts, appeals to reactionary nationalist prejudicesare hallmarks of a terrified petty-bourgeois party seeing its class interests under threat. The PCO recognizes the growing political influence of the ICFI, which fights for the Brazilian working class to break with the national bourgeoisie and assume a revolutionary internationalist orientation. This represents an intolerable challenge to the sacred political agreement between the pseudo-left organizations vying for space in the PT, the bureaucratic unions and the state apparatus. Why does the PCO deny that there was an attempted coup in Brazil? The WSWSs realistic coverage of the dictatorial conspiracy of Bolsonaro and the military has become the target of the PCOs attacks precisely because it exposes, without embellishments, the advanced stage of the crisis of capitalism and the Brazilian bourgeois state. Condemning the article by this author (mis-identified as Thais Castanheira) because it unabashedly exposes that there has been an attempted fascist coup in Brazil, the PCO writes: A very peculiar coup, with no armed demonstrators, no fascist militias and no mobilization of troops. Its the peaceful coup detat that only exists in the minds of the petty-bourgeois left. It adds: The text goes on to demonstrate a lack of understanding of how a coup detat works. It mentions that the military commanders discussed the possibility of a coup. This fact alone shows that it was not a coup detat, but a mere demonstration. The complete absurdity of these allegations was made even more explicit by the political events that followed. On February 8, less than a month after the PCO published its article, the Brazilian Federal Police (PF) launched an operation against Bolsonaro and a number of officers that revealed new details about the coup plans discussed and actively pursued by the former president and the military command. Among the significant revelations was the publication of messages by Bolsonaros chief of staff, Gen. Walter Braga Netto, demanding that attacks be launched against then commanders of the Army, Gen. Marco Antonio Freire Gomes, and the Air Force, Brig. Carlos Baptista Junior, to pressure them to adhere to the coup plan. Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro and commanders of the Armed Forces, Admiral Almir Garnier Santos, Army General Paulo Sergio Nogueira and Air Brigadier Lieutenant Carlos de Almeida Baptista Junior. [Photo: Marcos Corres/PR] The PF operation also pointed to the central role, hitherto unknown to the public, of the former head of the Armys Land Operations Command (Coter), Gen. Stevan Theophilo Gaspar de Oliveira. According to the PF, General Theophilo met individually with Bolsonaro and offered his troops to ensure a seizure of power. At the end of February and the beginning of March, former commanders Baptista Junior and Freire Gomes gave sworn statements to the PF in which they confirmed their having taken part in several meetings with Bolsonaro and his representatives that discussed concrete plans for a coup detat and the establishment of a dictatorial regime. In Baptista Juniors statement, released in full on March 15, the former Air Force commander testified that in one of the meetings with the Commanders of the Forces, after the second round of the presidential elections... then-Navy Commander, Adm. Almir Garnier Santos, stated that he would put his troops at Jair Bolsonaros disposal to carry out the coup. At a subsequent meeting, on December 14, 2022, two weeks before Lulas inauguration, the then-Minister of Defense, Gen. Paulo Sergio de Oliveira, presented the commanders with a version of the document that became known as the coup minutes. Baptista Junior claims that, before he left the room refusing to read the document, he asked the minister the following question: Does this document provide that the new president-elect will not take office?; that Paulo Sergio de Oliveira remained silent; that the deponent understood that there would be an order preventing the new elected government from taking office. The PCOs response to these new revelations makes it clear that its cover-up of fascist conspiracies in the Brazilian state is not the result of a misunderstanding, but a conscious political decision. On February 12, the PCO published an editorial (from which they never retreated) entitled The badly told story of Bolsonaros coup detat. Assuming the role of lawyers for the fascist former president, they question: if he couldnt carry out the coup when he was in power, why would he try to do it after losing the elections? The PCO continues: It is crucial to emphasize that January 8 was not a coup detat, a point that needs to be made absolutely clear. The petty-bourgeois left disagrees with this analysis. However, it is necessary to examine the facts impartially, avoiding any manipulation to meet political objectives. ... This is relevant because, in politics, it is crucial to maintain clarity for citizens, activists and militants. Confusion only harms. If a coup detat is to be denounced, then precision is needed, because indiscriminate use of this story can obscure genuinely worrying events. Nothing could expose more the politically criminal role played by this party. They demand that Brazilian workers and youth, facing the militarys iron heel raised over their heads, take an impartial stand! The PCOs policy is the most extreme manifestation of a criminal complacency that is common to the entire pseudo-left. The Morenoites of the Revolutionary Workers Movement (MRT), which publishes the website Esquerda Diario, despite clashing with the PCO in petty political disputes, completely agree with its conclusion that the fascist conspiracies in the Brazilian state do not represent genuinely worrying events. While admitting that the information revealed by the PF indicates that there is evidence that part of the Armed Forces did act with coup intentions, the Morenoites reassure their audience: Despite these intentions... we have always analyzed that there was no correlation of forces that could allow a coup to take place. The result of these actions, according to them, was the isolation and weakening of hardcore Bolsonaroism, on the one hand, and, on the other, the securing of political stability by the coalition of forces that make up the Broad Front led by Lula. The Morenoites cannot explain why, under such a categorically unfavorable correlation of forces, fascistic forces similar to Bolsonaro and his military cabal are emerging at the center of official bourgeois politics not only in Brazil, but throughout Latin America and the whole world. Obstinate in their political subordination to the bourgeois state and eternally pretending to push to the left parties like the PT and its bankrupt union bureaucracy, the pseudo-left groups are the staunchest defenders of the myth of the unshakeable stability of the capitalist system. The lessons of history and the political tasks in Brazil In order to politically shield the PT-led Broad Front of the rotten Brazilian bourgeoisie, the PCO recognizes that it is essential to falsify the revolutionary historical experiences of the working class and prevent the assimilation of the lessons of its victories and defeats. Seeking to justify its slanderous portrayal of the policies pursued by the GSI as left-wing coup-backing, the PCO cynically evokes the United Front against fascism advocated by Trotsky in Germany: If the self-proclaimed Trotskyist organization really wants to fight the coup-plotting by the military in Brazil, it should follow what Trotsky and the other Bolsheviks taught. The fight against fascism involves a united front of the left, where the revolutionary party doesnt give up its own politics. Attacking the left-wing government when the extreme right is also attacking it can only have one result: becoming an auxiliary to the coup detat. The PCO doesnt bother to clarify, first of all, why a fight against fascism in Brazil is necessary when it does everything it can to prove that the fascist threat is just a delusion. Its only concern with this historical reference is to try to fraudulently associate the revolutionary legacy of Trotsky with the PCOs reactionary support of the PTs bourgeois government. In every respect, the united front of the left advocated by the PCO is the polar opposite of the political methods defended by Trotsky. By advocating a united front of the Communists and the Social Democrats, the two mass parties of the German working class, against fascism, Trotsky was in no way seeking to protect Social Democracy in government. The political aim of the united front tactic was precisely to tear the workers away from their leaders, exposing in the course of struggle the prostration of the Social Democratic leadership towards capitalism and fascist reaction, thus facilitating its working class ranks making a conscious bridge to the revolutionary party. Trotsky explicitly stated that this common front of direct struggle against fascism, embracing the entire proletariat, must be utilized in the struggle against the Social Democracy, directed as a flank attack, but no less effective for all that. [For a Workers United Front Against Fascism, 1931] The PCOs demand that criticism of the left government be suspended, because to do otherwise would supposedly make one an auxiliary of the coup detat, is precisely what Trotsky rejects as a criminal political capitulation. Drawing an analogy between the methods of revolutionary struggle he was advocating in Germany and the resistance to Kornilovs counter-revolutionary uprising during the Russian Revolution of 1917, Trotsky quotes Lenin on the attitude of the Bolsheviks towards the Kerensky government: [We] are varying the forms of struggle against Kerensky. Without diminishing our hostility to him even by one single note, without taking back one word from what we have said against him, without giving up the task of overthrowing Kerensky, we say: we must calculate the moment. We will not overthrow Kerensky at present. We approach the question of the struggle against him differently: by explaining the weaknesses and vacillations of Kerensky to the people (who are fighting against Kornilov). Trotsky then concludes: We are proposing nothing different. Complete independence of the Communist organization and press, complete freedom of Communist criticism, the same for the Social Democracy and the trade unions. No retraction of our criticism of the Social Democracy. No forgetting of all that has been. The united front of the left advocated by the PCO, while clashing directly with the principles defended by Trotsky, is deeply rooted in the counter-revolutionary political traditions of Stalinist Popular Frontism. The PCOs aim with the calculated use of formulations such as the left-wing government, which consciously conceal the class character of the PT government, is to herd the working class behind the bourgeois enemys regime. The reactionary essence of PCOs Popular Frontist politics is exemplarily demonstrated by its attacks against the WSWS for exposing that Lulas Broad Front government is in alliance with the very fascist conspirators who planned his overthrow: Heres the critical point: the WSWS doesnt understand the contradictions within the Lula government, it doesnt understand that [Defense Minister Jose] Mucio is precisely a central figure in a possible coup. The coup is carried out by figures inside the government, not outside. Nowadays, to say that Pinochet was a figure in the Allende government is absurd. However, according to the WSWS analysis, he would be placed on the same block as the Chilean president overthrown by a military coup led by Pinochet himself! This incomprehension could even exist in Allendes head, after all, he himself appointed Pinochet as commander of the armed forces. But this misunderstanding cannot exist in the minds of the left, which proposes to lead the revolutionary struggle of the workers. The difference between Lula and his right-wing ministers with coup tendencies must be made very clear. Drawing its lessons from the catastrophic experience with Allendes popular front in Chile, the PCO concludes: The correct policy is not to attack the government of the broad front, it is to attack the right wing of the broad front. The example chosen by the PCO is absolutely self-incriminating. They are advocating an exact repetition of the criminal betrayal perpetrated by Stalinism and Social Democracy, aided by the Pabloite renegades of the Fourth International, which led to the brutal crushing of the Chilean proletarian revolution. The idea that Pinochets appointment by Allende was the result of a misunderstanding, that the historical course could have been altered by putting pressure on the left government to differentiate itself from its right wing, is absolutely false. Allendes submission to the coup-plotting military was the expression of what Trotsky defined as the very essence of the Popular Front as a government of capitulation to the bureaucracy and the officers. The playbook of the betrayals carried out in the 1930s under the Stalinist banner of the Popular Front, including most infamously that of the Spanish Revolution, was followed to the letter by Allendes Socialist Party and the Chilean Communist Party allied with Christian Democracy in the Popular Unity government of 1970-73. While arguing that the Chilean popular revolution would develop within the structures of the old bourgeois state, in harmony with the armed forces, the treacherous Stalinist and Social Democratic bureaucracies acted feverishly to disarm the militias formed by workers and peasants and to return the companies expropriated by the revolutionary working class to their capitalist owners. In June 1973, a rebel wing of the army made the first attempt at a military coup, the Tanquetazo, which was thwarted by the troops commanded by Generals Carlos Prats and Augusto Pinochet. Three months later, the loyal forces praised by Allende carried out the successful fascist coup that drowned the revolution in blood. Exactly as Trotsky wrote in 1936: Thus it became clear that the Peoples Front government had maintained the military caste with the peoples money, furnished them with authority, power and arms, gave them command over young workers and peasants, thereby facilitating the preparations for a crushing attack on the workers and peasants. All the talk by the PCO about understanding the contradictions within the Allende or the Lula government is a justification for the historical crimes committed and being prepared by these bourgeois regimes against the working class. Their attitude is precisely described in Trotskys words: The fear of the petty bourgeois before the big bourgeois, of the petty bureaucrat before the big bureaucrat, they covered up with lachrymose speeches about the sanctity of the united front (between a victim and the executioners). The decisive element in the defeat of the Chilean proletariat was, as in the Spanish Revolution, the absence of a revolutionary party. The main obstacle to building such a party in Spain was the centrist POUM, which adapted to the Popular Front instead of mobilizing the masses to oppose it. In Chile, this role was fulfilled by the Movement of the Revolutionary Left (MIR). However, if there was an element of tragedy in the inability of the POUM leaders to break with their petty-bourgeois orientation, in Chile, the building of a revolutionary party was directly sabotaged by the Pabloite liquidationists of the Fourth International. On the eve of the Chilean proletarian uprising, the Pabloites deliberately disbanded the Trotskyist Revolutionary Workers Party (POR) to amalgamate it with a series of bankrupt petty-bourgeois tendencies forming the MIR. The International Committee stood alone in its appeal to the Chilean and international working class in the immediate wake of the September 1973 coup: Defend your democratic rights not through Popular Fronts and parliament, but through the overthrow of the capitalist state and the establishment of workers power. Place no confidence in Stalinism, social democracy, centrism, revisionism or the liberal bourgeoisie, but build a revolutionary party of the Fourth International whose program will be the revolution in permanence. The GSI is committed to fighting for this orientation within the Brazilian working class and to preventing a repetition of the bloody defeats of the past. Its warnings of the real threat posed by the attempted coup by Bolsonaro and the military do not even remotely translate into a pessimistic outlook. The brutal methods of fascism and dictatorship being rehabilitated by the bourgeoisie worldwide signal their extreme fear of the resurgence of class struggles in response to the deepening capitalist crisis. They are the ruling classs pre-emptive response to the revolutionary battles that it senses are unescapable. The ICFI and the GSI take the revolutionary movement of the working class as seriously as the bourgeoisie does. Its focus is on building the political leadership necessary to orient the developing struggles towards the overthrow of capitalism and the building of world socialism. The objective potential for realizing this program has never been greater. The international working class is today the most massive and powerful social force in the world, deeply interconnected by the globalized process of production. The labor movements old treacherous leaderships, which succeeded in diverting revolutionary struggles in the past, have been completely discredited in the eyes of the masses. Forces like Lula, the PT and the reactionary union bureaucracy affiliated with them remain as a dead weight over the working class but are no longer capable of identifying themselves with socialism or workers aspirations for social change. In order to wage its most fundamental struggles against capitalism, the working class must establish new forms of organization, which will only develop in tandem with the building of revolutionary Trotskyist parties affiliated to the ICFI. The desperate attacks against the ICFI by the PCO, one of the demoralized offshoots from Pabloism, are themselves indicative that the objective and subjective conditions for the realization of this historical task are rapidly maturing in Brazil. To join the Rank-and-File Committee to Fight Job Cuts (RFC-FJC), call or text 248-919-8448 or fill out the form at the end of this article. Stellantis Warren Truck workers on shift change In the wake of the recent termination of over 2,000 temporary workers in the US by Stellantis, reports are coming in that the global automaker is resuming hiring new temps off the street. The reports are sparking further outrage among United Auto Workers members over the fraudulent way in which the union bureaucracy promoted the contracts. UAW President Shawn Fain and other UAW leaders had promised that current temporary workersknown as supplemental employees (SEs) at Stellantiswould be advanced to full-time status after nine months under the contract. Instead, the UAW gave a green light to the termination of more than 2,300 of the 5,219 supplemental workers employed by the company. Since the start of the year layoffs have taken place at Ford and General Motors as well. On Friday Stellantis announced further cost-cutting, stating that 400 US salaried employees in engineering, technology and software will be terminated as of March 31, about 2 percent of its salaried workforce. Management said the cuts were part of its Dare Forward 2030 plan aimed at boosting profits by optimizing the companys cost structure. Meanwhile, senior workers at General Motors, expecting to be able to retire and receive a $50,000 bonus promised under the 2023 contract, are now being told they must wait indefinitely. GM announced, with the apparent agreement of the UAW, that it is limiting current eligibility to just 2 percent of the workforce at each plant. That means that only 900 of about 7,800 eligible hourly GM workers can take retirement in the first phase of the program. It has not been stated when phase two will start. The cuts in the US are part of a global downsizing by all the auto companies as they move to place the burden of the transition to electric vehicles on the backs of workers. Stellantis has also targeted plants in Italy and France for layoffs in recent months. New punitive attendance program Stellantis workers are being further provoked by the implementation of a new punitive attendance program that has been implemented under terms of the 2023 contract. At Warren Truck outside Detroit it is being reported that as many as 2,500 workers have accumulated points under the policy, putting them on track to be terminated. The firing of hundreds of supplemental workers at the plant and consequent short-staffing has put an additional strain on the workforce. The 150,000 hourly workers employed at the Big Three automakers are now seeing even the few apparent gains previously sold to them by the UAW leadership being exposed one after the other as lies and deceptions. It is becoming ever more broadly understood that the so-called reform of the UAW under Fain was a cynical hoax. A worker at the Stellantis Kokomo Engine Plant spoke to the World Socialist Web Site Autoworker Newsletter about reports that the company was hiring more supplementals in the wake of the recent mass firings. Hundreds of Kokomo-area Stellantis supplemental workers were summarily terminated in January, along with more in Detroit. I think its been a practice of theirs in the past. They are going to hit top pay, have to be flipped [made full-time], so they fire them. Then they hire again, they get to top pay, have to be flipped, so they fire them again. I believe this started way back when. I dont have proof, but there was a lawsuit filed years ago. The first round of TPTs [temporary part-time workers] were kept for years. When I hired in, they were still flipping right away. Then there was the first batch they fired. They turned around and said you can have your job back at starting pay. Those people were TPTs for years, even after they took their jobs back. A former Detroit-area Stellantis worker said of the reports of the company newly hiring supplementals: They recycle, 89 days and out. They have been doing that for the last four years. Our union doesnt tell us anything. The union is supposed to be anti-corporation; some form of protection. But they have been in bed together quite some time. Thats how I see it. In response to the firings, a group of Stellantis workers formed the Rank-and-File Committee to Fight Job Cuts. The committee endorsed a picket at UAW Solidarity House in Detroit held on March 2 to demand the reinstatement of terminated supplementals and the renegotiation of the sellout 2023 national UAW contract. In response to reports that GM and the UAW were conniving to place strict limits on who could take the retirement bonus, a worker posted a YouTube video expressing his anger at the UAW leadership. The former Lordstown Assembly worker said that he had already made plans to retire and move back home but now was being told he could not because only a handful of workers at this plant were being allowed to collect the bonus. Speaking of Fain and other UAW officials who allowed this, he said, Workers are feeling that you care more about the companys interest than dues-paying members. GM is saying they cant have an exodus of people all at the same time. But here we are, four months after the contract. GM hasnt hired anyone to backfill so we could go out. He added, GM plays games, and the International union acts like they are cool with this. We have to say no. GM didnt have any problem with hiring people three-four years as a temp when they knew they could keep them as a temp. But now they have to hire them [as permanent employees] after nine months, they are slow to hire them. Stellantis Toledo workers sickout on March 4 On March 4, hundreds of second-shift workers at the Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex that builds Jeep brand vehicles reportedly called in sick to protest the abrupt termination of 341 supplemental workers at the plant. A Toledo Jeep worker told the WSWS that the UAW International leadership and their own local officials had lied about the process of converting supplementals to full-time status under the 2023 contract. WSWS campaigner distributes flyers to Toledo Jeep workers The determination of the list of those to be converted to full-time at Toledo was based on an opaque process involving the use of Social Security numbers, with the result that some lower-seniority workers got rolled over while workers with up to three years were passed by. In the end, the worker reported, only 450 out of the promised 900 supplemental rollovers at the Jeep plant took place. This is also not what was said at every [contract information meeting] given by [UAW Vice President] Rich Boyer ... that every SE would be taken care of, rolled over, and get profit sharing starting in March of 2024. The worker added, And Local 12 Chairman Sawya did not inform the membership that the SEs at Toledo were being let go. The UAW, Boyer and Fain used all of these programs to dangle in front of the SEs to get this contract passed. This contract, that only accepts colonoscopy as an excused absence and gives more than one point for tardies and absences, will cause many with families and kids that have things happen to lose their jobs faster. Toledo was the only plant that voted this contract down, we saw through the lies and crap and knew that there was no way they were going to do all the things they were promising. The worker said that the company had forced many of the converted supplementals to work in Detroit while workers from Detroit were being forced to stay and work in Toledo. Why force anyone to drive over an hour when they could easily send people closer to their homes giving them less time driving and more time with their kids and families? Now the company wants to move the second-shift start time to 4:00 p.m., meaning people from Detroit have to leave even earlier to get to work. Now local people wont ever see their kids because they will leave for work before they are out of school. Where is the work-life balance that Fain and Boyer promised and swore they fought for? The conclusion that must be drawn is that if there is to be a fight conducted in defense of workers jobs and working conditions, then the rank and file has to organize it in opposition to the UAW bureaucracy. Workers interested in building or joining a rank-and-file committee should contact the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter by filling out the form below. Japans Defence Minister Minoru Kihara held talks on March 19 and 20 with counterparts from almost all Pacific Island nations. It followed a similar meeting in 2021. Tokyo is intensifying its efforts to undermine Chinas influence in the strategically crucial region, as Japan is ever more closely integrated into US-led preparations for war against China. Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara [AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko] As US imperialism has intensified its military build-up against China and strengthened alliances in the Indo-Pacificincluding with JapanTokyo has engaged in its own remilitarisation, including a doubling of military spending, and joined Washingtons diplomatic efforts to consolidate an anti-China bloc throughout the region. This weeks talks involved 14 South Pacific Island countries. Fiji and Papua New Guinea (PNG) sent their defence ministers, with Tonga represented by its crown prince. From 11 other participating nations, which have no military forces, senior officials joined either in person or online. Japans imperialist alliesAustralia, New Zealand, France, Canada, Britain and the United Statesas well as Chile, also participated. The discussion focussed on security and police agreements ahead of an expected deal to be signed at the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10) this July in Tokyo. The South China Morning Post (SCMP) opined on March 13 that the meeting would be the largest Japanese security-focused move in the Pacific Islands since World War II. The talks were intended to escalate Japans so-called Self-Defence Forces (SDF) and police in regional responses as well as training, a dramatic departure from previous post-war policies. Japanese media reported that Kihara told the gathering the Pacific must be free, open and stable under the global order based on the rule of law the mantra employed by the US and its allies to assert their domination of the region. Clearly alluding to China, he declared: In this day and age, unfortunately, attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion have advanced in the world and the Indo-Pacific region. In fact the US is the most aggressive power employing force and coercion against impoverished Pacific countriesincluding threats or implied threats to intervene militarily in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, should they get too close to Beijing. Kihara said Japan will help Pacific states build their capabilities in dealing with natural disasters and share knowledge in areas such as outer space, cyber defence and artificial intelligence. Through the Official Security Assistance (OSA) program, he said, Tokyo is offering military equipment for like-minded partners that share fundamental values. The program, introduced last April, is aimed at boosting the armed forces and related organisations of developing countries for security cooperation. The purpose of OSA is to strengthen Japans offensive capacity against China by increasing its presence in the Indo-Pacific area and enhance the military capabilities of recipient countries. Getting them to accept assistance from Japan is intended to reduce their dependence on China and involve them more directly in the Japan-US alliance. Current OSA recipients include the Philippines, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Fiji. Under the scheme, young people from the militaries in Tonga, Fiji and PNG are to be accepted as students in the National Defense Academy of Japan, a university-level training institution for Japans future SDF officers. Chinas Global Times bluntly declared that the meeting was attempting to bring the Pacific Islands into an Indo-Pacific quagmire. Tokyo had transitioned from economic diplomacy to military diplomacy, it said, quoting one strategist who said that the SDFs deployment in the Taiwan Strait may be just a matter of time. This not only risks dragging the Pacific region into a dangerous quagmire but may also lead the world into turmoil once again, the paper warned. US military bases in Japan would play a critical role in any war with China. Japan is part of the quasi-military pact known as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue along with the US, India and Australia. This includes frequent aggressive military exercises and provocations aimed explicitly at China. With its eyes on the wider Pacific, Japanese imperialism is asserting its own interests as it did prior to and during World War II. Behind the fig leaf of self-defence, Tokyo is flouting widespread anti-war sentiment in the Japanese working class and the legal restraints in the countrys so-called pacifist constitution, which placed limits on its military for decades. Tokyos focus on policing arrangements follows reports in February that PNG, the Pacifics largest and most strategically located island state, was considering a policing and security agreement with China. Beijings offer was reinforced after riots on January 10, driven by simmering social discontent and escalating living costs, decimated the capital Port Moresby. PNGs announcement prompted alarm in Canberra and the US. Australia, the regional imperialist power with a long record of meddling directly in its impoverished former colonys affairs, indicated it was standing ready to send police and other support. Earlier, following riots and looting of Chinese businesses in the Solomon Islands in 2021, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare signed a security agreement with Beijing allowing Chinese police to train local police officers to protect their investments while also giving Chinese naval ships access to the countrys extensive maritime zone. In what the Japan Times described as part of Tokyos diplomatic thrust in Oceania in a bid to counter Beijings influence, Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa this month held bilateral meetings in Samoa and Fiji with her counterparts from 10 island countries and co-chaired an interim PALM ministerial session. Kamikawa last week vowed to provide offer-based financial development to Pacific nations, rather than wait for them to ask for it, in a policy pivot making foreign aid one of Tokyos most important diplomatic tools which would help keep the Indo-Pacific free and open, according to Japanese media. Japan is also strengthening ties with Australia and New Zealand. The previous defence minister Yasukazu Hamada and his New Zealand counterpart Andrew Little last year signed a Statement of Intent for greater military cooperation. The deal followed the signing a year earlier of a bilateral intelligence sharing agreement, aimed at strengthening Japans case to ultimately join the Five Eyes intelligence sharing network involving the United States, New Zealand, Australia, the UK and Canada. Little said the statement was the culmination of more than two years of discussions, including consultation with Pacific partners to ensure alignment with Pacific priorities. It would seek to strengthen collaboration with Pacific partners and regional institutions on maritime security, humanitarian and disaster relief, and climate change, he said. Last March, Hayashi became the first Japanese foreign minister to visit the Solomon Islands, at the centre of strategic tensions since signing its defence pact with Beijing in 2022. Hayashi and his Solomons counterpart Jeremiah Manele agreed on strengthening cooperation towards a free and open Indo-Pacific. Japans navy or Maritime Self-Defence Force then began its largest tour yet of the Indo-Pacific, adding Kiribati to its list of port calls along with the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Fiji. The naval deployment ran for 151 days and involved 1,190 personnel aboard three surface vessels and a submarine. All these military and diplomatic maneuvers are heightening tensions in the Indo-Pacific, even as the US and NATO escalate the war against Russia in Ukraine, the US-Israel genocide in Gaza continues, and conflict spreads in the Middle East. A third front in this global war now threatens to erupt in Asia. US imperialism will stop at nothing to end what it regards as the chief threat to its global dominationChinas economic riseand to establish unchallenged hegemony in the Indo-Pacific. US allies, including Japans ruling class, are determined to play their part and to secure a share of the resources and profits to be extracted from Asia. On Wednesday, PEN (Poets Essayists and Novelists) America, one of the main professional and civil rights organizations for writers in the United States, issued a conciliatory letter to the numerous writers who withdrew March 14 from the annual PEN World Voices Festival in New York City and Los Angeles, scheduled for April/May. PEN has also set up a fund of $100,000 for Palestinian writers. In a public letter, after a saccharine and hypocritical statement of sympathy with the victims of Israeli mass murder (making clear our sorrow and anguish at the suffering endured by so many Palestinian civilians in Gaza), PEN America, in the most accomplished double-talk, told writers that it was inviting representatives of the signatories to the open letter to meet with PEN America leadership as a reflection of our commitment to dialogue. Unable to free itself of Zionist propaganda and imperialist phrase-mongering, the organization called for an immediate ceasefire and release of the hostages, an agreement that can pave the way for urgent humanitarian access and lasting peace. PEN America CEO is Suzanne Nossel, a former Deputy to the US Ambassador to the UN under the late Richard Holbrooke, long-time operative for US imperialism, a former Obama administration official and a staunch pro-Zionist. Suzanne Nossel (PEN American Center) PEN is an organization in crisis, along with much of the rest of the American arts, film and literary establishment, which cannot and will not bend when it comes to opposing the physical and culture destruction of an oppressed people. PEN has suffered protest after protest from writers since October 7 for its positions, as have many other literary institutions. In January authors Angela Flournoy and Kathleen Alcott cancelled their participation in PENs New Year, New Books event to be held later that month, over the organizations plans to provide a platform for arch-Zionist supporter and actress Mayim Bialik. As Flournoy explained at the time, Bialik had spent the past 100 days sharing dehumanizing anti-Palestinian propaganda and rallying her five million followers to the cause of the Israeli military. At the Bialik event in Los Angeles in February, Palestinian-American poet Randa Jarrar was physically removed for protesting. Last month over 600 writers, including Roxane Gay and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah signed an open letter to PEN America demanding that PEN take an actual stand against an actual genocide. The writers who are refusing to attend this years World Voices Festival include Naomi Klein, Michelle Alexander, Hisham Matar, Isabella Hammad, Maaza Mengiste, Zaina Arafat and Susan Muaddi Darraj. In their letter to PEN, the writers noted: Palestines poets, scholars, novelists and journalists and essayists have risked everything, including their lives and the lives of their families, to share their words with the world. Yet PEN America appears unwilling to stand with them firmly against the powers that have oppressed and dispossessed them for the last 75 years. The letter continued: We are aware that PEN America has posted a series of statements expressing concern about various incidents in Gaza. We have also followed the organizations attempts to quell a wave of criticism from hundreds of outraged writers by issuing a statement hoping for peace. While we object to the ahistoricism and false equivalencies in PENs portrayal of the war and its causes, our overarching question is this: Where are the actions that flow from these stated concerns? PEN America has not launched any substantial coordinated support or issued any reports highlighting the scale and scope of the attacks on writers in Gaza, or on Palestinian speech and culture more broadly. The letter concluded by noting that PEN America had not exhibited the same reticence in campaigns about Latin America or Ukraine. The last point is critical, and revealing. Since the US and NATO-provoked Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, PEN has adopted a stance entirely in line with that of the American ruling elite as a whole and the Biden administration in particular. PEN America has lauded the ultra-nationalist sentiments of the Ukrainian government, infested with far-right supporters of Stepan Bandera, the World-War II Nazi collaborator and Holocaust perpetrator, and remained silent on the censoring of Russian authors and the pulping of Russian books and destruction of monuments to Pushkin and other Russian writers. Last May, PEN capitulated to Ukrainian nationalists who refused to appear at its 2023 World Voices Festival if any Russian writers were allowed to participate in any panel at the festival. With its olive branch letter this week, PEN, probably in consultation with the Biden administration, is attempting to cover its tracks and prevent its complete discrediting. After all, if the organization collapses or drastically loses support, what use will it be to the authorities? The organizations call for a ceasefire with its pro-Palestinian critics has about as much credibility as the Biden Administrations proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza at the United Nations on Friday, and it serves much the same purpose. PEN Americas attempt at conciliation is a crude effort to shore up support for the Democratic Party, especially among young people, as the 2024 presidential election begins. Labor governments, state and federal, which have supported Israels criminal assault on Gaza for the past five months, are ramping up their attempts to suppress popular opposition to the genocide. The New South Wales (NSW) state Labor government and the Labor-controlled Canterbury-Bankstown Council have decreed that the genocide cannot be discussed at the Ramadan night markets in the south-western Sydney suburb of Lakemba. They are using private security, police, threats and intimidation to enforce this ban. Ramadan night market in Lakemba, Sydney [Photo: City of Canterbury-Bankstown] Tens of thousands of people attend the nightly markets throughout Ramadan, a holy month for adherents of the Islamic faith. The markets began more than a decade ago, with informal street vendors selling food to people breaking their fast. The council has since taken over the event, corporatised it, and transformed it into a substantial money-maker. Now, the council is asserting its appropriated and undiscussed right to suppress political discussion at the market, including of the unfolding genocide in Gaza. Last night, two Socialist Equality Party (SEP) campaigners were accosted by private security that is hired by the council. The SEP campaigners were distributing a WSWS statement, warning that Israel is seeking to eradicate the Palestinian people of Gaza. They were discussing the need for a movement of the working class to fight this historic war crime and all the governments supporting it, including the federal Labor administration in Australia. Two individuals arrived who said they were managers at Canterbury-Bankstown Council but refused to provide their full names or positions. They told the SEP campaigners that no political or religious material could be distributed at the market because it was exclusively a cultural event. When the SEP members noted that they were on a public street, the council representatives said that it had been transformed into an event site that they had complete control over. One of the council representatives said it was inappropriate to discuss Gaza at the market, because the event was about smiles and happiness. She said the council had no position whatsoever on the mass slaughter of the Palestinians. The council staff and security said that the situation could be escalated and threatened to call the police on the SEP campaigners, so they left. Such conduct would be anti-democratic anywhere. But it is particularly outrageous in Lakemba. The suburb and other nearby areas of the southwest has a very large Islamic and Middle Eastern community. In these working-class areas, anger and opposition to the genocide is near universal. But the Labor council is declaring that these sentiments are impermissible. The SEP calls on all working people and defenders of democratic rights to oppose the ban and to fight it. The ban is not only directed at the SEP, but at all working people. Barring discussion of the genocide directly serves the Israeli war criminals and their collaborators, including the federal Labor government. In enforcing the ban, the council and the NSW Labor administration are collaborating with fascistic Zionists, the Murdoch media and repressive police agencies. A week ago, footage was uploaded to Instagram, showing a group of people chanting Free Palestine and Free Gaza at the market. They also called for the liberation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, which has repeatedly been desecrated by the Israeli regime, including with violent police raids. The Australian Jewish Association (AJA), a Zionist organisation, found the footage and concocted a provocation. The AJA issued complaints to the NSW government and turned to the Murdoch-owned Daily Telegraph, a right-wing tabloid that has a long history of vilifying immigrants in general and Muslims in particular. AJA chief executive Robert Gregory told the Telegraph that he had received feedback from Jewish people in attendance that they did not feel safe when the Ramadan event turned into an extremist anti-Israel protest. It is highly improbable that Jewish people connected to the AJA, a tiny organisation, were in attendance right at the moment when a small group of people briefly chanted for the freedom of the Palestinians. It is much more likely that the AJA found out about the chanting by scouring pro-Palestinian social media pages where the video was posted. If AJA supporters were at the night market, they were there to create a problem. Like other Zionist organisations, the AJA supports all of Israels crimes, including its mass murder of Palestinians. But unlike other Zionist groups, the AJA does little to hide the fact that it is a racist anti-Arab and anti-Muslim outfit. It has repeatedly collaborated with and praised far-right politicians, including Lauren Southern, a Canadian fascist, bonding over a shared Islamophobia. The AJA targeted the night market before Ramadan began, with Gregory writing to the NSW government and warning that it could become an anti-Israeli hate-fest. The AJA is what it is. Even other Zionists have derided it as a lunatic fringe organisation, fearful that its far-right rhetoric and often absurd provocations will discredit the Israeli cause. But the NSW government and Canterbury-Bankstown Council immediately sprang into action after the AJA complained about the chants defending the people of Gaza. The state government funds the market through its Multicultural NSW agency. In addition to transferring substantial cash to the council, this mechanism also serves the purposes of censorship, with Multicultural NSW stipulating that none of the monies can fund political activities. The Telegraph reported that Multicultural NSW had written to one of the AJA connected complainants, stating I wish to advise that Multicultural NSW has also brought this matter to the attention of the Engagement and Hate Crime Unit within the NSW Police Force. That is extraordinary. People are being reported to a specialised police unit, with connections to intelligence, for chanting Free Palestine. And calling for an end to genocide is equated with a hate crime. Multicultural NSW, despite its name, is clearly engaging in vilification and harassment of Muslims and of all other opponents of the Israeli war crimes. The Telegraph confirmed from both sides that Multicultural NSW chief executive Joseph La Posta and Canterbury-Bankstown head Matthew Stewart held multiple discussions on Wednesday about the chanting. The attack on the SEP campaigners several days later indicates that these discussions were about cracking down on any discussion of the genocide. Throughout the past five months, Labor governments, official institutions, the corporate media and Zionists have carried out a witch-hunt of those who oppose the genocide. That has included orchestrating the sacking of journalists and the intimidation of artists, doctors and teachers. The extension of this campaign into a working-class area with a large Middle Eastern and Muslim population marks a new stage of this offensive. It is the implementation, in a slightly different form, of the NSW governments immediate response to the genocide, which was to try to ban all public protests in defence of the Palestinians. The state administration of Premier Chris Minns moved in that direction, largely based on the claim that protesters had shouted gas the Jews outside the Opera House on October 9. They hadnt, the chant had been made up by the AJA. Almost half a year later, the racist Zionist group and Labor are still at it. The SEP, which has a five-decade-long history of political campaigns in the southwest and is especially well known in Lakemba, calls for workers to demand an end to the ban on discussing the genocide at the market. But above all, certain conclusions must be drawn. Labor, at all levels, from the federal government down, is a pro-imperialist party of militarism, war and authoritarianism. That is why it is supporting the genocide, as well as the US-led war against Russia in Ukraine and the preparations for a catastrophic conflict against China in the Indo-Pacific. This agenda, serving the interests of the banks and corporations, is incompatible with democratic rights. A movement of the working class must be built, in Australia and internationally, against the genocide and the war drive. Its perspective cannot be to appeal to Labor and other capitalist parties but to fight against them on the basis of a socialist program directed against the source of war, the capitalist system. The working class needs its own political party to spearhead and lead this struggle. That is why the SEP is campaigning to be a federally registered political party, which will enable it to stand in elections under its party name and present a socialist alternative to Labor. Contact the SEP today and sign up as an electoral member. ISLAMABAD, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Friday condemned the "horrendous" attack carried out at a concert hall in Moscow, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said. "We express our deepest sympathies with the families of the victims," the ministry said in a late-night statement. Russia's Foreign Ministry called the shooting a "terrorist attack" and urged the entire world community to condemn the attack. On Friday, the United Nations Security Council failed to pass a resolution sponsored by the United States that was absurdly proclaimed by the US media as a ceasefire resolution. In fact, the resolution would have given the UNs imprimatur to the US-Israeli genocide in Gaza, specifying conditions for ongoing and future operations by the Israeli military. United States Ambassador and Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, Friday, March. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) The resolution linked any ceasefire with the achievement of Israels stated war aims, effectively restating the declaration by US President Joe Biden during the State of the Union address earlier this month that a ceasefire could be achieved by Hamas laying down arms. Indeed, in motivating the resolution, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said its aim was to put pressure on Hamas, not Israel. In explaining Algerias vote against the resolution, Amar Bendjama, Algerias representative to the UN, said the resolution implies a license for continuing bloodshed. He noted, The text presented today does not convey a clear message of peace. It tacitly allows for continuing civilian casualties and lacks clear safeguards to prevent further escalation. It is a laissez-passer to continuing killing of Palestinian civilians, Bendjama explained. The emphasis on measures to reduce civilian harm from ongoing and future operations implies a license for continuing bloodshed. Algeria was joined by China and Russia, which both vetoed the resolution. The Israeli government, which has repeatedly denounced the United Nations for its officials criticism of the genocide, fully endorsed the United States resolution. The American resolution, should it have passed, would have marked a moment of morality for the UN, Israeli UN envoy Gilad Erdan said, praising the USs willingness to condemn the Hamas monsters. He added, Yet sadly, for purely political reasons, this resolution did not pass, and terrorists can continue benefiting from this Council whitewashing their crimes. Erdan then launched into a tirade of genocide denial, absurdly proclaiming that universally-recognized statistics about the civilian death toll are made up and that no one is starving in Gaza. The Israeli delegate condemned the libelous narrative of famine in Gaza, proclaiming absurdly, There is absolutely no limit that Israel places on humanitarian aid entering Gaza. He claimed the allegations by the UN of mass deaths in Gaza were a fraud, declaring that Numbers [of civilian casualties] supplied by the terrorists are thrown around and quoted as if they are [the] Word of God. Yet, in essence, these numbers are merely the lies of Hamas that the UN is so quick to parrot. Israel has taken steps that no other military in any other conflict has ever taken, all in order to mitigate civilian casualties, he said. He concluded by reiterating Israels determination to assault the southern Gazan city of Rafah, where over 1 million Palestinian refugees are sheltering. The fire will grow again and spread. This is what will happen without an operation in Rafah. Israel sees no alternative. The road to a permanent ceasefire passes through Rafah. In response to the veto of its resolution by Russia and China, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield used language essentially identical to that of Israel, claiming that those countries refuse to condemn Hamas. Russia and China refuse to condemn Hamas, from burning people alive to gunning down innocent civilians at a concert, to raping women and girls, to taking hundreds of people hostage. Thomas-Greenfield expressed her determination to veto any call for a genuine ceasefire, declaring, So if that alternative resolution comes up for a vote and does not support the diplomacy happening on the ground, we may once again find this council deadlocked. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Friday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his latest visit to Israel. Following the meeting, Netanyahu doubled down on his declaration that Israel will assault Rafah. We have no way to defeat Hamas without going into Rafah and eliminating the rest of the battalions there, Netanyahu said in a statement. And I told him that I hope we will do it with the support of the US. But if we must, we will do it alone. The discussions on the next stage of the genocide between Netanyahu and Blinken took place amid ongoing famine and mass murder in Gaza. Earlier this week, Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, implied that Israel is deliberately starving the population. The extent of Israels continued restrictions on the entry of aid into Gaza, together with the manner in which it continues to conduct hostilities, may amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime, he said. A separate report published Tuesday by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) partnership, the official global body designating starvation, found that famine is imminent, with a major acceleration of deaths and malnutrition. The IPC assessment notes that 1.1 million people are expected to face catastrophic levels of hunger and risk famine in Gaza, the highest number of people in that category ever recorded since the beginning of the current classification system. Israels siege of Al-Shifa Hospital continued for a fifth day, with more than 160 people killed and 600 arrested, including medical staff. Earlier this week, the Euro-Med Monitor human rights organization reported that Israel has been carrying out mass summary executions at the hospital. On Friday, Gazas Health Ministry said the official death toll from the genocide stands at 32,070; once the missing are added to that toll, the number increases to over 40,000. The same day, Al Jazeera published video footage of one of the daily massacres that occur in Gaza, showing a group of four young unarmed men walking down a road being blown up by a series of drone strikes. Al Jazeera reported that Israeli drones have been hovering over Rafah non-stop, leading to panic as the 1.2 million refugees crowded into the city expect an imminent attack. Texas National Guard troops are continuing to use the threat of the new state law SB 4 to harass and intimidate migrants crossing the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass, it was reported Thursday, even though the measure passed in December by the Republican-controlled state legislature and signed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott remains a dead letter legally. Journalists for the Houston Chronicle personally witnessed and overheard the soldiers threaten migrants seeking to climb out of the water onto the US side of the river, telling them they would be arrested and deported under a new Texas state law. The immigrants, clearly intimidated, returned to refugee camps in Mexico, to wait for another chance to cross. Officials at the head of the National Guard and state police did not respond to media questions after the incident. Enforcement of the new, brazenly unconstitutional state law has been challenged in the federal courts, and no final determination of its status has yet been made. A federal district court judge ruled that the law violated the US Constitution, which reserves control of the national borders to the federal government. The lower court judge, David Ezra, rejected arguments by the Texas state government that the entry of large numbers of undocumented migrants constituted an invasion, as the term is used in the Constitution. Governor Abbott claimed this would give the state the right to act to repel the invaders, that is, to deport them without even the threadbare legal procedure provided through federal immigration law. After a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the law could take effect while the challenge to its substance was being appealed, the Biden administration and other opponents of SB 4 filed an emergency appeal to the US Supreme Court, asking it to strike down the procedural ruling by the appeals court and stay enforcement of the law until after a decision is reached on its constitutionality. Immigrants who crossed into the US from Mexico are met with concertina wire along the Rio Grande, September 21, 2023 in Eagle Pass, Texas. [AP Photo/Eric Gay] On Tuesday, by a 6-3 vote, the ultra-right majority on the high court rejected the emergency appeal and allowed the law to take effect while the legal challenge continues. But barely eight hours later, a different three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit of Appeals took a separate ruling to stay SB 4 until a hearing Wednesday on the substance of the constitutional challenge. This hearing took place without an immediate decision, so the enforcement of SB 4 remains on hold, pending further appeals court action or another direct appeal to the Supreme Court. The court cases on SB 4 are distinct from those filed in response to Governor Abbotts decision to deploy hundreds of state police and National Guard troops near Eagle Pass. This placed several miles of the US-Mexico border, along the Rio Grande, under control of the state rather than federal government, in direct defiance of federal authority. The Republican governors of a dozen other states gave him their support, some sending small numbers of National Guard troops or state police to participate in the anti-migrant effort. While the legal measures are convoluted and no court, with the exception the federal district court, has ruled on the substance of the constitutional challenge, the intervention of the Supreme Court majority in relation to SB 4 was highly unusual. Rather than uphold the status quo during a constitutional challenge, it permitted enforcement of the potentially unconstitutional legislation which overturns the longstanding reservation of border authority to the federal government. At the hearing Wednesday before the appeals court panel, chief judge Priscilla Richman, a George W. Bush appointee, underscored the sweeping character of the new law, which allows state police and state judges to expel undocumented workers from the territory of the United States. This is the first time, it seems to me, that a state has claimed that they had the right to remove illegal aliens, she said. I mean, this is not something that just thata power that historically has been exercised by states, has it? In support of his open defiance of federal authority in SB 4, which was supported by a majority of Republican-controlled states, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has claimed that the states right to self-defense is the supreme law of the land and supersedes any federal statutes to the contrary. As the World Socialist Web Site previously explained, the logic of this argument is either the secession of Texas from the United States, the impeachment and removal of Biden, or his arrest should he set foot in Texas for supposed crimes against that state. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded to the Supreme Court ruling by calling the law unconstitutional, yet in the next sentence downplayed its significance. SB 4 is just another example of Republican officials politicizing the border while blocking real solutions, she said, making a law-and-order argument that SB 4 would burden law enforcement. The Biden administration denounced the order while at the same time appealing for support from the far-right for Bidens own anti-immigrant proposals: We remained focused on delivering the significant policy changes and resources we need to secure the borderthat is why we continue to call on congressional Republicans to pass the bipartisan border security agreement, the toughest and fairest set of border reforms in decades. What Biden calls tough and a bipartisan border security agreement is a historic assault on the rights of immigrants and refugees fleeing war, poverty, and violence, virtually eliminating the right of immigrants to claim asylum in the US, in exchange for far-right support to the tune of $60 billion for the ongoing US-NATO war with Russia in Ukraine. A dissenting opinion authored by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor described the Supreme Court as giving a green light to a law that will upend the longstanding federal-state balance of power and sow chaos. Her dissenting opinion continued, Texas passed a law that directly regulates the entry and removal of noncitizens and explicitly instructs its state courts to disregard any ongoing federal immigration proceedings. That law upends the federal-state balance of power that has existed for over a century, in which the National Government has had exclusive authority over entry and removal of noncitizens. Sotomayors dissenting opinion describes a political system that is being pulled violently apart at the seams, with Texasone of the 11 states of the old Confederacyin open defiance of federal constitutional authority to an extent without precedent since the civil rights struggles that resulted in the end of Jim Crow in the South. Quoting Abbotts statements regarding Texass supposed constitutional right to self-defense, Sotomayor described the idea that Texas could engage in nullification of federal law and authority as a notion that is antithetical to the Constitution and has been unequivocally rejected by the federal courts since the Civil War. This expanding constitutional crisis is linked to the January 6, 2021 coup attempt, in which the Republican Party in Texas was deeply implicated at the highest levels. Three years later, none of the principal conspirators have ever been held accountable. The Biden administration, in an effort to achieve bipartisan unity behind the war in Ukraine, has helped to rehabilitate and embolden the conspirators. The Supreme Courts order follows a temporary freeze on March 4 by Justice Samuel Alito, ostensibly to give the court time to consider the Biden administrations request for a stayalthough the law is so clear that an immediate stay should have been issued. In the request, Biden administration Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar wrote that the law is flatly inconsistent with Supreme Court precedent for over a century, stating that those decisions recognize the authority to admit and remove non-citizens is a core responsibility of the national government, and that where Congress has enacted a law addressing those issues, state law is preempted. Homeless people in Australia are dying on average 30 years earlier than the general population, according to several recent studies. The reports, which suggest that even a brief period of rough sleeping can have an enormous impact on health and life expectancy, are of particular concern amid a rise in homelessness, including of people with paid jobs. Homelessness on the rise in Australia [Photo: Mission Australia] The true extent of this crisis remains concealed to the general public, as no Australian government compiles specific data on deaths among the homeless population. The Guardians Out in the Cold series is based on a 12-month investigation into the cause of 627 homeless deaths it was able to identify between January 2010 and December 2020. This involved combing through 10 years worth of non-public death reports to state coroners and an analysis of inquest findings. As not all deaths are reported to the coroner, and the fact that a person was homeless is frequently not noted in the coronial records, the Guardian considers this to be a vast undercount. Of the 627 deaths that could be identified, the average age at death for homeless men was 45.2 years and for women, 40.1 years. The median age at death among the general population is 79 years for men and 85 years for women. The overwhelming majority of the deceased87.1 percentwere men. Indigenous Australians were also significantly overrepresented, making up 21.5 percent of the 627 deaths despite comprising 3.2 percent of the total population. Natural causes were responsible for 158 of the deaths, while 130 were from intentional self-harm. At least 24 were caused by assault. Drug toxicity was the most common external factor, as the primary contributor to 203 deaths, while 74 were from asphyxiation by hanging. Deborah Di Natale, chief executive of the Council to Homeless Persons, described the premature deaths as the stark reality of homelessness. It is really dangerous to be experiencing homelessness, she said, adding that living on the streets poses an increased risk of death due to untreated illnesses and lack of adequate access to health care. The overrepresentation of deaths of despairsuicide and drug overdosepoints to both the demoralising and debilitating effect of homelessness and poverty, as well as the broader crisis of public mental health care. Another study, of 324 deaths in Sydney, by Macquarie University researchers found that the mortality rate of homeless people was 80 percent higher than that of the general population, across age groups. A 15-year longitudinal study by Melbourne researchers determined that people who experienced even a single episode of homelessness were almost four times more susceptible to premature death than the average. In Perth, a study led by the University of Notre Dame Australias Professor Lisa Wood, based on hospital records, found that the median age of death for homeless was 50 years. Their research revealed that in 2021, at least 70 homeless people died in Perth, a city of around 2.2 million people. Wood said, in response to the refusal of governments to track homeless deaths, I cant help but think its such an uncomfortable truth that in some ways, its less confronting for governments and others if it remains hidden. In 2021, David Pearson, chief executive of the Australian Alliance to End Homelessness, wrote to Greg Hunt, then health minister in the federal Liberal-National government under Scott Morrison, warning that the failure to collect even the most basic data about homelessness deaths was a national emergency. Pearson called on the government to develop a reporting framework that would allow hospitals and other services to report on these deaths. He said that Hunt did not respond to this appeal and that the Morrison government referred him to the (predominantly Labor) state governments. Most of the states, he added, did not even respond. The Australian Medical Association has called the premature deaths of homeless Australians a national tragedy and has advocated for the government to both invest in a monitoring regime and improve housing and health services. The Guardian investigation has prompted a degree of hand-wringing in parliament. Federal Housing Minister Julie Collins described the premature deaths as completely unacceptable, but refused to commit to the establishment of a federal reporting scheme. Instead, she reiterated the Labor governments paltry pledge to deliver 30,000 new social and affordable homes over the next five years, not even 5 percent of the expected shortfall. Reforms to the reporting of homeless deaths are now being considered in New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. But while tracking these figures is critical, it would not in and of itself address the roots of the crisisan acute lack of affordable housing and the slashing of real wages and social spending, spearheaded by Labor governments at state and federal level. Confronted with unprecedented and growing demand, homelessness services are facing a $73 million funding cliff by the end of 2024, which would put at risk 700 critical support jobs. The tragedy of premature homeless deaths is not an isolated phenomenon but the sharpest expression of the broader impact of social inequality on health outcomes. A study by Victoria University in 2021 revealed that wealthy Australians live up to 6.4 years longer than those on the lower end socio-economic scale. The report added that even middle-income Australians are 23 percent more likely to die early of a preventable illness compared to the top income earners. This underscores the fact that the capitalist system is fundamentally incapable of satisfying even the most basic needs of human life. This has been starkly revealed during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The profit-driven let it rip policies embraced by governments worldwide have caused some 30 million preventable deaths. In Australia, overall life expectancy declined for the first time since World War II as a result. The deepening social crisis, encompassing all aspects of life, including housing and health, can only be resolved through the fight to establish a workers government to implement socialist policies. These would include placing the banks and major corporations under democratic workers control and ownership, to enable major public works to provide decent housing for all, and make available the necessary resources for free and universally accessible physical and mental health care. The Australian Labor government and the UK Conservative government this week ramped up their two countries military alliance against China as part of the trilateral AUKUS pact with the US. With the backing of the Biden administration, the defence and foreign affairs ministers of the two governments signed new military and intelligence agreements in the Australian city of Adelaide on Friday. These include a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) that commits them to respond jointly if supposedly threatened militarily. Australian Minister for Defence Richard Marles (left) with his UK counterpart Grant Shapps, March 21, 2024 [Photo: Twitter/X @RichardMarlesMP] The ministers directly linked the escalating conflict with China with the US-NATO war against Russia in Ukraine. In the opening words of their joint declaration, they proclaimed that the security and prosperity of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific were inseparable. This underlines the connection between the US-led aggression against both Russia and China, which are regarded by Washington as the primary threats to its post-World War II hegemony. These are two fronts in a developing third world war. The UK-Australia joint declaration was accompanied by a AUKUS trilateral statement initialled by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. It reaffirmed the AUKUS plan for the joint production of nuclear-powered long-range attack submarines designed for use against China. Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses government pledged to spend at least $18 billion over the next decade to erect basing facilities for visiting US and UK nuclear submarines, as well to develop submarine construction capacity, while giving the UK government nearly $5 billion and the US government about $4.5 billion to accelerate their submarine-building programs. These huge sumsimmediate instalments of the allocation of up to $368 billion for the AUKUS subsare a measure of the Labor governments stepped-up commitment to the war plans. In this context, the UK-Australia SOFA, which also provides access to each others military bases and facilities, marks a new stage in the US-led preparations for war against China. Significantly, it is the first signed by the UK with a non-NATO country. That fact underscores British imperialisms intent to be in the forefront of the conflict with China in the Indo-Pacific, where the British Empire once prevailed. The ministers welcomed the UKs enduring Indo-Pacific strategic engagement. This will include a UK aircraft carrier battle group sailing through the region next year and participating in the Talisman Sabre war games in northern Australia next year as part of the UKs flagship 2025 IndoPacific deployment. To facilitate that engagement, the SOFA also elevates the Australian-UK military partnership to the same as the 1950s ANZUS Treaty between the US, Australia and New Zealand, which includes a mutual pledge to joint action against any alleged military threat. Provocatively, this years Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) were staged in Australia just two days after a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The AUKMIN meeting issued a lengthy declaration committing the two countries to closely integrate their military, strategic and intelligence operations. By contrast, Yis visit resulted in no joint declaration, despite the claims of a reset in Chinese-Australian relations. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles hosted their counterparts, ex-Prime Minister Lord David Cameron and UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps. At their media conference, they were flanked by Caroline Kennedy, the high-profile US ambassador to Australia. Speaking on behalf of the beleaguered UK Tory government of Rishi Sunak, Cameron was particularly bellicose, saying that Western allies had to work together on mutual security to navigate a dangerous and uncertain world. He reasserted Britains intent to be a power in the Indo-Pacific region. Cameron joined the other ministers in accusing China of destabilising behaviour in the South China Sea and systemic erosion of human rights in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong. These charges were part of a long list of allegations against Russia and China. The UK-Australia declaration began by emphasising the joint commitment to the Ukraine war, condemning Russias illegal and immoral invasion and welcoming each others stepped up participation in training Ukrainian forces and supplying drones and other weaponry. UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps (left) with US Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and Australian Minister of Defence Richard Marles at Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide, South Australia, March 21, 2024 [Photo: Twitter/X @RichardMarlesMP] In a threatening tone, the document warned China to refrain from helping Russia. It further goaded the Chinese regime, which regards Taiwan as a breakaway province, by supporting Taiwans meaningful participation in international organisations and reiterating the ministers will to continue deepening relations with Taiwan in the economic, scientific, trade, technological and cultural fields. On the Middle East front, by accusing Hamas of conducting a heinous attack on Israel, the declaration justified Israels genocidal assault on Gaza, while echoing the Biden administration in shedding crocodile tears over the catastrophic humanitarian crisis. It backed the fraudulent US call for a temporary ceasefire, which is a cover for greenlighting the planned Israeli onslaught on Rafah, where at least 1.5 million Gazans are trapped. The declaration also backed the US-UK operations, joined by Australia, against the Houthis in Yemen, and condemned Iran in the strongest terms for allegedly conducting destabilising activities in the region, thus endorsing the US pretext for a wider war. Among the many prongs of the intensified partnership with the UK, Australias former colonial ruler, the declaration said the two governments would: Increase war-related intelligence-sharing, including by strengthening the Five Eyes network with the US, Canada and New Zealand, and incorporating the UK into the Combined Intelligence Centre-Australia within Australias Defence Intelligence Organisation. Expand cooperation and coordination on cyber security, particularly in the name of combatting foreign information manipulation. Protect allied access to military-related critical minerals and diversify supply chains to cut reliance on Chinese processing. Bolster the anti-China Indian Ocean Rim Association, which includes India. Insist on the UKs accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), essentially an anti-China economic bloc, before the end of 2024. All this was justified as ministers reaffirmed their enduring commitment to the AUKUS partnership, which is strengthening security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. In reality, this weeks AUKMIN declaration and the AUKUS trilateral statement represent an acceleration of the US-led drive to encircle China militarily and economically. Combined with heightened US military ties throughout the Indo-Pacific, notably with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and India, this is an offensive to push China into a war, as with Russia, with incalculable consequences. Despite widespread anti-war opposition, fuelled by its support for the Gaza genocide, the Albanese government has already gone well beyond the previous Liberal-National government of Scott Morrison, which first signed the AUKUS pact in 2021, in placing Australia on the frontline of what would be a potentially disastrous nuclear war for dominance over the region and the globe. TUNIS, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia's maritime guards have rescued 633 undocumented immigrants from sinking boats after they foiled 14 illegal immigration attempts off its southeastern coast, the Tunisian National Guard announced in a statement late Friday night. The maritime guards intercepted boats involved in illegal immigration attempts to cross the Mediterranean to Italy on Friday, rescuing 633 immigrants from sub-Saharan African countries off the coast of Sfax province, according to the statement. The maritime guard units also retrieved two bodies of illegal immigrants. "Two steel boats were seized, and 77 wanted persons were arrested," added the statement. Located in the central Mediterranean, Tunisia is one of the main points of access to Europe used by undocumented immigrants. Despite the stringent measures implemented by Tunisian authorities, the number of undocumented immigrants attempting to reach Italy from the Tunisian coast continues to rise. Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, meets with a delegation led by Kim Song Nam, international department director of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) Central Committee, in Beijing, capital of China, March 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with a delegation led by Kim Song Nam, international department director of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) Central Committee, in Beijing on Saturday. Noting that it is an unswerving policy of the CPC and the Chinese government in the new era to maintain, consolidate and develop the traditional friendship with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said that China is willing to work with the DPRK to run a series of activities of the China-DPRK Friendship Year, expand pragmatic cooperation in various fields, and open up brighter prospects for China-DPRK relations. Kim Song Nam said the DPRK-China friendship is the common strategic wealth of the two countries, adding the DPRK appreciates China's support for its socialist cause and will also support China's measures taken on issues related to Taiwan, Xinjiang and Hong Kong, among others. The cruise line said that the crew members died in the ship's engineering space Horacio Villalobos Corbis/Corbis via Getty Holland America ship, MS Nieuw Statendam, leaves the Cruise Terminal on June 03, 2022 in Lisbon, Portugal Two crew members on a Holland America cruise ship died following an onboard "incident in the ships engineering space. Holland America shared the news on Facebook Friday, noting that the two crew members died while onboard the Nieuw Amsterdam ship at Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas that day. The company said that it notified "appropriate authorities" and that the cause of the incident was being "investigated." Holland America did not disclose the crew members' identities. Related: Royal Caribbean Confirms Death of Passenger on 9-Month World Cruise All of us at Holland America Line are deeply saddened by this incident and our thoughts and prayers are with our team members families at this difficult time, a statement from the company read. The safety, security and welfare of all guests and crew are the companys absolute priority," the cruise line added. Holland America noted that it was offering counseling services to crew members who "may have been affected by this incident." A spokesperson for the cruise line told PEOPLE on Saturday that the incident occurred Friday around 9:20 a.m. local time. They added that the ship was on a "7-night itinerary" and left Fort Lauderdale on March 16. WFLA reported, citing CruiseMapper, that the Nieuw Amsterdam returned to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday. Related: Florida Man Arrested After 27-Year-Old Woman Found Dead on Cruise Ship Heading to Bahamas The cruise deaths come days after another cruise incident, in which a Florida man was arrested in the Bahamas after a 27-year-old woman, also from Florida, was found dead on a cruise ship. The 32-year-old man was arrested by the Royal Bahamas Police Force after a passenger was found unresponsive while their ship was on the island of Grand Bahama. The woman was pronounced dead after a medical team performed CPR on her when she was found unresponsive in her cabin. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Authorities then confiscated a quantity of suspected cocaine from her cabin and arrested the man, with an investigation ongoing. The man and the woman have not been publicly identified, and neither has the cruise line. "An autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death. Investigations are ongoing into this incident," police shared at the time. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Netflix's "3 Body Problem" shifts the story's focus from China to a global stage. The show, however, still has extended sequences in Mandarin. Director Derek Tsang told BI that he brought in a Chinese writer to help with the Mandarin dialogue. Netflix's "3 Body Problem" adapts Liu Cixin's "Remembrance of Earth's Past" trilogy by shifting its primary focus away from China but for its first two episodes, a significant amount of the dialogue is in Mandarin Chinese. The series, which premiered Thursday on Netflix, is helmed by showrunners David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo. While parts of it hew closely to Liu's original novels particularly, flashbacks to Cultural Revolution-era China the show remixes many of the books' Chinese characters into a global cast grounded in the United Kingdom. Hong Kong filmmaker Derek Tsang, who also serves as a producer on the show, helmed the series' first two episodes, which tell astrophysicist Ye Wenjie's backstory in 1960s China. He told Business Insider that it was "obvious" that he was brought onto the project in part because he's a Chinese director (he also scored an Oscar nomination in 2020 for his film "Better Days"). In turn, he felt that he had a "huge responsibility" to depict this period of Chinese history authentically. That extended to the dialogue. "I think a lot of the Chinese dialogue, they relied a lot on me and my writer," Tsang told BI. "I hired a writer from China to help us translate what David and Dan wrote." Tsang told BI that the dialogue was based on the book, which had been translated from Chinese to English. He then translated it back into Mandarin for the show. "I always fall back to the book, and use the Chinese version of the book and try to be authentic to that," he said. "So that was a very interesting process, actually." Much of the show's Mandarin dialogue occurs in sequences set in China in the early episodes, with Zine Tseng, who plays young Ye Wenjie, working primarily in the language. However, there are select instances later in the show where other characters speak Mandarin as well, even outside the China-focused flashbacks. Tsang told BI that he thought showrunners Benioff, Weiss, and Woo had succeeded in carrying over the "essential" elements from Liu's novel while also incorporating a more international focus and cast. "I don't want to use the word, but it's not a bastardized version of it," he said. "I think they have been adapting that into a very international story, which is very fitting for this show." "3 Body Problem" is now streaming on Netflix. Read the original article on Business Insider Author Roger Lewis gives an extensive look into the lives of the Hollywood legends in his new book, Erotic Vagrancy Mobius; Courtesy of Roger Lewis Roger Lewis and his new book, 'Erotic Vagrancy' Much has been written about the legendary Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, but there's plenty left to say. And soon, a new book will tackle the whole fascinating saga. Author Roger Lewiss biography of the couple, Erotic Vagrancy: Everything about Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, is forthcoming March 26 from Mobius, and provides an extensive look at the Hollywood legends. First married from 1964 to 1974, and then again from 1975 to 1976, Taylor and Burton worked together in films like The V.I.Ps and Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. Perhaps just as interesting, and talked about, was their relationship beyond the screen and all it entailed: break-ups, adultery and an occasionally hedonistic lifestyle. Lewis sat down with PEOPLE ahead of the books publication to discuss all things Erotic Vagrancy. Roger Lewis' new book, 'Erotic Vagrancy' With so many books out there about Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, how did you approach writing Erotic Vagrancy? I really felt I wanted to really get under the surface there, get in deep about their psychology, almost like I was approaching it as a novelist might, exploring their mentality, their motivations. The book began for me when I was quite ill with pancreas trouble and I had all these [sorts] of fevers and hallucinations. During my recuperation, I started watching things like Cleopatra, Taming of the Shrew, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, all their famous movies from the sixties. There was something almost a bit mad about them, and I rather loved that. Related: Remembering Hollywood's Queen, Elizabeth Taylor, in Photos How did you come up with the title for the book? The pope gave me the title for the book. [Burton and Taylor] were in Italy making Cleopatra. Burton was married to this very nice Welsh lady called Sybil with two children, and Elizabeth Taylor was married to Eddie Fisher, whom she'd already stolen from Debbie Reynolds, so there was already controversy around her because of that. Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor on the set of 'Cleopatra' So there they were, making this film where they were playing Antony and Cleopatra, and they sort of became Antony and Cleopatra. They were carrying on openly with their adultery in and out of nightclubs and restaurants, chased around by the paparazzi in Rome, 1962. And the pope was furious and issued this proclamation in the Vatican newspaper one Sunday accusing them of "erotic vagrancy," which of course created fabulous publicity for the film. Elizabeth Taylor said, "Can I sue the pope?," for making these remarks about her. What was the most interesting thing you learned throughout the book's research process? [With] Elizabeth Taylor, [it was] how absolutely beautiful she was when she was younger, when she was a child actress. She's fabulous in things like National Velvet and the Lassie movies, and all those Tennessee Williams films she made, like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Butterfield 8, for which she won an Oscar. Early on, she was just a classic Hollywood beauty. Related: Snuggling in Bed and Playing with Those Famous Diamonds: Elizabeth Taylor's Granddaughter Shares Intimate Memories The thing about Burton, which really struck me [while] reading his diaries, is what a sort of academic, scholarly figure he was. He really loved reading. He went to Oxford and he really knew about culture. He said towards the end of his life, "People think the great love of my life is women or booze or fame or money." He said, "No, the big love of my life is the English language. I found that quite moving. William Lovelace/Express/Getty Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor Do you think theres a couple that mirrors Taylor and Burton today? No, I'm afraid I don't. People don't have the courage to be that unapologetically outrageous. There was Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart, you had John Lennon and Yoko [Ono], you had Peter Sellers and Britt Ekland, Princess Margaret and Lord SnowdonYou have these celebrity couples, but I think the Burtons were really the main ones, because they were like Punch and Judy. They were just battling the whole time. Related: Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton Lived Like Members of the Royal Family, Author Says (Exclusive) Burton and Taylor, they're part of popular culture in this wonderful way that's never been superseded by anyone, and they were the first pair to be that brazen. Prior to that, everyone was behaving themselves in accordance to what the studios told them to do and told them how to behave, manufacturing their private lives for public consumption. Burton and Taylor just threw all that out. With 20th Century Fox, they wouldn't have anything to do with any of their rebukes about their behavior. When the pope rebuked them, didn't make them change their ways one little bit. Bob Penn/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton pose in casual wear Do you think that Taylor and Burton helped or hindered each other throughout their time together? One of the big things that happened when Burton met Taylor was that was the end of his career on the stage. I know later on he did Camelot, he did Equus and then made the movie of Equusbut basically that was it as far as his Shakespearean ambitions went. Related: Elizabeth Taylor Destroyed Richard Burton as a Classical Actor, Author Says (Exclusive) As far as Elizabeth Taylor went, she's the one that becomes, in a way, a more serious actress. You can see Taylor is a really good actress now. She's not just beautiful in profile, wearing lovely furs or swimming costumes. She now has presence. She has command and depth. And just whatever it is that's sort of going on in her mind, you can kind of feel that through her presence as an actress. She gets to be really good. I think they did learn from each other, and maybe detract from each other a bit, and added a bit to each other. They're in real harmony as artists. It's like their marriage there we're watching [in the film], but sort of in a stylized way. It's turned into art. Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor While researching, did you find out anything about Taylor that was particulary interesting to you? She was a very good friend. If she decided that she liked you and trusted you, she was just an amazingly good, close friend. For example, Richard Burton had all these sisters in South Wales, and whenever Elizabeth Taylor finished with all her clothes, all her designer outfits, she'd package them all and send them to these little old ladies in South Wales. And every Christmas, she'd send them very lavish gifts. She was very generous. Related: Elizabeth Taylor Would Have Turned 92 Today: 'Her Heart Was Huge,' Says Her Granddaughter Do you think that Taylor and Burton could have ever made things work? They might very well have got together again, because when they were divorced definitively for the second time, what did they do? They appeared on Broadway together in Noel Coward's Private Lives, which is a play about a divorced couple who can't live without each other. They can't live with each other, they can't live without each other. They were playing themselves at the end of their lives in the same way at the start of their lives together. Frank Lennon/Toronto Star via Getty Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton Related: Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton Are Stunning in These Rare Photos, Plus More From New Book When Burton died at only the age of 58, Elizabeth Taylor did not go to the funeral. She didn't want to upstage the event. Early hours of the morning a few days later, she visited the grave on her own with some of her bodyguards. And she said, when she was kneeling at the grave, "It's one of the few times Richard and I were alone." It was real love, wasn't it? It was a love story. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Erotic Vagrancy hits shelves on March 26 and is now available for pre-order. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. UPDATE, SATURDAY AM: Authorities now say 133 people are dead in the concert hall attack. Russias top state investigative agency said Saturday they have arrested 11 suspects, four directly involved in the onslaught. All four direct perpetrators of the terrorist attack, all those who shot and killed people, were found and detained, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them from the Ukrainian side to cross the state border. More from Deadline He declared Sun., March 24, a day of mourning. UPDATED with details and White House statement: The Associated Press, CNN and other outlets are reporting that ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack at a Moscow concert hall that left least 40 people are dead and 100 others wounded. AP reported that the claim was posted by the groups Aamaq news agency, but it was not immediately possible to verify the authenticity of the claim. In the attack, multiple gunmen attacked a concert hall in Moscow today, Russias Federal Security Service reports. The Associated Press said authorities are investigating the incident as terrorism the countrys worst in several years. Photos and video from the scene show Crocus City Hall engulfed in flames, and local officials said the roof was in danger of collapsing. They also said more than 100 people had been evacuated from the 6,200-capacity venue, which was hosting a concert by the popular Russian rock band Piknik. News agency Tass said the band members were not injured. Crocus City Hall has ties with western acts, as well. Donald Trump held the Miss Universe pageant there in 2013. Eric Clapton, Dua Lipa and Sia have performed there. The Russian culture ministry has canceled events across the country. The attack comes days after Russian President Vladimir Putin solidified his grip on power in what detractors said was a choreographed election. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the assault in Krasnogorsk, a suburb on the northwestern outskirts of Moscow, and the assailants have not been caught. The attack carried out by several people who sprayed the hall with gunfire and threw explosives, which set it ablaze, Russian officials said. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy head of Russias Security Council, said that if Ukraine or any of its citizens were involved in the attack, the perpetrators must be tracked down and killed without mercy, including officials of the state that committed such outrage. Ukraine has already denied any such connection. Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall, adviser to Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelenskyy Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on X. Everything in this war will be decided only on the battlefield. Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia). It makes no sense whatsoever. First of all, Ukraine has been fighting with the Russian army for more than two years. And everything in this war will be decided only (@Podolyak_M) March 22, 2024 White House Spokesman John Kirby said that the images are just horrible and just hard to watch. Our thoughts, obviously, are going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack. He added that there was no indication at this time that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved in this shooting. On March 7, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow put out an advisory saying that it is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours. Today it advised U.S. citizens to avoid the area [of the terrorist attack] and follow instructions of local authorities. The incident recalls the 2002 attack in Moscow, when a group of what Russian officials said were Chechen terrorists took some 850 people hostage and killed more than 170 people at the Dubrovka Theater. It ended with Russian officials filling the halls ventilation system with a chemical agent, leading to the deaths of all of the attackers said to be as many as 50 and more than 100 hostages. Many died from gas poisoning and others were shot dead, the BBC reported at the time. There have been many questions left unanswered about that 2002 attack, with some claiming the Russian government may have been behind the atrocity as a way to justify the war in Chechnya. One of those was dissident Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) agent Alexander Litvinenko, who died in 2006 after being poisoned with polonium-210 in London. A public inquiry in the U.K. later found that Litvinenkos murder was carried out by two men, one of whom was a former member of Russias Federal Protective Service, and that they were likely acting under the direction of the FSB, successor to the KGB, with Putins approval. Fridays attack comes nearly six years after a subway explosion in St. Petersburg that killed at least 15 people and wounded 45. In November 2015, Islamic terrorists stormed the Bataclan concert hall in Paris as part of coordinated attacks around the city. Ninety people died in the venue shootings and 40 others were killed around the French capital that night. Ted Johnson and Tom Tapp contributed to this report. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Pioneer Woman (2011) is an American reality cooking show created by Olivia Ball, that premiered on Food Network over a decade ago. Ree Drummond is the host of the show, which also happens to be named after her blog. In the series, Drummond cooks for her loved ones at her ranch in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Heres how you can watch and stream The Pioneer Woman (2011) Season 29 via streaming services such as HBO Max. Is The Pioneer Woman (2011) Season 2 available to watch via streaming? Yes, The Pioneer Woman (2011) Season 29 is available to watch via streaming on HBO Max. In Season 29 of The Pioneer Woman (2011), Ree Drummond whips up fun summer dishes in her ranch kitchen. She kicks things off with simple roasted brisket sliders and a hearty grilled veggie salad. With her kids by her side, Ree transforms basic frozen ingredients into mouthwatering meals. She consistently proves that delicious dishes, like creamy shrimp gnocchi and vegetable fried rice, can be made using easy, accessible recipes. The Pioneer Woman (2011) cast members include Ree Drummond, Ladd Drummond, Alex Drummond, Bryce Drummond, Paige Drummond, and Todd Drummond. Watch The Pioneer Woman (2011) Season 29 streaming via HBO Max The Pioneer Woman (2011) Season 29 is available to watch on HBO Max. HBO Max is a platform that brings together a wide range of content from popular brands like Warner Bros., Discovery Channel, HBO, CNN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Animal Planet, Eurosport, and more. It not only offers a vast library of shows and movies but also features exclusive original programming under the Max Originals banner. Additionally, you can enjoy programming from the HBO pay television service on this platform. You can watch via Max, formerly known as HBO Max, by following these steps: Go to HBOMax.com/subscribe Click Sign Up Now Choose your plan: $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year (with ads) $15.99 per month or $149.99 per year (ad-free) $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year (ultimate ad-free) Enter your personal information and password Select Create Account Max With Ads provides the services streaming library at a Full HD resolution, allowing users to stream on up to two supported devices at once. Max Ad-Free removes the services commercials and allows streaming on two devices at once in Full HD. It also allows for 30 downloads at a time to allow users to watch content offline. On the other hand, Max Ultimate Ad-Free allows users to stream on four devices at once in a 4K Ultra HD resolution and provides Dolby Atmos audio and 100 downloads. The Pioneer Woman (2011) synopsis is as follows: Ree Drummond, a city gal-turned-ranchers wife, creates down-home dishes on her picturesque Oklahoma ranch. Take one sassy former city girl, her hunky rancher husband and a band of adorable kids, an extended family, cowboys, 3000 wild mustangs, a herd of cattle, and one placid basset hound and you have The Pioneer Woman. The Pioneer Woman is an open invitation into Ree Drummonds life: The award-winning blogger and best-selling cookbook author comes to Food Network and shares her special brand of home cooking, from throw-together suppers to elegant celebrations. The series, set against the incredible story of life at home on the range, is the next best thing to actually sitting on a stool in Rees kitchen. NOTE: The streaming services listed above are subject to change. The information provided was correct at the time of writing. Developer nDreams announced on Friday that the VR game Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord is getting a free DLC Games Daniel DeAngleo 6 hours ago The upcoming DC sequel Joker: Folie a Deux seems to primarily be a jukebox musical, as it will mostly feature Movies Spencer Legacy 6 hours ago The official trailer for Roadside Attractions newest thriller drama The Absence of Eden has been released, featuring Marvel vet Zoe Movies Maggie Dela Paz 7 hours ago After originally getting a pilot order, the upcoming Wizards of Waverly Place sequel show has officially gotten a series order TV Spencer Legacy 8 hours ago Read more The post The Pioneer Woman (2011) Season 29 Streaming: Watch & Stream Online Via HBO Max appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. Want to know where to watch Port Protection Alaska Season 5 online? We have all the streaming details right here. Centered around a port community in Alaska, this series offers a glimpse into the daily lives of its inhabitants, showcasing the struggles of living in harsh cold climates and engaging in activities such as hunting, fishing, and constructing/repairing buildings in freezing temperatures. Heres how you can stream Port Protection Alaska Season 5 via streaming services such as Disney Plus. Is Port Protection Alaska Season 5 available to watch via streaming? Yes, Port Protection Alaska Season 5 is available to watch via streaming on Disney Plus. Watch Port Protection Alaska Season 5 Right Here This season, we see Alaskans stockpiling winter food, engaging in arduous construction in the remotest areas, and making use of every resource to survive amidst harsh surroundings. This show features Sam Carlson, Timothy Curly Leach, Matt Carlson, Mary Miller, and Breanna Miethe, to name a few. Watch Port Protection Alaska Season 5 streaming via Disney Plus Port Protection Alaska Season 5 is available to stream on Disney Plus. Disney Plus, launched by The Walt Disney Company, is a favored streaming platform celebrated for its comprehensive and varied content collection, featuring movies, TV series, documentaries, and original productions from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. You can watch the first season via Disney Plus by following these steps: Visit DisneyPlus.com Select Sign Up Now Enter your email and password Select a subscription plan $7.99 per month (Basic) $13.99 per month or $139.99 per year (Premium) Enter your payment information The Disney Plus Basic plan allows users to stream the services content with ads, while the Premium plan lets users stream with no ads and download content to supported devices. There are also a variety of bundle packages, scaling from Bundle Duo Basic, which pairs Disney Plus with Hulu for $9.99 per month, to the Disney Bundle Trio Premium for $19.99 per month, which bundles Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Plus. Port Protection Alaskas synopsis is as follows: Port Protection is home to the few who have left behind normal society and chosen a different life in a remote Alaskan community, where survival of the individuals and community cannot sustain without the other. The stakes are high. The land is rugged and unforgiving and the seas which surround Port Protection are cold and merciless. With risk comes a reward more profound than mere survival: a world of beauty and freedom with the security of community and without the constraints of bureaucracy. In Port Protection there are no clear roads to survival, inhabitants must carve one themselves. NOTE: The streaming services listed above are subject to change. The information provided was correct at the time of writing. Developer nDreams announced on Friday that the VR game Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord is getting a free DLC Games Daniel DeAngleo 10 hours ago The upcoming DC sequel Joker: Folie a Deux seems to primarily be a jukebox musical, as it will mostly feature Movies Spencer Legacy 10 hours ago The official trailer for Roadside Attractions newest thriller drama The Absence of Eden has been released, featuring Marvel vet Zoe Movies Maggie Dela Paz 11 hours ago After originally getting a pilot order, the upcoming Wizards of Waverly Place sequel show has officially gotten a series order TV Spencer Legacy 12 hours ago Read more The post Port Protection Alaska Season 5 Streaming: Watch & Stream Online via Disney Plus appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. COLOMBO, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka condemned the terror attack that occurred in Russia on Friday causing loss of civilian lives, said a statement from Sri Lanka's foreign ministry on Saturday. The ministry said such acts of violence against civilians are abhorrent and have no place in civilized society. The government and the people of Sri Lanka extend their heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, the people and the government of Russia at this time of grief, said the statement. The beloved fantasy romance anime Spice and Wolf returns to the screens with a new series, Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf. The official X account of the anime television adaptation revealed the series promotional trailer on Thursday, March 21, 2024. The trailer video unveils the theme songs of the anime. As such, the animes opening, Tabi no Yukue, is performed by Hana Hope, and the musical duo ClariS performs its ending, Andante. Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf anime release date, plot & more As previously announced, the anime will air on Monday, April 1, 2024, at 25:30 JST, translating to April 2, 2024, at 1:30 a.m. JST. In Japan, local Japanese channels, including TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, BS TV Tokyo, AT-X, and TV Aichi, will broadcast the episode and the entire anime TV series. After its original premiere in Japan, Crunchyroll will stream the anime globally. The web streaming platform describes the anime in the following manner: Lawrence is a traveling merchant selling various goods from a horse-drawn cart. One day, he arrives at a village and meets a beautiful girl with the ears and tail of an animal! Crunchyroll continues, Her name is Holo the Wisewolf and she brings bountiful harvests. She wishes to return to her homeland, and Lawrence offers to take her. Now, the once-lonely merchant and the once-lonely wisewolf begin their journey north. The original Spice and Wolf anime director, Takeo Takahashi, returns to the franchise as the animes chief director. Moreover, Hijiri Sanpei is directing the anime at Studio Passione. Kevin Penkin, famous for Made in Abyss and Tower of God, handles music composition while ENISHIYA produces the series. The stellar cast includes Ami Koshimizu as Holo and Jun Fukuyama as Kraft Lawrence. Among supporting actors, the series has announced that Mai Nakahara will voice Norah Arendt, and Houchuu Ootsuka will voice Marhait Liechten. Make sure to catch the anticipated series when it airs on Crunchyroll! The post Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf New Trailer Previews Opening and Ending Theme Songs appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. Winnie The Pooh: Blood And Honey 2 If the original Winnie The Pooh: Blood And Honey, as the exact same movie, had been made in Italy during the 70s, its just the sort of film Quentin Tarantino would be hailing as a lost masterpiece today. Frankly, its been hilarious watching fellow Gen-X critics, who grew up in the heyday of slasher sequels on VHS, rushing to turn their noses down at this ultra-low-budget gorefest with a gimmick. With time, all horror becomes respectable and Scream Factory deluxe blu-ray worthy, and were not talking about Dracula, Frankenstein, or The Exorcist, based on popular novels and acclaimed right out the gate. Lets instead talk Saw, initially derided by self-appointed intellectual betters as torture porn for psychopaths, and only 20 years later scoring its first Rotten Tomatoes fresh rating for its 10th installment. Look at Eli Roth, condemned as a misanthrope for the Hostel movies and now making family films like The House With A Clock In Its Walls. Troma films, once considered the bottom of the barrel by critical consensus, gave us James Gunn. The Friday The 13th flicks were always exploitative schlock, but because Jason Voorhees has an iconic look we forgive them now. How, exactly, do you shock outside the bounds of acceptability with parents who grew up on all that? Winnie The Pooh: Blood And Honey 2 B- B- Winnie The Pooh: Blood And Honey 2 The answer, clearly, is that you punch hard in the childhood. Even the most belligerent cynic who grew up on Winnie the Pooh has a soft spot for him; director Rhys Frake-Waterfields goal is to find that spot and kick it with a steel-toed boot. Slasher movies were never meant to be safe for parents, but cheap thrills to entertain adolescents who love seeing things they think they arent supposed to. Winnie The Pooh: Blood And Honey 2 is all that, and everything the grindhouse cult classics that horror fans now revere used to be. As the T-shirt used to say, if its too loud, youre too old. This is cinema at its most punk rocka raucous, unpolished, cheap, sacred-cow shredding middle finger to the mainstream with just enough raw talent inside to keep it from being dismissable. Its true that some punk rock has more to say than just shock, and this isnt necessarily that brand, but lets not pretend the movie represents some failure of the system. Slasher exploitation with a good gimmick has always worked, and always will, as long as we keep producing more teens, and some adults who never grow up. (Point your accusatory finger this way, if you wish.) The original Blood And Honey posited that the familiar childhood friends of Christopher Robin (Nikolai Leon, now recast with Scott Chambers in the role) were actually demonic human-animal monstrosities, now fully grown since being abandoned by their childhood friend, and on a murder spree to lure him back. In part two he has escaped the creatures clutches, but half the town believes he actually committed their murders, while the other half still searches the woods to see if there be monsters. Meanwhile, hypno-therapy may reveal what Christophers subconscious is covering up about his supposedly happy childhood, and the creaturesPooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Owlwho looks more like a vulture, but never mindare getting hungrier. All a movie like this really needs to do is deliver gory kills. It helps if theres a twisted sense of humor involved (lumberjack bear-man with a flaming chainsawcheck!), and an insane backstory never hurts. Add to this a little creativity in terms of lighting and staging, plus actors who dont suckthe gifted yet indiscriminate Simon Callow, costar of Amadeus and Street Fighter, is aboard as a narrator and a key characterand you have a slasher thats exactly the junk-food high its supposed to be. Sure, some of the kills are obscured by darkness and quick cuts, as Frake-Waterfield implies even more deaths than he has the money to show. (Judicious use of animation fills in some other evident budget holes.) Enough of the gross-outs are clear, however, for the makeup and gushing squibs (and Master Of The Flying Guillotine references) to satisfy a reasonable viewers blood-thirst. Frake-Waterfield has a gimmick here hes obviously content to ride while it lasts, teasing horror versions of Pinocchio, Bambi, and Peter Pan in a shared universe over the end credits, and its easy to see how that could become tiresome eventually. However, his use of color and shadow, along with his ability to draw natural performances from a mostly unknown cast (and a spot-on Scottish accent from Callow) suggests he could do more given the chance. If he does get that next-level offer, one hopes both that he runs with it and that some next-generation scrapper will call him a sellout and devise something equally assaultive in response. Every generation needs its disreputable schlocketeers, and if they rise to bigger opportunities, we all win. Winnie The Pooh: Blood And Honey 2 should relish the boos, and eschew positive notices, as all punk ought. It gets a qualified thumbs up here, anyway. The deaths of seven Indian college students across the United States in less than two months have shocked the community and raised serious questions about how they could have been prevented. Although the deaths are unrelated, there is concern about students' mental health -- particularly among those in the Indian community, experts told ABC News. The incidents involved Indian students from different universities, and range from death by suicides, accidental overdoses and a brutal assault, according to authorities. In the wake of these deaths, one lawmaker is also calling for increased mental health support. Among adults with any mental illness, only 25% of Asian adults reported receiving mental health services compared to 52% of white adults in 2021, according to a study from KFF, a nonprofit organization that specializes in health policy research and polling. MORE: Parents of Purdue student killed in dorm open up about 'peacemaker' son's shocking death "Students of Indian origin are people who are high achievers and they come from families with very high expectations," Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat and one of the few Indian Americans serving in Congress, said in an interview with ABC News. "They not only have to deal with the stress of the high expectations but also the stress of being in a new environment. And I would just respectfully request our families to make it less stigmatic to seek mental health support." For students and parents, the recent spate of deaths has been cause for alarm. "Deaths like the ones that these students have experienced, untimely ones, very unexpected, really shake the community," said Manjusha Kulkarni, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, the nation's largest reporting center tracking anti-AAPI hate acts. PHOTO: Portrait of disturbed, tensed Indian young man looking down and thinking at home. (STOCK IMAGE/Getty Images) In January, 19-year-old Neel Acharya was found dead on Purdue University's campus. Officials confirmed to ABC News that his death was ruled an accident due to asphyxia. Cold temperatures and alcohol intoxication were also associated with his death, according to the coroner's office. Days later, a Purdue graduate student died by suicide, according to the coroner's office. In Connecticut, the bodies of two Indian-origin students, 22-year-old Dinesh Gattu and 21-year-old Sai Rakoti, were found in their apartment on Jan. 15, according to police. The Sacred Heart University students suffered accidental fentanyl overdoses, according to the medical examiner's office. At a Georgia gas station, police found Vivek Saini, a 25-year-old Indian graduate student, dead after being allegedly beaten to death. The suspect, Julian Faulkner, 53, was taken into custody. Faulkner has not yet entered a plea, according to the DeKalb County Public Defender's Office. Faulkner's attorney did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment. Akul Dhawan, an 18-year-old freshman student from the University of Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) in Illinois, was found dead after he was reported missing. MORE: Parents, take note: Kids, teen, college student mental health problems on the rise Ten hours after he disappeared, university police found him a few hundred feet from where he was last seen on campus. The coroner's office says Dhawan's autopsy confirmed his death was due to hypothermia and acute alcohol intoxication. Questions regarding the quality of campus police's search efforts have garnered scrutiny and attention. Krishnamoorthi said the recent deaths were "deeply disturbing," and said he spoke to Dhawan's parents, who want more answers regarding the university's search. Aarushi Raathor, vice president of communication at UIUC's Indian Student Association, said students on campus "feel in the dark" and want a more thorough explanation about Dhawan's death and the search efforts to find him. "These incidents have definitely made me feel just very unsettled," Raathor said. Dhawan's death remains under investigation, Chief of Staff of UIUC's Division of Public Safety Pat Wade said. PHOTO: a depressed Indian man sits resting his head in his arms. (STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images) On Feb. 1, another Indian student from the University of Cincinnati was found dead. The coroner's office said the cause of death was ruled a suicide. A U.S. Department of Education spokesperson called these students' deaths "heartbreaking." "This is every parent's worst nightmare and our hearts go out to the families of these young men," the spokesperson said in a statement to ABC News. "The Department is committed to ensuring our colleges and universities have vital resources that allow all students to live and learn in safe, supportive and welcoming environments that are free from discrimination and hate, and include access to critical mental health supports, regardless of race or national origin." And the deaths could impact international students' feeling of safety, said Dr. Arpana Inman, who studies mental health in the South Asian community and is a dean at Rutgers University. Inman said these incidents may push families to reconsider sending their child to the U.S. "Certainly I think folks will think twice about sending their child here," Inman said. "But, you know, it's kind of a mixed bag in some ways, because there's some prestige in U.S-based education." More than 25 percent of the total population of international students studying in America are Indian, according to the Embassy of India. MORE: Young adults twice as likely as teens to suffer from anxiety and depression, study finds International students can experience stressors such as language barriers, discrimination, mental health and emotional concerns, according to a 2016 review article published in the Journal of International Students. PHOTO: A depressed girl at university sits on the flood of the hallway. (Adobe Stock) Inman notes that the intense academic and social pressures placed on young men and women in that community can lead to loneliness, substance abuse or suicidal thoughts. "I know there's a lot of academic pressure to get good grades, go to good schools and also go within certain disciplines and if students don't go into those kinds of professions, then they're seen as kind of not worth investing in," Inman said. Aadit Bennur, who is vice president of Purdue University's Indian Student Association, said cultural pressure may deter students from seeking help they need. "I think there's also a bit of taboo, around speaking up about the pressures that people are facing, I think you just kind of like, shut up and keep pushing and try and get through it," Bennur said. Bennur and Raathor said their universities provide mental health resources to students. However, anecdotally, they said few students use the resources or find them culturally understanding. "I definitely think that in regards to the South Asian community, cultural awareness in these resources is vital," Raathor said. "Especially, you know, like cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, whatever resources these college campuses are offering, have to include these factors, these aspects in order to actually be effective with such a diverse community." MORE: College students guide to mental health Dr. Vasudev Makhija, president of the South Asian Mental Health Initiative and Network, said parents should listen to their children when they voice their struggles. "I've heard many cases where these young, high school or college kids go to their parents and express their issues, and they are told 'Oh, just drink more water' or 'just pray harder' or 'just focus on your homework, all this will go away,'" Makhija said. Kulkarni of Stop AAPI Hate said students need to think about their emotional and academic wellbeing. "When we send our kids off to college, it's not simply to say, OK, they're prepared academically, and they have the financial support, so they don't have to worry about jobs or money," Kulkarni said. "But we also have to make sure that they have the wellbeing to engage in those studies." If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or worried about someone, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free, confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Indian students' deaths highlight need for improved mental health resources: Experts originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Choosing a mixer for a cocktail doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes, seltzer plus the spirit of your choice is enough. But, if you have ever wondered why a professionally mixed cocktail is superior to what you whip up at home, take a closer look at your mixers. Neutral spirits can pair with everything from pineapple juice to espresso, but a really good cocktail goes beyond one-note tastes and crafts layers of complementary and contrasting flavor notes. This is where Fever-Tree comes in. Fever-Tree is the brainchild of two men who realized in the early 2000s that although people were starting to pay attention to the quality of spirits they chose, there were not enough top mixers to go with them. The gap in the market led them to create Fever-Tree's first product in 2005, Premium Indian Tonic Water. The company now offers mixers in five categories: tonic waters, cola, sparklings, gingers, and cocktail mixers. Fever-Tree sent us 15 varieties to sample and rank so you can make your next cocktail the best yet. We ranked based on overall taste and their function as a mixer. All recommendations are based on first-hand impressions. Promotional materials and products were provided by the manufacturer and distributor for sampling. Read more: The 40 Absolute Best Cocktails That Feature Only 2 Ingredients 15. Blood Orange Ginger Beer Fever-Tree Blood Orange Ginger Beer - Melissa Gaman/Tasting Table Blood Orange Ginger Beer is a dramatic twist on ginger beer that blends blood oranges from Italy with spicy ginger. Blood oranges are different from navel oranges in both flavor and color. Blood oranges have a unique red color ranging from mildly red to deep, almost purple. The citrus flavor in this drink comes from blood orange flavoring and natural lime flavor. This mixer has a saturated pinkish-orange color, like the sky on a perfect sunset. However, the aroma is ginger-heavy and doesn't hint at the citrus in the drink. The taste has the hallmark slow burn of a ginger beer with robust ginger flavor and spiciness, but instead of a sweet-tart or juicy orange flavor, the drink has a heavy perfume-like taste. There is a whisper of orange at the end of each sip, but it is not enough to cut through the ginger or make it identifiable as a blood orange drink. This mixer ranked low because of the discrepancy between the name and taste of the drink, coupled with the harsh unbalanced flavor. 14. Sparkling Sicilian Lemonade Lemons and Sparkling Sicilian Lemonade - Melissa Gaman/Tasting Table Lemon is featured in countless classic cocktails, including a Tom Collins and Lemon Drop Martini, so having a lemon-based mixer from Fever-Tree makes a lot of sense. Fever-Tree's Sparkling Sicilian Lemonade is made of sugar, lemons from concentrate, natural lemon flavor, citric acid, and ascorbic acid. To get the flavor from Sicilian lemons, they used a process common to perfume-making called sfumatrice, which allows Fever-Tree to extract oils from both the peel and juice of the lemon. The pale-yellow, slightly cloudy mixer has a strong lemon aroma, which isn't surprising. But the intense bitterness in the taste is a shock. This is a far cry from the sweet-tart summer beverage one might expect from lemonade. The bitterness sets in quickly and lingers well after taking a sip. With the lemon flavor coming from extracted oils, it veers closer to a lemon household cleaner than a refreshing drink. The overall unpleasant taste caused this mixer to rank low. 13. Sparkling Lime & Yuzu Bottle of Sparkling Lime & Yuzu - Melissa Gaman/Tasting Table The Fever-Tree product line hits on many different citrus fruits, like lemon, lime, and orange, and this variety goes a bit further to include yuzu, a citrus fruit that is very popular in Japan. Yuzu looks like a cross between an orange and a lemon but has a sharp taste closer to a grapefruit. The limes in this drink are Tahiti limes sourced from Mexico. Fever-Tree suggested vodka, tequila, or mezcal as a pairing. The description of this mixer sounds complex, fun, and delicious, but the initial aroma is a let-down. It mostly smells like lime juice, and not fresh lime juice, but like a can of frozen concentrate. Sparkling Yuzu & Lime isn't overly sweet, but it also isn't deeply flavored. There is a lack of body to the drink, and coupled with not being able to taste the yuzu, it is basically diluted sparkling limeade. It is hard to imagine the flavor standing up to a smoky mezcal, but even a simple vodka would only further the diluted taste. This mixer isn't unpalatable, but it's also not very special. 12. Sparkling Pink Grapefruit Bottle Sparkling Pink Grapefruit - Melissa Gaman/Tasting Table Fever-Tree suggests tequila or vodka to pair with this pretty pink citrusy drink, which makes sense since a Greyhound and Palomas are well-loved grapefruit-based cocktails featuring those spirits. There are red and pink grapefruit juices in the ingredients in addition to natural grapefruit flavoring. Sparkling Pink Grapefruit has a fresh and bitter grapefruit smell, like the air after peeling a piece of fruit when the oils from the rind spritz up and perfume the room. The flavor is more delicate. After the fine bubbles on the tongue soften, a subtly sweet grapefruit flavor comes forward. However, more than tasting like the fruit, the drink tastes like a piece of lightly candied grapefruit peel with a heavy bitter quality. Though this mixer does sort of taste like grapefruit, the strong bitterness is the dominant flavor, and it makes it less than ideal as a mixer. The combination of factors keeps this drink from ranking higher. 11. Light Premium Tonic Water Hand holding bottle Light Tonic Water - Melissa Gaman/Tasting Table Fever-Tree's Light Premium Tonic Water is a lower-calorie version of its Premium Tonic Water. The main difference is in one ingredient. To reduce the calories, fructose is used instead of sugar. This change drops the calories from 70 to 30 per 200 milliliter bottle. Light Premium Tonic has a similar citrusy aroma as the regular tonic, though it is not as strong. The bottle also has an unexpected toasted sugar smell reminiscent of cotton candy. Despite that sugary smell, the tonic does not taste sweet. Both the bitterness and overall flavor are mild. The fructose does have an aftertaste that lingers on the back of the palate, but unless you are particularly sensitive to it, the taste would be easily masked with a spirit or a squeeze of fresh citrus. It is a great tonic choice for someone looking for a light, spritzy drink or who prefers a gentle bitterness. 10. Light Margarita Mix Bottle Light Margarita Mix - Melissa Gaman/Tasting Table Light Margarita Mix is very similar to the classic version. Both mixers are sweetened with cane sugar and agave syrup, but the light version has 50 calories per serving, which is significantly less than the classic. Light Margarita Mix has lime extract and grapefruit oil in the ingredient list, which is not part of the classic formula. Otherwise, the components are the same. The color is a soft greenish-yellow and is slightly cloudy in appearance. Lime dominates the aroma, but there is also a sharpness from citric acid that detracts from the purity of the citrus. The flavor is pleasantly tart, but it is also heavily bitter, which is unexpected and less than ideal. It has a light body, perhaps due to the lesser amount of sugars, and though it's not watery per se, it feels lacking. When choosing a light mixer, you may be compromising on a few aspects, but you don't want to feel you are settling. Ultimately, that is how this mixer drinks. While still handy to have on hand for a fast, low-calorie cocktail, it doesn't hold up as well in the ranking as others. 9. Premium Club Soda Bottle Club Soda - Melissa Gaman/Tasting Table The difference between club soda and seltzer is minor and significant at the same time, especially when considering its role in a cocktail. Fever-Tree notes that what makes its club soda stand out is the balance of high carbonation and light flavor. If you are questioning what flavor water can have, the sodium bicarbonate in the ingredient list is the answer. Sodium bicarbonate adds a small amount of sodium in addition to a slight earthy taste. Fever-Tree Club Soda has large bubbles that pop on the tongue and audibly burst from the surface of a glass. It's hard to describe what something minerally is like, but it evokes wet soil or water babbling over smooth river stones. The big question is whether there is a benefit to using club soda versus another bubbly water. While seltzer will offer pure dilution with some bubbles, as there is no detectable flavor, club soda should be considered if a hint of salt is intended to lift up your cocktail. This mixer lands in the middle of the pack because although it has its benefits, they are subtle. 8. Mediterranean Tonic Water Bottle Mediterranean Tonic Water - Melissa Gaman/Tasting Table Mediterranean Tonic Water differs from Premium Tonic Water in a few ways. The botanicals in Mediterranean Tonic Water include notes of rosemary and lemon thyme, there is less quinine, and it is sweetened with fructose instead of sugar. These differences aim to create a more aromatic and less intense tonic for someone looking for more flavor but less bitterness. There is a very different aroma to this tonic versus the Premium Tonic. Citrus is still at the forefront of the aroma, but there are floral notes as well. The bitterness is minimal, setting in after the botanical flavor and quickly dissipating. There are plenty of small, bright bubbles in the carbonation, but they do not burn. This is a very light and refreshing tonic ideal for someone who finds other tonic waters too sweet or sharp or someone looking to sip on a tonic without a spike of a spirit. 7. Ginger Beer Bottle Ginger Beer - Melissa Gaman/Tasting Table Fever-Tree sources its ginger from three different places in Africa and India, allowing each type of ginger to add a unique flavor and aroma to the finished drink. Ginger Beer is different from ginger ale, and despite the name, it does not contain alcohol. In general, you can expect a more robust flavor from ginger beer, and Fever-Tree's Ginger Beer is no exception. You don't need to get close to get a punch of ginger wafting from the bottle. There is a bold, fresh ginger scent that only gets more intense as you get closer to taking a sip. Besides the expected ginger flavor, the bright, tingling carbonation was the first thing we noticed. As that faded, the spiciness of the ginger moved in and started a low burning in our mouths. There is just enough sweetness to balance the drink, but it's not nearly as sweet as a soda. Overall, it has a nice balance and could just as easily be sipped over ice as spiked with a dark rum or bourbon. 6. Ginger Ale Bottle Ginger Ale - Melissa Gaman/Tasting Table Like the ginger beer, three different types of ginger go into Fever-Tree's Ginger Ale. The company suggests that it can be enjoyed on its own, similar to a soda, or paired with a spirit, preferably something dark like whisky or rum. This mixer has a rich, clear, golden-yellow hue that comes from caramel color in the ingredient list. There is a bright burst of ginger on the palate and just a hint of sharpness that keeps the sweet drink from tasting overly sugary. It does not taste hot or spicy, but it is not mild either. Some brands of ginger ale taste more like sugar water with a hint of flavor, but this is a ginger-forward drink. It lands perfectly between enough ginger to live true to its name and be refreshing and delicious and the line where ginger can start to taste artificial or medicinal. It is a delightful option for a ginger-based cocktail or sipping alone as a full-flavored, sophisticated neverage. 5. Classic Margarita Mix Glass and Bottle Margarita Mix - Melissa Gaman/Tasting Table This mixer brings classic margarita ingredients together, along with a few surprises. In addition to lime juice, sugar, agave, and salt in the ingredients, there are orange extract and bitters. A 4-ounce serving is 120 calories (before the recommended tequila or mezcal). Fever-Tree recommends a ratio of 1 ounces of tequila per 4 ounces of the mixer. If you are someone who orders a margarita with extra lime wedges or prefers sour candy to regular, this is the mixer for you. The drink smells predominantly of bottled lime juice, but the flavor absolutely explodes. It is sweet, sour, bright, and sharp all at the same time. At the end of each sip is a hint of bitterness that tastes like lime peel, which adds another layer of deep lime flavor and keeps the drink from tasting cloying or one-note. The intense pucker of the mixer does soften as the ice dilutes it, but it still retains a very tasty full flavor and makes it an excellent option for a margarita mixer. 4. Sparkling Cucumber Cucumbers and Sparkling Cucumber bottle - Melissa Gaman/Tasting Table Thanks to the addition of quinine, this sparkling drink is closer to a tonic than a seltzer. The cucumber flavor comes from natural flavoring. The other ingredients include fructose, citric acid, and natural lemon flavoring. From the second you open the bottle, there is no doubt this is a cucumber-based drink. The aroma is big and smells just like freshly cut, juicy cucumbers. The slight bitterness from the quinine and acidity from the lemon cut the taste of the cucumber just enough so that it doesn't skew vegetal and stays crisp and refreshing. Sparkling Cucumber would be a fantastic addition to a spritz on a hot summer day or to put a twist on a classic drink like a gin tonic or vodka soda. Sticking to lighter spirits lets the cucumber flavor come through the drink, and complimenting herbs, like mint or basil, are a welcome addition. The superb, bright, fresh flavor and versatility as a mixer give this a solid spot in the top five. 3. Bloody Mary Mix Glass and bottle Bloody Mary Mix - Melissa Gaman/Tasting Table Fever-Tree's Bloody Mary Mix is not short on ingredients. The label boasts that the mixer is a strongly flavored combination of California tomatoes and spices, and considering all the flavorings, from garlic and allspice to shiitake mushroom powder, it is easy to believe it. The mixer also has several classic bloody mary ingredients, including Worcestershire sauce, celery seed, black pepper, lemon, cayenne, and horseradish. Bloody Mary Mix is sold in a 750-milliliter bottle and holds enough to make 6 cocktails if following the recommended ratio of a 4-ounce mixer to 1 ounce vodka pour. The tomato-rich aroma is packed with flavor notes signaling the forthcoming peppery, sharp taste. The mixer requires some dilution as the tomato paste base is too thick to sip without it. Once it is thinned, all the flavors open up, and you taste fresh ripe tomatoes with just a hint of sweetness, the bright pop of vinegar and lemon, savory notes from the Worcestershire, and the slow lingering burn of the cayenne, black pepper, and horseradish. It is not too salty, and there is no risk of it becoming watery. It tastes like a homemade mixer without needing an entire bag of ingredients. 2. Premium Tonic Water Open bottle Premium Tonic Water - Melissa Gaman/Tasting Table The signature bitterness in tonic water comes from quinine, a product of the bark of the cinchona tree. Like any plant-driven product (wine, coffee, olive oil), the location of the plant will impact the final flavor. The founders of Fever-Tree researched cinchona trees before finding the ideal source in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Premium Tonic Water is sold in three different sizes. The ingredients contain sugar, citric acid, and natural flavors that include quinine and bitter orange oil sourced from Mexico. The aroma is sweet and citrusy, almost like a lemon-lime soda, though in the first sip, it becomes clear this is no soda. Though very crisp and bubbly, the tonic does not taste sweet, and it only takes a second for the acerbity to settle in. Even after swallowing, the bitterness continues to bloom and expand on the palate before slowly fading. As it exits, the final taste is a little citrusy pucker that pulls behind the back teeth. The sugar acts as a counterbalance to the tartness while enhancing the citrus. Tonic isn't a flavor for everyone but offers a wonderful depth that pairs so well with spirits, and this tonic is a delicious choice. 1. Elderflower Tonic Bottle Elderflower Tonic Water - Melissa Gaman/Tasting Table Fever-Tree recommends vodka or gin to balance the light flavor of elderflower in this tonic water. People may be familiar with elderflower liqueur, but elderflowers can be used to craft other products as well. For Elderflower Tonic Water, Fever-Tree sources fresh elderflowers from England and distills them. The resulting elderflower oil is what is used to flavor this drink. The other ingredients include fructose, citric acid, and flavorings, including quinine. Elderflower has a delicate but specific flavor, somewhere between a pear and a melon, with a kiss of floral and citrus notes. It is both juicy and aromatic, which increases the appeal and ability that this Fever-Tree mixer has to pair with spirits. The tonic is a little sweeter than some of the other mixers in this ranking, but it is still far from syrupy and overall incredibly balanced in its basic profile. The sweetness also helps offset the moderate bitterness, which offers complexity but does not dominate. Overall, this mixer is spot on in every way and is as delicious, sipped directly from the bottle as part of a cocktail. Our Methodology 15 bottles Fever-Tree drinks - Melissa Gaman/Tasting Table To determine the rankings taste was the most important factor. Each mixer was chilled and tasted several times, which allowed me to judge the initial carbonation and first wave of flavors and pick up on deeper nuances once some of the fizz settled. Although I did not mix any of these with alcohol, a good mixer should not need alcohol to improve it. For the three specific cocktail mixers, I poured them over ice and let them gently dilute for a few minutes to approximate the same dilution that would happen with a spirit. I've been learning about cocktails for years, but my appreciation for them took longer. I took a bartending class in college, memorizing ratios and ingredient combinations, but I didn't enjoy actually drinking them. Over time, as I furthered my exposure to good cocktails and later developed many of my own recipes for various media outlets, I began to understand and appreciate how a good cocktail is more than the sum of its parts, but oh, do the parts matter. Read the original article on Tasting Table. In 1997 the 20-year-old Australian dancer Marc Brew was involved in a car crash in South Africa, where he was travelling with friends. The vehicle he was travelling in was hit by another car, which had a drunk driver behind the wheel. Brews three companions died in the accident. He suffered catastrophic spinal injuries which rendered him unable to walk. The remarkable dance-theatre piece an Accident / a Life (making its UK premiere at Glasgows Tramway) explores the immense emotional and physical challenges, as well as the memories and choices, created by this traumatic event. It is the work of Brew (who is currently based in Scotland) and the Flemish-Moroccan choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. The show is played by Brew, with the occasional interventions of a small group of co-performers, who appear in the guise of crash test dummies. At the outset, the dancer lies prone on the ground, costumed as a test dummy. He is illuminated by the headlights of a real Fiat 126 car, flanked on either side by two sets of large, double video screens. Unmasked, Brew is transformed into himself, the artist who will narrate his story for us. He communicates both in speech, and by way of the movement, his evolved relationship with what he calls his new body , the very differently functioning, disabled body created by the crash. We are taken from the devastation of the accident, through Brews period of hospitalisation in South Africa to his re-emergence as a dancer and, ultimately, choreographer. His telling is notable for its absolute absence of self-pity. Indeed, his reflections which are, by turns, sobering, emotive and surprisingly hilarious brook no pity. Transformational: an Accident/a Life - Filip Van Roe Brew is assisted in his narration and recollection by an eclectic series of video works, a variety of music, an affecting soundscape and evocative lighting. For instance, in a moment that is typical of the productions sense of humour, his youthful sojourn in South Africa is illustrated with standard images of a tourist safari which are set, with knowing irony, to the strains of American pop group Totos toe-curling 1982 anthem Africa. In its more serious or contemplative moments, the show generates some compelling images. The raising of the car above the set on a chain, for instance, is symbolises the constant presence of the accident in his life. Much of the screen work from atmospheric, semi-abstract images to grainy film of the hospitalised Brew in the immediate aftermath of the accident is reminiscent of American video artist Bill Violas work in its elegiac contemplation of life and death. Theres also real emotional impact in the homemade video of the artists mother talking, with humorously Australian matter-of-factness, about her instinctive decision to fly to South Africa to care for him after the accident. This is a startling, unique, powerfully honest work which will, one suspects, be the toast of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival when it plays there in May. Tramway, March 23 (tramway.org), then Norwich Theatre Royal, May 24-25 (nnfestival.org.uk) Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Childhood should be whimsical, nurturing and validating. But for many kids, this just isnt the case. Some children have parents who may provide for their kids physically but dont quite understand how to support their child emotionally or mentally. These types of parents are known in the therapy world as emotionally immature parents. An emotionally immature parent is a parent who is unable to meet your emotional needs, either as a kid or an adult child, said Aparna Sagaram, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and owner of Space to Reflect in Philadelphia. They center themselves regardless of whats going on in your life. In other words, everything is about them, their emotional needs and whats going on in their day, Sagaram explained. An emotionally immature parent often struggles to regulate their own emotions, said Jennifer Chaiken, a licensed marriage and family therapist, co-owner of The Therapy Group in Pennsylvania and co-host of ShrinkChicks podcast. Emotionally mature parents are the opposite: Theyre parents who are more able to emotionally engage with you, said Chaiken. Theyre able to really recognize and understand, and also affirm your emotions without taking them personally, or trying to change how you feel. Dima Berlin / Getty Images/iStockphoto Emotionally mature parents possess emotional intelligence, which allows them to navigate their emotions while communicating with their child in a way thats effective and nurturing, added Chaiken. That level of support, it allows the child to grow and give[s] them the space to be their true self, rather than kind of imposing their own desires on the child, Chaiken said. Whether someone is an emotionally immature or emotionally mature parent has a lot to do with how they were raised. These behaviors were modeled for them, so its how they think they should handle situations with their children. Often, parents who are emotionally immature tended to also grow up with emotionally immature parents. It gets passed down generations until we realize this is whats going on and do the work to heal the wounds of having emotionally immature parents, Chaiken said. Below, experts share the signs of an emotionally immature parent and how to cope if you have one (or are one). 1. They emotionally dump on their children. Dragonimages / Getty Images/iStockphoto Emotionally immature parents dont handle their emotions well. In fact, according to Sagaram, emotionally immature parents are known to vent to children about their adult problems. This could be anything from issues at work to problems in their marriage to financial difficulties. Emotionally immature parents tend to do this because of the hierarchy that exists in parent-child relationships, said Sagaram. Parents who are not able to regulate themselves now turn to their kid because it feels safe, it feels comfortable, it feels like, Oh, this is like a nonthreatening person that I can dump all my stuff on, Sagaram said. If youre a kid, and youre hearing all these adult problems, you can imagine how chaotic that must feel, said Sagaram, But then you eventually learn how to deal with those emotions. Often, this results in children shutting down emotionally or projecting onto other people, she stated. Additionally, it can make the child feel like theyre responsible for their parents moods and emotions. 2. Emotionally immature parents rely on their kids for emotional support. Sneksy / Getty Images/iStockphoto Another big sign is a dependence on their children for emotional support, according to Chaiken. So, they may turn to their children for a level of validation and comfort and companionship ... the flow of care is off, Chaiken added. Children cant properly give their parents the support they need (and shouldnt have to), so this leads to another problem. Another characteristic is that they get mad at you for not being there for them in the way that they want, added Sagaram. So, oftentimes, emotionally immature parents expect you to know what it is that they want and need ... if youre not able to do that, or youre not able to support them in the way that they want to be supported, they get emotionally explosive with you. 3. They possess a lack of empathy. Getty Images Emotionally immature parents are unable to recognize how their emotions may impact those around them, noted Chaiken. These kinds of parents can struggle to understand their childrens feelings and needs, she said. Think about it: Someone who centers everything on themselves wont be able to think about how a decision or conversation impacts you. 4. They struggle with boundaries. Sdi Productions / Getty Images If your parent refuses to respect your boundaries or has questionable boundaries of their own, it is a red flag. That can go either way they may set overly rigid boundaries or may, on the other end of the spectrum, be extremely lenient and have a really hard time finding the balance, said Chaiken. Whats more, they also have a hard time with boundaries you set with them, noted Sagaram. For example, if you ask your mom to call before stopping by your house, she may become offended and continue stopping by unannounced. 5. They use guilt and the silent treatment as a weapon. Doucefleur / Getty Images/iStockphoto As you get older and work to set boundaries with an emotionally immature parent, you may notice that they use shame or guilt as a weapon, said Sagaram. This may sound like, Oh, you never let me see my grandkids anymore or No one ever calls me back. Additionally, emotionally immature parents often employ the silent treatment, Sagaram said. If they feel unhappy about your behavior, they avoid speaking to you instead of talking out the problem like an emotionally mature person. And youre left thinking that you did something wrong, even though its been a power struggle this entire time, she noted. 6. They often have inconsistent behavior and reactions. Pixdeluxe / Getty Images Oftentimes, when an emotionally immature parent has a rough day at work, they make it everyones problem even though it has nothing at all to do with their kids or spouse. It leads to emotional outbursts in the family ... they really dont have the ability to regulate their emotions [and keep them] separate from their parenting, Chaiken said. This can also lead to inconsistent behavior, she noted. For example, if your mom usually helped you with your math homework but had a rough day at work, she may explode when you ask for your regularly scheduled help. So, they may have these unpredictable reactions to situations leading to a level of inconsistency in their parenting, Chaiken said. 7. They dont respect your individuality. Getty Images Another characteristic, they dont respect your individuality ... when we think about healthy family systems, parents raise their kids to be individuals and a person outside of themselves, explained Sagaram. And you want to start that pretty early on. Even when your kids are young and still dependent on you, you should work to encourage (and respect) their likes and dislikes. So, eventually when they do become an adult, that transition is smoother, Sagaram said. When you respect your childs individuality, you see them as someone who has their own values, beliefs and boundaries, she added. But, an emotionally immature parent is not able to do that. Heres how to take care of yourself if you have emotionally immature parents: Gradyreese / Getty Images/iStockphoto If you recognize any of the behaviors above in your parents or caretakers, take a deep breath. According to Sagaram, the most important thing is recognizing this fact it will help you feel less alone. Theres a name for this type of parent, which means youre clearly not alone in that, and I think that itself can feel really validating, said Sagaram. You should also give yourself credit for simply being able to notice this: It isnt easy to admit that your parents have faults. I think its hard because sometimes people have a hard time admitting that maybe their parents didnt do what they needed when they were a child, said Chaiken. But, I think both things can be true: Your parents did the best they could and, at the same time, they were also unable to give you what you needed as a child because they werent given what they needed as a child. Chaiken said re-parenting is a huge part of healing; to do this, take notice of the things that you needed in your childhood but did not receive. This could be emotional support, an opportunity to voice your opinions or unconditional love. As you re-parent yourself, you can give these things to yourself. Additionally, social support is important, Chaiken said. We dont choose our parents, and you get the choice as an adult to build a family in your life of people who are able to give you support and the support that you really need, she added. I think that thats a really important thing, to find people in your life who you feel like can give you that support, she said. When it comes to your parents, Chaiken noted that its important to set clear and healthy boundaries around what you will and wont accept from them. If you think you are an emotionally immature parent, there are things you can do to break the cycle. Peopleimages / Getty Images Emotional immaturity is a learned behavior that is likely something thats been in your bloodline for generations. The fact that you want to do something different itself is breaking a cycle, so that is always a really great first step, said Sagaram. Your ability to recognize your behavior is emotional maturity in itself, Chaiken added. To combat this behavior, Sagaram said its important to be self-aware and to take notice of your triggers what makes you fall into emotional immaturity? I definitely recommend professional help here because this is not an easy thing to do, noted Sagaram. A therapist can help you learn to self-soothe, create an emotionally supportive community so you dont feel like you have to rely on your child and heal the wounds that likely will emerge from your own childhood. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Tarte tatin is a classic, only seemingly fancy French dessert that is typically made of apples like an apple pie without the top crust. Like most tarts, tarte tatin is actually easier for casual home bakers to make than two-crust pies, and recipe developer Kara Barrett's tarte tatin is especially foolproof because she uses ready-made puff pastry instead of whipping up the tarte shell from scratch. What really makes this recipe stand out, however, is the addition of shallots to the not-too-sweet apple filling. Barrett says this unique, aromatic tarte "straddles the line between savory and sweet." Not only do the shallots take the tarte out of what we think of as typical dessert territory, but Barrett also flavors the pie with Brazil nuts and chopped sage cooked in brown butter, which "adds an earthy flavor that works well with both apples and shallots." All that and it looks beautiful on a pie plate while taking just over an hour to put together. Read more: The 20 Best Olive Oils For Cooking Collect The Ingredients To Make Crispy, Caramelly Shallot And Apple Tarte Tatin ingredients for shallot-apple tart - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table The filling of this simple tarte is made from apples and shallots along with butter, fresh sage, salt, and brown sugar. Grab your favorite brand of store-bought puff pastry to form the crust, as well as Brazil nuts to garnish the finished tarte. Step 1: Turn On The Broiler oven temperature gauge set to broil - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Set the oven to broil. Step 2: Prep The Shallots cut and peeled shallots on cutting board - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Cut shallots in half lengthwise, remove the tail ends, and peel off the skin. Step 3: Arrange The Shallots On A Sheet Pan shallots on parchment lined baking sheet - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Place shallots cut side-up on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Step 4: Char The Shallots broiled caramelized shallots on parchment lined baking sheet - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Broil for 15 minutes, until charred and caramelized. Step 5: Melt Some Butter In A Pan butter in frying pan - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Meanwhile, in a small pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Step 6: Brown The Butter And Cook The Sage melted butter with sage leaves - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Add sage and teaspoon salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the leaves are crisp and the butter has browned. Set aside. Step 7: Take The Shallots Out Of The Oven, And Reduce The Heat oven temperature set to 400 - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table When shallots are done, remove them from the oven and reset the temperature to bake at 400 F. Step 8: Butter A Pie Pan pat of butter in glass pie dish - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Use remaining butter to generously grease a 9 -inch pie pan. Step 9: Sprinkle The Surface With Brown Sugar brown sugar in buttered pie pan - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Sprinkle about half of the brown sugar all over the bottom of the pie pan, reserving the rest for later. Step 10: Add Some Of The Crispy Sage pie pan with butter, brown sugar, and sage - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Distribute about half of the buttery sage leaves all over the bottom of the pie pan, reserving the rest for later. Step 11: Arrange The Shallots In The Pie Pan cooked shallots in pie pan - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Place shallots cut side-down into the pie pan, covering the bottom but leaving enough room to tuck in the apple slices. Step 12: Add The Apple Slices hand adding apples to shallots in pie pan - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Tuck the apple slices between the shallots. (The fit will be snug, and you may not use the full cup of apples.) Step 13: Sprinkle On More Sage, Salt, And Sugar apples and shallots in pan - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Sprinkle the shallots and apples evenly with the remaining buttery sage leaves, teaspoon salt, and all but approximately 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Step 14: Roll Out The Puff Pastry hand rolling out pastry on countertop - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Roll out the puff pastry so it will be large enough to cover the pie pan. Step 15: Cover The Filling With Puff Pastry pie dough in pie pan - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Drape the pastry over the pie pan, cutting off any excess and then tightly tucking it in around the edges of the filling. Step 16: Sprinkle On The Rest Of The Brown Sugar hand sprinkling sugar on unbaked pie - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar over the pastry. Step 17: Cut Slits In The Crust, And Bake hand making slits in unbaked pie with knife - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Use a knife to cut several slits to allow steam to release through the crust, then bake for 35-40 minutes. When done, the sugars should be caramelized and bubbling around the edges of the tarte. Step 18: Invert The Tarte inverted tarte tatin on countertop - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Remove the tarte from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes, or until it stops steaming. Using oven mitts, quickly flip the tarte out onto a plate. (It's OK if it's not perfect; use your hands to rearrange any shallots or apples that have fallen out of the tarte.) Step 19: Garnish, And Enjoy caramelized shallot tarte with brazil nuts and sage - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Allow to cool slightly, then garnish with toasted Brazil nuts and remaining teaspoon salt before serving. Why Is This Crispy, Caramelly Shallot And Apple Tarte Tatin Baked Upside-Down? savory shallot tarte tatin on white plate - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table While most pies and tarts typically have the crust on the bottom and filling on top, this shallot and apple tarte tatin is actually built in reverse kind of like a pie version of an upside-down cake. Barrett tells us this is traditional for the original French dessert, although she believes the story about tarte tatin's accidental origins to be a myth. Whatever the truth may be, Barrett says constructing the tarte upside-down is "part of the fun of mastering the dish" not to mention important for the flavor. By layering on the puff pastry last, Barrett is able to sprinkle the pie pan with sugar, which caramelizes in the oven and forms a sweet and crunchy crust over the tender shallots. This technique can be applied to any type of tarte tatin, be it sweet or savory. When Should I Serve With This Crispy, Caramelly Shallot And Apple Tarte Tatin? savory shallot tarte tatin on white plate - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table One question you may have in mind as you read through the recipe might be, "Is this tarte a dessert or a side dish?" Barrett describes her recipe as "a lovely side," although she also says "it can also serve as its own meal." Since this vegetarian tarte is on the lighter side, you may want to serve it with something hearty like a chef's salad if you'd like to enjoy it as an entree. Of course, you could always serve it for breakfast or brunch, as Barrett also suggests, since it would complement both the sweet and savory dishes on the table. If you want to try something really outside the box, you could always serve this shallot and apple tarte tatin as a dessert. Even though the filling only contains a small amount of sugar, Barrett says the "crunchy, caramelized sugar coating" definitely helps to sweeten things up. What's more, savory-leaning desserts are typical in France, where many meals finish with a cheese board imagine how well this tarte would go with a selection of cheeses and nuts. Crispy, Caramelly Shallot And Apple Tarte Tatin Recipe savory shallot tarte tatin on white plate - Kara Barrett/Tasting Table Prep Time: 15mCook Time: 50mYield: 8 servingsIngredients 8 large shallots 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste, divided cup brown sugar, divided 1 cup peeled apple slices 1 sheet puff pastry 2 tablespoons chopped Brazil nuts, toasted Directions Set the oven to broil. Cut shallots in half lengthwise, remove the tail ends, and peel off the skin. Place shallots cut side-up on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Broil for 15 minutes, until charred and caramelized. Meanwhile, in a small pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add sage and teaspoon salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the leaves are crisp and the butter has browned. Set aside. When shallots are done, remove them from the oven and reset the temperature to bake at 400 F. Use remaining butter to generously grease a 9 -inch pie pan. Sprinkle about half of the brown sugar all over the bottom of the pie pan, reserving the rest for later. Distribute about half of the buttery sage leaves all over the bottom of the pie pan, reserving the rest for later. Place shallots cut side-down into the pie pan, covering the bottom but leaving enough room to tuck in the apple slices. Tuck the apple slices between the shallots. (The fit will be snug, and you may not use the full cup of apples.) Sprinkle the shallots and apples evenly with the remaining buttery sage leaves, teaspoon salt, and all but approximately 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Roll out the puff pastry so it will be large enough to cover the pie pan. Drape the pastry over the pie pan, cutting off any excess and then tightly tucking it in around the edges of the filling. Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar over the pastry and use a knife to cut several slits to allow steam to release through the crust. Bake for 35-40 minutes, then remove from the oven. The sugars should be caramelized and bubbling around the edges of the tarte. Let the tarte sit for 5 minutes, or until it stops steaming, then hold the pan with oven mitts and quickly flip the tarte out onto a plate. (It's OK if it's not perfect; use your hands to rearrange any shallots or apples that have fallen out of the tarte.) Allow to cool slightly, then garnish with toasted Brazil nuts and remaining teaspoon salt before serving. Read the original article on Tasting Table. I recall once during a season of depression, my beloved physician assuring me that the increased light in springtime would be a helpful antidote. He was right. It is my prayer for all of us who may be feeling overwhelmed by the heartache in the world and in our lives, that this glorious season of lengthening days and incredible beauty, this season when, as the ancient hymn describes, earth her joy confesses clothing her for spring, will lighten the mood in downcast spirits. This coming week, several religions have festivals or holy days that add to the joy and beauty of the spring season. Jewish holiday of Purim Rabbi Sidlofsky of Temple Israel invited the community to a time of prayer for peace on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, two days after the surprise attack on Israel by Hamas. The Jewish community will be celebrating Purim, known as the most fun-filled holiday of the Jewish year. Honored this year on the evening of March 23 and continuing March 24, the festival celebrates the salvation of the Jews from Hamans plot to annihilate all the Jews in Ancient Persia more than 2,000 years ago as told in the book of Esther. It also affirms the courage of Queen Esther and all Jews since to claim their Jewishness. There are four elements to the festival, including reading the entire book of Esther twice, sending a substantial gift of food to a friend, giving at least two needy people a gift of food or cash, and a joyful, lavish communal meal. Involving noise makers, costumes, indulgent food, drink, and laughter, Temple Israel (among other Jewish groups in Tallahassee) offers a variety of ways to celebrate at temple-israel.org. Holy Week and Palm Sunday In Christian congregations, the joyous and peaceful entry of Jesus into Jerusalem will be the theme on March 24 for Palm Sunday. Recorded in all four gospel narratives, the crowds welcomed Jesus with the waving of palm branches, creating a pathway with their garments, shouting hosannas. In churches all over the world as well as here in Tallahassee, children and adults will reenact this moment of joy that begins the last week of Jesus life, a week referred to as Holy Week, leading to Easter Sunday. Trinity United Methodist Church is but one of many churches in our community that will be celebrating Palm Sunday with a palm processional on March 24. See trinitymp.org for their Holy Week schedule. Hindu family of Santosh Dixit, Anjali Awasthi, and son, Shubham at local Holi Festival of Colors. Hindu festival of Holi Holi, an ancient Hindu festival dating to 4CE, celebrated first in India and now in places around the world, is being officially held on March 25 this year. Also known as the festival of colors, love, and spring, it involves in part throwing colored water and colored powder at each other in playful banter. Once made exclusively of flowers, the colored powders are stunningly beautiful. Based on several ancient Hindu legends, Holi encourages staying positive, goodness over evil, and a moment of reprieve from the societal norms that divide us. In our community, Holi is being celebrated on March 23 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Langford Green. Pushpendra Srivastava throws green color in the hair of his son Apurva Srivastava, 16, during a Holi celebration organized by the India Association of Tallahassee at A.J. Henry Park Sunday, March 24, 2019. Also, the India Association of Tallahassee will be hosting a Holi Celebration at AJ Henry Park on Saturday, March 30, 2024, from 11 a.m.- 2 a.m. for its members. Holi has become increasingly popular outside of India in large part because of the millions of Indians and other South Asians living all over the world. Ramadan Beyond these three imminent religious celebrations there, are other religious springtime observances. Set by the lunar calendar, as are all these spring celebrations, the Islamic observance of Ramadan has been ongoing this year since the evening of March 10, and will continue until April 9 for our Muslim neighbors. Ramadan commemorates the month during which Muslims believe the prophet Muhammed received the first revelations of the Quran, their holy scripture. While they do not eat or drink during daylight hours during this holy month, Muslims find the fasting, introspection, practice of gratitude, scripture reading, prayer and giving to charity to be both meaningful and joyful. The evening breaking of the fast after sunset (iftar) is often enjoyed in community, and the final breaking of the fast on Eid Al Fitr is particularly joyous. The Islamic Center of Tallahassee has more information. Passover Rabbi Sidlofsky leads a ceremony of prayer, song and readings at Temple Israel as a time for community members to show solidarity and support for Israel on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. Passover, an eight-day festival celebrating the Jewish liberation from slavery in Egypt, is one of the most important Jewish holidays of the year, falling on April 22-30, 2024. The Haggadah, the core text of the Passover seder, is being reimagined this year by many congregations considering the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. In addition to the seminal Four Questions recited during the seder, which ask, Why is this night different from all other nights? some rabbis, scholars, and leaders suggest additional text this year to reflect the feelings of seder attendees. According to an article in The Jewish Telegraphic Agency, a potential change might be to include, On all other nights, we think that we have answers. Tonight, we all just stay silent, says the passage, which is in Hebrew. On all other nights, we remember, sing and cry. On this night, we only cry. Religion and sacred rituals A new PEW research center survey released on March 14 (polling 12,693 U.S. adults from Feb. 13-25, 2024) indicates that 8 of 10 Americans say religion is losing influence in public life, and 49% say both that religion is losing influence and that this is bad. While there is certainly legitimate cause for concern and correction in many religions and religious institutions, I am grateful that we still have people who find value in religions and the sacred rituals they offer. Robin Dunbar, emeritus professor of evolutionary psychology at the University of Oxford and author of How Religion Evolved and Why It Endures, says religious people are more likely to feel that they belong to a community, and the practice of religious rituals triggers physiological responses that help seal that sense of connectedness. She also says that the cognitive abilities that allow for religious discussion involving understanding what another is thinking, imagining beyond what is, and acknowledging parallel worlds, is what gives us science and literature in addition to religion, enriching civilization. I am deeply appreciative of the remarkable power of nature and its beauty to lift the human spirit as my doctor prescribed long ago. I am also grateful for the many ways spring has inspired rich and supportive rituals in many of the religions of the world. With so much chaos and sorrow in the world, I am encouraged to know that religion, while not for everyone, is still a source of strength for many, some in the most desperate situations, in finding hope. The Rev. Candace McKibben is an ordained minister and pastor of Tallahassee Fellowship. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Joy and beauty of spring celebrated among many faiths Rome might not have built ancient historys biggest empire a shout out to Genghis for that one but it was undoubtedly the most enduring and influential. Thats because Roman passions for outrageous, oversized architecture went hand in hand with detailed record-keeping and relentless imperial PR. As a result not only have a huge number of landmark sites survived to this day, but we also know a lot about them. So grab your toga and follow us from the sands of Africa to the soggiest bits of the Scottish Borders to discover everything from spectacular triple-decker bridges and legendary stadiums to air-fried ancient pets and a huge German gate that didnt actually work. Coliseum What: The most iconic sports stadium of all Where: Rome, Italy Whoa: 80,000 seat Roman Super Bowl When it comes to superlative Roman buildings, Romes own amphitheater is by far the most famous. With a maximum seating capacity of 80,000, its the largest ancient amphitheater ever built. The instantly recognizable four-story arched oval towers nearly 50 meters (160 feet) high, and was used for gladiatorial games that went on for days at a time. The passages and rooms for waiting animals up to 9,000 a show and fighters can still be clearly seen under where the arena floor would have been. We should warn you that the lines to get in now are likely even longer than the Roman ones though. So either get there very early or just enjoy watching influencers fighting their own gladiator battles over the best selfie spots as the sun goes down. Fun fact: The floor of the Coliseum could be flooded with water for the enactment of sea battles. Pompeii and Herculaneum Many of Pompeii's treasures were baked into a state of perfect preservation. - Marco Cantile/LightRocket/Getty Images What: Volcanically immortalized Roman towns Where: Naples, Italy Whoa: The closest youll get to 2,000 years of time travel Pliny the Youngers story of the destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum is the original disaster movie script. It tells how the eruption of nearby Mount Vesuvius in 79 ACE buried the two towns in up to six meters of superheated ash in just two days. That incinerated 1,000-plus inhabitants who hadnt fled fast enough and even some of their pets. It also literally baked buildings, paintings, artifacts and even food remains into a state of perfect preservation. While it was forgotten for over 1,000 years, this UNESCO World Heritage site now gets over 2,500,000 visitors a year. Thats still a positive though. With the streets crowded with foreign voices and Roman shop signs and graffiti still vivid on the walls, youll instantly be transported back in time like no other site we know. Funereal fact: Archaeologists have created haunting casts of Pompeiis victims and their pets by filling the voids left in the solidified ash with plaster. Pont du Gard What: Incredible triple-decker bridge Where: Gardon River, France Whoa: 360 meters long (1,181 feet), 50 meters high, over 2,000 years old Not only is the Pont du Gard aqueduct breathtakingly beautiful, its also an incredible example of how meticulous Roman engineering and mathematics were. While most of the Western world was still relying on wells for their water until a century ago, the Romans had running water for drinking, bathing and fountains 2,000 years ago. The triple-decker aqueduct 50 meters above the river Gardon shows just how ingenious they could be in guaranteeing that supply too. Not only is the arched architecture absolutely beautiful, but its created from such precisely cut stone it doesnt even use mortar to hold it together. Look closely and you can even see inscribed instructions as to where each stone (some as heavy as six tons) was meant to go in the grand design. Fun fact: The overall water course length the aqueduct is part of is 50 kilometers long (30 miles) with an average gradient of just 1 in 3,000. Lepcis Magna Lepcis Magna was once a thriving Roman port city. - Mahmud Turkia/AFP/Getty Images What: Spectacularly preserved Roman port Where: Libyan coast Whoa: Seeing is still not believing The undoubted winner of the most incredible Roman site youve never heard of award is Lepcis Magna. It might sound more like the scientific name of a rare animal, but this Libyan site is home to an unbelievably well-preserved Roman port. Once a thriving city, flourishing on the trade from deeper Africa, Lepcis Magna was gradually swallowed up by desert sands after the Roman Empire collapsed. It was barely disturbed for the next 1,500 years either, so the huge, column-lined forum, vast semi-circular theater overlooking the sea, multi-tier amphitheater and many stunning sculptures and murals have all survived almost intact. Sadly, with many governments currently warning against travel to Libya, its one that most of us are better off viewing remotely for the time being. Fun Fact: Lepcis Magna was the birthplace of emperor Septimus Severus and his majestic triumphal arch is the perfectly preserved gateway to the deserted city. Pantheon What: Unique domed temple Where: Rome, Italy Whoa: Unbeaten Roman engineering If it wasnt for the queues looping right round the square in front of it, you might think the Pantheon was just another big Roman temple. After all, the portico (front face) with its eight Corinthian columns and carved triangular top certainly look conventional enough. Join the queue to get inside though, and the radical construction of this building becomes very clear. The circular body of this temple-turned-church is topped with a stunning domed rotunda, complete with a central hole to let sunlight in. The ceiling is awe-inspiring enough aesthetically to have you staring up in wonder, but theres another reason to be blown away too. At 43 meters (140 feet) in diameter, this historic half-sphere is still the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world, nearly 2,000 years after it was made. Fun fact: The base of the dome uses heavyweight travertine concrete while the top is lightweight tufa and pumice. Palatine Hill The Palatine was once Rome's swankiest address. - StevanZZ/Alamy Stock Photo What: The heart of ancient Rome Where: Rome, Italy Whoa: A pancake stack of palaces Rome might have been known as the city of the seven hills, but only one mound really mattered: The Palatine. This prehistoric origin site became the must-have address of leading Republican politicians before Emperor Augustus took charge, back in 27 BCE, and started a streak of Imperial palace-building. Tiberius, Domitian and Nero continued the pancake-stacking frenzy until the whole hill was completely buried under the masonry, monumental arches, pillars and towering retaining walls you see today. The result is a fascinating puzzle for visitors to unravel while enjoying spectacular views of forum ruins at its feet and across to the Coliseum and Circus Maximus. Dont miss the house of Augustus guided tour either, as the projected displays are a masterpiece of museum tech. Fun fact: Neros palace on the Palatine burnt down, so he swapped to another hill for his second Golden Home. Porta Nigra What: Huge German frontier gate Where: Trier, Germany Whoa: Like Game of Thrones but for real Throughout Roman history, Germany was the final frontier where only the boldest of emperors would go. The remains of countless centuries of campaigning against tenacious Teutonic tribes are still relatively rare though. This makes the Porta Nigra (Black Gate) in Trier particularly important. While having four gates on each side of a square town was the standard Roman civic design all over the empire, Triers double-tower castle design is also outstanding in its size and complexity. Thats made this dramatic structure a designated UNESCO World Heritage site and well worth a visit on any Roman road trip across Europe. Fun fact: The archway stonework was never fully finished, which means the gates would never have shut properly. Vindolanda Vindolanda is still being excavated by archaeologists. - makasana/iStock Editorial/Getty Images What: Highlight of Hadrians Wall Where: Northern England Whoa: Roman love letters and so many sandals The roller coaster, 70-mile-long turf and stone wall that Hadrian built coast to coast across northern England is a multi-site, must-visit Roman treasure in itself. Vindolanda, just to the south of the craggy, weatherbeaten ridgeline fortifications, is home to a unique and unmissable museum too. The Vindolanda tablets are a collection of wooden Post It notes preserved in the waterlogged ground of the site. Their handwritten texts include military admin documents, curses, love letters and even a party invitation from an officers wife. Together they offer a unique insight into everyday life at the farthest-flung edge of the Roman Empire. The onsite museum also has a huge collection of superbly preserved sandals, leatherwork, fabric and even wigs from nearly 2,000 years ago. You can watch archaeologists working on the site every summer too, so who knows what theyll find while youre there. Fun fact: Hadrians Wall isnt the furthest north the Romans got. Antonine built another wall further up in Scotland but didnt like the cooking so didnt bother staying. Aphrodisia What: The ancient city of love Where: Anatolia, Turkey Whoa: Incredibly intact Roman city Despite being named after the Greek goddess of love, its the Roman remains that youre going to fall head over heels for at Aphrodisia. A UNESCO World Heritage site since 2017, Aphrodisia was largely deserted after an earthquake, so its been untouched for over 1,500 years. The incredibly well-preserved remains include the towering columns of the Temple of Aphrodisia itself and a semi-circular, marble-seated Odeon for political meetings. A vast multi-story, pillared sebastion (imperial temple), theater auditorium and bath house also wait to be discovered among scattered sculptures and whispering trees. Or maybe youll want to run a Roman lap around one of the best preserved and largest stadiums in the empire. Fun fact: The Temple of Aphrodisia is actually the least well-loved bit of the site as Christian Emperors partially demolished it to deter die-hard Aphrodisiacs. Baths of Caracalla The Baths of Caracalla were built from an estimated 5,000,000 tons of stone. - leventina/iStockphoto/Getty Images What: Ruins of a huge public bath complex Where: Rome, Italy Whoa: Romes forgotten jaw dropper If there was one Roman site that needs the kind of ominous drone soundtrack normally reserved for the first appearance of a planet-destroying spaceship on a cinema screen, its the Baths of Caracalla. This one good deed of the infamous, brother-murdering tyrant Caracalla is often forgotten, but we reckon this behemoth of a building is absolutely worth including on any Roman itinerary. Built from an estimated 5,000,000 tons of stone, it is genuinely jaw dropping in scale. The furnace-stoked underfloor heating and multiple baths fed by dedicated aqueducts entertained and steam-cleaned up to 8,000 Romans a day for three centuries. And while ruined and isolated from the normal tourist trail now, that somehow makes this monstrous local leisure center even more resonant as a vast brooding reminder of the scale Rome operated on. Fun fact: The baths of Caracalla arent even the biggest in Rome. Diocletian gets that badge. Guy Kesteven is a former archaeologist who now joins up ancient sites by bike with his wife Sarah on their @pedallingpast YouTube channel. Their daughter Freya, who is studying archaeology at Londons Royal Holloway University, assisted with research on this story. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The story of the Gucci family is headed to the small screen with members of the fashion dynasty involved, Variety revealed on Wednesday. Producer Giorgio Gucci, a great-great-grandson of the labels founder, Guccio Gucci, has signed an agreement with Gaumont, a French film and television studio. More from WWD Guccio Guccis grandsons Roberto, Giorgio and Maurizio Gucci (L to R) at a boutique opening in Paris in 1983. We are interested in telling the story of a family business, because that is what the Gucci saga is about, Giorgio Gucci told Variety. His company, Alcor Film, was among the producers of Alain Parronis drama An Endless Sunday, which scored the Venice Film Festivals Horizons Special Jury Prize in 2023. Gucci was certainly one of the first Italian brands to cross our borders and land in the United States, and from there to bounce around the rest of the world, becoming the absolute protagonist of the Dolce Vita here in Rome, he continued. The Gucci project is currently untitled with no director or cast attached, but Variety has confirmed that it will follow the brands inception and rise to prominence. The series will also explore the Gucci familys internal feuds, which ultimately led the Italian brood to sell their business in the 1990s. Filming will likely take place across Italy, the United States, France and the United Kingdom. One of the main reasons why we decided to board this adventure with Giorgio, Alcor and the Gucci family is because we immediately found their willingness to question themselves and therefore to not just tell the bright moments of this story, said Marco Rosi, general manager of Gaumont Italy. Im very happy that we have the opportunity to really enter into the folds of a family story that doesnt in the least want to be pure hagiography. Guccio Guccis son, Aldo Gucci, with his daughter Patricia Gucci at a presentation of Guccis spring 1983 menswear collection. How the [Gucci] family destroyed itself for the sake of business is something that interests me a lot and its not scandalous, Giorgio Gucci said. In fact, its a very human matter, or even more to the point a psychological or anthropological matter But its only by really getting to the bottom of these characters that we can fully understand them. Rosi added that the production will certainly be a very glamorous series for which we will have access to the family archives. Before launching his namesake label, Guccio Gucci was a bellboy at the Savoy Hotel in London, where he was inspired by the luxury leather suitcases carried by British aristocrats. Gucci opened his first boutique in Florence in 1921, with his sons Aldo, Vasco, Rodolfo and Ugo joining the family business. Aldo is credited with raising the brands profile, opening the first Gucci boutique in Rome and introducing the labels iconic double G monogram. The Guccis were previously the subject of Ridley Scotts 2021 drama, House of Gucci, which starred Adam Driver as Maurizio Gucci and Lady Gaga as his estranged wife, Patrizia Reggiani. According to Varietys report, Gaumont and Giorgio Guccis series project was floated years before the film premiered. L to R: Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino and Jared Leto at the premiere of House of Gucci in 2021. The Gucci family issued a statement following the release of Scotts biopic, claiming that the Oscar-nominated film portrayed them inaccurately. The production of the film did not bother to consult the heirs before describing Aldo Gucci president of the company for 30 years and the members of the Gucci family as thugs, ignorant and insensitive to the world around them, the statement read. This is extremely painful from a human point of view and an insult to the legacy on which the brand is built today. Launch Gallery: Celebrities Front Row at Gucci Fall 2024 Ready-to-Wear Show Photos Best of WWD People visit an exhibition on "river civilizations" at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality, March 22, 2024. An exhibition on "river civilizations" was launched at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Friday. The exhibition, themed on ancient civilizations born in the world's major river valleys, will last until July 28. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) A visitor takes photos at an exhibition on "river civilizations" at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality, March 22, 2024. An exhibition on "river civilizations" was launched at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Friday. The exhibition, themed on ancient civilizations born in the world's major river valleys, will last until July 28. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) People visit an exhibition on "river civilizations" at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality, March 22, 2024. An exhibition on "river civilizations" was launched at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Friday. The exhibition, themed on ancient civilizations born in the world's major river valleys, will last until July 28. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) People visit an exhibition on "river civilizations" at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality, March 22, 2024. An exhibition on "river civilizations" was launched at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Friday. The exhibition, themed on ancient civilizations born in the world's major river valleys, will last until July 28. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) People visit an exhibition on "river civilizations" at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality, March 22, 2024. An exhibition on "river civilizations" was launched at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Friday. The exhibition, themed on ancient civilizations born in the world's major river valleys, will last until July 28. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) People visit an exhibition on "river civilizations" at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality, March 22, 2024. An exhibition on "river civilizations" was launched at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Friday. The exhibition, themed on ancient civilizations born in the world's major river valleys, will last until July 28. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) People visit an exhibition on "river civilizations" at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality, March 22, 2024. An exhibition on "river civilizations" was launched at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Friday. The exhibition, themed on ancient civilizations born in the world's major river valleys, will last until July 28. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo) People visit an exhibition on "river civilizations" at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality, March 22, 2024. An exhibition on "river civilizations" was launched at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Friday. The exhibition, themed on ancient civilizations born in the world's major river valleys, will last until July 28. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo) People visit an exhibition on "river civilizations" at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality, March 22, 2024. An exhibition on "river civilizations" was launched at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Friday. The exhibition, themed on ancient civilizations born in the world's major river valleys, will last until July 28. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo) People visit an exhibition on "river civilizations" at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality, March 22, 2024. An exhibition on "river civilizations" was launched at the National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Friday. The exhibition, themed on ancient civilizations born in the world's major river valleys, will last until July 28. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) Good old-fashioned Indian humor is used in a recently released public service announcement (PSA) to drive home the requirement to wear seat belts. The Oglala Sioux Tribes Department of Public Safety hired Toby Brusseau, who owns Rapid City, S.D.-based Prima Materia, to create the PSA. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. The Public Safety Department wanted a PSA that could resonate with its tribal citizens of the Oglala Souix Tribe who reside on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The result was the "Click it or Ticket" version of two Native Americans on horseback wearing seat belts. They wanted a new ad that would resonate with viewers, Brusseau said to a local South Dakota televison station. Most of the time, you see an overplayed public service announcement that doesnt really resonate, they can be very negative. The actors in the PSA are two Oglala Sioux Tribe citizens. The two characters are seated in a car, and the passenger tells the driver that he doesn't want to wear a seatbelt because "our ancestors never wore them." The next scene is a flashback with both men on horseback wearing seat belts. The Oglala Lakoa Nation posted this message on its website: "Watch as Lyle and Arlo bring their unique brand of humor to the importance of buckling up. With an unexpected twist and laugh-out-loud moments, this campaign proves that promoting safety can be both entertaining and essential." Other Indian Country organizations that have utilized Brusseau's talents and services include Indian Community School, InterTribal Buffalo Council, and Indian Tenure Land Foundation. About the Author: "Levi \"Calm Before the Storm\" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print\/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at levi@nativenewsonline.net." Contact: levi@nativenewsonline.net The restaurant Nando's started in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1987, and ever since, people from around the world have embraced the eatery with open arms. Its famous chicken marinated in a mixture of peri-peri, salt, garlic, lemon, onion, oil, and vinegar has become a favorite for heat lovers, with Prince William even claiming Nando's as a favorite (Gordon Ramsay, on the other hand, has never tried it). Peri-peri, the chain's signature flavor, is another name for the African bird's eye chili. The spread of Nando's in the U.S. has been slow. The restaurant currently features 48 locations that span five states and the District of Columbia. Georgia has the least, with just two restaurants, while Maryland has the most, with 13 locations. Illinois and Virginia trail close behind with 12 and 11, respectively, while Texas has four and D.C. has six. D.C. is home to the first U.S. Nando's, which opened in Chinatown in 2008. John Fisher, the chain's North American CEO, told WTOP News in 2023, "We picked D.C. because of the international mix here, and the exposure that residents have to International flavors and foods. It was a great place for us to land." As a testament to the restaurant's popularity, it eventually outgrew this original location and moved to new, 3,100-square-foot digs in 2023. Read more: US Foods You Surprisingly Can't Find In Canada Nando's U.S. Expansion Is Slow But Steady Nando's storefront at dusk - Nathan Stirk / Getty Images Until 2011, when Nando's opened its first Maryland location, the only regions in the U.S. where you could find the chain were Illinois and D.C. The chain entered the Virginia market in 2012, followed by Texas in 2022 and Georgia in 2024. But its slow expansion has frustrated many who live outside of those states. "Why isn't Nandos huge in the US?" commented a British transplant to New York's Hudson Valley on Reddit. While most comments agreed that the U.S. already has enough fast food chicken chains vying for customers' affections, the author argued that "Nandos is a very different product, I feel, to what is generally available." In response, one Redditor cryptically replied, "I work at Nando's, and we're planning on expanding in the US to over 500 restaurants within the next decade." Whether or not Nando's really plans to open that many stores is unknown, but it is expanding several stores in new markets have opened in the last two years alone. Additionally, unlike food chains that remain within a specific area, Nando's has spread out, opening restaurants in the Midwest (Illinois), Southwest (Texas), Southeast (Virginia and Georgia), and Mid-Atlantic (Maryland and D.C.) regions. This means that new locations could pop up anywhere. Read the original article on Mashed. For 59-year-old Victor Sharrah, the terrifying symptoms began on a winter day in Nashville. I just woke up and was sitting on the couch watching TV when my roommate came into the room, and (looking at him) Im like, What am I seeing? Then his girlfriend walked in and her face was the same, Sharrah told CNN. Each of the once-familiar faces had a grotesque grimace, elongated eyes and deeply etched scars. When turned to the side, pointy ears suddenly appeared, he said, much like those of Spock, the Vulcan first officer on the USS Enterprise in Star Trek. I tried to explain to my roommate what I was seeing, and he thought I was nuts. Then I went outside and all of the faces of people I saw were distorted and still are, Sharrah said. Its like staring at demons, he added. Imagine waking up one morning and suddenly everybody in the world looks like a creature in a horror movie. Sharrah has a rare condition called prosopometamorphopsia, or PMO, in which parts of the faces of other people appear distorted in shape, texture, position or color. Objects and other parts of a persons body, however, typically remain undisturbed. I helped create a computer-generated 2D picture of what I see in faces, but theres so much more to it, said Sharrah, speaking about research on his case that was published in the Clinical Pictures section of The Lancet Thursday. What people dont understand from a picture is that the distorted face is moving, contorting, talking to you, making facial gestures, he added. It does kind of distance me from other people a bit. I try not to let it because I know what it is, its PMO. Yet I still feel like Im not getting as close to people as I used to. For Sharrah, the faces he sees have the same basic distortions, but movement changes his perception. - A. Mello et al. All types of distortions Prosopometamorphopsia is different from face blindness, the condition shared by actor Brad Pitt, former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper, renowned neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks, Swedens Crown Princess Victoria and perhaps as many as 1 in 50 people. In face blindness, faces are not distorted; instead the brain simply has trouble recognizing faces, even familiar faces making nearly everyone a stranger. With PMO, however, a person will often have little trouble recognizing a loved one or familiar face, yet that face will be distorted, often in predictable ways. For me the basic distortions are the same for each person, with the lines in the face, the stretching of the eyes and the mouth, and the pointy ears, Sharrah said. But the size and shape of a persons face or head and how they move can be different and change just how distorted they might be. Some people with PMO see their own faces as distorted or even damaged. Two patients, while standing in front of the mirror, saw one eye popping out of its socket and slithering down the cheek, according to an April 2023 review of literature. For others with the condition, like Victor, the entire face of another person appears misshapen, much like a funhouse mirror, according to a description in another published case study. Others see only half the face as crooked or malformed. After a tumor was removed from the left side of his brain, one patient described the right side of his doctors face in which the eye became a ghastly staring hole, cheek bone a cavity; he had teeth on the upper lip, often had two ears. Others with PMO have eloquently described faces as like clocks in a Dali painting or kaleidoscopically changing. Still others have seen faces morph into dragons or fish heads, or ears pop out of the top of peoples heads. Some patients report seeing shortened arms attached to faces, peoples eyes leaving the skull and rotating in front of it, or third eyes in the middle of peoples foreheads. The woman who saw dragons began seeing them as a child, so there are development cases of PMO in which people grow up with the condition and dont know that faces are supposed to look different, said Brad Duchaine, a professor of psychological and brain sciences at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. Only 81 cases of PMO exist in published literature, according to a June 2021 review, but there are likely many more people living with the condition, said Duchaine, the senior author on the Lancet case study. We started a website so people can learn about PMO, and weve heard from at least 80 people so far, he said. And were finding that people from around the world are reporting the same symptoms without knowing anything about others with the condition. In certain situations, other body parts can be different, such as the back of this woman's head, Sharrah said. - A. Mello et al. With so little knowledge available, many people with PMO can be diagnosed with schizophrenia or other similar hallucinatory conditions and put on anti-psychotic medications or even institutionalized, said Antonio Vitor Reis Goncalves Mello, a doctoral student in psychological and brain sciences at Dartmouth, who is first author on the case study. However, science now knows that people can develop PMO after a brain injury, tumor or infection, or after seizures such as in epilepsy, he said. A piece of good evidence is that in more than 50% of cases with half-face distortions, for example, the patient has a lesion to a particular part of the brain, Mello said. In those cases were confident theyre not making it up, so when other people come along and report very similar experiences it seems unlikely that they are not being truthful. Evil, twisted and demented Diagnosed with bipolar disorder as a teen, Sharrah struggled with mental illness that intensified into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a stint in the US Marine Corps. I was in Beirut on October 23, 1983 when they bombed our barracks. And anytime something goes wrong in my life, my biggest battle is with suicidal psychosis its the first place my brain turns, he said. As part of his coping, Sharrah has been a long-time member of a Facebook suicide support group. Increasingly fearful of what was happening to him after the distortions began, he posted his symptoms online. I feel like Im shutting down. Like Im dying inside. Every face I see thats not on a screen looks evil, twisted and demented. I mean literally looks like something from a John Carpenter movie, he wrote in January 2020. Im growing cold, hateful and uncaring. I dont know how to stop it. Maybe its too late. In Casper, Wyoming, Catherine Morris was waiting for a meeting to start and just happened to check Facebook, where she was a volunteer for the same suicide support group. Having worked in schools with the visually impaired for over 30 years, she was familiar with how people sometimes saw visual distortions based on how their brains perceived different colors and intensities of light. I saw his post pop up, and I thought what do I do? I can reach out and maybe I can help him, but I dont want to give him false hope, Morris said. I told him that he had to promise me one thing while we were working together, he couldnt hurt himself. Morris knew from her training that such distortions could be triggered by a specific area of the brain called the fusiform gyrus, which is responsible for face perception, object recognition and reading. Light distorts, so the solution, she thought, might be finding a particular color or intensity of light that might reduce his symptoms. Ive bought one of the multi-colored light bulbs with an app that Catherine was able to control from Wyoming, Sharrah said. Then we got on a video call and did a whole bunch of our own tests. Afraid for his mental health, Morris had asked Sharrah for his phone number and address before the tests because if he became too upset, I was calling 911. Then she had him look into a mirror while she manipulated the colors of light. When I got to the wrong color of light, the red light that intensified the distortions, I watched it happen. He started to have a full on panic attack. He withdrew from the screen and the expression on his face was quite horrified, Morris said. I told him to shut his eyes and remember that this wasnt real, his brain was tricking him, she said. Then I moved the light to green and asked him to open his eyes. He did and the distortion was gone. And he just sat there and bawled like a baby. Boyed by their success, Morris ordered a pair of glasses tinted with the proper shade of green. Knowing that Sharrah was soon due to see his estranged daughter and meet his grandchildren for the first time, she sent them rush delivery. And they arrived the morning he met his granddaughters, she said. He got to meet them for the first time, and they looked normal. Treatment and education is the goal Today, Sharrah is working closely with Duchaine and Mello at their Dartmouth lab, helping test various interventions to ease or reverse the symptoms of PMO. The research has duplicated the benefits of green lenses in countering Sharrahs symptoms and found that manipulating colors in lenses helped others with PMO as well although the colors that work might differ. Another promising treatment showing people with PMO completely symmetrical faces, which appears to reduce distortion. If that stands up to more testing, perhaps glasses can be made to help people see faces more symmetrically, Mello said. But one of the biggest breakthroughs came when the team realized that Sharrah did not see distortions on 2D images. Most of the participants with PMO will see distortions to faces in real life and faces on images, which has kept us from being able to capture exactly what they see, Morro said. With Victor, we were able to have him describe a real persons face while (also) looking at an image of them that we manipulated until it reflected the distortions he saw. The research is wonderful work, and the first time that an accurate illustration of PMO has been captured, said psychiatrist Dr. Jan Dirk Blom, who heads the Outpatient Clinic for Uncommon Psychiatric Syndromes at Parnassia Psychiatric Institute in The Hague, Netherlands. For Sharrah, the research is a way that he might help save another person from being misdiagnosed by doctors unaware of the rare syndrome. I almost had myself committed to a mental hospital, and one of the people who reached out to Dartmouth was institutionalized for psychosis. How many other people are institutionalized and being put on anti-psychotics when theyre not psychotic? For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Theyre arrest-rooms. UK parents were outraged after a potty pooper secondary school installed cages around the bathrooms so that students couldnt heed natures call during class. To put metal doors on them is just going too far, incensed grandparent Ian Ward, 54, told Coventry Live of the disgusting, facility imprisonment, which was implemented at Foxford Community School in Longford, Coventry. The Coventry resident, who has six grandchildren at the school, said they implemented the draconian-seeming measure on March 6 because they were having issues with students in the toilets. He didnt elaborate, although it presumably has to do with students treating classrooms as revolving doors, and it was reportedly part of an ongoing campaign to crack down on the issue. UK parents were outraged after the FoxFord Community School installed cages around the bathrooms so that students couldnt heed natures call during class. kwanchaichaiudom stock.adobe.com Kids are only allowed to go to the toilet under supervision which is totally wrong, said Ian Ward, 54. Ian Ward / BPM Media Foxford has for a while kept the toilet doors locked preventing the kids from using the toilets, Ward explained. Now they have fitted locked cage doors to prevent the kids from even getting near the toilets and have said the kids can only use the toilets during break times but not during lessons. This seemingly cruel and unusual policy enacted on grades 7 through 11 effectively means kids can only go to the bathroom under supervision. Accompanying pictures show the so-called arrest-rooms, which are barricaded with metal bars like something out of Alcatraz. Ward didnt take too kindly that students were literally barred from using the bathroom at their convenience School is supposed to be a safe place for kids and it is supposed to be a relaxed environment, but how it is a relaxed environment when they are locked up? the Brit fumed. It is taking away the freedom of being able to use the toilet as and when you need it. He added, What if a child is on their period or has problems holding for a long time? The Foxford Community School in Longford, UK. Google St View He claimed that his children were also upset over the measure, and argued that there are alternatives to putting restrooms under lock and key. I think there are other ways of controlling that by having somebody sit by the toilets at certain times, he said. And if there is a problem then someone is close by, there is no need to lock them and say you are not using them. However, Foxford school officials balked at the characterization of the facilities as cages, claiming that they had simply installed metal doors in two bathrooms. These are not cages and the doors are unlocked before and after school, as well as at break and lunchtimes, a school spokesperson declared. School is supposed to be a safe place for kids and it is supposed to be a relaxed environment, but how it is a relaxed environment when they are locked up? said Ward. Stephen Bonk stock.adobe.com In a similarly poo-nitive measure unveiled last year, an unidentified teacher was dumped on for allegedly only letting her students use the bathroom three times a month. According to the leaked message circulating Reddit, students were allotted three tickets a month which they had to submit every time they used the bathroom. The advisory stipulated that leaving the classroom sans permission automatically uses one of these lavatory ration cards. Meanwhile, the professor will check the loo users name off and keep tabs on how long theyre gone, per the bladder-busting policy. And dont try hoarding these poop passes like at a prison commissary as students may not use another classmates ticket and these tickets do not roll over, the note warns. That handbag is not just blue. Its not lavender, and its not indigo. Its actually periwinkle. This trending shade of pastel blue is a tricky color to pin down, similar to that notorious cerulean from The Devil Wears Prada. Luckily, though, it hasnt stopped anyone from trying. This season, countless brands have introduced on-trend dresses, tops, handbags, and accessories in the fresh, spring-ready hue. Periwinkle is now in full bloomlearn more about this spring fashion trend and shop a few of our favorite pieces ahead. About the Trend Periwinkle, despite its trending status, is tough to standardize. Its classically defined as a light indigo, but this vivid color runs the gamut from deep hydrangea to something more on the lavender side. (Read: This spring fashion trend has tons of versatility and range.) Pantone deemed a variation of the hue, Very Peri, Color of the Year in 2022, and periwinkles futuristic vibe might also remind you of the icy blues that took over TikTok late last year. Albert Urso / Stringer / Getty Images In Stauds recent collection on the spring 2024 NYFW runways, we saw the playful pastel intersect with everything from ball skirts to tailored silhouettesthe latter of which seems to be catching on as a wider trend. In a recent TikTok, OG workwear label Ann Taylor deemed periwinkle "the new black" when building cubicle-ready ensembles. Out of the office? New York brand Dawang thoroughly explored the botanical hue last year, dropping a collection of sweet pastel tops and dresses inspired by traditional Chinese designs. Meanwhile, periwinkle has been all over awards shows: After it-girls Ayo Edebiri and Olivia Rodrigo test-drove the shade in recent years, the 2024 Oscars red carpet included stunning pastel blue gowns on stars including Lupita Nyong'o and Da'Vine Joy Randolph. When shopping for a periwinkle piece, pay close attention to the garments shade and undertones. Due to the range of periwinkle interpretations, this color might translate as something more blue- or violet-toned when shopping across brands, so it's good to think about which variation you're looking for. Ready to add this sweet pastel to your wardrobe? Below, see 12 of our favorite on-trend periwinkle fashion pieces to shop this season. Periwinkle Fashion Pieces to Shop for Spring All in the Details Brandon Blackwood Mini Kendrick Trunk ($250) SHOP Hoping to add just a pop of periwinkle? This variation of Brandon Blackwoods fan-favorite Mini Kendrick handbag brings the perfect balance of saturation and sparkle. Keeping It Casual Skims Vintage T-Shirt ($48) SHOP This versatile tee from Skims does it all, and the muted periwinkle shade is a great way to switch up your look from classic white or gray. Beyond the sweet hint of color, we also love this shirts soft, cotton-blend fabric and slim fit. Put-Together Peri Staud Brett Vest ($225) SHOP A sweet periwinkle hue lightens up this classic vest silhouette, bringing softness and fresh visual interest to a staple transition piece. Elevated Leisure Hill House The Tulle Ellie Nap Dress ($278) SHOP With the coquette aesthetic still going strong, we love unapologetically feminine pieces that elevate every situation from lounging at home to busy days around town, and this tiered tulle dress does exactly that. Pair it with accessorized sneakers and a statement handbag for a fresh spring style moment. Periwinkle Priorities Baggu Mini Nylon Shoulder Bag ($44) SHOP Its no surprise that Baggu has already picked up on periwinkle. This unfussy, pint-sized tote is perfect for brunch or weekend errandsand every springtime adventure in between. Sweet Satin Vince Frayed-Edge Bias Midi Skirt ($395) SHOP Satin midi skirts are already a classic, but this surprisingly fun hem (and sweet pastel periwinkle hue) make this staple piece feel a bit more contemporary. Step Into Peri Bombas Lightweight Frill Quarter Socks ($18) SHOP Slowly stepping into a springtime palette? The lettuce-edge cuffs on these Bombas socks only add to this colors playful energy. Back to Basics Intimissimi Long Sleeve Bateau Neck Top ($39) SHOP Italian lingerie brand Intimissimis silky tops went viral last yearand for good reason. The lightweight fabric, pastel color, and minimalist cut are all primed for transitioning this TikTok-beloved piece into the warmer months. Slashed Silhouette Abercrombie & Fitch Soft Matte Seamless Slash Top ($35) SHOP Let vivid periwinkle speak for itself with this seamless tank top. The slashed neckline and cropped fit keep this Abercrombie & Fitch style squarely on-trend, but it still remains effortless enough to pair with a statement blazer. Laid-Back Lavender Good American Smooth Matte Zip-Top ($199) SHOP This sleek, fitted jacket lands on the more lavender side of periwinkle. Try spicing up a night-out ensemble by pairing the piece with a metallic silver skirt and kitten heels. Feeling Blue J. Crew V-Neck Slip Dress ($128) SHOP This vivid hydrangea slip dress from J. Crew is simple to style and layer. Whats even better? With just a few accessories, its easy to transition this piece from spring to summer. Moody Mules Jeffrey Campbell Esmerelda Square Toe Mule ($160) SHOP If you cant bear to disrupt your neutrals-only wardrobe, these stylish mules should be on your radar. Theyre elevated, versatile, and just a little bit funkyperfect for dressing up some low-rise denim or a monochrome sweater set. Read the original article on Byrdie. This interview was originally published in March 2010. It is republished following the death of Maurizio Pollini, aged 82 Being described as an intellectual is always a handicap for a performing artist. Its damning with faint praise, because the implication is that the things that really matter spontaneity and passion are missing. If theres one musician who proves just how wrong-headed this opposition is between heart and brain, its the Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini. Hes been at the very top of the tree of classical pianism for a good 40 years, and first shot to fame 10 years before that, when he won the Chopin competition in Warsaw in 1960. Nowadays, he fills concert halls wherever he plays, but its a refined and subtle pleasure he brings. Pollini doesnt whip audiences to a frenzy, preferring that special kind of intensity that works by understatement. Cool and controlled are the epithets often pinned on him. First impressions when I meet him are indeed cool. He lives with his wife in an exquisite wooden-floored apartment just a stones throw from Milans cathedral. The first things that hit you are the pastel-coloured modernist-looking architectural designs on every wall. Yes, those are by my father. He was one of the Group of Seven architects who tried to bring modernist architecture to Italy. And look, over here, he says, leading me into the dining room with his strangely eager, shambling gait, this is a sculpture by my uncle. He peers with proprietorial pride at a delicate assemblage of wire and cut metal. Of course, it was not easy for them in the Fascist period. Mussolini was against anything modern. Mention of Thirties Italian politics inevitably leads to mention of Italian politics today. Pollini throws up his hands in despair. Berlusconi is a total disaster. What is really scandalous are the new laws that are being planned, to give him presidential powers. If he wins the referendum, it will be a black day for Italy. Democracy is being killed in this country, but by small steps, so nobody notices. Italy has many beautiful and strong things, but politics is not one of them. To cheer him up, I bring back the conversation to imperishable, pure things music and modernism, which clearly runs in the Pollini blood. That explains his love of Boulez and Stockhausen and other high-modernists who are out of fashion. But theres also the other side of Pollini the fabulously sensitive touch in Chopin, the grasp of form in Beethoven. Where did that come from? Well, there was a lot of music in the house. My mother sang a little and my father played the piano. And Milan was a wonderful city for culture when I was a child. All the great pianists came here, Backhaus, Walter Giesking, Rubinstein. It was Rubinstein who led the jury that declared Pollini the winner of the 1960 Warsaw competition, saying: that boy can play the piano better than any of us. Yes, he was very nice to me, Pollini says, and I remember when I was a boy he played the Chopin 2nd Concerto, he absolutely filled the hall with his sound. You know, people have this idea Chopin has to be delicate, but we dont have to play Chopin in his own way. I love that story of Chopin listening to Liszt play the Etudes in a very fiery way, and afterwards he said, Id like to steal from Liszt his way of playing my music. Pollini playing in Paris - Karen Robinson After 50 years, does he still find things to discover in Chopin? He looks surprised. But it is such a privilege to play Chopin! Everything is so perfectly calculated, but to reveal the beauty of his sound is always difficult. Also, he is fascinating because he can seem very modern to me. Look at his concentration, which confused people at the time. One of his preludes was only nine bars long, but a friend persuaded him to repeat four bars, and he wrote over it, to Monsieur X, whos often right! With Pollini, its clear that the classics and modern music arent opposed, they all form part of a great tradition. Next year, the Royal Festival Hall is hosting The Pollini Project, a five-concert series that brings together all Pollinis favourite music, from Bach through late Beethoven and Romantics like Schumann, to modern classics by Boulez and Stockhausen. All difficult music, all allusive and complicated. But for Pollini, thats the secret of its appeal. The complexity in the music makes the intensity. Think of the really complex pieces in the history of music Bachs Art of Fugue, the Prolation Mass by Ockeghem (a 15th-century Flemish composer), Beethovens Great Fugue, Boulezs Second Sonata, which I will play in London. There is enormous emotion in this music! The complexity does not go against the emotion, they go together in the most magical way. 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. Last month, Prince William abruptly dropped out of attending the ceremony honoring his godfather King Constantine of Greece. He was set to do a reading at the service, according to the order of service. Constantine was the last King of Greece and passed away in January 2023 at age 82. William reportedly informed the late King's family that he was unable to attend the event ahead of time. This left Queen Camilla to formally lead the British royal family at the service, as she was stepping in for her husband, King Charles, who is also undergoing cancer treatment. At the time, Kensington Palace merely stated that William had personal reasons for not attending, and specified that it was not related to the King's health. This led to speculation about Princess Catherine's wellbeing, which was further fuelled by the recent Photoshop scandal for Mother's Day. Queen Camilla Today, Kensington Palace released a video of Kate Middleton updating the public on her health. "It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family," she explained. "It was thought [in January] that my condition was non-cancerous...However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present." Kate also noted that she has begun preventative chemotherapy. Prince William and Kate Middleton William was most likely supporting his wife and three young children at the time. The couple is most concerned with their children in the wake of this saddening news and intentionally chose to reveal her cancer diagnosis today. White audience members attending a comedy show at an Arts Council-funded venue are being asked to check their privilege at the door. Showing at the Soho Theatre in London, the Femmes of Colour Comedy Club is billed as an unapologetic celebration of comedians of colour that are not cis-men. In footage from the night, one stand-up comedian jokes that her birthplace Kenya was a British colony, and when Kenya was a British colony we had to be like the British. We played British board games, we played Guess Whos Going to Conquer Us Next? Attendees are instructed: White audience members are encouraged to check their privilege at the door. The comedian Paul Currie was banned by the theatre in a row about anti-Semitism - Stephen Barnes/Entertainment / Alamy Stock Photo/https://www.alamy.com Originating in the US, the phrase check your privilege is widely understood as a call for white people to consider how their skin colour has given them unearned advantages in a society. The expression can also be applied to gender and sexuality, with heterosexual males generally perceived as the most privileged. Soho Theatre receives 614,582 per year from Arts Council England (ACE) and places a strong emphasis on diversity. Opening its now-closed Writers Lab programme 2023-24, the theatre said: We actively welcome applicants who identify as LGBTQ+, disabled, people of the global majority and people living in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It added that the global majority meant people who identify as Black Caribbean, Black African, South Asian, East Asian, Middle Eastern or Latinx. Despite these efforts at inclusion, in February Jewish audience members at a Soho Theatre show by comedian Paul Currie were said to have been left feeling unsafe and threatened. He allegedly pulled out a Palestinian flag and shouted at one Israeli audience member to get the f out of here, before leading chants of Palestine will be free. Soho Theatre subsequently banned Currie and issued a statement to say that it would not tolerate intimidation of audience members due to their nationality, race, religion or beliefs. Inclusive Comedian Graham Linehan told The Telegraph: The thing about comedy is that its already inclusive. The best comedians Dave Chappelle, Shane Gillis, Louis CK make fun of everyone, often to the delight of their targets, because comedy is truth and audiences dont like being lied to. The new wave of woke comedy excludes whole swathes of the population, because it has no connection to actual life experience, or the multifarious possibilities of existence outside of woke orthodoxy, and it rejects diversity of thought. This is why woke comedy never goes viral. Gareth Roberts, a novelist and screenwriter who has worked on Doctor Who, said: What we have here is high-status racism of the kind middle class people love throwing money at. Theres a strong financial incentive to churn this desperate stuff out its not culture, its a parasitic feedback loop, people talking to themselves using other peoples money. Denise Fahmy, co-director of Freedom in the Arts who won an employment tribunal claim of harassment over her gender critical beliefs, told The Telegraph: The UK is rightly proud of the diversity of our arts scene and taxpayers deserve an arts world that appeals to as many people as possible. But in ACEs push to diversify, demanding organisations submit data using crude metrics such as LGBTQ+, the funder ends up driving over-representation of certain groups in the arts who then go on to programme for a niche, subsidised market. ACE data very clearly evidences LGBTQ+ workers are over-represented in the sector, comprising 10 per cent of the workforce compared to 3.2 per cent of the population. Im concerned this collision of data and money is skewing the arts into the frankly weird areas Soho Theatre promotes. An ACE spokesman said: We support fantastic, high-quality, cultural work that caters to the wide range of different tastes of people across the country from programmes that encourage children to read and learn musical instruments to community choirs; and from grand opera to outstanding theatre that goes on to tour globally. Decisions on the artistic programming and day-to-day running of our funded organisations sit with their management team and board. 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 the hours just after the government shutdown deadline of midnight Friday, the U.S. Senate passed the $1.2 trillion spending package approved by the House earlier on Friday. President Joe Biden has already signaled he will sign the bill. The Senate approved the bill in a 74-24 vote in the early hours of Saturday morning. It was opposed by Utah Sen. Mike Lee, who said in a post on X after the final vote, This bill could have been so much better had Republicans in either house of Congress stood united in: (1) refusing to fund Bidens border lawlessness and (2) reining in spending. Doing both was within reach. But some in the GOP were too eager to help Dems spend. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, voted in favor of the bill. In a statement released Saturday, Romney said the bill is far from perfect, but provides critical funding for our military and for border security, and also is good for Utah containing measures that will reduce passport backlogs and support priorities for Hill Air Force Base like the F-35 program and the Sentinel program. Notably, this bill reduces non-defense spending for the first time in nearly a decade, but unfortunately this spending cut will have little effect on our fiscal situation, said Romney. Our countrys overspending problems will continue as long as Congress only votes on one-third of federal spending. We must come together to address the main drivers of our national debt and bring our books into balance. I will continue to work with Senator Manchin and others on the Fiscal Stability Act to force Congress to act. The spending package was approved in the House with a 286-134 vote, with many conservative Republicans voting against the package. It led to a challenge against House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who has only been in his position since October after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted. After the vote, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said she filed a motion to vacate the chair because she felt betrayed by Johnson. In an interview posted to X, Greene said she didnt think the bill did enough to protect the border and Johnson didnt give lawmakers enough time to review the bill. Its more of a warning and a pink slip, Greene told reporters, according to Fox News. Theres not a time limit on this, it doesnt have to be forced. ... But Im not saying that it wont happen in two weeks, or it wont happen. The spending package covers funding for defense, homeland security, education, and several other federal agencies. Utahs all-Republican House delegation was split over support of the $1.2 trillion spending bill. Heres how Utahs representatives voted: Rep. Blake Moore, who represents Utahs 1st Congressional District, who is in House leadership, voted in favor of the bill. Rep. Celeste Maloy, of Utahs 2nd District, also voted in favor. She released a statement saying, One of Congress most important jobs under the Constitution is to pass a budget. Doing so requires leadership and compromise, which is often a principled decision. But conservatives came out ahead on this one with critical wins for our national defense and border patrol, including the largest military pay raise in decades and significant cuts to non-defense, non-VA spending. Rep. John Curtis, who represents Utahs 3rd District, said he voted no on the bill. He said, As a conservative member of Congress, I strongly oppose omnibus spending bills. I appreciate some of the aspects of this bill such as pay raises for our servicemembers, increasing funding for Border Patrol agents, and prohibiting funding to the scandal-plagued UNRWA. However, we need more reforms to get our house in order, prioritize fiscal responsibility and resist the temptation to engage in wasteful and irresponsible spending. I voted no on this package. Rep. Burgess Owens, of Utahs 4th District, also opposed the bill. In a statement he said, I voted no on todays minibus. Allocating more money to further the current administrations reckless agenda is something I cannot support. We must confront the dire crisis unfolding along our southern border, a scenario both incentivized and facilitated by the policies of President (Joe) Biden. It is imperative that we, as Republicans, seriously prioritize an effective solution. The bill funds the government until Oct. 1, when a new fiscal year begins. President Biden signed the $1.2 trillion spending package into law Saturday afternoon. The bipartisan funding bill I just signed keeps the government open, invests in the American people, and strengthens our economy and national security, Biden wrote after signing the bill. This agreement represents a compromise, which means neither side got everything it wanted. The Senate, in an early morning vote Saturday, advanced the bipartisan legislation, two hours after the deadline, sending it to the presidents desk. The upper chamber voted 74-24 to advance the deal, which provides funding for the remaining agencies along with other legislative priorities. The move capped off a monthslong spending fight and averted a partial government shutdown. The House passed the bill in a bipartisan, 286-134 vote earlier on Friday. Here are five things to know about whats included: Remaining agencies funded through Sept. 30 The minibus includes funding for the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Trade, Labor, State, Education, Health and Human Services and other legislative priorities, through the end of the 2024 fiscal year. Passage of the bill comes after months of negotiation hurdles centered around disagreements on how to handle the surge of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border and other border security priorities, as well as spending cuts proposed by House Republicans and questions around foreign aid. Hard-line conservatives in the House were unhappy with the bipartisan spending package especially after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) seemingly ignored the 72-hour rule and it largely passed because of Democrats support. The Senate had no time to propose changes to the House-passed bill. Its been a very long and difficult day, but we have just reached an agreement to complete the job of funding the government, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said after the upper chamber advanced the bill early Saturday, per The Associated Press. It is good for the country that we have reached this bipartisan deal. It wasnt easy, but tonight our persistence has been worth it. The bills advancement puts a bookend on an appropriations process in the lower chamber that dragged on for months with four short-term extensions, led to the historic ousting of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from the leadership role, and incited bitter battles between hard-line conservatives and party leadership. Funds boosted for border security, enforcement Republicans in both chambers leaned heavily on funding to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, arguing the Biden administrations current policies dont do enough to combat the surge of migrants at the border. Senate Republicans pushed for the bill to include measures such as the Laken Riley Act which would require the detention of undocumented immigrants who are charged with theft-related crimes. In the end, none of the amendments passed, somewhat due to time constraints. Despite some pushback, Republicans did secure investments for the border that will allow for a greater focus on enforcement, including more funding for Border Patrol agents and detention beds, plus boosts for border security technology. The package could increase detention capacity from 34,000 to 42,000 beds and provide funds for up to 22,000 Border Patrol agents, Johnson said in a statement after the bills text was unveiled. It would also cut funding to nongovernmental organizations that incentivize illegal immigration, per the Speaker. Republicans distrust toward the Biden administrations handling of the border came to a head earlier this year, when the House voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Foreign aid, nondefense spending see modest cuts The bills did not make the drastic cuts House Republicans have sought in the past. But, more than 70 percent of the funds approved in the deal would be allocated to the Department of Defense. Under the legislation, some programs will see modest cuts. These include the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Republicans have also touted a concession from Democrats, which will block funds from being given to the United Nations agency providing relief for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) amid the Israel-Hamas war. Progressives in both chambers, however, were unhappy with the move. Democrats were grateful for the lack of steep cuts, as well as a string of so-called poison pill riders that did not make the final version, including measures targeting abortion access and diversity initiatives. Some hard-line conservatives accused Johnson of giving in to Democrats demands. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) filed a motion to vacate against the Speaker Friday after the House advanced the bill, but she did not provide a timeline for when or if she would force a vote prompting backlash from many within her own party. Democrats tout improvements in education, health Funding boosts for early childhood education and health care programs were among Democratic priorities. The party secured funds for programs such as Head Start, Child Care and Development Fund block grants and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The package also increases funding for the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. Americas global AIDS relief program the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was also authorized for another year in the spending deal. If passed, PEPFAR will operate through March 25, 2025, without the anti-abortion riders to the program that GOP lawmakers called for. Its the first time the program has not been given a five-year extension. Small wins for GOP on embassy flags, gas stoves Republicans also secured a win with a provision that would effectively ban unofficial flags from being flown at U.S. embassies. While it doesnt specifically mention LGBTQ flags, the language mimics other efforts that have led to bans on Pride flags flying over government buildings. Another rider that made it into the final version would also block bans on gas stoves, another win for the GOP. The issue has been at the center of debate in Washington after a Consumer Product Safety Commission member indicated last year that the panel was considering regulations or a ban on them. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. CAIRO, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Countries in the Middle East have expressed condolences and condemned the terror attack at a suburban Moscow concert hall Friday night that has so far claimed at least 133 lives. The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that it "condemns, in the strongest terms, the terrorist attack on Friday evening against a commercial center on the outskirts of the Russian capital of Moscow, which left dozens dead and injured." In a post on social media platform X, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian condemned the deadly "terrorist attack" and extended condolences to the Russian government and the people on the "bitter" incident. Amir-Abdollahian stressed that a common and effective fight against terrorism required the international community's serious and indiscriminate action. In a condolence message to Chairman of Russia's State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin on Saturday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said he prayed for the speedy recovery of those wounded, voicing Iran's readiness for cooperation with all independent states to find a comprehensive solution to counter-terrorism. In a statement on Friday, the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the country's "strong condemnation of the cowardly terrorist attack, which resulted in several deaths and injuries to innocent people." The ministry stressed that "our country opposes all forms of violence, extremism and terrorism." On Saturday, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said in a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that "Lebanon strongly condemns the terrorist act that occurred last night in the capital, Moscow," extending condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. He confirmed Lebanon's solidarity with Russia and its absolute rejection and complete denunciation of all forms of violence, extremism, and terrorism. In a televised address on Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the attack a "bloody, barbaric terrorist act," saying that all four gunmen who were directly involved in the attack had been arrested. Putin declared March 24 a day of nationwide mourning for the victims. The death toll from Friday's terrorist attack has risen to 133 after gunmen stormed a concert hall in Moscow, the Investigative Committee of Russia said Saturday. The committee said a preliminary inspection showed the terrorists used automatic weapons, along with ammunition that they had left behind in the concert hall, and they used flammable liquid to start a fire on the premises. Russian forces launched 60 attacks at the Sumy Oblast border on March 22, causing 280 explosions in the area and injuring one civilian, the regional military administration reported. A resident of Bilopillia was injured in an airstrike, authorities said. No additional casualties or damage to civilian infrastructure were reported. Eleven communities, including Bilopillia, were targeted in the attacks. The communities of Velyka Pysarivka, Myropillia, Svesa, Krasnopillia, Khotin, Nova Sloboda, Shalyhyne, Seredyna-Buda, Yunakivka, and Mykolaiv also came under fire. The Russian military attacked Sumy Oblast with drones, artillery, mortar, rockets, and other weapons throughout the day. Constant attacks from nearby Russian forces are a daily reality for the residents of Sumy Oblast's border region. Authorities reported carrying out additional evacuations of civilians in border communities due to intensifying Russian attacks in March 2024. Read also: Why is Russia intensifying attacks on Ukraines Sumy Oblast? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Abbotts Bridge Road in Duluth was shut down for a few hours on Saturday afternoon as police investigated a serious crash. Police say the crash involved several cars along Abbotts Bridge Road between Peachtree Industrial Blvd. and the Chattahoochee River. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] One person was thrown from the car during the crash. That person, who has not been identified, was taken to the hospital in critical condition. There is no word on if anyone else was hurt in the crash. Johns Creek police assisted Duluth police in keeping their side of the bridge on Abbotts Bridge Road shut down. TRENDING STORIES: Duluth police say that the road reopened just after 5:30 p.m. It is unclear what led up to the crash and if anyone will face charges. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) One person was left injured after their boat crashed into a barrier along the Sanibel Causeway on Thursday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard Southeast. Officials said a Fort Myers Beach rescue crew was searching for a person in the water when they received initial reports of two involved in the crash. VIDEO: Officials respond to possible entrapment in tree in Winter Haven It was later confirmed that only one person was aboard and was with EMS personnel on land. NBC affiliate WBBH reported that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission received a call that afternoon regarding a 24-foot boat that crashed with a 44-year-old man onboard. U.S. Coast Guard Southeast WBBH said the man is currently in good condition at a local hospital. In a statement to the news outlet, Captain Larry Hendricks said, How in the world do you end up that far up in a parking lot? I dont know how hard he had to hit those rocks to launch and land. Thats remarkable. The FWC is currently investigating the crash. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Click here for an updated story Family identifies brothers, 21 and 18, in fatal Northern California mountain lion attack California wildlife officials confirmed Sunday night that the mountain lion killed after a fatal attack Saturday that left a 21-year-old man dead in a remote part of El Dorado County was the animal involved in the incident. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has confirmed that the mountain lion euthanized in a remote area near Georgetown yesterday was the same animal involved in a fatal attack earlier in the day, the department said in a news release. CDFWs Wildlife Forensics Laboratory determined today that DNA samples collected from the scene match samples taken from the lion carcass. The department said the mountain lion weighed about 90 pounds and appeared to be in healthy condition. The attack on two brothers near Georgetown was the first such fatal incident in 20 years in California, and officials tracked the animal down and killed it hours after the attack. Authorities said the fatal victim was a 21-year-old man and the brother of an 18-year-old who had called for help Saturday afternoon. Their identities have not been made public. In an update Sunday, a family spokesman through the Sheriffs Office said the 18-year-old brother has undergone multiple surgeries for his injuries and is expected to make a full recovery. The family is grateful for the prayers and condolences from the community, however, wishes for privacy in order to process this tragic event, the statement said. Deputies also said Sunday that while there were multiple GoFundMe accounts created to support the family, these accounts are not associated with the family or authorized by the family. The men had been in the area a hilly, forested landscape dotted by ranches and private homes behind locked gates searching for deer antler sheds when the attack happened around 1 p.m. The attack occurred five miles southeast of Georgetown on Darling Ridge Road near Skid Road not far from Dutch Canyon, according to dispatchers. The area lies within Eldorado National Forest, 70 miles northeast of downtown Sacramento. At 1:13 p.m., the El Dorado County Sheriffs Office received a 911 call indicating that two people had been attacked by a mountain lion, the Sheriffs Office said in a news release. Unfortunately, there is one individual who was mortally wounded during the attack. The other individual who was attacked suffered injuries and was taken to a local area hospital for treatment. More information will be provided as it becomes available. Dispatch audio reviewed by The Sacramento Bee said the 18-year-old was bitten in the face and was pretty cut up but doing OK after locking himself behind a gate following the attack. This embedded content is not available in your region. Lion had a hold of his neck A dispatcher can be heard requesting help for a possible mountain lion attack. Information they had was the (reporting partys) brother was being pinned down on the lion and the lion had a hold of his neck, the dispatcher said. The reporting party ... was also bit in the face and the victim is in an unknown location at this point, the dispatcher said. First responders were told by the brother that the lions had him. Deputies armed with rifles located a blood splatter and a hat belonging to the brother before they found him. Personnel found the mountain lion crouched next to the 21-year-old and fired their weapons to scare off the cougar. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The Sheriffs Office said that officials from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, working to locate the mountain lion with the help of trappers, announced just before 8 p.m. that the mountain lion had been found and killed. The mountain lion was located by game wardens and trappers of California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the El Dorado County Trapper, a sheriffs statement said. The mountain lion was dispatched, and the body of the mountain lion was collected for further examination. CDFW issued a statement late Saturday saying that a mountain lion was euthanized near the scene of the attack. The mountain lion has been sent to the CDFW forensics laboratory to obtain DNA information and general health of the lion, the statement said. Mountain lion attacks in California unusual The California Department of Fish and Wildlifes listing of verified mountain lion attacks on humans indicates the last fatal attack in California occurred in January 2004 in Whiting Ranch Regional Park in Orange County. News accounts from that incident indicate a 35-year-old cyclist named Mark Reynolds was killed after he stopped to fix his bicycle chain and was attacked. The last fatal attack in Northern California occurred in the Auburn State Recreation Area in El Dorado County April 23, 1994, when 40-year-old Barbara Schoener was attacked in Auburn Lake Trails. At the time, Schoener was the first person killed by a mountain lion in the state since 1909, The Bee previously reported. Mountain lions are protected by law from being hunted in California, and have been designated as a specially protected mammal since the passage of Proposition 117 in 1990. Mountain lion attacks on humans are considered rare, with about two dozen reported since the mid-1980s, and fatal attacks are considered much more rare. This is the first fatal attack in California in 20 years, said Josh Rosenau, director of Policy and Advocacy for the non-profit Mountain Lion Foundation. This is something that is incredibly rare. Rosenau said there are an estimated 4,500 mountain lions in California. Mountain lions typically are afraid of humans and human voices, and that some attacks may be attributed to illness or injuries in the animals. Mountain lions are basically scaredy cats, he said. They are deer specialists, theyre looking for deer, not people. If you make yourself look big and scary they will almost always turn and run. Recent reports of mountain lion attacks on humans include the May 2022 attack on a hiker in Trinity County who was saved when her dog, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois named Eva, fought the cat off. The hiker survived, but the dog later died. Authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting near a metro Atlanta hospital. Snellville police told Channel 2 Action News on Saturday at 4:30 a.m. that officers were called to a person shot on Main Street W and Fountain Drive near Piedmont Eastside South Campus. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has since identified the man as 36-year-old Rashawn Johnson of Tucker. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The GBI says that Johnson was pulled over for driving a Hyundai Tucson without his headlights on. Throughout the stop, he had a phone in his hand, rolled down his window slightly and told the officer he wanted to call his mom several times. The officer got Johnsons ID and went back to his patrol car to request backup. When he returned to the car, Johnson wouldnt roll down the window or get out of the car, so the officer opened the door after telling him he was going to be arrested for obstruction. Johnson had a gun in his hand and refused to put it down when officers told him to. TRENDING STORIES: Police told Channel 2s Veronica Griffin that he pointed the gun at himself after he was pulled over. They opened the door to the vehicle. The told the man to step out. He refused and put a handgun up to his own head. Officers tried to negotiate, talk him down, Detective Jeff Manley described. At some point, the GBI says, Johnson fired a shot and officers returned fire, shooting Johnson in the head and killing him. Several windows of the black SUV had been shot out. Investigators say three officers fired their weapons and were not injured. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: Steady traffic on the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills makes it impossible for mountain lions and other wildlife to cross the area to breeding grounds. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Starting in mid-April, 101 Freeway lanes will be closed overnight to enable construction work on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Agoura Hills. Caltrans will close all lanes in one direction of the freeway between Liberty Canyon Road and Chesebro Road while the work is being performed, according to a city news release. The lanes will be closed for five hours on weeknights, starting at 11:59 p.m. While the lanes in one direction are closed, all those in the opposite direction will remain open; Caltrans didn't specify which direction would be closed first. The work is scheduled to start April 16, but that's subject to change, the city said. A detour will be available via Agoura Road, Liberty Canyon Road and Chesebro/Palo Comado Canyon Road, officials said. Drivers can also use State Route 126 to avoid the area. Read more: California mountain lion population is thousands fewer than previously estimated Crews will install girders over the freeway to support the crossing, a vegetated bridge that will reconnect wildlife habitat, officials said. With a projected cost of $92 million, half of it raised from donors, it's expected to be the biggest wildlife crossing of its kind. The primary purpose is to help save the dwindling population of mountain lions in Southern California from extinction. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The mass shooting at the Crocus City Hall shopping center near Moscow killed at least 115 people, the Russian Investigative Committee reported on March 23, raising the total from the previously reported fatality count of 93. Local governor Andrey Vorobyov said that "the number of victims will grow significantly." Read also: 60 dead, over 100 injured in mass shooting near Moscow updated Preliminary investigations indicate the causes of death at the Crocus City Hall were gunshot wounds and inhalation of toxic fumes from the fire caused by the fleeing attackers. March 22 Moscow mass shooting On the evening of March 22, several people in camouflage opened fire with assault rifles at people who had come to see the band Picnic play at the Crocus City Hall concert hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast. According to eyewitnesses, the shooters also threw a Molotov cocktail, and a fire broke out. All tickets to the concert were sold out, and according to media reports, up to 7,200 people could have been in the building. Read also: FSB alleges Ukraine connection in Moscow mass shooting following arrest of 11 suspects Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) representative Andriy Yusov blamed the shooting at the Crocus City Hall concert hall on the Kremlin's special services, though Islamic fundamentalist group ISIS has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack, according to independent Russian TV channel Dozdh (Rain). On March 8, the U.S. Embassy warned its citizens in Russia about the threat of a terrorist attack in Moscow. American diplomats stated that the attack could be carried out in crowded places, such as a concert. At the same time, the U.S. Embassy reported the threat of a terrorist attack within the next 48 hours. Putin is said to have reportedly denied the U.S. warning, instead blaming the "West" for attempting to "intimidate" Russia. 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 Authorities arrested a teen in connection to a shooting that killed a 24-year-old man in late February, Sansom Police announced in a news release on Friday. Sansom and Fort Worth police served an arrest warrant Friday morning in the homicide of Logan Perkins. Perkins was found shot and unresponsive on February 29 at an apartment located in the 3100 block of La Junta Street, according to police. Officers took a 16-year-old suspect into custody without incident on Friday, the release says. Due to their age, no other information will be released regarding the suspects identity. The cause of Perkins death was multiple gunshot wounds, and the death was ruled a homicide by the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office. Two people, including a child, were killed and at least 10 others were injured when a school bus without seatbelts and filled with pre-K students crashed in rural Texas on Friday, authorities said. They were killed when the bus and a concrete truck collided along State Highway 21 about 50 miles east of Austin, said Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Deon Cockrell. A boy on the bus was killed, and the other victim was in a Dodge Charger that had been following the bus when it was hit by the oncoming concrete truck, he said. Alejandro Anaya said he was working nearby when the crash happened and he rushed to the bus to help. What I saw was all the kids covered in blood, crying, trying to get out, he said. Four of those injured were taken to hospitals by helicopter and in critical condition, said Kevin Parker, a commander at Austin-Travis County EMS. Six others taken to hospitals by ground ambulance had potentially serious injuries, he said. Officials said there were additional patients with minor injuries taken to hospitals, but they didnt have an exact count. St. Davids South Austin Medical Center said it treated 11 patients, including two in fair condition who remained in the hospital Saturday, and one who was transferred to another facility. The bus was carrying Tom Green Elementary pre-K students returning from a field trip to the Capital of Texas Zoo in Cedar Creek, about 22 miles southeast of Austin, the Hays Consolidated Independent School District has said. It said 44 students and 11 adults were on the bus. The schools principal, Jennifer Hanna, said in a letter Saturday that three staff members and two students remained hospitalized. Two staff members face extensive recovery, and one was expected to be released soon, Hanna said. The hospitalized students appear to be doing well and remain primarily for observation prior to their anticipated releases in the near future, she said. Angelica Campos and her 5-year-old daughter, Caliana, walked away from the crash Friday. They appeared physically uninjured. We, like, rolled on the bus, Caliana said, her father, Hector, adding that his daughter closed her eyes to avoid airborne shards of glass. Angelica Campos said, I spent the day with all those kids. Its just heartbreaking. The school, which is in the Austin suburb of Buda, will be closed on Monday, she said, but counseling would be available on campus through early evening as needed. District Superintendent Eric Wright addressed the students death in a letter to family, students and staff Friday: There are no words that can express my sorrow for the students family, the Tom Green Elementary School family, and our greater Hays CISD community. The district said in a statement that 2011-model bus involved in the crash was one of 40 in the districts fleet of roughly 200 buses that lacked seatbelts, which is not uncommon for such vehicles. School buses from model years 2018 and later must have seatbelts under state law. The statement said seatbelts were a likely topic for its purchasing oversight committee, which could weigh accelerating the acquisition of new buses. The district hopes that the DPS accident reconstruction investigation will be able to provide more information about whether a seatbelt may have made a difference for the student who died in the accident, but at this time we just dont know that answer, it said. Cockrell said state traffic investigators were investigating the cause of the accident, including why the concrete truck appeared to veer into oncoming traffic. The bus rolled over, authorities said. The Texas Department of Public Safety is leading the investigation. On Saturday, Hanna said in her letter that the district was still trying to contact the families of nine students in order to update them with the latest news on the crash. Gov. Greg Abbott said he and his wife, Cecilia Abbott, were saddened to hear about what happened, and he talked with the districts superintendent and offered the states full support as they help their community through this tragedy. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said hes praying for those who lost loved ones in the crash. I am shocked and deeply saddened to hear about the school bus accident in Bastrop County today, he said on social media platform X. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) Two Holland America Line crew members were killed in an onboard incident on Friday, according to the cruise line. Holland America said the two crew members died after there was an incident in an engineering space on the Nieuw Amsterdam while the ship was docked in Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas. Officials said authorities were notified and the cause of the incident is under investigation. 1 injured after boat crashes into barrier along Florida causeway: report All of us at Holland America Line are deeply saddened by this incident and our thoughts and prayers are with our team members families at this difficult time. The safety, security and welfare of all guests and crew are the companys absolute priority. We are offering counseling services to team members who may have been affected by this incident, the cruise line said in a statement. According to CruiseMapper, the Nieuw Amsterdam departed on a week-long cruise from Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, March 16. The ship was docked at Half Moon Cay, Carnival Cruise Lines private island on Friday. The ship returned to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, March 23. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat has taken full ownership of McLaren Group, after the completion of a capital reorganisation process, first announced in December last year. A leading UK supercar brand, McLaren, which builds high-end sportscars and owns a majority stake in the McLaren F1 team, hailed the takeover as a major milestone. Mumtalakat was already McLaren's biggest shareholder. Under the reorganisation, long-term strategic investor Mumtalakat takes full ownership of the share capital of the Group following the conversion of all preference shares into ordinary shares. "Todays announcement crystallises the next phase of the companys trajectory of growing its leadership position in the luxury super car and motorsports industries," remarked Mumtalakat CEO Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Khalifa. "This reorganisation and new simplified structure positions McLaren for success and opens up strategic avenues, which include exploring new partnerships to enhance the companys growth over the coming years," noted Shaikh Abdulla. "The completion of this process is also a significant milestone that reflects our support for McLarens continued innovation and long-term commitment to excellence," he added. Over the last six decades, the McLaren brand has become one of the most successful in elite motorsport, competing around the world in Formula 1, IndyCar, Formula E, Extreme E and esports. McLaren Group Executive Chairman Paul Walsh, expressed delight at Mumtalakats continued commitment to the UK group through this deal, which strengthens its ownership and governance structure. This marks a major milestone in the ongoing transformation journey of the luxury automotive and elite motorsports group, he stated. "This will further enable us to focus on delivering our long-term business plan, including investment in new products and technologies, whilst continuing to explore potential technical partnerships with industry partners," he added. Headquartered in the Surrey town of Woking, the group owns McLaren Automotive, which over the past 14 years has become a major player in the market for prestige sportscars. Its products compete with models from the likes of Ferrari and Porsche. The group also has a majority stake in McLaren Racing, which owns the McLaren Formula 1 team, and also competes in the US IndyCar series, and the electric series Formula E and Extreme E. Since the inception of the companys supercar arm in 2011, McLaren Automotive has quickly grown to become one of the worlds leading high-performance vehicle brands, with vehicles such as the P1, Senna and Speedtail now widely considered to be modern-day classics and icons of innovation. Today, the companys product portfolio of GT, supercar, Motorsport and Ultimate models is retailed through an expanding network of more than 100 retailers in 40-plus markets around the world. According to Mumtalakat, the recapitalisation process began in December last year after McLaren shareholders unanimously approved the agreement. Last year, it had bought shares and warrants worth 400 million ($512 million) in McLaren from Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Ares Management, it added.-TradeArabia News Service BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday extended condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the serious terrorist attack that caused heavy casualties at a concert hall in Moscow Oblast. In his message, Xi said that he was shocked to learn that a serious terrorist attack occurred at a concert hall in Russia's Moscow Oblast, causing heavy casualties. Xi, on behalf of the Chinese government and the Chinese people, expressed his deep condolences to the victims, and extended his sincere sympathy to the injured and the bereaved families. He emphasized that China opposes all forms of terrorism, strongly condemns terrorist attacks, and firmly supports the Russian government's efforts to maintain national security and stability. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A tough few days for two businesses in the Las Vegas Arts District as they assess the damage after being burglarized. Shocking news spread through the Downtown Arts District as two popular businesses were broken into Thursday morning. The first was at Tacotarian, a taco restaurant near Main and Charleston. The other location hit by thieves was Dig It! Coffee Co. which is a block away near Colorado Avenue. Its really sad because someone broke our window, walked in, broke our POS, stole money, and then walked away. Tacotarian Manager Miriam Cedeno said. A POS is a term short for point of sale, a restaurant POS system is both the software and hardware restaurants use to take customers orders, accept payments, manage food inventory, and ultimately manage the entire operation. Cedeno added that they only had about $10 in the cash drawer, but the more extensive damage occurred at the entryway. He pulled the register and the POS fell to the floor. The damage is over $2000 and now we have to fix our doors and its really hard for a small business like us, she expressed. Nearby at Dig It! Coffee Co. store owner Taylor Chaney said the same scenario took place at her establishment just hours later. Dig It! Coffee Co. is located near Colorado Avenue in the Las Vegas Arts District (KLAS) We were able to access things and thankfully the door and the glass were the only things broken. Things were moved around and it looks like someone was searching for money and were a cashless shop so we didnt have anything here, Chaney said. Those who live in the area said while crimes like that are ramping up across the valley its still unsettling. Its your friends, its your neighbors getting their place vandalized and burglarized. People are becoming more bold, Gai Phanalasy who lives nearby said. Its like they see it happening on social media and theres no consequences for it. Both shops have filed police reports since the break-ins and are already back open for business. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. After the Muslim extremist group ISIS-K claimed responsibility for a deadly armed attack on concertgoers at Moscow's Crocus City Hall on March 22, 2024, killing more than 130 people, a 2016 statement by then-GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump went viral in which he claimed that outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama had been "the founder of ISIS." Trump made the statement after reiterating the claim that he, Trump, had opposed the war in Iraq, calling it a "terrible mistake" and saying it had destabilized and "unleashed fury" in the Middle East (emphasis added): And then Obama came in, and normally you want to clean up. He made a bigger mess out of it. He made such a mess. And then you had Hillary with Libya, so sad. In fact, in many respects, you know they honor President Obama. ISIS is honoring President Obama. He is the founder of ISIS. He is the founder of ISIS. He's the founder. He founded ISIS. And I would say the co-founder would be crooked Hillary Clinton. Co-founder. Crooked Hillary Clinton. As was common at Trump campaign rallies when he mentioned Clinton, then his Democratic rival for the presidency, the audience responded with chants of "Lock her up! Lock her up!" This video clip of that moment was provided by The Guardian: This embedded content is not available in your region. To be clear, even though Trump has flirted in the past with conspiracy theories about Obama's supposed allegiance to Islam, he was not literally, in this instance, claiming that Obama and Clinton were founding members of the radical Islamist group (despite his insistence to the contrary in a radio interview the following day). The context indicates he meant it metaphorically, his intent being to lay all the blame for the "fury" unleashed in the Middle East and the rise of ISIS violence after the Iraq War on the actions or inactions of the Democratic incumbent and presidential nominee (though in fact the war started during the administration of President George W. Bush). All too many of Trump's followers seem willing to believe that Obama's true allegiance lies with radical Islam, however. "In the mind of the average American, there is no doubt he is a Muslim," Trump campaign official Carl Paladino claimed during an interview. "He is not a Christian." But after two days of repeatedly insisting he was serious, and that he literally meant that Obama founded ISIS, Trump tweeted on Aug. 12, 2016, that he was only being sarcastic: Ratings challenged @CNN reports so seriously that I call President Obama (and Clinton) "the founder" of ISIS, & MVP. THEY DON'T GET SARCASM? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2016 Hours later, Trump said during a rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, "So I said, the founder of ISIS. Obviously I'm being sarcastic. Then, then but not that sarcastic, to be honest with you. " Sources: "Explainer: What Is ISIS-K, the Group That Attacked a Moscow Concert Hall?" Reuters, 23 Mar. 2024. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/why-did-isis-k-attack-moscow-theater-2024-03-23/. Full Video: Trump Says Obama Founded ISIS at Florida Rally. www.youtube.com, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y43qMPEleuU. Accessed 23 Mar. 2024. Holmes, Chris Moody, Kristen. "Donald Trump's History of Suggesting Obama Is a Muslim | CNN Politics." CNN, 18 Sept. 2015, https://www.cnn.com/2015/09/18/politics/trump-obama-muslim-birther/index.html. Kopan, Tal. "Donald Trump: I Meant That Obama Founded ISIS, Literally | CNN Politics." CNN, 11 Aug. 2016, https://www.cnn.com/2016/08/11/politics/donald-trump-hugh-hewitt-obama-founder-isis/index.html. News, ABC. "Trump Says Remark About Obama Being ISIS Founder Was 'Not That Sarcastic.'" ABC News, https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/donald-trump-explains-calling-obama-founder-isis-sarcasm/story?id=41326238. Accessed 23 Mar. 2024. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A 21-year-old man from Honduras is facing assault charges after an incident involving migrants and the Texas National Guard on Thursday, March 21 near International Marker No. 36 at the US/Mexico border, the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a press release. Altercation between migrants, National Guard caught on camera On Thursday morning, March 21, DPS was notified that a large group of migrants had breached the concertina wire near Gate 36, which is located between Midway and Fonseca Drive along the Border Highway, and that several migrants from the group had assaulted a service member, according to DPS. DPS says that Junior Evaristo-Benitez, 21, of Honduras, was taken into custody and charged with assault on a public servant. He is now being held in the El Paso County Jail. Additionally, the migrant group was made up of mostly men from Venezuela, according to DPS. DPS says the wire fencing has now been repaired and law enforcement efforts in the area have been increased. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Three teens were arrested for alleged deadly conduct on Wednesday, March 21 after shots were fired in the direction of a residence in Socorro, according to the Socorro Police Department. The Socorro Police says that about 7:03 p.m. officers were dispatched to the area of Apodaca Road and Trejo Road in reference to shots being fired in the direction of a residence. Officers arrived at the scene and observed three males subjects running away from the area, according to the Socorro Police. The Socorro Police says Derek Xavier Gonzalez, Dante Puertas and Edmundo Justin Vizcaya, all age 17, were located at a nearby residence and were arrested for deadly conduct. The teens were booked into the County Jail. Gonzalez faces a $50,000 bond, Puertas faces a $25,000 bond and Vizcaya faces a $30,000 bond. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. CHICAGO Four people and a newborn child are in the hospital after a shooting and car crash on the citys South Side, according to the Chicago Police Department. Authorities said it all happened in the 7900 block of South Wood Street, in Auburn, Gresham just after noon. According to CPD, a 40-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman were in a vehicle with two other females and a newborn child, when an unknown male began to shoot in their direction. The victims attempted to flee the shooter and in the process, flipped their vehicle, causing them to crash into two parked cars. Police said the 40-year-old man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition with a gunshot wound to the right arm, while the 37-year-old woman as taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in good condition with a graze wound to the stomach. The three remaining passengers the two females and the newborn were taken to local hospitals for observation. Russia says 60 dead, 145 injured in concert hall raid; Islamic State group claims responsibility Police have no suspects in custody. No other information is available at this time as area detectives continue to investigate. If you or someone you know has information that can help lead police toward an arrest and conviction in the investigation of this incident, anonymous tips can be filed online at cpdtip.com. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) The 4-year-old boy who died in a crash Wednesday was identified by Portland police on Friday. Kingston Costons mother, Angelina L. Minor, 27, faces manslaughter charges after the crash in the St. John neighborhood. Minor appeared in court Friday and entered a not-guilty plea. According to the Portland Police Bureau, Minor was driving on North Lombard Street when she was in a hit-and-run crash. However, instead of stopping, investigators said that Minor continued to drive, eventually crossing over a median and driving into oncoming traffic until she crashed head-on with another car. PHOTOS: Cherry blossoms near peak at Portland Japanese Garden The 4-year-old boy who died in a crash on Mar. 20, 2024 was identified by Portland police as Kingston Coston. (Courtesy: Laurie Ann Palmer) The Traffic Investigations Unit who responded to the scene said that extreme intoxication and speed were the causes of the crash and Minor was booked on charges of first-degree manslaughter, third-degree assault, driving under the influence of intoxicants (DUII), reckless driving, failure to perform duties of a driver and three counts of reckless endangerment. Court documents show Minors blood alcohol level was 0.38, more than four times the legal limit. Records also indicate Minors drivers license was reinstated just two weeks ago and that she pleaded guilty to DUII in August. 17-year-old accused of attempted murder after Southeast Portland shooting KOIN 6 News caught up with Minors sister, Laurie Palmer, who told us her nephew will be missed. She said shes still in disbelief and sad, very sad for my sister. Palmer said her sister is not a monster but someone who loved her kids. She is a good person. She just made a mistake just like anybody else. Palmer wanted to send a message to her sister that she hopes shell get the help that she needs. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Russian authorities have detained 11 people related to the incident, including four who were directly involved in the attack. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies in the Bryansk region detained four suspects in the attack on Crocus City Hall music venue, not far from the border with Ukraine, the Investigative Committee of Russia said in a Telegram post translated from Russian, according to Google Translate. The current death toll stands at 133 as of Saturday morning, another translated Telegram post from the investigative authority said. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for Fridays attack, in which Russias Federal Security Service said multiple gunmen opened fired at the concert hall. Three gunmen wearing camouflage using automatic weapons can be seen in video footage from the concert hall. U.S. agencies had confirmed that the Islamic State was behind the Moscow attack, a U.S. intelligence official told The Associated Press. White House national security adviser John Kirby said footage of the attack is hard to watch Friday, and that there isnt evidence Ukrainians were involved despite some Russian lawmakers blaming Ukraine for the attack, according to The AP. The images are just horrible. Just hard to watch, and our thoughts obviously are going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack, Kirby said Friday. No indication at this time that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved in the shooting. An adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Mykhailo Podolyak, also pushed back on claims of his country being involved in the attack in a Friday post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia), Podolyak said in his post. It makes no sense whatsoever. First of all, Ukraine has been fighting with the Russian army for more than two years. And everything in this war will be decided only on the battlefield, Podolyak continued. Only by the quantity of weapons and qualitative military decisions. Terrorist attacks do not solve any problems Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the attack Saturday in a post to X, calling it a horrific event. The United States strongly condemns the March 22 terrorist attack in Moscow. We stand in solidarity with the people of Russia in grieving the loss of life after this horrific event, Blinken said. Updated 12:53 p.m. EST. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A Russian Rosguardia (National Guard) servicemen secures an area as a massive blaze burns over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. | Dmitry Serebryakov Multiple camouflaged gunmen ambushed and shot patrons at a concert hall in Moscow on Friday, killing 40 and wounding more than 100. The venue was reportedly set fire during the attack, which was the most fatal one in Russia in years, per ABC News. The New York Times reported that a branch of the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack. U.S. officials confirmed the claim shortly afterward, the article said. Fridays attack comes days after Russian President Vladimir Putin was reelected, reported Reuters. Moscows health care ministry lists 145 people who have been hospitalized due to the attack, including six children, according to The New York Times. What happened in Russia? According to ABC News, Crocus City Hall, which accommodates up to 6,000 people, is one of the most popular music venues and shopping complexes in the Moscow region. At the time of the shooting, crowds were gathered to watch Piknik (Picnic in English) a well-known Russian rock band. RIA Novosti, a news agency, stated that armed individuals busted into the venue and opened fire with automatic weapons and threw a grenade or an incendiary bomb, starting a fire, per CNN. Multiple videos shared on social media show the gunmen entering the venue, and others showed people screaming at the sound of gunshots and fleeing the concert hall, according to The New York Times. A victim identified only as Marina stated, As soon as I heard automatic rifle shots I started running, too. As shots were fired, the structures upper floors caught fire. The fire then intensified after explosives were thrown and detonated. Emergency services then got word of the attack and dispatched helicopters to rescue people from the buildings roof. Shortly after, riot police, firefighters, doctors and other special forces arrived at the scene. Its unclear when the shooters left, but they reportedly were gone before authorities arrived, per ABC News. The roof near the concert stage began to collapse around 10 p.m. local time, according to The New York Times. Per CNN, about 100 people were evacuated from the building. Late Friday rescuers were still working to help get more people off the roof. A man speaks to journalists as a massive blaze seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people and setting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. | Dmitry Serebryakov Response to the attack Russias Investigative Committee, which is similar to the FBI in the U.S., stated Friday that it had opened a criminal case and was investigating the attack as a terrorist act. Its investigators were dispatched to the concert hall, The New York Times reported. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said in a statement shared by CNN, Today a terrible tragedy occurred in the Crocus City center. My condolences to the loved ones of the victims. I gave orders to provide all necessary assistance to everyone who suffered during the incident. Because of this incident, he has cancelled all public events in Moscow this weekend. ABC News reported that security has been tightened by authorities at Moscows railway stations, airports and subway systems. Putin has yet to comment on the attack, but a spokesperson shared hes being briefed about the incident, per The New York Times. ST. LOUIS A St. Louis man was sentenced Friday to life in prison plus 10 years for raping a child and later pressuring her into renouncing the accusations. 42-year-old Litel Gilmore was found guilty on two counts of first-degree statutory rape, three counts of statutory sodomy and tampering with a witness in a felony prosecution, according to officials. Gilmore was convicted of raping a girl multiple times in 2015 and 2016, forcing sexual intercourse. Illinois city named one of the most polluted places in the US, air quality study finds A month before his trial date scheduled for December 2022, Gilmore and another individual paid the girl and provided drugs. This was done in an attempt to have the victim retract her allegations, the charges said. He also messaged her with word-by-word statements to provide in denying the rapes. The girl took screenshots of the messages and sent them to investigators. Gilmore insisted he was innocent, saying the girl lied under oath. A release states that he also filed paperwork indicating an intent to appeal. A judge sentenced Gilmore to five life prison terms plus 10 additional years. Each term is calculated at 30 years and is ordered to run concurrently. The additional 10 years come from tampering with a witness. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. FOND DU LAC, Wis. (WFRV) Authorities in Fond du Lac County are searching for a 50-year-old Wisconsin man who allegedly stabbed a woman and fled the crime scene. According to the Fond du Lac County Sheriffs Office, deputies received a report a woman had been stabbed with a knife at a private residence on County Highway K in the town of Fond du Lac. Elijah Vues mother pleads not guilty to chronic child neglect charges The suspect, identified as Fermin Teodoro Lopez-Mendoza, 50, is believed to have fled the scene in a maroon colored 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe with a Wisconsin license plate AJD-9891. He was last seen northbound on County Highway K approaching U.S. Highway 45. Authorities say that the rear window of the vehicle is partially or fully broken out. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital and faced life-threatening injuries. The victim is known to the suspect, and this was not a random attack. We are asking the public to be on the lookout for the vehicle listed above, stated Fond du Lac County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt. If you see this vehicle or a vehicle matching this description, immediately call 911. Manitowoc County man arrested for sex crimes, authorities asking victims to come forward Sheriff Waldschmidt noted anyone who sees this vehicle should not attempt to make contact with the occupant(s) inside. No additional details were available, and the Fond du Lac County Sheriffs Office will release more as this case progresses. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. Phutsering pets a dog at home in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, March 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida) by Xinhua writers Liu Zhoupeng, Wei Guanyu and Bai Shaobo LHASA, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Phutsering was born in 1944 into a serfs' family in Bainang County in the city of Xigaze, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. A humble shack, situated near the manor where his mother toiled as a serf, served as his childhood home. Meanwhile, his father, employed at a separate manor, struggled to make ends meet by farming and crafting during lean months, barely generating sufficient income to cover the rent and taxes for their dwelling and fields. "Despite being born into serfdom, where our lives were as fragile as straw ropes, my parents offered me the best they had and instilled in me values of honesty and a thirst for knowledge. They were my guiding light through the darkest time, leading me towards the path of education," said the 79-year-old. The gear of fate began to turn in 1956 when 12-year-old Phutsering undertook the duty of delivering letters between the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and a local thermal power station. That same year, the PLA's arrival in Bainang provided him with a rare chance for education. He was sent to study in a primary school in Xigaze by the PLA. The school offered a variety of subjects, such as Tibetan, Chinese, mathematics, and painting, using Tibetan textbooks, some of which were translated from Chinese editions. At that time, education wasn't a priority for many serfs, as most of them preferred their children to learn skills like Thangka painting, which provided immediate income. "The chance to learn was a true gift, significantly expanding my perspective," said Phutsering. "As a Tibetan proverb says, knowledge is more valuable than pearls and agates," he said. In 1962, Phutsering attended a secondary school in Xigaze. Upon his graduation in 1965, he joined the publicity department in Xigaze, where he started working as a Tibetan-Chinese translator. His monthly salary was 28 yuan (about 3.94 U.S. dollars). He would spend 5 yuan to buy gifts for his father, bringing him great joy. Phutsering's thirst for knowledge never waned. In 1999, he studied English at the School of International Studies at Peking University for four months. Following his retirement in 2002, he furthered his education in computer skills at the regional bureau of veterans cadre in Lhasa in 2007. To give back to society, Phutsering later served as a primary school teacher in Lhasa. He played a pivotal role in inspiring and helping numerous students to pursue education, including Karsa Drolma. As a result of his guidance, Karsa Drolma was accepted into a middle school in south China's Guangdong Province. "There is a Tibetan proverb that goes, a young idler, an old beggar," said Phutsering. "I was once illiterate, but education changed my fate, and I know the importance of receiving education." According to the regional government work report delivered in January this year, the educational subsidy including nutritious fees in Xizang has been raised to 5,620 yuan per student per year in 2024, benefiting 746,000 students. "Students in Xizang enjoy much more favorable educational policies nowadays, so I often encourage them to study hard," said Phutsering. On Serfs' Emancipation Day, which falls on March 28, Phutsering will work as a volunteer at the memorial hall marking the emancipation of more than 1 million serfs in Xizang in 1959. This 2,700-square-meter exhibition hall displays statues reflecting the harsh duties and the tragic situation of serfs being imprisoned and abused in old Xizang. Phutsering has taken part in this event since 2021 to tell visitors the dark history of old Xizang. "While acknowledging the gravity of this historical era, we must keep its memory alive," he said, adding that "I feel a duty to tell the truths to more young people and tell them to value the present moment." This photo taken on March 23, 2024 shows a portrait of Phutsering. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) Phutsering and his wife pose for a photo at home in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, March 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) Phutsering exercises at his residential compound in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, March 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida) Billionaire philanthropist and the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has announced a list of 361 nonprofits that her foundation, Yield Giving, will be donating to this year. Nine Georgia nonprofits made the cut. Six of them received a $2 million grant and the other three received $1 million. In total, Scott is giving away $640 million. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Yield Givings first round of donations is more than double what Scott had initially pledged to give away through the application process. Since she began giving away billions in 2019, Scott and her team have researched and selected organizations without an application process and provided them with large, unrestricted gifts. In a brief note on her website, Scott wrote she was grateful to Lever for Change, the organization that managed the open call, and the evaluators for their roles in creating this pathway to support for people working to improve access to foundational resources in their communities. They are vital agents of change. TRENDING STORIES: The Georgia nonprofits receiving grants are: Advocates for Children - $1 million Advocates for Children fights for children and families to live free from abuse through a continuum of prevention and advocacy programs that includes housing for runaway, homeless, and foster youth. Our vision is that every family in our community is building a life where they are safe, thriving and loved. Smart from the Start - $2 million Smart from the Start (Smart) is a trauma-informed, multi-generational family support and community engagement organization with a mission to promote the healthy development of young children and families living in the most underserved communities of Boston and Washington, DC (expanding to Atlanta, GA and Philadelphia, PA). Tommy Nobis Center - $2 million Tommy Nobis Centers mission is Empowering People Through Employment. For over 46 years, we have served individuals and families living with disabilities through equitable education, training, and employment opportunities. We have enhanced communities and transformed lives by championing societal inclusion and celebrating the value of their unique capabilities and contributions. Center for Black Womens Wellness - $2 million The mission of the Center for Black Womens Wellness is to improve the health and wellbeing of underserved Black women and their families. Georgia Appleseed - $1 million Georgia Appleseed keeps kids in school, in stable, healthy housing and out of the criminal justice system. Women on the Rise GA - $1 million Women on the Rise is a membership-based organization led by and for formerly incarcerated Black women. Through community organizing and supportive services, we are building a powerful base with the skills and experience necessary to wage and win campaigns to end mass incarceration, while transforming ourselves and our communities. Ser Familia - $2 million Ser Familias mission is to offer preventive family services and equip Latinos with the tools, resources, and skills they need to move from crisis to thriving. Our vision is to see all Latino families flourishing and contributing to the wellbeing of their communities. Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence - $2 million Collaborate. Advocate. Educate. Empower. We empower survivors and the programs that serve them, we educate the public, and we advocate for responsive public policy. Our strength is in numbers, as we collaborate throughout Georgia to stop domestic violence. Ethne Health - $2 million Ethne Health delivers comprehensive, high-value healthcare through a culturally sensitive, neighbor-centered medical home that advances Jesus love and justice in our vibrant community. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The Associated Press contributed to this article. IN OTHER NEWS: (KRON) A Sebastopol resident was arrested after 90.8 grams of meth was found after a traffic stop on Wednesday, according to the Petaluma Police Department. A Petaluma police officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle with a false registration tab in the 5000 Block of Montero Way on March 20. SF woman sentenced for stealing $40K from Walgreens, Sephora The driver was identified as 60-year-old Sebastopol resident Todd Shipley. The vehicle registration expired in 2013. According to the police investigation, the license plate was not assigned to that vehicle. Officers towed the vehicle due to their findings. Photo: Petaluma Police Department Police found multiple individual packages of methamphetamine under the drivers seat in an inventory search of the vehicle. Police said tehy also found additional small packages of methamphetamine on Shipley. Officers believed the bags appeared to be packaged for sale. In total, police found 90.8 grams of methamphetamine on Shipley. The search also yielded drug paraphernalia, misappropriated debit cards and California identification cards. Shipley was arrested and booked at the Sonoma County Jail for possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of drug paraphernalia and misappropriation of property. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Members of the Florida National Guard install temporary fencing topped with razor wire along the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass, Texas, March 19, 2024. (Cheney Orr/The New York Times) EAGLE PASS, Texas For many months, the small border city of Eagle Pass, Texas, has provided the backdrop for a bitter legal battle between Gov. Greg Abbott and the Biden administration over how best to handle record numbers of migrants arriving at the border. The court fights, which intensified this past week, have centered on claims that the border is in crisis. But recently, the opposite has been happening along the Rio Grande as it curves its way through Eagle Pass: In an area that last year was the epicenter of unauthorized migration along the southern border, far fewer migrants have been crossing. Abbott has cited the slowdown as evidence that his aggressive attempt to push the boundaries of immigration law and his $10 billion program to harden the states border with Mexico using National Guard troops, razor wire, helicopters, boats and floating buoys in the Rio Grande has been working. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times The cartels have rerouted their routes to cross the border because Texas is the only state thats putting up any resistance, Abbott said during a news conference in Eagle Pass last month, flanked by more than a dozen Republican governors. If the federal government did what Texas is doing, Abbott added, you would eliminate illegal immigration overnight. But exactly what dynamics are at work in the shifting border numbers are still a matter of debate. Federal officials have said that changes in the handling of migrants by the Mexican government were responsible for a sharp drop-off in arrivals all along the border after record highs in December. Immigration experts said crossings often decline in colder months only to rebound in the spring. But what is clear is that fewer have been coming by way of Texas. The latest publicly available federal data on border encounters, released Friday, has shown a measurable shift to the west in recent months, away from Texas which makes up 1,254 miles of the nearly 2,000-mile southern border and into New Mexico, Arizona and California. In February, Border Patrol agents recorded about 87,000 encounters with migrants in California and Arizona, versus 53,000 in Texas. Last year, the numbers were essentially reversed: around 55,000 encounters took place outside Texas versus 76,000 recorded in the state. (The overall crossings were slightly higher last month.) There are a few reasons, and Texas policies are one of them, said Adam Isacson, who focuses on borders and migration at the Washington Office on Latin America. He said more than anything else, it appeared to be fear of the uncertain legal landscape particularly Texas looming migrant arrest law known as Senate Bill 4, which passed in December that has caused many migrants to avoid the state. People arent worried about buoys and barbed wire, he added. The fear of the unknown with SB 4 is driving people to choose to avoid Texas. The law was put on hold this past week by a federal appeals court amid a challenge to its constitutionality by the Biden administration. The postponement has persuaded at least some migrants to try to get across before it goes into effect. Richi Silva, 32, a native of Venezuela, who secured an immigration appointment with federal agents in Brownsville, Texas, said he had seen hundreds of migrants on the other side of the border, waiting to cross. Still, the westward shift of migrants has been evident in one of Abbotts most politically successful border efforts: his program to bus migrants to Democratic cities such as New York, Chicago and Denver. Since January, the number of buses has sharply declined. Nearly all the buses are now traveling from El Paso, where a large federal processing center handles migrants who cross into New Mexico, as well as into Texas. Very few are leaving from former migration hot spots in Texas such as McAllen, Brownsville and Eagle Pass. Theyre being apprehended in New Mexico, and theyre just being processed in El Paso, said Lt. Chris Olivarez, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety. There really hasnt been much happening here. A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not respond to a request for details on federal apprehensions. Patterns of migration often shift as smugglers look for the easiest places to cross amid a patchwork of enforcement along the border. And the overall decline in crossings between December and January coincided with changes in the handling and deportation of migrants by Mexico in those months, a factor cited by U.S. authorities. We have received very, very few, said Valeria Wheeler, executive director of Mission: Border Hope in Eagle Pass, as she walked through the nonprofits cavernous new shelter building in the center of the city. The facility, which opened in the fall, resembles the terminal of a medium-size airport. Rows and rows of metal chairs sat empty during a visit one day this past week. Only three migrants were in the shelter. On a given day in December, there would have been between 800 and 1,200, Wheeler said. Its a cycle, she added. Were prepared for when more come. At a shelter for migrants in the Mexican city of Piedras Negras, across the border from Eagle Pass, Pastor Israel Rodriguez, who runs the shelter, said he had noticed a steep decline not long after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other top U.S. officials traveled to Mexico in December asking for that country to intervene. They are stopping them before they get to us, Rodriguez said of Mexican officials. The officials then bring the migrants back deeper into Mexico, he said. They drop them in the middle of the country, and they start their journey back to the border, this time avoiding the checkpoints. Yessenia Navarrete Corea, 40, who traveled from Nicaragua and hoped to reach a sister in Arkansas, said she had seen migrants with whom she was traveling stopped and diverted by Mexican officers. She had an appointment with U.S. border officials, secured with the federal governments immigration app, which she believed may have allowed her to continue her journey. Still, she said, Abbotts border security program and his harsh rhetoric made her uneasy. I pray that God softens his heart, she said of Abbott. I want him to know that we migrants are not bad people. Along the river, National Guard troops ordered up by Abbott patrol the banks and steer small boats in the river, ready to respond to large groups of migrants. They work alongside U.S. Border Patrol agents to help people who may be struggling in the water. Tensions have flared between the two agencies over their differing approaches to migrants trying to get ashore. When migrants approach the border fencing, National Guard troops have been directed to tell them to return to Mexico. State police officers do the same, or if the migrants step onto private land where the owner has given permission to conduct such law enforcement operations, officers arrest them on charges of criminal trespassing. The federal agents, by contrast, may help them ashore and transport them to federal processing centers. Some are then rapidly deported. Others are given permission to travel to cities across the country to await their immigration hearings. In recent days, migrants in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, across the border from El Paso, have appeared to be trying to time their crossings to avoid National Guard soldiers and instead reach Border Patrol agents to surrender to them. A widely seen video released this past week showed dozens of migrants in El Paso pulling down fencing and pushing their way past National Guard troops. Such scenes have not been evident lately in Eagle Pass. During a visit this past week, no migrants could be seen crossing the river near the park that Abbott has turned into a kind of military encampment. At times, the chirps of grackle flocks, sounding much like radio static, cut through the air. Olivarez said only a handful of migrants had been caught trespassing on private land in recent days. The numbers were down enough that state police officers had cut down on the frequency of their patrols, he said. For now, he said, everyone is waiting to see if the federal courts will allow the states new immigration law to go into effect. It would allow state and local police officers to arrest immigrants in the country illegally anywhere, not just on private land, and Texas courts could then order them out of the country. If the law goes into effect, he said, there will probably be many new patrols. c.2024 The New York Times Company AUSTIN (KXAN) After a deadly school bus crash left two people dead near Mustang Ridge on Friday, state leaders and local agencies expressed their sympathy on social media. One of the deaths was a child on the bus, and the other was a man from a vehicle traveling behind the bus, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. 2 dead, more than 50 people involved in school bus rollover crash, officials say Gov. Greg Abbott shared the following on social media: Cecilia and I are saddened to hear about this tragic incident, and we ask all Texans to join us in prayer for Tom Green Elementary students and families during this difficult time. Ive spoken with Hays CISD Superintendent Dr. Eric Wright and offered the states full support as they help their community through this tragedy. I thank the first responders and law enforcement officers who were on the scene immediately and continue to help their fellow Texans who were injured. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Site of fatal school bus crash had prior accidents, safety concerns Sen. Ted Cruz also posted to social media, saying the crash was utterly horrific. Heidi and I are praying for the families impacted by this terrible accident in Bastrop and we are praying for Gods tender hands to heal the injured. Sen. Ted Cruz The Texas Department of Public Safety also issued a statement regarding the crash. During this challenging time, our priorities are to ensure that the children receive necessary evaluation and treatment for any injuries sustained and to thoroughly investigate the crash. We deeply appreciate the communitys cooperation and support during this difficult time. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers remain with the victims, their families, and the entire community. Texas DPS San Marcos Hays County EMS also issued a statement saying, Our deepest sympathies are with all those impacted by todays tragic incident in Bastrop County involving a Hays CISD school bus. Our thoughts and prayers are with the students, families, staff members, and everyone affected by this challenging situation. The Buda Police Department extended its sincere condolences to the victims and said it was sending swift healing to those injured in the crash. The Bastrop Independent School District said while the accident did not involve its district buses, students or staff, their hearts are with all of those impacted. Bastrop County First Responders expressed sympathies as well regarding the crash. Our deepest sympathies go out to all the families impacted by this terrible tragedy this afternoon. This was one of the most difficult calls that we, as first responders, experience in our careers. We want to thank all of the agencies that came to assist with this exceptionally difficult scene. Bastrop County First Responders The Round Rock Independent School District said Our hearts go out to everyone in the @HaysCISD community, on social media. It said the district was keeping Hays CISD in its thoughts. Austin ISD also posted to social media saying the districts heart was heavy and sending its deepest condolences to Hays CISD. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragic accident in Bastrop County. We stand in solidarity with the Hays CISD community during this difficult time. Austin ISD For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) Students at the Academy of Careers and Technology in Raleigh County are headed to Clarksburg the weekend of March 22, 2024 for a statewide competition. Raleigh County students are among 1,500 West Virginia students who will compete in the annual State Skills USA competition in fields such as welding and cosmetology. Contractors to start work on road reconstruction project on West Virginia Turnpike The assistant principal said on Friday, March 22, 2024, that the competition is a good opportunity for Raleigh County students to show off what they have learned. She said the ACT program offers training which prepares students for the next phase of their lives. Which states do not have professional sports? ACT offers students in high school the opportunity to come here and get the knowledge and skills to go straight to the work force, or, even, just go on to college to further their education, said ACT Assistant Principal Adrienne Brellahan. Winners will be announced after the competition. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS. Minutes of a meeting seen by the Telegraph show the donation was approved by members Imelda Staunton and Dame Judi Dench - Jeffrey Blackler Britains leading acting union has been accused of straying from its purpose by sending money to Palestine by unhappy members. Sources within Equity have complained that the organisation intended to represent performers is straying into irrelevant activities. The Brighton branch of the actors union has used a fund to send a donation to support the Red Cross in Palestinian territories, according to those close to the process. Minutes of a branch meeting seen by the Telegraph show the donation was approved overall by Johnny Worthy, a local member and trustee of the union, alongside Imelda Staunton and Dame Judi Dench. According to the minutes, assurances were given that not a sou of the money would go to Israel. The union has said the decision to send the money understood to be a small sum was voted through by members in accordance with proper procedures. However, some Equity members expressed concerns that the union has used funds for an irrelevant cause, and that it is straying from its central purpose. Jewish exodus from union One local member has complained that Equity members engaging in irrelevant debates is putting off young performers who might otherwise take part in union activities. Another former member raised concerns about the political culture within the union, saying many Jewish members have left Equity since 2021 and they continue to do so. They also complained that debates about the Middle East have nothing to do with a union whose job is supposed to represent performers in the UK. There was a Jewish exodus from the union in 2021 when senior leadership backed calls to boycott Israel, prompting figures such as Dame Maureen Lipman to walk out. Dame Muaureen warned the Telegraph at the time that Equity had become stacked full of Corbynistas and the issue of Israel had become an obsession amongst its members. Dame Maureen Lipman speaking in solidarity with the hostages still held in Gaza at an event on March 10 - Guy Bell Union members called for mass action amid the 2021 crisis in Gaza, which was hit by airstrikes in a crisis triggered by security forces storming the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. A statement issued on May 30 that year, accredited to its general secretary Paul Fleming, concluded: We stand in solidarity with Palestinians taking industrial action, and workers around the world taking action in support of them. Following renewed violence in the Middle East, Equitys political stance again became a cause of concern among members who feared being blacklisted for having any connection to Israel. Equity has stated the motion in Brighton to send money to what is understood to be a Red Cross and Red Crescent joint appeal for Gaza was done with the consent of local members. A statement from the union said: The motion went through the appropriate democratic process and was passed by branch members. In accordance with Equitys branch standing orders, branch members are able to choose how to spend branch funds including charitable donations subject to a vote, so long as this does not conflict with the unions rules. 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. For Dave Benjamin, protecting beachgoers from drowning along the shores of the Great Lakes is simple: Station lifeguards at any beach that charges for parking. But it's not easy. The Great Lakes are big: five lakes, eight states and two countries. And to make matters more complicated, federal, state and local agencies all control beaches on the Great Lakes, and have their own set of measures to prevent drownings. The result: a patchwork of red flag warnings, swim-at-your-own risk signage, rip-current warning signs, buoys for designated swimming areas and, in some cases, lifeguards. And yet, there are drownings every year in the Great Lakes more than 1,200 since 2010, or an average of 100 a year, according to statistics compiled by Benjamin and the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a nonprofit that he co-founded after surviving in a drowning while surfing in Lake Michigan the day after Christmas 2010. Dave Benjamin, founder of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, advocates for lifeguard on beaches Benjamin's efforts to bring back lifeguards have taken the Illinois resident and surfer to one small community in Michigan: South Haven. But the skirmish over lifeguards on just two Lake Michigan beaches, which straddle the Black River as it empties into Lake Michigan, shows just how difficult it is to bring lifeguards to beaches and South Haven is just one tiny speck on the Great Lakes. The issue of lifeguards raises many questions: costs, liability, labor shortages. But there's no question that a beach with lifeguards is safer than one without, says Adam Katchmarchi, CEO of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, a nonprofit based in Tustin, California. Advocates, who have been fighting for lifeguards in South Haven for two decades, say they've made some progress this year with the South Haven City Council, which will be presented with information about starting a lifeguard program at an April 15 meeting. The information packet will include the names of consultants and their fees, sources of supplies, such as whistles and walkie-talkies, and how to recruit lifeguards and "build a culture around a lifeguard program," said Heather Welsh-Johnson, who compiled the information as director of the South Haven Ambassadors Program and Education, or SHAPE. Dave Benjamin, co-founder of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, takes on an icy wave A vote is not expected at that meeting, which means it's doubtful that there will be lifeguards on the beach in time for Memorial Day, should the council ultimately sign off on a lifeguard program. Welsh-Johnson said she's hopeful to have lifeguards in South Haven sometime this summer. Welsh-Johnson said the last summer that South Haven had lifeguards was in 2001. Since then, there have been 12 drownings. The South and North beaches each have a pier, as well as sand bars, which makes them especially prone to structural, longshore, and rip currents. Wind, waves, and incoming storms add to the list of dangers in South Haven. Beach visit ends in tragedy Emily MacDonald and her boyfried, Kory Ernster, drowned in South Haven in August 2022. Both honors students, Ernster, 22, a native of Novi, had just graduated from Michigan State University and taken a job in Wisconsin. MacDonald, 19, had just finished her first year at MSU. They were in South Haven for a vacation with the Ernster family and had talked about spending the rest of their lives together. It was an overcast day and there were other people on the beach and in the water at South Beach when Emily and Kory went for a swim. A current carried them toward a pier, and within minutes, they were pulled under. A bystander pulled Emily out of the water and went back for Kory. Neither regained consciousness. Emily MacDonald had just finished her first year at MSU when she drowned off a beach in South Haven in August 2022. "It's so sad. They loved the water and the water took them," said Emily's mother, Lisa MacDonald, of Chesterfield Township. MacDonald joined the effort to bring lifeguards to South Haven after the drownings and said the city has refused to listen to the experts for decades. This year, she said, "we've been relentless and we're just not letting up." Emily MacDonald and Kory Ernster drowned in Lake Michigan at a South Haven beach in August 2022. 'The money is there' She said South Haven lures tourists with B&Bs, restaurants, and its beautiful beaches, and city officials "know they are on a dangerous, unsafe lake." And lifeguards, in turn, should be the city's responsibility as it collects revenues from tourists who park in the beachfront lots, she said. "The money is there," she said. "They could do it if they made it their priority. This isn't rocket science. They don't have to reinvent the wheel." The Free Press left messages for the city manager and a member of the council, which were not returned. A second city council person reached by phone hung up on the reporter after she identified herself and the reason for the call. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says drowning is a serious public health threat and can happen in seconds, often quietly. It estimates that 4,000 people drown a year, or 11 a day. There are another 8,000 emergency room visits, or 22 a day, for nonfatal drownings, which can cause brain damage and other serious outcomes. More than half of fatal and nonfatal drownings among people 15 and older occur in natural waters such as lakes, rivers, and oceans. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1-4, and the second-leading cause for children 5-14, after motor vehicle accidents, according to the CDC. Katchmarchi, of the drowning prevention alliance, said no one single element will prevent drownings life jackets, parental supervision, an the ability to swim all matter. And while they're not foolproof, lifeguards "absolutely, and unequivocally" add a level of protection. "A lifeguard environment is a safer environment," Katchmarchi said. He said he doesn't understand why beachside communities that benefit from tourism fail to provide visitors with the protection of lifeguards, especially in places like the Great Lakes, with their waves, currents, and rapidly changing weather. Lifeguards, he said, "help make sure everyone gets home at the end of the day." Contact Jennifer Dixon: jbdixon@freepress.com This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Expert says lifeguards make a beach safer but it can be a tough sell The federal government reducing the number of temporary foreign workers coming to Canada isn't expected to have too big an impact on Windsor-Essex's agriculture industry. But industry experts in food and beverage say they're concerned. And advocates say the change doesn't address systemic flaws. "The temporary foreign worker program is a last resort," said Randy Boissonnault, Canada's minister of employment, on Thursday. "We expect businesses and business owners to exhaust every option and work to prioritize workers here in Canada before applying for temporary foreign workers." The federal government allowed companies to bring in more temporary foreign workers when job vacancies were high. But with declining vacancies and the effects of the pandemic abating, the government aims to bring the temporary foreign worker population down to five per cent, from 6.2 per cent by 2027. Changes will come into effect May 1. Most industries will have their hiring capped at 20 per cent, while the construction and health industries can be capped at 30 per cent. Crucially for Windsor-Essex and its agriculture sector, seasonal industries will be exempt during their peak season. Windsor-Essex agriculture mostly unaffected by changes In Essex County, the executive director of the Ontario Vegetable Growers Association says they bring in about 8,400 workers every season. "It's unfortunate that we can't find Canadian workers to work in agriculture and support farming," said Richard Lee. "Across Ontario, we have over 12,000 workers coming into this country to support food security." Richard Lee is the executive director of the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers. Richard Lee is the executive director of the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers. (CBC) In Windsor-Essex, the greenhouse industry has brought in workers that aren't affected by the cap, Lee says. But employers will have to complete labour market impact assessments their justification for being unable to find Canadian workers to fill open jobs every six months, instead of every 12 months. And, he says they'll have to continually advertise for domestic workers. Chris Conway is the CEO with Food and Beverage Ontario. He says that in the food processing industry, they're more concerned about the changes, but it's too soon to measure the specific impact in Windsor-Essex. "We don't use as many foreign temporary foreign workers as primary agriculture does, but still we use a significant number in some of these companies and it's going to take time for this to work its way through the system," Conway said. "But you know this is not being seen as positive. Labour has been our number one challenge." Every year, migrant workers come to Canada to work on contracts for certain industries. Every year, migrant workers come to Canada to work on contracts for certain industries. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press) Advocates say system needs further changes Santiago Escobar is a national representative with the United Food and Commercial Workers union. He says they changes will be felt by workers and their families in the global south and the system needs more changes. "The current program has power imbalance as migrant workers are tied to one employer, which is the perfect scenario for unscrupulous employers who take advantage of migrant workers," he said. "If paths to permanent residency are expanded, this would be good news for migrant workers." Santiago Escobar is the national representative for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Canada. Santiago Escobar is the national representative for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Canada. (Jason Viau/CBC) Chris Ramsaroop is an organizer with Justice for Migrant Workers, an advocacy organization. He, too, says there are few protections for migrant workers. "The status quo remains for the people who pick the fruits and vegetables in the Windsor-Essex area," Ramsaroop said. "This statement by the federal government, the steps are going to be taking place May 1, is going to do nothing to alleviate the concerns that they're raising and they consistently raise." Boys - like these ones in Khost - returned to school this week, but teenage girls were kept at home Teenage Afghan girls have told the BBC they feel "mentally dead" as the Taliban's ban on their education prevents them from returning to school once again. More than 900 days have now passed since girls over 12 were first banned. The Taliban have repeatedly promised they would be readmitted once a number of issues were resolved - including ensuring the curriculum was "Islamic". But they have made little comment as a third new school year started without teenage girls in class this week. The BBC has asked the Taliban's education minister for an explanation, but he has so far not responded. The Taliban's chief spokesman told local TV there had been "some problems and shortcomings for different reasons" in getting the ban lifted. According to Unicef, the ban has now impacted some 1.4m Afghan girls - among them, former classmates Habiba, Mahtab and Tamana, who spoke to the BBC last year. The hope they described 12 months ago is still there, but seems to have dwindled. "In reality, when we think, we don't live, we are just alive," Mahtab, 16, says. "Think of us like a moving dead body in Afghanistan." Tamana - who dreams of a PhD - agrees. "I mean, we are physically alive but mentally dead," she says. Girls were first singled out and prevented from going to secondary school back in September 2021 - a month after the Taliban took control of the country. Acting Deputy Education Minister Abdul Hakim Hemat later told the BBC that girls would not be allowed to attend secondary school until a new education policy in line with Islamic and Afghan traditions was approved, which would be in time for the start of school in March 2022. Girls are allowed to attend school up until secondary under the Taliban Two years later, Zainab - not her real name - is among the 330,000 girls Unicef estimates should have started secondary school this March. She had held onto hope that she and fellow girls in Grade Six would be able to continue, up to the point her headmaster entered the exam hall to explain they would not be able to return for the new term. Zainab had been top of her class. Now, she tells the BBC: "I feel like I have buried my dreams in a dark hole." Zainab's father has attempted to leave Afghanistan, but so far without success. Officially, Zainab's only option is classes at government-controlled religious schools, or madrassas - something the family do not want. "It is not an alternative to school," her father says. "They will only teach her religious subjects." For now, she attends an English class being quietly run in her neighbourhood - one of many which have quietly emerged in defiance of the ban in the last few years. Girls have also been able to keep up their studies by following courses online, or watching programmes like BBC Dars - an education programme for Afghan children, including girls aged 11-16 barred from school, described as a "learning lifeline" by the United Nations last year. Where to find Dars BBC News Afghanistan TV and radio satellite channel BBC News Pashto and BBC News Dari Facebook and YouTube channels BBC Persian TV FM, short-wave and medium-wave radio But Zainab and girls like her are among the more fortunate ones. When families are struggling to get enough to eat - as many in Afghanistan are - accessing online education is simply not seen "as a priority for their daughters", notes Samira Hamidi, Amnesty International's regional campaigner. The future for many of Afghanistan's girls is "bleak", she warns - pointing to the fact young girls are continuing to be married off when they reach puberty, and are further endangered by the Taliban's rollback of laws designed to protect women in abusive marriages. And it is not just 13-year-olds being prevented from accessing an education. The BBC has found the ban even being extended to younger girls if they appear to have gone through puberty. Naya, not her real name, is just 11 but is no longer attending school in her home province of Kandahar. Her father says the government has "abandoned" her because she looks older than she is. "She is larger than average, and that was the reason the government told us she couldn't go to school. She must wear the veil (hijab) and stay at home." He doesn't hold out much hope for the rules changing under the current regime, but was keen to stress one point: the idea the people of Afghanistan backed the Taliban's ban was an "absolute lie". "It is absolutely an accusation on Afghans and Pashtuns that they don't want daughter's education, but the issue is vice-versa," he said. "Specially in Kandahar and other Pashtun provinces (where Pashtun people live), a lot people are ready to send their daughters to schools and universities to get education." Afghan boys at a celebration to mark the opening of the school year this week The ban on a secondary education is far from the only change these girls are facing, however. In December 2022, women were told they could no longer attend university. Then there were the rules restricting how far a woman could travel without a male relative, on how they dressed, what jobs they could do, and even a ban on visiting their local parks. There are hopes, says Amnesty's Samira Hamidi, that the secret schools and online education "can be expanded". But, she added: "In a country with over one million girls facing a ban on their fundamental human rights to education, these efforts are not enough." What it needs, she argues, is "for immediate and measurable actions by the international community to pressurise the Taliban", as well as wider international support for education across the country. But until that happens, girls like Habiba, Mahtab and Tamana will remain at home. "It's very difficult," says Habiba, 18. "We feel ourselves in a real dungeon." But she says she still has hope. Her friend Tamana is not so sure. "Honestly, I don't know whether the schools will reopen or not under this government which doesn't have a bit of thought or understanding for girls," the 16-year-old says. "They count the girls as nothing." Additional reporting by Megha Mohan, Mariam Aman and Georgina Pearce LINC co-founder and co-CEO Jason Green at right smiling in selfie in front of stage/presentation screen. Top right inset of his company's LINC product showing teacher reviews; bottom right inset of screenshot from YourWai AI teaching assistant website. The company providing an artificial intelligence teaching tool to Brooklyn high schools boasted testimonials from phantom NYC teachers on its website, The Post has learned. Jason Green, the co-CEO and co-founder of Learning Innovation Catalyst, or LINC, happens to be a pal of schools chancellor David Banks. Green visited Marthas Vineyard last summer with Banks; Banks partner, first deputy mayor Sheena Wright; and several kids on vacation, according to a Department of Education insider and photos viewed by The Post. The AI company used fake names in testimonials by NYC teachers and says it has no proof real educators gave them.. yourwai.com LINC has collected $4.3 million in city funds since 2018 for professional development and curriculum, including $2.3 million this school year, according to city records. Its AI tool Yourwai, which generates lesson plans for teachers, is now being tested in Brooklyn schools. Four names attached to Yourwais testimonials did not appear in city payroll records: Emily Johnson, Tyler Anderson, Cameron Williamson and Ralph Edwards. Four other fake names Kevin Anderson, Christopher Miller, Michael Davis and Jessica Rodriguez were too common to determine their authenticity. The Miller quote had an odd glitch, referencing a Puerto Rican private school halfway through: Teachers love it! The Palmas Academy elementary school coordinator this tool was used by 40 teachers over 300 times in less than a week. I love YOURWAI!!, gushed NYC Administrator Cameron Williams. Yourwai is very education specific and I love the tools built in ready to use, the website quoted NYC administrator Tyler Anderson. Yourwai is very education specific, was attributed to NYC administrator Tyler Anderson, a fake name. yourwai.com Ralph Edwards did not appear in city Department of Education records. yourwai.com Jessica Rodriguez was one of the eight bogus names used in Yourwai testimonials. yourwai.com This was the highlight of my year, raved NYC Administrator Ralph Edwards. After an inquiry by The Post, Yourwai immediately scrubbed the names and references to NYC from the quotes. The testimonials on our website were anonymized for compliance purposes, it said in a statement. We have removed these aliases from our website to clear up confusion. Jason Green is the co-founder and co-CEO of LINC learning. One suspicious testimonial from a NYC teacher randomly referenced a Puerto Rican private school. yourwai.com Yourwai removed the teachers aliases and references to NYC following an inquiry from The Post. yourwai.com The company claimed the quotes came from actual teachers and administrators, but said it could not identify who made themor even confirm they worked for NYC public schools. We cannot share the real name of the user who shared specific testimonials, because the name of the user was not stored in our database, the company said. We cannot even confirm the organization of the user who shared testimonials. The city Conflicts of Interest Board forbids city employees to let vendors use their NYC titles in promotional material without written permission by their agencies. Asked whether the DOE granted permission to quote school employees, the company did not answer. The DOE did not respond to an inquiry. Jason Green is the co-CEO and co-founder of Learning Innovation Catalyst, or LINC, maker of the Yourwai AI tool. X @jasontoddgreen Janice Ross, superintendent of Brooklyn North high schools, hailed Yourwai as an educational boon at a March 13 parent council meeting. Teachers spend hours creating lesson plans. They should not be doing that any more, she said. Ross and Green also enjoy a close relationship, according to LinkedIn posts touting their seven-year working ties. Janice Ross, superintendent of Brooklyn North high schools, in blue dress alongside Jason Green, co-founder and co-CEO of LINC, at an event cited on LinkedIn. Both Ross and Green boasted about Yourwais launch in posts this month. LINC was first introduced in Brooklyn North high schools in 2017, Green noted. Yourwai said it is offering the program to NYC schools for free as a pilot through the end of June. Our approach helps teachers use artificial intelligence, and technology more broadly, as a support and enhancement of their work, not as a replacement for the work that only human educators are capable of, the company said in a statement. Schools Chancellor David Banks last year embraced AI in schools and reversed the DOEs ban on the technology. William Farrington Jason Green is not personal friends with Chancellor Banks, it added, but did not explain the Marthas Vineyard visit. Critics have warned against using AI as a crutch and because of ts tendency to display biases and falsehoods. AI programs have been widely criticized for diverse content that is factually inaccurate. The Yourwai software was integrated with Black History 365, an ethnic studies curriculum, Green wrote in the LinkedIn posts. AI programs have been blasted for producing historically inaccurate images and information. Bringing BH365 and LINC together is game changing and ensuring teachers have the access to Black History curriculum easily and readily, Ross added. Banks this week declared he is fighting like heck to restore $170 million in early childhood education budget cuts, among other DOE funding reductions. BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines should immediately stop its infringement and provocation, and refrain from undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Saturday. The spokesperson made the remarks in response to the Philippines' resupply to Ren'ai Jiao of China's Nansha Qundao. According to the spokesperson, in disregard of China's strong opposition, the Philippines sent a supply vessel and two Coast Guard vessels on March 23, without permission from the Chinese government, to intrude into the adjacent waters of Ren'ai Jiao of China's Nansha Qundao, in an attempt to send construction materials to the military vessel illegally grounded at Ren'ai Jiao for its repair and reinforcement. China Coast Guard took necessary measures at sea to safeguard our rights, firmly blocked the Philippines' vessels, and foiled the Philippines' attempt, said the spokesperson. "Nansha Qundao and its adjacent waters, including Ren'ai Jiao, have always been China's territory. This is established in the long course of history, and complies with international law," said the spokesperson. If the Philippines insists on going its own way, China will continue to adopt resolute measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, the spokesperson said, adding that the Philippines should be prepared to bear all potential consequences. Russia attacked Ukraine with 34 Shahed UAVs and four S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles overnight, with air defense forces intercepting 31 enemy drones, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk reported on Telegram on March 23. Russians launched drones from Kursk Oblast and Cape Chauda in occupied Crimea. The 31 kamikaze drones were shot down over Poltava, Mykolaiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson oblasts. Read also: Ukraine downs 92 of 151 air targets during Russian mass missile strike The Ukrainian Navy reported that it also had downed one Shahed-136. The head of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, Serhiy Lysak, wrote on Telegram that four Shaheds were shot down in the Nikopol and Synelnyky districts at night and in the early morning. He later clarified that another drone was shot down in the Kryvyi Rih district. Read also: UN and EU condemn Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, call for accountability On the evening of March 22, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported that the city was under attack by Shahed drones, and that at least three explosions had been reported. On the morning of March 23, the State Emergency Service reported that a three-story building caught fire as a result of the first strike. After rescuers and police had arrived at the scene, the Russian military struck again with a UAV a common Russian technique known as a double tap, used to wide effect to murder aid workers in Syria. Two employees of the SES and the National Police were injured. The day before, the Russian military massively attacked Ukraine's critical infrastructure with 151 air strikes. Ukrainian defenders shot down 55 Shaheds, 35 X-101/X-555 cruise missiles, and two X-59 guided missiles. 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 Ukraine shot down 31 of 34 Shahed-type drones Russia launched overnight on March 23 from Kursk region and Cape Chauda in occupied Crimea, the Air Force said in its morning update. Anti-aircraft missile units of the Air Force and mobile fire units were engaged in repelling the aerial assault. The attack drones were downed over Poltava, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts. Russian forces also targeted Donetsk Oblast with at least four S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles. It is unclear whether the missiles were intercepted. In Kharkiv, residents heard explosions shortly after midnight on March 23. A drone struck a three-story building in the city, causing fire on an area of 150 square meters. Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported in the morning that one of their employees, as well as a police officer were injured after their dispatch to the site, as another drone hit the area. Two emergency vehicles were also damaged in the attack. On March 22, Russia launched another large-scale drone and missile attack against Ukrainian cities, targeting several Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kryvyi Rih. The attacks were primarily aimed at the energy infrastructure. Around 700,000 people in Kharkiv were left with power flowing one of the largest Russian attacks against Ukraines critical infrastructure on March 22. Read also: ISW: Russia hopes to collapse Ukraines energy grid amid air defense shortage Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) accused Israel of engaging in an genocide in Gaza during a pointed House floor speech on Friday. If you want to know what an unfolding genocide looks like, open your eyes, Ocasio-Cortez said. It looks like the forced famine of 1.1 million innocents. It looks like thousands of children eating grass as their bodies consume themselves, while trucks of food are slowed and halted just miles away. Friday marked the first time the congresswoman has publicly called the ongoing violence in Gaza where more than 30,000 people have been killed by Israeli forces a genocide. Of those deaths, more than 25,000 have been women and children, killed in an offensive launched in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel. Ocasio-Cortez pointed to warnings of Gazas imminent famine amid several reports that Israeli forces have fired on people waiting for aid. A famine is being intentionally precipitated through the blocking of food and global humanitarian assistance by leaders in the Israeli government, she said. This is a mass starvation of people, engineered and orchestrated. She added that President Joe Biden should suspend the transfer of U.S. weapons to the Israeli government, saying that honoring our alliances does not mean facilitating mass killing. Biden has faced criticism over the past several months for his failure to rein in the Israeli military campaign, as the U.S. has continued to fund aid to Israel. During a White House press conference in February, Biden admitted Israels response has been over the top. Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly listed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as a Republican. She is a Democrat. Related... Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks appears as a green streak in the sky above a single silhouetted tree. Skywatchers have been treated to a special visitor this month, as the 'horned' comet 12P/Pons-Brooks streaks across the night sky. Currently, this celestial vagabond is visible to those with a pair of good binoculars or a telescope but by the end of March, it may brighten to 5th magnitude, making it visible to the naked eye. 12P/Pons-Brooks may even appear during the total solar eclipse on April 8. It will then disappear into the sunset glow through April and will reach perihelion the point at which it is closest to the sun on April 21. After that, it will begin fade and become visible to those in the Southern Hemisphere. Here we take a look at some of the best photos of the 'horned' comet from around the world. Related: Here's how to see 'horned' comet 12P/Pons-Brooks in the night sky this month (video) This beautiful image captured by landscape astrophotographer Josh Dury shows comet 12P/Pons-Brooks soaring above the Mendip Hills AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), U.K., with the Andromeda galaxy shining brightly above. "The comet was a rather challenging capture; not really visualising the extent of light pollution visible from my homelands of the Mendip Hills. With this, I had to trial and error a series of compositions until I was satisfied with the one I eventually photographed," Dury told Space.com. "Even with more integration time, it was possible to observe details in the comet's nucleus and ion tail that had been distorted by solar winds," Dury continued. This isn't Dury's first time photographing comets. "I have been fortunate enough to photograph a number of comets in the past few years, with Comet Neowise from Stonehenge in 2020 and Comet E3 (ZTF) in 2023. So to see Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks was an absolute treat!" Dury continued. Dury looks forward to the next clear sky opportunity so he can try and capture the comet as it brightens over the next few weeks. Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks appears as a green streak in the sky above a single silhouetted tree and the andromeda galaxy shining brightly above. Astrophotographer Osama Fathi photographed comet 12P/Pons-Brooks streaking across the sky above the Black Desert, Egypt with our closest galactic neighbor, Andromeda, sitting above. Not only did Fathi capture the 'horned' comet and Andromeda in the same image but also what appears to be a meteor streaking across the star-studded sky! Great work Fathi! comet streaks across the sky and glows green, with a bright galaxy in the top left corner and a long thin meteor trail in the sky to the top left corner. Kaitlin Moore captured this great image of comet 12P/Pons-Brooks above Lake Mendota, Wisconsin, U.S. "The comet was imaged on a 300mm zoom lens in the west-northwest sky over Lake Mendota, in pretty heavy light pollution," Moore told Space.com. a green glowing nucleus of the comet is visible with a long tail against a star studded sky. The Rome-based Virtual Telescope Project led by Gianluca Masi captured a combination of five 120-second exposures on March 5 showing comet 12P/Pons-Brooks (bottom right) and the Andromeda galaxy. a bright, fuzzy dot can be seen among a background of stars, leaving a wispy trail behind it Amateur astrophotographer Kevin O'Donnell captured this beautiful close-up image of 12P/Pons-Brooks on March 6 just outside Wickenburg, Arizona. "I drove west away from Phoenix on the Carefree Highway towards the darker skies outside Wickenburg, Arizona to the west where Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is visible, low in the sky, now between the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and the Triangulum Galaxy (M33)," O'Donnell told Space.com. "Though the comet continues to brighten, it will also appear closer to the horizon and is less visible due to the brightening moon. It was a magnitude 6.5 object at the time, which is still pretty faint, even in a dark sky with binoculars" O'Donnell continued. O'Donnell also produced a video of how he captured the image despite the tricky clouds, it can be viewed on his Instagram page @theskydetective. comet glowing green and white with a long tail against a backdrop of stars. Vladimir Putin may have ignored United States warnings of an Islamic attack in Russia because he found them patronising and didnt want the shine taken off a whopping election victory. Instead of taking them seriously, he used a speech on Tuesday to his security forces to deride the US analysis as a blackmail attempt and a provocation. Except it wasnt, and three days later Putin was trying to deflect blame for the deadliest terrorist atrocity in Russia in 20 years. Analysts said that a mixture of hubris, scepticism over intelligence produced by a sworn enemy and the timing of the warning a week before a presidential election meant that Putin ignored the US report. He was irritated that this public warning came as an embarrassment and a spoiler before this election, said Mark Galeotti, a professor at UCL and the author of several books on Russia. A woman mourns at a makeshift memorial in front of the Crocus City Hall, on Saturday - OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP Now, in the space of a week, Putin has gone from toasting a record 87 per cent win in a presidential election at a pumped-up victory celebration to appearing in a sombre video address from the Kremlin calling for national unity after terrorists killed at least 133 people. Its difficult to overestimate the sense of shock in Russia after the attack that brought back memories of major Chechen terrorist attacks in the early 2000s, during the first years of Putins presidency. Public events have been cancelled, a day of mourning has been announced and electronic advertisements have been replaced by images of flickering candles. Low-level terrorist attacks occur regularly in Russia. This month FSB agents shot dead two Kazakh nationals in a town south-west of Moscow who they said had been planning an attack on a synagogue, and killed six alleged Islamic State terrorists in Dagestan, southern Russia. But you have to go back to 2004 to find an attack comparable to Fridays assault on the concert hall in Moscow. Then, more than 300 people were killed when Chechen rebels captured a school in Beslan in North Ossetia. Vladimir Putin addresses a concert marking his presidential election victory and the 10-year anniversary of Crimea's annexation by Russia on Red Square in Moscow, on Monday - Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Putin used the Beslan school attack to empower himself and his security forces, but how does he respond now during a war with Ukraine that has stretched his economy and security forces? The attack presents Putin with both a risk and an opportunity, analysts said. A risk, because Putin has built his 24-year reign as leader of Russia promising ordinary Russians that he will guarantee their security, a pledge now undermined by videos of marauding gunmen killing rock music fans. An opportunity, because Putin and his propagandists wasted no time blaming Ukraine for organising the attack, an accusation they hope will act as a powerful rallying call for Russians to sign up to fight. Ian Garner, an author who has written about Russian war propaganda, said that Putin had trapped himself in a cycle of violence hooked around war, repression, terrorist attacks and mobilisations that he cant escape from. The Putinist cycle of violence since 1999. Adopt brace positions, he said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. President Trump recently scored a victory with the Supreme Court: The justices agreed to hear his case that his former role as president grants him immunity in the face of federal charges. Among the central questions in this criminal case: What does it mean for the president to take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, as the Constitution requires? Trump and his lawyers have argued that this constitutional clause grants him near-total immunity from judicial oversight, as opposed to being an accountability measure meant to hold the president responsible for enforcing the laws. While commentators on both sides have focused on what it means to faithfully execute the laws, few consider as closely the clauses other phrase: the exhortation to take care. A common reading of that phrase by legal scholars is that it simply means to ensure, as in to ensure that the Laws be faithfully executed. But that reading shortchanges centuries of political thought about a question that hangs over Trumps prosecution, and the outcome of this years election: What does it mean for public officials to have a duty of care? Read more: Litman: Without even ruling on Trump's immunity claim, the Supreme Court handed him a huge victory That question was taken seriously in ancient Athens, where a 403 BC decree instructed one of the traditional governing councils, known as the Council of the Areopagus, to Take caring charge of the laws, so that the office holders may employ the laws that have been passed. The similarity to whats in the Constitution is striking: Both speak of caring and link it to the laws execution. Yet the Athenian instruction more explicitly references caring in the sense of being a caretaker or guardian. This suggests that the officials duty is not simply to ensure the laws are executed, but also to safeguard their spirit. To execute without caring, indifferent to the fate of the overall democratic system, is to fail to execute properly at all. In the 18th century American context, such ideas also had resonance, as shown in debates over the Constitutions ratification. Commentators in the government and media spoke of federal officeholders public trust, their role as servants or confidential guardians of the people, and of the president as the supreme conservator of the laws. Even the presidents constitutionally mandated oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution invokes a notion of guardianship, an idea of rule that goes well beyond the idea that the president is merely the nations chief executive (or faithful executor). Read more: Column: In 2024, it's an election between authoritarianism and the uncommitted To safeguard the spirit of the laws, one has to know the laws purpose (in Greek, their telos). That telos is broadly understood in ancient Greek texts to be the good of the people. Accordingly, officials were described as stewards and guardians in the poetry of Pindar, the comedies of Aristophanes and the oratory of Isocrates, among the works of other authors. These portrayals related to the roles of household stewards and legal guardians of children. As with legal guardians today, officials duty was to exercise their powers to care for the good of others. The ancient Athenian philosopher Plato identified caring as a fundamental dimension of statecraft in his text Statesman. He argued in Laws that a good constitution requires a body similar to the Council of the Areopagus that can keep watch over the laws. Even in his dialogue Republic, rather than arguing for untrammeled rule by philosophers as many have thought, he proposed that a group of senior guardians should educate, select and supervise officeholders (and that the guardians should themselves be tested and selected by their predecessors). This is constitutional rule, as suggested by the dialogues title in Greek (Politeia, literally meaning Constitution), in which no individual official is immune to scrutiny as to whether they are taking proper care. What might the U.S. learn from these ancient ideas? For starters, we might recognize that our own founding documents suggest that the telos of our democracy is, as it was for the Greeks, the good of the people. Read more: Opinion: 2024 will be the biggest voting year in world history. Can democracy survive it? Imagine, then, if we established our own group of senior guardians to weigh in on the suitability of presidential candidates to perform the role's essential caring function. The group could include living past presidents, who know from experience what the role requires, and, if necessary to make up a quorum, other qualified retired public officials. Just as the American Bar Assn. rates federal judicial nominees as well qualified, qualified or not qualified, this body could rate major party presidential candidates on the basis of transparent, preselected and nonpartisan criteria. Although such a council would have no official role in the electoral process, its rating would signal the deliberative judgment of a uniquely expert group of individuals. Moreover, in screening potential members for its own ranks, a council of ex-presidents could send further messages about the conduct of past executives. Just as Platos guardians were tested and selected by other guardians, so too could this group self-police, determining membership based on factors including performance before, in and after office in terms of exhibiting appropriate care or a lack thereof for the health of the democratic process and constitutional system. Exclusion from membership might bear on the National Archives support for a presidential library and other honors conventionally bestowed on past presidents. To be sure, such a council would be subject to the full range of human foibles and moral failures at least a dozen U.S. presidents, after all, were or had been slaveholders and voters may well disregard their judgments. And it perhaps sounds like a flight of fancy to propose a new functional cooperative body in this fractious era of American governance. On the other hand, the collective experience of prior officeholders may be exactly what we need to safeguard the presidents constitutional duty to take due care. Their ratings would remind all Americans of a lesson that the ancient Greeks recognized: that caring is fundamental to ruling. Jane Manners is an assistant professor at the Beasley School of Law of Temple University. Melissa Lane is a professor of politics at Princeton and author of the book Of Rule and Office: Platos Ideas of the Political . If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Fire at the Kuibyshev oil refinery in Russias Samara Oblast. Photo: Astra Russian Telegram channels have reported explosions and a fire at the Kuibyshev oil refinery in Russias Samara Oblast. Source: Telegram channels Astra, Baza and Mash Details: Local residents reported an explosion at the Kuibyshev oil refinery. As a result of the explosion, a fire broke out at the refinery near the city of Novokuybyshevsk in Samara Oblast. Early reports indicate that the refinery was attacked by a drone. Updated: The regional authorities reported that the fire at the refinerys primary oil distillation tower was caused by a drone attack on the Kuibyshev oil refinery. Quote: "UAVs attacked oil processing plants in the region at night. A fire broke out at the primary oil distillation tower at the Kuibyshev oil refinery. There were no fatalities or casualties." For reference: The Kuibyshev oil refinery specialises in the production of motor fuels, including petrol and diesel fuel meeting Euro-5 emission standards and several dozen other petroleum products in demand on the market. Fire at the Kuibyshev oil refinery in Russias Samara Oblast. Photo: Astra . : Mash pic.twitter.com/lBxXQYdaE7 (@ukrpravda_news) March 23, 2024 Read more: "The burning shall continue": What lies behind Ukraine's attacks on Russia's oil refineries, and how have they impacted the Kremlin? Background: The Financial Times reported that the United States had allegedly urged Ukraine not to hit Russian oil refineries and other energy infrastructure, as it was concerned that this could lead to higher energy prices and further escalation. Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, said that oil refineries in Russia are legitimate targets of Ukraine from a military point of view. According to her, Ukraine is acting in accordance with NATO standards in this case. Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, denied that Washington is demanding that Ukraine stop attacks on Russia's oil infrastructure. Support UP or become our patron! DENVER (KDVR) What are described as hate speech signs were removed from the state Capitol grounds Friday morning. These signs were bolted to posts near metal street signs and made to look like normal street signs. However, these signs featured the words hookers, migrants and undocumented. Some migrants in Denver prefer encampments to shelters for the autonomy The signs were first spotted outside the Colorado Capitol around 5:30 a.m. Friday. I think it definitely went overboard. Even having that kind of hate in your heart is a step too far, Together Denver Organizer Amy Beck said. FOX31 reporter Vicente Arenas also spoke to the person who spotted the signs before sunrise. I thought they were just some kind of caution signs. I actually thought they were legitimate signs from the city, said the driver, who wished to remain anonymous. The signs were attached to city-owned street signs on the edge of the East side of the state Capitol property. One sign said, Caution undocumented Democrats and showed people running with weapons. One of the figures is depicted as pulling a child. The other said, Migrant Hookers. Below it, another sign reads $20. Its very hurtful to me, its just a form of hate. I was saddened that somebody would actually go that far and put so much energy to do that, the driver said. Denver will stop emergently responding to migrants, shifting to a sustainable response Capitol crews removed the signs, and the Colorado State Patrol is looking into how they got there. The signs appeared at the capitol as Denver continues dealing with an influx of migrants stirring a fiery debate over the crisis. CSP said a person placing the signs here could face charges ranging from vandalism to criminal mischief. At this time, the agency has not identified the person who placed them there. The Denver Police Department said it is aware of the signs that were posted and police are looking into it to find who placed them. Anyone with information is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. The agreement, which passed the House earlier Friday, gives a slight boost to HHS but previously agreed-upon budget caps meant the increase was essentially flat. It would fund HHS at $116.8 billion for fiscal 2024 a small bump over the $115.4 billion enacted level But by coming to an agreement, lawmakers avoided an across-the-board 1 percent sequester cut. Most of the contentious health changes were stripped out. Changes to the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) industry and hospital payment reforms were excluded from the $1.2 trillion government funding bill, after members failed to come to a last-minute agreement. Those major legislative changes will now likely have to wait until a year-end lame duck session. The path [forward] is every single opportunity until we get it done. This ought to have been done yesterday, Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) told reporters, adding that the number of people involved made it difficult to make everyone happy. It wasnt even really four corners. You know, the traditional Capitol Hill lingoI think it was more like five or six corners, and threading the needle is a challenge. We got some work to do in the House, Wyden said. At the same time, the controversial anti-abortion riders House Republicans tucked into nearly every major spending bill were also excluded. Lawmakers touted meaningful investments for Alzheimers research. The National Institutes of Health will get a $300 million boost in base funding from current levels, with $100 million going to Alzheimers disease and related dementias research. PEPFAR, the flagship U.S. program to combat HIV and AIDS abroad, got a one-year extension, the first time since its inception the program wasnt reauthorized for five years. The extension keeps funding flat through March 2025, but it wont impose any anti-abortion restrictions sought by conservatives. Congress faces a midnight deadline before funding lapses. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. As lawmakers in Washington look ahead to the next Farm Bill, Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin and more than a dozen other attorneys general across the country are urging Congress to take a closer look at hemp-derived products like Delta-8. The group of attorneys wrote a letter to Congress arguing that the current federal law is resulting in harmful products being sold across the nation with no age restrictions. The attorneys general would like to see more clarity when it comes to industrial hemp in the next Farm Bill, and ultimately leave the issue up to the states. Arkansas farmer talks impact of new Farm Bill in the works in Washington In Arkansas, there is already a legal battle over the state legislatures effort to ban these products altogether through a bill that became law in the 2023 session. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against the law in September, allowing the sales to continue in the meantime while we await a permanent decision. Griffin is currently appealing the preliminary injunction. The attorney suing the state over the law, Abtin Mehdizadegan, argues his Arkansas-based clients have never sold the products to kids or gas stations that do. He said he and the plaintiffs agree there needs to be more regulation, protecting kids from purchasing the products, but not a ban altogether. This is not really a risk as much as it is an opportunity to go back in 2025 when the legislature goes into session and pass a regulatory bill, Mehdizadegan said. If youre concerned about children getting these products, that does that. That prohibits those sales. No ones going to fight that. Federal judge grants injunction blocking Arkansas delta-8 ban Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward agreed with Griffin and the other attorneys general in the letter that the products need to be banned, adding that this would have little impact on the states leading industry: agriculture. Less than 10 acres are devoted to industrial hemp in the state of Arkansas, Ward said. Ward compared this to soybeans, which take up more than three million acres in the state, or rice, taking more than one million acres. If growers are growing industrial hemp for its intended authorized purpose for fiber and those purposes where theres an authorized use for, weve got no problem with it, Ward said. Thats why Congress authorized, it its why Arkansas authorized it. Its when people take those products and do things thatre unregulated and potentially harmful for kids in particular. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issues consumer alert on Delta-8 According to the FDA, there have been reports of adverse consequences in patients consuming Delta-8 products since the 2018 Farm Bill passed. This includes hallucinations, vomiting, tremors, anxiety, dizziness, confusion and loss of consciousness. In 2020, the FDA reported a pediatric death as a result of the product use. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. SHENZHEN, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The Shenzhen-Milan Lifestyle Week was held in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, from Tuesday to Friday, marking the deepening of cooperation between the Chinese and Italian fashion industries. Mario Boselli, president of the Italy China Council Foundation (ICCF), who has long been committed to promoting Sino-Italian economic and trade cooperation, believes that the Chinese market brings broad opportunities for Italian enterprises. The Shenzhen-Milan Lifestyle Week is an important attempt by Shenzhen and Milan to deepen cooperation and exchanges in the modern fashion industry. In the view of Raffaella Godi, chairman of the Italian Guitar Communication Agency, the interaction between the fashion industries of the two countries sends a strong signal that the two different but very similar cultures of China and Italy can collide to produce more creative sparks. Giliola Adele Maule, president of Camera Showroom Milano, an independent association of selected international fashion showroom in Milan, said that the Fashion Week has a huge impact on the downstream market of the fashion industry chain, gathering resources from domestic and international designers, brands, buyers, foundations and agents, promoting the concentration of development factors, extending the industrial ecosystem, and injecting new momentum into the development of the fashion industry. Zhao Huizhou, founder and chief designer of Eachway Fashion Group, hopes to promote cooperation between Chinese and Italian designers, fashion experts and fashion tourism, and through mutual empowerment between cultures. The Shenzhen-Milan Lifestyle Week has facilitated several deep cooperation agreements between Chinese and Italian fashion industry professionals. CONWAY, Ark. State troopers say one person is in custody after reports of gunfire coming from a vehicle on Interstate 40 in Conway. Officials with the Arkansas State Police said troopers arrested the individual who they claim was taking shots on I-40 between Exit 125 (Oak Street) and Exit 129 (Dave Ward Drive). Benton officials asking for publics help with investigating animal cruelty case Troopers said no one was injured by the gunfire and that there were no injuries during the arrest. ASP officials noted that officers from the Conway Police Department originally responded to the incident but that agents with the ASP Criminal Investigation Division were now taking over the case. Faulkner County Sheriffs Office arrests 56 repeat offenders in multi-day operation State police said troopers are still investigating what led to the gunfire, but a social media post from Conway PD described the case as a road rage incident. CPD officials are also asking drivers to avoid the area of Robins Street and Locust Avenue while the investigation continues. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. Barack Obama turned down a cameo in Netflix's 3 Body Problem in the most hilarious way, according to showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss. While speaking to USA TODAY, the pair revealed how the former President of the United States of America, who served in the White House between 2009 and 2017, came back to them with a witty response following their invitation. "[He] did sign a very funny note though, when we tried to get him for a cameo," shared Benioff. "It was to the effect of, 'In case there ever is a real alien invasion, I think I should probably save myself for that crisis.'" Getty Images Related: 3 Body Problem ending explained Weiss, who famously ran Game of Thrones alongside Benioff for the entirety of its run, added: "He wants to keep his powder dry in case there's a real thing". Adapted from Liu Cixin's dense sci-fi novel published in 2008, which kickstarted the author's Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy, 3 Body Problem revolves around a past, present and future where Earth encounters an alien civilisation. Obama previously told The New York Times that he'd enjoyed Cixin's work while putting his feet up as President. Netflix Related: 13 of Barack Obama's funniest (and coolest) moments as the President "The stuff I read just to escape ends up being a mix of things some science fiction. For a while, there was a three-volume science-fiction novel, the Three-Body Problem series, which was just wildly imaginative, really interesting," he shared. "It wasn't so much sort of character studies as it was just this sweeping The scope of it was immense. So that was fun to read, partly because my day-to-day problems with Congress seem fairly petty not something to worry about. Aliens are about to invade." 3 Body Problem is now streaming on Netflix. You Might Also Like KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (WGHP) A North Carolina man known as Batman is being charged with murder after a fatal shooting on Thursday afternoon, according to the Rowan County Sheriffs Office. At around 12:50 p.m. on Thursday, deputies arrived at a home in Kannapolis after someone called 911 to report that a family member had been shot. Greensboro police on scene of shots fired call at West Gate City Blvd, Glenwood Avenue The caller told investigators that the suspect had already left the scene and goes by the name of Batman. At the scene, law enforcement found 33-year-old Jonathan Wayne Yancey who had been shot and killed inside the home. Witnesses identified the suspect as Cody Batman Dewayne Helms, 36. Investigators say that Helms and Yancey were friends and the pair got into an argument moments before the shooting. Helms was taken into custody by a Kannapolis police officer about a mile away from the scene. Helms is being charged with murder and is being held in jail awaiting a first appearance in court. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Tim Davie will warn that British storytelling is being squeezed out by international streaming services that put the future of the BBC at risk. In a keynote speech this week, the BBCs director-general will also warn that algorithms generated by foreign-owned social media platforms will become the taste-makers of the future, dictating global viewing. Mr Davie, who has run the corporation for the past four years, will warn of the dangers facing the BBC and other UK broadcasters while stressing the need for it to thrive to maintain a healthy democracy in the UK. The threat to British broadcasters comes from a new wave of technological change which is reshaping our media landscape, Mr Davie will say in the speech delivered to the Royal Television Society on Tuesday. In a year when both the UK and US will hold general elections, the head of the BBC will say that the BBC plays a vital role in tackling misinformation and fake news. Questioning the concept of truth He is expected to say: Misinformation is weakening our shared understanding of the world, undermining trust in our society and our democratic processes. It leaves many of us wondering who and what we can believe, and even questioning the concept of truth. He will also promote the need for British broadcasters to remain at the forefront of TV markets around the world. British storytelling is at growing risk of being squeezed out in an extraordinarily competitive global media landscape, Mr Davie is expected to say, adding: We are in danger of allowing the UKs world-class creative industries to be undermined and diminishing our unique cultural identity and its remarkable influence worldwide. Mr Davie will also blame global social media platforms for fuelling polarisation and social division with US and Chinese algorithms the potential taste-makers of the future. He will say: Shared moments and unifying cultural experiences are increasingly rare. Shou Zi Chew, chief executive of TikTok, gave evidence to US senators this month - Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images The worlds largest and most used social media platforms are all Chinese or American, with an estimated 22 million Britons using the Chinese-owned TikTok, for example, at least once a month, according to mobile analytics firm SensorTower. Use of TikTok is banned across Whitehall over security fears and warnings from security services such as the FBI that it could be used by China to harvest data for espionage. The US senate is set to consider a bill that would ban the platform unless its Chinese owner, ByteDance, sells its stake. A TikTok spokeswoman said it does not operate in China and added that the BBC maintains multiple accounts on the app. The company has long denied that it could be used as a tool of the Chinese government. US-owned Facebook, which has around three billion people worldwide using its website and mobile app every month, declined to comment. A spokesman highlighted a company statement from last year saying that less than three per cent of users feeds are made up of news content. A vital role for BBC Mr Davie, who has clashed with ministers over the future of the BBC, will insist that the licence fee-funded broadcaster has a vital role to play in an era of advances in AI and other technological change. But he will accept the need to radically transform and will announce changes to the BBCs online service and a need for new partnerships with outside companies. The BBC has already signed a deal with Disney and will look at other commercial partnerships in the future. He will say: These steps will help secure the future of the BBC, but more importantly, the vital role that a BBC can play for the UK at home and abroad in the years ahead. 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. Joy Harjo inside the Library of Congress building. (Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress) We humans are story makers. We become part of a matrix of stories when we accept breath. We are connected to the stories of every creature, plant, and other beings. We are each given the task to bring understanding and vnokeckvor harmony of deep caring to all that we do. In this manner of consideration, I have a story, a story of cultural assault. It is not just my story but the story of family, of a ceremonial ground, of a tribal nation, of people who were exiled from their homelands just a few generations before. On that over 800-mile walk away from our origin story, the grounds leaders kept fire alive in their hands to replant the circle so that the descendants would have a place to come home to, to remember who they are, who they were, and who they will become. I am a member of Hickory Ground Ceremonial Grounds, or Oce Vpofv. We are part of the Muscogee Creek Nation (or the Mvskoke Nation), long before there was a United States or a state of Alabama. Our nation is made up of many tribes who came together to form a political entity to deal with other nations, including the Spanish, France, Great Britain, and the United States. We are culturally rich made up of many tribal towns and ceremonial grounds who are connected by language, land, customs, or history. One of the first acts of President George Washington after the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, to affirm sovereignty of the new government, was to execute a treaty with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. This was the first treaty the U.S. signed under the new constitution. The head of the Muscogee treaty delegation was from Hickory Ground. Hickory Ground served as the capital of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation which was then one of the largest civilizations in existence in the Western Hemisphere. With the Indian Removal Act of 1830 under the direction of Andrew Jackson, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation was illegally moved west by the United States government to what was known as Indian Territory. We reestablished our capitol in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, and have continued, a body politic, as the Muscogee (Creek) Nation in what is now the state of Oklahoma. We have continued to maintain our cultures and languages as a sovereign nation. The 2020 McGirt decision by the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed our status as a reservation in the state of Oklahoma. Hickory Ground, one of the many ceremonial grounds that make up the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is a living, active ceremonial ground in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation under the leadership of Mekko George Thompson. The story roots of Hickory Ground, or Oce Vpofv, continue to be directly connected to the lands in Wetumpka, Alabama. Despite the distance imposed by the injustice of history we continue to know the stories that assert continuance. We know the original names of important places, the names and relationships with plants and animals and how they relate to us and how we relate to them. They are inherent in our cultural practices. We know the names of our families who were buried there in our homelands. We carry their memories in our bodies and in our stories, just as they carry us in their bones. Because of the prominence and historical importance of Hickory Ground in Wetumpka, Alabama, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 as it was an historic place worthy of preservation. The National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect Americas historic and archeological resources. This status conferred a public awareness of the cultural value of Hickory Ground and inferred guardianship. In 1980 the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, an incorporated entity, not a federally recognized tribal nation, requested, and was given the Hickory Ground property using federal preservation funds. They were given care of the lands to preserve them and to prevent development, by the federal government. In 1984 Poarch Band obtained federal recognition though they did not have a body politic and did not meet basic qualifications for federal recognition. The Muscogee (Creek) Nation did not have bands. There was no Poarch Band of Creek Indians before removal. This organization began long after removal by descendants of two families who were allotted land as spoils of war in Alabama from assisting Andrew Jackson in the massacre of Muscogee Creek Nation citizens. To stay in Alabama, they gave up their citizenship in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and became American citizens. Their allotted lands are a small area of sixteen square miles located near Atmore and (Tensaw). They are not the lands of Oce Vpofv or Hickory Ground. In 2012 the Poarch Band of Creek Indians exhumed and removed 57 bodies of Hickory Ground family members and proceeded to build a casino on top of the lands in Wetumpka, Alabama, lands they had promised to protect. This was also against the policies of the Native American Graves and Repatriation Act guidelines that essentially state, that human remains of any ancestry must at all times be treated with dignity and respect. Congress also acknowledged that human remains and other cultural items removed from Federal or tribal lands belong in the first instance, to lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations. Under the guidance of an Auburn University anthropologist, the remains and grave items were put into plastic buckets then stacked and stored at Auburn University, where they remain to this day. In the fall of 2023, I was invited to Auburn University by the Southern Humanities Review on behalf of the Witness Prize, a prize I juried. I requested a meeting with the NAGPRA officer of the university in charge of the Hickory Ground and other remains held on campus from other digs. When we met in his office on campus, he informed me that because of the appeal he could not speak directly about the Hickory Ground case. We spoke generally about NAGPRA. He offered to allow me into the room where the remains and items were being held on campus along with remains from other digs. I had been properly cautioned about going into the presence of the remains, which I took seriously. What I have been taught by elders is that our remains carry memory. Each cell contains a spiral of stories that belong to ancestors and to descendants. What is buried is meant to remain buried. There is no word or concept in the Mvskoke language for what the Poarch Band did when they unearthed that which was never be returned to the surface. When I went into the room in which our relatives bones were stored, I turned immediately to flee. I almost couldnt breathe. I paused though because I wanted to be a witness to help tell the story. I heard the roar of disturbance, the voices of the ancestors, and understood how they needed to be reinterred, for harmony. When graves are disturbed, there can be widespread disturbance that can cause illness, societal upset, and other disruption. I promised I would help them return home, to restore harmony by telling the story. It is up to the court now to decide how this story will end. Oce Vpofv or Hickory Ground, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation are appealing for justice. This is not an issue of tribal nation versus tribal nation. This is about what is moral and just, about what is an ethical decision here when it comes to the respect of human life. The care of our Oce Vpofv ancestors must remain with their descendants, so we can ensure that they are returned correctly to their burial place. Only then will the story be restored, a restoration story that includes all the participants in this appeal. ICT originally published this article. ICT is an an independent, nonprofit, multimedia news enterprise. ICT covers Indigenous peoples. The post On behalf of the ancestors appeared first on Alaska Beacon. Belarusian secret services have aided Russia in capturing suspects in the 22 March terrorist attack in Moscow Oblast to prevent the terrorists from sneaking across the border into Belarus. Source: Belarusian regime-aligned news outlet BelTA, citing Dmitry Krutoi, Ambassador of Belarus to Russia Details: The Belarusian ambassador noted that the secret services made efforts to close Belarus border to the terrorist suspects, who, according to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, were "trying to flee to Ukraine". Quote from Krutoi: "The [Belarusian and Russian] secret services have been actively cooperating since Friday. The chief of the [Belarusian] State Security Committee is in direct contact with his [Russian] counterpart. In fact, the main task last night was to prevent terrorists from crossing our common border. This task has been accomplished." Background: Andrii Yusov, spokesman for Ukraines Defence Intelligence, emphasised that the claims spread by Russia about the perpetrators of the terrorist attack in Moscow Oblast supposedly attempting to flee to Ukraine "are entirely devoid of truth". Support UP or become our patron! BEMENT, Ill. (WCIA) The Bement School District will be conducting its first ever reunification drill on Wednesday morning. In emergency evacuations, victims are often transported from the site of danger and brought to a safe area where they can reunite with their family and friends. Reunification drills can help people prepare for this situation. On March 27, Bement schools will participate in this exercise for the very first time. Bement students build award-winning turbines, qualifying for the national level For the evacuation portion of Wednesdays drill, a fire alarm will sound and students will be instructed to exit the building. They will congregate at the Bement Lions Club, then be bussed to the Monticello Christian Church. An alert will then be sent to parents through social media and the school mass communication system, notifying that they must reunite with their children at the church. Upon arrival, parents must show proper identification to pick up their student. If a parent is unable to participate in the drill, their student will be brought back to school at the end of the drill then dismissed. These drills are not required for schools, but the Bement School District believes it is better safe than sorry. While we sincerely hope to never have to implement our Reunification plan, conducting this drill will better prepare us for situations requiring the evacuation and reunification of our students with their guardians, Superintendent Mary Vogt said. Decatur students raise nearly $5,000 for Lakeside 9/11 Memorial The out-of-town reunification site at Monticello Christian Church was chosen to lessen traffic between reuniting parents and first responders. In the event of a school emergency, first responders will need full access to roadways. Ensuring the safety and well-being of our students remains our top priority, Superintendent Mary Vogt said. While conducting this drill entails significant planning and may disrupt our parents usual routines, it is important for our community to grasp our procedures for reuniting students with their caregivers during a real emergency. Whether its a gas leak, tornado, fire, or any other crisis, our readiness to reunite students with their parents or guardians is an important part of the process. Through this practice, our aim is to reduce the confusion, stress, and anxiety that may arise for all parties involved in the event of an actual emergency. Springfield funeral home hosts Good Grief Camp to help kids cope The drill will be conducted in collaboration with several area departments, agencies, and organizations, as well as the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. President Bidens reelection campaign dropped a Latino-focused ad targeting former President Trump for his remarks in which he called immigrants rapists who were poisoning the blood of the country. The 30 second ad entitled Change, shared exclusively first with The Hill, features remarks from Biden in Arizona this week calling out his political rivals controversial rhetoric. This election is an election between me and a guy named Trump. This is a guy who calls Latinos criminals, drug dealers, and rapists. Now he says immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country, Biden said, with audio of Trump saying rapists and poisoning the blood of our country. What the hell is he talking about? Biden said. The reason were as good as we are is because we are the most diverse country in the world. The new spot will begin airing this weekend on digital platforms in Spanish and English as a part of the campaigns $30 million ad buy following the State of the Union address. The ad buy targets battleground states, including Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Florida, which notably has been thrown into the mix of battleground states with this ad drop. Lets call Trumps words and actions what they are: anti-Latino, anti-immigrant, and anti-American, the campaigns Hispanic media director Maca Casado said. President Biden knows diversity is our strength, and while Donald Trump recycles his cheap ad from 2020 to attempt to win over Latinos, our community knows its Joe Biden who is really fighting for them and just how terrible a Trump presidency would be for our community. It is the second Latino-focused ad dropped this week by the campaign and the second ad dropped on Friday. The first Latino-focused ad, Only One Choice, came out on Tuesday and outlined the different policies between Biden and Trump for Latino voters. The ad the Biden campaign dropped earlier on Friday came ahead of the anniversary of the Affordable Care Acts (ACA) passage and hammers Trumps record on health care and his threats to repeal the law. Biden focused on outreach to Latinos this week during visits to Arizona, Nevada, and Texas. To coincide with those trips, the Biden campaign on Tuesday launched Latinos con Biden-Harris, which is a national program to engage and mobilize Latino voters. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. President Bidens reelection campaign has dubbed former President Trump Broke Don, taking a strategy out of Trumps playbook that his political rivals know all too well. Trump has used nicknames from Little Marco to Crooked Hillary to Lyin Ted to put down a variety of opponents. For much of 2020, Bidens moniker, courtesy of Trump, was Sleepy Joe. Now, the Biden team is seeking to turn the tables in attempting to make one stick to Trump while it worked this week to highlight the former presidents lagging fundraising numbers in the 2024 race. Trump has picked on dozens of opponents with his nicknames since he first ran for office. Over the years, thats included not only fellow presidential contenders, such as when he dubbed Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) Pocahontas, but also lawmakers he has considered his ultimate rivals, such as Cryin Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y), the Senate Majority Leader, and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), whom hes called Crazy Nancy. Some have been considered offensive, while others have been deemed just silly name calling. The Biden team is now trying their hand at lambasting the former president, often by poking fun at his debts as he faces mounting legal penalties, leaving some Democrats questioning if thats the right move. The Biden teams instinct to earn free media, try to get under his skin, and go on offense is the right one. But mimicking Trump has been done before and has never really worked, one Democratic strategist said. You cant out-Trump Trump because hes the original version. I would say they need to be more creative in producing their own original and unique strategy to bring him down a peg that shocks and awes, the strategist added. Bruce Mehlman, a former official under President George W. Bush, cited Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw to warn against such a tactic. George Bernard Shaw famously advised never wrestle with a pig because youll both get dirty and the pig likes it, Mehlman said. The Biden campaign tried out the Broke Don nickname this week after election filings made public Wednesday showed Trumps 2024 campaign brought in $10.9 million last month, while his joint fundraising committee raised nearly $11 million. It has about $42 million in cash on hand. Meanwhile, Bidens campaign operation raised roughly $53 million in February, which gave it $155 million in cash on hand entering March, which surpassed Trumps campaign war chest. Trump is also saddled with more than $500 million in penalties stemming from two New York civil cases. Biden has poked fun at this too, telling crowds at fundraisers this week that a defeated man came up to him and said, Im being crushed by debt. I had to say, Im sorry Donald, I cant help you, Biden joked. A former Trump transition official argued that the Biden campaigns resorting to name calling is another reason people are frustrated with both parties. America is losing its perch as the great shining light of democracy. Both sides are at fault, the official said. Others find Bidens approach refreshing. The days of when they go low we go high, are over. No one is saying that the president needs to jump into the mud with Trump, but its nice seeing him getting his hands dirty, said Democratic strategist Michael Starr Hopkins. Bullies dont comprehend notions like diplomacy and niceties, they only respond when they get punched back. The president and his allies have stepped up their mockery of Trump in recent weeks. At one point this week, the Biden team said Trump would fire himself if his campaign fundraising numbers were up on The Apprentice, the NBC show that catapulted Trump to stardom and in which he famously declared Youre fired! to a host of contestants. Biden has also called Trump a loser multiple times while on the campaign trail, including on Thursday when he said at a fundraiser in Houston that he wants to see Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) lose to challenger Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas) so Ted can join loser Donald Trump. The hits at Trump over his precarious financial standing are particularly pointed, considering the former president made his name as a successful New York real estate mogul. The Democratic strategist argued that while Trump leans into negative campaigns against his opponents, Biden has a different personality from his political rival. What makes Trump unique is that since day one of becoming a candidate back in 2015, he has been the primary vessel waging the negative campaign, not through proxies like surrogates, advertisements, campaign officials, or hot mics, the Democratic strategist said. Im not sure if Biden has it in him to be a vehicle for intellectual dishonesty or circus performing but that type of sensational approach to politics is what grabs media attention and its what voters ultimately consume, the strategist added. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. JERUSALEM - During President Biden's State of the Union speech, he used the Gaza death count produced by the Hamas-run ministry of health, quoting some 30,000 deaths. Those numbers have been scrutinized by a renowned University of Pennsylvania statistician who has cast serious doubt on the figures. Abraham Wyner revealed in an interview with Fox News Digital that the U.S.-designated terrorist movement, Hamas, issued fake casualty numbers in its war against Israel. Wyner is a tenured professor of statistics and data science at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and faculty co-director of the Wharton Sports Analytics and Business Initiative. His dramatic findings have ostensibly debunked many of the Hamas causality claims accepted at face value by President Bidens administration, the U.N. and many major mainstream media organizations. Possibly furthering Wyner's calculation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently announced that 13,000 terrorists had been killed in Gaza since the IDF went in. Wyner disputes the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry's number that of the more than 30,000 Palestinians who have died since October 7, the majority are children and women. WHY MIDEAST NEIGHBORS WON'T OFFER REFUGE TO PALESTINIANS STUCK IN GAZA WAR ZONE Hamas invaded southern Israel on October 7 and slaughtered 1,200 people, including over 30 Americans. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP He said he "was able to show that these numbers aren't right" and, based on the number that Israels government is reporting, that the casualty rate "instead of, being 70% women and children, it's probably closer to 30% to 35% women and children" in the Gaza Strip. Wyner revealed in an interview with Fox News Digital that the U.S.-designated terrorist movement, Hamas, issued fake casualty numbers in its war against Israel. The core of Wyners analysis revolves around statistical variability and correlation. He said "Hamas had claimed, and is continuing to claim, that approximately 70% of the casualties have been women and children. They are not reporting, or had at the time, and by mid-November, had not reported that Israel had killed any of its own fighters." Wyner continued, "But they weren't differentiating between fighters and civilians . . . they were reporting that there were just not very many men dying. Subsequently, by February, they reported that about 25% of the casualties were their own fighters, which left a strange situation . . . there just aren't enough civilian men dying." He added, "They're just they're missing. And what we call the missing male problem, which suggests that the numbers as being represented aren't accurate." GAZA CITY, GAZA - OCTOBER 9: Civilians take part in search-and-rescue works after Israeli airstrikes destroy buildings in Gaza City, Gaza, on October 9, 2023. ISRAEL'S US AMBASSADOR SLAMS SCHUMER'S 'UNHELPFUL' ANTI-NETANYAHU SPEECH: 'ISRAEL IS A SOVEREIGN DEMOCRACY' According to Wyner, "And so what that means is the number of people dying every day is almost the same. It isn't changing very much, and that just didn't make any sense to me. In war, there should be variability. Variability coming from war plans, from lulls, from intense increases in activity. And none of that was observable in the data. There was what we call too little dispersion." White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, during a recent press briefing, was asked why Biden had quoted the Hamas numbers in an interview. , Jean-Pierre said, "What we we have said weve been really clear: There are publicly available data that showed, sadly, how many how many deaths that we have seen in Gaza. And the President has been very clear. Theres too much. Its tragic. Its tragic what were seeing. And the Presidents going to keep continue to speak to that." When approached by Fox News Digital about Wyners report, which was first published in March by the online magazine Tablet, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said "Far too many civilians have been killed in this conflict. Every civilian death in conflict is a tragedy. Deaths are not mere statistics; theyre lost futures, dreams and potential." The State Department did not refute Wyners findings. In late October, President Biden said he has "no confidence in the number that the Palestinians are using" for the death toll in Gaza. However, both Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin have since January adopted the Hamas numbers as truth, only to have to walk back their statistics as coming from the jihadi terrorist entity Hamas. Wyner does not dispute the State Department contention about the tragedy of civilian deaths, noting, "The ratio of casualties, civilian casualties to military casualties is in the realm of 1 to 1. And historically, that's actually an excellent sign of intense care being placed to just target enemies and keep the civilian population as safe as possible, recognizing that war is horrible and war does produce collateral damage, as in every loss of life is tragic, but war is tragic, and war causes death." But he stresses that "The stakes are extremely high. Hamas's only path to victory, whatever it may be, is through international pressure, namely through the United States. And the only way they can get there is to convince the United States that the civilian casualties are not coming with a commensurate military gain. And that would potentially cause Israel to be forced into a cease-fire, whether that's permanent or temporary. That is, leaves Hamas in place." ISRAEL AMBASSADOR WARNS UN CONTAMINATED BY ANTISEMITISM, SAYS PEACE WITH SAUDIS CAN TRANSFORM REGION Ambulances carrying victims of Israeli strikes crowd the entrance to the emergency ward of the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on October 15, 2023. Israel embarked on a withering air campaign against Hamas terrorists in Gaza after they carried out a brutal attack on Israel on October 7 that left more than 1,400 people dead in Israel. Wyner said about the lack of correlation in Hamas data, "The basic idea is that on days where there isn't very much bombing, you should see just a few children and women dying. And there's more. You should see more women and children dying on days where there's lots of civilian casualties as opposed to fighters. You should see a few women and children, and on days where there's lots of civilians dying, you should see lots of women and children. But that relationship wasn't there. It was what we call uncorrelated." A spokeswoman from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs(OCHA) told Fox News Digital, "The United Nations relies on the Health Ministry in Gaza as a source for casualties figures in that area, as it is nearly impossible at the moment to provide any UN verification on a day-to-day basis. Any of their data used in our products is clearly sourced." The U.N. does not classify Hamas as a terrorist organization. A smoke rises over buildings in Gaza City on October 9, 2023, during an Israeli air strike. Critics have lamented that many legacy news organizations and politicians have failed to differentiate between civilians and Hamas terrorists who were killed during the waras well as highlight that a terrorist organization, with a reported history of fabricating death tolls, supplies the numbers. Wyner said that the left-of-center Israeli daily Haaretz reported in 2011two years after the 2009 Israeli operation in Gaza against Hamas terroriststhat "Hamas admitted that the numbers that it had been telling the public about the size of their losses, of their fighter losses, which they had reported to be 49, was actually over 700, which was exactly what Israel had said it was in the very beginning." He added, "So Israel has a good record of keeping track of the number of Hamas fighters that it kills, and Hamas doesn't have a good record. Yet, the media was largely ignoring Israel's claims or, when reporting them at all, noticing that they are unverifiable. Yet, the data right in front of you, coming from Hamas, showed pretty clear evidence that there is significant problems with the numbers. They don't match reality." Original article source: Biden use of Hamas death count challenged by prominent statistician, says numbers 'aren't accurate' LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Three children have lost their lives and two others sustained injuries as an unexploded ordnance went off in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province on Saturday, provincial government spokesman Mawlawi Mohammad Qasim Riaz said. The innocent children were playing in an open area in Garmsir district Saturday morning and found a toy-like device, but the device exploded, killing three children on the spot and injuring two others, the official said, adding that the injured children have been shifted to a nearby hospital. A similar incident claimed the lives of two children and injured seven others in the northern Baghlan province in mid-January. Afghanistan reportedly is one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world, as explosive devices and unexploded mines left over from the past more than four decades of wars claim the lives of over a dozen people mostly children every month in the war-torn country. President Joe Biden on Saturday signed the $1.2 trillion government funding package approved by the Senate mere hours before, narrowly avoiding a shutdown. Lawmakers scrambled on Friday and Saturday to keep the government up and running, with funding set to expire Friday night. The Senate approved the bill on Saturday morning, clearing the path to Bidens desk by midday. The package keeps the federal government running through Sept. 30 and includes provisions for the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, State and the legislative branch. It follows months of intense standoffs within the closely divided chambers, whose leaders have constantly argued about issues like border security and aid for Ukraine and Israel. The new bill cuts all U.S. funding to UNRWA, the chief U.N. agency that provides relief to Palestinians, which came under fire when Israel accused 12 of its 13,000 employees of participating in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. Several nations initially paused funding but have since resumed, and the U.N. has launched its own internal investigation into the claims. MTG Officially Launches Revolt Against Speaker Mike Johnson Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. U.S. President Joe Biden signed on March 23 a $1.2 trillion spending package that keeps the government funded until the end of September after it cleared the Senate earlier the same day. The bill keeps key government agencies funded until the end of a fiscal year that began six months ago. Its approval has been stalled by disputes between the Democratic and Republican parties, necessitating several stopgap spending bills to avoid a government shutdown. The funding package does not include any aid for Ukraine, which has been effectively blocked by disagreements in the U.S. legislature since last autumn. The Senate passed a $95 billion foreign aid bill, allocating around $60 billion to Kyiv, in February, but House Speaker Mike Johnson has so far refused to put it to a vote in his chamber. After signing the funding bill, Biden reminded the urgency of aiding Ukraine, saying that "Congress's work isn't finished." "The House must pass the bipartisan national security supplemental to advance our national security interests," the U.S. president said in a statement. Earlier in March, the U.S. media reported that Johnson and other Republicans were considering significant alterations to Ukraine aid, with one version proposing treating nonmilitary aid to Ukraine as a loan. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell dismissed the idea on March 20, saying that instituting such considerable changes would further delay the potential passage of the aid. The Pentagon was able to cobble together $300 million in funding for Ukraine earlier in March, the first such aid package in months, but defense officials warned it was unlikely to be repeated and that congressional action will be required for further aid. 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. US President Joe Biden has signed a US$1.2 trillion budget proposal, ending the threat of a government shutdown, while calling on the House of Representatives to pass a bill to support Ukraine. Source: a statement by the White House Quote from Biden: "But I want to be clear: Congresss work isnt finished. The House must pass the bipartisan national security supplemental [which includes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan ed.] to advance our national security interests." Details: Biden said that the bipartisan bill that he signed would keep the US government open, invest in the American people, and strengthen the US economy and national security. "This agreement represents a compromise, which means neither side got everything it wanted," Biden added. Background: The US Senate approved a long-awaited budget of US$1.2 trillion in the early hours of Saturday, 23 March just hours after the government officially ran out of money to operate. Earlier, Republican Speaker Mike Johnson stated that the bill on supplemental funding to support Ukraine would be considered in the House of Representatives once the federal government funding issue is resolved. On 14 March, Johnson said that the House would prepare its own draft to support Ukraine, but in a significantly different form than the one already approved by the Senate. Johnson suggested that aid for Ukraine and Israel might be split into two separate bills. Any bill will have to secure sufficient votes in both the Congress and the Senate. Support UP or become our patron! Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics teams latest reporting and analysis from the campaign trail, the White House and Capitol Hill. In today's edition, senior White House correspondent Gabe Gutierrez reports on the efforts from Joe Biden's campaign and White House to win over voters from Puerto Rico. Plus, "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker has an exclusive interview with former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. Why Biden By Gabe Gutierrez SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico Puerto Ricans on the island cant vote for president this November. But those who are from the U.S. territory and now live on the mainland are becoming a major priority for Joe Bidens campaign. Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday visited Puerto Rico for the first time since taking office, touting the Biden administrations support for the island as it continues to rebuild following several hurricanes. The trip comes as Bidens campaign has been investing more in Latino outreach much sooner this election cycle and its not just focusing on the usual wide-reaching outlets like Univision and Telemundo. Do you have a news tip? Let us know The campaign is already airing ads on WAPA-TV, a major station in Puerto Rico, contrasting Bidens record with Donald Trumps on health care costs and reproductive rights, hoping the message will find its way back to the mainland. It is also running ads on local radio stations on the island and across the U.S. targeting Puerto Ricans and Latinos more broadly. People that are part of the diaspora receive their information from it, said one campaign official familiar with the strategy. Were being intentional. The Puerto Rican diaspora on the U.S. mainland is increasingly gaining political clout ahead of the 2024 election. The crucial swing state of Pennsylvania has the third-largest population of Puerto Ricans in the U.S. about 500,000 behind Florida and New York. The rising number of Puerto Ricans in central Florida a key area in a perennial swing state has drawn plenty of attention from campaigns in previous elections. But with Florida leaning further to the right in recent years, Democrats are placing a greater emphasis on Puerto Rican voters in the more narrowly divided Pennsylvania. Maria Quinones-Sanchez, a former city council member in Philadelphia whos now working with Boricuas Con Biden, a group organizing Puerto Rican voters for the president, said that the campaign engaged with the Latino community overall in Pennsylvania too late in 2020, but shes encouraged by the early outreach this year. The Puerto Rican/Latino community is not only growing, but electing people in all corners of the state, she said. So we become that margin that others dont look at thats going to make the difference if the campaign engages us and ties our reality to the future of our country. Read more What worries Stephen Breyer about Americas democracy By Kristen Welker Its been almost two years since Stephen Breyer stepped down from the U.S. Supreme Court, and its been more than a year since his last TV interview. But I sat down with Breyer this week to discuss his new book, Reading the Constitution: Why I Chose Pragmatism, Not Textualism, as well as his thoughts on the Supreme Court, American politics and the ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade. In our interview, Breyer talked about what worries him about the state of this countrys democracy. WELKER: Do you worry that too many people have lost the ability to listen in this country? BREYER: Yes. WELKER: And where does that leave us? BREYER: Bad. WELKER: What does that potentially mean for the state of this countrys democracy? BREYER: Hey, look, there are two sides to many things. One, you said United States of America? Hey. This is, in part, the United States of America. So, the United States of America? We used to think, and I still think, that maybe were not listening as much as we should. Breyer also said the infamous leak of the draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade was unfortunate. I also asked him about reports that prior to the leak, discussions among the justices were coalescing around a compromise that would have left Roe in place, while imposing a ban on abortion after 15 weeks. WELKER: Did you think that a compromise was possible before the leak? Around 15 weeks? BREYER: I usually hope for compromise. WELKER: So you were hopeful there could be a compromise? BREYER: You want to put words in my mouth. Im careful what I say on this. Because I say our interests are different. I dont want to make news. Ive written what Ive thought. If you think there is news in here or in the dissent, go right ahead. But I dont want to say something and make an issue. WELKER: Just to be clear though. Did you think a compromise was possible? BREYER: I always think its possible. I always I always think its possible, usually up until the last minute. At a time when the Supreme Court is at the center of the 2024 election, Breyers words carry weight. Two of the biggest issues voters will grapple with this November are reproductive rights and the direction of Americas democracy. Be sure to tune in Sunday to Meet the Press for more on Breyers thoughts about Roe v. Wade, guns and the Trump-related cases before the Supreme Court. Thats all from The Politics Desk for now. If you have feedback likes or dislikes email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com And if youre a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com ABILENE, Texas (BigCountryHomepage.com) This weeks Big Country Beat has a good mix of topics from tragedy to community and human interest. Keep reading for a full look at the trending local articles of the week. LAST TIME Big Country Beat: 3 fatal crashes in 1 week across Callahan, Taylor counties This weeks top 5 in BCHs Big Country Beat 5. Abilene community sells out Glorias Grill 1 day after closure announcement: We thought we had enough food Known about town for having the best burgers in Abilene, Glorias Grill announced its closure this week, giving customers just a couple of days to get one last burger. Reporter Ashly Ibarra spoke with restaurant owner, Gloria Hermosillo to learn about what led to the closure and how her business was so successful for more than 25 years. 4. Family & friends host candlelight service in memory of Aspen Blessing Baird teenager, Aspen Blessing passed away after a car wreck on March 10, sending mass amounts of grief through her small community. Reporter Mariah Williams spoke with her loved ones at a candlelight memorial. They say she was a light in a sometimes dim world. 3. Abilene OBGYN known as Beatles Doctor makes move to Sweetwater Not only known around town for exceptional care as an obstetrician, Dr. Charles Anderson was often referred to as Abilenes Beatles doctor, for his resemblance to Paul McCartney, formerly of the Beatles. Its a nickname he received in med school, and its just stuck with him. So much so that, as he told Reporter Mariah Williams, his patients will often give him Beatles memorabilia. Well, while Doctor McCartney is no longer in Abilene, hes only separated from us by I-20. Hes set up shop at Rolling Plains Medical in Sweetwater. 2. BREAKING: House fire in South Abilene Two house fire victims reportedly made it out safe last Friday. A large fire took over the southside home, and Abilene firefighters successfully put it out after some time. 1. 2 Abilene teens killed, 1 injured in Eastland Co. wreck on wet road In a horrible crash report from the Texas Department of Public Safety, we learned that two Abilene 18-year-olds were killed in a wreck near Ranger Thursday morning, and a 19-year-old was badly injured. We later learned that the very young couple were expecting a baby boy in May, and had just had a baby shower. Our sincerest condolences are with their families in this time. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. Billionaires, like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, and their space businesses are racing to the moon. A few treaties have set norms for space exploration between countries, but there are no hard rules. As entrepreneurs plan asteroid mines and Mars settlements, it's up to governments to set some ground rules. The space business is in bloom and, so far, it's largely unregulated. A commercial spacecraft touched down on the moon for the first time last month, in a NASA-sponsored mission by the Houston-based company Intuitive Machines. Then last week, SpaceX's Starship mega-rocket finally launched into space and cruised above Earth without exploding. Starship launches on its first successful flight through space, in a still from SpaceX's livestream. SpaceX Both achievements were major leaps forward for NASA's new moon program, which aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface using Starship. In fact, NASA's biggest plans to replace the aging space station, establish a permanent base on the moon, and send astronauts to Mars depend on companies like SpaceX or Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin. But the billionaires helming those companies have even bigger plans. Elon Musk has said he plans to fly 1,000 Starships to build and populate a city on Mars. Bezos envisions a trillion people living in giant space stations across the solar system. Other space startups have ambitions including asteroid mining, in vitro fertilization (IVF) in space, and space hotels. An artist's illustration of what mining on the moon might look like. NASA What's to stop companies from putting giant advertisements on the face of the moon? Or industrializing craters that scientists want to use for telescopes? Or mining a single asteroid for $100 quintillion worth of precious metals, bringing it back to Earth for sale, and destabilizing the global economy? What will keep the budding deep-space industry in check? "There isn't anything specifically enforceable," Mai'a Cross, a professor of international affairs and diplomacy at Northeastern University, told Business Insider. There are no laws or regulations for moon landings or asteroid mining. As space startups and billionaires vie for a foothold on the moon and beyond, experts say governments probably need to start setting some ground rules. "We're going to have to figure out how we want to operate, what rules we want to live by, and what the framework is going to look like," George Nield, former associate administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration's Office of Commercial Space Transportation, told Business Insider. The new space economy needs room to grow The moon, as pictured by NASA's Galileo spacecraft. NASA/JPL/USGS NASA doesn't want to run the show anymore. Instead, NASA wants to be one of many customers leasing spots in private companies' rockets, spaceships, space stations, and lunar habitats. "We want to really try to grow the lunar economy and have these companies be successful," Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration at NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said in a press briefing ahead of the Intuitive Machines mission. So far, the US government has deliberately avoided regulating the emerging space economy, for fear of suffocating it before it takes off. The FAA is quite active in regulating passenger safety on airplanes, for example, but has no rules for spaceflight passenger safety, even as Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Virgin Galactic fly tourists to the edge of space or around the planet. Billionaire Richard Branson floats in microgravity aboard Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo on a suborbital tourist flight. Virgin Galactic "We do need much more regulation than currently exists," Cross said. "It is also in the interest of the private companies to call for this regulation sooner rather than later, because they don't want to start investing and taking action on things that, down the road, will be deemed illegal," she added. For now, only a handful of international agreements outline what is and isn't acceptable in space, and they have no teeth. Space treaties help, but they aren't enforceable Space diplomacy started with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. President Lyndon B. Johnson (right) watches the signing of the Outer Space Treaty in 1967. CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images Among other things, the treaty asserts that nobody can claim territory or sovereignty in space, nobody can put nuclear weapons in space, and that states are responsible for the space activities of even their non-government actors such as companies or nonprofits. "It's a pretty strong agreement. But like most international law, there is actually no significant way to enforce those norms," Cross said. In 2020 NASA introduced the Artemis Accords as a fresh agreement for the new lunar exploration era. Signed by 36 countries so far (but not Russia or China), the Accords call for nations going to the moon and beyond to be peaceful, help astronauts in distress, share scientific data, avoid junking up the moon and its orbit, and mine space resources sustainably. Those treaties are for nations, though. In 2022 the Hague Institute for Global Justice started a similar agreement for commercial entities. Called The Washington Compact, this treaty for space commerce reflects many of the same principles as the Outer Space Treaty. A series of space startups, civil-society organizations, consultants, and two former NASA administrators have signed it. SpaceX and Blue Origin have not signed on. In the absence of space law, peer pressure can help Still, shared norms and treaties can be powerful even without enforcement. Companies operating on the moon will have a strong incentive to play nice with each other: It's good for business. Jeff Bezos walks near Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital spaceship after flying into space. Joe Raedle/Getty Images "Sure, we can pretend we don't have any regulations, but then your mining operation is going to get ruined when somebody drives their rover too close or, whatever you set up, your telecommunications platform is going to get messed up because somebody else decided to build something right next to you," Michelle Hanlon, executive director of the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi School of Law, told Business Insider. "It's going to be much, much more to your benefit, and to your shareholders' benefits, if you can manage to get along with your neighbors," she added. What's more, companies that want to leapfrog from the moon to Mars will need the moon's resources to get there. That's a built-in incentive not to over-mine or crowd the moon's orbit. An artist's rendering of Starship landings on Mars. SpaceX Limited capacity should also hold most companies back from going rogue for a while. Intuitive Machines could only go to the moon with the help of its investors, NASA, and customers who paid to put their projects on the lander. "In these early phases, everything will be so experimental that working together will be necessary," Cross said. "This wouldn't just be one space billionaire with one project." Even SpaceX's plans for fully private missions, so far, are basically joy rides bankrolled by other billionaires: Jared Isaacman and Yusaku Maezawa. "That doesn't necessarily solve all the problems, but it does kind of weaken the sense that this is just someone like Elon Musk, really, determining all of the norms and rules in space," Cross said. Setting rules while the space titans are still 'Star Trek geeks' Star Trek actor William Shatner tells Jeff Bezos about his experience on their spaceflight together, in a screenshot from Blue Origin's livestream of the event. Blue Origin The US is at the forefront of commercial space exploration, putting Congress in a prime position to lead the way on what the rules should be. Half of global private space investment is in US companies, the US International Trade Commission reported in November. Seven of the world's 10 biggest commercial space operators are based in the US, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. As the industry plows forward, Congress is starting to consider the issue. In November, two Republican representatives introduced a bill that would create a certification process for commercial space missions, adding to the FAA's launch licensing and the Federal Communications Commission's regulation of satellite transmissions, SpaceNews reported. In another vein, last year Florida passed a bill to protect space companies and their owners from getting sued over spaceflight passenger death or injury. "I think, frankly, government is struggling to keep pace with industry," Nield, the former FAA official, said of the overall regulatory landscape. It may be wise to catch up while the entrepreneurs vying for space seem to be truly passionate about it "Star Trek geeks," in Hanlon's words. "Right now you have a pretty small community of people who are like-minded," Hanlon said. "We really need to take advantage of this sort of camaraderie that we have, and try to build some of these frameworks before we start getting the bad actors who are really just in it for the money." Read the original article on Business Insider (Getty Images) Two bills aimed at reforming Colorados construction defect law advanced through the Legislature this week, one to spur more condo development by lowering insurance costs and another to give homeowners more protection against shoddy construction. They both have to do with the states Construction Defect Action Reform Act, which sets up a process for homeowners to sue builders if they discover issues with the build, but they center on different parties in the defect remedy process. The House gave preliminary approval to House Bill 24-1230 on Friday. The bill would extend the timeline a person can bring a construction defect lawsuit, known as a statute of repose, from six to 10 years. The bill would also allow similarly situated homeowners, such as homeowners on the same street with houses experiencing the same structural problems, to bring a claim together even if they arent in a formal homeowner association. What we want to do with this bill is encourage the industry to simply honor their warranties from the beginning. Lets keep these cases out of court. Lets run them through the warranty process theyre supposed to, bill sponsor Rep. Jennifer Parenti, an Erie Democrat, said. The bill is also sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, a Denver Democrat. Only four states have shorter statutes of repose than Colorado. Republicans are opposed to the bill, largely because builders are against it and the risk it could reduce construction. Additionally, they take issue with a provision that would require builders to pay to homeowners a 6% prejudgement interest on claims. Thats an additional cost on the folks that are building housing, that are trying to put up new affordable housing for people to live. As weve seen over and over again, when red tape goes up, when liability goes up, when regulation goes up, the thing being subject to it goes down in supply, Rep. Gabe Evans, a Fort Lupton Republican, said. Bacon contended that the bill attempts to find a middle ground between homeowners wanting an endless statute of repose and builders wanting total protection from lawsuits. We have people that want to build these homes, but all were asking is that they can be reasonably held accountable if they dont build them right, she said. The bill needs a final vote in the House before it moves forward to the Senate. That will likely happen early next week. Right to remedy Senate Bill 24-106 is simultaneously moving through the Legislature, and it succeeded in its first committee on Thursday, after a two week delay between witness testimony and the committee vote. It is focused less on the larger housing market and more on increasing condo stock, an often more attainable housing option for younger and lower income people versus a detached single-family home. Supporters, most of which are builders and municipal governments, say the bill is integral to the states affordable housing goals by decreasing the frequency of court claims and therefore lowering insurance costs associated with condominium construction. Builders say that insurance can raise the individual price of a condo by tens of thousands of dollars. Insurance costs for condos are now 5.5% of a projects hard costs, more than triple those of a multifamily rental construction project, according to research from the Common Sense Institute. That is a disincentive to condo construction. We have a lack of construction when it comes to condos, which are an affordable option for people. How do we reignite that housing option? bill sponsor Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, an Arvada Democrat, said in her closing comments on Thursday. If the problem that is standing in the way of that is unaffordable construction insurance even if you dont believe thats part of the problem it doesnt hurt to try and solve for it. We have a lack of construction when it comes to condos, which are an affordable option for people. How do we reignite that housing option? Sen. Rachel Zenzinger Sen. James Coleman, a Denver Democrat, is also running the bill. The bill would add another right-to-remedy path for homeowners who find a defect in their new build. Instead of heading to court the most expensive option homeowners would have an option for the builder or a third party to perform the corrective construction work. It would also limit lawsuits to be filed only if there are actual or imminent damages to the property or health of the occupants, rather than just technical building code violations. Were trying to keep those out of court, because we feel like those can be fixed without having to go to court, Zenzinger said. So lets try to fix it through right-to-remedy. Lets try to fix it through mediation. Lets try to fix it through arbitration. Homeowners would still be able to sue builders if they feel compelled to. On Thursday, sponsors tried to add an amendment that would have more clearly spelled out the type of imminent and unreasonable damages necessary for a lawsuit, such as falling stucco, an issue that could cause mold or a problem with the buildings structural integrity. Improperly installed roof flashing, for example, would not justify a claim because the issue isnt damaging the property or impacting the roofs performance. Sen. Faith Winter, a Westminster Democrat, worried that there are times claims should be brought against builders that would fall outside of the amendments specific definition. I think its the wrong standard. I just think that this makes it far more restrictive on when folks can be protected and when they cant, she said. Sponsors tabled the amendment but the debate over definitions is likely to continue throughout the legislative process. Sen. Tony Exum, a Colorado Springs Democrat, joined with the committees three Republicans to approve the bill. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post Bills to reform Colorados construction defects law advance in Legislature appeared first on Colorado Newsline. Mind Over Matter A bong rip of a theory suggests that all matter possesses some form of mind or consciousness, not just animals including, as one biologist suggests, the Sun itself. In a fascinating dive into the hypothesis, which adherents call "panpsychism," Popular Mechanics reports that this out-there concept has existed for thousands of years, and in its more crystallized form has been bubbling around for the last few hundred years. Though inklings of similar thought had existed since ancient Greece, the term "panpsychism" was, as the report explains, coined in the 16th century by Italian philosopher Francesco Patrizi. Though it enjoyed 19th century credibility when the psychology superstar Williams James publicly ascribed to it, the theory was veritably killed in the 1920s by the Vienna Circle when its "logical positivism" the idea that philosophical questions must have logical answers took hold of the philosophical world. Fast forward to the year 2004, when another Italian, the neuroscientist and psychiatrist Giulio Tononi, proposed what he called the "integrated information theory of consciousness," which suggests that consciousness is, essentially, almost everywhere. By and by, a sort of panpsychist renaissance began to take place, and in 2014 nearly 100 years after the Vienna Circle killed the feel-good theory the respected neuroscientist Christof Koch argued in Scientific American that if lumps of matter can form into human bodies and become conscious, there's no reason that groups of elementary particles couldn't either. Sun Salutation While AI pioneer and fashion-forward hat-wearer Ben Goertzel has been an adherent since at least '04, perhaps one of the most compelling instances of panpsychist thought came in 2021, when biologist and author Rupert Sheldrake published a paper questioning whether the Sun itself might be conscious. "Consciousness does not need to be confined to brains," Sheldrake told Popular Mechanics in its new story. "The link between minds and physical systems seems to be through rhythmic electromagnetic fields, which of course are present in our brains. They are also present in and around the Sun, and these could be the interface between the solar mind and the body of the Sun." To be fair, there isn't a lick of evidence of support this theory. And Sheldrake is a peculiar character; he does hold a PhD in biochemistry, and he did research at Cambridge University in the 1970s. But since then he's been drawn to a variety of extremely out-there topics ranging from crystals to telepathy, and been largely dismissed in the mainstream. Still, it's a fun idea in a sci-fi type of way. The Sun is a complex system; maybe it harbors mysteries we haven't yet comprehended. And say the whole thing is somehow true if so, what would the Sun think about? "It may be able to choose in which direction to send out solar flares or coronal mass ejections," Sheldrake mused to PopMech, "which can have an enormous effect on life on Earth, and to which our technologies are very vulnerable." More on minds: Paralyzed Neuralink Patient Playing "Civilization VI" With His Mind We should really look at these as the pushback against Black economic progress, says Patrice Willoughby, senior vice president of global policy and impact at NAACP. Earlier this month, a federal court delivered yet another blow to government efforts to close the racial equity gap and better serve Black and brown communities. The latest set back came by a ruling from Judge Mark Pittman that ordered the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) to no longer consider race or ethnicity when deploying its services to U.S. small businesses. This is not one attack, but its a series of attacks on the measures that the federal government has put in place to remedy, Patrice Willoughby, senior vice president of global policy and impact at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), told theGrio. Adobe Stock Using the same constitutional argument the U.S. Supreme Court used to overturn race-conscious affirmative action in college admissions last year, Pittman, appointed to the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Texas by former President Donald Trump, said MBDAs qualification for disadvantaged business owners violated the 14th Amendments equal protection clause. In other words, the judge argued the agency violated the constitutional rights of white business owners. While the agencys work may help alleviate opportunity gaps faced by MBEs (minority business owners), two wrongs do not make a right, Pittman wrote in his ruling. Elected officials and advocates are decrying the federal court ruling, blaming a movement led by conservatives and affirmed by Republican-appointed judges that is undoing decades-long efforts to right historic wrongs that have afflicted Black and brown communities. The MBDA ruling, proponents fear, could further exacerbate existing racial disparities in ownership and wealth. We should really look at these as the pushback against Black economic progress, said Willoughby, a former executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus. Its very clear that, because discrimination continues to exist, these programs are still needed. The mission of the Minority Business Development Agency is to promote the growth and competitiveness of U.S. minority-owned businesses. MBDA provides minority business owners access to capital, contracts and consulting services. Ironically, the agency was established by Republican President Richard Nixon in 1969. Under President Joe Biden, a Democrat, it became a permanent agency under federal law that expanded its reach across the country. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told theGrio that Biden is very proud of signing into law a permanent government status for MBDA. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre talks to reporters during the daily news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on March 27, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Weve seen 16 million applications that were started under this administration over the past three years, which is important, the Biden spokesperson shared. There was certainly a boost with minority businesses starting their small businesses. Now that MBDA will be required by law to open its programs to white business owners, experts fear it would lead to already existing patterns of implicit or explicit racial bias and further exacerbate the racial wealth gap. What you will have is essentially people do business with people they like, Willoughby explained. They want to drive visibility for who is able to benefit underground so that theres no oversight, no regulation, and theres no assistance more broadly, with respect to DEI. Samantha Tweedy, CEO of the Black Economic Alliance, said the judges ruling would result in an MBDA unable to support diverse business owners navigating an economic system that research shows is riddled with racial bias. We know that is the goal of many who seek to claw back the pathways to economic progress open to the Black community, said Tweedy, who called on Congress and the White House to step in to protect the vital role of the MBDA. To date, reverse racism rulings that undo race-specific programs aimed at remedying racial disparities have hit college campuses, businesses, and even Black farmers. Conservative activists have largely filed these cases, including millionaire Edward Blum, who was behind the affirmative action case before the Supreme Court. Blum is also behind a pending lawsuit against the Black female-owned Fearless Fund, arguing that its program designed to boost funding for Black women entrepreneurs is discriminatory against white-owned businesses. You remove the legal framework that allows them to challenge discrimination, Willoughby explained about the growing number of legal challenges against DEI. She said success in courts emboldens the opponents of equity and turns back the clock on racial progress. Essentially, [they] are trying to return America to what these opponents referred to as the good old days, but really were a white supremacist framework, noted Willoughby, which Black businesses and people of color really had very little access to the benefits of this country that other people have enjoyed. According to a February 2024 report by the Brookings Institution, while Black businesses saw consecutive growth between 2017 and 2021, the number of Black-owned employer firms remains disproportionate to the number of Blacks living in the United States. In 2021, Black Americans represented only 2.7% of employers despite making up 14.4% of the population. Closing that gap, the report argues, would boost the U.S. economy and create thousands more jobs. Looking ahead at combating the legal setbacks on DEI-related programs, Willoughby told theGrio that policymakers, researchers and litigants will have to double down on data collection and advocacy. Proponents of DEI programs will have to make better arguments in the courts and firmer justification for the existence of any remedy where race is a linked with disadvantage. Its going to become a lot more important to collect the data, to document the discrimination, and to prove that the disadvantage is directly linked to race, she said. The current legal setbacks also reflect the fact that elections have consequences. In addition to Pittman being appointed to his judgeship by Trump, so were the three Supreme Court justices who joined the majority to strike down race-based affirmative action. Now that court, which is hostile to issues involving race and racial remedies, will be in operation for the next decade, Willoughby said. Voting is connected to Black progress, she added. Even if you are feeling disconnected, you still have to look at who has your interests at heart and vote with your pocketbook to identify the candidates that are going to shore up your participation in the economic system. Gerren Keith Gaynor Gerren Keith Gaynor is a White House Correspondent and the Managing Editor of Politics at theGrio. He is based in Washington, D.C. Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter. The post Black businesses face uphill battle after reverse racism ruling from Trump-appointed judge appeared first on TheGrio. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday condemned a terrorist attack in Moscow that killed at least 133 people. We condemn terrorism in all its forms and stand in solidarity with the people of Russia in grieving the loss of life from this horrific event, Blinken said in a statement. Russian officials arrested several men suspected of carrying out the attack on a concert hall. Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a televised address, said he believed the suspects were headed to Ukraine. Ukrainian officials denied any involvement, and the Islamic State groups affiliate in Afghanistan claimed responsibility for the attack. A U.S. intelligence official said that U.S. agencies had confirmed that the Islamic State was responsible for the attack and had previously warned Moscow that an attack could be imminent. "Earlier this month, the U.S. Government had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow potentially targeting large gatherings, to include concerts which prompted the State Department to issue a public advisory to Americans in Russia. The U.S. Government also shared this information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding duty to warn policy," said National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson in a statement. The U.S. embassy in the Russian capital issued a notice earlier this month urging Americans to avoid crowded places due to imminent plans by extremists to target large Moscow gatherings. GAZA, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 32,142, with 74,412 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Saturday. In a press statement sent to Xinhua, the ministry said the Israeli army killed 72 Palestinians and wounded 114 others during the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, the Hamas-run government media office said the Israeli army threatened to bomb and destroy the buildings of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The office said in a press statement that "we received testimonies from inside the Al-Shifa complex indicating that the Israeli army threatened the medical staff and the displaced inside the buildings that it would bomb and destroy them over their heads, or that they would go out for torture, investigation, and execution." In addition, the Israeli army said in a press statement that its forces and the Shin Bet security service continue to fight in the Al-Shifa Hospital area, confirming that 170 people were killed in the area and more than 800 others were arrested. In a statement, Hamas accused Israel of committing "horrific massacres" in the Al-Shifa complex, saying that "bombing defenseless civilians with drones is a war crime." The recent operation began early Monday, with the Israeli forces attacking the compound with tanks and airstrikes. Al-Shifa, which was Gaza's largest medical facility before the war, is now one of the few hospitals still functioning in the coastal enclave and also serving as a shelter for displaced Palestinians. Israel has targeted the hospital before, claiming that Hamas used it as a command center and hid weapons and fighters in underground tunnels underneath the complex. Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage. Russia's oil trade is starting to feel the pressure of Western sanctions as Indian refineries no longer accept tankers of Moscow's state-owned Sovcomflot shipping company, Bloomberg reported on March 23. Following the sanctions imposed against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has been seeking new markets for its fossil fuels. India has become a key buyer of Russian oil, second only to China. Multiple tankers carrying Russian crude have been unable to land in Indian ports in recent months in connection to sanctions. According to Bloomberg, dozens of sanctioned vessels are now idling by in numbers not seen since 2017. The U.S. has been tightening its restrictions against Russian oil since last October, sanctioning around 40 oil tankers involved in the trade. Russia's largest shipping company, Sovcomflot, came under fresh sanctions in February for violating the $60-per-barrel price cap. Towards the end of 2023, Group of Seven (G7) countries vowed to step up enforcement of the price cap, first implemented in December 2022, after reports emerged that Russia has continued to ship out much of its crude above $60 per barrel by using a "ghost fleet" of mostly uninsured tankers. Sovcomflot transported around one-fifth of all Russian crude deliveries to India in 2023, Bloomberg noted. Rising challenges to Russia's oil industry, one of Moscow's key revenue sources, are compounded by Ukraine's drone attacks against the country's refineries. The U.K. Defense Ministry said that the drone strikes may have disrupted at least 10% of the country's refinery capacity. Read also: Russias war effort may not be as formidable as it looks Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KRQE) After running from police and barricading himself inside a vehicle, 47-year-old Bobby Charles Crawford has now been sentenced to 54 years behind bars. In 2023, Crawford had a warrant out for his arrest. A New Mexico State Police officer began following a white Chevy Suburban they suspected belonged to Crawford. Las Cruces Police arrived, but Crawford fled through a residential neighborhood, according to the Third Judicial District Attorneys Office. Man with police and cartel ties sentenced for drug trafficking Crawford eventually fired a gun at a police vehicle, and officers returned fire. Crawford barricaded himself, but the event ended after Crawford surrendered, the District Attorneys Office said. A Las Cruces jury convicted Bobby Charles Crawford of two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer, one count of aggravated fleeing from a law enforcement officer and shooting at or from a motor vehicle. Federal charges filed against man accused of shooting, killing New Mexico State Police officer Crawford has a long history of criminal conduct. In this case, officers were within microseconds and millimeters of certain death, District Attorney Gerald Byers said in a press release. Those police officers involved, dedicated their lives to keep the public safe from a dangerous criminal. The jury verdict demonstrated that Dona Ana County juries will assign accountability for proven criminal behavior. The sentencing reflects that this dangerous convict will not pose a future threat to the public or public servants. The assistant district attorney asked the court to give Crawford the maximum sentence of 95 years. Crawford asked the court for leniency, claiming he is terminally ill. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. The body of a woman who went missing on a solo hike in California has been found at the base of a waterfall. Caroline Meister, 30, had set out for a hike Monday from the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, a zen monastery where she was living and working, for a hike in the Ventana Wilderness area of Los Padres National Forest. She had packed only enough food for the day and did not bring equipment for an overnight hike, the Monterey County Sheriffs Office said in a statement. Caroline Meister is shown in a photo shared by the Monterey County Sheriff's Office. Monterey County Sheriff's Office She was reported missing when she didnt return that evening. Her disappearance sparked a wide search involving teams from multiple state and county agencies. Meister, who was originally from Illinois, was an avid hiker and familiar with the area where she was hiking, her parents told news station KSBW when the search was ongoing. On Friday, responders located Meisters body at the bottom of a waterfall near a path known as the Tassajara Cut-Off trail. Authorities said that her body had injuries consistent with a fall down a cliff, and they do not suspect foul play. The waterfalls base is about a 150-foot drop from the trail. Monterey County Sheriffs Cmdr. Andy Rosas told CBS Chicago that theres a very slick area where water crosses over the hiking trail. Tassajara Zen Mountain Center Director Heather Ianrusso told the news outlet that Meister had not been doing anything risky, and that she is missed deeply. She was an amazingly sweet, bright spirit very gentle and kind and helpful, Ianrusso said. Related... The body of an experienced hiker was found at the base of a waterfall after she went missing days earlier during a Northern California hike. Monterey County Sheriff Tina M. Nieto confirmed during a news conference on Friday that the body of 30-year-old Caroline Meister was found by search and rescue teams around 10:45 a.m. PST at the base of a waterfall near a trail in the Ventana Wilderness. Foul play is not suspected, police said. The coroner has yet to confirm the cause of death, but the Monterey County Sheriffs Office said that her injuries were "consistent" with a fall from a height. CALIFORNIA WOMAN ON HIKE GOES MISSING AFTER BEING SWEPT AWAY BY RIVER The Monterey County Sheriffs Office said that 30-year-old Caroline Meister's body was found on Friday morning in California. Meister had been missing since Monday, March 18, after she embarked on a hike from the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Authorities said that Meister was an experienced hiker and was only carrying snacks for the day and was not dressed or equipped for an overnight stay when she disappeared. The Monterey County Sheriffs Office announced that search and rescue teams found the body of 30-year-old Carolina Meister Search and rescue teams conducted extensive searches across a wide area. "The Monterey County Sheriffs Search and Rescue Team, Drone Team and a California Highway Patrol Helicopter have been working collaboratively throughout the day to attempt to locate Caroline," police said. NEW HAMPSHIRE HIKER RESCUED AFTER FALLING, HITTING HEAD AND LOSING SHOE ON MOUNT WASHINGTON Residents at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center told authorities that Meister told them that she was planning on hiking a loop that would lead back to the Zen Mountain Center. She also mentioned hiking the "Windcave Trail." Burnt trees line the ground after the Basin Complex Fire burned more than 100,000 acres in the Ventana Wilderness area and Los Padres National Forest near Big Sur, California, U.S. Police described the 30-year-old as a white adult female, 5 feet, 6 inches tall, weighing 150 pounds. She had long brown hair that was likely tied back and was last seen wearing teal boots with a blue bag. CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The Monterey County Sheriffs Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Original article source: Body of missing 'experienced' California hiker found at base of waterfall after days of search: police The tragedy inside a migrant detention center in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, in March 2023 was sparked long before the deadly fire, border lawmakers and immigration experts said. It showed the consequences that could come from immigration politics on both sides of the border, said Adam Isacson, director for defense oversight with the Washington Office on Latin America, a research and human rights advocacy organization. On one end, you had U.S. border expulsion policies and on the other Mexican enforcement policies both focused on detention and deterrence that historically have not been effective immigration policy. The U.S. Border Patrol reported a record 2.5 million migrant encounters at the Southwest border about427,000 of those in the El Paso sector in the 2023 fiscal year that ran from October 2022 to September 2023. The sector encompasses El Paso County and New Mexico. From October 2023 to this January, just under 962,000 encounters have been reported a decrease of about 9% over the same time the previous year. The El Paso sector saw a 50% decrease in encounters in that time period, with about 96,000 encounters reported. Medics give aid to a migrant who survived a fire that broke out at a Mexican immigration detention center in Juarez on Monday, March 27, 2023. Much of the influx last fiscal year came ahead of Title 42 expiring in May 2023 as migrants arrived en masse at the border before the pandemic-era public health policy ended. Under Title 42, migrants could be quickly expelled back to their home countries or to Mexico without the steep consequences that Title 8 and other immigration laws carry, including years-long bans on re-entry. At the same time, hundreds of migrants were stranded in Juarez awaiting the resolution of their asylum cases under the U.S. Migrant Protection Protocols program, also known as Remain in Mexico. In one day alone Dec. 19, 2022, two days before Title 42 was originally set to end before a federal court order kept it in place a record 12,000 migrants arrived at the Southwest border without authorization to enter, the Migration Policy Institute reports. Nearly 10,000 migrants who had made their way to El Paso that week were expelled or sent to other Border Patrol sectors for processing to help the region manage the rapid influx, DHS said in a press statement at the time. The statement said that the agency had been working with Mexico to discourage disorderly migration and disrupt criminal smuggling operations. That sharp influx of migrants overwhelmed U.S. border communities and Mexico, which was under increased pressure from the United States to hold back the line on migrants making their way north, said Stephanie Brewer, director for Mexico at the Washington Office on Latin America. Brewer said Mexicos response to heightened immigration was highly militarized primarily handled by Mexicos armed forces rather than the National Migration Institute and relied on detention to attempt to curb that trend. Under President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Mexico in 2019 created a new National Guard composed of soldiers as well as federal police to operate under the command of the military. That came as former U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to cut off trade from Mexico if it didnt do more to stem the flow of migrants arriving at the border. The Mexican National Guard was deployed to the southern and northern borders to assist in the detention of migrants, Brewer said. Migration, like migration without a documented status, is not a crime, she said, particularly if people are seeking asylum. International law says detention should be the last resort because people should be able to go through their immigration process as a general rule of freedom. Brewer said that Mexicos immigration issues have been brewing for years with numerous recorded complaints about poor conditions and corruption at migrant detention facilities across the country. A fire in a detention center in Tabasco near the Gulf Coast left one person dead and more than a dozen injured in 2020, she noted. A fire also broke out at the same Juarez center in 2019, though no deaths or major injuries were reported at the time. The March 2023 fire inside the Juarez center killed 40 migrants and injured another 27. Two migrants are charged with setting vinyl sleeping mats on fire, and nine immigration officials and private security guards are facing an array of charges from failing to perform their duties to homicide. A months-long investigation by El Paso Matters, La Verdad and Lighthouse Reports discovered a series of failures that made the incident so deadly, including a lack of sprinklers, fire extinguishers and emergency exits. Security video footage obtained by the investigative media team shows immigration officials and private security guards asking each other who last had the key to unlock the mens cell and the immigration official in charge at the time saying in Spanish: We are not going to open (the cell) for them, I already told those guys leaving the men trapped and dying from smoke inhalation. Tension leads to heated encounters Months before the fire, however, the migrant influx to the region had created a tense situation on both sides of the border. In Juarez, a number of heated encounters between migrants and law enforcement officers were reported, including in November 2022 when Mexican authorities dismantled a Venezuelan make-shift camp set up along the Juarez side of the Rio Grande. In early March 2023, officials with the National Migration Institute, Mexican National Guard and Juarez municipal police conducted migration control operations on the riverbank and raids in hotels and churches. On the day of the fire, Juarez municipal authorities, including police and personnel of the citys office of human rights and social assistance for families agency, accompanied INM agents to sweep up migrants from the streets and took them to the provisional migrant center. The El Paso-Juarez area became the focal point of the migrant humanitarian crisis, though the influx of migrants was impacting all of the U.S.-Mexico border. Immigration: Political battleground U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, said the bigger picture is a broken immigration system in the United States as well as in Mexico and across the globe. In the U.S., Congress has for more than 30 years failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform, she said. In fact, the last comprehensive immigration reform was approved during Ronald Reagans presidency. Since then, various administrations have implemented band-aid policies to address immediate challenges rather than seeking long-term reforms, Escobar said. A bipartisan immigration reform bill she proposed with a Republican congresswoman from Florida last year didnt advance, but Escobar said she hopes to reintroduce it with more bipartisan support. Earlier this year, proposed bipartisan immigration legislation tied to additional aid for Ukraine fell apart Republicans arguing it didnt meet their demands for heightened border security measures and Democrats contending it didnt do enough to protect migrants. Human rights organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union called the plan punitive because it would increase detention, restrict access to asylum and close down the border. Immigration has long been a hot political topic during elections, Brewer said, often leading to rhetoric over action. As the U.S. and Mexico are in a presidential election year, immigration will remain at the forefront of political discourse. In Texas, immigration has become a political battleground as Gov. Greg Abbott criticizes and challenges the Biden administrations policies, increasing Texas National Guard presence along the border, installing barriers along the Rio Grande and continuing to bus migrants out of the state under the controversial Operation Lone Star. Border lawmakers and human rights organizations have criticized Abbotts tactics and rhetoric on immigration, saying they put migrants in danger. The Texas Legislature last session passed an array of border security bills aimed at deterring migrants from entering the country illegally. Among them is a state law that increased the minimum sentence for people convicted of smuggling immigrants or operating stash houses from two to 10 years. Another makes it a state crime to cross into Texas from Mexico illegally, which was set to begin starting March 5. The constitutionality of the latter, part of Senate Bill 4, was challenged in the courts by the ACLU and the El Paso County government, among others. The law has been making its way through the courts, with a federal judge in Austin issuing a preliminary injunction halting its enforcement and a New Orleans-based appeals court reversing that decision. The U.S. Supreme Court on March 4 halted the law, issuing a temporary stay until it considers it. Leaving the homeland: Global migration The migration phenomenon is not just impacting Mexico and the United States. This is not just an issue that America is facing; this is a hemispheric issue, Escobar said. And we are seeing the movement of tens of thousands of people who are leaving their homeland for various different reasons. Among those factors are natural disasters such as hurricanes and the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and the inability of some South and Central American countries to recover from either, according to the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan Washington, D.C., think tank. Spontaneous migration has become the new norm across the Western Hemisphere, reflecting growing displacement that is fueled by political instability, violence, slow post-COVID-19 economic recovery, human rights abuses, poverty, and climate events, the MPI states in its report, Shifting Realities at the U.S.-Mexico Border, released in January. Escobar said that in the discourse about the movement of people, migrants home countries are often overlooked. The home country for each migrant is also to blame, she said. The rise of authoritarianism, the decline of democracy in many of these countries and the corruption in others, leaders of those countries where migrants are leaving they truly shoulder a big part of the blame because they have created an environment hostile to their own citizens. And we dont talk about that enough. This special investigation was a joint project by Rocio Gallegos, Blanca Carmona and Gabriela Minjares of La Verdad; Cindy Ramirez of El Paso Matters; and Jack Sapoch, Monica C. Camacho and Melissa del Bosque of Lighthouse Reports. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Immigration politics over humanitarian crisis sparked tragedy, experts say ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) A structure fire occurred at an Abilene apartment complex on Friday evening. The fire occurred at the Aspen Square Apartments, located in the 1700 block of South 3rd Street. Evacuations were set in place, and dozens of people and animals were evacuated. According to Chief Flores, one apartment was fully engulfed in flames, and the fire spread to two other apartments. The smoke spread throughout the entire complex due to the shared attic space. Access to the wing of the apartment affected by the fire is restricted. One person was transported to the hospital due to smoke inhalation. The cause of this fire remains under investigation. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. A pilot from the first-ever non-stop circumnavigation of the globe by hot air balloon has reflected on the 25th anniversary of the flight. The Breitling Orbiter Three was built by Cameron Balloons in Bedminster, Bristol, and co-piloted by Brian Jones OBE and Bertrand Piccard. They flew non-stop between 1 and 20 March 1999, from the Swiss Alps to the Egyptian desert. Mr Jones said the pair were "elated" to complete the record-breaking journey. The 25,361-mile (40,814km) journey took the Bristolian and Swiss balloonists from Chateau-d'Oex in Switzerland across the Mediterranean Sea and over Mauritania in Africa. Mr Jones, who now lives in Taunton, said: "People don't believe us, but it's absolutely true that the whole 20 days of that flight, not a single cross word passed between us." Even after 25 years, their world record of travelling on the furthest and longest non-stop unfuelled flight in any form of aircraft remains intact. After the pair landed in the desert, they were transported to Cairo, Egypt, where they were greeted with "absolute pandemonium", according to Mr Jones. They were met by the British and Swiss ambassadors who congratulated them for their achievement. Mr Jones said it was "a real surreal moment". Alan Noble, who lives in Stockwood, worked as a project director during the design and build of the balloon. When the pilots began their journey, he served as a flight director. "I have many happy memories of its record breaking journey around the world," he said. To commemorate the experience, Mr Noble has a clock from the control centre and a photograph of Queen Elizabeth II's visit to the Cameron Balloons site, where she met the team to congratulate them. He said both items remind him of the "fantastic adventure" everyday. A celebration to mark the 25th anniversary of the flight will be held in Geneva on 11 April. Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. CHICAGO The Bring Chicago Home referendum backed by Mayor Brandon Johnson has been defeated, according to The Associated Press, which called the race after a fresh tally of mailed-in ballots left those in favor of the proposal roughly 21,000 votes short. The measure, which sought to raise the citys real estate transfer tax on property purchases above $1 million to generate up to $100 million annually for homeless services, had survived several setbacks since advocacy groups first coalesced behind the idea years ago. The latest challenge was a weekslong legal fight brought by real estate interests and others heading into Election Day that nearly sidelined the vote entirely. Both Johnson and the Bring Chicago Home campaign had already acknowledged a possible loss the morning after Election Day, when the vote in favor of the referendum question was trailing 53.7% to 46.3%. Johnson vowed to punch back, describing opponents as cowards and pledging to continue pursuing a progressive agenda, saying organizers get stronger, and whatever we didnt get the first time, well get even more the next time. The real estate interests that brought that lawsuit took a victory lap while encouraging Johnsons administration to work toward other solutions to address homelessness. Now that Mayor Johnsons real estate tax increase has been rejected by voters, we reissue our repeated calls for the City to convene all stakeholders to develop solutions that move Chicago forward, Farzin Parang, executive director of the Building Owners and Managers Association, said in a statement. Not only do we need to address the critical challenge of homelessness, we also need to develop a plan to rebuild our downtown and bolster our neighborhoods. The results do not end the fight of the Bring Chicago Home coalition that formed to push for the policy in 2017, the group wrote in a statement. Instead, they amplify our commitment to finding solutions for housing insecurity and addressing homelessness, the groups statement said. We continue to stay focused on what matters most: the building of a long-term movement for housing justice, with, for, and by the 68,000 Chicagoans experiencing homelessness in one of the richest cities in the world. As a mayoral candidate, Johnson had touted passing the Bring Chicago Home initiative as one of three campaign promises for his first 100 days in office. The measure was poised to become the first win from his bold economic agenda that he said would finally make wealthy residents and corporate interests pay their fair share. Its defeat was a stinging loss for the mayor who tied the initiative closely with his platform and signals brewing discontent from voters over how his progressive coalition has governed the nations third-largest city. Though Johnson and Bring Chicago Home supporters could try again via the state legislature or a similar effort on another ballot, the mayor did not show enthusiasm for either of those pathways when he spoke about it on Wednesday. Rather than the end of Bring Chicago Home, we hope this is the beginning of a fresh climate that stimulates investment in and reduces obstacles to the creation and maintenance of affordable housing, said another chief opponent, Michael Glasser, president of the Neighborhood Building Owners Alliance. There are vacant lots and empty buildings all across Chicago. We can transform them into homes for hardworking Chicago families, if the city works with us instead of against us. _____ TAUNTON The B-P School Committee was inundated by a massive letter writing campaign organized by teachers demanding more transparency and inclusivity in the process to select a new superintendent, according to a written statement from the B-P teachers union. At a Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School Committee meeting in December, Superintendent Alexandre Magalhaes announced he will be retiring at the end of calendar year 2024. This news came as a surprise to both the School Committee and teachers, said Tasha Cordero, president of the Bristol Plymouth Teachers Association (BPTA). Magalhaes couldnt be reached for comment Friday afternoon. Whats even more surprising, said Cordero, was the start, this past Feb. 12, of the search for a new superintendent, through job postings for the position, an act, she said, that seemed sudden and rushed. Stakeholders across our sending districts need transparency regarding the timeline and process of the Superintendent-Director search. The individual we select to lead our schools wields profound influence over every aspect of the learning environment, said Cordero in the written statement. From left, MSBA Authority Executive Director Mary Pichetti, School Building Committee Chair Carolyn Pearson, B-P Superintendent Alexandre Magalhaes and B-P School Committee Chair Louis Borges, Jr. participate in a groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, to kick off the new $305 million school building project. Magalhaes announced in December he is retiring at the end of the 2024 calendar year. Not everyone happy about new B-P Raynham voters shoot down B-P debt exclusion So, how will the town pay $39M tab? What does job posting say? The job posting on BPs website says: It is expected that this individual will be appointed to the position of Superintendent-Director Elect and will begin in this capacity as soon as possible in order to facilitate a seamless transition. The Superintendent-Director Elect will be expected to assume the position of Superintendent-Director on or before January 31, 2025. This is a rendering of the main entrance to the new Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School campus under construction in Taunton. How many protest letters have been sent? The letter writing campaign is occurring through Action Network, an online petition platform. As of Friday, 864 emailed letters from the educator community supporting B-P have been sent to members of the School Committee, according to BPTAs written statement. Cordero told the Gazette Friday the School Committee has not included stakeholders, such as the teachers union, in providing input over what the school should look for in a new superintendent. She continued that, presently, the School Committee is deciding to exercise sole authority over the search and candidacy process. The School Committee does have a thorough process. I dont doubt that. But no one knows our best interests because they wont talk with us on it, said Lisa Roe, vice president of the BPTA. Both Roe and Cordero said key organizations like the Massachusetts Association of School Committees recommend measures inclusion of the community, like forming a hiring committee consisting of members from across the spectrum, including the School Committee, the teachers association, the administration and others. The BPTA insists that the search process must be inclusive, drawing from the diverse perspectives of community members and educators alike, the written statement said. From left to right: Bristol-Plymouth Superintendent Alexandre Magalhaes, former Bristol-Plymouth football coach Bill Moan, Bristol-Plymouth Athletic Director Mark Lebeda and Bristol-Plymouth principal Karen Guenette following Moan's hall of fame induction ceremony. Should B-P admissions be lottery based? B-P and Southeastern leaders push back on calls for lottery-based admissions What else does the teachers union want? Other steps the BPTA are requesting include: Involvement in the screening of applicants Being able to ask questions to the candidates A more transparent timeline regarding the selection and interview process 'Nothing like it in the area' Here's what makes Raynham restaurant's ramen special Response from the School Committee Bristol Plymouth School Committee Chair, Louis Borges, Jr., couldnt be reached for comment Friday afternoon. Taunton City Councilor and Taunton Representative on the B-P School Committee, Estele Borges, countered the accusations made by the BPTA. Anyone who knows me, knows everything to me is about transparency and process, and Im not treating this any differently, she said. File photo: Estele Borges at Weir Riverfront Park on Sept. 7, 2021. Borges said the superintendent position has been posted and advertised in all the necessary outlets. Regarding how the candidacy process will be done, she said that hasnt been determined as of yet, explaining there havent been any interviews conducted. Were not even there yet, as all thats been done so far is advertise the position and collect resumes, she said. The deadline to apply for the position is Tuesday, March 26. Regarding the forming of a hiring committee, she emphasized no decisions have been made yet regarding the composition of that group. She said she couldnt speak for other school committee members, but she personally has fielded numerous phone calls and emails from concerned members of the B-P community regarding the search and selection process for a new superintendent. Borges said the school committee said at the March 6 meeting that all interviews for finalists will be conducted in open session for the public to attend. Its absolutely false to say theres been a lack of transparency, Borges said. The next Bristol Plymouth School Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 3. This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Bristol-Plymouth teachers union pushes back on superintendent search If Algeria introduced a United Nations resolution declaring that the Earth was flat and that Israel had flattened it, said the legendary Israeli diplomat Abba Eban, it would pass by a vote of 164 to 13 with 26 abstentions. This wry observation rings truer than ever today. We have entered a topsy-turvy universe. International institutions are used as weapons of Hamas, while those fighting for freedom and democracy are smeared as the agents of genocide. On Friday, the Americans betrayed their close ally at the UN Security Council, calling for a ceasefire which would curtail Israels progress to victory. Ironically, it was blocked by Russia, China and Algeria because it also made demands of the terrorists. The change in the weather began with President Biden accusing Israel of indiscriminate bombing (even though its warfighting relies on American precision munitions) and going over the top (in desperately trying to protect its citizens from the most savage enemy imaginable). It continued with Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer calling for the defenestration of Israels elected leader (as if it was some banana republic). It gathered steam with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken openly opposing an assault on Rafah (which is essential to the defeat of Hamas) and it concluded at the Security Council this week. Although with Benjamin Netanyahu vowing that Rafah must fall with or without American support, it has not concluded at all. Britain has been tagging along. Former defence secretary Ben Wallace has accused Israel of a killing rage. And Lord Cameron has suggested that Britain would recognise a Palestinian state over the heads of the Israelis, who would then, presumably, be forced to defend their people against a new, authoritarian country in which three-quarters of the population welcomed October 7. This week, the Foreign Secretary upped the ante again, threatening to withhold British weapons if Israel did not allow the Red Cross to visit Hamas prisoners, in keeping with the Geneva Convention. But that relationship broke down a few months back when the Red Cross ignored the plight of the Israeli hostages in Gaza, even refusing to transfer medication to an 84-year-old grandmother held by Hamas when her daughter delivered it to their offices. But the Foreign Secretary doesnt seem too worried about that. Lord Cameron also vowed to halt arms sales if Israel attacked Rafah. Given that 70 per cent of imported Israeli arms come from the United States, and those from France, Germany and Italy also constitute a larger percentage than those from Blighty, it is hard to see what this is supposed to achieve. But these are the times we live in: showing that you care about the Palestinians is apparently more important than destroying jihadism. Humanitarian concerns must be urgently taken into account. But while Israel has achieved a civilian-to-combatant casualty ratio that is likely lower than any comparable theatre of war, Hamas has convinced the world that it is acting out of wanton bloodlust. The goal is simple: to use international pressure to force Israel to end the war. The broadcast media and international institutions have become complicit in Hamass war aims. Footage of suffering civilians is ubiquitous, but have you ever seen a picture of the thousands of dead or wounded terrorists? Hamas censors this material. No Western media outlet makes this clear to its viewers. This is a deceit that turns public opinion against Israel, furthering the aims of Hamas. Which brings me to the UN. In an attempt to stop the IDF from invading Rafah, it is shouting loudly about the suffering of the people of Gaza, which it naturally blames on Israel rather than Hamas. But in the year before October 7, the UN Human Rights Council condemned Israel more than twice as many times as any other country, while the General Assembly condemned the Jewish state more than the rest of the world combined. After October 7, it took the UNs womens rights body nearly eight weeks to criticise Hamass sexual violence. Five months on, the UN Security Council has still not condemned the October 7 atrocities. Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice - the judicial organ of the UN - has failed to throw out an absurd case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide. In Gaza, employees of the UN agency delivering aid to the Palestinians took part in the October 7 massacre. In February, Israel said a Hamas intelligence centre had been found beneath a UN headquarters in Gaza City, with electricity cables running through the floor of the building. Can these people really be trusted? As many as 10,000 Hamas terrorists could be holed up in Rafah. As Israels opposition leader Benny Gantz put it, theres no point extinguishing 80 per cent of a fire. Allowing a rump of Hamas to survive would mean another October 7 in the future, followed by another war. It would destroy all hope of a two-state solution, which the jihadis bitterly oppose. It would make peace a pipe dream. In a sane universe, the democratic world would pull behind Israel until the war is won. It would express its differences behind closed doors, working together to limit civilian casualties while freeing the hostages and beating the jihadis. This would reassure Saudi Arabia that the West stands by its friends, encouraging it to normalise relations with Israel. Instead, the West is mobilising to block an Israeli victory, and at the same time it is blocking peace. Deep underground, the leaders of Hamas must be licking their lips. Jake Wallis Simons is editor of The Jewish Chronicle and author of Israelophobia 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. MOSCOW, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Director of Russia's Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov has informed Russian President Vladimir Putin about the detention of 11 people, including four who were directly involved in the Moscow terrorist attack, according to the Kremlin press service. Previously, lawmaker Alexander Khinshtein said on his Telegram that two alleged suspects were detained overnight in the Karachevsky district in Russia's Bryansk region. He added a Makarov pistol, a magazine for an AKM rifle and some passports belonging to Tajik citizens were found in the suspects' vehicle. A shooting occurred on Friday evening in the Crocus City Hall concert venue in northwestern Moscow, claiming the lives of at least 93 people. The suspects reportedly left the concert hall in a white Renault car after the shooting. Towns and cities across Britain are struggling to deal with extremism being whipped up by Islamists and the far Right, an official report will warn this week. A review by Sara Khan, the Governments adviser on social cohesion, has concluded that in some areas there is no infrastructure in place to tackle a triple threat of conspiracy theories, disinformation and harassment that poses a threat to democracy. A cross-Whitehall cohesion response unit could now be created by Michael Gove, the Communities and Local Government Secretary, in response to the report, as part of a social cohesion and extremism action plan being drawn up by his officials. The plan follows the publication of the Governments new definition of extremism, which sources said was a first step needed to tackle extremist behaviour and improve democratic resilience, amid concerns about groups attempting to subvert democracy. Dame Saras report states that a cohesion response unit, staffed by policing, education and counter-extremism officials, was needed to tackle early tensions and live flashpoint incidents in local areas before they spiral out of control. Dame Sara, a former commissioner for countering extremism, is also expected to call for conflict resolution training for local authority officials and councillors, and the hiring of specialist staff who can help councils to improve social cohesion. Riots broke out in Oldham in 2001 amid racial tensions between white and Asian youths - PHIL NOBLE/PA Mr Gove is understood to back the majority of Dame Saras 15 recommendations contained in a report for the Communities Secretary and Prime Minister, which is due to be published this week. They include putting in place a plan to tackle what Dame Sara describes as freedom-restricting harassment threatening, intimidatory or abusive harassment in person or line that is intended to make people or institutions censor or self-censor out of fear. Dame Sara held 30 meetings with local authorities across the country and 46 with civil society groups. Her report states: During these meetings, [Dame Sara] repeatedly heard how local authorities and responders were struggling to deal with contemporary social cohesion threats, including disinformation, conspiracy theories and evolving extremist tactics. The report cites Oldham, Barrow-in-Furness and Stoke-on-Trent as examples of areas struggling with social cohesion and extremism activity, saying that the examples demonstrate a common problem of a lack of capability and no established infrastructure to help local leaders deal with destabilising activity. Systemic problem It adds: This lack is representative of a wider systemic problem that leaves similar towns and cities across the country ill-equipped to respond to serious tensions, disinformation and extremism. In Stoke-on-Trent, a combination of far Right and Islamist extremist activity is creating a permissive environment for radicalisation and the mainstreaming of extremist narratives within communities, the report warns. Despite Stoke-on-Trent having significant extremism activity, it no longer receives counter-extremism or Prevent funding exposing the gaps in existing social cohesion and counter-extremism strategies. Dame Sara cited the town as among several areas suffering from a common problem of a lack of capability and no established infrastructure to help local leaders deal with destabilising activity. This lack is representative of a wider systemic problem that leaves similar towns and cities across the country ill-equipped to respond to serious tensions, disinformation and extremism. In a second example, Dame Sara highlighted Oldham, where riots broke out in 2001 amid racial tensions between white and Asian youths. Segregation Dame Sara was told that ethnic residential segregation persisted in the town, where 24.6 per cent of residents identified as Asian or Asian British in the 2021 census. The town had to deal with persistent threats to social cohesion, with divisive actors continuing to fuel tensions. In recent years such figures had included Tommy Robinson, the English Defence League founder who visited the area in 2019, along with direct action by pro-Palestine groups. Dame Sara warned that, while the council had been at pains to prioritise social cohesion efforts... the challenges it faces today from conspiracy theories and disinformation as well as freedom-restricting harassment are undermining local democracy. Local leaders said that massive democratic disruption was being caused by divisive individuals and groups, inducing a climate of fear and incitement. One illustrative example in Oldham related to false allegations being spread on social media about a purported attempt by the council to cover up crimes by grooming gangs. An independent review in November 2019 found that, while safeguarding practices were inadequate, there was no evidence of a cover-up. Incendiary claims Despite this, groups flooded the town with leaflets making incendiary claims and in 2021 a former council leader was targeted in an online campaign falsely labelling him a corrupt paedophile-protecting politician. Earlier this month, Baroness Falkner of Margravine, who chairs the Equality and Human Rights Commission, warned that integration appears to be failing following a decade of increasing migration. In an interview with The Telegraph, Lady Falkner, a first-generation Muslim migrant from Pakistan who chairs the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), called for new arrivals to the UK to be required to take an integration course, adopting an approach used in Germany. She also raised concerns about children living segregated, parallel lives from school upwards, calling for better education on democracy and rights. Mr Gove named three Muslim groups and two far-Right groups which will be assessed as to whether they meet the Governments new definition of extremism. The definition is intended to ensure that the Government does not provide funding to, or hold meetings with, groups that advance extremist ideologies. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The outpouring of sympathy towards the Princess of Wales since she announced that she is receiving treatment for cancer is a testament to the extraordinary affection with which she is held, both in the UK and across the world. Her video message displayed her admirable courage and composure in the face of difficult news. The contrast between Her Royal Highnesss quiet dignity and the disgusting conspiracy theorists on social media could not have been greater. Now she must be given the space and privacy she requires to make a full recovery, surrounded by her young family. It was characteristic of the Princess to stress how important it was for her and Prince William to take time to communicate the news to their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, in a way that was appropriate to them. One of the reasons she is held in such high regard is how deftly she has managed to combine her royal duties with the task of bringing up a happy and well-adjusted family under the full glare of public scrutiny. But her video also contained a message of hope, reminiscent of Queen Elizabeth IIs address to the nation during lockdown. While the late Queen lifted the countrys spirits at a dark moment in our history by reminding the public that we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again, the Princess of Wales spoke directly to others facing this disease, in whatever form. Please do not lose faith or hope, she said. You are not alone. In just a few words, Her Royal Highness once again showed why the United Kingdom is so blessed to have a monarchy. Many appreciate the ancient and splendid ceremony, the unbroken connection with the distant past, and the political stability that it provides. But at the heart of it all is also a family. It therefore reflects the life experiences of the rest of us in a way that no republican system, with its transient political leadership, ever could. It can uplift, reassure, and demonstrate that, through lifes vicissitudes, we are indeed not alone. These have been a difficult few months for the Royal family. With His Majesty the King also receiving treatment for cancer, the responsibility for carrying out public engagements has fallen increasingly on Prince William, the Queen, and a small group of other senior Royals. But even in adversity, the monarchy has a way of bringing the nation together. For now the country is united in sympathy and affection towards the Princess of Wales and her family. We all wish her a speedy recovery. 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. Russian Rosguardia servicemen secure an area at the Crocus City Hall after the attack - Alexander Avilov Britain has warned Vladimir Putin not to use a deadly terror attack in Moscow as an excuse to intensify its war on Ukraine. The Russian president used a speech on Saturday to accuse Kyiv of trying to help four alleged gunmen escape after they opened fire on unsuspecting victims in a concert hall, killing at least 130 people. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack shortly afterwards as Ukraine denied any involvement. That assessment was backed up by the United States, who warned several weeks ago of an imminent terror attack in Moscow. IS released a selfie on Saturday of the men it said were involved along with details of how they planned and executed the ambush at Crocus City Hall. However, in a five-minute video announcing the arrest of the perpetrators, Putin said: They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, previously, a window had been prepared for them to cross the border. He also called the attackers Nazis, the Kremlins commonly used code word for Ukrainians. A senior Whitehall security source told the Telegraph: Putins desperation to put all of this on Ukraine is unsurprising, as he tries to further dupe the Russian people whilst pretending that there is no dissent within Russia. He must not use this confected connection as any sort of excuse for intensifying his illegal war in Ukraine. Alicia Kearns, the Conservative chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, said: Russian media channels are already circulating deep fake videos of Ukrainian officials in an attempt to blame Ukraine and provide Putin some defence for the war crimes hes committing in Ukraine or worse, pretext for further atrocities. There is no indication of any link to Ukraine, nor any credible reason to suggest their involvement. Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, echoed that sentiment, saying he hoped this terrible tragedy will not become a pretext for anyone to escalate violence and aggression. Ukraines foreign ministry said they feared the accusations had the aim of whipping up anti-Ukrainian hysteria in Russian society, creating conditions for strengthening the mobilisation of Russian citizens to participate in criminal aggression against [the] state. A woman mourns at the Crocus City Hall concert venue following the attack in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow - MAXIM SHIPENKOV US officials have privately voiced concern about unsubstantiated claims of Ukrainian involvement, suggesting that blaming Kyiv for the attack could be a way for Moscow to justify a further escalation or encourage more Russian recruits to the front line. Washington DCs public statements have so far gone no further than expressing condolences and strong condemnation of the attack. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said: The United States strongly condemns the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. We extend our deepest condolences to those who lost loved ones and to those who were injured or affected by these unconscionable attacks against innocent civilians. ISIS is a common terrorist enemy that must be defeated everywhere. But US officials were quick to confirm IS claim of responsibility for the massacre, perhaps to serve as an early counter against Russian claims of Kyivs involvement. US intelligence gathered earlier in March found that Islamic State-Khorasan, known as IS-K, the branch of the group based in Afghanistan, had been planning an attack on Moscow, according to officials. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. British newspapers with news of Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales' illness are displayed at a supermarket in London British newspapers with news of Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales' illness are displayed at a supermarket in London By James Davey, Hannah Ellison and Will Russell LONDON (Reuters) -Kate, Britain's Princess of Wales, and her husband Prince William have been "enormously touched" by the messages of support received since she announced her cancer diagnosis, a Kensington Palace spokesperson said on Saturday. Kate said on Friday she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy after tests done following her major abdominal surgery in January revealed cancer had been present. The 42-year-old wife of heir to the throne Prince William, called the cancer discovery a "huge shock". The news comes as a fresh health blow to the British royal family: King Charles is also undergoing treatment for cancer. Kate's statement via a video message, which was filmed at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, triggered an outpouring of support from well-wishers. The Prince and Princess are both enormously touched by the kind messages from people here in the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world in response to Her Royal Highness message," the Kensington Palace spokesperson said in a statement. "They are extremely moved by the publics warmth and support and are grateful for the understanding of their request for privacy at this time." Kate's Friday announcement dominated British newspaper front pages on Saturday, with supportive messages combined with criticism of those who had speculated about her health in recent weeks. The public also showed their support. "Seeing the extraordinary dignity which Kate has shown, and her trying to hold together the royal family, I hope that now what the media will do is to give her and her family the privacy and respect that they deserve," solicitor Simon Davis, 64, said outside Kensington Palace park. "Its good that she said whats going on because I think it helps a lot of people that experience that," said Sarah Macdonald-Brown, a 50-year old art gallery owner. Tourist Karen Ferguson, 42, also showed her admiration for the princess, who is still popularly known by her maiden name Kate Middleton. "It's great that she came out and made a public statement so that people know she's doing OK, and what's going on. And I think we're all just sending well-wishes, especially for her young children." One of the most personal messages of support came from Kate's brother, James Middleton. He posted a childhood photo of him and his sister on Instagram and wrote: "Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together. As a family we will climb this one with you too." FRONT PAGES "KATE, YOU ARE NOT ALONE," The Sun tabloid's front page declared, saying she received a "huge outpouring of love and support". The rival Daily Mirror went with "KATE REVEALS CANCER SHOCK" and shared her remarks about how she had to explain the news to her children Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5. The Daily Telegraph quoted the princess as saying: "Cancer came as huge shock", but noted she said she is "going to be OK". The Daily Mail rounded on people who have speculated on her health, asking: "How do all those vile online trolls feel now?" Rumours and gossip on social media, in newspapers and even some U.S. talk shows had abounded since Kate's January surgery, although her Kensington Palace office had announced at the time that she would be absent from royal engagements while she recovered. On Friday, messages of support poured in for Kate, including from King Charles, Prince Harry, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and U.S. President Joe Biden. Sunak said Kate had "shown tremendous bravery" with her statement, adding she "has been unfairly treated by certain sections of the media around the world and on social media". Kate's diagnosis was also big news internationally. "Catherine's Cancer Diagnosis Puts UK Royals on Even More Uncertain Terrain," said the New York Times, noting that the grave health concerns of both the king and Kate are stretching an already slimmed-down monarchy. Charles, who took the throne in September 2022 after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth, underwent a corrective procedure for an enlarged prostate at the same hospital as Kate in January. Buckingham Palace then revealed in February that the 75-year-old king was to have treatment for cancer, meaning he has had to postpone his public royal duties. (Reporting by James Davey, Hannah Ellison and Will RussellWriting by James DaveyEditing by Frances Kerry) In the context of a royal line of succession, the health status of individuals within a family can be crucial when it comes to the continuity of the monarchy. Just this year, two integral members of the British royal family revealed that they are currently undergoing treatment for cancer. On March 22, Catherine, Princess of Wales, disclosed that she was undergoing chemotherapy after tests determined that she had cancer. The announcement came nearly two months after Buckingham Palace revealed that her father-in-law, King Charles, 75, was also seeking treatment for cancer. The monarch shared at the time that tests detected a form of cancer after he underwent a hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, palace. A separate issue of concern was found by doctors, and subsequent tests identified a form of cancer. The news soon brought attention back to the line of succession, which has undergone various shifts since Charles' ascension. According to the royal family's website, the rules of order have been determined by both descent and Parliamentary statutes since the 17th century. However, the rules around succession have been altered over time. Changes to guidelines and the births of new family members have also affected who is in line. The Perth Agreement passed in 2013 and was put into full effect in 2015. This agreement equalizes the rights of sons and daughters in the British royal line of succession, meaning male heirs are no longer entitled to pass daughters in line to the throne. Here's a closer look at the royals and their current place in line to the throne. King Charles III monarch Britain's Prince Charles views two alternative fuel green trains during visit to Glasgow Central Station (Jane Barlow / Pool via Reuters) Charles ascended as king after his mother died and a coronation ceremony was held in May 2023. As Elizabeth's oldest child, Charles had been at the very front of the line of succession since his birth in 1948. After being named heir apparent in 1952 following his mother becoming queen, Charles obtained many titles. In addition to being the Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, and Duke of Rothesay, on April 9, 2021, he became the Duke of Edinburgh after the death of his father, Prince Philip. Shortly after his mother's death, a spokesperson for the king told TODAY that he would be King Charles III. As a royal family member and son of the queen, Charles has spent a great deal of his life in the public eye. His marriage to Princess Diana whom he married on July 29, 1981 garnered international attention and then ire when his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles came to light. Camilla, queen monarch's spouse Britain's Prince Charles and Camilla visit Jordan (Peter Nicholls / Reuters) In May, the official palace website changed Camilla's title from queen consort to queen. It took time for the public to warm up to Camilla for her part in the dramatic royal love triangle that dominated headlines in the '80s and '90s. Nearly three decades after their affair first began, Charles and Camilla became official when he declared that their relationship was non-negotiable. It took time, but Camilla began to gain public approval. In April 2005, the two were married, and she became Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Though she is not in the line of succession, Elizabeth determined in February 2022 that Camilla would become queen consort when Charles takes the throne. As mentioned, she is now listed as queen. Prince William first in line of succession William, The Duke of Cambridge (Tim Rooke / Pool via Reuters) Born on June 21, 1982, Prince William is Charles and Diana's firstborn child, which makes him first in line to the throne. His marriage to Kate Middleton, with whom he has three children, was an all-out royal event viewed live by tens of millions around the globe. Upon their marriage, William was made Duke of Cambridge and Kate became the Duchess of Cambridge. Will and Kate's titles, however, changed following Elizabeth's death and Charles' ascension. They're now the Prince and Princess of Wales, titles held for the heir apparent. Today, William performs various royal duties on behalf of the monarchy. Prince George second in line of succession Image: England v Wales (Andy Rain / EPA) Born George Alexander Louis on July 22, 2013, the 10-year-old prince is the oldest child to William and Kate, making him second in line to the throne. His rank in the line of succession means that he will likely become head of the British monarchy one day. George has been hailed as a style icon for children. A 2017 piece by Vogue highlighted his influence on childrens clothing sales as a 4-year-old, noting how anything Prince George wears, we will see demand for those items increase quite considerably. Princess Charlotte third in line of succession The Royal Family Attend Church On Christmas Day (Samir Hussein / Pool via WireImage) Named after her great-grandmother, the queen, as well as her late grandmother, Diana, Charlotte Elizabeth Diana was born on May 2, 2015. The young princess is third in line to the throne, and because of the Perth Agreement, she became the first female in the royal family to not be moved down the line of succession after the birth of her younger brother. Prince Louis fourth in line of succession Prince Louis of Cambridge. (AFP via Getty Images) Louis Arthur Charles was born on April 23, 2018, and is the youngest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales. As mentioned above, his rank in line of succession is a major milestone of the modern age and equality for women as he stands behind his older sister, Charlotte. Louis has become known for making funny faces (even at the coronation) and made his first official royal appearance in May. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex fifth in line of succession Official launch of the one year countdown to the Invictus Games The Hague 2020 (Patrick van Katwijk / Pool via Reuters) As the youngest son of Charles and Diana, Prince Harry, known as the Duke of Sussex on the royal family's official website, has slowly been moved down the line of succession with the birth of each of his oldest brothers children. As of 2024, he is fifth in line to the throne. In 2018, Harry and Meghan Markle's royal wedding was a global sensation, with nearly 30 million American viewers tuning in. Meghan became the second American to ever marry into the British royal family, and after the wedding, she became the Duchess of Sussex. Two years later, the increasing media scrutiny of Meghan and the couple's every move came to a head. In January 2020, Harry and Meghan announced that they would step back from their royal duties, which they officially confirmed in February 2021. Today, they live in Montecito, California. In May, the couple endured a "near catastrophic car chase," according to a spokesman for them, after the paparazzi followed them in New York City. Harry has also continued to speak out against the paparazzi. Prince Harry with wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. (Alexi Lubomirski / Courtesy Archewell Foundation) Prince Archie sixth in line of succession Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, the eighth great-grandchild of Elizabeth, and son of Harry and Meghan, was born on May 6, 2019, and is sixth in line to the throne. At birth, he was named Master Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. In 2023, he and his younger sister, Lilibet, received prince and princess titles. Princess Lilibet seventh in line of succession Archie's sister is the eleventh great-grandchild of Elizabeth. Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born on June 4, 2021, to Harry and Meghan. Like Charlotte, Lilibets name is a nod to both her great-grandmother and grandmother. Instead of Elizabeth, however, Lilibets name was inspired by the queens childhood nickname. This article was originally published on TODAY.com In France, defence spending as a percentage of GDP has fallen from 5.4pc of GDP to just 1.8pc - Thibault Camus/AFP More ammunition. More drones. And perhaps a few more tanks and aircraft. There are many things Ukraine will need if it is to stand up to Putins aggression, and restore its territory. But Europe appears to have a different solution to the threat from Russia, one that involves much more debt. France is leading a drive for the EU to issue a fresh round of emergency bonds to pay for re-arming the Continent. This would be extremely short-sighted. A new Cold War may last for decades, just as the last one did, and it will have to be paid for with real cash, not fiddly bond issues. Europes broken economies, including our own, cannot afford to stand up to Putin and until we take the difficult choices needed to fix it, the Continent is in danger. After more than two years of brutal conflict, Russia and Ukraine are locked in a war of attrition, with both sides sustaining mounting losses of both men and equipment. Over the last few months, two points have become painfully clear. A long war may play into Putins hands, with Russias greater depths of manpower and resources allowing it to eventually overwhelm its neighbour. And Putin wont stop there. After his electoral victory earlier this month, the dictator reminded Russians that they would never be intimidated by the West. He has been probing the Baltic States, which are sounding the alarm that Moscow poses an existential threat. And what will be put in his way? More borrowing, apparently. Frances President Macron is leading a push for a common EU debt issue to pay for the re-arming of the continent, modelled on the 700bn (601bn) it raised three years ago to pay for the blocs Covid recovery. It has the support of Spain and the Baltics, though Germany is adamantly opposed perhaps aware it will end up with the bills. Nonetheless, over the next few months, we can expect to see some form of plan cobbled together as EU nations grow increasingly concerned that US support for Kyiv could be withdrawn if Trump is elected later this year. European armies have fallen into shabby disrepair, and a fresh round of debt to pay for arms for Ukraine and bolstering EU defence in general will be viewed by many as the simplest solution. But hold on. That is crazy. Even leaving aside the typically shameless self-interest of the French after all, lets keep in mind that as Europes largest defence manufacturer most of the money raised will be spent with its companies standing up to Vladimir Putin cant be financed by debt. Europe, with the UK as guilty as anyone, took the peace dividend from the end of the Cold War and spent most of it on welfare. The decline in defence spending as a percentage of GDP has been dramatic across the Continent. In France, defence spending as a percentage of GDP has fallen from 5.4pc of GDP to 2.8pc in 1990 and just 1.8pc today. In Germany, it has fallen from 3.7pc of GDP in 1960 to 1.4pc today. In Italy, it has fallen from 2.7pc of GDP to 1.5pc today, while in the UK, it has fallen from 7pc of GDP in 1960 to 2.2pc now. It is not just about percentages. Europes high-tax, high-regulation, high-welfare model has also resulted in permanent economic stagnation. We spend less of our GDP than ever on defence, and GDP overall is declining in many nations. Put those two factors together, and it is not hard to understand why we dont have the resources to give Ukraine the help it needs, or to equip the armed forces that are strong enough to deter aggression. A new form of debt is not going to fix that. There are two big problems. First, a new Cold War is not a one-off emergency. The last one ran for decades, and this one may well do so as well. It is not like bailing out the banks, or paying for Covid. Nor is it like the previous Cold War, during which period defence spending across major European powers gradually fell. In all likelihood, containing rising global threats will require sustained spending over the next few decades, meaning we will need to commit real resources, not simply put it on the collective credit card. Second, and perhaps more importantly, yet more debt will only weaken European economies even further. We have already seen extraordinary rises in debt to GDP ratios, particularly in France and Italy. Borrowing too much and living beyond our means is part of the problem. It is not going to be part of the solution. Some military experts are now warning that, even in the Nato era, defence spending across Europe will need to rise to around 4pc of GDP. It wont just be a case of salami slicing elsewhere, we require radical reform of the social democratic welfare model, putting countries on a path to sustainable growth. That will involve difficult decisions which many Western politicians have been too eager to duck. Right now, Europes broken economies are too financially weak to stand up to a resurgent Russia, or to its far more threatening ally China. The price of that weakness may be very high, and the last thing we should do is delude ourselves that we can fix the challenge with yet more debt. That will only make us weaker, and more vulnerable, than ever. 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. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A seven-year project to purify water in Portland is finally set to break ground. Since 2017, the Bull Run Watershed has routinely tested positive for dangerous parasites prompting the water bureau to build a new filtration facility near Boring, Ore. Medical examiner declares womans death homicide, husband faces murder charge But the project remains controversial as local leaders were recently forced to consider the option of taking private land . The city maintains the site is necessary to protect public health and meet federal regulations, but the landowners like Jim Ekstrom say they feel discouraged. Construction on the $1.8 billion project is set to begin this year. Ekstrom said the site could impact acres of quality farmland near Troutdale that he and his wife have owned for nearly seven years. Quite a devastating thing for a farm. Were kind of stuck, Ekstrom said. Meanwhile, the water bureau told KOIN 6 News the city must have the filtration system running by September 2027 to be in compliance with the Oregon Health Authority. One dead after serious assault on the Eastbank Esplanade Filtration is a critical tool that will help a water bureau bring and to deliver clean and safe drinking water to our customers and the community for now, into the future, Chief Engineer Jodie Inman said. In addition to improving water quality after storms and wildfires, they say the plant will rid the watershed of cryptosporidium a parasite transmitted through animal feces that can cause serious, if not deadly, illness. Filtration is more of a when than an if, Inman said. Were going to have to build it. The bureau says the plant is being built on their land but easements and pipes will impact at least six private properties like Ekstrom, who doesnt want to sell. But landowners like him wont have a choice if the city takes the land through eminent domain, which was discussed at a city council meeting this week. If they do eminent domain, you have no rights, Ekstrom said. Youre stuck with whatever they say and the only thing you possibly might be able to do is negotiate a little more payment. But if they dont want to give it to you, they dont have to. The City of Portland once again reminds you that its cherry blossom grove is not a parking lot Ekstrom said the current plans will disrupt roughly four acres of land taking nearly 38,000 crops out of production. Its in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and on a four-year term, its a million dollars, he said. Everybody out here has no desire for it, and you know its the wrong place, because its some of the finest farmland in Multnomah County. Inman said the City hopes to reach agreements without the use of eminent domain and is committed to holding the line on the forecasted rate increases for customers of 8.1% over the next four years. Still, she said the bureau recognizes the possible impact on the community, especially during construction. However, we did spend a lot of time working with the community, working with the counties to find ways to try to minimize and mitigate those impacts to the maximum degree, she said. Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. In his 1919 poem The Second Coming, William Butler Yeats describes our fledgling modernity as follows: Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. The life of Mother Francesca Cabrini, who is the subject of the new film Cabrini, provides a one-woman refutation of Yeats perspective. Director Alejandro Monteverdes new film is a poignant depiction of the life of this first American Catholic saint. Played with grace and gravitas by Italian actress Cristiana DellAnna, Cabrini becomes the center-that-holds in Five Points, a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan where poor Italian immigrants lived worse than rats in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movie captures her determination to start the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, beginning by running an orphanage in that poorest of New York City neighborhoods. The film establishes early on how Cabrini and her fellow religious sisters, despite the reluctance of the local archbishop and even the pope, quickly begin caring for impoverished Italian immigrants upon arriving in America. Cabrini looks for several little girls whom she has seen roaming the streets, and her search soon leads her into a squalid sewer beneath the city. There, filth fills the air and water, criminals ply their trades, and children shiver in blankets near open flames. But Cabrini lights a single candle and trudges through the sewer in her nuns habit, neither cursing the darkness nor complaining about her bothersome lung condition. She just holds the flame and moves her feet, a Christ figure willingly on the way to her own Calvary. Somewhere between allowing a teenage boy to steal from her and giving a pep talk to a former prostitute (her compassion is genuine and free of judgment, extending to the guilty and the innocent alike), Cabrini learns that her lung problems are worsening. In a scene when a doctor tells her that she likely has just two or three years to live, she immediately responds: Then Id better get to work. (She winds up living another 20-plus years). And work Cabrini doeswhile expecting others to do the same. Cabrinis intensity and conviction movingly display maternal compassion, fitting for someone called mother. Indeed, Cabrinis tireless labor on behalf of each and every needy child is the stuff of self-sacrifice rooted in bottomless empathy for the poor, the sick, and the struggling. Many of my fellow Catholics viewing Cabrini, particularly those who lean left politically, will feel great admiration for its titular character. Certainly, we should all take inspiration from Cabrinis compassionate pursuit of dignity and justice for the pooras well as from her defiance against the sexist and anti-Italian power players of both the Church and the state who tried to undermine her and her work, ultimately in vain. But I wonder how many of those who approach Cabrini primarily through a progressive lens will overlook the politically inconvenient fact that her ambition extends beyond charity. The film depicts Cabrini not just helping her fellow Italian immigrants but also encouraging them to love their new country and empowering them to assume their own moral agency. Theres a scene in the film where Cabrini, while raising funds for her mission, assembles a group of financially successful men whose parents were immigrants. They are Irish, Polish, and Jewish. Far from shaming them for their success in America, Cabrini makes clear that she wants to give her fellow Italians the same opportunities to achieve the nascent American Dream that earlier generations of immigrants received. Relatedly, Cabrini insists that the Italian orphans in her care speak English at school. She wants them to have a common bond with other immigrant groups, as well as to feel ties and pride in their new country. When Cabrini is accosted on the street by Enzo, the teenage ruffian who tries to steal the rolls for her orphans dinner, she is certainly afraid. It would have been easier to just hand over the bread basket and go without that eveningand Cabrini does hand the basket over. But she doesnt succumb to an easy, pseudo-compassionate treatment of her assailant because he is poor and needy (which he is, but so are those hes stealing from). Cabrini tells Enzo that he should come to dinner at the orphanage, implying that he should return the bread. The choice is yours, she says gravely. Cabrinis capacity to recognize moral agency in all, and to have high ambitions for the moral development even of those in great need, makes her compassion especially valuable. She seeks to raise up her fellow Italians so that they, in turn, may raise up one another. Too often today, compassion for the underserved becomes inextricable from a kind of condescension that fails to acknowledge the universality of individual agency. Not so for Cabrini. Generous compassion flanked by a belief in individual ambitionexercised by those like Cabrini and the wider culture they influencedis what made possible a United States in which Italians have long since become quintessential Americans while Italian food has become standard American fare. So, if we take a forward-looking lesson from Cabrini about compassion for the poor, the immigrant, and the needyas I believe we shouldlets be sure to take it all in all. Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. CAMBRIDGE Cambridge City School District Board of Education members sampled a little taste of what students at the Cambridge Intermediate School experience each day during the recent board meeting. Led by principal Laurie Goggin, several teachers taught board members a little bit of the language and math curriculum. They also used student Chromebooks to try some of the computer pieces the students use. Cambridge City School District Board of Education members try out the Cambridge Intermediate School curriculum and Chromebooks, to experience what their students utilize daily. It was good for the board members to get a personal glimpse of what our students experience every day, Cambridge Superintendent Dan Coffman added. In other business, the board approved the following items: A calendar change to reflect a calamity day on Monday, April 8 for the solar eclipse. An overnight trip for the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) organization to the Ohio FCCLA State Leadership Conference at the Ohio Expos Center in Columbus A memorandum of understanding with Muskingum University for students to enroll in College Credit Plus courses. The treasurer or designee to begin the competitive bidding process for repairing the parking areas located between the Cambridge Primary School and McFarland Stadium Entering into an agreement with V2A Architects for the design, bidding, and construction of a concession stand and point of entry facility at McFarland Stadium A resolution authorizing the Ohio Mid-Eastern Regional Education Service Agency to request proposals for the purchase of competitive retail natural gas service for the school district. The April meeting of the Board of Education will be at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16 at the Primary School. This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Cambridge school board members experience some classroom instruction CARTHAGE, Texas (KETK) The Carthage ISD Education Foundation traveled to each Carthage ISD campus and awarded over $253,000 in grants on Friday. Lindale ISD surprises teachers with grant money This day holds a special place in my heart as I witness the priceless excitement gleaming on our students faces, Cynthia Harkrider, executive director of the Carthage ISD Education Foundation, said. We are truly blessed to reside in such a remarkably generous community in Carthage, and we extend our heartfelt appreciation to all our donors. The Carthage ISD Education Foundation is a non-profit that says its mission is to provide financial support for teachers and students in the district, and they rely on donations from the community to be able to do so. the foundation said that some of the programs that have received funding this year were: Bulldog Buzz, a course offered at Carthage High School (CHS) about beekeeping and honey production. The CHS culinary program was able to introduce a food truck, empowering students to gain industry skills and knowledge. Carthage Primary School was able to receive a book vending machine. Jarvis Christian University inaugurates second ever female president We are thrilled that the Education Foundation chose to fund these outstanding projects that will undoubtedly enhance the educational experience for our students, Jarrod Bitter, Carthage ISD superintendent, said. These grants exemplify our commitment to fostering innovation and excellence in our classrooms and we are so grateful to live in a place with such incredible community support for our school system. Pictures from the Carthage ISD Education Foundation grant patrol, courtesy of Carthage ISD Education Foundation Pictures from the Carthage ISD Education Foundation grant patrol, courtesy of Carthage ISD Education Foundation Pictures from the Carthage ISD Education Foundation grant patrol, courtesy of Carthage ISD Education Foundation According to the Carthage ISD Education Foundation, during their grant patrol the following schools received grants: Carthage Primary received 11 grants totaling more than $41,000 Libby Elementary received 13 grants totaling more than $42,000 Baker-Koonce received 15 grants totaling more than $49,000 Carthage Junior High received eight grants totaling more than $39,000 PACE Academy received one grant for $5,000 Carthage High School received 18 grants totaling more than $75,000 For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. ANKARA, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police have detained at least 24 suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) group in anti-terror operations across Turkiye, the country's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Saturday. The operations, dubbed "Bozdogan-15," were carried out in eight provinces across the country, Yerlikaya said on social media platform X, without specifying the dates of the operations. The minister said the operations were conducted in coordination with intelligence and counterterrorism directorates. The Turkish government designated the IS as a terrorist organization in 2013 and blamed it for a spate of deadly attacks in the country since 2015. In December last year, Turkish intelligence and security forces captured a top IS terrorist in charge of the group's finances in an operation in Turkiye's southeastern province of Mersin. Castles on the real estate market arent completely uncommon, but theres a unique build that has sprung up for sale in Apopka, Florida and trust us when we say, its like nothing anyone has ever seen before. Aerial view At least on the inside. Back of the home The four-bedroom, 3.5-plus-bathroom home which is listed for $1.22 million sits on Lake McCoy and has the look of a medieval castle when it comes to a tower thats connected, but the rest of the residence has the build of your everyday house. Foyer Living in a castle-like home on Lake McCoy offers a unique and luxurious experience, especially with the convenience of a pull-through garage for lake access, the listing on Realtor.com says. You enter the home through a gorgeous metal and seeded glass door into the 33 tall turret, setting this home apart from any others in the area. Living room and kitchen Photos of the 3,721-square-foot residence show elegant lighting throughout the downstairs with tile floor, carpeted rooms, wood panel and a dramatic double staircase. Interior Features include: Lake views Breakfast room Enclosed swimming pool Deck New roof High ceilings Fireplace Kitchen Homeowner Mike Cooper told ClickOrlando.com that his father built the house in 1989 and that thanks to its royal exterior, folks take notice. Bathroom Mostly, people just stop outside. During the summertime I guess since thats when were out more, youre out there doing the yard or whatever youre doing people just stop and say, I love your house! Can we take a picture? he said. Swimming pool Apopka is about a 20-mile drive northwest from Orlando. Staircase Wizard of Oz darling Judy Garland had this California haven built. Now you can buy it Frank Lloyd Wright house for sale in Michigan may be his most dramatic. Take a peek The car allegedly driven by the suspects in the Crocus City Hall shooting, according to Russian security forces, in the Bryansk Oblast Ukraines Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) denies any Ukrainian involvement in the mass shooting in Moscow on March 22 that claimed the lives of at least 115 people, CCD head Andriy Kovalenko said on Telegram on March 22. Read also: 60 dead, over 100 injured in mass shooting near Moscow updated Kovalenko noted that Russian propaganda outlets have begun publishing videos of 11 people detained on suspicion of involvement with the mass shooting, one of whom says he committed the attack after receiving a payment of $5,400 from a "preacher's assistant. Russian media has connected this alleged payment to Ukraine, claiming that Ukraine had opened a window for the attackers to flee Russia. "The suspects were driving a car whose photo was spread all over the media and which was wanted by all Russian security forces, Kovalenko said. Read also: FSB alleges Ukraine connection in Moscow mass shooting following arrest of 11 suspects And the border with Ukraine is exactly the place where a lot of military personnel are concentrated and which Russia is trying to carefully guard. There are also mined areas there, shellings continue from both sides, and it is scouted by drones 24/7. Kovalenko called the Russian claims a "very doubtful and primitive story" made up by Russian special services, adding that the involvement of Russian special services in the attack cannot be ruled out. Ukrainian intelligence has also alleged that the shooting was a "pre-prepared provocation by the Kremlin's special services." Earlier, Ukraines Foreign Ministry categorically rejected Russian accusations of Ukrainian involvement in the shooting. March 22 mass shooting in Moscow On evening of March 22, several people in camouflage opened fire with assault rifles at people who had come to see the band Picnic play at the Crocus City Hall concert hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast. According to eyewitnesses, the shooters also threw a Molotov cocktail, and a fire broke out. Read also: 115 now confirmed killed in mass shooting in Moscow All tickets to the concert were sold out, and according to media reports, up to 7,200 people could have been in the building. At time of publication, the death toll stands at at least 115 people. On March 8, the U.S. Embassy warned its citizens in Russia about the threat of a terrorist attack in Moscow. American diplomats stated that the attack could be carried out in crowded places, such as a concert. Putin is said to have reportedly denied the U.S. warning, instead blaming the "West" for attempting to "intimidate" Russia. 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 CHARLES COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) Detectives identified a woman who was killed in Charles County over 25 years ago. In a news release Friday, the Charles County Sheriffs Office (CCSO) said that detectives identified a woman who had been known only as Jane Doe since she was found dead in 1998. Her family came forward and helped detectives learn her true identity LaQuanda Denise Neicey Williams, who was only 31 years old when her body was found. Sheriffs office: Burglar seriously injured after robbing pawn shop, crashing car in Charles County CCSO said that her body was found in a field near Irving Road and Route 301 in Bel Alton on June 18, 1998. She was the apparent victim of a homicide. The traditional ways of attempting to identify her led nowhere. Detectives worked with numerous law enforcement agencies and local and regional news covered the story, yet Jane Doe remained a mystery, CCSO said in the release. Each year on the anniversary of her bodys discovery, CCSO would promote the story to try to identify her. Detectives got tips, but DNA testing eliminated any potential match. California man helped steal more than $789K in gold from elderly woman, Montgomery County police say June 18, 2023, was the 25th anniversary of her bodys discovery. CCSO said that it got a tip from a potential family member who had just finished watching the story on the news and believed that the Jane Doe was a relative. That person sent investigators photos of their relative, and detectives managed to identify possible siblings. One of the siblings provided a DNA sample; and on Oct. 12, 2023, a DNA analysis report from Bode Technology confirmed that the two were related. Detectives met with the victims family on Oct. 25, 2023, and learned that Williams last residence was in Southeast in Washington, D.C. CCSO was continuing to investigate the homicide and said that detectives were following leads. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. The tornado warning siren at Brookside Cemetery in Tecumseh is pictured on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. CHARLEVOIX COUNTY Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proclaimed March 17-23 as Michigans Severe Weather Awareness Week, prompting active participation from cities across Charlevoix County, including Charlevoix, Boyne City and East Jordan. At 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20, these communities engaged in a voluntary statewide tornado drill. Local sirens wailed for three minutes, serving as a practice exercise in readiness for any future tornado threats. Although the last confirmed tornado in Charlevoix County was in Boyne City on Aug. 1, 2002 and only four have been confirmed since 1950, according to a previous report from the Petoskey News-Review the threat of tornadoes in Northern Michigan is very real. In May 2022, a powerful EF3 tornado tore through Gaylord, unleashing widespread devastation as it obliterated homes, inflicted damage on businesses, overturned vehicles and tragically claimed two lives. The tornado battered Gaylord for over 20 minutes, carving a path of destruction spanning just over 16 miles, with winds reaching estimated speeds of around 150 mph. The Goodwill store along West Main Street in Gaylord on Saturday, May 21, 2022. A tornado severely damaged the store, taking out windows and the roof. Subscribe: Check out our offers and read the local news that matters to you More: Gaylord police chief: Cell phone alert system is 'siren for 2022' However, when it comes to warning citizens of imminent danger, public safety officials said cell phone alerts are proving more effective than local sirens. When the tornado hit Gaylord in 2022, the sirens didnt go off, but peoples phones did. National Weather Service Meteorologist Sean Christensen said many areas in Northern Michigan don't have tornado sirens, resulting in the emerging importance of the wireless alert system. "In more rural areas you may not have the sirens because everyone is so spread out or you will have trees that will muffle the sound. So a lot of areas just dont have them," he said. More than 1,000 tornadoes strike the United States each year, including an average of 15 in Michigan. Since 1977, severe weather has prompted 70 percent of Michigans disasters and emergencies, resulting in substantial loss of life and property. In a recent proclamation, Gov. Whitmer encouraged all individuals to be aware of the warning signs of severe weather and follow proper safety and emergency procedures. She actively encouraged the Michigan State Police, emergency management officials and news media to join together to educate the public about the dangers of tornadoes and other severe weather events and the precautions that can be taken to save lives and protect families. Charlevoix Police Chief Jill McDonnell urged citizens to sign up for emergency notifications on their phones. I encourage people to make sure they have the emergency notifications enabled on their phones and that they sign up through the CCE 911 center for other alerts, the 'Be Alert,' said McDonnell. Mark Benjamin, of Williamston, looks up at a plane passing overhead while standing where a 10-foot tall metal grain bin stood before a tornado ripped it away, sending it into a field as well as destroying two barns and a corn bin on his property, on Friday, Aug. 25, 2023. The "Be Alert" emergency notification system provides immediate emergency notifications to cell, work or home phones via text, email or voice message. Notifications include evacuation information for hazardous environmental situations or other emergencies requiring evacuation, weather advisories, infrastructure issues including boil water notices or similar alerts and school closing information. To sign up for "Be Alert" emergency notifications from the Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet Tri-County Office of Emergency Management, visit cceoem.net/be-alert-emergency-notifications. For Northern Michigan storm information from the National Weather Service office in Gaylord, visit weather.gov/apx. Contact reporter Annie Doyle at (231) 675-0099 or adoyle@charlevoixcourier.com. This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Charlevoix County participates in Severe Weather Awareness Week HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) The long-awaited fishing pier, the Cherry Grove pier, reopened to the public Friday after the pier was split in half by Hurrican Ian in 2022. The damages to the pier were a whopping $13 million. The Cherry Grove Pier sits off North Ocean Blvd between 34th and 37th Avenues. Just an hour after the piers opening, fisherman and more than 30 residents and visitors walked the new pier. A pier manager told News13 that before construction 18 moths ago, the pier was torn in half and was unsafe. Patricia Belamy, the kitchen manager at Driftwood Pier Restaurant, said they started building the pier back last year. First week of February, is when they started, am I correct, Belamy said. Yeah, last year, first week of February they started. And you know, you have your ups and downs with any building as anybody would but its standing tall, strong, and beautiful and were excited it opened back up. Bellamy said she has been watching the piers rebuilding progress from the deck. Its one thing to watch it, Bellamy said. You know say I came with my parents when they were little when they first were ever building the pier years ago. But to come here and watch them repair the pier, was a wonderful thing people got to experience. Linda Faye, a North Myrtle Beach resident, said the new pier is beautiful. The benches have to be put up yet but its still beautiful and you cant go past where they have the block, Faye said. Currently, the pier is completed two-thirds of the way down and is open for bottom fishing only. While walking on the pier, construction workers informed News13 why a certain area was open. Down there at the T, the very end, the pier construction workers said. Theres a couple of braces that are missing so theyre adding new ones in there. Adding new ones, replacing and making sure everythings safe to walk on. The construction workers said their job today was to check all nails to make sure none were sticking upwards. The pier manager, Edgar Stephens, said theres been great improvements. He said the pier has been elevated eight feet out from where it was damaged. Weve actually increased some width and the length of some of the pile-ons, Stephens said. And the cross timbers that tie the pier together to make them unified and structurally stronger. Stephen said the bolts are now stainless steel and there is new wood and lighting. Thomas Furnier with Brents Marine Employee said he hopes the community loves the pier. I really do, Furnier said. I mean its been a long time coming but weve been working hard out here, and its been rough, and its been a job it has. Cherry Grove Pier Manager Edgar Stephens said a hard launch of the pier is expected towards the end of May or sometime in June. * * * Jackie LiBrizzi is a multimedia journalist at News13. Jackie is originally from Hamilton, New Jersey, and was raised in Piedmont, South Carolina. Jackie joined the News13 team in June 2023 after she graduated as a student-athlete from the University of South Carolina in May 2023. Follow Jackie on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. CHICAGO Chicago ranked second among major U.S. cities with the worst air pollution in 2023, its average annual concentration of dangerous fine particulate matter almost three times global guidelines, according to a recent report. Even as national standards have tightened, pollution levels in the city still surpassed old regulations. At one point last summer, Chicago had the poorest air quality recorded among 95 cities in the world. Experts say a major recurring issue and leading cause was pollutants carried by winds across borders and contaminating air elsewhere such as smoke from forest fires in the Canadian province of Quebec, which blew into Chicago and other U.S. cities. Wildfires in Canada devastated air quality, not only in Canada itself, said Frank Hammes, global CEO of the Swiss air quality technology company IQAir. But (they) caused a hazardous level of air quality in the United States, where multiple cities in the Midwest and Northeast saw significantly increased levels of polluted air. According to the U.S. EPAs Region 5 office which includes Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and 35 tribal nations the wildfire smoke that this portion of the country experienced in 2023 was unprecedented. Historically, we have never seen anything like this in our region, said Krista Thomason, a physical scientist with Region 5s Air and Radiation Division, who participated in a panel Wednesday on Midwestern air quality. The western portions of the United States do deal with this more frequently, but for us, its a pretty rare phenomenon. Sooty smoke from the wildfires reached as far south as Virginia, prompting state and local agencies to issue alerts and caution residents to reduce time outdoors. According to a new IQAir report released Tuesday, the annual concentration of small particulate matter in Chicago last year averaged 13 micrograms per cubic meter of air. In the month of June, it averaged 28.4 micrograms per cubic meter. This fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, is smaller than or equal to 2.5 micrometers, about 30 times smaller than the width of a strand of human hair. The World Health Organization advises countries to stay below an annual average of 5 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter of air. On the national level, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently lowered annual air quality standards from 12 micrograms to 9 micrograms per cubic meter of air. For IQAirs 2023 World Air Quality Report, scientists studied information from over 30,000 air quality monitoring stations and more than 7,800 locations in 134 countries and territories across the globe. More than 17,000 hours of data from each station was grouped by cities and weighted by population. Because of time differences and depending on the number of monitors in a city, an average worldwide index might not paint a complete picture, according to experts such as Trent Ford, the Illinois State climatologist. But in general, to see cities like Chicago which dont, citywide, have this kind of perennial problem with air quality at the top of that list, just gives you an idea of how unusual the conditions are, Ford previously told the Tribune. In Chicago and the Midwest IQAir found the most polluted city, not based on size, in the United States in 2023 was Beloit, Wisconsin, which borders Illinois. Columbus, Ohio, was ranked as the most polluted major U.S. city, ahead of Chicago and Indianapolis was third. PM2.5 levels at the 10 most polluted major U.S. cities all exceeded WHO guidelines. With eastern parts of Canada experiencing more wildfires than usual, the Midwest was enveloped in thick smoke as a weather system moving counterclockwise pushed air from Quebec and Ontario toward the Great Lakes. It was just smoke plume after smoke plume, Thomason said. Produced by vehicle exhaust, industry emissions and forest fires, PM2.5 can harm human health and sometimes be deadly. Initially, this particulate matter may cause a burning sensation in the eyes and nose. But because of its small size, it can settle deep in the lungs and cross into the bloodstream. It is the most harmful and common air pollutant and causes the most pollution-related deaths. PM2.5 penetrates every cell of our bodies, from the cells in our skin to cells deep in our lungs, and even in our brain, Hammes said. With an estimated 7 million premature deaths worldwide every year, air pollution is the greatest environmental threat to human health. Concerns about wildfire smoke can compound Chicagos existing problems with pollution, especially in neighborhoods and parts of the city historically affected by heavy industry. Olga Bautista, executive director of the Southeast Environmental Task Force, who also participated in the Midwest panel, said harmful air quality events disproportionately affect communities that have long struggled with air pollution. Southeast Side of Chicago residents are experiencing higher incidences of (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), higher incidences of heart disease, Bautista said. And then, were also a community that is medically underserved. So you have a lot of sick people and not a lot of places to get help. One of her relatives often takes days off work to stay with her son, who has missed 50 to 60 school days every academic year because of concerns about pollutants in the air; sometimes this includes emergency room visits, she said. But its not just (her), Bautista said. A lot of families talk about how theyre being impacted. Health issues and wage losses are often connected as people skip work or quit their jobs to care for themselves or their loved ones. Addressing the problem Experts and advocates say that reducing PM2.5 should start by addressing it at one of its primary sources: fossil fuel burning. On Wednesday, the Biden administration and the U.S. EPA announced new emissions standards for passenger vehicles to reduce greenhouse gases and air pollutants such as PM2.5. Once in the atmosphere, the dispersal of fine particulate matter is driven mainly by weather patterns, which can be altered by climate change. Major weather events played a huge role in air pollution in the last year, said Christi Chester Schroeder, air quality science manager at IQAir. With catastrophic weather events becoming more severe and frequent, projections indicate air quality issues will also become more severe. She added that drier and hotter climate conditions make vegetation a tender bed for wildfires. The interconnected nature of climate change and air quality is pretty complicated, she said. Wildfires are a natural phenomenon. However, they are becoming more frequent and more severe because of the effects of climate change, and what happened in Canada (last) year is a great example. As some regions are experiencing less and less rainfall, vegetation dries out and wildfires become more intense and more severe. The problem creates a vicious cycle: As climate change increases wildfire intensity and frequency, more aggressive wildfires release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. More heat-trapping gases contribute to hotter temperatures, which in turn dry out vegetation and allow for more wildfires. Because of this increased severity, early wildfire detection and response systems are crucial to reducing air pollution. Washington state, for example, has installed a network of AI-assisted cameras in remote areas to detect wildfires and proactively control them. In California, municipalities are giving out air purifiers to residences and schools close to rail yards or busy shipping ports so they can control air quality indoors. And schools around the world that monitor air quality on-site can also use this information to limit students time outdoors or schedule around high-pollution events. Over 400 schools in different countries use air quality monitors and share their findings with IQAir; even that is a small portion of the data the company collects and analyzes. Still, their 2023 report doesnt include a few dozen countries because of a lack of monitoring in those locations. Expanding the global air quality monitoring network is crucial because data collection is really the first step in achieving meaningful impact and addressing air pollution, Chester Schroeder said. Data empowers communities to advocate for change and informs policy decisions. Encouraging more citizens to engage in air quality monitoring with low-cost sensors can also fill in the gaps from limited government instruments. The U.S. EPA Region 5 office has a loan program for portable particulate matter sensors available to individuals, community groups, schools and other organizations. In Illinois, the Morton Arboretum in Lisle and the Pontiac Public Library also provide sensor loans and training. The accuracy and the representativeness of whats being measured by citizens these days is good enough to give governments a very good opportunity to understand whats going on, Hammes said. Schools and libraries can also participate in the Air Quality Flag Program, raising a colored flag according to how clean or polluted the air is on a given day. The colors green, yellow, orange, red and purple match the EPAs Air Quality Index scale from good to very unhealthy. Increasing public interest and knowledge can also help people make daily choices to protect themselves. For instance, fog is generally considered poor but mostly harmless weather, however, it can also be indicative of harmful particulate matter in the air. A lot of people are under the assumption that they can just look outside and think that they understand what that means about the quality of the air. But thats actually a huge misconception, Chester Schroeder said. So we really encourage people to look at air quality data and treat it just like you would the weather in preparing for your day. ____ CHICAGO - After 85 years of chocolate production, Blommer Chocolate Company has announced its decision to close its Chicago manufacturing facility. The company said in a statement Friday that the factory's age along with increased repair and maintenance costs created product reliability issues, and contributed to the decision. The facility, located at 600 W. Kinzie St. in the city's Fulton River District neighborhood, opened its doors as Blommer's original manufacturing plant in 1939. "It was an incredibly challenging yet inevitable decision to close the Chicago plant," Blommer Chief Operating Officer Mark Okita said in the statement. "However, in order to propel Blommer to the next level, we must embrace progress, transformation and elevation." (Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images) The company's corporate headquarters and research and development center will remain at the Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago, according to the statement. Japanese ingredient company Fuji Oil Holdings, which bought Blommer Chocolate Company in 2018, said it plans to invest in a new research and development center at the Merchandise Mart. The R&D center is expected to debut this fall. Blommer said it plans to invest $100 million in its three remaining manufacturing facilities in East Greenville, Pa., Union City, Calif., and Campbellford, Ontario, over the next few years, the statement said. Signage and window vents are seen at the Blommer Chocolate Company in Chicago, Illinois. (Tim Boyle/Getty Images / Getty Images) "Our planned expansion to the Campbellford Canada operation is the next step toward our transformation," Okita said. "This marks a new chapter for us as Blommer, as well as our customers. It is imperative that we challenge ourselves aggressively to ensure that this becomes the best chapter yet." It's unclear yet what will become of the 5.5-acre property the manufacturing plant currently occupies. Blommer is the largest cocoa processor in North America and has more than 900 employees, according to the company. 30.5% of children in Lincoln are living in poverty There has been a significant increase in the number of youngsters living in poverty in Boston, Lincoln and East Lindsey. New data from Department for Work and Pensions suggests that 30% of children in those areas are living in low income families. In 2014/15 the figure was just over 19% in Boston and Lincoln and 18.8% for East Lindsey. The government said it was helping people on the lowest incomes with a range of measures, including boosting benefits, extending the Household Support Fund and increasing the National Living Wage. A household is considered to be in relative poverty if its income is below 60% of the national average income. Pendle in Lancashire had the highest level of any UK local authority, at 43.2%. Richmond on Thames has the lowest figure at just over 5%. The figures for Hull, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire have fallen slightly since 2019/20, but have risen overall since 2014/15. From left to right: the proportion in 2014/15, 2019/20, and 2022/23. Boston 19.1% 21.9% 30.8% Lincoln 19.6% 21.1% 30.5% East Lindsey 18.8% 22.3% 30.4% Hull 24.7% 32.7% 28.5% North East Lincolnshire 19.6% 28.2% 25.2% South Holland 16.1% 18.6% 24.2% West Lindsey 14.3% 17.0% 23.9% North Lincolnshire 17.2% 24.2% 21.8% South Kesteven 12.8% 13.8% 19.1% Follow BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastyorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his address, the day after a terror attack on the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk. -/Kremlin/dpa At least 115 people, including three children, were killed in Friday's terrorist attack on an event centre near Moscow, authorities said on Saturday as the first arrests of suspected perpetrators were made. The figure jumped from morning reports of 93 fatalities. While clearing away the rubble in the Crocus City Hall's concert area, emergency services found more bodies, the Moscow Investigative Committee wrote on Telegram. Several people died in hospital from their injuries, including the three children, according to the Moscow region health ministry. As hospitals also took in scores of injured, authorities called on people to donate blood and set up several centres for this purpose. Shortly before the start of a concert on Friday evening, unidentified men wearing camouflage clothing stormed the centre in the north-western suburb of Krasnogorsk and opened fire on the crowd, the Prosecutor General's Office said. Perpetrators shot indiscriminately at visitors, eyewitnesses said. There were also explosions in the building and a major fire that collapsed the roof. The extremist militia Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, the IS mouthpiece Amaq Agency reported, citing unnamed sources and a statement. It said: "Islamic State fighters attacked a large gathering of Christians in the town of Krasnogorsk on the outskirts of the Russian capital Moscow, killing and wounding hundreds and causing great destruction." Russian authorities did not initially comment on the claim. The FSB domestic intelligence service told the news agency TASS that 11 people were arrested after the attack. At least four are believed to have been directly involved, FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov said. Also on Saturday, Russian lawmaker Alexander Khinshtein wrote on Telegram that two men had been arrested travelling with weapons in a getaway vehicle in the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine. Other suspects were being searched for in a nearby forest, the politician from the Kremlin's United Russia party added. Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, had on Friday emphatically denied any Ukrainian involvement in the attack. In an initial reaction, the United States also warned against making any connection with Ukraine. According to National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, "there's no indication" that Ukraine was involved in the "terrible" attack. Speaking on national television, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it was "rash" of the US to exonerate Ukraine without providing supporting information to Russia. At the beginning of March, intelligence services of the US and other Western countries had warned of an imminent terrorist attack in Russia. However, President Vladimir Putin dismissed this as a Western provocation aimed at destabilising the situation there. Putin had been informed about Friday's events "from the very first minute," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Interfax agency. The president wished the injured a speedy recovery and thanked the doctors for their efforts, he said. Messages of condolence also poured in from around the world, including from countries supporting Ukraine against Russia's invasion of its neighbour in February 2022. "We condemn the terrible terrorist attack on innocent concert-goers in Moscow. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and all those injured," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday morning. Afghanistan's Taliban government reacted to the claimed involvement of IS, describing it as a group "in the hands of intelligence agencies aimed at defaming Islam and posing a threat to the entire region." A "coordinated, clear and resolute stance" by the countries in the region against terror is needed, Taliban foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi wrote on X. The victims of the attack were said to be both employees and visitors to the concert hall, where the Russian rock band Piknik had been scheduled to perform. The centre is one of the most popular event centres in the capital, hosting concerts, trade fairs and exhibitions. The situation there was calm on Saturday morning as emergency services extinguished pockets of embers after the blaze and began clearing debris from the collapsed roof of the concert hall. Police, the National Guard and the Investigative Committee recorded the damage and secured evidence. Weapons and ammunition, as well as CTV footage, were taken from the scene, Ria Novosti news agency reported. The search for several suspected perpetrators, who were able to escape, also continued. According to the lawmaker Khinshtein, the vehicle in Bryansk had failed to stop during a police chase on Friday evening, was shot at and then overturned. "One terrorist was arrested on the spot, the others hid in the forest," he wrote, adding that a second suspect was arrested in the early morning. A pistol and a Kalashnikov assault rifle as well as passports belonging to citizens of the Central Asian Republic of Tajikistan were found inside the vehicle, according to Khinshtein. The head of the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament, Valentina Matviyenko, threatened the masterminds of the attack with retaliation. "Those behind this terrible crime will receive the deserved and inevitable punishment," Matviyenko wrote on her Telegram channel. As a consequence of the attack, all theatres, cinemas and museums in Moscow will remain closed this weekend. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin had previously said that all major events in the capital and surrounding region had been cancelled. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks over the phone during his address, the day after a terror attack on the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk. -/Kremlin/dpa The West is bracing for a wave of Chinese-built electric cars - STR/AFP via Getty Images Beijing could remotely stop electric cars manufactured in China on UK roads sounds like the stuff of dystopian nightmares, but this is the real world in March 2024. MPs have been warned that EVs could be jammed remotely should UK-China relations deteriorate significantly. But this shouldnt come as a shock. Electric cars, for all the praise they may receive from politicians eager to burnish their green credentials, have become a sinister threat to the West. Consider how, just last year, warnings were issued that Chinese tracking devices had been found embedded in the electronics of Downing Street vehicles. At the time, Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, warned Chinese EVs could become the next Huawei. It all felt like something you might expect to read in a le Carre thriller updated for the digital age. If this story were a spy novel, the device would have been planted by a daring mole within the government system. But this is the age of the Internet of Things (IoT), and yet another proof of what can be done simply by saturating your target country with products that contain a digital Trojan horse. This is now the signature weapon of the Chinese party state industrial-scale cyber espionage capabilities weaponised through normal export trade. And that means that we could all soon be in the firing line, not just early adopters in the EV revolution. Smart technology, which is spreading rapidly through the brave new IoT, makes use of an interactive component called a cellular IoT module or CIM. These are currently used in all electric vehicles (EVs), but also in smart energy meters, some cameras, speaker and heating systems and even doorbells. The essence of CIMs is that they collect various types of data, according to the type of equipment they are installed in. They then share it with other parts of an internet-connected network, from which they in turn can receive data. Unless this is expressly disabled , e.g. by a user password, CIMs are also continuously connected to their original manufacturers, which may use them to conduct remote repairs and updates. The risk from CIMs thus becomes obvious. Not only cyber attackers, but also the originators of the CIM can use it to gain access to the data from the device. A single compromised device somewhere in the wider network can also be used for cyber attacks on other parts of the network. The only real defence against this risk, in the everyday IoT, is to buy smart equipment from reliable sources which set out to protect security. In April 2023, the US House of Representatives passed a bill to protect US Embassy data from compromise by telecoms equipment sourced from Chinese companies deemed to be untrusted foreign entities. Over the last five years, a growing number of Western governments have accepted that China seeks to drain data from targets of state interest using conventional equipment as well as incessant streams of sophisticated cyber attacks. By degrees, some US allies and partners have begun to strip suspect equipment out of their 4G and 5G structures, in a complex and costly attempt to close the stable door. But to date, there has been much less attention paid to the increasingly ubiquitous CIM. Many governments, save for their security services, still dont know what the acronym stands for. For all of us given that we might be thinking of buying a cheap and trendy Chinese EV, a device to control our hot water and heating at home or numerous other innocuous-sounding and useful applications a red flag needs to be hoisted. China, as usual ahead in this game of industrial-scale data collection by stealth, supplies more than 60pc of the world market for CIMs. There is a good chance that one of these may already be sitting in our homes or cars, potentially accessible by the Chinese state what the UK Government euphemistically refers to as an epoch-defining challenge to the international order. A moments reflection can be salutary in grasping whats at stake. In democracies where privacy, civil liberties and freedom of speech are valued, if we care about privacy at all, we tend to assume that adequate data protection legislation is in place to protect us. A Western EV manufacturer recently sacked employees who eavesdropped on voice recordings and images retrieved remotely from a customers EV. But other EV producers are less scrupulous. China has many thousands of data analysts using powerful super-computer algorithms to home in on foreign intelligence and other exploitable information. No wonder the Downing Street security team were reportedly so rattled when the car yielded up its hostile capability. We can be very sure that no time or effort would be spared, in the highest echelons of the Chinese intelligence and security services, in poring over every iota of data harvested from a Downing Street vehicle. This level of security breach is a potential game-changer in times like the present when it is vital not to let the guard down for a second. Aside from its uniquely dangerous proliferation of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, the greatest threat the Chinese communist party state poses is its capacity to weaponise data. Not only does information obtained from countless technical sources cover most conventional peacetime intelligence and targeting requirements, it also enables an enemy to gather immensely sensitive military secrets. Readers may recall that by simple tracking of US vehicles seen in military car parks over time, it was possible to identify top-secret sites where a given set of these had also been spotted. Such knowledge could enable hostile missile strikes with disastrous consequences. Civil societies will be the first victims of cyber warfare, so potentially disruptive that it could entirely paralyse the normal workings of the state. Since the time of Sunzi, Chinese strategists have aimed to win the war before the fighting starts. China has managed to work its way into more elements of UK critical national infrastructure than it is comfortable to contemplate. There are even softer and easier targets, alas. As a motor industry expert warned last week, before an long, unless we halt the influx of Chinese electric cars, epoch-defining challengers in Shanghai could literally press a few buttons and thousands of Chinese EVs on British motorways would slam on the brakes, causing carnage and utter paralysis of the road system. There is still time to avoid this, and the Government must do what is needful. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A woman has her face smeared with colored powder during the celebration of Holi festival in Bhopal, India, March 22, 2024. (Str/Xinhua) AMRITSAR, BHOPAL, India, March 23 (Xinhua) -- One of the most joyful and colorful festivals Holi has finally come in India, with colored powder smeared on people to celebrate the arrival of spring and embrace a new beginning of life. Holi festival, also known as the festival of love, uses the vibrancy of colors to bring in positivity, providing an excellent chance for people to get together and forget all bad feelings. Women have their faces smeared with colored powder during the celebration of Holi festival in Bhopal, India, March 22, 2024. (Str/Xinhua) Women smeared with colored powder celebrate Holi festival in Bhopal, India, March 22, 2024. (Str/Xinhua) Students smeared with colored powder celebrate Holi festival at a university in Amritsar district of India's Punjab state, March 22, 2024. (Str/Xinhua) Students smeared with colored powder celebrate Holi festival at a university in Amritsar district of India's Punjab state, March 22, 2024. (Str/Xinhua) Students smeared with colored powder celebrate Holi festival at a university in Amritsar district of India's Punjab state, March 22, 2024. (Str/Xinhua) A man was killed in a Russian attack on the settlement of Vovchanski Khutory in Kharkiv Oblast on 23 March. Source: Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration Quote: "A 72-year-old man was killed in enemy artillery shelling in the Chuhuiv district. The incident occurred today at around 10:00 in the settlement of Vovchanski Khutory in Vovchansk hromada (a hromada is an administrative unit designating a town, village or several villages and their adjacent territories ed.)." Support UP or become our patron! A New York state police officer and members of the national guard in the New York City subway, on 7 March 2024. A New York state police officer and members of the national guard in the New York City subway, on 7 March 2024. Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters A high-profile string of violent crimes on New York Citys subway in 2024 has been used as a political tool by pundits and politicians, transit advocates say, leading to a false perception of spiraling underground crime, which could create more danger in the future. Crime in the subway system, one of the worlds most used rapid transit systems, declined in 2022 and decreased again in 2023, according to police. But subway crime is up so far in 2024, and it is the nature and violence of the incidents that has captured public attention. Related: One person killed and five injured in shooting at New York subway station In February, a man was shot and killed on a subway train in the Bronx, and a person was killed and five others injured on a Bronx subway platform in what police said was a gang-related shooting. The same month, a subway conductor was stabbed in the neck on a train in Brooklyn; in March, a man was shot with his own gun on a train in Brooklyn, after being disarmed by a fellow passenger. The violence prompted Kathy Hochul, New Yorks governor, to send 750 members of the national guard to check bags at entry points to the subway system in early March an effort that was criticized by some on the political left, including Jumaane Williams, a New York City public advocate, who said the effort was failing to address these issues at their root. The effort comes amid a flood of coverage of subway crime in rightwing media, as conservatives have sought to tie Democrats and perceived liberal cities to crime an effort that is likely to continue as the November election approaches. In Americas largest city, the New York Post a rightwing, Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper has spent years claiming the subway is in crisis, frequently blaming Democrats for the problem. This week, the Post reported credulously on a poll that suggested half of all New Yorkers 4.2 million people plan to leave the city within the next five years due to a decline in quality of life. During the 2022 election for New York governor (the governor is notably in charge of the subway), the Republican candidate, Lee Zeldin, made crime, including on the subway, an issue, claiming: People are walking these streets in a way like theyre in a combat zone. Fox News, the rightwing news channel which has long reveled in telling viewers that large, Democrat-run cities are unsafe, has eagerly reported on instances of crime on the subway, including in an article this week that suggested lawlessness continues to plague NYC trains. But the fear-mongering makes the subway less safe, said Daniel Pearlstein, policy and communications director at Riders Alliance, a New York City organization that advocates for better public transit. When [some people] hear from the leadership or from people running for office or from people in the media over and over again that the subway is not safe, they take matters into their own hands, Pearlstein said, whether they become vigilantes, or arm themselves inexpertly, and the results can be catastrophic. There have been vigilante murders in the subway in this case, the person was shot with his own gun, and its a catastrophe. Police say, following a spike in January, the number of crimes committed on the subway decreased by 15% in February compared to the same month in 2023, but Hochul acknowledged that perception is different from reality. Saying things are getting better doesnt make you feel better, Hochul said as she announced the deployment of the national guard. Especially when youve just heard about someone being stabbed in the throat or thrown onto the subway tracks. Theres a psychological impact. The potentially elevated level of fear among subway riders comes as the number of New Yorkers applying for gun licenses more than doubled in 2023. Gothamist reported that there were more than 20,000 applications for handgun, rifle or concealed carry licenses last year, up from 9,879 in 2022, although it is unclear how many licenses were granted. Some of the increase is likely to be linked to the supreme court striking down portions of New Yorks strict gun laws in June 2022. The court ruled that a law that had required New Yorkers applying for a concealed carry license to demonstrate that they have a special need to defend themselves was unconstitutional. Since then, New York has passed a different law banning people from carrying guns in schools and parks, while officials can deny people gun licenses if they are deemed to be not of good moral character. Any easing of gun access is unlikely to help decrease shootings both on the subway and above ground, although experts stress that while the amount of violent crime increased during the pandemic, the figures remain far below the highs of the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1980, 250 felony crimes were committed on the subway every week. In 1982, the New York Daily News reported that subway ridership was at its lowest rate since 1917, due in large part to to straphanger fears about transit crime. Thats a far cry from the current day. Felonies are still committed every day on the subway, but far fewer than in the 1980s despite the fact that the annual subway ridership of more than 2 billion people in 2023 is double that of 41 years ago. Theres been some really high-profile incidents, as far as shootings go, as far as murders go. So I think those of us that ride it [the subway] worry about these things once in a while. We also know assaults are up, and thats one of the more high-volume crimes. But I do think a lot of it is blown out of proportion, said Christopher Herrmann, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Youre talking about millions of riders in the subway every day, and youre talking about somewhere between five and 10 felony crimes reported. So I call these lottery-type numbers: you have a two or three in 1 million chance of getting victimized on the subway. As with the rest of New York, crime is not spread evenly across the subway network. This month, ABC7 News mapped out the areas with the highest subway crime, with stations in north-east Brooklyn, the south Bronx and Times Square, where the busiest subway station in New York City is located.So much of this is localized, Herrmann said. A lot of the violence, whether its above ground or below ground, is very concentrated in small areas. So if you live in a high-crime neighborhood in Brooklyn or the Bronx, youre much more likely to be a victim of crime than if youre riding the subway. The solutions to reducing subway incidents in higher-crime areas are the same as those above ground, Pearlstein said better investment in social services. Every social problem is present everywhere in society, but its most visible in the subway, he said. The police are the front-end response, but they cant do the back end, they cant provide people housing. They cant provide people healthcare, they are not addiction counselors, they cannot provide treatment. We cant ask that of them. We have to be invested in addressing these root causes. And if were not doing that, because were spending money, whether its police overtime, or the national guard or something else symbolic then were not actually going to solve our problems. Michael Cohen, the ex-personal attorney of former President Trump, slammed the Department of Justice (DOJ) for a lack of transparency in the New York hush money case ahead of a hearing Monday. Cohen, Trumps former fixer, joined MSNBCs The Weekend Saturday where he said he is very angry that theres been absolute silence to his request for documents in the case, while his former boss puts in a request and all of a sudden documents appear. Id like to know whats going on. Id like to know whats going on with the SDNY, which is problematic, Id like to know whats going on with the DOJ, he said, referring to the district court. Whats going on here? Those documents belong to the people and they should have been released on the FOIA because Ill tell you what those documents are going to show, Cohen continued. Its going to show that Donald Trump, through a willing and complicit bloviating Attorney General, went ahead, weaponized the United States Department of Justice and unconstitutionally remanded the United States Constitution. The trial was scheduled to begin Monday, but has been delayed several weeks after new relevant documents came to light. It could still head to a jury soon, becoming Trumps first criminal trial. Instead, Judge Juan Merchan scheduled a hearing on Monday, to address the last-minute evidence presented by Trumps lawyers. His lawyers asked for a minimum 90-day delay to review the more than 100,000 pages of records federal prosecutors turned over. Prosecutors estimate that only 270 documents, which are related to Cohens federal criminal case, are relevant and were not previously disclosed. Earlier this week, Merchan ruled on more than a dozen requests between the two sides to exclude various evidence in the case against Trump. The ruling will allow Cohen and adult film star Stormy Daniels to testify at the trial, despite Trumps objections. The ruling means Daniels, who said she was paid hush money by Cohen to stay quiet about her alleged affair with Trump, will be included in the case. The actress claimed in a recent documentary that she only took the money because she feared for her life. Trump, the likely GOP nominee for president, has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records connected to reimbursements he made to Cohen for a hush money payment to Daniels before the 2016 election. The former president pleaded not guilty. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Amr Madbouly taking to the water in the River Ogmore near his home The average air temperature in Cairo, like the average water temperature, doesn't fall much below 20C at any time of year. So it may come as a surprise to find one of the keenest advocates of cold water swimming in Wales - where winter freshwater temperatures routinely drop close to freezing - is an Egyptian who spent his formative years in the heat and dust of a desert. For Amr Madbouly, a decarbonisation engineer at the beleaguered Tata steelworks in Port Talbot, the sharp contrast is one of the things that makes it so appealing to him, and has turned him into an enthusiastic promoter of Welsh nature on social media. "Somebody who's coming from a very dry and rough desert environment, when you see green it's amazing. It looks like heaven," he explains. "When you have so much heat and sun in your life you long for cold and you're like, finally, it's colder now. I love it." In fact he loves it so much he rises from his bed at home in Bridgend at 05:00 each day to go and plunge into a river or waterfall. Llyn y Fan Fach in Carmarthenshire was one of the first places Amr experienced in the Beacons His favourite place is Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park and coming to Wales was motivated by a desire to live close to its mountains and waterfalls. Amr, 34, said he was interested in the "Celtic environment and nature" from a young age and started learning more about the landscape when his girlfriend, whom he later married, sent him pictures of the countryside near her home after they first met aged 17. On finishing studying in Cairo, he moved to Germany with his wife and then on to the UK after Brexit, initially to be near family near Newcastle. However, he said: "One of my dreams has always been to live near the Brecon Beacons and the Welsh countryside because I always found it very special and so spectacular with all the hills and the mountains and lakes. "I found a job in the steelworks and was like 'whoa, that's the one'. I applied for it, got it and we moved to Wales. It's been about six years ago now and I'm absolutely loving it." Amr only goes into the water if it is safe, and warns people to be cautious with cold exposure One of his very first forays into the Beacons "when I fell in deep love with Wales" was at Llyn y Fan Fach, one of a pair of lakes bookending a dramatic walk along a ridgeway in the western end of the national park in Carmarthenshire. "This place is marvellous. It's an absolute heaven. This is an amazing place to walk, to enjoy the atmosphere. It's fantastic." Another favourite spot? "The Llyn Cwm Llwch by Pen-y-Fan is a nice little lake in front of the mountain and it's marvellous. It's really fresh all around the year. "You've got to be very mindful and respectful of the cold water because it can be an absolute grace, a healer and be really good for you, but at the same time if you don't know what you're doing it drains your energy really, really fast and that's the risk." It was the Covid pandemic and the lockdowns that really ignited Amr's passion for the countryside. "When they allowed us to go out more, that's when I really started [thinking] 'I'm going to get out. I can't cope any more staying in the house'." The pandemic also inadvertently entrenched a love of cold water swimming. After being vaccinated against Covid, he developed an auto-immune flare, later diagnosed as arthritis. "I was absolutely devastated because my fingers are swollen, I can't close my fist, I can't walk, my vision is full of black dots. I was struggling with everything, getting dizzy, fainting, the whole system gone upside down," he remembers. The temperature at Keeper's Pond on the Blorenge, near Abergavenny, was below freezing for this chilly dip Doctors wanted to put him on immunosuppressant medication, but first agreed that he could look into lifestyle factors to see if that could help. "I kept searching and found a crazy guy called Wim Hof [the Iceman cold water advocate], and I started learning all the breathing techniques and the cold water. I was already in cold water before but this is really cold [in an ice barrel]. "I started doing that every single day and I started seeing the change happening every single day. I start going for blood tests and the doctors are seeing change and things are improving." And it spiralled from there. "I had severe depression and I became so much better in mood," he said. "I can't imagine myself not doing this now because every time I'm not feeling well, or frustrated or down, maybe about the job situation, once I get in I'm just somebody else. "I come out so happy, smiling, excited about things and that's why I do it." Port Talbot steelworks are sandwiched between hills and sea His daily routine now starts at about 04:30 or 05:00 with "my little dip in a river or some sort of waterfall" before heading to work but he "can't pass the day without doing it". One weekends he takes his family along with him: "It's something I'm addicted to. But I think it's a good kind of addiction." He has recently started taking groups of people who have come across his enthusiastic Facebook posts to some of his favourite locations. While happy to share this knowledge from time to time, he doesn't want to lose what makes it special to him. "I always loved to go alone and just let that out and relax by myself without any human around," he says. With the ongoing uncertainty over Tata's future, Amr worries about the possibility of having to move away from the countryside he has grown to love so much, should work require it. "I'll be absolutely gutted because I've formed such strong ties with this place and it's given me a lot. "It's given me happiness, comfort, it's been home for me as well and my family so it's very hard to think that we'd have to leave all this beauty and go somewhere else." DENVER (KDVR) The Colorado Capitol building was on a brief lockdown Friday afternoon due to an armed suspect outside, according to the Colorado State Patrol. An armed suspect was somewhere in the area outside the building, according to the agency. Very few details were available Friday afternoon, but Rep. Elisabeth Epps reported the lockdown on X, formerly Twitter. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox We are on lockdown but we are ok, she posted at about 3:47 p.m. alarm. doors lock. lights dim. locked inducks. some folks got emergency alerts direct to their phones. others did not. chair, not missing a beat: To the bill!' Epps said debate had resumed on the current bill. As of 4:12, the Patrol said the lockdown had been lifted but no suspect was in custody. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, pictured on May 16, 2023, in Bath, England. The princess' absence from public view set off much wild speculation, but in the end the reason was ordinary, and sad. She has cancer. (Kin Cheung / Associated Press) Finally, there was the explanation everyone was clamoring for but no one was expecting: Kate Middleton, the wife of Prince William, the heir to the British throne, reappeared in public after a three-month absence, telling the world that she has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy. Never a particularly glib or comfortable public speaker, in a video shared on Instagram she sat on a bench on the grounds of Windsor Castle and gave arguably the most compelling and powerful speech of her life in the public eye explaining that after major abdominal surgery in January her doctors thought the condition was noncancerous. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment. Read more: What the frenzy over Kate Middletons disappearance says about the royals and us Then she took a moment, casting her eyes downward before looking back at the camera. This of course came as a huge shock, she continued. It was stunning, awful news, which followed the February announcement that King Charles has cancer. Prince William now has a father with cancer and a wife with cancer. Thats a lot for a family to go through in private, but this one has to go through it in public as well. And it was a huge shock to us, too. Not that the moment of her announcement about having cancer and undergoing grueling chemotherapy should be about how we feel. But it is kind of about us us being the millions of people around the world who watch every move by Kate (or Catherine as she prefers to be called, though we only occasionally accede to her wishes) and William on X, Instagram and other social media platforms because we turned her disappearance into a public parlor game. Read more: Opinion: Kate Middleton messed up. But the royal family has bigger problems than one photo In the three months that the princess vanished from public view, we were awash in wild theories: She was in a coma. She was recovering from a Brazilian butt lift. She was divorcing William. She was just on an extended leave from her high-pressure life. Her Photoshopping a publicly released picture of herself and her three young children only made us wonder what had possessed her. And what kind of abdominal surgery requires two months of recuperation, we all asked in exasperation. Well the kind that leads to a finding of cancer and the start of chemotherapy. It's hard not to feel some guilt about indulging in speculation when the truth was more devastating than we imagined. But Kensington Palace, where Kate and William are officially based, left the door wide open for all that speculation when it put out a release in January saying she was doing well after surgery, and added that her illness was not cancer-related. The palace said the Princess of Wales would be back on her feet after Easter. Though that was accurate at the time the palace put out the statement (Middleton said Friday that her cancer was discovered later) the palace also said it would have no further comment on the princess condition unless there was significant new information to share. Well, it certainly didnt keep its word on that. OK, so Kensington Palace could manage its communications team better. Whats extraordinary is that Kate has now told the world what shes going through. Eventually she would have had to. But better to do it now, before the self-imposed Easter deadline, and before even one more theory exploded online. Although the real benefit is not that she puts to rest all the wacky speculation but that, without even preaching it, shes a reminder that cancer doesn't discriminate. If a 42-year-old healthy woman (who has better healthcare than most of us) can get cancer, we all can and should get recommended cancer screenings. Her message Friday offered a moving coda: "For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone." If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Western warnings about possible terrorist attacks in Russia as "blackmail" days before a mass shooting at a Moscow concert venue claimed at least 60 lives and injured over 140 people, according to Russian media. Several gunmen opened fire at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, northwest of Moscow, on the evening of March 22, killing and injuring dozens of people. Ahead of the attack, the U.S. Embassy in Russia issued a warning on March 7 that "extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow" and urged American citizens to stay away from crowded areas and venues over the next 48 hours. The U.K., Canada, Germany, and several other countries published similar statements soon after. Putin dismissed these warnings as a Western provocation, the Russian state-controlled news outlet TASS reported on March 19. "All of this resembles outright blackmail and an intention to intimidate and destabilize our society," Putin reportedly said at a Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) board meeting. The mass shooting in Moscow occurred three days later. Images posted to social media show the gunmen walking unchallenged through the concert venue and firing indiscriminately at those inside. The terrorist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility in a Telegram post shortly after the attack, and U.S. officials confirmed the claim, saying they had warned Russia of the potential threat. Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) called the shooting a "deliberate provocation by Putin's special services." HUR claimed the attack is intended to justify "even tougher" strikes on Ukraine and total mobilization in Russia. In a statement on March 22, Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Ministry denied Russian allegations of Ukrainian involvement in the shooting and urged the international community to reject false narratives. "[Putin's regime] is ready to kill its own citizens for political purposes, just as it has killed thousands of Ukrainian civilians during the war against Ukraine as a result of missile strikes, artillery shelling and torture," the ministry's statement read. Read also: Destroy, in Whole or in Part | Is Russia committing genocide in Ukraine? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Its one of the hardest things parents can face is sudden infant death syndrome but people in Lackawanna County are hoping to bring awareness and research to the issue that has no known cause. Dozens at a bar in Scranton came together for a family who was tragically impacted by SIDS 10 years ago. Friday was a pink and blue day dedicated to promoting SIDS Awareness across the county. For one local family who lost their baby boy in 2014 to SIDS, days like this are emotional but one step closer to treatment. Dozens packed the Backyard Ale House Friday night with one goal hoping to unlock the medical mystery that took the life of Jude Zayac in 2014. In a perfect world this wouldnt happen again, but until we get there we have to raise money, said John Lawless Judes grandpa from Dunmore. SIDS claims hundreds of lives each year. Luzerne County raises awareness for child abuse prevention The Zayac family and surrounding communities have been looking to make a local and national impact toward treatment. I know when this happened 10 years ago, Theo said we are going to do something big, says Kathleen Brunner family friends from New York. His mom says Jude was a healthy three-month-old baby who didnt wake up from a nap while he was at daycare. Obviously, we felt very guilty and had a lot of questions that I dont think will ever be answered, stated Theo Zayac Judes mom. After his tragic passing, the family started a campaign called The Jude Zayac Foundation. They partner with businesses and organizations across the country to raise money and awareness for SIDS, by wearing the colors blue and pink. Losing a child is unthinkable so 10 years ago when it happened we knew we had to rally around them thats what we did, thats what we have done and thats what we will continue to do, explained Bridgett Gallagher from Dunmore. Hundreds of people across NEPA showed their support by posting on the organizations Facebook page. This year marks the tenth anniversary of Judes passing as thousands will soon participate in the 10th annual jog for Jude Run Walk event in April. For us Judes memory can often be pretty sad and obviously, his death was really sudden and traumatic but the support from family and community is what keeps us going, continued Theo. The Zayacs say over the last 10 years, they have raised more than $900,000 mostly going toward Boston Childrens Hospital one of Americas leading SIDS research centers. To find out more about the Jude Zayac Foundation and how you can sign up for JogforJude, visit their Facebook page. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com. Im often asked about career development and if there are differences between what employees valued pre-COVID vs. today. At our most fundamental level, I believe people havent changed. We want to be our best selves and grow in our careers. Whats changed is how were able to accomplish that. I think about this like a microscope thats zoomed in much closer than how we looked at things pre-pandemic. Our daily work often occurs at any point during the actual workday. We have so many more employees working remotely, but theyre often spending less time engaging with people in person, less time moving to other spaces, and more time looking at the screen in front of them. Theyre getting their work done, but often are asking themselves, What else am I getting out of this activity? What more can I learn to do? They want to flex that muscle. Why engagement and conversation are so important for leaders The key for leaders is to ensure their employees have these opportunities to learn, grow, interact, and see new possibilities even within their current roles. I manage talent development initiatives in my role at BlueCross, and weve taken a fresh look at everything. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee MSD career development In our remote-first environment, we needed to create programming to bring our existing employee resources to life, increase accessibility for all, and help team members unlock the pathways in front of them. As a company, were focused on these components: Improve collaboration, culture and connection Enhance well-being programs and participation Recruit and retain tech and digital talent Create a signature onboarding experience Launch comprehensive leader development program Our starting point was engagement and conversation, with leaders working with their teams to identify key areas of commitment. Then together they can set individual goals that align with desired outcomes for our company and for our members well-being. Its part of our intentional approach to ensuring every employee knows theyre valued, they have a path, and we're helping them get there. Our ultimate goal for this initiative is growth and success for every individual. But we also had to recognize that some employees are comfortable with their jobs and arent necessarily looking to advance in a traditional sense. How do we provide opportunities for them to broaden their capabilities and see the value in doing so? This goes back to communicating to these employees how they contribute to organizational success, and that theyre valued. A common language can create a path toward better achievement As an organization, were also looking to the capabilities of generative artificial intelligence to help us enable employees to be more proficient and efficient in their work. Were so often driven to just complete the next task. So when sometimes-mundane tasks take up more time than they should, we dont get to bring all our passion and heart into our most meaningful contributions. By creating a common language for our employees to be comfortable with this technology, the quicker they adopt it and were better able to provide opportunities for strategy and innovation at every level, no matter the role. Michelle Sermon-Davis Leaders are teachers, so we must remember that no matter who were talking to, we have the ability to influence their path to accomplish more than perhaps they thought possible. And for every company, helping employees reach their potential ultimately translates into better customer experiences. Michelle Sermon-Davis is chief learning officer at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Leadership: Here is how employers can help employees grow and achieve Congress early on Saturday passed the fiscal 2024 defense spending bill, nearly halfway through the fiscal year that began in October and hours after funding for the Defense Department and several other agencies expired on Friday. The $825 billion bill will allow the Pentagon to launch the initiatives and begin the procurement of key weapons systems it had planned for this year. For more than five months, Congress had funded the Defense Department at FY23 levels via a series of stopgap measures, avoiding a government shutdown but hampering those initiatives and procurement plans. We made changes and decided on efforts that include countering China, developing next-generation weapons and investing in the quality of life of our service members, House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Kay Granger, R-Texas, said before the chambers vote. I am proud to say this bill strengthens our national security and funds critical defense efforts. The House voted 286-134 to pass the bill as part of a broader appropriations package that adheres to spending caps imposed by last years debt ceiling deal. Granger, who is not running for reelection, announced shortly after the vote that she is stepping down as Appropriations chairwoman, anticipating another drawn-out budget process for FY25. The Senate then passed the bipartisan spending package 74-24. President Joe Biden has committed to signing the bill. The bill includes $33.5 billion to build eight ships and allocates funds for 86 F-35 and 24 F-15EX fighter jets as well as 15 KC-46A tankers. Theres also a combined $2.1 billion for the Armys Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon and the Navys Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic weapon system. It also funds multiyear contracts to procure six critical munitions: the Naval Strike Missile, the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, the Patriot Advanced Capability-3, the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile, the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile and the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile. Multiyear contracts are usually reserved for big-ticket purchases like ships and aircraft, but the Pentagon hopes using them for munitions will ensure demand stability, which in turn encourages defense contractors to ramp up production capacity. The American defense-industrial base has struggled to quickly replenish the billions of dollars worth of munitions drawn down from U.S. stockpiles for Ukraine. The bill also includes $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which allows the Pentagon to place contracts for new equipment to send Kyiv. That amount is less than the $60 billion in security and economic support for Kyiv provided in the Senates foreign aid bill. The Senate passed the aid bill for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan in a 70-29 vote in February, but House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has refused to put it to a floor vote amid opposition from former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. Johnson has also faced anger from the right flank of his caucus for working with Democrats to fund the government. Similar grievances prompted a small group of Republicans to instigate the ouster of his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., triggering three weeks of House dysfunction as the caucus struggled to select a new leader. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., filed a similar measure to oust Johnson shortly after the House passed the spending package. But its unclear whether she or anyone else in the caucus will actually trigger a vote to remove Johnson when Congress returns in April after a two-week recess. Putting a Ukraine aid package on the floor would likely anger Greene and other right-wing lawmakers. NAIROBI, March 23 (Xinhua) -- African countries should join hands and invest in high-impact interventions to achieve the goal of eliminating tuberculosis (TB) by 2030, a senior World Health Organization (WHO) official said on Saturday ahead of World Tuberculosis Day, which falls on March 24 every year. Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO regional director for Africa, said it is possible to reduce Africa's high TB burden substantially once governments, industry, and donor partners invest in new diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics. In Africa, TB continues to be the second leading cause of death from a single infectious agent, surpassing the toll of HIV and AIDS, Moeti noted, adding that in 2022, about 2.5 million people on the continent contracted the disease, equivalent to one person every 13 seconds. "Additionally, the number of TB deaths in 2022 reached 424,000, resulting in the loss of one life every minute even when TB is preventable and treatable," Moeti said in a statement issued in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. "These figures underscore the urgency of our collective action in addressing the ongoing TB epidemic and highlight the need for sustained efforts to end it," Moeti said, adding that the WHO African Region has provided strategic direction and monitoring tools, such as the African TB Scorecard, to accelerate progress toward eliminating the highly infectious lung disease. This year's World Tuberculosis Day, themed "Yes! We can end TB!" aims to reinvigorate awareness campaigns to eradicate the bacterial disease, which is fueled by pollution, overcrowding, and poverty. Moeti said sharing knowledge and best practices on effective TB control, easy access to rapid diagnostics, and regional cooperation will be key to ensuring that the disease is no longer a public health threat in Africa. She hailed significant progress in the fight against TB in Africa, where a 38 percent reduction in deaths was achieved between 2015 and 2022, while the continent saw a 23 percent reduction in new cases over the same period. Moeti said action on multidrug-resistant TB, intensified surveillance, adequate funding, research, community engagement, and strengthening health systems will be key to eliminating TB in Africa. Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) spent congressional funds exceeding the legal limit in an effort to roll back parts of Proposition 47, a complaint from former Federal Election Commission Chair Ann Ravel claims. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) The former chair of the Federal Election Commission has filed a complaint against a California congressman, alleging he excessively used campaign funds to support a conservative coalition seeking to roll back parts of Proposition 47. "I've never seen anything quite this excessive, honestly," Ann Ravel told The Times. She served as chair of the California Fair Political Practices Commission in 2011 and as chair of the FEC from 2013 to 2017. In her FEC complaint, Ravel alleges that the re-election campaign for Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) is closely involved with the tough-on-crime ballot initiative to reform Proposition 47, which reduced some drug and theft felonies to misdemeanors, and has solicited and received funds in excess of the $5,000 legal contribution limit. Ravel alleges that Kileys close involvement with the state ballot committee makes it an extension of his congressional campaign and is subject to the $5,000 contribution limit imposed by the FEC. She alleges that despite those limits, various contributions have been made over $5,000, totaling upwards of several millions of dollars. From his congressional campaign, Kiley has personally spent $28,000 on petitions and mailing costs, according to the complaint, but Ravel alleges that is likely not the full extent of the payments made from his congressional account. A representative for Kiley called the allegations frivolous and false. Read more: San Francisco Mayor London Breed backs GOP initiative to stiffen penalties for retail theft The initiative seeks to "reverse Prop. 47" by increasing penalties for some property crimes and drug offenses. It is supported primarily by conservative groups but also by some Democrats. The deadline for proponents to collect enough signatures to qualify the initiative for the November ballot is April 23. Ravel said Kiley has "long been closely identified with the repeal of Proposition 47," which voters approved in 2014, and has a close relationship with the initiative's sponsor, the coalition California to Reduce Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft. Read more: Newsom suggests ways to crack down on property crime without dismantling Proposition 47 The coalition has received more than $3 million from corporate retailers, including Walmart, Macy's, Home Depot and Target. One of Kiley's biggest campaign donors is Walmart, according to Ravel's complaint. Kiley represents California's 3rd District. He previously served in the state Assembly from 2016 to 2022 and was a challenger to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom in the failed 2021 recall effort. 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. There will be no more Candace Owens at the Daily Wire amid claims the conservative commentator has promoted antisemitic rhetoric. The right-wing political website announced Friday it had severed ties with Owens, known for her support of Donald Trump and Kanye West, famous for their own controversial comments. Daily Wire and Candace Owens have ended their relationship, co-founder Jeremy Boreing wrote on social media. Boreing did not provide any further details on what led to the exit, but Owens who joined the outlet in 2021 confirmed the rumors are true in her own post on X. I am finally free, she said. In recent months, Owens incited a firestorm of backlash with her antisemitic commentary about the United States role in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Owens also floated claims that a small group of Jewish people in Hollywood and Washington, D.C. were involved in something sinister. Her remarks caused a public clash between the polarizing political pundit and Daily Wire brass, who have typically stood by her inflammatory views on the transgender community, COVID vaccines, immigration and Black Lives Matter. Daily Wire co-founder Ben Shapiro, himself Jewish, was captured on camera criticizing Owens for being disgraceful, ridiculous and having faux sophistication regarding particular issues. In November, Owens hit back by tweeting, You cannot serve both God and money feeding into age-old antisemitic tropes. Shapiro responded in kind, writing, Candace, if you feel that taking money from The Daily Wire somehow comes between you and God, by all means quit. Shortly after confirming her Daily Wire departure, Owens also announced her plans to relaunch her show on YouTube after a brief hiatus. _____ On August 31 1901, President William McKinley was shot. His assassin, Polish-American anarchist Leon Czolgosz, was tried, executed, and his body doused in acid so that the anarchists of the age would be deprived of a corpse to venerate. Czolgosz, unemployed and malcontent, had turned to violence after learning of the actions of European anarchists, which had seen crowned heads of Europe begin to topple like skittles in the face of anarchist rage. The truth is, had his body been preserved and a shrine erected in his memory, the anarchists of today would be unlikely to dignify it with more than cursory curiosity. I know, I am one and can report first hand that the reality of contemporary anarchism couldnt be further from the nihilistic world of bombs and bullets. So I winced to read about the trial and conviction of Left-wing anarchist Jacob Graham, sentenced this week to prison for 13 years. Graham, who lived in his mums spare bedroom in Merseyside, called himself Destro the Destroyer, his grudge against society leading him to plot the murder of 50, threaten his old school, and collect bomb-making materials. No wonder anarchisms nasty reputation persists. But the truth is that this is a movement dedicated to building a non-coercive society along non-violent lines. The society we want is one of personal responsibility, respect and cooperation, not hate-fuelled justice down the barrel of a gun. Its true that anarchism can have violent and nihilistic tendencies; we are, by definition, an unregulated movement. Nothing stands in the way of angry young men donning black masks and heading to the streets to create mayhem in the name of anarchy. But anarchism is a broad spectrum of thought and action, and while fringe figures like Graham are part of that, youre also likely to find in our number the kind of people you would more normally associate with village fetes. Often the reality lies somewhere in between. As a former angry young man, I too was drawn to the mysterious, violent reputation of anarchism; I wanted to lash out at a society I found cold and coercive. After a few years of cohabiting with other angry young (and mostly) men in squats, bedsits, and protest camps I became disenchanted. Not with anarchism, but with the small and squalid world that exists on the peripheries of all political movements; the world of hangers on and agitators using politics as a feeble attempt at some sort of self-worth boosting exercise. As I grew older, I was able to move into new circles. Alongside like-minded friends, I re-discovered the beauty of political idealism, diving deep into the world of political thought and moving away from the self-satisfying luxury of action without thought. I discovered a new, just as real and far more important world of anarchism, one defined by critical thought and accountability, commitment to persuasion and mutual aid, the anarchist practice of helping others. In institutions like Freedom Press and the Industrial Workers of the World, I found communities of dedicated thinkers and activists with radical, but not brutal views. I returned to education, specialising in anarchist thought during my studies at the LSE and found a tradition richer and more nuanced than I could have possibly imagined. This tradition includes Leo Tolstoy, Oscar Wilde, George Orwell; even J.R.R Tolkien expressed support for aspects of anarchism. More recently, the composer John Cage and sci-fi author Ursula Le Guin have been counted among our ranks. But while authors and artists can be relied on to lend symbolic support to all manner of left-field political causes, you might be more surprised that one of the biggest recent cheers for anarchism whether he knew it or not came from David Cameron when he was Conservative PM. The Big Society, a cost-saving initiative that reads more like an anarchist manifesto for the 21st Century than the policy of a Conservative government, promised the localisation of power, support for co-ops and similar worker-run organisations, and an emphasis on volunteering. In essence, a shift from the idea of the state as service provider, to the community. In fact, the strong similarities between conservatism and anarchism are not as surprising as they sound. After all, anarchism is fuelled by a sense of duty, community contributions, and individual freedom. It is understood that in a society where everyone has a stake, people will want to work for the betterment of each other and themselves. Delegating responsibility to the state to sweep the streets, feed the poor, and manage social problems is a dereliction of our own duty to one another, a dereliction we pay for in liberty. Better, say anarchists, for communities to manage themselves, work for themselves, and share the spoils amongst themselves. On a small scale, you might think of the clamour to take pubs into community ownership, or the general preference for people to own a share of the freehold of their property, running maintenance as a community of residents rather than paying fees to some distant, rapacious freeholder. Of course, we anarchists are idealists as well as localists. In 1840, when French theorist Pierre Joseph Proudhon declared that as man seeks justice in equality, so society seeks order in anarchy, his vision exceeded small-scale exercises in self-management. This grand vision for a new society was echoed in work by Bakunin, Kropotkin, and free love evangelist Emma Goldman, all of whom imagined a society in which we, together, could strip away the self-serving bureaucracy of government and run our own communities for the benefit of all. Jacob Graham was more interested in killing than in realising this dream. He does not speak for anarchists like me. 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. Sarko Gergerian, a Massachusetts police lieutenant, is not your average cop. Hes also a trained MDMA-assisted therapist. His police chief even gave him permission to take a trip with the medicine, also known as ecstasy or molly, during a clinical trial. It opened my heart and mind, he told The Daily Beast. For decades in the U.S., police officers have served as the frontline troops in a militarized war on drugs in which millions were jailed for non-violent offenses. But a small cadre of serving and former police officers, in the U.S. and across the world, arelike Gergerian finding that when used responsibly and therapeutically, some of the drugs can ease distress and make them happier. On the sidelines of the United Nations annual Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna on Wednesday, Gergerian sat beside three former senior policemen as part of a panel organized by Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP) titled Why Police Need Access to Psychedelics Urgently. They pressed authorities around the world to swiftly make MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) available to their comrades both as a preventive medicine and treatment for PTSD, which is rampant and may affect as many as one-in-two officers. The scale of the mental health crisis in policing means that, in the U.S. and the U.K., officers are more likely to commit suicide than die on duty. MDMA can push treatment resistant PTSD into remission, says Gergerian, who had a postgraduate qualification in mental health counseling before joining the police in 2010 initially as a patrol officer and is speaking in a personal capacity. Why not create a wellness program for first responders with MDMA-AT built in so cops dont get to the point where theyre blowing their own heads off with their guns. The origin of Gergerians training is a story for the ages. He attended a police chiefs conference in Florida in 2018 where the psychedelic healing advocate Rick Doblin, the founder of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) presented clinical data on the effectiveness of the empathogenic stimulant. I was already a trained psychotherapist and I asked him, How can I help with this? Gergerian recalls. He answered: Become a psychedelic-assisted therapist, And gave me his card. Gergerian duly underwent MAPS 100-hour training programme and made an appearance in the Netflix psychedelics series How to Change Your Mind. The crew in front of the flags Woods is the white guy in the middle, blue suit. Sarko second right, Bilheran far right. Handout Now, Gergerianthe psychedelic healing lieutenantis perhaps the most high profile advocate among serving police officers for psychedelic therapy. Already he has held space for veterans and retired police undergoing ketamine trips, and he stands ready to facilitate MDMA sessions for his fellow officers if the Food and Drugs Administration approves the therapy for the stress disorder in August, as expected. It seems far outbut with the U.S. Veterans Affairs department already funding a pilot scheme providing ketamine-assisted therapy to former soldiers, perhaps police officers will soon be able to access the love drug as part of their health insurance schemes. Gergerian even thinks psychedelic therapy can help to heal the crisis in policingwhere accusations of racial bias and fatal shootings have led to the defund the police movement. Psychedelic-assisted therapies are the antidote to highly contagious infections like hate, he says. They will help create space so we can carefully move towards one another, listen, accept, and extend a hand in service to each other for the sake of our entire planet. Neil Woods, board member of LEAP and a U.K. former undercover detective who co-wrote the best-seller Good Cop, Bad War, also thinks that it may be better to heal police officers, and society-at-large, than defund the police. The U.N. needs to start removing the barriers to psychedelic research and legalization, says Woods, who organized the panel. Nation states need to stand up and innovate for the sake of their cops too. The evidence is here: People are dying and we need to do something about it. We want psychedelic therapy ingrained to protect the mental health of police, as well as everyone else. Woods knows several police officers who have undergone psychedelic therapy. One was a detective sergeant at the time who drank ayahuasca, a visionary psychedelic brew from the Amazon, and rescued his mental health, and his marriage. He also became a better, kinder police officer, Woods says. Another is PC Paul Haylock, a serving officer of 22 years who recently told of how his experiences with ayahuasca in Peru. Psychedelics also turned his life around and helped him process trauma accrued from countless harrowing incidents and scant police aftercare. Serving officers in Canada have similar stories. How MDMA Became the Club Drug of the Century Its no wonder so many cops are seeking their own solutions. Police officers who were exposed to trauma in the war on drugs, now report that the effort did not limit access to drugs, but increased violence. Now they are fighting for psychedelics in the treatment of trauma and other psychological challenges, Arild Knutsen, the head of Norways Association for Humane Drug Policies, who attended the panel, posted on X. LEAPs mental health in policing campaign comes as the severe lack of psychological and emotional support in forces around the world is driving an unprecedented exodus where record numbers across England and Wales and the U.S. are quitting. Others, like Fabien Bilheran, a retired French detective who spent eight years in the Paris narcotics brigade and was an ardent believer in the drug war when he began his policing career, have dawning realizations that they are part of the problem. He says this disillusionment, and the reaction to his attempts to raise awareness of the suffering resulting from the drug war, led him to attempt suicide in 2020. I was a fanatical enforcer of the drug war, he recalls. But when I realized that police violence made drug trafficking increase rather than go down, it was really bad for my mental health. He says he was about to shoot himself while sitting in an impounded car in the police station but just as he was about to pull the trigger, the car alarm went off. The car alarm saved my life, Bilheran, who also shared his story during the panel discussion, told The Daily Beast. It was like a wake up call. After that, he sought help outside of the police and received treatment for PTSD, but the sedating benzodiazepine drugs he was prescribed just made him slow and sleepy. He soon discovered that people were recommending other tools for fighting PTSD and he did therapeutic work with psychedelic mushrooms, LSD and 5-MeO-DMT. I felt that all the people around me were connected, re recalls. Bilheran says that his experiences with MDMA made it possible the co-writing a book, The Law of Silence, published in 2022, which highlights the issues he sees in the police force. It helps me speak freely more easily and put words to my suffering, he says. Bilheran went to Mexico for some of his psychedelic experiences, but increasingly illegal psychedelic therapy is available under the radar and in some cases aboveboard in the U.S. and across Europe. Some underground psychedelic facilitators are ex-police officers and veterans. Luc Van Poeljea former soldier who served in Iraq in 1991 and began facilitating mushroom truffle journeys in Holland after transformative 2013 ayahuasca and mushroom trips has served psilocybin to around 30 serving police officers, from his own country, Germany, the U.K. and the U.S. Everyone is looking for healing, insights and inner peace, he says. Its about remembering youre part of a magical universe and you belong here, that you are loved. Police officers are often spat at, literally and figuratively, and thats a lot to deal with. Sarko Gergerian with Rick Doblin Handout Ben Broughton, a cop for a decade in the U.K., was a proud of his work in the police. He rose to the rank of sergeantarresting countless people for drug offensesbefore going to work for the U.K.s financial conduct authority. But he says a magic mushroom ceremony changed his life and transformed his perspective of himself, his work and his attitude towards drugs. So much so that he soon set about to train with a plant medicine shaman to become a medicine man himself. Fast forward five years and hes holding his own ceremonies. Doctors, lawyers and people from all sorts of professions attend, including two serving police officers. They are both trying to change the police force from within the system, says Broughton. Theyve decided to focus on their own personal issues in ceremony and become more conscious police officers. If we can have a more conscious police service, that could be one hell of a change. One of the officers is actively campaigning for drug law reform, too. We should have done things differently, but I wouldnt be the person I am today if I hadnt been through those experiences, says Broughton, alluding to the fact that he, like Bilheran and Woods, arrested countless people for drug crimes during his time in the force. That was me once upon a time, he adds, but Ive changed, mostly due to the medicine, and this is who I am now. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. PARK CITY, Utah (ABC4) Detectives served a search warrant on a residence located across from Park City High School on Friday, March 8, and found a clandestine lab meant for producing crack cocaine, according to the Summit County Sheriffs Office. Ryan Oniell Bertagnole, 60, was arrested in Summit County on operation of a clandestine laboratory (first-degree felony), distribution of a controlled substance drug free zone (second-degree felony), category I restricted person transaction firearm (first-degree felony), among other charges. On March 8, detectives served a search warrant at a home on the 1600 block of Lucky John Dr. in Park City. Upon arrival, detectives found Bertagnole in the driveway of his residence. READ: Convicted YouTuber Ruby Franke kept journal detailing child abuses This is the long time residence of Bertagnole and his address of record that is listed on his Utah State drivers license, a probable cause affidavit states. Detectives detained Bertagnole and searched the home. They reportedly found substances that later tested positive for methamphetamine and THC, as well as drug parphernalia. In Bertagnoles pockets, detectives also found substances that tested positive for crack cocaine and THC. During the search of the residence, detectives found equipment and precursors, including cocaine, baking soda, propane torches, cooking pans, residue, and packaging materials, the affidavit states. These items are commonly used to synthesize crack cocaine, police said. A K9 on scene also found the presence of drug odor in the area. I had reason to believe that Bertagnole is engaged in or aiding the production of Crack Cocaine via a clandestine Laboratory, the affidavit states. Near the laboratory, police also found a gun locker. Bertagnole reportedly provided police with a key and officers found an AR-15-style rifle with magazines and ammunition. Police also found a large fist sized chard of methamphetamine in the same area, consistent with non-personal use and an amount that someone who deals dangerous drugs would be in possession of, the affidavit states. Ryan Bertagnole was operating a clandestine lab to produce illegal narcotics as well as distributing dangerous drugs with in 40 feet of the Park City Highschool Seminary building. Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty's decision to charge a Minnesota state trooper with manslaughter in connection with a traffic stop has been challenged like few other local cases in recent history. Moriarty charged trooper Ryan Londregan with second-degree murder, manslaughter and assault in the fatal shooting of Ricky Cobb II last July during a traffic stop on Interstate 94 in north Minneapolis. Now Londregan's lawyers say the county attorney failed to disclose key information from a use-of-force expert and have asked a district court judge to require release of that information. Hennepin County District Judge Tamara Garcia heard arguments Thursday. More recently, filings in the case indicate that the prosecution's independent use-of-force expert, Jeffrey Noble, first reported that the trooper acted reasonably when he shot Cobb as his vehicle moved forward with another officer inside the passenger side window. And the State Patrol's own use-of-force trainer said in a new affidavit that Londregan followed policy, and his previous statements to prosecutors were taken out of context. The controversy surrounding key evidence in the case is troubling, and the multiple concerns that have been raised about disclosure merit further review. Gov. Tim Walz has publicly questioned Moriarty's handling of the case, and state Attorney General Keith Ellison said he is studying the issues even though he serves as a representative of state agencies, which he has acknowledged could pose a conflict of interest. Walz has the authority to intervene and reassign the case to Ellison. Following Thursday's hearing, the governor said he remains concerned and that "there's nuances in this to make sure we're following the law. I am concerned that justice be carried out fairly for everyone. And we'll continue to take a look at it." Additionally, a bipartisan group of Minnesota's congressional representatives has called for the case to be reassigned, with Democratic Reps. Angie Craig and Dean Phillips joining the four Republicans in the delegation. "Minnesotans deserve to have confidence in our state's criminal justice process, and recent disclosures in this case have seriously damaged that process," Craig said this week. "This action would help restore public confidence and ensure an objective review of the case is completed." In response, a statement from Moriarty's office after Thursday's hearing called on elected officials and others to "refrain from creating more confusion by commenting on the ongoing case." It went on to say that "their comments disregard the established legal process, politicize the case, threaten the possibility of a fair trial, and ignore that there is a grieving family that is watching this unfold in the press." Former Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner told an editorial writer that the proper place for all the evidence to be reviewed is in court in front of a jury not through statements from both sides in the media. She added that county attorneys are elected for a reason they are supposed to make decisions on behalf of the electorate. If citizens are unhappy with Moriarty's decisions, they can vote to replace when she is up for re-election. But attorney and legal consultant Joe Tamburino said in an interview that Moriarty violated statutes in her handling of information gathered in discovery. He said the prosecution "has a duty" to divulge all materials that could help exonerate Londregan. Understandably, supporters of the charging decision cite the long history of the justice system supporting law enforcement in similar cases. For years, officers were not held accountable in controversial use-of-force cases that resulted in the deaths of people of color. It's also not surprising that Moriarty a former public defender who focused on law enforcement accountability in her campaign for county attorney would face even more scrutiny. The Star Tribune Editorial Board was concerned about her ability to effectively transition to the role of the county's top prosecutor when it endorsed her opponent in 2022. Gaertner is correct that voters ultimately will decide whether Moriarty deserves more time in office, presuming she seeks re-election. But Londregan can't wait that long for a fair trial, nor should Cobb's family have to question whether justice will be served. We'll reserve judgment on next steps until we hear more from Judge Garcia. But the possibility of removing the case from Moriarty's office should remain on the table if that's what it will take for the majority of Minnesotans to trust that it's being handled appropriately. The service station and an apartment block were ripped apart by the blast Two men, arrested in connection with an explosion at a petrol station in County Donegal which killed 10 people in 2022, have been released without charge. A five-year old girl was among the victims of the blast in Creeslough on 7 October. The men, aged in their 50s, were detained on Friday and released on Saturday. Gardai (Irish police) said the investigation, led by its Donegal division, is ongoing. They intend to submit a file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Creeslough is a small village in the north-west of Ireland, about 15 miles (24km) from Letterkenny and 30 miles (48km) from the border with Northern Ireland. It has a population of about 400 people. The victims - four men, three women, two teenagers and a five-year-old girl - were from the village or surrounding areas. The victims of the explosion were Jessica Gallagher, Robert Garwe, Shauna Flanagan Garwe, Leona Harper, Hugh Kelly, Martina Martin, Martin McGill, James Monaghan, Catherine O'Donnell and James O'Flaherty On the first anniversary of the tragedy, Gardai said their investigation had been continuing "as expeditiously as possible, in the circumstances" to ensure issues around the tragedy are "professionally investigated". At the time, Gardai revealed that they had opened more than 1,350 lines of inquiry and taken in excess of 900 statements. Friday's arrests were the first to be made in connection with the explosion by police. Gardai previously said the incident was being treated as a tragic accident, with a gas leak believed to be one theory. The blast resulted in the highest number of civilian casualties in a single incident in the county in decades. Eight people were treated in hospital for their injuries. DES MOINES Ruth Richardson waited near the Iowa capitol's grand staircase, just outside the limelight. At the podium nearby, abortion-rights supporters railed against the state's conservative swing on abortion following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling Republican bills "nonsense," "pseudoscientific" and "speaking for the extreme." Richardson glanced at her speech and its somewhat different message. Not that Richardson disagreed with what speakers were saying. As the new president and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States, which oversees the organization in blue-leaning Minnesota and four red-leaning neighbor states, Richardson is one of the region's pre-eminent supporters of reproductive rights. But as the abortion debate continues to rage, the former Minnesota legislator sees a post-Roe opportunity to reframe Planned Parenthood's mission: Instead of dated binary arguments, she believes the debate in modern America must focus on health equity. "I don't think people understand the intersections between access to abortion and a full range of health services," she said. "It's trying to have a more comprehensive conversation and connect the dots in ways people don't spend enough time thinking about." She points to Iowa ranking last in per-capita OB-GYN specialists; reports have shown states with the restrictive abortion laws are losing OB-GYNs. She speaks about Black women being three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes nationally, and six times more likely in Iowa. She worries about health care deserts in rural areas. Richardson talks about the freedom to have an abortion as well as the freedom to have a child and raise that child. Abortion opponents scoff at this equity focus as disingenuous, given the racist beliefs of Planned Parenthood's founder something the organization acknowledges and denounces and its clinics disproportionately being located in minority neighborhoods. "This is not about social justice and not about equity," said Cathy Blaeser, co-executive director of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life. "They offer a dead baby to women who have real support needs. They take her hard-earned money and leave her in the same social need as when she walked into their facility." At the Iowa abortion-rights rally, Richardson was experiencing whiplash. The night before, she was celebrating. At First Avenue, the famed Minneapolis music club, she walked the runway with her 2-year-old granddaughter, Trinity, in a fashion show fundraiser. Now she was in a different world, where Iowa's high court was weighing a six-week abortion ban. The next week, she'd head to Nebraska for state Supreme Court arguments on abortion. In Iowa, the 47-year-old stepped into the limelight and began to speak. "We know the consequences of bad policy," she said. "Iowans are already living in them. Thousands who once received reproductive health care are going without and that includes contraceptives. Unintended pregnancies have increased. Infant deaths have soared in recent years. And Iowa mothers are more likely to die today than 30 years ago." Last summer, when Iowa passed a restrictive abortion law in a one-day special session, a thousand people filled this rotunda in protest. The ban has been stuck in court ever since. This crowd was much smaller, about 120. Richardson plied them with her story: How her life dedicated to helping families affected by fetal alcohol syndrome and women battling addiction led her here. "My great-grandmother was a Black midwife in Mississippi," she said. "I learned early on, from the stories of my mom, of my aunt, grandmother, my great-grandmother I learned that health care is not the same for everyone. I didn't know words like social determinants of health, or health equity. But I knew what I was hearing wasn't just. "I also learned it didn't have to be that way." Talk with friends, family or colleagues, and one thing always comes up: Richardson is a quiet person. Said Luz Maria Frias, whom Richardson worked for at St. Paul's Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity department: "When she announced she was running for office, I was blown away. She was the last person on earth! An introvert, doesn't like attention. But she's got this gift at being able to persuade folks in a stealth fashion." Rep. Cedrick Frazier, a law school classmate, said people look for calm amid chaos: "That's Ruth. All the time." Richardson's story began in St. Paul's Frogtown neighborhood, the sixth of eight kids in a family scraping to get by. Faith bound them. Richardson was raised Jehovah's Witness, knocking on strangers' doors and reciting Bible verses as a kindergartener. Their house was full: kids from her mother's day care, dozens of foster children they took in as the crack epidemic ravaged the Black community. Her dad drove trucks, taxis and buses. Richardson remembers riding her dad's bus and him pointing out William Mitchell College of Law. She was a proud nerd, a high school kid who scoured used bookstores for books on Black history. Her first job was guiding tours at the Minnesota Capitol. She became the first in her family to attend college, then went to law school at William Mitchell while raising toddler children. She became involved in battling homelessness and fetal alcohol syndrome. In June 2022, as America's abortion landscape shifted, Richardson was leading Wayside Recovery Center, an addiction treatment center for women and their families. She was also serving her second term in the Legislature, where she'd been pivotal declaring racism a public health crisis and tackling maternal and infant health. A recruiter called. "Planned Parenthood wasn't on her mind at all. It was set at her feet," her sister Linda Agnes said. "Everything she'd done in life led her to that place. It's not common to see a Black woman in such a large role. She's a champion for people of color and for underprivileged people." Which, for Planned Parenthood, was exactly the point. "We've done a great job the last 100 years making sure cisgender white women have access to health care, birth control, STI testing and abortion," said Dr. Sarah Traxler, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood North Central States. "But medicine in general has left a lot of populations behind. It's time for us to start focusing on what marginalized and racialized communities need." Richardson's ascent came as abortion opponents celebrated what they saw as a long-deserved correction to one of America's great sins. They see Richardson's equity focus as Planned Parenthood masquerading as something it's not. "If she really was concerned about health equity, then she'd get out of the business of killing Black children and instead get into the business of helping these Black women create a responsible adoption plan," said Denise Walker, a longtime Black Minnesota abortion opponent and director of Rich in Mercy Abortion and Miscarriage Recovery program. "She's telling Black women to exterminate their own people." Planned Parenthood employees in red states mourned the end of Roe, especially in places like South Dakota that enacted the nation's most restrictive abortion laws. Richardson's role became like a cheerleader for a losing team. "It's so easy to be demoralized in a place like Iowa where we're constantly fending off attacks," said Mazie Stilwell, director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa. "But she came and told us we cannot allow them to steal our joy. What they want is nothing more than to just break us down, and we will not allow that to happen. We were talking about it for months after that: 'Remember what Ruth said!' " On a gray winter day, Richardson led Gov. Tim Walz past a reinforced door and into her office. Security is everywhere at Planned Parenthood North Central States' headquarters in an industrial St. Paul neighborhood, where protesters are ever-present. "That door is heavy," Walz said. Abortion bans in neighboring states have prompted Planned Parenthood to expand in Minnesota, but Richardson fears this won't reduce gaps in care between haves, who can afford travel for an abortion, and have-nots. Richardson and the governor had just spoken on a panel where they heard about abortion patients from as far away as Texas and Florida traveling to Minnesota. Abortions in the state have increased significantly since Roe was overturned; a recent study showed that nearly a third of Minnesota abortions are for out-of-staters. One patient drove 800 miles into a blizzard but since the blizzard closed Planned Parenthood's facilities, the woman stayed in a hotel for a week. Richardson kept steering the conversation back to fairness. The gap in access, she said, will only widen for those already struggling. The health center manager walked them to the rooms where 80 to 120 abortions take place weekly. (In March, Richardson led Vice President Kamala Harris on a similar tour.) Richardson, the governor and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan hovered over an exam table. The governor asked about Iowa's pending Supreme Court case. The sharply divided court last year blocked a 2018 abortion ban, then Iowa lawmakers went back and passed virtually the same ban again. Richardson said legal uncertainty sowed confusion among patients. "People are afraid, and providers are as well," Richardson said. Planned Parenthood's Minnesota facilities have increased capacity: more exam rooms and appointments at their Uptown facility, an expansion in Mankato, increasing investments in telemedicine. The organization announced in January the consolidation of some clinics and the elimination of dozens of positions but stressed the changes will help them treat more patients. Before the governor left, he turned to Richardson: "We got your back," he told her. In other states under Richardson's umbrella, those in power do not have her back. A Planned Parenthood health center manager in South Dakota said they're barred from discussing abortion with patients. In North Dakota, the state's only abortion clinic unaffiliated with Planned Parenthood moved from Fargo to Moorhead. In Iowa, Richardson strode into a lobbyist room just off the House of Representatives chambers. The House was about to debate a bill that Republicans said would protect religious freedom; Democrats said it would allow discrimination against women and LGBTQ people. Planned Parenthood broadening its mission toward things like gender-affirming care is part of this larger philosophical shift. But when Richardson brings health-equity arguments to Republican leaders in red states, they often fall on deaf ears. Rep. Jennifer Konfrst, Democratic leader in the Republican super-majority House, greeted Richardson warmly. "It's unrelenting," Konfrst said. "It's just thing after thing after thing after thing. It's still legal in Iowa for now and that's the best we can hope for until we get a pro-choice majority in the House. We've gotta hold on as long as we can." Richardson can hardly believe how much things have changed in such a short time. "It's like bizarro world," she said. Konfrst predicted their side would win in the long run. She brought up a recent poll showing 61% of Iowans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. The new law is virtually identical to a 2018 abortion ban struck down in courts only this time Roe no longer provides a shield. "It was theoretical then," Konfrst said. "Now it's real." A bell rang: Time for debate and voting. Richardson thanked her: "I know how exhausting it is, but I have so much hope for the future." "You're amazing," Konfrst said. "Now I gotta go fight some terrible bills." Later that evening, Iowa representatives voted on the religious freedom bill that Democrats and Planned Parenthood opposed as discriminatory. It passed overwhelmingly. Cruise lines spend big on private islands and destinations exclusive to their guests. These private Caribbean properties are money trees for companies like Carnival and Royal Caribbean. In-house destinations are becoming increasingly necessary amid rising fuel costs and port restrictions. About 140 miles east of Miami, Royal Caribbean's private Bahamas island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, receives thousands of eager families virtually every day of the year. The cruise line and many of its competitors don't just own ships they also have land-based portfolios. Throughout the Caribbean and in countries like Honduras and Belize, practically every major cruise company has snatched up and developed beachfront properties to make exclusive to their guests. To travelers, these secluded ports of call are convenient, safe, and cherished: "The vast majority of people love the islands," Patrick Scholes, the managing director of lodging and leisure-equity research at Truist Securities, told Business Insider. To cruise lines, they're cash cows. And now, maybe more than ever before, a necessity as operators seek out profits while battling rising operating costs and ever-restrictive ports. The industry is cruising into a private island renaissance Disney Cruise Line said its next exclusive beachfront property, Lighthouse Point, shown in a rendering, will launch on the Bahamas island of Eleuthera this summer. The cruise line already has a private island, Castaway Cay. Disney Cruise Line Cruise lines like Princess, Holland America, and MSC collectively own 16 ports and private destinations in the Caribbean (including properties that are still under development). Many of them, like CocoCay, are hits. Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, told analysts in 2023 that the private island had seen robust demand, including from repeat travelers. So much so that the financial returns on the $350 million investment, launched in 2019, have been "exceptionally high and significantly above its target," Naftali Holtz, CFO of Royal Caribbean Group, said a few months prior. Given travelers' appetite, Royal Caribbean has continued to expand its splashy Bahamas getaway. Its most recent addition, the adult-only Hideaway Beach, opened in January, adding to CocoCay's 14-slide waterpark, upscale beach club, massive pool, and umbrella-lined beaches. Renderings of the "Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island" show a sprawling beachfront property lined with cabanas, lounge chairs, and pools. Royal Caribbean International But it's not done: The cruise giant plans to open its next development, a 17-acre private beach club on Nassau, Bahamas' Paradise Island, in 2025. Carnival Corp is also updating its popular private island, Half Moon Cay, with an additional berth to accommodate its largest ships, increasing the destination's guest capacity. Like its competitor, Carnival has more plans to expand its real estate footprint this time with Celebration Key, a $500 million exclusive resort on Grand Bahama Island, set to open in 2025. Carnival says Celebration Key, shown in a rendering, will flex resort-like amenities like oceanside cabanas and a grown-ups-only infinity pool. Carnival Cruise Line The vacation-at-sea industry's land-based conquest could continue to grow: Given their benefits, Scholes said he wouldn't be surprised if Royal Caribbean were to announce plans to build another private island in the next five years. These are the three reasons cruise-run private destinations have become so important. 1. Fuel is expensive Food is Royal Caribbean's second-highest expense after fuel, Linken D'Souza, the cruise line's senior vice president of food and beverage, told reporters in late January. Brittany Chang/Business Insider Fuel is one of the cruise industry's biggest expenses. Fortunately, most Caribbean-based private destinations are just a night's sailing from Florida's major cruise ports. Amid rising fuel costs, it's easy to see why cruise lines would want to plan more itineraries around these nearby stops. In September 2023, Josh Weinstein president, CEO, and chief climate officer of Carnival Corp called the forthcoming Celebration Key a "win-win-win for the environment, our guests, and the people of the Bahamas," citing the property's proximity to its Florida homeports and the subsequent reduced fuel expenditure. It could certainly be a "win" for travelers: In the same call, he told analysts that a guest-fronted fuel surcharge is "certainly not off the table." 2. Private destinations keep profits in-house The bar had two halves: one on land and the other at pool level. Brittany Chang/Business Insider Before its debut, pre-cruise bookings for CocoCay's Hideaway Beach surpassed the company's expectations, Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, told analysts in October 2023. Admission costs up to $89 per person during peak season. Nearby, entry to the more exclusive beach club could be shy of triple that cost. Even the otherwise complimentary parts of the island have splurge-enticing options like rentable cabanas and snorkeling gear. About two-thirds of Royal Caribbean's Caribbean-bound guests could go to CocoCay this year, Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group's president and CEO, told analysts in December 2023. Brittany Chang/Business Insider Travelers content with a basic beach chair and the lunch buffet don't have to ball out on these up-charged luxuries. But they sure are hard to resist, especially as cruisers have become eager to splurge on their vacations. For families, skipping CocoCay's waterpark could be as sacrilegious as skipping Disney World during an Orlando vacation, Scholes said. A day pass to Thrill Waterpark can exceed $100 per person that's more than $400 down the drain for a family of four in one afternoon. These destinations have plenty of opportunities for guests to spend big. And because there's no need to rely on other excursion operators, they allow cruise lines to keep more profits in-house. 3. Some popular ports are saying "no" to giant cruise ships Ships weighing more than 96,000 tons are banned from entering Venice, Italy's Giudecca Canal. Simone Padovani/Awakening/Getty Images The world's largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, can carry 7,600 guests and 2,350 crew. This sudden influx of travelers could overwhelm smaller destinations and their locals, like the just over 25,000 residents of Santorini, Greece, and 25,600 of Key West, Florida. With concerns like pollution and over-tourism, it's no wonder the popular Greek island has a daily cap on cruise visitors, while its Florida counterpart has faced a fraught battle to restrict cruise tourism. Ports in states like California, Alaska, Maine, and Florida have restricted cruise tourism. CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images They're not alone. Cities across the US and Europe have increasingly limited travelers coming by sea either through size restrictions, daily visitor limits, or complete bans. This includes desirable ports like Juneau, Alaska, French Polynesia, and Venice, Italy. Ironically, at the same time, mass-market cruise lines have continued to grow the size of their vessels so much so that several of these new mega-ships are now simply too big to fit into some ports. So, if you can't beat the ports, why not join them? Especially if you can outfit your private properties with dozens of profit-growing amenities. Read the original article on Business Insider Max Hartman allegedly would punish his wife in shocking ways when she didn't have sex with him on demand, according to court papers. A crypto bigwig subjected his wife to years of twisted sexual abuse, she claims in a lawsuit. Max Hartman allegedly would punish his wife in shocking ways when she didnt have sex with him on demand, according to court papers. During one exchange Hartman allegedly texted her she was not permitted to eat the food hed bought for their Chelsea home, according to messages included in the litigation. Max Hartman allegedly used hidden cameras to film sexual encounters, and subjected his wife to years of twisted sexual abuse. SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK Max Hartman allegedly subjected his wife to years of bizarre demands, she said in a lawsuit. meetup.com If you want to share in my bounty you need to be nice to me, he wrote. I will permit you to eat one of my bananas today as a gesture of good faith but definitely no ice cream. Hartman, 34, frequently ridiculed her weight and clothes; and regularly required [her] to groom his private areas, even bending over and asking her to photograph him from behind to examine the job shed done, the ex, identified in court papers only as S.S., said in the Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit. The pair met as teenagers and briefly dated but broke up when Hartman pressured the then 13-year-old for sex, claimed the woman. They got back together as she graduated college. He allegedly forced her into sex three times during their more than decade-long relationship, including one attack which left her bleeding, according to court papers. S.S. did not report the attacks to police. Bit by bit he made me feel very small and worthless, S.S., now 32, told The Post. It was awful. As it was happening I felt in my gut that something wasnt right, but every time I tried to stand up for myself he would twist my words and make me out to be the one who was wrong. . . . It sounds ridiculous but you get put down enough, and get told that youre wrong enough, you start to believe it. In one of a series of text exchanges, Hartman allegedly forbade his wife from eating groceries he paid for because she refused to have sex with him while she suffered a panic attack, she alleged. SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK S.S. claims in the lawsuit that Harman co-owns CardCoins, an online service that lets users trade prepaid gift cards for Bitcoin, and is co-organizer of BitDevs, a crypto currency social network with more than 5,000 members in New York City alone. He used gift cards from CardCoins for the majority of his living expenses, she alleged, including private flights and the rent on their $10,000 a-month apartment. Hartman has twice been stopped by law enforcement while traveling with large amounts of cash, including a November 2018 incident on Amtrak in Chicago, in which authorities found $884,630 in cash in his luggage, and in March 2019, while trying to board a private jet, federal court papers show. In the 2019 incident, authorities said the $409,805 Hartman had stuffed in a large black duffel bag was packaged in a manner consistent with narcotics proceeds, they said in court records. Each time, he was let go without charges and authorities eventually returned most of the cash to Hartman, according to court documents. When S.S. finally broke things off last year, Hartman demanded to keep using the apartment for video meetings so no one would know theyd split; repeatedly sent her demeaning messages, and snuck back in while she wasnt there to secretly record himself having sex with other women, she claimed in the lawsuit. Another text exchange shows Hartman allegedly telling the woman what she is not allowed to eat. SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK The lawsuit includes images purportedly showing Hartman setting up the hidden camera. She found a trove of videos of the secret sex on multiple SD cards Hartman apparently left behind, according to the litigation, including a clip in which one woman could be heard negotiating a $10,000 payment for penetration. In January, he allegedly sent her a link to a Reddit thread about a woman who discovered her boyfriend had been secretly recording their sexual encounters, prompting S.S. to notify the other women in the recordings shed found. Hartman allegedly maintained a trove of footage of secretly recorded sex acts. SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK In response, Hartman allegedly falsely accused S.S. of urging him to commit suicide, contended S.S., who then decided to sue. In a lengthy statement, Hartman denied working for CardCoins, claimed he and S.S. were never married and that he was never violent. Of the hidden camera allegation, he said, Im pretty sure the images in the complaint are from a pet cam that she made me set up to monitor her cats. As the value of digital assets continues to rise, investors and executives in the space are increasingly being targeted by unscrupulous actors of all stripes, he told The Post. Since we were never married, there was no divorce settlement. So this is apparently how she thinks she can exact her pound of flesh, he said. Hartman is accused of recording his encounters with strangers and with his wife. SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK CardCoins said in a statement Hartman does not work for the company and is not a co-owner, while describing the lawsuit in a statement as extremely bizarre, misleading, and defamatory. CardCoins is not being sued by S.S. S.S. is seeking unspecified damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress, battery, rape and other claims. I dont want anyone else to go through what Ive gone through, she said. Hartman can be seen in hidden camera video footage setting up the device immediately before having sex, contends S.S.s attorney, Daniel Szalkiewicz, who added, claims the cameras were used to watch the cat are belied by recordings of other women at his pet-free Harlem apartment as well. No person should ever have to endure the hardships our client has experienced at Mr. Hartmans hands, he continued. We look forward to a court holding Mr. Hartman accountable. At least 40 people have been killed and more than 100 wounded after gunmen (four of them clad in camouflage) attacked a packed concert venue on the outskirts of Moscow, said media reports, citing Russian intelligence. Gunmen have attacked a concert hall on the fringes of Moscow, killing at least 40 people and wounding 100 more, reported BBC citing Russian security services. Crocus City Hall was about to host a rock concert when the gunmen burst into the foyer and then the theatre itself. Much of the building was engulfed by fire and part of the roof collapsed. At least four attackers clad in camouflage gear took part in the attack, in the north-west suburb of Krasnogorsk, it stated. The attack, which Russian authorities are investigating as terrorism, is the deadliest in Russia in recent years. Several gunmen burst into the concert hall on the edge of Moscow and sprayed visitors with automatic gunfire, killing and wounding dozens and starting a massive blaze. Dramatic video showed panicked concertgoers taking cover as shots and explosions rang out. Children are said to be among the casualties and the Russian foreign ministry has condemned a "terrorist attack", reported CNN. Russia's national guard said it was searching for the gunmen who have yet to be identified. The attack unfolded before the music group Picnic was set to perform, according to Russia 24. The bands manager told state media that the performers were unharmed. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Telegram wrote, "The entire world community must condemn this despicable crime!" Meanwhile, The White House said it is working to find out more about the situation and Ukraine has denied any involvement in the attack. Emergency services reported that approximately 100 individuals were evacuated from the basement of a Moscow concert hall following a shooting and fire outbreak on Friday. UNITED NATIONS, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) on Friday delivered robust commitments by United Nations (UN) member states to strengthen financing and institutions to eradicate women's and girls' poverty. Globally, 10.3 percent of women live in extreme poverty today, according to a report presented by the UN secretary-general to the commission, and progress toward ending poverty needs to be 26 times faster to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, according to a UN Women press release. The outcome document recognizes that women and girls living in poverty become "shock absorbers" in times of crises, and that further efforts are needed to increase resources to address women's and girls' poverty. Acknowledging that the international financial architecture is not fit for a crisis-prone world, the commission called for reforms to enable countries to mobilize and invest resources in gender equality. These measures include debt relief and progressive taxation, and ensuring that public resources are allocated to address the needs and rights of women and girls. The outcome document also notes that official development assistance must be increased to address women's and girls' poverty. The share of total aid with gender equality as a policy objective decreased for the first time in a decade from 45 percent in 2019 to 43 percent in 2020, according to the latest data of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The press release says that the commission also called for the implementation of gender-responsive economic and social policies, including increased women's representation, leadership and participation in economic institutions, enforcing core labor standards to ensure equal pay for work of equal value, and implementing policies to support women-owned businesses. During the session, the commission also adopted a resolution on HIV-AIDS led by the Southern African Development Community, which calls to increase investment in gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the HIV-AIDS response. The two-week session is the largest UN gathering on gender equality. CSW68 brought together world leaders, including two heads of state, three vice-presidents, over 100 ministers and 4,800 representatives of civil society organizations, marking the second highest attendance in CSW records. On the sidelines of CSW68, approximately 270 side events were organized by UN member states, intergovernmental organizations and UN entities, and more than 760 parallel events were organized by civil society and youth-led organizations as part of the NGO CSW68 Forum. Attention is now turning to next year's 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) will take place from March 10 to 21, 2025 in New York. CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) Charges have been dismissed against Michael Baltimore, the suspect in a fatal barbershop shooting, and a trial was vacated due to contact between a juror and witness in a separate domestic violence case. According to the Cumberland County District Attorneys office, after a guilty verdict in Baltimores aggravated assault case, the charges were dismissed and the case was vacated due to the improper witness-juror contact. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now abc27 Evening Newsletter The aggravated assault trial, which ended on February 1, included expert testimony on domestic violence. The District Attorneys office says the expert was approached at a restaurant by a juror who thanked her for the testimony, despite witnesses and jurors not being allowed to have contact. The witness notified the district attorneys office and, after reviewing the facts, the district attorneys office says they conceded that in the interests of justice, the guilty verdict must be vacated and the charges dismissed with prejudice. District Attorney McCormack commented, The integrity of our judicial system is of paramount importance, and when a prosecutor makes a wrong decision in trial that imperils the defendants ability to receive a fair trial, as prosecutors we must do what is right to correct that mistake. In this case the prosecutors mistaken belief that the juror contact did not need to be reported to the court, although said mistake was unintentional and not designed to prejudice the defendant, the result of the mistake did result in the defendant being prejudiced. We could not in good conscious argue otherwise to the court and therefore we agreed with defense counsel that the verdict should be vacated, and charges dismissed. McCormack added, I informed the victim of this situation. She is understandably upset by this result. I know it is of no comfort to her, but we very much respect her courage to come forward and testify under very trying circumstances. According to court records, the charges related to the May 2021 shooting death of Kendell Jerome Cook at GQ Barbershop are still pending. A hearing for charges in that case, which include criminal homicide, is scheduled for June 11. Baltimore, who had also appeared on several episodes of the TLC reality television show 90 Day Fiance, was arrested in Florida and extradited to Pennsylvania in 2023 after being on the run. Baltimore was arrested by police in Broward County, Florida on the morning of Friday, Jan. 13, 2023, after being placed on the U.S. Marshals 15 Most Wanted List. Baltimore had worked at the barbershop prior to the fatal shooting. This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. A Gwinnett County father is now facing murder and vehicular homicide charges after a crash that killed three people, including his 5-year-old daughter. Police say that Aaron Vaughn, 30, was going more than 100 miles per hour when the Chevrolet Camaro he was driving crashed into a BMW on Elmside Village Lane earlier this month. The speed limit in the area is 45 miles per hour. The driver and passenger of the BMW, 46-year-olds Armas Harding and Laura Rueda, both died in the crash. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Vaughns daughters, 5-year-old Aura Camarono and a 6-year-old were wearing seat belts, but were not in child safety seats as required by law. Both young girls were taken to Scottish Rite where Aura was pronounced dead. The 28-year-old woman in the front seat of the Camaro is still in the hospital being treated for her injuries. TRENDING STORIES: Vaughn is being charged with murder, three counts of homicide by vehicle, two counts of transporting a child in a vehicle without proper restraint, driver required to wear a seatbelt, two counts of cruelty to children, serious injury by vehicle, reckless driving and speeding. He was arrested and booked into the Gwinnett County Jail on Friday. Auras family described her as a beautiful, innocent, goofy girl whose life was cut too short. She will forever be 5 yrs old. She will be missed by all of us who had the pleasure of knowing her, her family wrote on a GoFundMe page. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: DALLAS - Dallas City Councilwoman Carolyn King Arnold, who also serves as deputy mayor pro-tem, has asked police to provide bilingual flyers to residents in the area where an undercover officer was shot. She went door-to-door to encourage folks to not just see something, say something, but if you know something, do something. It was the shooting of an undercover officer in East Oak Cliff that is moving Arnold. "We can't afford to sit back and allow these types of behaviors to exist in our communities without taking a stand that we're going to take our communities back," she said. King is concerned about recent gun violence in her district in the last month. During that time, there have been three homicides. Overall, violent crime across the city is down, police stats show. Violent crime across Dallas is down more than 19.84%, while aggravated assaults in District 4 that can lead to homicide are down 22.26%. Arnold said, that for crime to continue going down, citizens have to speak up. "We have to remember we're data-driven, and that's why we continue to insist that our constituents, our community members take time to call. Don't wait for the next person to call," she said. At Glendale Park, mother and daughter Lashanna Hughes and Kalen Walker spoke about what they think peoples role is in helping police. "People are, I want to say, they kind of do what's popular, and it's popular not to snitch," Walker said. "So that's what a lot of people follow the way to do." "I don't know necessarily why people don't call, but I'm definitely one of those that will call," Hughes said. Hughes has a different perspective, as violent crime has impacted her. "My son was shot and killed February the 19th, it made two years this year," she said. Keymarcus Walker came home from college one weekend and went to visit a young lady in Glenn Heights, where he was shot and killed by another young man. "A lot of people were, where we were at the crime scene, they were saying things like, Well, we seen the vehicle driving around. A lot of people noticed that the vehicle was not a familiar car, but no one went ahead and called the police," she said. That is what Arnold wants people to do. "If you see something, you got to say something, and now we're saying if you know something, do something," Arnold added. A monument to Mexican presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio stands in Mexico City, Mexico. He was fatally shot March 23, 1994. File Photo by JEDIKNIGHT1970/Wikimedia March 23 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1775, in a speech supporting the arming of the Virginia militia, Patrick Henry declared, "Give me liberty or give me death." In 1909, Theodore Roosevelt began his post-presidency, embarking on the Smithsonian-Roosevelt African Expedition, part specimen collection, part hunting trip. In 1933, the Enabling Act was passed by the German government, giving Chancellor Adolf Hitler the ability to enact laws unilaterally. Opening a session of the Reichstag, Hitler threatened to "destroy all those seeking to damage our people," while at the same time stressing "we are sincere friends of peace and shall heal the wounds from which all are suffering." In 1965, astronauts Gus Grissom and John Young were launched in Gemini 3, the first U.S. two-man crew in space. Along for the ride, a corned beef sandwich snuck aboard the Gemini 3 probe by astronaut John Young. On March 23, 1983, President Ronald Reagan called for the development of an anti-missile defense system to protect the United States from potential nuclear attacks. The Strategic Defense Initiative was dubbed "Star Wars" by some. File Photo by Rich Lipski/UPI File Photo courtesy of NASA In 1966, Pope Paul VI met Britain's Archbishop of Canterbury at the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, the first meeting between the heads of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches in 400 years. On March 23, 2001, the Russian space station Mir was brought down in the Pacific Ocean near Fiji after more than 15 years in orbit. File Photo courtesy of NASA In 1983, the world's first recipient of a permanent artificial heart, Barney Clark of Seattle, died in a Salt Lake City hospital. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan called for the development of an anti-missile defense system to protect the United States from potential nuclear attacks. The Strategic Defense Initiative was dubbed "Star Wars" by some. U.S. President Barack Obama signs the Affordable Care Act surrounded by Marcelas Owens (L) of Seattle, Vice President Joe Biden, Vickie Kennedy (behind the president), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid (R), Rep. John Dingell (R, seated) and other Congress members in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 23, 2010. File Photo by Pat Benic/UPI In 1985, the United States completed the secret air evacuation of 800 Ethiopian Jews to Israel. In 1994, Mexican presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party was fatally shot during a campaign appearance in Tijuana. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, who costar in "Titanic," arrive January 18, 1998, the 55th annual Golden Globe Awards. On March 23, 1998, "Titanic" won 11 Academy Awards, tying the record total won by "Ben-Hur" in 1959. "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" also won 11 -- in 2004. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI In 1996, Taiwan elected Lee Teng-hui in the island's first direct presidential election. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI Former President Theodore Roosevelt during his SmithsonianRoosevelt African Expedition which began on March 23, 1933. File Photo courtesy of The Library of Congress In 1998, Titanic won 11 Academy Awards, tying the record total won by Ben-Hur in 1959. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King also won 11 -- in 2004. In 2001, the Russian space station Mir was brought down in the Pacific Ocean near Fiji after more than 15 years in orbit. In 2010, U.S. President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law. The landmark legislation was designed to extend health insurance to about 32 million Americans over a 10-year period. Obama said it would "set in motion reforms that generations of Americans have fought for and marched for and hungered to see." In 2021, the Ever Given, a large container ship, ran aground and became stuck horizontally in the Suez Canal, blocking traffic for six days. In 2023, Canada announced it had a record 1 million increase in population in 2022 as the government's strategy to address labor shortages and an aging population through immigration stepped up a gear. File Photo by Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI (Bloomberg) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed warnings of a terrorist threat days before the deadliest attack in Moscow in more than two decades killed at least 60 people and wounded 145. Most Read from Bloomberg Putin hasnt appeared or commented in public so far after the assault by gunmen with automatic weapons late Friday against people attending a rock concert at the Crocus City Hall on the edge of the capital. Fire ripped through the massive venue after explosions were heard during the attack, leading to a partial collapse of the roof. SITE, an organization which tracks jihadist channels, said Islamic State had claimed the attack in a Telegram post. Bloomberg was not immediately able to confirm the claim. A manhunt was underway for the suspects, who escaped by car, the RIA Novosti state news agency reported. Russias Investigative Committee said Saturday the death toll may increase, the Interfax news service reported. Its the biggest single loss of life from terrorism in Moscow since Chechen separatists took hostages in 2002 at the Nord-Ost theater, where at least 170 people including the dozens of attackers died during a botched rescue mission. On Tuesday at a meeting with senior Federal Security Service officers, Putin hit out at frankly, provocative statements by Western officials earlier this month warning of a possible imminent terrorist attack in the city. All this resembles outright blackmail and the intention to intimidate and destabilize our society, the president told Russias main internal security service, known as the FSB. The US Embassy in Moscow had issued a public warning on March 7 that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts. While the US didnt say specifically that the warning was related to the attack, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement late Friday that the US government had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow. The US government also shared this information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding duty to warn policy, she added. The assault took place just days after Putin cemented his grip on Russia by claiming a fifth term with 87% of the vote in the presidential election. He was monitoring developments closely, the Kremlin said Friday. Authorities canceled public events and tightened security in cities across the country. Read More: How Putin Ensured Russias Longest Rule Since Stalin: QuickTake The FSB said earlier this month it prevented an attack on a Moscow synagogue by what it called an Afghan branch of Islamic State, Interfax reported. The bloody assault on the capital was a throwback to an earlier period of Putins quarter-century rule, when suicide bombings, most blamed on Islamists from within Russia or its neighbors, killed scores. It shattered the illusion of security in Moscow that Putin has sought to cultivate in the more than two years since he invaded Ukraine. Islamist groups have targeted Russia in the past citing what they call anti-Muslim policies by the Kremlin. The seizure of a school in Beslan in the south of the country led to more than 380 fatalities in 2004. In 2010, twin suicide attacks in Moscow subway stations killed at least 40, while a suicide bombing killed 16, including the attacker, in the St. Petersburg subway in 2017. President Joe Biden was being updated on the events Friday, according to the White House. There was no indication of Ukrainian involvement, spokesman John Kirby said. Some Russian state-media commentators suggested Kyiv may be to blame, but Ukraine denied any role, calling it a false-flag operation by the Kremlin. The US Embassy warning in early March indicates we had intelligence on some sort of planning, said Thad Troy, a former Central Intelligence Agency Russia specialist who served in Moscow. I doubt its a false-flag. Putin is secure and doesnt need to do that. Moscow Insulated Moscow has been largely insulated from the direct effects of Putins February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which his spokesman Dmitry Peskov called a state of war for the first time on Friday. He later walked back the comments. Earlier: Missile Barrage Raises New Worries on Ukraines Nuclear Safety The obvious route for the Kremlin to spin this is that its something to do with the war in Ukraine, said Charles Lichfield, deputy director of the Atlantic Councils GeoEconomics Center in Washington. The immediate response could be more drone attacks and ballistic attacks, but they already increased before the terrorist attacks. Moscows forces have stepped up missile strikes against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure in recent weeks, killing dozens of civilians. Early Friday, it unleashed the biggest missile and drone assault on Ukraine so far this year. At the same time, Ukraine has mounted a campaign of strikes inside Russia with its troops struggling on the battlefield amid delays in vital aid from the US and other allies. Drones have hit factories and oil refineries, while attackers in border regions have staged raids. --With assistance from Peter Martin, Eric Martin and Jennifer Jacobs. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Ninety-three people have been killed and 107 taken to hospital as a result of a terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall near Moscow on the evening of 22 March. Source: Russian Emergencies Ministry; Meduza, a Latvia-based Russian news outlet; Astra, a Russian Telegram channel Details: The death toll has already reached 93 Russians, but the number may increase. The Russian Emergencies Ministry said a total of 107 people remained in hospital after the terrorist attack. The roof of the Crocus City Hall auditorium collapsed. The fire is still being extinguished. Russian leader Vladimir Putin has not yet commented on the attack. Propagandists from RIA Novosti, a Kremlin-aligned Russian news outlet, announced his address on the night of 22-23 March, but later called this announcement a "technical glitch". The Kremlin media reported that the suspects could be Tajik citizens, but the country's Foreign Ministry called this fake news. Events were cancelled in some Russian cities. Background: A shooting incident occurred prior to a concert by the band Piknik at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, on the evening of 22 March. Early reports said at least 40 people were killed and 130 injured. Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) stated that the terrorist attack was a deliberate provocation by Putins regime that had been anticipated by the international community. The White House said it saw no evidence of any Ukrainian involvement in the attack, which has claimed the lives of dozens of people. Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to the Head of the Ukrainian Presidents Office, stated that Ukraine had nothing to do with the attack. Support UP or become our patron! The death toll in Fridays terror attack on a concert in Moscow has soared to at least 133, Russias top state investigative agency said Saturday, with authorities saying they have apprehended 11 suspects, four of whom were directly involved in the onslaught. President Putin addressed the shocked nation in a televised broadcast on Saturday, slamming the massacre as "a bloody, barbaric terrorist act." He declared tomorrow, March 24, as a day of mourning. Putin said that additional security measures have been put in place throughout the country following the attack the deadliest in over 20 years. "All four direct perpetrators of the terrorist attack, all those who shot and killed people, were found and detained," Putin said. "They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them from the Ukrainian side to cross the state border." A view of damage at Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow, Russia after fire was extinguished following a gunman's attack that claimed the lives of at least 115 people. RUSSIA INVESTIGATING SHOOTING, EXPLOSIONS AT CONCERT HALL AS TERRORIST ATTACK The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the deadly attack in a statement on its affiliated social media channels, and the U.S. has said it has intelligence confirming that, according to several outlets. Russia's Investigative Committee said it has opened a criminal probe into the attack. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP However, Putin suggested there may have been a Ukrainian link to the bloodbath. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denied any involvement by his nation. The surprise attack began when gunmen donning combat gear burst into Crocus City Hall in the city of Krasnogorsk, where concertgoers were gathering to hear the Russian band Picnic. Video online showed gunmen opening fire, shooting attendees at close range and setting off smoke bombs. The gunmen also threw explosives inside the concert hall during the attack, rocking the building and setting it on fire, Russian media reported. People were being evacuated, but some remained trapped inside the burning building, Russian media said. The roof of the theater collapsed in the early hours of Saturday morning as firefighters spent hours fighting the flames. Russians laid flowers at memorials and lined up to give blood. Putin said that the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia and other law enforcement agencies are working to identify the entire terrorist support base. "Those who provided them with transport, planned escape routes from the crime scene, prepared caches, caches of weapons and ammunition," Putin said. "It is already obvious that we are faced not just with a carefully and cynically planned terrorist attack, but with the organized mass murder of peaceful, defenseless people. The criminals were cold-blooded and purposefully going to kill, shoot our citizens at point-blank range - our children." The FSB said the attack has been carefully planned. "The weapons that the terrorists used had been placed in a cache in advance," the FSB noted. The FSB had been pinning the blame on Ukraine, with Russia's Investigative Committee saying that four suspects were stopped in the Bryansk region of western Russia, "not far from the border with Ukraine." RUSSIA INVESTIGATING SHOOTING, EXPLOSIONS AT CONCERT HALL AS TERROR ATTACK They planned to cross the border into Ukraine and "had contacts" there, state news agency Tass said, citing Russias FSB. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denied any Ukrainian involvement before ISIS claimed responsibility. "Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia). It makes no sense whatsoever," he said on social media, adding, in part, "there is not the slightest doubt that the events in the Moscow suburbs will contribute to a sharp increase in military propaganda, accelerated militarization, expanded mobilization, and, ultimately, the scaling up of the war. And also to justify manifest genocidal strikes against the civilian population of Ukraine." The attack came just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on power in another electoral landslide. The attack was the deadliest in Russia in years and came as the countrys fight in Ukraine dragged into a third year. Putin has wished all those injured a speedy recovery and praised medical staff, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said. "We together with [Russian Health Minister] Mikhail A. [Murashko] reported to the president on the state of health of patients, the president wished all a recovery and conveyed compliments to doctors," she told reporters. Russian special services are still conducting search operations. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin canceled all mass events in the capital in the next two days, and a number of other Russian regions followed suit. Fox News Brie Stimson as well as The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. Original article source: Death toll rises to 133 in Moscow terror attack, 11 suspects arrested The death toll in Fridays terror attack on a concert in Moscow has soared to at least 133, Russias top state investigative agency said Saturday, with authorities saying they have apprehended 11 suspects, four of whom were reported to be directly involved in the onslaught. President Vladimir Putin addressed the shocked nation in a televised broadcast on Saturday, slamming the massacre as "a bloody, barbaric terrorist act." He declared Sun., March 24, a day of mourning. Putin said that additional security measures have been put in place throughout the country following the attack the deadliest in over 20 years. "All four direct perpetrators of the terrorist attack, all those who shot and killed people, were found and detained," Putin said. "They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them from the Ukrainian side to cross the state border." RUSSIA INVESTIGATING SHOOTING, EXPLOSIONS AT CONCERT HALL AS TERRORIST ATTACK A view of damage at Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow, Russia after fire was extinguished following a gunman's attack that claimed the lives of at least 115 people. The Islamic State group, aka ISIS, claimed responsibility for the deadly attack in a statement on its affiliated social media channels, and the U.S. has said it has intelligence confirming that, several outlets have reported. Russia's Investigative Committee said it has opened a criminal probe into the attack. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP The intelligence community said it believes the ISIS affiliate in Afghanistan called Islamic State Khorasan, or "ISIS-K" as it is known, carried out the attack, a U.S. official told Fox News. It is the same terrorist group that killed 13 American service members at Abbey Gate during the hasty U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. The White House released a statement Saturday, condemning the attacks. "The United States strongly condemns the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. We extend our deepest condolences to those who lost loved ones and to those who were injured or affected by these unconscionable attacks against innocent civilians. ISIS is a common terrorist enemy that must be defeated everywhere," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson echoed the White House's statement that ISIS terrorists were responsible for the attack. "In early March, the US Government shared information with Russia about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow," she said. "We also issued a public advisory to Americans in Russia on March 7. ISIS bears sole responsibility for this attack. There was no Ukrainian involvement whatsoever." However, Putin suggested there may have been a Ukrainian link to the bloodbath. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denied any involvement by his nation. The surprise attack began when gunmen donning combat gear burst into Crocus City Hall in the city of Krasnogorsk, where concertgoers were gathering to hear the Russian band Picnic. Video online showed gunmen opening fire, shooting attendees at close range and setting off smoke bombs. The gunmen also threw explosives inside the concert hall during the attack, rocking the building and setting it on fire, Russian media reported. People were being evacuated, but some remained trapped inside the burning building, Russian media noted. The roof of the theater collapsed in the early hours of Saturday morning as firefighters spent hours fighting the flames. Russians laid flowers at memorials and lined up to give blood. Putin said that the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia and other law enforcement agencies are working to identify the entire terrorist support base. "Those who provided them with transport, planned escape routes from the crime scene, prepared caches, caches of weapons and ammunition," Putin said. "It is already obvious that we are faced not just with a carefully and cynically planned terrorist attack, but with the organized mass murder of peaceful, defenseless people. The criminals were cold-blooded and purposefully going to kill, shoot our citizens at point-blank range our children." Russian firefighters search through rubble after the Moscow terror attack The FSB also said the attack had been carefully planned. "The weapons that the terrorists used had been placed in a cache in advance," the FSB noted. The FSB had been pinning the blame on Ukraine, with Russia's Investigative Committee saying that four suspects were stopped in the Bryansk region of western Russia, "not far from the border with Ukraine." RUSSIA INVESTIGATING SHOOTING, EXPLOSIONS AT CONCERT HALL AS TERROR ATTACK They planned to cross the border into Ukraine and "had contacts" there, state news agency Tass said, citing Russias FSB. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denied any Ukrainian involvement before ISIS claimed responsibility. "Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia). It makes no sense whatsoever," he said on social media, adding, in part, "there is not the slightest doubt that the events in the Moscow suburbs will contribute to a sharp increase in military propaganda, accelerated militarization, expanded mobilization, and, ultimately, the scaling up of the war. And also to justify manifest genocidal strikes against the civilian population of Ukraine." U.S. intelligence in March collected evidence that Islamic State-Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, the branch of the group based in Afghanistan, had been planning an attack on Moscow, officials told the New York Times. ISIS members have been active in Russia, one U.S. official told the outlet. WARNING: DISTURBING CONTENT: The State Department confirmed to Fox News that U.S. intelligence had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow potentially targeting large gatherings, to include concerts which prompted the agency to issue a public advisory to U.S. citizens in Russia. The U.S. government also shared this information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding duty to warn policy. It is not clear how much information the U.S. gave Russian officials beyond what was in the public warning. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken condemned the attack on Saturday. "We send our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and all affected by this heinous crime," Blinken said in a statement. "We condemn terrorism in all its forms and stand in solidarity with the people of Russia in grieving the loss of life from this horrific event." The attack came just days after Putin cemented his grip on power in another electoral landslide. The attack was the deadliest in Russia in years and came as the countrys fight in Ukraine dragged into a third year. Putin has wished all those injured a speedy recovery and praised medical staff, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said. "We together with [Russian Health Minister] Mikhail A. [Murashko] reported to the president on the state of health of patients, the president wished all a recovery and conveyed compliments to doctors," she told reporters. Russian special services are still conducting search operations. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin canceled all mass events in the capital in the next two days, and a number of other Russian regions followed suit. Fox News Brie Stimson as well as The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. Original article source: Death toll rises to 133 in Moscow terror attack, 11 suspects arrested Emergency vehicles are parked near the burning Crocus City Hall following a reported shooting incident on Friday. (Maxim Shemetov/Reuters) The death toll rose Saturday to at least 133 and a number of suspects were in custody, according to Russian officials, after gunmen stormed a Moscow concert hall Friday in the deadliest attack in the capital city in years. The militant group ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack Friday night on social media. More than 140 people were also injured in the onslaught, in which numerous gunmen armed with rifles entered the hall before a concert, opening fire on attendees and setting the premises ablaze. Here's what we know. What happened Friday's shooting occurred at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, west of central Moscow. RIA Novosti, a Russian state-run news agency, reported that assailants in camouflage "burst into the ground floor of the venue and opened fire with automatic weapons. Videos posted to social media and confirmed by U.S. news outlets showed men with rifles moving through the concert hall, firing on those in attendance. Photos and videos from the scene also showed the concert hall engulfed in flames. According to NBC News, the Russian progressive rock band Picnic was scheduled to perform a sold-out show at the 9,500-seat venue on Friday. According to officials, the shooting occurred before the start of the show. The gunmen escaped after the attacks, but Russian authorities later said they had detained 11 people, including the four suspects they believe responsible for the shooting. Who is Islamic State? Law enforcement officers stand guard outside Crocus City Hall on Friday. (Maxim Shemetov/Reuters) The Afghanistan branch of ISIS, which the United States has designated as a terrorist group, said in a message posted Friday night to the Telegram messaging app that it had attacked a large gathering on the outskirts of the Russian capital Moscow," and that the attackers had "retreated to their bases safely," according to the Moscow Times. A U.S. intelligence official confirmed to the Associated Press that the group had orchestrated the attack. Primarily based in Iraq and Syria, the Islamic State and its offshoots are a Sunni jihadist group. They also operate also in Afghanistan and Africa and have been known to recruit fighters from Russia. What are authorities saying? President Vladimir Putin, addressing the country Saturday, attempted to link the attacks to Ukraine, which has been under Russian invasion since February 2022. Putin said the alleged assailants had been attempting to flee to Ukraine, without providing any evidence. Ukraine, however, denied any involvement in the attacks. "This is of course another lie from the Russian special services, which has nothing in common with reality and does not stand up against any criticism," a Ukrainian spokesperson told the Reuters news agency. U.S. had warned of possible extremist attacks A massive blaze is seen over Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow on Friday. (Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP) Earlier this month, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow issued a security alert warning that it was monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, including concerts. The March 7 statement advised U.S. citizens in the Moscow area to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours. According to Reuters, the embassy issued its warning several hours after Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said it foiled an attack on a synagogue in Moscow by a cell of the militant Sunni Muslim group Islamic State. Shooting comes on heels of Putin's reelection Friday's deadly attack comes less than a week after Putin won a fifth term in a landslide election that U.S. and other Western leaders denounced as a sham. Speaking Saturday for the first time on the tragedy, Putin vowed to punish those behind the attack, and said security measures had been tightened up across Russia. He also announced that Sunday would be a day of mourning for the nation. DeLand firefighters attempt to put out a fire at VFW Post 2380 just south of downtown DeLand Friday night. Fire damaged DeLand VFW Post 2380 Friday night, according to the DeLand Fire Department. No injuries were reported. Firefighters were called and arrived at approximately 10:09 p.m. finding heavy, dark smoke pushing from the roof and eaves of the building. They found no one inside. DeLand firefighters battle a blaze at the Veterans of Foreign War Post 2380, at 510 S. Alabama Ave., near Spec Martin Stadium. No one was hurt. The DeLand Veterans of Foreign Wars post is located at 510 S. Alabama Ave., just across from Spec Martin Stadium and Earl Brown Park. The State Fire Marshal's Bureau of Fire Arson and Explosives has been asked to determine the cause, the DeLand Fire Department wrote in a Facebook message. Four DeLand Fire Department units worked the fire and received assistance from the Volusia County Fire Rescue. Latest on New Smyrna Beach Fire: Pappas Drive In manager, longtime customer set up GoFundMe to help staff after fire This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: DeLand VFW Post 2380 damaged in fire Friday night ADDIS ABABA, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major causes of death in Africa, killing hundreds of thousands of people every year, African Union (AU) officials have said. The officials made the remarks at an event to mark the 2024 World Tuberculosis Day, which falls on March 24 every year to raise people's awareness of the deadly disease, at the AU headquarters here, on the theme of "Yes! We can end TB." "The statistics are sobering with Africa bearing a disproportionate burden, accounting for 23 percent of the global TB burden and over 33 percent of TB deaths," said Sheila Shawa, a senior technical specialist of the African Union Commission (AUC). Referring to a WHO report that reveals an estimated 2.5 million people fell ill with TB in Africa, resulting in around 424,000 deaths in 2022, Shawa said TB topped the leading causes of death in the continent in the following year. She said vulnerable populations such as children and adolescents can be at much higher risk of developing active TB especially when their immune systems are compromised by malnutrition, HIV or other chronic diseases. Sabelo Mbokazi, head of division of labor, employment and migration at the AUC, said TB response by member states is shockingly underfunded. "African countries need to address the social determinants of health including poverty, inequality, lack of access to health care and awareness about the disease. They are the drivers of TB prevalence in the continent," said Mbokazi, adding that the disease is challenging the continent's health security. Noting domestic investment for TB programs has been a perennial challenge across the continent, he urged for mobilizing additional resources to deal with TB in children and adolescents particularly following the setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Francis Chisaka Kasolo, director of WHO liaison office at the AU and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, expressed concern over slow progress in addressing childhood TB in Africa, with 60 percent of children (0-14 years) with TB not diagnosed. "Ending TB is not a matter of science and policy; it is a matter of will and collective action by all," Kasolo said. Member states and partners are urged to take immediate action to ensure a holistic and comprehensive TB response to end TB in Africa by 2030. DENVER (KDVR) Whether you have a brand-new home, one that has been around a few years, or even one that is as old as Colorado, it doesnt matter: You can breathe new life into it with great information, advice and products from the Denver Home Show. For 26 years the Denver Home Show has been a destination location for those seeking information about anything home. Snowmobiling: A fun, fast way to see Colorados outdoors We have got flooring, weve got hot tubs, weve got massage chairs, weve got handyman services, windows, roofing, everything, said Show Manager Dave Maughn. Inside the Hall of Education at the National Western Complex, you will find hundreds of experts, vendors, and folks who offer up goods from hardwood to hot tubs. But the real bonus is information. Its like I always say, you can come to this show and talk to three or four or more exhibitors in a certain industry. So if you want to get windows, for instance, you could talk to four or five different window companies, and get bids from all of them, said Maughn. You can also talk to Wei Li who owns and operates Simple Morea. Li makes unique hanging plants without pots. The outside is a moss and twine ball. Inside its just regular soil, said Li. Make sure you stop by and say hello to HGTVs Unsellable House Twins, Lyndsay and Leslie Davis. The Denver Home Show started Friday and runs through Sunday, March 24. Tickets are available at the door and at denverhomeshow.com. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. Next year marks the end of the first quarter of the twenty-first century. Reflecting on the last 24 years conjures up all sorts of turning points: the September 11 attacks, the Great Recession, and the Covid-19 pandemic. But the most enduring one might be the release of the iPhone in 2007. More than any other device of the internet age, Apples flagship product erased the divide between the digital world and the real world. In the smartphone-driven era that followed, people can no longer simply log off. After it changed modern life, change might be now coming to the iPhone. The Justice Department, along with 16 state attorneys general, announced on Thursday that it had filed a major antitrust lawsuit against Apple for monopolizing smartphone markets. In court filings, the department accuses Apple of maintaining the iPhones dominance by undermining rival phonemakers that could offer cheaper alternatives through unfair and anticompetitive tactics. Consumers should not have to pay higher prices because companies violate the antitrust laws, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. We allege that Apple has maintained monopoly power in the smartphone market, not simply by staying ahead of the competition on the merits, but by violating federal antitrust law. If left unchallenged, Apple will only continue to strengthen its smartphone monopoly. The case is a huge test for the Biden administrations renewed emphasis on antitrust enforcement, especially where Big Tech is concerned. But the implications of this case could go far beyond a single administrations checklist. The iPhones dominance is so entrenched that any disruption could have far-reaching consequences. That, the government suggests, is precisely why it must be challenged. Apple reached the top of the smartphone market through innovation, the Justice Departments 88-page complaint alleged, but it then sustained that dominance through monopolistic tactics. Ironically, the government pointed to its own successful antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft in the 1990s as the starting point for Apples rise. The 2001 consent decree that ended the antitrust battle required Microsoft to allow companies and third-party developers to produce their own browsers and media players for the Windows operating system. The ubiquity of iPod and iTunes on Windows, in part because of a successful antitrust enforcement action against Microsoft, contributed to the development and success of Apples next flagship productthe iPhone, the complaint explained. But after launching the iPhone, Apple began stifling the development of cross-platform technologies on the iPhone, just as Microsoft tried to stifle cross-platform technologies on Windows. Part of that dominance comes from the App Store, where iPhone users can install a wide variety of apps by third-party developers onto their devices. For the overwhelming majority of iPhone owners, the App Store is the exclusive means by which they can download these programs. Apple, according to the government, wields near-dictatorial power over developers who want to distribute apps through the App Store, mainly through contractual conditions and lack of alternatives. It also collects hefty fees on every transaction through the store, in what the complaint described as monopoly rents. As Apple exercised its control of app distribution and app creation, Apple slowed its own iPhone innovation and extracted more revenue and profit from its existing customers through subscriptions, advertising, and cloud services, the government alleged. These services increase the cost of switching from the iPhone to another smartphone because many of these servicesincluding its proprietary gaming, cloud storage, and news serviceare exclusive to the Apple ecosystem, causing significant frictions for iPhone users who try to use alternative services on another smartphone. This isnt the first time that the App Store has come under scrutiny. The European Union passed the Digital Markets Act in 2022, which will soon require Apple to allow for alternative app stores and in-app payment systems. In 2021, developer Epic Games filed an antitrust lawsuit of its own against Apple in the United States to challenge some of its App Store practices. A federal judge ruled in 2021 that Apple could no longer ban app developers from directing users to in-app payment options that would circumvent Apples 30 percent tax on in-app purchases. The Justice Departments lawsuit nonetheless goes much further than past regulatory efforts to tackle what it describes as more subtle means of monopolistic behavior on Apples part. Nearly every person who owns a smartphone, for example, has experienced the green-bubble issue. Messages between two or more iPhone owners show up as blue on iMessage, while texts between iPhone owners and owners of other smartphones show up as green. The green-bubble thing is more than just an aesthetic choice. iPhone-to-iPhone conversations enjoy the full suite of iMessages capabilities: emoji reactions, encryption, the three-dot bubble that shows when someone is texting you, and so on. Including even a single non-iPhone user in a group chat with other iPhone users breaks that functionality. The Justice Department described this as an intentional tactic to undermine other smartphones viability in the marketplace. This signals to users that rival smartphones are lower quality because the experience of messaging friends and family who do not own iPhones is worseeven though Apple, not the rival smartphone, is the cause of that degraded user experience, the complaint said. Many non-iPhone users also experience social stigma, exclusion, and blame for breaking chats where other participants own iPhones. This effect is particularly powerful for certain demographics, like teenagerswhere the iPhones share is 85 percent, according to one survey. Owners of Androids and Pixels are probably familiar with this phenomenon, and even iPhone users can probably recall times when theyve had an initial moment of frustration at seeing that green bubble appear. Apples tactics, the complaint argued, reinforce the companys market share not because Apple has made its smartphone better, but because it has made communicating with other smartphones worse. The Justice Department also alleged that this strategy is entirely intentional by Apples leadership. Apple recognizes that its conduct harms users and makes it more difficult to switch smartphones, the complaint said. For example, in 2013, Apples Senior Vice President of Software Engineering explained that supporting cross-platform OTT messaging in Apple Messages would simply serve to remove [an] obstacle to iPhone families giving their kids Android phones. In March 2016, Apples Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing forwarded an email to CEO Tim Cook making the same point: moving iMessage to Android will hurt us more than help us. Apples constellation of iPhone-related products also came under the departments scrutiny. In 2015, Apple released the Apple Watch to enter the wearable-devices market. The Justice Department alleged that Apple used that product to maintain its iPhone dominance in two ways. On one hand, the company restricts the degree to which third-party wearables can interact with the iPhone; only the Apple Watch has access to functions like notifications, for example. On the other hand, the Apple Watch is exclusively compatible with the iPhone. The Justice Department said that exclusivity is designed to make it harder for customers to switch products down the line. If Apple can steer a user towards buying an Apple Watch, it becomes more costly for that user to purchase a different kind of smartphone because doing so requires the user to abandon their costly Apple Watch and purchase a new, Android-compatible smartwatch, the government claimed. Those tactics exert their own gravity over industries beyond the smartphone market. Part of the Justice Departments complaint alleges that Apple blocks other digital-wallet apps from using Apple Pays tap-to-pay functionality. That refusalas well as the iPhones dominanceallows Apple to extract fees from banks that Samsung and Google dont seek. It also claims that Apple has told automakers that upcoming versions of Car Play will take over all of the screens, sensors, and gauges in a car, forcing users to experience driving as an iPhone-centric experience if they want to use any of the features provided by CarPlay. (Apple recently abandoned its own plans to enter the auto industry.) Taken as a whole, the Justice Department claimed that each of Apples tactics reduces competition from rival smartphone makers, suppresses innovation by third-party app developers, and ultimately harms consumers. Apples conduct has made its own products worse, sacrificing the short-term profits Apple could earn from improving the iPhone in order to preserve the long-term value of maintaining its monopoly, the complaint alleged. Apple goes to great lengths to maintain the iPhones market dominance because it is incredibly lucrative. When it became the worlds first $3 trillion company in 2023, Apple alone amounted to roughly 8 percent of the value of the entire S&P 500, an index of the largest publicly traded companies on U.S. stock exchanges. Apples net income exceeds any other company in the Fortune 500 and the gross domestic products of more than 100 countries, the complaint noted. The majority of that revenue comes directly from iPhones. Apples golden goose wont stop laying eggs any time soon. Major antitrust cases can take a while to work themselves out. The Justice Department is already waging legal battles with Amazon and Google, two of Silicon Valleys other giants, over their own anticompetitive practices. And even if regulators prevail, their proposed solutions are not as far-reaching as they were against Microsoft a quarter-century ago, when the government sought to break up the company in the manner that Standard Oil and the Bell System were eventually brought to heel. People will likely still buy a lot of iPhones, year after year. Indeed, Apples rise over the last 25 years shows the virtues of vigorous antitrust enforcement. The Justice Departments consent decree against Microsoft forced it to surrender some of its Windows-led dominance. Now, thanks to its cloud-computing division and investments in generative A.I. programs, Microsoft recently surpassed Apple to become the worlds most valuable company once again. And if regulators successfully loosen the iPhones alleged grip on tech innovation, the next big thingwhatever that may becould be coming right behind it. The North Atlantic Alliance has announced details of a meeting of foreign ministers of its member states to be held on 3-4 April to mark the 75th anniversary of NATO's founding, with a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council planned on the sidelines. Source: NATO press service Details: The official part of the meeting will begin at 11:00 on 3 April, when Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and other ministers will give brief comments to the media as they arrive at the meeting. This will be Sweden's first meeting as a full member of the Alliance. A joint address by Stoltenberg and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled for 12:30, followed by a ministerial meeting at 13:00. At 16:45, Stoltenberg will hold a press conference following the meeting. The next day, ministers will begin arriving at the event at 07:00. The 75th anniversary celebrations will begin at 08:00, with speeches by many foreign ministers. At 10:30, there will be joint statements from Stoltenberg and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, and at 11:00, the NATO-Ukraine Council will begin. At 14:00, Allies will hold talks with partners in the Pacific. The events will conclude with the Secretary General's final press conference at 16:25. Background: Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Jens Stoltenberg recently coordinated their positions ahead of the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting. During the conversation, Kuleba stressed the need to increase and speed up the supply of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine. For his part, the NATO Secretary General also called on the Allies to show political will and do everything possible to ensure that Ukraine receives the weapons and ammunition it needs as soon as possible. Support UP or become our patron! Five projects across Devon and Cornwall have received funding in a bid to save venues from closure. More than 2m has been announced, saving assets such as local pubs, community centres and a music venue from closure. It is the third investment from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities' Community Ownership Fund. A total of nine projects across the South West have been given funding. The department also announced 33.5m on Saturday to save more than 80 projects across the UK. 'Major rescue package' The Cornwood Inn is one of the projects which has been given funding. Funding of more than 8,000 will help the pub to modernise its kitchen facilities. Cornwood Inn Action Group Ltd Chairman Justin Rees said they took over the pub and all of its "old cooking equipment" in 2019. He said the current equipment was "inefficient, difficult to clean and unreliable". Mr Rees said funding will go towards updating the pub kitchen which will allow staff to serve customers "much quicker and more reliably". Mr Rees said the old equipment was "unreliable" Lynton and Lynmouth Town Council has also received funding to support the provision of community toilets. Funding has been announced to support the Kennerleigh Community Shop new build. Falmouth Town Council has received funding for The Princess Pavilion. St Ives Town Council has been given funding for the Market House to purchase and and allow it to become a more inclusive and accessible place. Minister for Levelling Up Jacob Young said community assets were "vital" to people across the UK. "That's why we're stepping in to protect them with a major rescue package," he said. "So we stop these great establishments closing or being lost forever and ensure that they continue to sit at the heart of our beloved communities." The third round of funding from the community ownership fund, which has helped 333 projects, brings the total spending to 103.1m. Follow BBC Cornwall on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Follow BBC Devon on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh has announced its plans to celebrate Holy Week. This years schedule includes several public services at Saint Paul Cathedral in North Oakland and some community events. This is the most important week of the year for Christians. We reflect deeply on Jesus Passion and death, through which He atoned for the sins of all people. His rising from the dead on Easter Sunday breaks the power of sin and death, calling us to share the joy and hope of the Resurrection, Bishop Zubik said. Celebrations begin on Palm Sunday and will wrap up on Easter Sunday. The schedule is as follows: Palm Sunday: 3/24/24 10 a.m.: Mass at Saint Paul Cathedral (Fifth Avenue and Craig Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213) Holy Thursday: 3/28/24 10 a.m.: Chrism Mass at Saint Paul Cathedral (Fifth Avenue and Craig Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213) 2:30 p.m.: Mass at the Allegheny County Jail. Bishop Zubik will wash inmates feet 7:00 p.m.: Mass of the Lords Supper at Saint Paul Cathedral. The cathedral will be open for private prayer until midnight. Good Friday: 3/29/24 1:30 p.m.: Liturgy with Bishop Zubik 7 p.m.: Prayer service with Bishop Zubik, the presider, and local leaders of other faith denominations Holy Saturday: 3/30/24 10 a.m.: Blessing of the City of Pittsburgh from the overlook across from Saint Mary of the Mount Church (403 Grandview Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15211) 12 p.m.: Blessing of food and Easter baskets at Saint Paul Cathedral with Bishop Zubik 8:30 p.m.: Easter vigil at Saint Paul Cathedral Easter Sunday: 3/31/24 10 a.m.: Easter Mass at Saint Catherine Laboure Parish in St. Louise de Marillac church (320 McMurray Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15241) 2-4 p.m.: Easter Blessing of families at St. Paul Cathedral with bishops of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Prayers will be held at 2 p.m. Bishops will meet with families individually afterward Anyone who wants to view the liturgies from home can do so on the diocese YouTubes channel or on their Facebook page. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Teen testifies against best friend accused of causing deadly North Park crash Photos: Ex-Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett selling his Cranberry Township home Mitch Trubisky, former Steelers QB, selling Edgeworth home VIDEO: 13 years ago: EF2 tornado ripped through Westmoreland County DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts Disgraced former New York congressman George Santos announced hes leaving the embarrassing Republican Party on the same day that Congress passed a $1.2 trillion bipartisan spending bill to keep the federal government running, followed by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene vowing to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson for working with Democrats. After todays embarrassing showing in the house I have reflected and decided that I can no longer be part of the Republican Party, Santos posted on X. The Republican Party continues to lie and swindle its voter base. I in good conscience cannot affiliate myself with a party that stands for nothing and falls for everything. Republicans joined Democrats in voting to expel Santos from Congress in December following revelations he lied about almost every aspect of his life before being elected to office in 2020. The United States Attorney Generals office has charged him with dozens of crimes, including conspiracy to commit offenses against the U.S. and making materially false statements to the Federal Election Commission. The 35-year-old Queens native denies wrongdoing. Santos said Friday hes suspending his campaign to reenter Congress as a Republican and will instead attempt to win without party support. I will take my Ultra MAGA/Trump supporting values to the ballot in November as an independent, he declared. Santos, who previously served in New Yorks 3rd District, now hopes to compete for a 1st District seat. His candidacy is considered a longshot. _____ Former Slovakia foreign minister Ivan Korcok is one of two leading candidates for the country's presidency (TOMAS BENEDIKOVIC) Slovak ex-foreign minister Ivan Korcok and current parliament speaker Peter Pellegrini will face off in April's presidential election runoff, near-final results showed Saturday. The liberal Korcok led with 42.44 percent backing with 99.9 percent of the vote counted, while former prime minister Pellegrini earned 37.07 percent, the Slovak Statistics Office said. The result was expected by analysts as the 48-year-old Pellegrini and 59-year-old Korcok topped the opinion polls before the vote marked by deep divisions on the war in neighbouring Ukraine. Korcok, backed by the opposition, is staunchly pro-Ukraine like outgoing president Zuzana Caputova, a government critic who chose not to seek a second term. Former premier Pellegrini is a part of the Russia-leaning ruling camp led by Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has questioned Ukraine's sovereignty and called for peace with Russia. Though the office is largely ceremonial, Slovakia's president ratifies international treaties, appoints top judges and is commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The head of the NATO and EU member of 5.4 million people can also veto laws passed by parliament. - 'Slovakia's interests first' - Korcok, who would likely face stiff opposition from the Fico team if elected, said he would "like to address all voters" before the April 6 runoff. "I want to appeal to voters who disagree with the direction this government is dragging Slovakia... including in foreign policy." "I want to be a president who... will represent the country abroad and at home and who will take independent decisions, without getting orders," Korcok added. Pellegrini hailed the result as "a huge success", pointing out that many voters opted for nationalists among the nine presidential candidates. "The results have shown that most people in Slovakia do not want a liberal, progressive president," he said. Most Slovaks want "a president who will defend Slovakia's national interests, who will not drag Slovakia into a war but will talk about peace, who... will put Slovakia's interests first," Pellegrini added. But, casting his ballot earlier on Saturday, he insisted Slovakia would stay anchored in the European Union and NATO after the election. - 'Calm and wise' - At a polling station in Bratislava, pensioner Juraj Jankovich said Pellegrini "was a calm and wise prime minister and he will be a good president". Graphic designer Zora Puskacova in turn said Korcok "would be a worthy representative of Slovakia abroad". Bratislava-based analyst Pavol Babos told AFP Pellegrini would "most likely act as an ally for the government coalition led by Robert Fico". The two have been long-time political allies, and Fico has over the years appointed Pellegrini to various positions, including parliamentary speaker and education minister. Pellegrini also became head of government in 2018 after Fico was toppled as premier. Comprising Fico's Smer, Pellegrini's HLAS and the far-right SNS parties, the Slovak cabinet in office since last October has refused to provide military aid to Ukraine, battling a Russian invasion since February 2022. - 'A counterweight' - Pellegrini also urged "an immediate ceasefire and the opening of peace negotiations" on Ukraine in the last presidential debate. Korcok, a diplomat who has represented Slovakia in the United States, Germany and Switzerland, has instead urged Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine. "The Russian Federation has trampled on international law... I do not think Ukraine should give up part of its territory to achieve peace," he told AFP. Babos said that Korcok would "very likely be a counterweight to the government coalition and... seek to correct the government's undemocratic tendencies" at home. Fico's cabinet has recently come under fire for adopting a controversial criminal code reform including easing the penalties for corruption and economic crime. Though running as an independent, Korcok is backed by opposition parties who believe a Pellegrini win would pave the way for presidential pardons of government allies found guilty of corruption. juh/frj/aph DNA found in a piece of discarded chewing gum led to the arrest and conviction of a suspect in a 1980 cold case murder in Oregon, prosecutors say. Robert Plympton, 60, was found guilty last week on one count of first-degree murder and four counts of second-degree murder in the killing of Mt. Hood Community College student Barbara Tucker, according to a news release from the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office. Nineteen-year-old Tucker was kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and beaten to death on January 15, 1980, the release states. Charges of rape and sexual abuse against Plympton were dropped, according to a document released by the DAs office. Plympton had pleaded not guilty, and his attorneys say they intend to appeal his convictions. We will appeal, and we are confident that his convictions will be overturned, attorneys Stephen Houze and Jacob Houze said in a statement to CNN. Plympton remains in custody in Multnomah County while he awaits sentencing, the DAs office said. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June. Witness heard screaming Barbara Tucker - Tucker Family/Gresham Police Department Witnesses had seen a woman in apparent distress around the time of the murder, the document from the DAs office states. One woman described seeing a female waving her arms with a bloody face, while another said she saw a man peeking through the bushes next to (the college) parking lot, A man said he heard a woman screaming and saw two figures in the distance, and a fourth witness reported seeing a woman with mud on her pants, waving her arms on the side of the road. Tuckers body was discovered the following morning near a parking lot by students who were on their way to class at the college in Gresham, the DAs news release states. These cold cases are not lost or forgotten for our department, then-Police Chief Claudio Grandjean said in a statement after Plymptons arrest in June 2021. Each one represents a person to our officers, and their tragic stories are passed down through the generations in hopes of one day bringing honor to their names and a sense of justice and closure to their cases. Swabs taken during Tuckers autopsy were used to create a DNA profile of the suspect, according to the DAs news release. A break in the investigation came after police asked Virginia-based DNA technology company Parabon NanoLabs to look at the profile and try to identify possible matches. A snapshot phenotype prediction, or a test to predict someones physical traits based on their DNA, helped genetic genealogists narrow down possible suspects something Parabons Chief Genetic Genealogist CeCe Moore said, ended up being key in this case. Moore said while she was building family trees of the people who shared DNA with the sample provided by police, she discovered World War II draft record cards of red-headed men. This case at the time was the most confident red hair prediction Parabon scientists had ever had, Moore told CNN. So, there was extremely high likelihood that the person who murdered and raped Barbara had red hair. That helped because it made me focus on one particular line of the family and follow that red hair down. And then I landed in Oregon. Suspect placed under surveillance In March 2021, Moore was able to identify Robert Plympton as the likely suspect, she said. Investigators used that information to begin surveilling Plympton and were able to collect a wad of chewing gum that detectives witnessed him spit out, the DAs office said. DNA pulled from the gum matched the profile from the autopsy swabs and Plympton was arrested on June 8, 2021. I was just totally taken a back. It was amazing, Tuckers sister, Susan Pater, told CNN affiliate KATU in an interview at the time. It was really good news. Id given up, Pater said. Moore calls the case one of the highlights of my career in genetic genealogy. Were never going to give someone a happy ending, she said. I just am so fortunate that I ended up in a position to be able to help families and survivors of violent crime. Its incredibly meaningful. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Doctors at a gender-critical conference were ambushed by aggressive masked protesters who let off a smoke bomb and had to be held back by police. Dozens of officers were required to prevent the demonstrators gaining entrance to the first conference of the Clinical Advisory Network on Sex and Gender conference held on Saturday in London. Video footage showed the protesters, dressed mainly in black and waving flags, blocking the entrance and jostling with police. Police officers were required to prevent demonstrators gaining entrance to the conference - Jamie Lorriman Held at the headquarters of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), the conference brought together doctors, academics and parents to discuss current controversies in the care of children and young people with gender-related distress One attendee said on X, formerly Twitter, that the protesters had been violent. Another, Elaine Miller, a physiotherapist, said: Met Police were great outside RCGP when a crowd of very aggressive, masked and mistaken people were cross that a bunch of HCPs [health care professionals] want to talk about excellence in healthcare. Jane Symons, vice-chair of the Medical Journalists Association, said: Its the first time I have ever attended a medical conference requiring police protection. Healthcare should be driven by evidence not ideology. One banner appeared to read trans power. Speakers at the conference included Sonia Appleby, the former safeguarding lead at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, whose transgender clinic was ordered to be shut down after a review found it was not safe for children. Puberty blockers were given to children as young as 12 at the clinic. Smoke bombs were let off by the protesters - Jamie Lorriman Another speaker was Ritchie Herron, who was billed to speak about his regrets at undergoing hormone treatment and genital surgery. A statement by the Metropolitan Police said: At 9.45 a group attempted to gain access to an event in Euston Square they were prevented from doing so by police. The event has proceeded without disruption. A smoke flare was set off in the crowd in Euston Square. No reported injuries or damage. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The United Kingdom recently faced pushback from several major automakers over its ambitious plan to phase out gas-powered vehicles and accelerate the shift to electric cars. Toyota, Jaguar Land Rover, and Nissan were among the companies lobbying to weaken or delay the UK's zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, according to documents seen by the Guardian. What happened? Under the ZEV mandate, 22% of new cars sold in 2024 must be zero-emission, rising to 80% by 2030. Carmakers that fail to meet the targets would face heavy fines. However, Toyota, which recently recalled its first electric cars, said it was "extremely concerned" that the goals would be "challenging for manufacturers like Toyota" and could cause financial and brand damage. Jaguar Land Rover said it was "far from certain" carmakers could hit the early targets, calling them "unachievable." But not all automakers pushed back. Volkswagen, Ford, and Tesla argued the ZEV mandate should actually be tougher. Ford said the trajectory "can be met by many manufacturers" and "will ensure that those that are lagging accelerate their development." Why is the lobbying concerning? Transportation is a top contributor to atmospheric pollution, which causes temperatures to rise and triggers extreme weather events. In some cities, up to 95% of all carbon pollution comes from vehicles. Phasing out gas-powered cars and shifting to EVs is vital for maintaining our planet's health and the health of our neighbors with compromised respiratory systems. The lobbying reveals a troubling dynamic. While some automakers are racing ahead to produce EVs, others are tapping the brakes. This risks prolonging the reign of cars that pollute our air. As Volkswagen put it, the ZEV rules are "ambitious but generally feasible." Laggard carmakers risk losing ground in the EV revolution. They could cede market share to electric leaders like Tesla and BYD, and their factories and workers could be stranded as clean cars take over. What's being done about the lobbying? To their credit, UK leaders largely held the line. While allowing some wiggle room, they preserved the core ZEV mandate and targets. "Clearly a lot of carmakers, whilst being enthusiastic about the EV transition in public, had reservations about these trajectories in private," said EV expert Tom Riley, author of the industry newsletter The Fast Charge. "It will be interesting to see how this manifests with the ZEV mandate kicking in from January." As consumers, our choices matter, too. Opting for EVs tells our automakers that clean cars are in demand. Before buying a new gas-guzzler, check out the growing array of electric models. They boast lower operating costs, cheaper "fuel," and impressive performance. By combining smart policies and market choices, we can keep the pedal down on the shift to electric mobility, building a cooler, cleaner world for all. Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet. YAOUNDE, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Suspected separatist fighters killed a prominent mayor in Cameroon's English-speaking region of Northwest on Saturday morning, according to local police. Solomon Nkwato, the second deputy mayor of Babessi Council of Ngoketunjia Division in the region, was shot dead as he was about to leave his home, police said without elaborating. Local media reported that the mayor was known for leading peace-building efforts among young people in the region. An armed separatist conflict has been going on in Cameroon's Anglophone regions of Northwest and Southwest since 2017. The separatists want to break away from the majority of French-speaking Cameroon and create an independent nation. Amy Watkins Jensen, a volunteer leader in her Mormon church who was indignant when the church said women could no longer sit in a place of honor, at her home in Walnut Creek, Calif. on March 21, 2024. (Jason Henry/The New York Times) On Sunday night, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encouraged women around the world to gather to celebrate the Relief Society, a womens organization in the church that was observing its 182nd anniversary. In a video produced for the event, J. Anette Dennis, a leader in the Relief Society, spoke glowingly about womens roles in the church. There is no other religious organization in the world, that I know of, that has so broadly given power and authority to women, she said. But when the churchs official Instagram page posted an excerpt from Dennis speech, including that quote, the response was immediate, overwhelming and largely negative. What a joke! one commenter wrote. The sexism in this organization runs deep. The post had more than 14,500 comments as of Friday morning, with some critical comments receiving thousands of approving likes. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times Anger had flared a couple of days earlier when comments were deleted before being restored. In a comment on the post and in emails to The New York Times, the church blamed an Instagram glitch. A spokesperson for Meta, which owns Instagram, said there was no issue that had affected comments. The conversation quickly burst out of the bounds of the churchs comments section and into a flurry of text messages among church women, who shared accounts of feeling marginalized and belittled in their interactions with church leaders. The Instagram post had tapped into a long-running seam of discontent among some women in the church, who have chafed at the churchs restrictions and say that its discussion of empowering women is essentially hollow. Women are not eligible for the churchs priesthood, a designation of God-given authority that applies to only men. The church makes a distinction between priesthood authority, accessible only to men, and priesthood power, available to all. As in many other religious traditions, women are barred from specific leadership roles, and from some meetings. We are collecting and reading the comments on all the posts and appreciate knowing these heartfelt messages, concerns, thoughts and experiences, the global president of the Relief Society, Camille Johnson, said in an email sent by a spokesperson for the church. The church provided the comments by Johnson in response to a request to interview Dennis. Johnson noted that hundreds of thousands of people watched a broadcast of the Relief Societys celebration. The intense interest we experienced demonstrates the importance of these issues to women of faith, she said. The current groundswell began last fall, when a regional authority cracked down on a practice in the San Francisco Bay Area of inviting female leaders to sit on the stand, a raised seating area facing the congregation during Sunday services. The stand is a place of status, reserved for presiding authorities, roles for which only men are eligible, along with any others participating in a specific service, including women and children. Local leaders had extended that invitation to some female leaders who were not participating in services. When the church took away this gesture of representation, Amy Watkins Jensen was indignant. She has three daughters and is a lifelong church member, who had been able to sit on the stand in her capacity as a volunteer leader. We do this labor and it should not be invisible, she said. She spoke with her bishop, and continued up the chain of authority, all of whom were men. Nothing changed. She wrote a public letter, which almost 3,000 Latter-day Saints signed, and started an Instagram account, Women on the Stand, asking for clarity and consistency on the issue for the global church. Watkins Jensens immediate concern was local but spread quickly to other communities. In Seattle, a therapist and lifelong church member, Kierstyn Kremer Howes, was awake with her newborn in the middle of the night when she read about the removal of women from the stand in Watkins Jensens region. I was just like, Im so tired of this, she recalled. You go to church and all you see are male leaders, and all the people we talk about in the scriptures are male, Kremer Howes said. Everything good and glorious and wonderful is in the male voice or looks male. She dashed off a fiery opinion essay (I call it pissy, my mom calls it saucy) calling for church women to stay home from church on March 17, the anniversary of the Relief Society. We do a lot of work, and when we ask for representation for that work, we get denied, she said. So lets just stop doing it. Kremer Howes doesnt believe many women actually stayed home from church on Sunday. (Several women said they supported the idea but realized if they stayed home they would have to ask other women to cover their volunteer responsibilities.) But the churchs Instagram post kept the discussion going. Theres not one single decision a woman can make in this church that cannot be overruled by a man, said Cynthia Winward, a co-host of the podcast At Last She Said It, which focuses on women in Latter-day Saints culture. She said that the discussion of womens access to the stand is a notable milestone in the ongoing conversation about women in the church, because it is being driven by women who by definition are deeply involved in the church. The women given access to the stand had been seated there because of their volunteer work and leadership. Its not fitting the narrative anymore of, Its just fringy feminists, Winward said. These are mainstream women. For some women, the backlash over the post does not capture their own experiences. Ive never been in a situation where Ive been with a male leader or a male counterpart in the church and felt like they didnt hear me because Im a woman, said Hayley Clark, who lives in Utah. She compared her experience in the church favorably with the condescension she has occasionally faced as a female business owner, and said she was encouraged by the quote posted by the church. For others, the contretemps reminded them of deeper disagreements they have with the church. About one quarter of American Latter-day Saints say they have thought about leaving, compared with 16% of the population overall who have considered leaving their religion, according to a 2022 survey by the Public Religion Research Institute. Sarah Schow is pregnant with her second child, a boy. As a preteen, her son will have more authority in the church than I will ever have, she said, referring to a rule allowing boys to be ordained to the all-male priesthood the year they turn 12. Schow, who now lives in Canada, belonged to wards in Montana, California and Washington as a child. She recalled being taught as a child that she had a divine nature, of which femininity, procreation and nurturing were essential pieces. Now, however, she wonders about the churchs vision for her. Is her only role to be silent and supportive? She cited an emotional ballad from the movie Barbie in describing her disillusionment with the institution she has belonged to her whole life: What Was I Made For? c.2024 The New York Times Company Donald Trump Jr. is on the search for a "fighter" to run alongside his father, former President Donald Trump, in the 2024 race for the White House. Highlighting the importance of the vice presidential role, Trump Jr., who is lobbying his father to choose a running mate who is willing to take on distinct challenges, told the New York Post that the position needs someone who can take the political attacks and hit back. "What I want in that role is, I want a fighter," said Trump Jr., 46. "I understand what they are going to throw at us." "In 2016 you needed someone to balance out [the ticket] thats where Mike Pence made sense, sort of the yin and yang, but [given] the vicious nature of the swamp and the insanity we see on a daily basis, you need someone who can take those hits," said Trump Jr., the former president's eldest child. BILL MAHER PANICS OVER TRUMP'S GAIN WITH YOUNG VOTERS: BIDEN MIGHT LOSE 'BECAUSE HOT DOGS COST MORE' "What I want in that role is I want a fighter," Donald Trump Jr. told the New York Post of his hopes for his father's running mate. In his comments to the outlet, Trump Jr. said he's pushing people like Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio; former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy; and former Fox News host and conservative commentator Tucker Carlson. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Trump Jr., although he said he will "never rule anything out," told the Post that he isn't looking to serve in his father's administration if he gets re-elected this November, a stark contrast to that of his sister, Ivanka, and her husband, Jared Kushner both of whom served in senior White House roles during Trump's first term in office. RUBIO SAYS BEING TRUMP RUNNING MATE WOULD BE 'INCREDIBLE HONOR' Should Trump get re-elected later this year, Trump Jr. noted that he plans to be "very active" with the 2024 presidential transition team. However, the Post reported that Trump Jr.'s girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle, would remain committed to fundraising. "Mostly just to make sure we stop some of the D.C. swamp rats and the swamp creatures from getting in there and doing their thing," he said. Former President Donald Trump speaks at his caucus night event, with sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. looking on, at the Iowa Events Center on January 15, 2024, in Des Moines, Iowa. As for other individuals he would like to see run alongside his father, Trump Jr. mentioned John Ratcliffe, who previously served as the director of national intelligence, and Cliff Sims, a former special assistant to Trump who made a variety of claims in a 2019 tell-all memoir detailing his brief stint at the White House. Trump Jr. is mostly searching for someone who will be "loyal" and put forth the "America First" agenda that his father has preached for the last decade. TRUMP RUNNING MATE SCREEN TESTS: POTENTIAL CONTENDERS AUDITION FOR VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOD "There are so many great people to choose from now with the first four years of the administration, you have a good understanding of who would be great and loyal and implement the America First policies," he said. Despite past remarks that his father has made with regard to political retribution, Trump Jr. told the outlet that his father is "going to lead the country the way its supposed to be led" and insisted that his sole "retribution will be success for our country." Earlier this year, Trump said he already knew whom he was going to select to serve as his running mate, but wouldn't announce their name yet. "I know who it's going to be," Trump said during a Fox News Town Hall event in January in Iowa. Donald Trump Jr. speaks to supporters at a rally for his father on February 23, 2024, in Charleston, South Carolina. Earlier this month, several reports suggested that Trump had ruled out having Ramaswamy serve as his running mate and was instead considering him for a cabinet position. Several other leading Republicans including South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson have been rumored to be under consideration as the former president's running mate. Original article source: Donald Trump Jr. wants a 'fighter' to serve as Trump's VP: 'Someone who can take those hits' Protesters from Fossil Free Now gathered in the museum - Avalon/Joao Daniel Pereira Eco-activists scattered black confetti at Londons Science Museum in protest at a new exhibition sponsored by an Indian energy company. The South Kensington-based museum is currently holding an exhibition titled Energy Revolution: The Adani Green Energy Gallery. Protesters from Fossil Free Now gathered in one of the museums stairwells to scatter black confetti and sing in protest at the exhibitions sponsors. A chorus of protest at the Science Museum to protest their dirty, oily sponsors, read a post by the group on X, formerly known as Twitter. Were standing together as a coalition to say our museum is NOT for sale to fossil fuel companies or weapons producers like Adani. Footage posted to X by Fossil Free Now shows protesters singing on a staircase in the museum, throwing what appears to be black confetti as they descend. Protesters objected to Adani's presence in the Science Museum - Shutterstock/Joao Daniel Pereira The words environment justice now can be made out from the 15-second clips soundtrack. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said no arrests had been made. Sir Ian Blatchford, the chief executive of the Science Museum, said: Engaging our audiences with the science of climate change the defining challenge of our time is a key priority for the Science Museum Group. Our innovative new gallery will explore how we might achieve the urgent energy transition the world needs to see, a project made possible by generous sponsorship from Adani Green Energy, a major renewable energy business based in India whose huge population is expected to drive the biggest energy demand growth of any country in the world in the coming decades. Sir Ian continued: We recognise that some campaigners have strong views about sponsorship and wish to see wholesale disengagement from entire sectors. Our trustees disagree with that view and have clearly articulated our approach, both in terms of robust governance and in urging companies, governments and individuals to do more to make the global economy less carbon intensive something Adani Green Energy is making a big contribution to. Adani Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate with substantial interests in energy. Known for coal mining and importing the carbon-based fuel into its home country of India, it recorded sales worth $17 billion in the year to March 2023, according to Bloomberg. The protesters gathered to sing in protest at the exhibition's sponsors - Shutterstock/Joao Daniel Pereira Adanis founder, Gautam Adani, personally hailed the Science Museum exhibition in a post on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. This landmark gallery will showcase the scientific vision of a sustainable future, powered by renewables and low carbon technologies, said the businessman, who is worth a reported $100 billion (79.3 billion). A post on Fossil Free Nows Instagram account advertising the protest ahead of Saturday described Adani as a coal producer, human rights abuser, weapons manufacturer and claims the company sponsors ethnic repression in Gaza, Myanmar and India, without providing evidence. Adani signed an industrial partnership deal with Israeli defence contractor Elbit Systems in 2018 to manufacture the Hermes 900 surveillance drone, an aeroplane whose origins lie in the same design as the British Armys Watchkeeper uncrewed aircraft. Fossil Free Now has previously been linked to Greta Thunberg, who was arrested and charged with a public order offence after attending one of its protests outside an oil and gas conference. She was later cleared after a judge threw the case out, saying a police-imposed condition on the protest that she was accused of breaking was so unclear that it is unlawful. 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. El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks says concerns about SB 4, if it becomes law, are "overblown" and he doesn't expect the controversial Texas law to have a massive impact on the El Paso and West Texas border. Any arrest made, Hicks said, would be adjudicated using "prosecutorial discretion." "The concerns that have been expressed over (SB 4) cases in my jurisdiction in the 34th Judicial District, I honestly believe are very overblown," he said during a news conference on March 22. "I do not anticipate seeing very many of these cases." Hicks, who oversees the 34th Judicial District which includes El Paso, Hudspeth and Culberson counties, has talked to law enforcement in all three counties to discuss how his office will prosecute case involving arrests made under SB 4 a law that would give Texas law enforcement broad authority to arrest and detain anyone suspected of entering the country illegally. El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks speaks at a news conference Friday, March 22, 2024, about SB 4 and its possible impacts on El Paso and West Texas. "I do not believe that we will see very many of these cases, if any, here in El Paso County," Hicks said. "After talking with the sheriffs in Hudspeth and Culberson counties, I don't believe we're going to see very many of these cases, if any, in either of those two counties. "That's just not the way our law enforcement is structured. That's not the way our law enforcement is set up. We just do not see very many cases of people coming across the border into Texas in this type of situation and we just don't see an appetite from our law enforcement to try to enforce aspects of this law." El Paso County and two immigrant rights organizations locally-based Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center and Austin-based American Gateways filed a lawsuit against SB 4 late last year. A month later the Justice Department filed a lawsuit as well against SB 4. The lawsuits have been combined. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the law could go into effect March 19 and sent the case back to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. However, the implementation of the immigration law is on hold as of Friday afternoon as arguments continued on it in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. A date on when a ruling will be made is unknown. Will SB 4 cases be prosecuted in El Paso, Hudspeth and Culberson? If the law goes into effect, Hick said he will use "prosecutorial discretion" on which cases his office will move forward with. "The law is the law, and it has to be enforced," Hicks said. "Once an arrest is made, only at that point can I then exercise prosecutorial discretion on a case-by-case basis for what we will or will not actually prosecute ... I cannot control a law enforcement agency. So any law enforcement agency has the ability to develop probable cause and make an arrest. "That being said, my office has the ultimate say so on what cases are going to be prosecuted in Hudspeth, El Paso and Culberson counties." Under Gov. Greg Abbott's Operation Lone Star, which spread into El Paso after Mayor Oscar Lesser issued a state of emergency in 2022 because of an increase in migrants arriving at the border, state troopers have aggressively pursued migrants at the border. Texas National Guard soldiers and DPS troopers have used razor wire placed on U.S. territory to keep migrants from moving further north to surrender to Border Patrol agents to seek immigration relief processing. Opponents of the law and even some El Paso law enforcement officials are warned that large number of arrests could overwhelm county jail space. Others worry that the new law will lead to race profiling placing an extra government burden on those who live at the border. Cases where the migrants were racially profiled or had their civil liberties violated will not be prosecuted, Hicks said. "We're very conscious of any kind of allegations of profiling," Hicks said. "We're very conscious of any kind of allegations of civil liberty violations, and we are very zealously guarding individuals' civil liberties and individuals' rights regarding their fourth amendment rights to be protected against illegal searches and seizures." More: As Texas SB 4 law debate rages, El Paso law enforcement stuck in the middle The main focus for his Hicks will remain on prosecuting violent crimes, driving while intoxicated and other criminal cases involving victims, he said. "Our office is short staffed and we don't have a lot of resources to spend on prosecuting cases that don't involve acts of violence, that don't involve DWI or that don't involve a direct impact to the citizens of our community.," Hicks said. "We will evaluate every case on a case-by-case basis that comes to us. But as it stands right now, (SB 4) is on hold, even if it were to be in place, I still don't anticipate very many of these cases right now." More: SB 4 again put on hold as 5th Circuit Court schedules Wednesday hearing on how to proceed When it comes to immigration-related case, the DA's office is targeting human smuggling cases, Hicks said. "We know that females are being trafficked," he said. "The smuggling cases have also led to stash house discoveries. We are seeing increasingly large numbers of firearms being recovered, and we are also seeing females who have been sexually trafficked. Our focus remains on the smuggling cases." What will the cost of enforcing SB 4 be on the DA's Office and El Paso County Jail? In a confrontation with Texas National Guard soldiers Thursday, March 21, more than 425 migrants breached razor wire barriers to reach the border wall, Hicks said. One person was arrested for assaulting a national guardsman. He used Thursdays incident to highlight the impact SB 4 could have on El Paso County Jail resources. Arresting the 425 migrants who breached the concertina wire would cause major issues at the El Paso County Jail and Jail Annex as the facilities cannot hold large amounts of inmates, Hicks said. A migrant observes migrants who breached the concertina wire on the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas on March 21, 2024. The migrants were hoping to be processed by Border Patrol. "We are also very cognizant of the limited resources that El Paso County has to book people in our county jail," Hicks said. "Our county jail is very full at the moment. Of course, according to jail standards, we can't be completely full. So there is room in our county jail. So if a person does commit a violent offense, you can make sure that they will be booked in the county jail. But somebody who is not committing a violent offense, there just is not a lot of room to book (those) people into our county jail. We don't have a lot of resources." The El Paso District Attorney's Office has been approved by the Texas governor's office for a $1.1 million grant to help prosecute any SB 4 cases. The money will be used to hire a senior prosecutor, a paralegal, a victim advocate, and an investigator, Hicks said. The funds will also be used for other resources needed by the district attorney's office "from a vehicle to computers and everything else," he said. "We are still working with the governor's office and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to set up other resources that the county will be able to utilize to further enable us to prosecute these cases, as well as the smuggling cases, which will take some of the financial burden off of El Paso County taxpayers," Hicks said. If Hicks' prediction that SB 4 will not make up a lot of cases in the El Paso area, the state's $1.1 million grant should be enough to cover SB 4 cases. More: Hundreds of migrants breach razor wire barrier in El Paso as Texas SB 4 remains in limbo "Based on what I anticipate being a reality for prosecution under SB 4, I think between our existing programs and the additional $1.1 million, we'll be able to handle the prosecution of what we anticipate happening with SB 4," Hicks said. El Paso community members should not worry about SB 4 cases hindering prosecutors from handling other El Paso criminal cases, Hicks said. "Absolutely not," Hicks said. "If your case is currently pending or there are additional new cases coming, our office is more than prepared to handle those cases. We're not going to shortchange the rest of El Paso and the victims' cases in El Paso because of SB 4. That will not happen." Aaron Martinez may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on Twitter @AMartinezEPT. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso DA not anticipating large number of SB 4 cases EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The El Paso Sector Border Patrol is warning residents on both sides of the border of the dangers of entering the International Boundary and Water Commission canals after a recent water rescue. 2 people rescued from canal in Lower Valley On Tuesday, March 19, the Ysleta Border Patrol and the El Paso Fire Department successfully rescued two migrants from the canal, west from the Zaragoza International Port of Entry, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). CBP says that every year, large water volumes of water are released into the canals from reservoirs upstream in New Mexico. The canals are deeper than they appear and often carry strong water currents and powerful undertow as more water is released for irrigation purposes. Ruthless criminal smugglers continue to recklessly endanger the lives of vulnerable migrants who do not understand the dangers of illegally crossing the border and are often coerced into these unpredictable canals. Transnational criminal organizations treat migrants as commodity for their own selfish financial gain and have little regard for their safety, El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Anthony Scott Good said. In 2024, the El Paso Sector has performed over 290 rescues, according to CBP. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection are encouraging residents to report suspicious activity to 1-800-635-2509. Residents calling will remain anonymous. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (WJHL) The Elizabethton Police Department will close several roads in the downtown area for the Milligan University bike race on Sunday, March 24. Health Wagon to provide free medical care to Wise, Clintwood Sycamore Street, East E Street, Riverside Drive, and Hattie Avenue will be closed starting at 8 a.m. Access to businesses, residences and churches along those roads will still be permitted, but caution is advised. Drivers are asked to be cautious and aware of road closures until 4 p.m. on Sunday after the race is completed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. A cancer diagnosis is a heart-wrenching blow to anyone, but it comes with even more complications if you are a member of the royal family. Catherine, Princess of Wales, 42, announced Friday in a video on her social media platforms that she has been diagnosed with cancer. "In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London. And at the time, it was thought that my condition was noncancerous," she said. "The surgery was successful, (but) after the operation (doctors) found cancer had been present." The princess went on to explain that she is having "preventative" chemotherapy. Prince William and Princess Kate arrive for a a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace in central London on November 21, 2023, for South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee on their first day of a three-day state visit to the UK. The announcement follows weeks of speculation about Kate's well-being after she stepped away from public appearances for a "planned abdominal surgery" in January and after King Charles, 75, also announced a diagnosis of an undisclosed form of cancer. The lack of transparency surrounding the whereabouts and condition of the princess fomented conspiracy theories and rampant speculation. Kate's video, which did not specify what kind of cancer she is fighting, appeared to be a direct response to the confusion and anger: She explained that she and her husband, Prince William, 41, wanted time to break the news to their children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5. The conspiracy theories can be put to rest now that the news is out there, but what happens next for Kate, her family and the British monarchy? What does Kate's cancer diagnosis mean for the monarchy? The British monarchy has long been a symbol of strength and longevity in the United Kingdom, illustrated by the slogan "keep calm and carry on." But now, with two senior members of the royal family fighting a potentially fatal disease, it's looking significantly shakier. "Were just as a nation coming to terms that our monarch is going through cancer treatment ... and now weve been dealt a double blow," says Katie Nicholl, author of The New Royals and Vanity Fair's royal correspondent. "So the royal family is looking pretty vulnerable." "The late Queen Elizabeth II reputedly said, 'I have to be seen to be believed,'" says Carolyn Harris, co-editor of "English Consorts: Power, Influence and Dynasty" and a professor at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. The queen "was constantly appearing in public and traveling." Without two of its most important members in the public eye, the monarchy is taking a blow. But, as Nicholl notes, the Windsors have survived crises before: "The show will go on, because it has to." Will Kate continue to step back from public life? It seems that way. "It's likely that we're going to see William and Catherine and their children out of the public eye," Harris says. Chemotherapy is a famously taxing medical treatment that can cause nausea, vomiting, hair loss, fatigue and many other side effects, according to the Mayo Clinic. While King Charles has been undergoing his own treatment for cancer he has kept up mandatory constitutional duties, such as meeting with the British prime minister, but minimized public appearances and interactions. Experts expect a similar approach from Kate but declined to speculate when she might return to a public schedule. Will other members of the royal family step up in Kate's absence? Yes. With the princess and the king out of commission, you can expect Queen Camilla and Prince William to take a bigger role, along with more royals along the big family tree. Harris predicts that "Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and even Queen Elizabeth the second's cousin Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester (will be) undertaking a very busy schedule of royal engagements." Not on the list? Prince Harry and his wife, Duchess Meghan, who stepped away from royal life in 2020. What will happen with Kate's husband, Prince William, and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis? The young royals are about to begin an Easter break from school, a time of year that Kate and William traditionally step away from royal duties to spend time together as a family. Nicholls predicts the press will give the family the space they are asking for at this difficult time. But if not, the royals won't be shy about asserting their privacy. "We know from the past how protective (William) is of his children and his family; hes taken legal action in the past" against the media, Nicholls says. "If he has to, he'll take legal action again to protect his wife." But with Kate and the king in treatment, William will have more responsibility, personally and professionally. "Prince William is carrying the burden of the crown, which could come to him sooner than he hoped. He's going to have to hold the fort while caring for his wife and caring for three young children at home," Nicholls says. "Hes got his father to worry about and now his wife as well." Will the 'Where is Kate' conspiracy theories die? The uproar over her whereabouts is likely to die down now that she released the "very personal message to the public," Harris says. "Shes been able to address a lot of speculation (in) allowing the public to see her and hear her speak and to know the condition shes experiencing." That won't stop a hunger for details about every aspect of Kate's experience now that royals watchers know what's going on. "There's going to be less scrutiny of Catherine's health, but there's going to continue to be a lot of public interest in her course of treatment, (and) when she will return to public duties." What will happen if Kate dies from her cancer? Although Kate shared a message of positivity in the video announcing her diagnosis, most people worry that any kind of cancer can be fatal. Many are already making comparisons to Kate's late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, the last princess of Wales, who died in 1997 at age 36. If Kate died, it would "bring back memories of the young William and Harry losing their mum," Harris says. "There would be tremendous sympathy for young George and Charlotte and Louie as another generation of the royal family growing up without their mom." As a member of the royal family who married in, Kate is not in the direct line of succession, so her death would not change the future monarchs (William and George are next in line). But Kate is an integral member of the family, and losing her would be bad for the monarchy as a whole. "This would be a real blow to the the monarchy as an institution as well. Kate is one of the most popular and and prominent members of the royal family. " This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What Kate Middleton's cancer means for royal family moving forward A single grain of ice ejected from Jupiter 's ocean moon Europa , if captured by NASA's forthcoming Europa Clipper spacecraft, could be enough to reveal evidence of alien life, a new experiment suggests. "With suitable instrumentation, such as the SUrface Dust Analyzer on NASA's Europa Clipper space probe, it might be easier than we thought to find life, or traces of it, on icy moons," said Frank Postberg of Freie Universitat Berlin in a statement . Postberg is a co-author of a new study describing the findings. The first dedicated mission to this frozen Jovian moon, Europa Clipper is currently scheduled to blast-off in October 2024. It's expected to arrive in 2030, then perform nearly 50 close fly-bys of Europa, skimming the icy surface at altitudes as low as 25 kilometers (16 miles). The mission's primary objective is to learn more about the habitability of Europa's subterranean ocean and the thickness of the ice shell above it. The mission is not designed to find life, to be clear but scientists are now realizing there may be a way. Related: The Weird Plumes of Jupiter's Moon Europa Are Spewing Water Vapor One of Europa's fellow ocean moons is Enceladus , a small, icy body in orbit around the ringed planet Saturn . In 2006, the Cassini mission to Saturn discovered plumes of water vapor belching out from Enceladus' ocean through large fractures in the surface, nicknamed "tiger stripes." In 2014, the Hubble Space Telescope observed what appeared to be a similar looking plume towering 200 kilometers (125 miles) above Europa's surface. Two years later, it saw another plume emanating from the same location. Then, in 2018, NASA astronomers revealed that the old Galileo probe ,which operated in orbit around Jupiter between 1995 and 2003, had actually flown through a plume . Under the assumption that Europa Clipper may also fly through an icy moon plume, scientists led by Fabian Klenner of the University of Washington in Seattle investigated whether the spacecraft's Surface Dust Analyzer (SUDA) might be able to detect any life carried up from the ocean on the plume. SUDA is designed to study particles of Europa's surface ice and dust sputtered into space as the moon is constantly bombarded by micrometeorites, but perhaps it could analyze ice grains in the plumes, too. Simulating high-velocity impacts of ice grains on the instrument in a laboratory would be pretty impractical, so instead Klenner's team fired a thin, fast-moving jet of water vapor loaded with a bacterium called Sphingopyxis alaskensis into a vacuum chamber. Sphingopyxis alaskensis is found in sea waters off the coast of Alaska, and is at home in cold temperatures and while surviving off few nutrients. It's one of the closest things we have to a life-form on Earth that could survive in Europa's ocean. a marbled, blurry blue background shows a split image of a scarred, grey planet, with a white blob labeled 'plume' on the left of each. More pertinently to the Europa Clipper's potential for finding such life, the bacteria "are extremely small, so they are in theory capable of fitting into ice grains that are emitted from an ocean world like Enceladus or Europa," said Klenner in the statement. The vacuum resulted in the water jet disintegrating into droplets that froze as ice grains. The grains were then studied with a mass spectrometer, mimicking how SUDA will study any grains that it picks up in real life. The results of the experiment showed that Sphingopyxis alaskensis, or at least the parts of it that form ocean scum, could indeed be detected from studying just a single ice grain. "We have shown that even a tiny fraction of cellular material could be identified by a mass spectrometer on board a spacecraft," said Klenner. "Our results give us more confidence that using upcoming instruments, we will be able to detect lifeforms similar to those on Earth, which we increasingly believe could be present on ocean-bearing moons." Europa Clipper's instruments are not capable of identifying DNA, but SUDA could detect fatty acids and lipids, which can form biological cell membranes. In Earth's oceans, it is the lipid membranes that contribute to the thin film of ocean scum on the water's surface. It's this scum that gives sea-spray its distinctive odor. Related Stories: Europa Clipper may be able to spot shallow lakes that erupt icy 'lava' Surprise! Jupiter's ocean moon Europa may not have a fully formed core NASA's Europa Clipper gets science gear to probe ocean moon of Jupiter "For me, it is even more exciting to look for lipids, or for fatty acids, than to look for building blocks of DNA, and the reason is because fatty acids appear to be more stable," said Klenner. If there is life in Europa's ocean containing lipid membranes, then there's a greater chance that the biological components can remain in one piece for Europa Clipper to detect. The findings were published on March 22nd in the journal Science Advances . COLOMBO, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday urged to fulfill the requirements in medical and nursing sectors amid pressing shortage of medical professionals. About 30 percent to 40 percent of doctors or nurses trained in Sri Lanka opt to leave the country, according to the President's Media Division (PMD). Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the accident and emergency care unit of Point Pedro Base Hospital in northern Sri Lanka, Wickremesinghe said enhancing healthcare services nationwide would actively contribute to the country's economic prosperity. Several trade unions have previously said about 1,700 doctors and thousands of other medical professionals have left the country in the past two years due to the economic crisis. By Angelo Amante ROME (Reuters) - European far-right parties met in Italy on Saturday vowing to curb immigration to the continent and to oppose a second five-year term for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The parties gathered in Rome, galvanised by polls suggesting nationalist and far right parties are likely to make strong gains in elections to the European Parliament in June. But beyond agreement on toughening immigration rules, faultlines have become apparent in Europe's far-right camp. The meeting of the Identity and Democracy (ID) group included delegations from Italy's League, France's Rassemblement National (RN), Austria's Freedom Party (FPO), Portugal's Chega and Belgium's Vlaams Belang. "A country that does not defend its borders, a European Union .... that does not defend its borders commits murder against its people," said Italy's League leader Matteo Salvini. Salvini is deputy prime minister in Giorgia Meloni's government but has failed to include her in the ID group. The ID group is now the sixth-largest in the EU assembly, but current polling data place it in fourth position. Meloni's Brothers of Italy party is part of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR). While the ECR is firmly on the Ukrainian side in its fight against Russia, ambiguities lie within the ID's ranks. Salvini, who in the past has been a staunch admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said "warmongers" like French President Emmanuel Macron were a problem for Europe, after Paris opened the door to European nations sending troops to Ukraine. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who addressed the rally via video link, taunted Meloni suggesting she would support EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for a second mandate. "Giorgia ... will you support a second von der Leyen term or not? I believe so. And so you will contribute to worsening the policies that the people of Europe are suffering from so much," she said, noting her ally Salvini would oppose this. ID held a similar meeting in Florence in December, but this time the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, one of its key members which has been hit by racism allegations at home, was not invited. Some senior League figures, the governors of the wealthy northern regions, also did not show up, underscoring discontent inside a party which is now polling below 9% after hitting a record 34% at the 2019 EU elections. (Reporting by Angelo Amante and Giulio Piovaccari; editing by Christina Fincher) The March 15-17 presidential election was the most rigged in Russia's modern history, according to evidence published by election experts, observers, and media. Estimates of vote rigging range from at least 22 million votes to about 31.6 million votes, without taking into account the online voting and the election at gunpoint in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. If these results are included, voting fraud could have amounted to up to around 40 million votes, or 46% of the people who allegedly voted. The evidence for voting fraud included video footage from polling stations and a mathematical analysis of election data. Apart from voting fraud, intimidation, the forced voting of state sector employees, massive state propaganda, and the exclusion of stronger competitors from the presidential race were used to ensure the desired result. Read also: Putin wins rigged Russian election; Ukrainians in occupied territories vote at gunpoint "This is the Chechenization of the electoral process," Russian political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin told the Kyiv Independent, implying that election results all over Russia now resemble those in Chechnya, which is famous for its blatant voting fraud. "There has never been such an amount of vote rigging before." Mathematical analysis, video footage Russian election expert Sergei Shpilkin has devised a method to estimate the amount of vote rigging in Russian elections. In normal, or Gaussian, distribution in any election, the turnout does not increase as a candidate's result increases. This distribution looks like a core on graphs created according to Shpilkin's method. But if the turnout increases simultaneously with a candidate's result, a "comet tail" emerges on the graph, and it indicates that there was voting fraud, according to Shpilkin. The increase in official turnout figures is a result of ballot stuffing or other vote-rigging methods. According to Shpilkin's methodology, there is no reason why a candidate's result should correlate with the turnout unless there is vote rigging. In the 2018 presidential election, there was a core of normal distribution and a comet tail of rigged votes, according to Shpilkin's analysis. In the comet tail, Putin's results soar simultaneously with the turnout. People queue outside a polling station during Russia's presidential election in Saint Petersburg on March 17, 2024. (Olga Maltseva/AFP via Getty Images) In the 2024 election, the comet tail is bigger than the core, and it does not resemble normal distribution at all, according to an analysis by Russian election expert Ivan Shukshin based on Shpilkin's methodology. Russian independent publication Meduza concluded that "vote rigging was an exception before 2024, but now it has become the norm." Another sign of rigging is that 2024 election results peaked at round figures, Shukshin wrote. This distribution of results looks like a saw on graphs, which led to the nickname "Putin's saw." This can only be explained by the assumption that election commissions used round figures they got from the Kremlin to rig votes, according to Shukshin. Numerous polling stations also had identical turnout figures that changed at the same rate during the election. Read also: Western leaders denounce Putins election victory, fall short of refusing to recognize results Video evidence of vote rigging in the 2024 election has also been published. One of the videos from a polling station has become viral due to election commission employees' comic movements. The footage shows them kneeling before a ballot box and lying under it. It also shows the members stuffing ballots into the box and then shaking the box to split the pack of stuffed ballots they inserted. Oreshkin argued that the massive scale of vote rigging in the recent election is a result of officials' impunity. They have received an indulgence from the Kremlin to do whatever they want to rig the results in favor of Putin and have never been punished for it, he added. Numbers Shukshin estimated that 22 million votes were rigged in the 2024 election, excluding electronic voting and voting in the occupied territories. Novaya Gazeta Europe, an independent Russian publication, estimates the voting fraud at 31.6 million votes. This figure also excludes electronic voting and voting in the occupied territories. The second most rigged election in Russia's modern history appears to be the 2020 vote on constitutional amendments. The vote eliminated term limits and allowed Putin to be elected president after 2024, effectively making him a dictator for life. Russian-born election expert Alexander Kireyev estimated the amount of rigged votes in 2020 at 20 million. Russia's 2021 parliamentary election was not far behind. According to Shpilkin, around 14 million votes were rigged. Compared to these events, the 2018 presidential election was less flawed. Based on an analysis of mathematical data, Shpilkin estimated vote rigging in the 2018 presidential election at 8.6 million votes. A group of independent election observers cited by Russian independent media outlet Meduza has analyzed video footage from cameras installed at polling stations in the 2018 election. They found massive evidence of voting fraud and concluded that votes were rigged at polling stations representing more than 25% of the voters. Voting in Moscow In previous elections, the amount of vote rigging in Moscow was relatively small compared to other regions, as the authorities were reluctant to antagonize the capital's more educated and liberal population. The 2024 election is different: there is evidence of voting fraud on a massive scale, even in Moscow. In Moscow's Danilovsky district, Putin received around 99% at polling stations without independent observers - the same result that he got in Chechnya, which is ruled by strongman Ramzan Kadyrov. At polling stations with independent observers in the Danilovsky district, Putin's result was 63-70%. Dmitry Nesterov, an expert at election watchdog Golos, said on Facebook that the 99% figure is absolutely impossible because in all previous elections, people in this district voted in the same way as in other Moscow neighborhoods. Read also: Whether afraid or indifferent, regular Russians enable autocracy Occupied territories Russia also held sham elections in occupied and illegally annexed territories of Ukraine. These include Crimea, occupied since 2014, as well as parts of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk oblasts, occupied since 2022. Russia made election results at specific polling stations in the occupied territories secret in what election observers believe to be an effort to hide massive voting fraud. Roman Udot, an expert at election watchdog Golos, wrote on Facebook on March 19 that general election results in Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts are round figures that do not fit normal distribution. According to the theory of probability, the chance that these round figures are real results are one out of 400 million in Luhansk Oblast and one out of 4 million in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Udot said. The results most likely have nothing to do with actual voting and were obtained by multiplying the number of ballots by arbitrary percentages that the Kremlin ordered, according to Udot. Apart from vote rigging, evidence has emerged that voters were routinely intimidated in the occupied territories. Sources in the occupied territories told the Kyiv Independent that Russian troops forced voters en masse to vote in the election. Specifically, according to the sources, they caught locals in the streets and forced them to vote outside polling stations. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisals from the occupying Russian troops. Videos and photos published on social media also show Russian troops surveilling voters at polling stations, visiting people's homes, and forcing them to vote. The alleged number of voters that the Russian authorities have reported in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk oblasts exceeds the regions' population. According to the IStories investigative journalism project, the regions' population amounts to around 3 million people, including 2.5 million adults. Around half of the occupied areas' pre-war population has fled. Russian President Vladimir Putin talks during the concert at Red Square, marking 10th anneversary of the Russian military annexation of Crimea, on March 18, 2024, in Moscow, Russia. (Contributor/Getty Images) Yet, 4.5 million voters were registered in the regions, according to the Russian Central Election Commission. "Nobody knows how many voters are in the occupied territories, what the turnout is, or how these votes are counted," Oreshkin said. "They understand that nobody will check it, and there are no election observers." Electronic voting Another fraud mechanism was the electronic voting system, which was used in 29 regions the first time it was implemented on such a scale. Around 8 million people voted electronically in the election. The official electronic voting results showed Putin's overwhelming victory. In contrast with the traditional voting system, electronic voting results are virtually impossible to verify or recount. Independent observers said before that they had been prevented from accessing the e-voting results by the Federal Security Service, the successor of the KGB. "We don't know what's going on in e-voting," Oreshkin said. "It's impossible to check it." In several recent elections, independent observers published overwhelming evidence that electronic voting was heavily rigged. Oreshkin said that electronic voting was also used as an intimidation mechanism. Many state sector employees were forced by their bosses to vote electronically and supported Putin because they suspected that the bosses could check their electronic votes on their computers, he added. Read also: What do we know about the Siberian Battalion that reportedly crossed into Russia? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Catherine, Princess of Wales, announced that she is undergoing chemotherapy in a video shared to the public on March 22. In a video shared on the Prince and Princess of Wales' official social media accounts, Kate appears to be sitting outside on a bench as she discloses her diagnosis. In her announcement, the 42-year-old said the last couple of months that have been "incredibly tough," revealing that she has been undergoing preventative chemotherapy. She also spoke of the support she's received from her medical team and family, specifically William, and how she's been explaining all that has been happening to their three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Read on for Kate's statement in full. Kate's diagnosis, in her own words I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you personally for all the wonderful messages of support and for your understanding whilst Ive been recovering from surgery. It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family. But Ive had a fantastic medical team whove taken great care of me for which Im so grateful. In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London, and at the time, it was thought that my condition was noncancerous. The surgery was successful, however, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team, therefore, advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy, and Im now in the early stages of that treatment. This, of course, came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family. As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way thats appropriate for them and to reassure them that Im going to be okay. As Ive said to them, I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal in my mind, body and spirits. Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance, too, as is the love support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you. It means so much to us both. We hope that you will understand that as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I move on. But for now, I must focus on making a full recovery. At this time, Im also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. For everyone facing this disease in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone. Follow TODAYs coverage of Kate Middletons diagnosis and live updates here. This article was originally published on TODAY.com WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. has intelligence confirming Islamic State's claim of responsibility for a deadly shooting attack at a concert near Moscow on Friday, a U.S. official told Reuters. Here is information about the Islamic State's Afghan branch known as ISIS-K and their motives for attacking Russia: WHAT IS ISIS-K? Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), named after an old term for the region that included parts of Iran, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, emerged in eastern Afghanistan in late 2014 and quickly established a reputation for extreme brutality. One of the most active regional affiliates of the Islamic State militant group, ISIS-K has seen its membership decline since peaking around 2018. The Taliban and U.S. forces inflicted heavy losses. But the United States sees the group as an ongoing threat. General Michael Kurilla, the commander of U.S. Central Command, told Congress last March that ISIS-K was quickly developing the ability to conduct "external operations" in Europe and Asia. He predicted it would be able to attack U.S. and Western interests outside Afghanistan "in as little as six months and with little to no warning." Attacks within the U.S. itself were less likely, he said. The United States has said its ability to develop intelligence against extremist groups in Afghanistan such as ISIS-K has been reduced since the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country in 2021. The U.S. military has said it can see the "broad contours" of an impending attack, but does not have the specific detail it did previously. WHAT ATTACKS HAS THE GROUP CARRIED OUT? ISIS-K has a history of attacks, including against mosques, inside and outside Afghanistan. Earlier this year, the U.S. intercepted communications confirming the group carried out twin bombings in Iran that killed nearly 100 people. In September 2022, ISIS-K militants claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing at the Russian embassy in Kabul. The group was also responsible for an attack on Kabul's international airport in 2021 that killed 13 U.S. troops and scores of civilians during the chaotic U.S. evacuation from the country. According to a January U.N. report, the Taliban's efforts to defeat the group have led to a fall in the number of attacks within Afghanistan. Bombings have not stopped, however. On Thursday, Islamic State claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in front of a bank in Afghanistan's Kandahar city that killed at least three people and injured 12, local police said. WHY WOULD THEY ATTACK RUSSIA? While the attack by ISIS-K in Russia on Friday was a dramatic escalation, experts said the group has opposed Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent years. "ISIS-K has been fixated on Russia for the past two years, frequently criticizing Putin in its propaganda," said Colin Clarke of Soufan Center, a New York-based research group. Michael Kugelman of the Washington-based Wilson Center said ISIS-K "sees Russia as being complicit in activities that regularly oppress Muslims." He added that the group also counts as members a number of Central Asian militants with their own grievances against Moscow. (Reporting by Idrees Ali and Don Durfee; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Daniel Wallis) Smoke in the centre of Sevastopol on 23 March. Photo: the Crimean Wind (Krymskii Veter) Telegram channel On Saturday evening, about ten explosions were heard in occupied Sevastopol. The occupation authorities reported the work of air defence systems and targets shot down, and the Crimean Wind (Krymskii Veter) Telegram channel reported that strikes occurred in the city. Source: Suspilne, Ukraine's public broadcaster, with reference to a local resident; the Crimean Wind (Krymskii Veter) Telegram channel; Mikhail Razvozhayev, the so-called governor of Sevastopol on Telegram Details: A local resident told Suspilne about ten explosions in Sevastopol. Later, he added that at 22:29 (Kyiv time), four more explosions occurred in Sevastopol. The Crimean Wind Telegram channel, citing its subscribers, reports strikes and a fire in Kozacha Bay, where the permanent base of Russia's 810th Marine Brigade is located. The Telegram channel reports that ambulances and firefighters are heading towards Kozacha Bay. In addition, with reference to the subscribers, Krymskii Veter reports that "ships have arrived in Sevastopol, there is smoke on Cape Fiolent, and a column of smoke is observed in Inkerman". The Telegram channel reports that a very strong explosion occurred near Balaklava. In addition, the channel reports that "something is on big fire near the airport" in Simferopol. Mikhail Razvozhayev, the so-called governor of Sevastopol, said that air defence systems were working in the city. According to him, "several air targets have been shot down". He also claimed that "the smoke in the area of the inner raid, Sevastopol and Pivdenna bays, is due to the military using their service camouflage equipment". Later, Mikhail Razvozhayev said that the Russians were repelling a massive attack on Sevastopol. "According to preliminary information, more than 10 missiles have been shot down. The missile attack continues," Razvozhayev wrote. After more than an hour and a half, the all-clear was given in Sevastopol. Later, Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of Ukraine's Air Force, thanked the pilots and mariners for their combat efforts, adding that "Crimea is ours". This news has been updated since publication. Support UP or become our patron! Joachim Nagel, President of the German Bundesbank, presents the annual report for 2023 during a press conference of the German Bundesbank. Andreas Arnold/dpa The current rise of right-wing extremism in Germany poses a threat to the country's prosperity, central bank head Joachim Nagel has warned. "I appeal to everyone not to take the threat of right-wing extremism lightly," Nagel, 57, told the newspapers of the Funke media group on Saturday. "Right-wing extremists also scare off investors and skilled workers from abroad. That threatens our prosperity." Nagel, like many people in Germany, was voicing concern at the recent string of election victories for the far-right, anti-immigration party Alternative for Germany (AfD). Profiting from anxiety among many German voters over rising numbers seeking asylum in the country, the surge of the AfD has led to fierce debate in society at large. Thousands of people joined anti-extremism demonstrations all over the country in recent months. As a citizen, Nagel said he too was very concerned about the developments. "That's why I recently took part in a rally for democracy in Frankfurt for the first time in my life." The president of the Bundesbank said he did not want to minimize the enormous challenges facing the country, and also appealed to business organizations not to talk down the economic situation. "But we shouldn't make the situation worse than it actually is. Otherwise nobody will come to Germany and invest. We are not the sick man of Europe," emphasized Nagel. Joachim Nagel, President of the German Bundesbank, presents the annual report for 2023 during a press conference of the German Bundesbank. Andreas Arnold/dpa The current rise of right-wing extremism in Germany poses a threat to the country's prosperity, central bank head Joachim Nagel has warned. "I appeal to everyone not to take the threat of right-wing extremism lightly," Nagel, 57, told the newspapers of the Funke media group on Saturday. "Right-wing extremists also scare off investors and skilled workers from abroad. That threatens our prosperity." Nagel, like many people in Germany, was voicing concern at the recent string of election victories for the far-right, anti-immigration party Alternative for Germany (AfD). Profiting from anxiety among many German voters over rising numbers seeking asylum in the country, the surge of the AfD has led to fierce debate in society at large. Thousands of people joined anti-extremism demonstrations all over the country in recent months. As a citizen, Nagel said he too was very concerned about the developments. "That's why I recently took part in a rally for democracy in Frankfurt for the first time in my life." The president of the Bundesbank said he did not want to minimize the enormous challenges facing the country, and also appealed to business organizations not to talk down the economic situation. "But we shouldn't make the situation worse than it actually is. Otherwise nobody will come to Germany and invest. We are not the sick man of Europe," emphasized Nagel. He went on the say that he is not satisfied if the economy only treads water this year. However, Germany is in a special situation because its large, open economy was hit particularly hard by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, Nagel pointed to the stable labour market, noting that "Germany has almost full employment." The banker still called for more ambition in terms of tax cuts and reducing bureaucracy. The Growth Opportunities Act contains less tax relief than originally planned, but it is now important to actually implement it, he said. Germany's Bundesrat, the upper chamber comprised of the leaders of Germany's 16 states, passed the slimmed-down law on Friday. The volume of tax relief had previously been reduced from the originally planned 7 billion ($7.5 billion) to 3.2 billion per year in the mediation committee of the Bundesrat and the Bundestag parliament. Claim: A video that circulated in March 2024 showed Israelis filling a water well used by Palestinians with concrete. Rating: Rating: True Context: The video was more than 7 months old, as of this writing. A Palestinian news outlet, Quds News Network, first posted the footage in July 2023. In March 2024, multiple social media users shared a video supposedly showing Israelis filling a water well used by Palestinians with concrete. For instance, on March 18, 2024, a user on X (formerly Twitter) shared what appeared to be a TikTok video [archived here] claiming it showed "Israel settlers and army [pouring] cement into two water holes." That X post received more than 495,800 views and 22,000 likes, as of this writing. 26 July 2023 during a heatwave, Israel settlers and army poured cement into two water holes. They also destroyed irrigation for vital crops in Hebron. No one hates like a Zionist pic.twitter.com/Qcbx8xqHnT Pelham (@Resist_05) March 18, 2024 The video was authentic that is, it was not a product of digital manipulation or artificial-intelligence (AI) software and accurately captioned. A speaker in the video says the Israeli army was using "equipment, forces, bulldozers, and cement mixers to close the existing water springs and wells," according to an Arabic-to-English translation of the footage by Middle East Eye. Reputable news outlets including Aljazeera confirmed that's what was happening. However, it was not recorded recently; as of this writing, the footage was more than 7 months old. The TikTok video featured in the above-mentioned X post was posted by Aljazeera English on July 27, 2023, captioned: "Video footage show Israeli army personnel pouring cement into a water source which supplies Palestinians near the city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank." At the time, that news outlet shared the footage via its various social media accounts, crediting a Palestinian news outlet, Quds News Network, as the video's source. As far as we can determine, Quds News Network was the first outlet to publish the footage online [archived here] on July 26, 2023. We contacted the outlet asking if its reporters captured the video, or if a reader submitted it for publication, and for information its location and subjects. We have not yet received a response, but we will update this report when, or if, that changes. In other words, it was unknown who, or what, filmed the footage before its posting online by Quds News Network in July 2023. Watch: The Israeli occupation pours cement into the water springs in the Al-Hijrah area, south of Hebron, to block them and prevent Palestinians from using them in agriculture. pic.twitter.com/D1oIwbv3Xv Quds News Network (@QudsNen) July 26, 2023 In the video, an unidentified man said the following about what was taking place, according to the translation by Middle East Eye [archived here]: What happened is that we were on our land that we inherited and have been on for hundreds of years. We were surprised to the Israeli army coming with all its equipment, forces, bulldozers, and cement mixers to close the existing water springs and wells that we used to cultivate our land, which is 80 dunums [traditional unit of land area in the Middle East] in size. Also, plastic basins planted with cucumbers, tomatoes, and several vegetables, as well as outdoor cultivation that supports a large number of families here. On Aug. 5, 2023, days after the Quds News Network's post, B'tselem (The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories) a Jerusalem-based nonprofit posted additional footage of the incident from a different angle on its YouTube account. That video included the caption: Israel pours concrete into well and destroys irrigation system in the Palestinian village of al-Hijrah, south of Hebron. On Wednesday morning, 26 July 2023, Civil Administration personnel arrived with a military and Border Police escort, a bulldozer and a cement mixer at the Palestinian village of al-Hijrah, south of Hebron. The forces poured concrete into four water wells and destroyed a roughly 20-meter-long pipe used to irrigate crops, damaging the crops themselves along the way. As they were working on destroying the pipe, the forces fired a sponge bullet at a Palestinian who approached the area, injuring him lightly in the back. He received treatment on site. The Broader Context, and What Happened Next According to a news story [archived here] by the Times of Israel on July 29, 2023, the Civil Administration unit said in a statement the well had been dug illegally, and, thus, potentially threatened natural water resources in the area. When the video was first posted, multiple accounts on X defended Israeli officials' decision to fill the well. One account for the Israel Advocacy Movement, a U.K.-based organization, claimed "any alteration to the water system could have catastrophic consequences for all communities." The internet: "Israel just destroyed a Palestinian well" The reality: pic.twitter.com/UiW6UvgMiF Israel Advocacy Movement (@israel_advocacy) July 28, 2023 The Israel Advocacy Movement pointed to Article 40 of the 1993 Oslo Accords, which requires both Israelis and Palestinians to "agree to coordinate the management of water and sewage resources and systems in the West Bank. The Oslo Accords are two agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) intended to be in place temporarily. They remain in place today. One day after the video was posted, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Ghassan Alian, announced future "enforcements against allegedly illegal construction of water installations will have to be examined based on the merits of the case" and receive approval by the head of the Civil Administration unit. We reached out to COGAT ourselves, asking for more information on the specific guidelines that were violated and how, exactly, the water was possibly threatened. The agency has not returned our inquiry yet. In other words, after the video surfaced and the Times of Israel published its report, Israeli government officials announced they would add steps to their process of reviewing sites supposedly posing threats to water sources before taking action (like filling the holes with concrete). When destroying property or infrastructure, particularly in the West Bank, Israeli government officials often claim the in-question sites are a military or security threat, or do not have the necessary permits. According to reporting by The Associated Press, Israel's complex system for granting permits for new construction is a way to prevent "Palestinians' attempts to live a semblance of a normal life." As stated in a 2018 article [archived here]: The system, mainly run by a military administration known by its acronym COGAT, has swelled into a sprawling bureaucracy with intricate categories and arcane rules, often opaque and confusing, according to interviews with those involved in and affected by the system. The result often confounds Palestinians' attempts to live a semblance of a normal life. Access to water across Israel and the West Bank varies by location. One story by Aljazeera [archived here], published about a month after the concrete-pouring video first surfaced online, said Israeli settlements in the West Bank flourished with greenery and children splashed in community pools, while Palestinian communities accessed "barely get enough water to bathe their children and wash their clothes let alone sustain livestock and grow fruit trees." We've previously reported on Palestinians' access to rainwater, and whether it is deemed Israeli property. Sources: B'tselem. Israel Pours Concrete into Well and Destroys Irrigation System in the Palestinian Village of Al-Hijrah, South of Hebron. 3 Aug. 2023, https://www.btselem.org/video/20230803_civil_administration_pours_concrete_into_irrigation_wells_used_and_destroys_pipe_in_al_hijrah_south_of_hebron#full. 'Chapter 3: Israeli Settlements and International Law'. Amnesty International, 30 Jan. 2019, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2019/01/chapter-3-israeli-settlements-and-international-law/. Department Of State. The Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affairs. The Oslo Accords, 1993. 13 Dec. 2007, https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/pcw/97181.htm#:~:text=During%20a%205%2Dyear%20interim,Jericho%20(excluding%20Israeli%20settlements). 'For Palestinians, Israeli Permits a Complex Tool of Control'. AP News, 30 Apr. 2018, https://apnews.com/article/7cfac1e5441747da841e51fdf3851460. 'Https://Twitter.Com/AJEnglish/Status/1684775691018240001'. X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/AJEnglish/status/1684775691018240001. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024. 'Https://Twitter.Com/Israel_advocacy/Status/1684939086694367234'. X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/israel_advocacy/status/1684939086694367234. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024. 'Https://Twitter.Com/NizMhani/Status/1769744685273137502'. X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/NizMhani/status/1769744685273137502. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024. 'Https://Twitter.Com/Resist_05/Status/1769638495566643278'. X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/Resist_05/status/1769638495566643278. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024. 'Https://Twitter.Com/QudsNen/Status/1684231413481054209'. X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/QudsNen/status/1684231413481054209. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024. Israeli Forces Fill Water Springs and Agricultural Lands in Hebron with Concrete. www.youtube.com, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZkSRlIs9o0. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024. Israel Pours Concrete into Well and Destroys Irrigation System, al-Hijrah, South of Hebron, 26.7.23. www.youtube.com, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ1jXR-ymD0. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024. 'Photos: Palestinians Still Struggle to Get Enough Water'. Al Jazeera, https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2023/8/27/photos-palestinians-still-struggle-to-get-enough-water. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024. Oslo II Annex I. https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/oslo-ii-annex-i-3#app-40. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024. Tawil, Bassam. 'Palestinians Steal Water From Palestinians, Then Blame Israel'. Gatestone Institute, 2 Oct. 2023, https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20006/palestinians-steal-water. Times of Israel Staff. Settlers from Flashpoint West Bank Settlement Said to Torch Palestinian Field. 29 July 2023, https://www.timesofisrael.com/settlers-from-flashpoint-west-bank-settlement-said-to-torch-palestinian-field/. An almost 4-acre piece of land across the street from a public park and Lake Hartwell owned by in-laws of Clemson University President James Clements is now the subject of a civil lawsuit brought by the developers against the city of Clemson. The property owners have tried for almost nine years to develop first a hotel then student housing on the site, but has been stymied by the city to the extent that five developers backed out. The deal ranged from $4.8 million to $6.5 million, the lawsuit alleges. Alex Brooks, Clemson spokesman, said in an email Clements and Clemson have no involvement or investment in the project. The timeline for the dispute goes back nine years to when Keowee Trail bought the land and wanted to build a boutique hotel, the lawsuit says. They needed a height variance from the city. The city said no. The next year, investors Clifton Smith, Clements father-in-law, and Greg Smith, Clements brother-in-law, agreed to sell the land to Peak Campus Development for $6.5 million. Peak backed out after meetings with city officials. The investors then signed with CA Ventures in December 2016 to build student housing but backed out after the city imposed limitations. Then in 2017, the investors agreed to sell the property to Park7 Development for $5.4 million. Park7 submitted PD plans to the City. The City informed Keowee Trail and Park7 that, due to the Citys insufficient sewer capacity, owners and developers of prospective property developments were required pre-pay to reserve their sewer capacity. The partnership paid a $90,000 non-refundable sewer deposit. Ultimately, however, both that deposit and Keowee Trails efforts to work with the City were a waste. Like the developers before it, Park7 eventually determined that the material disruptions resulting from the Citys delays, obstacles, and arbitrary requirements were too great, and Park7 abandoned the deal with Keowee Trail, the lawsuit says. Next came Vision Acquisitions in 2018, which would have paid $4.8 million. Despite the numerous meetings and extensive work Keowee Trail and Vision had done, the city refused to review the PD plans, relying on a deed restriction limiting commercial development, even though the areas surrounding and adjacent to the property consist of commercial use properties, the lawsuit says. Keowee Trail won a court battle on a deed restriction the city raised and then the city imposed a building moratorium on large-scale developments. Vision dropped out. American Campus Communities Operating Partnership LP agreed to buy the land for $5.25 million for student housing, retail space, restaurants, and a tech startup incubator. The Citys moratorium on the issuance of building permits for large-scale, multifamily residential developments has been effective for nearly eighteen months, and there is no end in sight, the lawsuit says. In its answer to the lawsuit, the city has denied imposing arbitrary delays on the project. A new developer Core Spaces has stepped in, proposing a seven-story building with green space, office space, restaurants and retail space. Local developer Tom Winkopp is a partner in the plan. A group known as Save Clemson is opposing the development, saying it is too big, lacks enough parking and will spill runoff into the lake. The lawsuit is on hold until the city decides whether to change the zoning on the property to planned development, which would allow multi-family development. The council is expected to take up the zoning change in April. Ukraine and Russia share a great deal in the way of history and culture indeed for long periods in the past, the neighboring countries were part of larger empires encompassing both territories. But that history especially during the Soviet period from 1922 to 1991, in which Ukraine was absorbed into the communist bloc has also bred resentment. Opinions of the merits of the Soviet Union and its leaders diverge, with Ukrainians far less likely to view the period favorably than Russians. Nonetheless, President Vladimir Putin continues to claim Soviet foundations for what he sees as historical Russia an entity that includes Ukraine. As scholars of that history, we believe that an examination of Soviet-era policies in Ukraine can offer a useful lens for understanding why so many Ukrainians harbor deep resentment toward Russia. Stalins engineered famine Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Ukraine was known as the breadbasket of Europe and later of the Soviet Union. Its rich soil and ample fields made it an ideal place to grow the grain that helped feed the entire continent. After Ukraine was absorbed into the Soviet Union beginning in 1922, its agriculture was subject to collectivization policies, in which private land was taken over by the Soviets to be worked communally. Anything produced on those lands would be redistributed across the union. In 1932 and 1933, a famine devastated the Soviet Union as a result of aggressive collectivization coupled with poor harvests. Millions starved to death across the Soviet Union, but Ukraine felt the brunt of this horror. Research estimates that some 3 million to 4 million Ukrainians died of the famine, around 13% of the population, though the true figure is impossible to establish because of Soviet efforts to hide the famine and its toll. Scholars note that many of the political decisions of the Soviet regime under Joseph Stalin such as preventing Ukrainian farmers from traveling in search of food, and severely punishing anyone who took produce from collective farms made the famine much worse for Ukrainians. These policies were specific to Ukrainians within Ukraine, as well as Ukrainians who lived in other parts of the Soviet Union. Some historians claim that Stalins moves were done to quash a Ukrainian independence movement and were specifically targeted at ethnic Ukrainians. As such, some scholars call the famine a genocide. In Ukrainian, the event is known as Holodomor, which means death by hunger. Recognition of the full extent of the Holodomor and implicating Soviet leadership for the deaths remains an important issue in Ukraine to this day, with the countrys leaders long fighting for global recognition of the Holodomor and its impact on modern Ukraine. Countries such as the United States and Canada have made official declarations calling it a genocide. But this is not the case in much of the rest of the world. Just as the the Soviet government of the day denied that there were any decisions that explicitly deprived Ukraine of food noting that the famine affected the entire country so too do present-day Russian leaders refuse to acknowledge culpability. Russias refusal to admit that the famine disproportionately affected Ukrainians has been taken by many in Ukraine as an attempt to downplay Ukrainian history and national identity. Soviet annexation of Western Ukraine This attempt to suppress Ukrainian national identity continued during and after World War II. In the early years of the Soviet Union, the Ukrainian national movement was concentrated in the western parts of modern-day Ukraine, part of Poland until the Nazi invasion in 1939. Before Gemanys invasion, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany entered into a secret agreement, under the guise of the Molotov-Ribbentrop nonaggression pact, which outlined German and Soviet spheres of influence over parts of central and east Europe. David Lows famed cartoon depicting Stalin and Hitlers pact over Poland. David Low/British Cartoon Archive at the University of Kent After Germany invaded Poland, the Red Army moved into the eastern portion of the country under the pretense of stabilizing the failing nation. In reality, the Soviet Union was taking advantage of the provisions laid out in the secret protocol. The Polish territories that now make up western Ukraine were also incorporated into Soviet Ukraine and Belarus, subsuming them into the larger Russian cultural world. At the end of the war, the territories remained part of the Soviet Union. Stalin set about suppressing Ukrainian culture in these newly annexed lands in favor of a greater Russian culture. For example, the Soviets repressed any Ukrainian intellectuals who promoted the Ukrainian language and culture through censorship and imprisonment. This suppression also included liquidating the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, a self-governing church that has allegiance to the pope and was one of the most prominent cultural institutions promoting Ukrainian language and culture in these former Polish territories. Its properties were transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church, and many of its priests and bishops were imprisoned or exiled. The destruction of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is still a source of resentment for many Ukrainians. It stands, we believe as scholars, as a clear instance of the Soviets intentional efforts to destroy Ukrainian cultural institutions. The legacy of Chernobyl in Ukraine Just as disaster marked the early years of Ukraine as a Soviet republic, so did its final years. In 1986 a nuclear reactor at the Soviet-run Chernobyl nuclear power in the north of Ukraine went into partial meltdown. It remains the worst peacetime nuclear catastrophe the world has seen. It required the evacuation of nearly 200,000 people in the areas surrounding the power plant. And to this day, approximately 1,000 square miles of Ukraine are part of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, where radioactive fallout remains high and access is restricted. Soviet lies to cover up the extent of the disaster and missteps that would have limited the fallout only compounded the problem. Emergency personnel were not given proper equipment or training to deal with the nuclear material. It resulted in a heavy death toll and a higher than normal incidence of radiation-induced disease and complications such as cancer and birth defects among both former residents of the region and the workers sent in to deal with the disaster. Other Soviet republics and European countries faced the fallout from Chernobyl, but it was the authorities in Ukraine who were tasked with organizing evacuations to Kyiv while Moscow attempted to cover up the scope of the disaster. [Over 140,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletters to understand the world. Sign up today.] Meanwhile, independent Ukraine has been left to attend to the thousands of citizens who have chronic illnesses and disabilities as a result of the accident. An abandoned fun fair, two kilometers from the Chernobyl power station. Martin Godwin/Getty Images The legacy of Chernobyl looms large in Ukraines recent past and continues to define many peoples memory of living in the Soviet era. Memories of a painful past This painful history of life under Soviet rule forms the backdrop to resentment in Ukraine today toward Russia. To many Ukrainians, these are not merely stories from textbooks, but central parts of peoples lives many Ukrainians are still living with the health and environmental consequences of Chernobyl, for instance. The presence of Russian soldiers on Ukraines soil serves as a reminder of past attempts by its neighbor to crush Ukrainian independence. 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: Emily Channell-Justice, Harvard University and Jacob Lassin, Arizona State University Read more: Jacob Lassin receives funding from the National Council for Russian and East European Research. Emily Channell-Justice 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. YANGON, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar has launched an automated cargo clearance system at its border town of Tachilek in eastern Myanmar's Shan state to facilitate trade with neighboring Thailand, the official daily The Global New Light of Myanmar reported on Saturday. During the launch event on Friday, Deputy Minister for Planning and Finance U Maung Maung Win said that the Myanmar Automated Cargo Clearance System (MACCS) would facilitate faster and more dynamic bilateral trade between Myanmar and Thailand. He also underscored the ministry's commitment to integrating modern technologies into trade activities and improving trade processes in line with international standards, the report said. "The implementation of this MACCS system will bring about benefits such as smoother trade flows and more accurate data," Ye Yint Aung, an official from MACCS Division of Myanmar Customs Department, told Xinhua on Saturday. According to the Customs Department, the system is also currently operational in Yangon, as well as the Myawady, Muse and Chinshwehaw borders. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis on Saturday defended herself in her first comments since a judge ruled she will not be disqualified from the Trump election interference case because of her affair with a former special prosecutor. I dont feel like my reputation needs to be reclaimed, Willis told CNN at an Easter egg hunt after she was asked how she felt in the wake of the saga that exposed her former affair with Nathan Wade, whom she hired as a special prosecutor in the Trump case. Lets say it for the record, Im not embarrassed by anything that Ive done, she added. I guess my greatest crime is that I had a relationship with a man but thats not something I find embarrassing in any way. I know I have not done anything that's illegal. Fulton County Judge Allows Trump to Appeal Fani Willis Ruling Earlier this month, Judge Scott McAfee ruled that while Willis relationship with Wade had a significant appearance of impropriety, it could be resolved if one of them stepped down from the racketeering case. Wade, who was hired as a special prosecutor in November 2021, resigned hours laterallowing Willis to continue to lead the case against Trump and others for allegedly trying to interfere with the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. McAfees ruling stemmed from a January defense motion to disqualify the DA that first exposed Willis and Wades romantic relationship. The two confirmed in a contentious evidentiary hearing that they had a private romantic relationship from early 2022 to last summer, but denied any wrongdoing. During the courts investigation into the matter, the timeline of their relationshipand whether it had started before Wade was appointed to the casecame into question. Judge in Trump Case Admonishes DA Fani Willis for Unprofessional Behavior In his ruling, McAfee rebuked Willis combative testimony during the hearings, as well as her racially charged speech at an Atlanta Black church. You think Im on trial? These people are on trial for trying to steal an election in 2020. Im not on trial, no matter how hard you try to put me on trial, Willis testified at the trial while rebuking one of the defense lawyers asking her questions. Willis on Saturday said that despite the months-long saga, her team has not been slowed down at all and remained focused behind the scenes on the Trump case. There is currently no trial date set for the criminal case, though CNN reported earlier this week that Willis plans to schedule the trial this summer. I do think that there are efforts to slow down the train, but the train is coming, Willis said of her prosecution team. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. The conservative legal movement still has its sights set on abortion. Illustration:Jianan Liu/HuffPost; Photo:Getty Images The Supreme Court took a sledgehammer to U.S. abortion rights two years ago, ostensibly sending it back to the states. But the campaign to dismantle abortion access continues, spurred on by a powerful network of ultraconservatives. On Tuesday, the justices will hear arguments in a case specially designed to give them another opportunity to erode abortion access across the country: FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine. Since the court ruled on Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, the case that overturned Roe v. Wade, Americans have come to rely even more on an abortion pill, mifepristone, a method of ending a pregnancy that can fit through the mail and be taken from the comfort of home. The drug was already the most common drug used in medication abortions before the courts bombshell decision, and data shows that its use has ticked up as abortion clinics shuttered across conservative-led states. But with this case, access to mifepristone may now under threat even in states that passed measures to preserve the right to abortion. For the conservative legal movement a decades-long effort to legitimize right-wing legal theories that is fueled in large part by a network of dark-money groups the dismantling of Roe v. Wade had been a pinnacle achievement, leading to short-lived questions about how to proceed. In August 2022, a collection of five anti-abortion medical groups filed to incorporate as the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine in Amarillo, Texas. None of the groups were based in the small city, or even the state. But anchoring the umbrella organization in Amarillo provided an excuse to file a federal lawsuit in Amarillo, where there was a 100% chance that the case would be picked up by one man: U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk. Its a strategy known as judge-shopping, increasingly used by conservatives hoping to secure favorable outcomes by seeking out judges they believe will be sympathetic to their cause. Former President Donald Trump appointed Kacsmaryk to the court in 2017, although it would take two years for him to be confirmed to the bench along partisan lines. Kacsmaryks career up to that point had already led him on a crusade against LGBTQ+ rights, in the name of Christian religious liberty. Like many of Trumps appointees, he was a member of the Federalist Society, a bastion of the conservative legal movement. Together with other anti-abortion plaintiffs, the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine claimed that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had erred in its initial approval of mifepristone back in 2000, and in its subsequent expansions of that approval. Their lawsuit, filed in November 2022, demanded the drug be pulled from the market. Theyre not legitimate medical groups sounding an alarm. Theyre ideological organizations, basically registering a website and using it to roll back reproductive rights, Caroline Ciccone, president of the watchdog group Accountable.Us, said Thursday. Basically, its a contrived coalition of extremist groups. The suit made a variety of false and misleading claims about mifepristone and it sought to smear the drug as one that regularly lands pregnant patients in the emergency room, where they supposedly overwhelm medical staff, even though plenty of evidence affirms the drugs safety. In the more than two decades since its initial approval, mifepristone has been used by nearly 6 million people in the U.S., according to the FDA. It is generally prescribed as part of a two-drug regimen alongside misoprostol, and more than 100 studies have shown it to be safe and effective. Yet the plaintiffs found a sympathetic audience in Kacsmaryk. Last April, the judge agreed that the FDAs mifepristone approval should be invalidated with a 67-page decision that took a series of bizarre turns, at one point stating the term fetus was unscientific. The Supreme Court subsequently took action to preserve the status quo while the case wound its way through the courts meaning that for now, mifepristone access remains undisturbed. The case, though, was already on its ideal path. The Biden administration appealed Kacsmaryks ruling, handing the case to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, one of the most conservative courts in the entire country. Republican presidents appointed 12 of its 17 active judges. Trump alone appointed six, including James Ho, who landed on the panel assigned to the mifepristone case. Ho would have sided with Kaczmaryk and revoked the FDAs mifepristone approval, a position he argued in part by claiming doctors delight in working with their unborn patients, and experience an aesthetic injury when they are aborted. His colleagues, however, offered a more moderate position. In August, the 5th Circuit ruled that the FDAs 2000 approval could stand if the agency rolled back the rules it implemented in 2016 and 2021 that expanded access to the drug. It was simply too late to challenge the 2000 approval, they said. The opinion rested in part on studies questioning the safety of mifepristone. Theyve since been retracted for shoddy science and for failing to disclose the researchers ties to anti-abortion groups. As Rebecca Buckwalter-Poza, senior fellow with the progressive group Alliance for Justice, put it: The Fifth Circuit is the most receptive circuit if youre a far-right idealogue who doesnt care a whole lot about facts. Now the case rests with a Supreme Court with six conservative justices who have already been shown to hold clear anti-abortion views. If the high court agrees with the 5th Circuit, mifepristone will remain an FDA-approved drug. But it will only be able to be taken through the seventh week of pregnancy, rather than the 10th, and patients will not be able to obtain a prescription through a telehealth appointment. Nurse practitioners and physicians assistants will also no longer be able to prescribe mifepristone. It essentially turns the clock back to the way medication abortion was provided nearly a decade ago, ignoring scientific developments that have improved health outcomes, said Amanda Allen, a deputy executive director with the abortion rights group The Lawyering Project. Mifepristone is also recommended for use in miscarriage management, and turning the clock back makes its use for this purpose nearly impossible, Allen noted. Such a decision would strike a huge blow to the regulatory power of the FDA, which has for decades been trusted to make science-based judgments on drugs without influence from officers of the court. A victory for the plaintiffs could potentially jeopardize all sorts of other long-approved medications. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine managed to bring a case to the Supreme Court that can undermine national abortion access and the entire concept of independent FDA approval, Ciccone said, adding that it is completely shocking that theres a system in place currently that this is even possible. Legal experts say the suit should have been stopped from the very beginning. In order to bring a federal lawsuit, a plaintiff must generally be able to show they were harmed by the person or entity they are suing. The legal term for this is standing. People are not supposed to be able to sue the government over some imaginary harm they thought up the Supreme Court even said so back in 2013, when it ruled on Clapper v. Amnesty International, a case about government surveillance of foreign nationals. The high court determined that, at the very least, plaintiffs have to be able to show harm is certainly impending. The anti-abortion groups currently suing the FDA, however, argue they have standing because they might have to see a patient who seeks emergency room treatment after taking mifepristone, which would conflict with their philosophical or religious views on abortion. The expanded access to the drug the FDA allowed in 2016 and 2021 supposedly made this more likely to happen. Its a hypothetical injury arguably too hypothetical. But the lawsuits plaintiffs have plenty of financial resources to appeal their case up to the Supreme Court, a task that can end up costing millions of dollars in legal fees. The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine has the backing of the Alliance Defending Freedom, a right-wing legal group with a track record of attacking civil rights. The group was behind 303 Creative v. Elenis, the Colorado wedding website case that led the court to permit various types of legal discrimination against LGBTQ+ people. The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated the Alliance Defending Freedom as a hate group. It gets at least some of its funding from shadowy groups like DonorsTrust, once dubbed the Rights dark-money ATM by Mother Jones. Buckwalter-Poza noted that the Alliance Defending Freedoms size its comprised of thousands of lawyers allows it to simply throw humans at the problem. The Supreme Court will have its say on mifepristone. New rules recently adopted by the Judicial Conference, though, could help bar similar cases from going forward in the future. Earlier this month, the oversight body for the federal judiciary took steps to crack down on judge-shopping, requiring certain cases to be randomly assigned to one of many judges in a district. It cannot be overstated how important it is that the Judicial Conference as an entity has said judge-shopping is a problem, Buckwalter-Poza said. But the actual substance of their response is not quite as effective as we would hope for, if there were really going to be an effort to put an end to judge-shopping. Related... By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has told passengers who were on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 that suffered a Jan. 5 mid-air emergency that they may be victims of a crime, according to letters seen by Reuters. The letters, a procedural step in some criminal investigations by the Justice Department, are a sign that its probe into the MAX 9 emergency is moving forward. The letters, dated Tuesday, say the FBI has identified the passengers "as a possible victim of a crime. This case is currently under investigation by the FBI. ...A criminal investigation can be a lengthy undertaking, and, for several reasons, we cannot tell you about its progress at this time." The letters were earlier reported by the Seattle Times. An FBI spokesperson in Seattle declined to comment, citing Justice Department policy that it "does not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation." The Justice Department in 2022 updated its guidelines for notifying victims of potential crimes after relatives of some of the 346 people killed in two Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019 said their legal rights had been violated when the department struck a January 2021 deferred prosecution deal with Boeing without notifying them. The department also apologized for not meeting with relatives of the crash victims before the announcement of the deal which capped a 21-month investigation into the design and development of the 737 MAX 8. Boeing declined to comment on Friday but said this month said it would continue to cooperate fully and transparently with all government investigations. Alaska Airlines said it was fully cooperating with the investigation and does not believe it is the target of the probe. In the midair emergency, a door plug panel tore off from the side of the MAX 9 jet at 16,000 feet, leaving a refrigerator-sized, rectangular hole in the aircraft. The plane landed safely with all 171 passengers and six crew on board. Seven passengers and one flight attendant had minor injuries. The National Transportation Safety Board has said four key bolts appeared to be missing from the plane that had been delivered by Boeing months earlier. Boeing has said it believes required documents detailing the removal of the bolts were never created. In the aftermath of the incident, the FAA grounded the MAX 9 for several weeks, barred Boeing from increasing the MAX production rate and ordered it to develop a comprehensive plan to address "systemic quality-control issues" within 90 days. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) A Boeing 737 Max aircraft during a display at the Farnborough International Airshow, in Farnborough, Britain, July 20, 2022. (Peter Cziborra/Reuters) Dave Calhoun, the CEO of embattled aerospace manufacturer Boeing, will step down by the end of the year, the company announced Monday morning. The moves come amid a series of recent problems with the companys airplanes, including a door plug being blown out during a flight, a plane that dropped midflight, injuring passengers, and a panel falling off a plane during a flight. The company has come under scrutiny from the Department of Justice and the Federal Aviation Administration as a result. While Boeing has been making headlines a lot recently, the company has faced more than five years of safety challenges with its planes. The issues have resulted in multiple aircraft groundings and more than $31 billion in losses. What just happened? Calhoun announced on Monday that he would resign at the end of 2024 as part of a leadership shake-up. The announcement also mentioned that the CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Stan Deal, is retiring and that Boeings chairman, Larry Kellner, will not be seeking reelection as a board director. Lets rewind. How did we end up here? March 2024 The FBI is investigating the Alaska Airlines flight in January that saw a door plug blow off the plane midflight and has told passengers they may be a possible victim of a crime. The FAAs 737 Max production audit finds multiple instances where Boeing allegedly did not comply with manufacturing quality control requirements. In two separate incidents, a Boeing 777-200 loses a wheel during takeoff from San Francisco and a Boeing 737 skids off the runway after landing in Houston. The next week, a prominent Boeing whistleblower former employee John Barnett dies by suicide while in Charleston, S.C., for a deposition for a lawsuit against Boeing. A Boeing 787 Dreamliner nose-dives during a flight from Sydney to Auckland, New Zealand, injuring at least 50 people, on the same day a Boeing 777 flight from Sydney is forced to turn around due to a maintenance issue. Another Boeing 777 is forced to make an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport after pilots report a flat tire. A Boeing 737 that took off from San Francisco later that week is found to be missing a panel during a postflight inspection. On Friday, Boeing sues Virgin Galactic, accusing it of stealing trade secrets. Whistleblowers, nosedives and a DOJ investigation: Read more about Boeings March mishaps on Yahoo News February 2024 The NTSB publishes a preliminary report that found the Alaska Airlines flight was missing four key bolts, which is why the door plug blew out. January 2024 Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 experiences a door plug blowout midflight. The FAA subsequently grounds all Max 9 aircraft to investigate. Read more from BBC News: Passenger describes being on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 December 2023 Boeing urges airlines to inspect all 737 Max jets for potential loose hardware in the planes rudder control systems. August 2023 Boeing reports a supplier quality issue with 737 Max planes involving improperly drilled holes. October 2022 The FAA tells Boeing that some documents submitted for the certification review of the 737 Max 7 are incomplete. March 2021 Chinas aviation regulator claims there are major safety concerns with the Boeing Max jets. November 2020 The FAA allows Boeing 737 Max planes to fly again. September 2020 An 18-month-long investigation by a House of Representatives panel concludes that Boeing failed in its design and development of the Max aircraft and was not fully transparent with the FAA. Read more from Reuters: U.S. lawmakers fault FAA, Boeing for deadly 737 Max crashes January 2020 Boeing suspends all 737 production. March 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a Boeing 737 Max 8, reports a flight control problem to the control tower one minute after taking off from Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The plane crashes six minutes after takeoff, killing all 157 people on board. China decides to ground all Boeing 737 Max planes. The FAA follows. November 2018 The FAA and Boeing announce they are investigating software and design changes on all 737 Max planes following the Lion Air crash. October 2018 Lion Air Flight 610, a Boeing 737 Max aircraft, crashes 13 minutes after takeoff from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Indonesia. All 189 on board are killed. Boeing had problems for years. Why is it being investigated only now? Weve known [about Boeing] for five years, Mark Pegram, father of one of the Ethiopian Airlines flight victims, told NPR in March. I think the rest of the world is finally waking up to it, that these werent just isolated incidents. Boeing has paid billions of dollars in settlements since 2018, and the company and its leaders entered into a deferred prosecution agreement in January 2021 with the Department of Justice that has helped them avoid criminal prosecution so far. Boeing paid $1.77 billion to compensate airline customers, $243.6 million as a criminal fine and $500 million for a compensation fund for family members of crash victims, CNN reported. A yearlong FAA-commissioned panel review was critical of the safety culture at Boeing, and found that executives and employees were not aligned with what the safety standards were, according to a report from February. The investigation also found that many employees were afraid of retaliation for speaking up. A child sleeps in a Skid Row encampment in Los Angeles, where "each and every homelessness assistance program and initiative" funded or run by the city faces scrutiny in a federally ordered audit. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) A federal judge on Friday ordered a comprehensive independent audit of all homelessness programs funded or run by the city of Los Angeles. The ruling by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter set a broad scope for the audit, going beyond the parameters he had initially indicated he wanted. The audit, which city officials agreed to in principle earlier this month, is part of a settlement with the LA Alliance for Human Rights, a group of business owners and residents that had sued the city and county, alleging they had failed in their duty to address homelessness. Carter's order calls for "complete and thorough transparency for each and every homelessness assistance program and initiative funded or conducted by the City of Los Angeles." That would include not just a review of the city's shelter programs as agreed to in the settlement, but Mayor Karen Bass' Inside Safe program, the city's controversial anti-camping law and the street cleanups by the Sanitation Bureau's CARE+ teams. The broad reach of the audit arose during several days of negotiations among the city, the LA Alliance and other community groups seeking to intervene in the case. The agreement lists 31 subjects the audit should cover. Among them are how effective city funds are in reducing homelessness, how service providers demonstrate success, and how the city and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority avoid double-counting people who receive housing and services. During prior hearings, Carter had extracted an agreement from the city to pay for an outside audit. Lawyers for the city and the LA Alliance told Carter on Monday that they had a general agreement on the audit's scope but still had to work out definitions of some terms. The judge gave them until Thursday to comply. The seven-page document they submitted Thursday outlines a sweeping audit program. It requires "complete and accurate information relating to City expenditures and the uses of public funds, including City, County, State, and Federal funds intended to assist people experiencing homelessness." This would include funds from the joint city-county Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. The scope of work would include an analysis of whether those programs increase or reduce the stability of homeless people and whether they assist or hinder them in receiving proper care, such as behavioral healthcare, treatment beds and treatment for substance use. The parties to the lawsuit agreed to seek three outside auditor candidates to make presentations to the court at the next hearing in the case, set for April 4. At Monday's hearing, Carter also received a commitment from Mayor Bass, who was in the courtroom, that all invoices for homeless services, including supporting documentation, would be posted on a public website. He insisted the documents be shared, saying, "the best auditor will be the public." Asserting that "there was absolutely no accounting and no transparency for at least $600 million" the city spent in one period, Carter asked why there couldn't be an agreement that "all invoices have to have supporting documentation concerning what was performed," adding, "Why are we waiting for an audit to do that?" Bass said the city could do that within the two weeks the judge requested. L.A. Homeless Services Authority Chief Executive Va Lecia Adams Kellum, who phoned into the court Monday at Carter's request, committed to providing such documentation so the city can make it public. "Absolutely," Adams Kellum said. "One hundred percent committed to doing that." Carter elaborated Friday on his demand for documentation. He said he wants to change what he sees as a culture of paying invoices that lack written explanations of what they're for and what was accomplished, on the assumption the work was done. "If our providers in the field don't have the underlying documentation, the presumption is the opposite that they didn't do the work," the judge said. A key point of contention in negotiations over the audit's scope was what city programs would be included. On Monday, Shayla Myers, the attorney representing two groups that have intervened in the lawsuit, argued that the audit should cover the city's enforcement of Municipal Ordinance 41.18, which prohibits camping near such places as schools and day-care centers or in specific areas designated by City Council resolution. The Los Angeles Community Action Network, one of the intervening groups, and other homeless advocates contend that the law is purely for the purpose of cleansing certain areas of homeless people. In contrast to Inside Safe, which focuses on getting people to voluntarily enter shelters, the anti-camping law merely pushes people from one place to another, making it more difficult for outreach workers to help them, the advocates contend. Carter had said earlier that he was not inclined to include Ordinance 41.18 because he saw it primarily as a "policy decision by the city." But Myers pushed successfully to have the scope cover "each and every homelessness assistance program and initiative funded or conducted by the City of Los Angeles," including the anti-camping ordinance. Carter accepted the principle without comment on Friday, and commended all of the parties involved. The issue of an audit arose after the LA Alliance filed a motion last month asking Carter to fine the city $6.4 million, alleging it was dragging its feet on a requirement that it set goals and milestones for reducing homeless encampments. The city approved a timetable for those milestones in January, nearly a year after it was initially due. The judge agreed that the city had violated its commitment under the city's April 2022 settlement agreement, but said he was concerned that the amount requested would be "taking money from the homeless when we need that money on the front side." Instead, he said, he thought that Umhofer, Mitchell & King, the law firm that brought the case, should be compensated with an amount yet to be determined. 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. Moscows Crocus City Hall was packed to the rafters on Friday night as fans of Picnic eagerly awaited the Soviet-era rock bands arrival on stage. The musicians were still in their dressing room when gunshots first rang out. At first, the audience thought it was part of the build-up to the show. Then several gunmen clad in combat fatigues burst through the doors and started shooting. Videos shared on social media showed four or five men dressed in bulletproof vests and armed with assault rifles entering the large, marbled concert hall. They carried a large cache of weapons and shot indiscriminately at people. They acted like trained fighters, one eye witness told Mash, a Russian news Telegram channel. They killed the guards and people standing at the door. Then they blocked the main entrance. Among the most graphic footage to emerge shows the gunmen firing on those trapped in an entranceway to the concert hall for a full minute at point-blank range. After that, the attackers lobbed an explosive device into the crowd, starting a fire which eventually burnt through the roof of the building. People described how they played dead to survive or had other miraculous escapes. I pretended to die One woman interviewed on Russian TV while in hospital being treated for burns to her hands and body said: I fell to the floor and pretended to die. The girl next to me was killed. Yulia Khvatkova was running late for the concert and dashing to catch the start of the show with her boyfriend. What she didnt realise was that the gunmen were behind her. They opened fire just as she reached the concert hall entrance. I was wounded in the shoulder, my boyfriend was hit in the arms and legs. A woman fell right next to me with a bullet through her temple, she told the Astra news agency. A cheerful woman was selling tickets at the entrance. When we ran away I saw her lying there with these tickets with a bullet in her head. I still have this picture in front of my eyes. Anna was also about to enter the concert hall with her parents when the shooting started. We were literally three steps away from the entrance when a man fell down dead in front of me, she told the Russian channel TV Rain. People started shouting: Run, theyre shooting. We didnt realise it at first, because it sounded like firecrackers. Inside the hall, built to accommodate 6,200 people, the crowd dropped to the floor in a desperate bid to dodge the flurry of bullets, some attempting to crawl under seats through the thick smoke to the exits. Many did not make it that far. Footage from the scene showed scores of bodies slumped over seats or on the ground. Elena, 61, said one man saved a lot of people after he tackled one of the gunmen. Specialists carry the body of a victim out of the Crocus City Hall - REUTERS/Yulia Morozova She was hiding under a seat, watching an attacker near the stage shoot people when she saw the man grab his assault rifle and beat him with it. He just gave us the opportunity to all go out through the stage, through the emergency exit we all ran out into the street. He saved a lot of people. I dont know if he was still alive, she said. The attackers then started setting fire to the hall, according to Vitaly, an eyewitness quoted by the BBC. They threw some petrol bombs, everything started burning. We were led out towards an exit. Another eyewitness said children and teenagers were in the complex at the time of the attack, taking part in a ballroom dancing competition. By Saturday morning, officials said that the death toll was more than 93, including three children, and that more than 145 had been injured, the worst attack on civilians in Russia for years. Ten people reportedly died from smoke inhalation from the fire as they hid from the gunmen in an underground toilet. Video footage from the site showed police loading heavy black body bags into dark grey refrigerated vans. A grainy close up of video footage taken during the attack shows four gunmen shooting indiscriminately into the audience Lax security Survivors have complained that security around the high-profile venue appeared to have been too light and was easily overwhelmed by the attackers. Crocus City Hall is one of Moscows most famous music venues: Elton John, Lenny Kravitz, Eric Clapton, and Dua Lipa have all performed there. The complex includes a large shopping mall. It was also the site of the infamous Miss Universe pageant Donald Trump attended in 2013. By late Friday night, electronic billboards across Russia were displaying the word mourn and a flickering candle on a black background. On Saturday morning, news agencies on the Telegram messaging app had blacked out their avatars and queues at blood donation centres had formed across Moscow. This is a matter of life and death for dozens of people, Alexey Shaposhnikov, chairman of the Moscow City Duma pleaded. Members of the Russian Emergencies Ministry clearing rubble in the aftermath of the fire at the concert hall - Reuters/Russian Emergencies Ministry Crocus City Hall on Saturday morning - Vitaly Smolnikov Huge manhunt Police launched a massive manhunt for suspects after a gunfight with a suspected getaway car in southern Russia. Several people have been detained. European leaders were quick to condemn the attacks, which the Islamic State terror group (IS) claimed responsibility for within hours. Two weeks ago, the US embassy in Moscow warned of a potential terror attack, advising US citizens to avoid large gatherings, including concerts but this week Vladimir Putin dismissed the warning as outright blackmail intended to intimidate and destabilise Russian society. Analysis Moscow terror attack raises questions about FSB failure to prevent it Read more US officials said their alert had been partially based on intelligence indicating Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) branch of the terror group was active inside Russia. Some senior Russian officials, including former president Dmitry Medvedev, blamed Ukraine for the attack and threatened harsh retaliation. Russias worst terror attack in over a decade has brought a collective shudder across Europe, where memories of other music venues turned to slaughterhouses have resurfaced: the Bataclan in Paris in 2015, and the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A fire broke out at the Kiubyshev oil refinery in Russia's Samara Oblast overnight on March 23, Russian media outlets claimed. The report comes amid a series of Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries throughout Russia. Local residents reported explosions at the refinery and said the facility was on fire, according to Russian Telegram news channels. The fire at the refinery was likely caused by a drone attack, the outlets claimed. Russian officials have not commented on the report. Ukrainian forces previously struck the Kiubyshev oil refinery on March 16 in a drone strike that also targeted the region's Syzran refinery. Only the Syzran facility caught fire following the attack, Russian officials claimed. Both refineries are owned by Rosneft, Russia's largest oil company. Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna said on March 22 that Russia's oil refineries are "absolutely legitimate targets" for the Ukrainian military. Her statement followed media reports that the U.S. had asked Ukraine to stop attacking the Russian oil industry. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak denied the reports, saying Kyiv did not receive any such calls from Washington. "Fuel is a primary tool of waging war. Ukraine will destroy fuel infrastructure," Podolyak said. Read also: Zaporizhzhias Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant hit amid Russian attack on energy infrastructure Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. As the former president and CEO of Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development, Jodie Perry knows about growth. Mansfield's new mayor made that a focus of her state-of-the-city address Wednesday before the Mansfield City Council meeting. Perry has been on the job for 12 weeks. Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry delivered her state of the city speech prior to Wednesday's city council meeting. "The first three months have been a whirlwind of learning, connecting, meeting and planning," she said. During her campaign, Perry identified her priorities as growth, infrastructure and safety. "And after 80 days, I'm pleased to share with you that this city our city is on the rise," she said. "While we have many challenges yet to face, there is great reason for optimism as we look at our collective future." Perry used an analogy to underscore the importance of growth. "... Why is growth so important? Think of it as a tree," she said. "It starts as a seed, and as long as it stays healthy, it continues to grow. It gets bigger, greener and stronger bit by bit. The growth can happen quickly, and yet you can't sit and watch it take place in real time. "Each year, it produces new seeds that will fall, and at least some of them begin to grow. One day, when the tree begins to wither and fade, if a new tree isn't coming up from behind it, the forest will be left with a bare spot." Perry highlights growth in the past year Perry said she looks at communities the same way before highlighting several success stories from 2023. Adena Development found a tenant for its spec building at Airport West. "The 160,000-square-foot building was the largest industrial facility built in the city limits in a number of years," Perry said. "Hedstrom, the company who probably makes your child's favorite bouncy balls, has brought 35 full-time jobs to our community as they expand. This project was a $10 million investment in our community." Ohio Valley Stamping & Assemblies acquired the former Crestline Paint building on Newman Street to expand its capacity. The $2 million investment will create 20 jobs. Akron Children's Hospital with Adena Development added a 10,000-square-foot expansion to its site on Trimble Road to offer new mental health services and support for youth. "The project is bringing 23 new full-time jobs and a project investment of over $7 million to the community, not to mention the vital expansion of support services," Perry said. Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport is an important part of the city's economic development. Niss Aviation, which took over operations in 2020, is rebuilding the restaurant at the airport. Dubbed the Sky Club, the project began with the demolition of the former restaurant. The new build will happen this year. In more airport news, Mansfield Lahm received the General Aviation Award from the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, which is a national award. Perry said the permitting and development department had a busy year, issuing 1,718 permits. "It represents over $41 million in improvements throughout the City of Mansfield," the mayor said, adding the city is receiving inquiries from new developers. Perry said part of growth is the first impression a community makes. "Housing inspectors issued 1,870 code violations across the city and abated 275 properties for violations," she said. "Long term, of course, we want to see these numbers eventually drop because people are taking better care of their properties. In the meantime, however, we are working to ensure we see some transformation begin." West End Target Area project coming along In community development, Phase I construction for the West End Target Area along Glessner Avenue was completed. "This project is revitalizing a strategic corridor leading to the county's largest employer, OhioHealth Hospital," Perry said "Design contracts have been awarded for Phase 2 and Phase 3, which will continue the upgrades further towards Main Street." Perry said her second priority is infrastructure. "It is the thing you never think about when it works right, but you notice right away when it is broken," she noted. Perry pointed out the street department resurfaced 159 streets, representing about 37 miles of roadway. She said some large projects take years to bring to fruition and are often handled by the engineering department, highlighting one such project. "Next year, we will see dirt being moved on the ambitious Main Street revitalization project, but in 2023, they completed important parts of the design and planning process," Perry said. "They have also secured seven outside grants totaling a whopping $12,734,442. That means 80-85% of this whole project is being funded by grant dollars." Remaining water meters will be installed in first half of year A longtime issue for the city has been the need to install the remaining water meters. "This new administration is about to announce the changeover in the billing process, which will show itemized charges, enhancements when it comes to how residents can pay their bills, as well as other things to make the customer experience more positive," Perry said. "We will get the water meter project done in the first half of the year and be able to move on from a project that has, quite frankly, taken too long." Parks are another ongoing issue with residents. Perry noted the parks were closed entirely for eight years during fiscal emergency. "... (S)o it has taken many years to begin to get caught up from that," she said. "We are working this year to make tangible improvements both large and small through the 22 different parks that the city owns." Perry's third priority is public safety. She said the police department had 77 sworn officers in December 2023, far below what a city Mansfield's size should have. "We have continued with some of the extra incentives to help encourage lateral transfers into the department, and while the progress has been slower than anyone would like to see, these are certainly signs of improvement," she said. In response to an uptick in gun violence, the police department formed a community action team. The police department has a new chief in Jason Bammann, who replaced Keith Porch. Porch moved upstairs to become safety service director. The fire department also is undergoing changes, with the retirement of longtime chief Steve Strickling in late 2023. New Chief Dan Crow's goals include developing a strategic plan with a new mission, vision and core values; developing a comprehensive training program; and strengthening mutual aid relationships with neighboring departments. Perry called the city of Mansfield "a large and complex organization with many moving pieces and parts." She went back to another part of her campaign, her desire for a Team Mansfield. "But Team Mansfield is not just elected officials or public employees," she said. "It's you as residents, community members and businesses. We all have to be Team Mansfield." mcaudill@gannett.com 419-521-7219 X: @MarkCau32059251 This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Mansfield OH Mayor Jodie Perry gives state of the city address Opill, the first birth control pill approved to be sold without a prescription, has landed on shelves at some Walgreens stores. The pill is also available to order online from Amazon, CVS, Walgreens and the Opill website. Its the first time that U.S. residents are able to buy birth control pills over the counter the same way they would purchase Tylenol or Advil though many states allow pharmacists to dispense birth control pills to patients without a prescription. Sriha Srinivasan, 21, said she plans to start taking Opill as soon as she can find it at a store near her home in Fairfield, California both for its convenience and because she wants to support a product thats expanding access to contraception. Srinivasan is a contraceptives activist with Advocates for Youth, a nonprofit organization that focuses on young peoples sexual and reproductive health. She said she tried to schedule appointments at local clinics to get a birth control prescription last year, only to find out that the earliest slots were months away, during her final exams. Thats not access to me, she said. This is fulfilling the gap that I experienced, that I know for a fact that other students have also experienced. The Food and Drug Administration approved Opill for over-the-counter sales in July, but the drugs maker, Perrigo, didnt start shipping batches to retailers and pharmacies until March 4. The Opill website shows a map of stores that carry or are expected to carry the pill. Walgreens estimated that Opill would be at all of its stores within the next week or so. Several stores in Massachusetts and one in Connecticut confirmed to NBC News that the product had made it to shelves. Opill will be available at Walgreens nationwide in the family planning aisle and behind the pharmacy. Customers can also purchase the product online for 30-minute pickup, 1-hour delivery, or ship to home, Marty Maloney, a company spokesperson, said in a statement. Matt Blanchette, a CVS spokesperson, said the pharmacy chain started selling Opill online on Thursday, but the product hasnt hit shelves yet. In early April, more than 7,500 CVS Pharmacy stores will offer Opill and for added privacy and convenience, customers will be able to choose same-day delivery or buy online and pick up in store, he said. Walmart spokesperson Tricia Moriarty said Opill is expected to be available on the store's website at the end of this week, but as of Friday afternoon the pills were listed as out of stock. Opill will also be available at all Walmart stores the first week of April, Moriarty said. The medication costs $19.99 for a one-month supply and $49.99 for a three-month supply at most stores, though Walmart lists slightly lower prices online. Opill contains one hormone, progestin, which makes it harder for sperm to reach an egg, thins the lining of the uterus and can sometimes prevent ovulation. This type of birth control, known as the mini pill, is taken at the same time each day. The common prescription forms of birth control, known as combination pills, contain synthetic versions of both estrogen and progestin. When used as directed, Opill's effectiveness can be as high as 98%, meaning just 2 out of 100 women will become pregnant in a year of use. The effectiveness of combination pills can reach 99%. A prescription version of Opill was approved more than 50 years ago under the brand name Ovrette, and was available in the U.S. from 1973 to 2005. Over-the-counter birth control pills were already available in more than 100 countries before Opill was approved in the U.S. in July. Srinivasan spoke about the need for over-the-counter birth control pills at an FDA advisory committee meeting last year. I really felt like I was the voice for a lot of young people in that moment. I got a tattoo of a little birth control pack after I spoke to the FDA, she said. Srinivasan added, though, that she worries that even $20 per month might feel expensive after she starts medical school this fall. Under the Affordable Care Act, most insurance plans are required to cover certain types of contraceptives at no out-of-pocket cost. But over-the-counter medications generally arent covered. However, according to KFF, a nonprofit health think tank, seven states California, Colorado, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and Washington require private health insurance plans that are subject to state law to cover some nonprescription contraceptives. Many of those policies should be broad enough to include Opill, according to KFF but the majority of plans are only subject to federal, not state, law. Seven states also have funds set aside to cover nonprescription contraceptives for Medicaid beneficiaries. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com With the Afghan new year, or Nowruz, falling during the month of Ramadan this year, Afghans and Afghan Americans around the US who celebrated while fasting prepared with a few traditional dishes to share after sundown last week. Zuhra, 30, had some of her relatives over to her house in Santa Ana, California. She decorated her dining table green, to celebrate spring, and made haft mewa, an Afghan dish prepared with seven different dried fruits and nuts, which her husband loves. Now our life is good, she said. For years, things had been different. Related: Biden administration failures drove the fall of Kabul, say top former US generals Zuhra, who asked to be identified only by her first name for fear of reprisal for speaking to the press, arrived in southern California in November 2022, a little more than a year after the USs chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Back in her home country, Zuhra said, she held a masters degree in business administration, had a good career working in human resources for US companies and agencies, and owned her home We wanted to stay and serve our people, she said. But having worked with foreigners, Zuhra and her husband knew they were at risk as soon as the Taliban took over in August 2021. Zuhra had applied years earlier for a special immigrant visa, or SIV, a coveted and hard-to-get visa established in 2006 for Afghans who had been employed by or on behalf of the US government. Congress is considering adding 12,000 new SIVs for Afghans in its latest funding deal negotiations. Fearful of being arrested, she stopped driving or working late, and covered her face to avoid standing out in public. Eventually, she chose to move to California, home to the largest Afghan community in the US, to be near relatives who settled here decades ago. But while finally in safety, the family struggled to rebuild their lives. Zuhra and her husband had a hard time finding work and an affordable place to rent. Even now, she worries that they will be unable to save any money for their four-year-old sons future. Numerous Afghans who have found refuge in the US since the US withdrawal have encountered similar challenges. The non-profit Tiyya Foundation helps newly arrived immigrants in southern California find work and housing. They also help newly arrived immigrants find work, and directly employ some of them like Zuhra, who works for the organization as a translator. Beatrice Kihagi, Tiyyas family services specialist, explains that having community support makes the challenges of living in one of the most expensive parts of the US more manageable. But it remains tough, she said. Many of these families did well in their home countries, and their kids at times struggle to adjust to their new reality, Kihagi said: Its so hard for them because they could see the kind of life they had back at home was much better than here financially, at least. Kihagi says this weighs on parents mentally. Samir, who asked to be identified by an alias for fear of retaliation against his family in Afghanistan, obtained an SIV and moved his family of six to southern California in August 2023. He worked on agriculture and infrastructure projects for USAid, the United States Agency for International Development, across the southern province of Uruzgan. He described a harrowing journey leaving his home country, crossing Taliban checkpoints, flying through multiple countries and juggling paperwork, an infant and enormous suitcases. Not the small luggage, he explained. The big luggage, because my wife was willing to take everything. His children ran around happily as the family attended a recent Tiyya event called tea and tots that gathers families for playdates at a park. He said the biggest opportunity he has in the United States is to educate his daughters, which he couldnt do in Afghanistan. Now, they speak English, he said proudly, and know how to talk to teachers and do their homework. When its morning early, they are happy to get ready very fast to go to school, he said. He added his wife is slowly becoming excited to learn to drive. But the first two months in California were difficult. Samir struggled to get housing because landlords asked for proof of income or a co-signer. He said: I told them, Im new. I dont have income. I dont know anybody. He said every step was difficult, and the stress and depression weighed on him, until they found an apartment and could begin remaking their lives. As the US weighs who should occupy the White House come January 2025, Samir said most college-educated Afghans he knows, and those who worked in the countrys former government, dont like Joe Biden because of how he handled the withdrawal of US troops in 2021. They left us and our lives in danger, he said. Samir said hes concerned about illegal immigration and worries that people without the proper paperwork something he waited for will have a more difficult journey settling in the US, and that they will compete for resources he depends on. I hope that we will have the president to support the legal immigrants, he said. He thinks Afghans who hold US citizenship, and can vote in November, will look at whoever is doing the most to help refugees. Zuhra said shes too new to the US to be able to comment on politics, but shes noticed the contentiousness of the 2024 election. Theres division here like there was in Afghanistan, she said. She said her relatives who are US citizens are leaning towards voting for Donald Trump. Roien Rahimi came to the U.S. from Afghanistan almost three years ago and now works for an organization that supports refugees mental health. He, too, is still struggling, he said. I have to work even during the weekend, so I can afford the expenses. This makes it difficult to pay attention to the political climate of his new home. Afghan new immigrants, theyre struggling with their life right now. Its a bit far to think about the election, he said. He said he doesnt follow politics much, but spoke favorably of Donald Trump, and mentioned concerns over Joe Bidens age. If they bring good life to people of the US, we are happy. Thats what matters, Rahimi concluded. VIENTIANE, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Lao authorities rescued 16 black bear cubs in a building here and handed them over to a bear conservation organization, local media reported Saturday. The bears were found in the building of the microfinance institution in Sikhottabong district last week and the rescue operation was initiated by the authorities, the Lao Economic Daily reported, citing Chansamouth Chanthalangsone, deputy head of the environmental department under the Lao Ministry of Public Security. The cubs are now in the care of Free the Bear, an Australian non-profit wildlife charity, where they will receive the necessary treatment before being released back into their natural habitat. Staten Island's infamous, angry turkeys are getting their close-up in a comic book. Its a story most fowl. Staten Islands infamous, angry turkeys are getting the star treatment in a new comic book. Patrick Hickey Jr.s Midland Beach Turkey Ninjas tells the twisted tale of feathered warriors who crave to control the borough and beyond. I see those turkeys and I would love to go to town and have some lunch, Patrick Hickey Jr. quipped. Michael Nagle The dystopian fable is told from the point of view of Staten Islands eldest turkey, Deathclaw, who wants to rule the roost. The seeds of the 12-page book out next month were planted in July, when Hickey moved his wife and two young kids from Bensonhurst to Midland Beach for a taste of the burbs and encountered crazy birds instead. The first time we drove over the bridge to the new house, we went past Staten Island University Hospital and there they were easily two dozen turkeys, perched on power lines and in nearby trees. Ive never seen anything like it before, Hickey recalled. Hickey says the turkeys are fearless and my kids are scared of em. Michael Nagle Midland Beach Turkey Ninjas tells the twisted tale of feathered warriors who crave to control the borough and beyond. Michael Nagle A few days later, I see 40 marching down my block. . . . They literally control this neighborhood. They are pretty fearless. Theyre in front of my house literally all the time. My kids are scared of em, said Hickey, a 40-year-old journalist and professor at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn. In real life, the turkeys who have been around since the 1990s are minor celebs, having been fodder for SNL skits and just last week, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where the funnyman read a local news piece on how the troublesome turkeys block traffic, scratch cars and defecate on private property. You cant do that on Staten Island if its not St. Patricks Day, Colbert snarked. Hickey says the turkeys literally control his Midland Beach neighborhood. Michael Nagle The infamous turkeys have been known to block traffic, scratch cars and defecate on private property. Michael Nagle In November, a 60-year-old woman claimed she fell and permanently injured herself outside Staten Island University Hospital due in part to her fear of the wild turkeys roaming the facilitys Ocean Breeze campus. Shes now suing the hospital. They are also bulletproof. Its illegal to hunt them and island residents have been told they have no choice but to live with them. The 12-page comic book out next month is now available for pre-order. Legacy Comix The dystopian fable is told from the point of view of Staten Islands eldest turkey, Deathclaw, who wants to rule the roost. The bottom line is basically weve created a situation where we cannot harm them [the turkeys] and they can do whatever they want. It pokes fun at the political decisions regarding them and how humans have painted themselves into a corner over feral birds, Hickey said. Its definitely grounded in reality, its just seen through the eyes of the turkeys, he added. The comic has the noir prese ntation of Sin City coupled with the storytelling devices used in Howard the Duck and Mad Magazine. It was illustrated by South Carolinas Joshua Adams, who drew from the scores of unhinged turkey photos and videos Hickey sent him. A sign in front of Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze, advises people not to feed the animals. Michael Nagle Hickey, who runs Legacy Comix, is a journalist and professor at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn. Michael Nagle Sales will dictate whether the $5.99 Ninja Turkeys published by the Hickey-owned Legacy Comix will live on in the comic universe. The comic is now available for pre-order. Theres definitely room for me to continue the series. It ends in a cliffhanger, Hickey said. Hickey, who is no pushover at 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, confesses hes had dark thoughts about his 3 1/2-foot-tall, 50-pound neighbors. I see those turkeys and I would love to go to town and have some lunch. The comic book release was first reported by the Staten Island Advance. An argument between a Florida couple about their differing political views turned violent Wednesday, investigators said. The Lee County Sheriffs Office was called to a home in North Fort Meyers after a 70-year-old man allegedly grabbed his fiance's neck and squeezed, an affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital states. The woman, a "Democrat," called for help, investigators said. "She (and the fiance) had been fighting throughout the day and argued over politics because John was a Republican," the affidavit said. "During the verbal argument, (he) began calling her a Democrat and other names." FLORIDA SPRING BREAK PARTIES PREVAIL THROUGH CRACKDOWN THAT NABS ANOTHER GUNMAN, HUNDREDS OF ARRESTS "While sitting on the couch during the argument, (he) held her down and placed his hand on her face and the other hand around her neck, strangling her and restricting her airflow." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP She was unable to breathe, the woman told investigators. A deputy observed red marks on the woman's neck, which was consistent with her statement, authorities said. The man told investigators the two of them, who have been engaged for 25 years, had argued over politics, but he denied attacking her. The incident was the second time in 10 days that the man had been arrested. On March 10, he allegedly attacked a neighbor and brandished a pocket knife, according to a separate affidavit. He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, battery touch or strike, battery by strangulation and resisting an officer. He is being held in the county jail, according to jail records. Original article source: Florida couples political debate turns violent when Republican attacks his Democratic fiance, authorities say Florida man accused of posing as woman to buy nude photos of children TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A Florida man is behind bars after he was accused of posing as a female online to buy inappropriate photos of children, according to NBC affiliate WESH. Oviedo police arrested Marvin Wagner III on Wednesday after he was found to be using Cash App and Snapchat to buy the nude photos. Suspect arrested, charged after 3 men shot in Ybor parking garage, Tampa police say Wagner posed as Karla, investigators said, and would reach out through the social media app to send money in exchange for the photos. WESH reported that one child sent around 15 nude photos over the course of a year to Wagner. Arrest records show Wagner is currently being held in the Seminole County Jail on a $90,000 bond on charges of obscene communication using a computer to seduce, solicit, or lure a child and cruelty towards child use or allowing a child to engage in sex. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. A Florida man was arrested in Indiana County after leading troopers on a pursuit on Thursday, according to state police. State troopers assigned to the IUPattys detail along Philadelphia Street noticed a red Pontiac speeding. The trooper pulled out to catch up to the vehicle, which was traveling more than 90 miles per hour. The driver didnt stop and a pursuit began. The driver, who police identified as Brandon Rosenberger, 34, of St. Petersburg, Florida, stopped the vehicle along Church Street and then fled on foot. State police said Rosenberger was taken into custody after a taser deployment in Indiana Borough. Rosenberger was under the influence of methamphetamine and was believed to have been awake for five days. He is facing multiple charges, including fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and evading arrest. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 2. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Photos: Ex-Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett selling his Cranberry Township home Ex-Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett selling his Cranberry Township home Photos: 19-year-old motorcyclist in ICU after being hit by truck in North Strabane Township VIDEO: Duquesne stuns 6-seed BYU in opening round of NCAA Tournament DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts Andrey Perov was charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, conspiracy to engage in monetary transactions in property derived from a specified unlawful activity, and operating a money transmitting business without a license, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Southern District of Florida. (Photo" Broward County Jail) BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. - A Florida pawn shop owner has been charged in a $53 million gift card and money order laundering scheme that involved fake client aliases like "Michael Jackson" and "Tom Hanks," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of Florida. Andrey Perov, a 38-year-old from Miami who owns two pawn shops in South Florida, is facing charges including money laundering and operating a money transmitting business without a license as a result of an investigation that revealed he was engaged in illegal business practices dating back to at least 2017, according to charging documents obtained by FOX 35. The FBI was first put on Perov's radar in 2019 by a confidential source who was facing jail time for narcotics trafficking charges who eventually opted to cooperate with the investigation, the documents said. He told investigators that a co-conspirator of Perov previously laundered drug proceeds for him. The source asked the co-conspirator to launder money for him in the event that he would be facing jail time, according to investigators. That co-conspirator said no, but did refer the source to Perov. According to this co-conspirator, Perov "had a business that bought gift cards for cash in Florida" and he "always needed cash on hand in order to purchase the gift cards,'" the documents said. The confidential source met with Perov in January 2021. Perov said he "owned several pawn shops in South Florida and could always use U.S. currency to purchase "gift cards," the documents said. As a result of their interaction, Perov agreed to get $11,000 in cash from the source which he claimed was "dirty money" from selling "pills" and would allegedly launder drug proceeds through his pawn shops. The money was transferred from a covert bank account maintained by law enforcement. The source remained in contact with Perov through his assistant and would continuously make it known that his money was obtained by illegal means as part of the investigation. "I know, I know," the assistant replied, according to the document. Between February and June of 2021, the source provided cash proceeds totaling nearly $100,000 to Perov's assistant three times for the purpose of being laundered through the pawn shops, the documents said. The source then told Perov's assistant that he had an "associate" who dealt with "gift cards," investigators said. That associate was another confidential source who Perov's assistant agreed to meet with in July 2021. The FBI obtained $540,000 worth of gift cards to be used in this investigation and the second source represented them to Perov's assistant as either to have been stolen or fraudulently acquired. Starting that December and through November 2022, the second confidential source gave Perov's assistant about $540,000 worth of gift cards, and the source was given $460,000 in return, the documents said. In September 2023, investigators met with a co-conspirator who agreed to cooperate with the investigation. This unidentified person said Perov used his pawn shops to accept stolen and fraudulent gift cards and money orders. Furthermore, the business was used to transmit cash proceeds to people involved in criminal activities and other "suspicious" people, the documents said. About 70% of all gift cards and 100% of all money orders that were sold to Perov's pawn shops were fraudulent, the co-conspirator told the FBI. Additionally, the co-conspirator also said Perov was aware that pawn shops needed to have a money transmitting license to conduct business, but he never got one. "There was no legitimate reason why someone would want to sell a money order to the store since money orders could already be used to pay bills, rent, etc. They were as liquid as cash," the co-conspirator explained, according to the documents. Throughout Perov's alleged scheme, he kept a detailed online ledger that included all the clients' information, like gift card numbers, money order numbers, phone numbers, addresses, dollar amounts, bank information, social media profiles and other cash transaction data. The FBI obtained a search warrant for the ledger on Feb. 9, 2024, which revealed that Perov's pawn shops collectively redeemed for cash about $53 million of money orders and gift cards. About $2 million of these gift card were denied or blocked due to fraud or theft. Some of the top customers listed in the online ledger had apparent false names to hide their identity. Some of these names included "Tom Hanks," "Michael Jackson" and "Fats Fatz." Perov remains in custody in Broward County without bond before being transferred into U.S. Marshals' custody. He made his first appearance on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale. If convicted for money laundering, Perov faces 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $500,000 or up to twice the value of the transactions. For the money transmitting business without a license charge, Perov faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The Holy Family Warming Shelter, 73 E. First St., Fond du Lac, has received a $10,000 grant from The Catholic Community Foundation. FOND DU LAC Holy Family Warming Shelter has received a $10,000 grant from The Catholic Community Foundation. The funds will be used for overall operations of the shelter and to continue to provide care for its clients. Through the collaboration of many community partners, the Holy Family Warming Shelter, 73 E. First St., opened in November 2023 to offer emergency shelter to single adults experiencing homelessness during the winter months. Each night, the shelter can accommodate up to 30 individuals, providing them with a meal, a place to sleep and connect them to local resources. Guests of the warming shelter also may receive winter weather gear and other items donated by the community. For more about the shelter, go to https://www.hffdl.org/warming-shelter/, call 920-921-0580 or email info@hffdl.org. Spelling bee: From extemporaneous in 1976 to pariah in 2024, why Fond du Lac School District's citywide spelling bee is ending after nearly 50 years Bulky waste drop-off site changes to summer hours Effective April 1, the Fond du Lac bulky waste drop-off site will begin its summer hours, which will remain in effect through Nov. 30. Hours of operation for the site, 490 Doty St., will be 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Mondays; closed Tuesdays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays; 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; and 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays. An attendant will be on duty when the facility is open. For more information, including fees, visit fdl.wi.gov or call 920-322-3544. 'Willy Wonka' to be performed by Ripon Middle students Ripon Middle School will present its spring musical, Roald Dahls Willy Wonka Jr., April 4, 5 and 6 in the Ripon High School Auditorium. The play follows world-famous reclusive candy man Willy Wonka, who announces he will offer the tour of the lifetime through his secret chocolate factory to five children who find a golden ticket in one of his world-famous candy bars; and they also will win a lifetime supply of chocolate. The children who win spend a day traveling through the fantastical factory to see who will win the Wonka prize. Willy Wonka Jr. has been adapted for the stage by Leslie Bricusse and Timothy Allen McDonald. The show features lyrics and music by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, including beloved songs The Candy Man, I Want It Now!, and Pure Imagination from the classic film, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Performances are at 7 p.m. April 4 and 5; and 2 p.m. April 6. The high school is at 850 Tiger Drive. Admission is $7 for adults, $1 for students and are available at the door 30 minutes before each performance. A bake sale and 50/50 raffle during intermission will benefit the middle schools drama program. Farmers can benefit from biochar workshop April 2 A Biochar Workshop for Soil Building will be April 2 at Good Trouble Grove in Green Lake. Hosted by Golden Sands Resource Conservation & Development Council Inc., Natural Resource Conservation Service and Green Lake County Land & Water Conservation Department, the event will run 1 to 3 p.m. and is open to the public. As farmers across the Midwest work to repair depleted soils, many have looked for new ways to add carbon back into the field, one of which is using biochar. During the workshop, Kristin Foerhinger, NRCS WI State Working Lands Climate Smart specialist, will talk about all things biochar: benefits, risks, when and where to apply. Green Lake County will then Demo its new RIng of FIre Biochar Kiln that is available for Green Lake County residents to rent. For more information, visit goldensandsrcd.org/pasture-walks. To register for the free workshop, email brooke.patrick@goldensandsrcd.org by March 31. Storm spotter training is April 3 in Fond du Lac The National Weather Service, in conjunction with Fond du Lac County Emergency Management, will host its annual storm spotter training April 3. The session will be 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Fond du Lac County Board Chambers, 160 S. Macy St. Training will be led by a meteorologist from the National Weather Service and is free and open to the public. It is highly recommended for members of law enforcement, fire service, EMS, dispatchers and other first responders and amateur radio operators. Pre-registration is not required. The training provides information about severe weather safety as well as the differences between watches and warnings. Information will be presented about how to help the National Weather Service as a trained spotter, including what needs to be reported to the NWS and how to submit reports. Artists of all ages invited to submit work for community show As part of Noon Kiwanis 100th anniversary, a Community Art Show will be held April 13. Artists of all ages are invited to join the Ripon Noon Kiwanis and Ripon College Circle K clubs for the show, 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Ripon High School commons. This show is open to youth in kindergarten through adults and is free for all who enter. Submission photos must be uploaded via the online form by midnight April 5. The form can be found at forms.gle/JrpP9fiGUdFQsVo66. Entries will be displayed by age category: K to second grade; third to fifth grade; middle school and high school; and college to adult. Acceptable mediums include drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, pottery and fiber. Judging will be held with local artists doing the adjudicating. Certificates and prizes could be awarded, based on the judges scoring. Criteria will be age-level appropriate. For more information, visit riponnoonkiwanis.org/april-communityart-show. Scholarships available for Wisconsin high school students Wisconsin high school students pursuing higher education degrees can apply for a BCI Burke Community Scholarship. Burke is a playground equipment manufacturer. Two scholarships will be awarded to help offset students educational expenses. A $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to an undergraduate pursuing a bachelors degree in engineering, marketing, graphic design or business; and a $500 scholarship will be awarded to a Moraine Park Technical College or Fox Valley Technical College student enrolled in an Interactive Media Design, Mechanical Design Technology, Mechanical CAD Drafting, Digital Media or Welding program. Applicants must be residents of Wisconsin to be eligible and must apply by May 1. Scholarships will be awarded in late spring. For more information or to apply, visit bciburke.com. Attracting young professionals: Fond du Lac's young professionals reap the benefits of its ever-growing assets: 'Sometimes we sell ourselves short.' Fond du Lac students fare well at Youth in Government session Fond du Lac High Schools Youth in Government delegation recently attended the statewide Model Government conference in Madison. The delegation showcased its students skills and dedication in a simulation of state government operations across legislative, judicial and media branches, according to a news release. The event was marked by several standout performances from Fond du Lac High School students. Cooper Kleinkes legislative proposal received the honor of being signed into law by the Youth Governor. Shaynah Lewis was awarded the Outstanding Delegate accolade in the judicial arena for her exceptional work in the Supreme Court. In the media branch, Takoda Fry was recognized as the Outstanding Delegate, while Aliyah Thompsons election as the Statewide Media Director, placed her on the prestigious Statewide Elected Seven Council. The delegation received support from the Fond du Lac YMCA, the Colwin Family, the Fond du Lac Area Foundation, the Fond du Lac Bar Association and Fond du Lac High School as well as volunteer support from Cassandra Van Gompel and FHS teacher Molly Carney. Contact Mara Wegner at mwegner@gannett.com or 920-996-7241. This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Fond du Lac warming shelter gets Catholic Community Foundation grant The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has categorically rejected accusations made by Russian officials that Ukraine had any involvement in the shooting at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, on 22 March. Source: comment on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Quote: "We consider such accusations to be a planned provocation by the Kremlin to further fuel anti-Ukrainian hysteria in Russian society, create conditions for increased mobilisation of Russian citizens to participate in the criminal aggression against our country, and discredit Ukraine in the eyes of the international community." Details: The ministry reminded us that the Russian regime has a long history of orchestrating bloody provocations by the special services, such as the terrorist attack on the Kashirskoye highway in 1999. Quote: "There are no red lines for Putin's dictatorship. It is ready to kill its own citizens for political purposes, just as it has killed thousands of Ukrainian civilians during the war against Ukraine as a result of missile attacks, artillery shelling and torture." Details: The Foreign Ministry urged the international community to strongly reject Russia's false accusations of Ukraine's alleged involvement in the shooting in Krasnogorsk and to strengthen support for Ukraine in countering Russia's criminal aggression. Background: Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, commented on the shooting near Moscow, claiming that "if it is established that these are terrorists affiliated with the Kyiv regime", they should be "ruthlessly exterminated as terrorists". The shooting incident occurred prior to a concert by the band Piknik at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, on the evening of 22 March. Early reports say at least 40 people are dead and 130 injured. Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) stated that the terrorist attack was a deliberate provocation by Putins regime that had been anticipated by the international community. The White House said it saw no evidence of any Ukrainian involvement in the attack, which has claimed the lives of dozens of people. Mykhailo Podoliak, advisor to the Head of the Ukrainian Presidents Office, has stated that Ukraine has nothing to do with the attack. Support UP or become our patron! BALTIMORE, Md. (DC News Now) The Baltimore Orioles confirmed in a statement that Peter G. Angelos, who owned the team since 1993, passed away on Saturday. He was 94. Mr. Angelos had been ill for several years, and the family thanks the doctors, nurses, and caregivers who brought comfort to him in his final years. It was Mr. Angelos wish to have a private burial, and the family asks for understanding as they honor that request. Donations may be sent to charity in lieu of flowers, the statement on the teams X page read. David Rubenstein has a deal to buy the Baltimore Orioles for $1.725 billion, AP source says Angelos first purchased the team for $173 million in 1993 and reached an agreement in January to sell it to the Carlyle Group Inc. co-founder David Rubenstein for $1.725 billion, according to the Associated Press. In a post on X, Rubenstein expressed his condolences, stating: I offer my deepest condolences to the Angelos family on the passing of Peter Angelos. Peter made an indelible mark first in business and then in baseball. The city of Baltimore owes him a debt of gratitude for his stewardship of the Orioles across three decades and for positioning the team for great success. David M. Rubenstein For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. A man who used to be a marriage and family therapist in Beverly Hills is facing federal charges for allegedly distributing child pornography. The U.S. Attorneys Office says 49-year-old Ron Gad was arrested in San Luis Obispo in October of 2022 after authorities say he exchanged sexually explicit online chats with who he thought was a 13-year-old girl but was instead, an undercover officer. Gad reportedly drove over 180 miles from the Los Angeles area to a park in San Luis Obispo where he believed he would meet the 13-year-old girl. Officers spotted Gad and pulled him over in a traffic stop to arrest him. During his arrest, several digital devices found in his car were seized by authorities. Upon further investigation, officials said they discovered evidence that Gad had distributed child sex abuse materials and had communicated with suspected minors. Gads internet search history also showed references to sex with minors. According to the indictment, Gad also distributed child sex abuse material involving a child aged 12 or under on the internet and shipped the material to other states in December of 2021. Gad, whose marriage and family therapist license expired in November 2023, will be arraigned on May 3. If convicted, he faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. Anyone with additional information on this case is encouraged to call the Homeland Security Investigations tip line at 866-347-2423. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. An Idaho man was sentenced to one year in prison for his role in a $1.5-million grass seed fraud scheme while he supervised the company's Albany operations. Richard Dunham, 66, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud through seed mislabeling and conspiracy to commit wire fraud through kickbacks. He was sentenced Thursday to 12 months and one day in federal prison and three years of supervised release. Dunham also was ordered to pay $348,065 in restitution to Simplot. Dunham previously supervised order fulfillment and warehousing operations for Jacklin, a Liberty Lake, Washington, producer and marketer of grass seed and turfgrass. Dunham and then-Jacklin general manager Christopher Claypool were investigated for their roles in multiple schemes to defraud the J.R. Simplot Company and Jacklin, its former subsidiary. From 1997 until its sale in 2020, the Idaho-based J.R. Simplot Company, a major privately held supplier of agricultural products, owned and operated Jacklin, including a seed-blending and warehousing facility, out of the Albany area. Dunham, who supervised Jacklins Albany operations, had the authority to purchase grass seed from certain Oregon growers over others. Oregon is the largest producer of cool-season forage and turf grasses in the U.S., producing nearly 591 million pounds in 2017. Grass seed is the fifth-largest agricultural commodity in Oregon, worth more than $517 million. Most of the 1,300 grass seed growers in the state are in the Willamette Valley, and Linn County is referred to as the grass seed capital of the world. At some point between 2013 and 2015, Dunham and Claypool realized that growers preference for higher-yield grasses was creating substantial shortages of lower-yield varieties that Jacklin had contracted to deliver to its customers. According to court documents, Dunham and Claypool "recognized that these shortages would either cause Jacklin to fail to deliver on its existing contracts or require Jacklin to pay a premium to growers to acquire necessary inventory, substantially eroding company profits" and expected either result would negatively affect their careers. From January 2015 and until at least the summer of 2019, Dunham and Claypool directed Jacklin employees at the Albany facility and elsewhere to fulfill customer orders with different varieties of grass seed than the customers had ordered, to conceal such substitutions from the customers, and to invoice the customers as though no substitutions had taken place. "Together, they referred to this scheme as 'getting creative,'" prosecutors said in a statement. Dunham and Claypool directed Jacklin employees to package the substitute seed varieties with false and misleading labels. As a result of this scheme, Simplot refunded or credited more than $1.5 million to defrauded buyers. "During the same time, Dunham and Claypool also agreed to import mislabeled seeds from Moore Seeds, a Jacklin supplier based in Debolt, Alberta, Canada, to offset the shortage of one of Jacklins best-selling grass seed blends," prosecutors said. "In doing so, Dunham conspired with the owner of Cankiwi Ventures, Ltd., Moores managing entity, to purchase a less expensive seed blend at above-market rates in exchange for Moores falsely labeling the seed as Jacklins premier blend and shipping it, under that false pretense, to Jacklin in Oregon." Grass seed fields viewed from Vitae Springs Road S in Salem. Dunham also engaged in another scheme while employed with Jacklin. Dunham conspired to obtain kickback payments from grass seed growers and brokers that regularly did business with Jacklin, including Ground Zero Seeds, International, of Yamhill, Oregon, and ProSeeds Marketing, Inc., of Jefferson, Oregon, prosecutors said. Between April 2015 and September 2019, Dunham solicited more than $191,789 in kickbacks from Ground Zero and $156,275 from ProSeeds. In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors argued that Dunham should serve prison time for the harm he caused. "Defendant was simply greedy," prosecutors said. "Over the course of four years, he stole nearly $350,000 from a long-time employer who had rewarded him with a position of trust and discretion. He took that money on top of a generous salary, which he collected while faking his performance on the job through bogus sales that cost his employer both money and good will." On July 7, 2021, Claypool was sentenced to three years in federal prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wired fraud and money laundering. This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Ryan Bounds. Additionally, Ground Zero Seeds International and ProSeeds Marketing, Inc., pleaded guilty to knowingly concealing schemes to defraud Jacklin. Both companies were sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay criminal fines of $40,000 and $5,000, respectively. Ground Zero was also ordered to pay Simplot $516,000 in restitution, and ProSeeds was ordered to pay Simplot more than $78,000. CanKiwi Ventures, Ltd., the manager of the Canadian grower Moore Seed, pleaded guilty on March 7 to smuggling mislabeled seed into the United States using false documents and was sentenced to pay a criminal fine of $100,000. For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow on Twitter @wmwoodworth. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Former supervisor at Albany grass seed company sentenced MOSCOW, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Unmanned aerial vehicles attacked the Kuibyshev Oil Refinery in Russia's Samara region on Saturday, causing a fire in a primary oil refining column. No casualties or injuries had been reported from the attacks, according to regional governor Dmitry Azarov. "Emergency services and law enforcement agencies are working on the spot, and an operational headquarters has been created," said Azarov, adding that the attack attempt against the Novokuibyshevsk Oil Refinery was repelled. There was no damage to the technological equipment at the refinery following the attacks, Azarov added. At the Baltic Military Conference, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte urged Western countries to help Ukraine prevail and not to fear Russia's defeat. Source: Lithuanian government website, citing her opening speech, as reported by European Pravda Details: "Formula for victory against the aggressor is rather clear: peace through strength. If we mobilise our efforts and start believing in the victory, we can ensure that peace in Europe will finally prevail," Simonyte said. In support of her statements, she pointed out that the combined GDP of the Nordic and Baltic countries is higher than that of Russia, not to mention all 32 NATO and G7 member states. "The outcome of Russias war against Ukraine will shape not only [the] Euro-Atlantic but also [the] global security order. Democracies will not be safe in a world where a country with imperialist ambitions threatens its neighbours; where massive atrocities of war go unpunished; where the Russian world - russkij mir - continues or freezes on its own terms the genocidal war," said Simonyte. In addition, the Lithuanian prime minister stated that the success of the Washington summit in the summer of 2024 will also be measured by the Alliance's commitment to bring Ukraine closer to NATO. "Ukraine needs NATO as much as NATO needs Ukraine. Ukraines eventual membership would greatly enhance Alliances military capabilities, as Ukrainian armed forces are capable [of] fighting against [the] full scale of Russias invasion," she added. The minister emphasised that freezing the progress made during the NATO summit in Vilnius last year, where Kyiv was not invited to join the Alliance, should not be an option. Background: On 23 March, French President Emmanuel Macron noted that anyone who thinks that Russia would stop in the Ukrainian Donbas and Crimea in its aggressive ambitions is mistaken. On 22 March, Lieutenant General Carsten Breuer, Inspector General of the German Armed Forces, warned against freezing Russia's war against Ukraine. On 21 March, Admiral Rob Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, spoke against excessive pessimism about Ukraine's ability to win the war and urged the world to further support Kyiv. Support UP or become our patron! FORT MILL, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) The Town of Fort Mill is mourning the loss of a school crossing guard who was killed while on duty Thursday afternoon. Police say 61-year-old Stanley Brucker was hit by a car and killed as he was directing traffic during dismissal at Fort Mill Middle School on Springfield Parkway/S.C. 460. Officers say they spoke with the driver of the car that hit the crossing guard on scene. They did not say whether that person will be charged and will only say that the investigation is ongoing. CMPD identifies pedestrian intentionally struck in northwest Charlotte Flowers along Springfield Parkway near the school represent a sign of thanks for a life spent giving. Our community is in grief today at the loss of one of our crossing guards, said Fort Mill Mayor Guynn Savage. Stan, as Bruckers family calls him, was also a Christian missionary and was set to leave on a mission trip out of the country next week. The crossing guards themselves, its a very personal-type job where they provide a service to protect schoolchildren and their parents going and coming from our schools, said Savage. You get to wave at them every day. You dont necessarily stop and talk, but you do get that sense of their dedication to the lives of our children and teachers and parents. A warning signal near the campuses of Fort Mill Middle and elementary schools. Fort Mill Schools are asking for prayers for the guards family and telling people to be careful when going through school zones, especially during drop off and dismissal times. Were grieving the loss of a friend and of, you know, a situation that if we can do anything to avoid or help people avoid that in the future, we will, said Savage. A similar incident happened at the school in 2018. Thats when a Charlotte teen was arrested for hitting a crossing guard, who survived. Fort Mills Schools had a teacher workday Friday, so students were not in school. The district says they are sending crisis counselors to the schools, and theyll be available for students and teachers when they return Monday. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. France will insist on limiting the import of Ukrainian wheat to the EU, French President Emmanuel Macron said at a press conference in Brussels, Ukrainian state news outlet Ukrinform reported on March 23. Macron added that he hopes to find a balance by limiting certain items of Ukrainian agricultural exports. Read also: Ukraine on track to meet grain export goals despite Russian attacks UK Foreign Secretary "France's position is to obtain guarantees for the inclusion of grain, which includes categories that have not been included so far, in the list of goods subject to restrictions," Macron said. Macron declared that he beleives that these limitations are absolutely fair and proportional. According to French President, destabilization of the European food market should not be allowed. "We need to find a balance here, Macron explained. Read also: Five member states urge EU to ban grain imports from Russia and Belarus We want Ukraine and its producers to be able to continue exporting in these difficult conditions - this was the initial goal, and we are sticking to it. But we don't want only a few producers to be behind this, and someone to have certain vested interests. Sometimes it is European producers or large groups that are going to take advantage of this agreement to produce in Ukraine and reimport under less burdensome rules." He also said that he had shared his position with the President of Ukraine. "This is completely justified, as I explained very well to President Zelenskyy, because it is also what makes Ukraine's European perspective and its own candidacy acceptable," Macron said. Earlier, five countries called on the European Union to ban grain imports from Russia and Belarus, which it had not done at the time ostensibly to avoid punishing the citizens of those countries. According to Ukraines Economy Ministry, the European Parliament is planning to ban Russia and Belarusian grain exports in April. Read also: EU to impose killer duties on grain from Russia and Belarus 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 KNDS, a Franco-German group of arms companies, will set up a new subsidiary with production facilities in Ukraine. Source: Bloomberg; European Pravda Details: Following talks between German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu in Berlin, it was reported that KNDS, which includes France's Nexter and Germany's Krauss-Maffei-Wegmann, will set up a subsidiary in Ukraine to produce artillery ammunition and spare parts for weapons of their production which have been supplied to Ukraine. "We, France and Germany, both want to help Ukraine to make the ammunition production there more self-sufficient," Pistorius noted. Sebastien Lecornu noted that locating the production of artillery munitions closer to the place of combat operations will play an essential role in boosting logistics. BFMTV, a French news broadcast television and radio network, explained that the issue concerns spare parts for Caesar self-propelled artillery systems and AMX10RC armoured vehicles, also known as wheeled tanks. Ukraine has received 30 Caesars and 38 AMX10RCs throughout the full-scale war, and earlier this year, Paris announced plans to produce 78 more Caesars for Ukraine. Replacing parts of artillery systems during intensive service is an urgent problem, as Caesar requires additional maintenance after shooting around 2,000 rounds, and the intensity of its use in the Russo-Ukrainian war is exceptionally high. The barrel and some other system elements need to be replaced periodically. Citing a French official who spoke on condition of anonymity, Bloomberg added that over time, Ukrainian production facilities might start producing not only parts but also weapons systems from scratch. Background: In addition, Lecornu and Pistorius announced an agreement to share the burden on industry in manufacturing a new generation of MGCS tanks, which are to replace the French Leclerc and German Leopard tanks in the future. The memorandum is due to be signed on 26 April in Paris, and the contract will be prepared by the end of the year. Earlier, Sebastien Lecornu also mentioned plans to engage the French company Delair, which specialises in drones, in cooperation with the Ukrainian defence industry. Support UP or become our patron! FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) Fresno County farmers are disappointed following the announcement of the Bureau of Reclamation regarding an update to the water allocations for the Central Valley Project water users. Officials say the initial allocation for South of Delta agricultural contractors, including Westlands Water District, was set at 15 percent of the total water contract. Fridays announcement revises the previous allocation to 35 percent for South of Delta agricultural contractors. Inadequate and unpredictable water supplies have a direct impact on the communities and farms in the San Joaquin Valley and their ability to feed the nation and the world, said Allison Febbo, General Manager, of Westlands Water District. Ryan Jacobsen with the Fresno County Farm Bureau says they were expecting a bit more. Its good news in the sense that it went up, a little disappointing in the fact that we had the wettest year on record last year followed by a fairly decent year right now in Northern California, and yet were still sitting at a 35 percent allocation, he said. Obviously, it would have been nicer to see a larger one but this isnt the end allocation. Jacobsen says that he expects that number to rise. It is expected that the upcoming rain might help. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. Freud Museum hosted the event despite calls for it to be cancelled - ANADOLU The Freud Museum has been criticised for hosting a communist mental health event for controversial pro-Palestine campaigners, defying calls to cancel the event. Once home to the Jewish father of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud, the site in north London hosted an event devised by Red Clinic, a collective of communist mental health workers. The event included academic Lara Sheehi, who now teaches in Qatar after leaving a US university following student complaints and an investigation into unproven allegations of anti-Semitism in her classes. The follower of trans-inclusive feminist and liberation theory has described the Oct 7 Hamas attacks on Israel attacks as a horrifying liberation. Lara Sheehi now teaches in Qatar after leaving a US university following unproven allegations of anti-Semitism The UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) wrote to the Freud museum demanding that the event involving Ms Sheehi and her husband and fellow activist be shut down. Caroline Turner, the director of UKLFI, said: We are disappointed that the Freud Museum gave a platform to such an extremist speaker, whose vitriolic hatred of the only Jewish state is displayed in her social media postings. The Museum implied that they didnt cancel the event because they were afraid to breach their contract. However, they have upset many psychoanalysts and others by hosting the event. Unfortunately, the Freud Museum has been exploited and hijacked for the use of a terrorist sympathiser and apologist and the excellent name and reputation of the Freud Museum has been sullied. A spokesman for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: Lara Sheehi is clearly an inflammatory figure. She has been accused of harassing Jewish students at George Washington University, where she used to work, and has allegedly shared content online that justifies the brutal attacks carried out by Hamas on 7th October, an anti-Semitic genocidal terror group. How are Londons Jewish community supposed to feel safe, when such an individual has been invited to speak at an event on their doorstop? We have seen our urban centres become no-go zones for our Jewish community every weekend. Inviting Ms Sheehi to speak at such a time, even after being made aware of her record, is tone-deaf. Liberation is not bubbles and unicorns UKLI had warned that Ms Sheehi was embroiled in controversy while teaching at George Washington University, where students alleged lectures contained anti-Semitic discrimination. The university found no evidence of this in 2023 but the US Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights reportedly began looking into student concerns, according to a campaign group. In January 2024 Mr Sheehi left to take up a post in Qatar. Also cause for concern for UKLFI is a video from October 2023, in which Ms Sheehi says that in relation to the Oct 7 Hamas attacks, Left-wing activists need to rid ourselves of the romantic notion of what uprisings look like. She added that the conditions that created this are violent, what did you imagine would happen?, arguing that liberation is not bubbles and unicorns and pro-Palestinians need to accept how horrifying liberation can be. In the same video her husband Stephen Sheehi, who also attended the event, said: Palestinians are not allowed to be happy that they broke out of jail, in reference to claims that Palestinian deaths are justified by the West. The married couple are both psychoanalysts who have branded Israel an apartheid and a settler colonialist state, and co-authored the book Psychoanalysis Under Occupation. The event was organised by Red Clinic, the communist mental health collective, which aims to develop a novel theoretical basis for psychotherapy today, informed by Marxist, anti-racist, queer feminist, indigenous, decolonial and radical disability theories. UKLFI raised concerns that the Freud museum hosting the couple would cause reputational damage, and called on Giuseppe Albano, its director, and Sue Prevezer KC, the boards chairman, to put a stop to the event. It is understood that the museum responded, saying that it has no connection to the event, which was not advertised on its website. Red Clinic is one of many unaffiliated groups which rent space from the museum. It is understood that a trustee alerted the museums leadership to the event, but that there were no legal grounds to cancel it. The museum is the converted house in which the Austrian Freud spent the final year of his life while in exile in London, having fled the Nazis. Its president is his great-great grandson, Lord Freud. Ms Sheehi was approached for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The director of Russias Federal Security Service (FSB), Alexander Bortnikov, claimed that the FSB has arrested 11 suspects in the recent mass shooting in Moscow, the Kremlin's press service said on March 23. "Further work is underway to identify the auxiliary base," the statement reads. Read also: 60 dead, over 100 injured in mass shooting near Moscow updated The Russian Telegram news channel Baza named four people allegedly involved in the shootings, all of whom they claim are citizens of Tajikistan. Two suspects were allegedly detained in Bryansk Oblast. The FSB reportedly discovered a "Ukrainian trace" in the shooting, and said that the suspects "had contacts on the Ukrainian side" and were allegedly going to cross the border to Ukraine. Mass shooting in Moscow on March 22 On the evening of March 22, several people in camouflage opened fire with assault rifles at people who came to a concert of the band Picnic at the Crocus City Hall concert hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast. According to eyewitnesses, the gunmen also set fire to the building, causing it to partially burn down. All tickets to the concert were sold out, and according to media reports, up to 7,200 people could have been in the building. As of the morning of March 23, 93 people were reported dead and more than 120 injured. Read also: Moscow mass shooters claimed to be Tajik nationals and ISIS fighters Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has categorically rejected accusations by Russian officials of Ukraine's alleged involvement in the Crocus City Hall shooting. Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak stressed that Ukraine had nothing to do with the incident. Russian media reported earlier that the Islamic Fundamentalist militia ISIS had claimed responsibility for the shooting. 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 rainbow Pride flag is seen hanging below the US flag outside the US embassy in Moscow on June 25, 2021, during Pride month (Dimitar DILKOFF) Tucked in the massive funding bill signed Saturday by President Joe Biden is a provision banning the flying of LGBTQ Pride flags over US embassies, but the White House has vowed to work toward its repeal. The prohibition was one of many side issues included in the mammoth $1.2 trillion package to fund the government through September, which passed early Saturday shortly after a midnight deadline. As Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, a conservative Christian, scrambled for votes to get the bill passed in his chamber, he "boasted" of the Pride flag ban as a reason his party should support the bill, the Daily Beast reported. The White House said Saturday it would seek to find a way to repeal the ban on flying the rainbow flag, which celebrates the movement for LGBTQ equality. "Biden believes it was inappropriate to abuse the process that was essential to keep the government open by including this policy targeting LGBTQI+ Americans," a White House statement said, adding that the president "is committed to fighting for LGBTQI+ equality at home and abroad." The White House said that while it had not been able to block the flag proposal, it was "successful in defeating 50+ other policy riders attacking the LGBTQI+ community that Congressional Republicans attempted to insert into the legislation." The law signed by Biden says that no US funding can be used to "fly or display a flag over a facility of the United States Department of State" other than US or other government-related flags, or flags supporting prisoners of war, missing-in-action soldiers, hostages and wrongfully imprisoned Americans. But while such flags may not be flown "over" US embassies, it does not speak to displaying them elsewhere on embassy grounds or inside offices, the Biden camp has argued. "It will have no impact on the ability of members of the LGBTQI+ community to serve openly in our embassies or to celebrate Pride," the White House said, referencing the month, usually in June, when LGBTQ parades and other events are held. The Biden administration has strongly embraced LGBTQ rights. In a sharp change from the Trump administration, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has not only allowed but encouraged US missions to fly the rainbow flag during Pride month. Blinken's predecessor Mike Pompeo, an evangelical Christian, ordered that only the US flag fly from embassy flagpoles. In 2015, former president Barack Obama's administration lit up the White House in rainbow colors -- delighting liberals and infuriating some conservatives -- as it celebrated the landmark Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage across the United States. aue/bbk/des On October 30, a lone child, about 7 years old, from northern Gaza arrived by ambulance at the emergency room of al-Shifa Hospital where I worked as a nurse. She needed urgent brain surgery after her home was bombed by the Israeli forces, and most of her family was killed. She was rushed into surgery and after several hours, she was sent back to the ER because there was no space in the recovery area. I was the nurse in charge of her care. After a while, the child woke up. The surgery had gone well, but soon she recognized that she was in the hospital. She began crying and asked about her mother repeatedly. I didnt know how to answer; we didnt have any specifics about the rest of her family. I tried to calm her down and ease her tears. I wracked my brain for a way to distract her from the intense longing for her missing mother. So, I brought her a box of chocolate milk I had saved in my closet at the hospital during the first days of the war. I brought in my colleague Hadeel to play the role of her mother. Hadeel and I sat with the little girl and gave her the milk to sip. She immediately settled down a little. I felt proud that I had managed to bring her some relief. When it was time for Hadeel to leave, she held the little girls hand and told her everything was okay. That calm was short-lived, of course. The effect of the painkiller had worn off. Fortunately, her treatment appointment was soon, so I could give her enough medicine to tide her over. As dawn approached, the girl finally started to feel drowsy. I prayed for her to sleep, hoping to quiet the noise inside her mind. I was certain that her worst pain wasnt physical but psychological. I tried to imagine what she endured under the rubble of her home. Did she scream? Did she call out for her mother? Or did she faint? How could this small body endure the weight of collapsing floors and the blaze of rockets? I wanted to believe that one day, the traumatic memories of this genocidal conflict would fade, and shed continue her life normally. But I struggled to picture any world where a child recovers from this trauma. And there are so many children like her many in much worse situations. Since the beginning of the invasion of Gaza, most of the bombing victims I tended to in the hospital are children. I have seen so many innocents torn apart in my time training as an ER nurse in Al Shifa Hospital. How can any child endure the emotional and physical pain, much less make sense of this war? Children as young as toddlers are witnessing their parents dying in front of them, and sometimes their entire family, leaving them alone, orphans. On top of that, so many of them suffer grievous injuries of their own. Amputated arms and legs have become common. How will they continue their lives after this? Children in Gaza are forced to scrounge for food. The World Bank found that after six months of war half the population faces imminent risk of famine. On November 13, when Al-Shifa Hospital was forced by incoming Israeli troops to go out of service, another child, maybe 5 years old, was there with her mother. I was shocked when I changed her bandages. Her left arm and some fingers on her right hand had been amputated, along with several toes on her left foot. There were no painkillers available, yet she showed no reaction. I wondered why; maybe she was still in shock. These children are being forced to mature well before their time. They carry the weight of many years on their shoulders, although they have lived just a little. From past experience, I knew they would feel constant fear that this war will never end. Later, when I had evacuated to a tent encampment in Rafah, I saw that many childrens lives had begun resembling those of adults. They must search for work to earn a little money to buy some food. They line up at food distribution locations for hours, just for a little rice or a small number of lentils. Now even those meager offerings are scarce. They are forced to live in a tent and an environment lacking the minimum necessities. The air is filled with the smell of body odour, human waste and trash. I noticed that most of them suffer from night terrors or talk to themselves during the day. Their conversations are dominated by war and bombing, telling stories of how they escaped from harrowing situations. Even their games mimic the war. And many are suffering from the embarrassing problem of involuntary urination. All the result of accumulated trauma. As for me, their caregiver, its turned me from a person trying to be a resilient stoic to someone in a shell shocked daze, constantly lost in thought, plagued by insomnia at night and melancholy during the day. I feel desensitized and numb. I remain in my tent for long periods of time, pondering the future: What will happen after the tents? Will this war ever end, or will we all perish? All I know for certain is that these childrens pain and suffering is beyond words and their wounds may never heal. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during a press conference at the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Gehad Hamdy/dpa The Israeli army continued attacks on Hamas targets in Gaza and dozens more Palestinians were killed as UN chief Antonio Guterres, on a visit to the Rafah border crossing on Saturday, once again demanded an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire." The Israeli air force struck some 35 targets on Friday, including operational command centres, military posts and "the infrastructure of terrorist organizations," the military said on Saturday, claiming that dozens of enemy fighters had been killed in ground battle and airstrikes in the Gaza Strip over the past day. The information could not initially be independently verified. In the past 24 hours, 72 Palestinians were killed and 144 more injured, according to the health authority in Gaza. This brings the total number of Palestinian fatalities in the latest Gaza war to 32,142, plus 74,412 injured, according to the Hamas-controlled agency. The numbers are currently impossible to verify though many more people are believed to be buried under the rubble, with rescue services unable to access them due to the ongoing fighting. The war was triggered by the unprecedented attack carried out by Palestinian extremist organization Hamas and other militants from Gaza in southern Israel on October 7, where they killed some 1,200 people and abducted some 240 more. Israel responded by launching a military campaign targeting Gaza by air and ground, rendering large parts of the sealed-off coastal area uninhabitable. International criticism of Israel's offensive has grown sharply as the humanitarian situation for Gazans deteriorates to catastrophic levels. The UN has warned of an imminent famine. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was in Egypt on Saturday, where he also visited the Rafah border crossing to Gaza and again called for an immediate ceasefire in the months-long war. "Now more than ever, it is time for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire," he said in a statement after inspecting the crossing on the Egyptian side. "It is time to silence the guns. Palestinians in Gaza, children, women, men, remain stuck in a non-stop nightmare. Communities obliterated, homes demolished, entire families and generations wiped out," Guterres added. Rafah is the only border crossing into the Gaza Strip that is not controlled by Israel. Guterres earlier on Saturday met injured Palestinians at a hospital in the Egyptian Sinai city of al-Arish after they had been evacuated from the coastal strip. "I was extremely moved by their stories, experiences and the hardships they endured," he said. Guterres' visit is part of an annual trip during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. "This Ramadan I come to the Rafah crossing to spotlight the hardships and pain of Palestinians in Gaza," the UN chief said. The visit came a day after the UN Security Council failed to pass a US-backed resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza war after Russia and China vetoed it. Fears have grown that a planned Israeli military offensive in Gazas southernmost city of Rafah near Egypts border would further exacerbate the humanitarian situation in the impoverished strip. More than 1 million Palestinians have taken refuge in Rafah after fleeing fighting elsewhere in Gaza. Guterres' visit to the Egyptian side of Rafah was his second since the Gaza war broke out in October last year. The US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to mediate between Hamas and Israel for weeks to broker a ceasefire and facilitate the release of hostages still held in Gaza. UNITED NATIONS, March 22 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned Friday's terrorist attack in Russia, said his deputy spokesman. The secretary-general condemns "in the strongest possible terms" the terrorist attack at a concert hall outside Moscow, in which at least 40 people were killed and over 100 others injured, said Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman, in a statement. The secretary-general conveys his deep condolences to the bereaved families and the people and the government of Russia, and wishes those injured a speedy recovery, said the statement. A security guard thrust open the door to Antony Blinken's armoured car and the US secretary of state strode out down a line of yellow barricades. "We're working to get them home," he declared, grabbing and gripping the hands of Israeli protesters in Tel Aviv calling for a deal to release the hostages held by Hamas. It was a striking moment but not altogether spontaneous. The street had by now been buzzing with security officials readying his route towards the protesters. Those of us in the travelling press were told to expect the interaction in the 20 minutes or so leading up to it. It was firmly caught on camera. This was a strong message from America's top diplomat to both the Israeli public and its prime minister - the US was committed, engaged and pushing everything to get a ceasefire-for-hostage-release deal over the line. Mr Blinken has spent the last week trying to show this and something else to the wider world - that the US can influence Israel to also alleviate the suffering of Palestinian civilians - by surging more aid into Gaza, and to secure the territory's long-term future. But as the crisis deepens, the limits of American influence have become increasingly clear. Just hours before the moment filmed at the barricades, the US had resorted to a vote in the UN Security Council to try to shape the actions of its ally. This was a sign of President Joe Biden's growing exasperation. The American-drafted text called on Israel to surge more aid into Gaza amid UN warnings of imminent famine. It endorsed the current process mediated by Qatar to get a ceasefire in return for the release of hostages by Hamas. But it also warned Israel against a military assault on the city of Rafah, home to more than 1.4 million displaced Palestinians, saying an offensive could violate international humanitarian law. The resolution failed. It was vetoed by Russia and China. Speaking at Ben Gurion airport on Friday afternoon, Mr Blinken castigated those who voted it down. He implied they did so for reasons that had nothing to do with the substance, while also warning that a Rafah offensive could leave Israel without international support. "It risks killing more civilians, it risks wreaking greater havoc with the provision of humanitarian assistance, it risks further isolating Israel around the world and jeopardising its long term security and standing," he said. Amid the growing rift between Washington and the Israeli leader, Mr Netanyahu struck back at Mr Blinken's assessment. "I told him I hope we'll do it with the support of the United States," said the prime minister, "but if we have to, we'll do it alone". This was a superpower being pushed back, despite its pressure. 'More humanitarian aid needs to be allowed in' I've seen the phenomenal force of US diplomacy at close quarters this week, trailing Mr Blinken on a time-zone shattering tour of Europe, Asia and ending in the Middle East trying to stem the current crisis. To America's critics the paradox is clear: the US is sending weapons to a key ally, while at the same time urging it, without success, to do much more to alleviate the civilian suffering the military action has unleashed. A UN-backed food security assessment this week said 1.1 million people in Gaza were struggling with catastrophic hunger and starvation, adding that a man-made famine in the north was imminent between now and May. A growing number of US politicians have also spoken out. This week a group of Democratic senators and nearly 70 former US officials, diplomats and military officers said President Biden should consider cutting weapons supplies to Israel if it keeps restricting humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israel blames the UN for a failure to distribute supplies. The UN categorically rejects this but Israel insists that checkpoint restrictions and attacks on police securing aid convoys have been a necessary part of its campaign to eliminate Hamas. I asked Mr Blinken in Manilla whether the security vacuum in Gaza was a harbinger of its future. How could he convince Israel to accept the his proposals? Hamas could end the suffering tomorrow, he said, if it surrendered. But he reiterated that more humanitarian aid had to be allowed in. Answering my question, he gave a US endorsement for the first time to a UN-backed measure on hunger, saying "100% of the population in Gaza is at severe levels of acute food insecurity. That's the first time an entire population has been so classified." The US is pressing Israel to do much more to alleviate the civilian suffering in Gaza Much of Mr Blinken's trip was crisis management. Trying to get aid into Gaza, get the hostages out and secure an end to the conflict, which the US says must ensure Hamas's attack on Israel on 7 October "can never happen again". At the same time it is trying to shape a post-war future. Washington wants the Palestinian Authority running Gaza. It is the entity formed during the 1990s Oslo Accords and driven out of Gaza by Hamas in 2007. The Americans think they can patch together a grand bargain for the Middle East. They want to pursue the long sought-after independent state for Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza - albeit demilitarised - alongside a secure Israel: the so-called two-state solution. Gaza, rebuilt, would be governed by the internationally-backed Palestinian Authority, which is revitalised with money and security forces trained by Arab states, including Saudi Arabia. Added to this Riyadh would recognise Israel, a long-sought after goal for the Israelis that would further integrate it into the region. In return the Saudis would get advanced American weapons, a security pact with Washington and a US-backed civilian nuclear power programme. It sounds impossibly ambitious, and perhaps it is. The Americans are not naive about the chances of achieving the most illusive of goals in the Middle East, amid some of the worst bloodshed in the region's modern history. But just as he did at the barricades, Mr Blinken thinks he can use a moment of crisis to grasp the initiative. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth suspended one of the services top generals Friday following credible allegations that he improperly influenced a former subordinates command assessment, according to an official statement provided to Army Times. Wormuths spokesperson, Col. Randee Farrell, said the secretary first learned this week of allegations that Gen. Charles Hamilton, commanding general of Army Materiel Command (AMC), interfered in the Armys Command Assessment Program (CAP) process last fall. Military.com first reported the alleged misconduct. Farrell added that the Army has referred the matter for review by the Defense Departments inspector general. Secretary Wormuth has temporarily suspended General Hamilton from his duties as AMC Commander pending the outcome of the DoDIG review and assessment, and any subsequent investigation, she said. The Army will also review the entirety of the command selection process to determine what additional steps may be needed to ensure maximum fairness and integrity in the ... process, Farrell said. Hamilton came under scrutiny after a Nov. 1 memorandum surfaced from Col. Robert OBrien, the Command Assessment Program director, that chronicled Hamiltons alleged interference in the Battalion Command Assessment Program process for his former assistant, who assessment officials unanimously deemed not yet ready for command. OBrien declined an interview request through an Army spokesperson, and Hamilton, through a command spokesperson, declined to answer directly emailed questions. The Army has boasted of the assessment programs seeming success to Congress and others since its establishment in 2019. The service has also created similar programs for selecting brigade commanders, senior enlisted leaders and high-level chaplains. The assessment culminates in a double-blind interview, during which time a panel of Army leaders anonymously interview the candidate and consider their performance across a series of physical and mental tests, subordinate and peer feedback from previous assignments, and an evaluation by a psychologist. Service officials have claimed the program will reduce toxic leaders in the force and improve soldiers experience. The programs own guide says it is fair ... [and] will neither advantage nor disadvantage any candidate based on their past experiences or current assignment. But the allegations against Hamilton threaten to undermine that credibility. Farrell said Wormuth, who ordered the review of the command selection programs, is committed to the integrity of the CAP process as it matures and develops. According to OBriens memo, the four-star general repeatedly asked BCAP officials to furnish him a summary of the subordinate and peer evaluations for a lieutenant colonel who had previously served as his military assistant and assistant executive officer. Such evaluations are considered extremely sensitive in order to encourage respondents to provide honest feedback. Hamilton then specifically requested to observe the lieutenant colonels interview at the Fort Knox, Kentucky-based event. Army Times is not naming the lieutenant colonel because the memorandum does not accuse her of any wrongdoing. After observing her final double-blind interview, Hamilton purportedly told Col. Townley Hedrick, the programs chief of staff, that he thought the psychologists briefing to the panel was too negative and may have biased the panel. OBrien said that assessment officials disagreed with Hamilton on the matter, and the voting members of the panel unanimously cited counterproductive leadership as their reason for rejecting the officer. The four-star then pressured Hedrick to grant the officer a re-do, according to the memo. OBrien recalled granting the second chance solely based on General Hamiltons request, which Hedrick attributed to technical issues when notifying the lieutenant colonel of her new interview for the following day, Nov. 1. Before the second interview occurred, Hamilton reportedly called three general officers who were part of the pool of interview panel members to discuss their voting parameters and the lieutenant colonel. Its unclear from the memorandum whether any of the three officers Maj. Gen. Jeth Rey, Maj. Gen. Trevor Bredenkamp and now-Maj. Gen. Hope Rampy sat on either of the lieutenant colonels interview panels. Hamilton allegedly called and texted Hedrick and OBrien throughout the day in search of updates on his former assistants performance. She again was found not yet ready for command, this time by a 3-2 vote. The lieutenant colonel, despite her unfavorable results, was ultimately selected for battalion command, according to a selection list obtained by Army Times. It is unclear how she appeared on the list, but she wont take command Wormuth ordered that no officer assessed by CAP as not yet certified for command will do so this year, Farrell said. Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, Army Materiel Commands deputy commander, will assume Hamiltons duties during his suspension, Farrell said. Hamilton has benefited from other senior leader misconduct in the past. He earned his third star and became the Armys deputy chief of staff for logistics in 2022 after an investigation found that his supervisor, retired Maj. Gen. Duane Gamble, displayed counterproductive leadership. George Galloway has been condemned by MPs as a stain on British democracy for spreading conspiracy theories about the Princess of Wales, including speculating that she was dead. The recently re-elected MP was branded the lowest of the low for platforming untruths about the Princess. Mr Galloway made a return to Parliament at the beginning of this month after winning the Rochdale by-election as a candidate for his Workers Party of Britain. In recent weeks he has voiced conspiracy theories about the Princess on X, formerly known as Twitter, and on his online chat show, The Mother of All Talk Shows. On March 14, he posted on X: Princess Kate has been missing for almost 80 days. Thereve been three faked photos and millions of rumours. What are the royals covering up? Is she dead or has she downed tools? On Friday morning just hours before the Princess would reveal the news about her cancer treatment he claimed that a video obtained by The Sun newspaper of her visiting a farm shop in Windsor had been faked. Its clearly not Kate Middleton in the Sun video, he said. Its a woman 20 years younger and the royals havent confirmed its authenticity. Kate hasnt been seen in public since Christmas Day. On his talk show, Mr Galloway has meanwhile twice hosted David Clews, a notorious conspiracy theorist, allowing him to air wild theories about the Princesss absence from the public eye. In a programme broadcast on March 16, Clews said there was a high risk that [the Princess] may be dead because theyve not provided evidence that shes still alive. At the end of his interview, Mr Galloway said: David Clews more power to your elbow and may everyone follow you. Thanks for that feast of speculation which may turn out to be fact. In another show with Mr Galloway last week, Clews claimed she could be in some kind of vegetative or mental state where shes incapable of speaking. MPs in other parties condemned Mr Galloway for spreading the theories. Wendy Chamberlain, the Liberal Democrats chief whip, said: George Galloways style of politics is a stain on British democracy, and has no place in Parliament. Giving oxygen to conspiracy theories like this is the lowest of the low. He should be ashamed of himself. Platforming untruths and speculation Tim Loughton, the Conservative MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, said: George Galloway has always been known for his love of conspiracy theories but returning to Parliament as an elected representative brings responsibilities to make sure you are not platforming untruths and irresponsible speculation that could influence people. Some of the fantasies that have been put around about the Princess of Wales are hurtful and malign and fall well below the standards expected of an MP. Dame Priti Patel, a former home secretary, criticised the grossly insensitive and unkind comments. Such comments are a stark contrast to the compassionate and dutiful manner of HRH our much loved Princess of Wales, who we all send our love and best wishes to for a healthy and blessed recovery, she said. Labours Dame Margaret Hodge said: These comments are abhorrent. Perpetuating such vile conspiracy theories is disgraceful. Their Royal Highnesses are entitled to their privacy at this distressing time. After the Princesss announcement on Friday, MPs united across party lines to condemn the pressure she had been put under. Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, said she had been unfairly treated on social media while the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer criticised the lurid speculation weve seen in recent weeks. The criticism of Mr Galloway comes at a time of heightened concern about conspiracy theories infiltrating Parliament, with The Telegraph revealing in December that MPs are to be given resources aimed at helping them tackle disinformation. Mr Galloway was approached for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks to the media upon his arrival to attend the European Council meeting. Gaetan Claessens/European Council /dpa The German government has condemned Friday evening's attack by gunmen in Moscow that killed at least 115 people and expressed its sympathy to the families of the victims. "We condemn the terrible terrorist attack on innocent concert-goers in Moscow. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and all those injured," Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday morning. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock posted the same comments on X, while Economics Minister Robert Habeck also wrote: "What terrible news from Moscow" as he expressed his condolences. "It is important to clarify the background quickly." Following the attack on the Crocus City Hall event centre on the edge of Moscow, the number of dead had risen to 115, Russian authorities said mid-morning. The emergency services found more bodies while clearing away the rubble in the centre's concert hall, the Moscow branch of the Investigative Committee wrote on Telegram. German Minister of the Interior and Home Affairs Nancy Faeser takes part in the government questioning in the Bundestag. Faeser says she believes the terrorist militia Islamic State is responsible for the horrific attack on a Moscow concert hall that has claimed the lives of at least 133 people. Jonathan Penschek/dpa German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser says she believes the terrorist militia Islamic State is responsible for the horrific attack on a Moscow concert hall that has claimed the lives of at least 133 people. "According to everything that is known so far, it can be assumed that the terrorist group Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) is responsible for the murderous terrorist attack near Moscow," she told the online edition of Germany's Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper on Saturday. ISKP is a regional Islamic State branch based in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Faeser also said that this group currently poses the greatest Islamist threat in Germany. "The danger from Islamist terrorism remains acute," she said. Only last Tuesday, German authorities arrested two suspected members of the Islamic State offshoot in the eastern state of Thuringia. They are suspected of having planned an attack on the Swedish parliament. The ISKP has been waging an armed conflict with the militant Islamist Taliban in Afghanistan for several years. Recently, there have been several arrests in Germany in connection with the ISKP. The group was linked to a possible plot to attack Cologne Cathedral around the turn of the year. Faeser condemned the attack in Moscow. "We mourn with the families of the many innocent victims of this cowardly and brutal terrorist attack," she said. Islamic State claimed responsibility for Friday's attack in the Russian capital, but Russian authorities have so far not commented on that, instead suggesting Ukraine might have been involved, accusations Kiev swiftly denied. Ernie Hudson: We can say its a racial thing, but I think if Eddie Murphy had played the role I played, he would have been paid very well (Scott Garfitt/Shutterstock) Ernie Hudson sits under a bright light, cameras pointed squarely at him. The Ghostbusters star shot to fame in 1984 as the fourth member of the iconic ghoul-fighting quartet, alongside Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis. Today, hes seated for a round of interviews, to speak about the latest sequel Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, which sees his character, Winston Zeddemore, return as a philanthropist masterminding a new generation of paranormal pest-removers. Its been 40 years. Over half my life has been Ghostbusters on some level or other, he tells me but hes got no problem with that. Ive been acting close to 60 years and there are some films Ive made that I hope they never even think about making again. Legs crossed in a kind of sanguine, confident recline, Hudson looks almost preposterously good for 78 youd swear he still had 50 years of petrol left in the tank. In the scheme of things, Ghostbusters makes up just a small part of Hudsons career; hes been working steadily for nearly all his adult life, in projects such as the Brandon Lee thriller The Crow, HBOs gritty prison drama Oz, and FBI comedy Miss Congeniality. But Ghostbusters, understandably, looms over it all. Most things come and go, he says. Not a lot of people noticed that I was in three films last year. But its just a job. It doesnt give you special status. I havent been so successful, like some friends who can barely walk down the street or made so much money that they cant count it. Im still a working guy. Recapturing the magic of Ghostbusters has always been a tricky proposition, going back to the first derided sequel, Ghostbusters II, in 1989. After the divisive 2016 gender-switched reboot, 2021s Ghostbusters: Afterlife was a quite spectacularly errant first attempt at reuniting the original busters (including, via a much-criticised CGI scene, the late Harold Ramis). Frozen Empire picks up more or less where that film ends, with ghostbusting duties having been passed down to the daughter of Ramiss Egon Spengler, played by Carrie Coon, and her family (husband Paul Rudd, and two teenage children McKenna Grace and Stranger Things Finn Wolfhard). Its a pretty crammed billing: alongside these younger pups and a host of side characters, Aykroyd, Murray and Hudson all return to don their beige jumpsuits. The backstory to Hudsons involvement in Ghostbusters is Hollywood lore at this point. Sony had originally wanted Eddie Murphy for the role, fresh off the back of 48 Hrs. and Trading Places. He turned them down, and they ultimately turned to Hudson but by the time filming rolled around, the part had been reduced significantly, and excised from the first act of the film entirely. While Winston an affable, plain-speaking late hire to the team proved hugely popular with fans, the fourth Ghostbuster was absent from much of the marketing. Its too reductive, says Hudson, to put this down just to racism. You know, being a person of African descent anywhere in the world, were all just learning how to live together and get along together and realise that were all connected, he says. And its very tempting, sometimes, to blame anything that doesnt work in your life on racism. But there are a lot of things that play into it. Its not quite that simple. Not giving up the ghost: Ernie Hudson and Bill Murray in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' (Columbia Pictures) Stating that he was paid less than his co-stars, Hudson adds: We can say its a racial thing, but I think if Eddie Murphy had played the role I played, he would have been paid very well. I think studios are in the business of making money and they pay what they feel they have to. I ask him about one of the more intriguing aspects of Ghostbusters origins: Aykroyds deep-seated and rather eccentric belief in real-life ghosts. Hudson smiles amusedly, describing the SNL funnyman as a wealth of information on the subject of the paranormal. But then again, Hudson can relate on some level. I grew up in a family that believed in spirits, in the supernatural, he says. But nobody wanted to investigate it. Most of them wanted to stay the hell away from it! It wasnt something you welcome. Credit to Sony for being open to hearing my feelings, because in the first one they didnt Hudson was raised in Michigan by his grandmother after his mother died of tuberculosis when he was just two; he never knew his father. He wanted to enrol with the US Marine Corps but couldnt because of his asthma, prompting him to train as an actor. When I first went to college [at Wayne State University] I was already a single dad, he recalls. (Hudson has four children, two from his first marriage, and two from his second, to his wife of nearly 40 years, Linda Kingsberg.) Ive always had the responsibility of raising a family, which requires me to, you know, get this job, he says. If its dramatic, I gotta make somebody cry. If its funny, I had to make somebody laugh. And he did get the jobs everything from more sci-fi Leviathan, to psychological thrillers (1992s The Hand That Rocks the Cradle), to comedies even broader than Ghostbusters, such as 1994s Airheads. Over the past couple of decades, hes become more known for his work on television, earning particularly high praise for his layered performance as prison warden Leo Glynn in Oz between 1997 and 2003. He has, its true, never stopped working, and has around 250 credits to his name, including recurring roles on ER, Heroes, Desperate Housewives, and Modern Family. Hudson alongside Rita Moreno in Oz' (HBO) After Ghostbusters first became a sensation, Hudson had a bit more sway but only a bit. In 1986, when they were casting The Real Ghostbusters cartoon spinoff, he was the only original cast member to offer to voice his animated counterpart. Producers told him to audition which he did before ultimately handing the role to a pre-late night Arsenio Hall. During negotiations for Ghostbusters II in 1989, it was Murray who fought for a bigger role for his co-star. ([Murray] said he wouldnt do another one unless I was involved That doesnt happen very much in this industry.) Decades passed, and Ghostbusters interest subsided, until the female-led reboot in 2016. Hudson had a small cameo in the film, playing a new character; asked about the project now, hes somewhat sceptical. Look, Im a fan of [director] Paul Feig so I have nothing negative about him to say. Other than: I dont quite understand why you do a reboot, you know what I mean? Just make another movie. He seems as bemused by that film as many of the fans were though stipulates that the cast (Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones), are all brilliantly funny on their own. He adds: Fans were really invested in the story and the characters and I think it was disappointing. I enjoyed the movie but I think it wasnt what fans were hoping for. After Winstons return in Afterlife and Frozen Empire, Hudson feels that the character, originally introduced as a kind of audience-surrogate everyman, has finally been given his flowers. Sony is not the same studio it was 40 years ago and theyve really stepped up and given some dimension to the character, he says. Credit to Sony for being open to hearing my feelings, because in the first one they didnt. Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore in Ghostbusters II' (Sony) The ending of Frozen Empire leaves the door opening for more films down the line something Hudson says hasnt been discussed yet. But hes all in. Id love for Winston Zeddemore to be the Nick Fury of the Ghostbusters, he says, alluding to Samuel L Jacksons eyepatch-wearing fulcrum of the Marvel film universe. More than anything, though, hes glad things have worked out for Winston: of all the original ghostbusters, his arc is the most successfully triumphant, turning him from marginalised follower to influential leader. The slightly aimless fates of Ray and Venkman seem almost dispiriting by comparison: they ran out of road years ago. I wanted Winston to be an example of whats possible, he says. I mean, Im 78 years old. I want to be a healthy man. I want to be a man with at least a few dollars. My wife and I have been together almost 50 years. I want to be just an example of a good life. When the inevitable sequel swings around, who are they gonna call? I dont think theres any question. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is in cinemas now Americas global AIDS relief program has been authorized for another year in the bipartisan budget deal, but public health advocates say the single year sends a worrying signal about U.S. commitment on the issue moving forward. The minibus passed by the House on Friday reauthorizes the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through March 25, 2025, without adding any anti-abortion riders to the program that GOP lawmakers had called for. But its the first time the program has not been given a five-year extension. The Foundation for AIDS Research, amfAR, applauded the House passing reauthorization, but it added a one-year reauthorization signals to other countries that ending the HIV pandemic is no longer a priority of the United States. Since it was launched in 2003, PEPFAR has become one the most successful arms of U.S. health diplomacy. Despite this, measures to reauthorize were absent from stopgap measures introduced in the months following its first-ever expiration in September. Margaret Spellings, president and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center, said she was pleased but not satisfied by the one-year extension. Even a short-term authorization will ensure stability for the program that has saved more than 25 million lives. But Katie Coester, associate director of public policy and advocacy at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, said the single year included in the appropriations bill could create uncertainty in countries where PEPFAR operates. The provisions that expired last year dictate how PEPFAR funds are distributed, as well as how the U.S. contributes to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. If these provisions languish for much longer, it could discourage other donors from contributing. The short-term extension sets up another potential fight next year, which policy experts say is unwarranted given the programs long history of bipartisan support and proven track record. Any kind of uncertainty on the ground has implications, Spellings said. If ever there was a program that has proved its worthiness in a million reasons, saving millions of lives, establishing American leadership, fostering national security here and abroad, improving a sound model, challenging bilateral relationships. I mean, on and on and on. Its a winner, she added. The push to add new anti-abortion guardrails on PEPFAR partners was led by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), who wanted the so-called Mexico City Policy reinstated, barring foreign aid from going toward organizations that support abortion services. President Biden rescinded the Mexico City Policy in 2021. Smiths demands effectively blocked the reauthorization of PEPFAR, but the program has continued to operate as normal. Coester said the program can withstand brief lapses in approval. But she warned transitioning to one-year reauthorizations would increase the chances of longer-term lapses, which could threaten its overall stability. I think it reinforces that theres still strong bipartisan support for the PEPFAR program, Coester said of the authorization. And it recognizes that U.S. leadership and the global HIV response is essential to ending the epidemic. We obviously really appreciate that Congress included the extension but are disappointed in that it falls short of what is needed for the PEPFAR program. HIV and AIDS groups say criticism of PEPFAR from abortion opponents has been fundamentally misguided because program funds were not going toward groups that supported abortion. While the Mexico City Policy was rescinded, the Helms Amendment in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1973 still prohibits foreign aid from funding abortions. Groups who were attacking the program dont understand it, Coester said. I dont think they understand how it works. I dont think they understand the good that it does. The Hill has reached out to Smiths office for comment. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Last August, TNRs Matt Ford took a look a year ahead, saw that former President Donald Trump would be competing in a Republican primary while serving as a semiprofessional defendant in no less than four trials, and declared that it was destined to get pretty weird along the way. A healthy dose of weirdness has, truly, been delivered. Trump now owes something in the vicinity of $500 million in legal fines, bringing us closer to the answer of an age-old question: Does Donald Trump have $500 million? The certainty of this burden, and the evident frustrations of the former president as he seeks out a sucker to take his bond, have stuck him in the teeth of a pay-up-or-shut-up deadline, one that may well unmoor him. I dont think Trump minds being thought of as corrupt even one bitbut he hates being thought of as broke. But to liberals considerable consternation, Trump is in a strong position both electorally and legally. While he owes E. Jean Carroll and the state of New York some mountains of money, hes catching a lot of breaks elsewhere in the legal system, notably in the form of procedural delays that threaten to push his various criminal trials much later in the year and potentially past Election Day. For those who have been eyeing polls suggesting that President Joe Biden would benefit if Trump caught a conviction, each delay has been greeted as a damaging wound to Democrats hopes. But there may be an upside: Democrats will stop waiting for someone else to save them. The Trump era revealed a certain myopia among Democratic elites, who reacted to Trumps election as if it were an aberration, a foreign object injected into the bloodstream of the body politicone that our democracys immune system would surely recognize and destroy quickly. And so liberals yassified Robert Mueller without regard for how difficult the task of convicting a sitting president of crimes truly was. They threw their back into impeachment proceedings without regard for the fact that Republican senators do, in fact, exist. Now, I fear, too many have put their hopes on Jack Smiththe dark, gritty Robert Mueller reboot who will finally finish the job. But with the Supreme Courts decision to take up Trumps presidential immunity caseand back-burnering it until Aprilits an open question as to when Smith will even get started on his January 6 insurrection case. Most observers believe there is no way to wrap things up by November. So be it. There is no deus ex machina coming to save Democrats, no miracle cure for Trump. But rather than lapse into another long sorrow session, Democrats should be glad to be unburdened of the colossal expectations that the judicial system would save them, and get up off the fainting couch to mount the nimble and powerful campaign that our democracy deserves. It begins with an attitude adjustment: Instead of being despondent that Trump cant be convicted by Election Day, be damned glad that he wont be acquitted before America casts its votes. Because Trump getting off scot-free was always a possible outcome. What was the plan, exactly, if those hoped-for judicial punishments ended up being a series of exonerations for Trump to crow about? The good news is that Democrats dont actually need courts to hand down a bunch of verdicts to make hay out of Trumps legal woes. Everything that Trump is standing trial for remains a live issue, and in the absence of breaking news stories about the latest courtroom blowup or legal setback, Democrats have a free hand to feed the media beast with derogatory information related to these trials (the insurrection, the attempted Georgia election coup, his rampant fraud, the stolen documents), as well as other scandals (the foreign money hes pocketed, his role in Roes demise, his plans to transform the civil service into an instrument of personal retribution). As Brian Beutler notes in a recent edition of Off Message, there are plenty of creative ways for Democrats to draw attention to Trumps corruption even if hes able to delay official legal proceedings. They just need to break with some old habits: Democrats put serene faith in the power of paid advertising to convey information like this, so much so that they devote almost no strategic thought into generating free media around these disqualifying liabilities. Meanwhile, everything Trumps doing can be viewed as an effort to dodge the free-media penalty of being a criminal, a rapist, and a fraud. Democrats really cant afford to lapse into thinking that the media, the scales finally loosed from its eyes, will eventually notice the merits of their case and come out in support of it. They have to recognize that the political press prefers to be met on the proverbial low road, and get over the crass implications of participating in a politics thats less high-minded. Into the vacant space left by delayed trial proceedings, Democrats need to tell the story of how Trump came to be so entangled in the first place, reminding people that this man paid hush money to an adult film star with whom he was having an affair, illegally took classified documents and stored them at Mar-a-Lago as if they were spare toilet paper (then lied about it and obstructed justice), also lied about his net worth to defraud others of countless millions, led a criminal racketeering enterprise to overturn the 2020 election result in Georgia, and of course directed a mob of thousands to attack the Capitol. And above all, they must remind voters that Trump is seeking the presidency precisely because he wants to dodge responsibility for all of these crimes. This is the bumper sticker: Joe Biden is running for office; Donald Trump is running from the law. This article first appeared in Power Mad, a weekly TNR newsletter authored by deputy editor Jason Linkins. Sign up here. On the eve of the last two sentencing hearings this week in the case of a pair of Black men tortured by six White law enforcement officers, a cousin of Emmett Tills mother thought of her own son. I havent talked to him today, and thats unusual, Priscilla Williams Till said of her 19-year-old, Emmett Louis Till Williams named, she said, for the boy whose 1955 lynching just a few hours drive from here remains a shocking touchstone of the nations civil rights movement. The mother made the sudden realization while discussing the events that defined the week here: the series of hearings two a day in which the now-former officers, who pleaded guilty to a combined 13 federal felonies tied to the abuse of Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker, were sentenced at Jacksons federal courthouse to 10 to 40 years each in prison. Till picked up her phone and dialed her baby. He didnt pick up. Till got tense. She starting chatting again, then paused. And then she was reabsorbed in her phone, all while sitting at a table in Johnny Ts, a popular Black-owned bistro and blues club in the Farish Street district, where Black wealth reigned before integration took hold in the 70s. She called a friend. Has Emmett been there today? Till asked. He went to work? Priscilla Williams Till attends a news conference Wednesday outside the federal courthouse in Jackson. - Emma Tucker/CNN She phoned her teenager again. Finally, he picked up. He was at work. He was fine. Safe. The mothers momentary fear something bad had happened to her child eased. But its underpinnings would not subside, certainly not as her mind swirled with the sickening details pouring out in the final phase of the case of the self-styled Goon Squad, whose members and others illegally went last January into the home of a woman Parker had been caring for, a federal lawsuit states. There, the then-officers handcuffed, kicked, waterboarded, tased and sexually assaulted Parker and Jenkins over nearly two hours before one put a gun in Jenkins mouth and pulled the trigger in a mock execution, the lawsuit and court records say. The officers, in their repeated use of racial slurs in the course of their violent acts, were oppressive and hateful against their African-American victims, the suit adds. Those racist expressions, Till said, reflect the values, the customs, the physical objects, that are passed down from generation to generation. This is passed down to children. And look at these children in the courtrooms, she said, look at their suffering. Beyond the courthouse, the Goon Squad sentencings also set the stage for people across majority-Black greater Jackson to confront the cases excruciating truths: from vestiges of slavery to the survivors haunting trauma, perpetrators often-agonized courtroom apologies and the grave question of how to push toward a more just future. The tendrils, indeed, extend into a nation grappling with how police use force, especially against people of color and notably after the 2020 murder of Black father George Floyd by a White Minneapolis officer whose federal sentence was shorter than a few doled out this week in Jackson. Michael Jenkins on Tuesday shows the scar left from having a gun fired off in his mouth during the January 2023 torture session. - Rogelio V. Solis/AP The facts of Jenkins and Parkers pure hell, as the FBI director described it, gripped the courtroom here its packed gallery guarded by US Marshals as the two survivors day after day this week came face-to-face with their tormentors, one-time Rankin County Sheriffs deputies and a Richland Police officer. Parker, wearing a chain with an open-handcuffs pendant, sat with Jenkins, who is still relearning to speak, alongside attorneys Malik Shabazz and Trent Walker and surrounded by their friends and relatives. Each day, Jenkins and Parker closed their eyes as prosecutors and defense attorneys recounted their torture session, initiated that night by a complaint one of the then-deputies got from his White neighbor of suspicious behavior and several Black men staying at a White womans home, federal prosecutors said a stunning echo of the mid-century claim against Emmett Till. Across the weeks hearings, Shabazz read aloud from statements Jenkins and Parker had prepared to ensure the court record and the veteran federal judges decrees might reflect their experiences. In the end, Parker at three of the hearings spoke on his own behalf. An anti-police brutality activist looks back in July 2023 at the entrance to the Rankin County Sheriff's Office in Brandon, Mississippi. - Rogelio V. Solis/AP That night, I saw the devil come to me, the survivor said as he wiped away tears. I saw the devil in my face, in my home, where I was supposed to be safe. What did I do to get this? Nothing. Tears also flowed from some defendants who in navy jumpsuits and shackled at their waists and wrists spoke directly to Jenkins and Parker, though the sincerity of their contrition sometimes met with doubt or pity. Jackson resident: Shocked but not surprised Former Lieutenant Jeffrey Middleton whod touted the Goon Squad with sheriffs office emblems branded with its moniker, a Confederate flag and a noose, federal prosecutors said said he accepted responsibility for what hed done. But Parker didnt think Middleton was sorry, he said, according to the statement Shabazz read on his behalf: Im offended that Jeffrey Middleton is not apologetic and is trying to make light of his role in these torture sessions and crimes. He used a sword to hit me. Former Deputy Hunter Elward cried and looked directly at the survivors, saying: Theres no telling what youve seen. Im so sorry that I caused that. I hate myself for it. I hate that I gave you that. I accept all responsibility. Then, Parker stood up and offered a stunning if not unthinkable response: We forgive you, man. This combination of photos shows, from top left, former Rankin County Sheriff's deputies Hunter Elward, Christian Dedmon, Brett McAlpin, Jeffrey Middleton, Daniel Opdyke and former Richland Police officer Joshua Hartfield in August 2023 at the Rankin County Circuit Court in Brandon. - Rogelio V. Solis/AP After the hearing, though, Jenkins told CNN the apology from Elward, whod shot him in the mouth, meant nothing to him. Ex-Deputy Daniel Opdyke told Parker through tears: Nothing I say can undo the harm that I caused you. I deeply regret all the pain and suffering Ive caused you. But Parker, looking stern as tears streamed down his cheeks, walked out of the courtroom with his aunt. Crying then in court, too, was Priscilla Till, who runs the Emmett Till Justice for Families Foundation, which aims to dismantle systems of racial injustice. She later noted Opdyke, at 28, was the youngest of those sentenced. Hes a child, she said. And Im not saying hes not guilty. But a child with that much hate who became this man with all this control, misusing it, and now hes regressed to thinking how hes messed up and knows hes going to suffer, I felt his pain. Jackson resident Shinese Hinkle, 34, followed news of the sentencings from the hotel where she works across from the federal courthouse. She found herself considering the extent to which law enforcement officers in her state can abuse their official power. It just made me wonder: How many times did something like that occur before they went to such extreme measures, be caught and be held accountable? said Hinkle, a server at a restaurant in the hotel where Jenkins, Parker, their attorneys and supporters stayed this week. Hinkle was shocked when she first heard last year the grotesque details of what the officers had done to Parker and Jenkins, she said. But she wasnt surprised. Shinese Hinkle works Wednesday at a hotel in Jackson, Mississippi. - Emma Tucker/CNN As a Black person here, she said, it made me feel as if those who are supposed to serve and protect us would rather target and criminalize us, instead of treating us like normal people. This is not 1964, its 2024 Before this weeks first sentence was handed down, the Rankin County NAACP branch had pushed the court in writing to enact harsh punishments in the Goon Squad case. Severe consequences, the civil rights groups president suggested, could steer progress toward justice. We cant erase Mississippis past, Angela English told CNN before the first sentence was handed down. But we can move forward today and set a precedent that has never been set before. This is not 1964, she added, its 2024. Then after U S District Court Judge Tom Lee imposed the stiffest sentence on an ex-investigator he said had committed the most shocking, brutal and cruel acts imaginable, Jenkins father offered his gratitude and called the punishment something unheard of in the state. Ive lived in Mississippi 68 years, Melvin Jenkins, and Ive never seen justice like this. And following the final sentencing Thursday, US Attorney General Merrick Garland affirmed just how extreme the torture and abuse of the Black men had been: The depravity of the crimes committed by these defendants cannot be overstated, he said in a statement. And the fallout may not be over. Now, the local NAACP chapter is calling for a pattern-or-practice investigation of policing in Rankin County. The US Justice Department continues to ask the public to share information about allegations of abuse by its sheriffs office via a toll-free number. And some here are working to oust the sheriff himself, who apologized and said he was ashamed after his deputies pleaded guilty in the torture ordeal. Still, less than an hour after the last of the six Goon Squad case officers was sentenced, English and her NAACP colleague Will Sims both among the first Black children to integrate local schools around 1970, they said visited the lofty Confederate monument in the heart of Rankin Countys seat of Brandon. Will Sims, left, and Angela English stand Thursday in front of a Confederate monument in Brandon. - Emma Tucker/CNN Sims pointed to the words engraved on the 1907 structure topped by a statue of a Confederate soldier which he said he first read while on a fourth-grade field trip: Men die, principles live forever. For some reason, that always stuck in my heart, Sims said. It meant for me, theres a certain lifestyle, and you have to know your place in this society, in this time. It will never change. For English, the monument is a reminder of her familys deep pain: Her great uncle, Willie McLin who went by Will Mack was left hanging from it in 1909 after a White woman accused him of assault, she said. This statue represents death, English said. It represents evil. Moments after she took a seat on the stone platform, a car of White teens drove by, and someone yelled: You cant sit there! English scoffed. Then she looked at Sims. They dont want us here, she said, smiling. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Multimillionaire banker and Wisconsin U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde has made health care, namely his beef with Obamacare, one of four central issues on his campaign website. The Republican challenger to Democrat Tammy Baldwin, who also unsuccessfully ran in 2012, has long opposed the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Back then, Hovde said he didnt support anything about itincluding its coverage for Americans with pre-existing conditions or allowing people to stay on their familys insurance until age 26. Now newly resurfaced video shows that Hovde proposed enacting an especially cruel health-care measure: Charging higher premiums for people living with obesity and reducing the amount of care they receive. You become obese, your health care is going to cost more, Hovde told public affairs channel WisconsinEye. Hovde is running against Sen. Tammy Baldwin. Tom Brenner/Reuters The banking and real estate mogulwhos been labeled a carpetbagger over his luxurious California mansion and who invested in Bermuda-based insurance accounts that allowed him to avoid paying U.S. corporate taxesspouted this idea during a July 2012 sitdown with the TV program but it wasnt widely reported at the time. Look, we have an explosion of Type 2 diabetes right now. Explosion. Obesity is off the charts. You know, were removing people from being responsible for their own health, Hovde said. If they all of a sudden started to realize that theyre going to pay more for their health care by consuming, you know, by consuming massive amounts of soda every day or fatty foods and not exercising, maybe they would change their behavioral patterns. Hovde then claimed obesity was a personal choice. Its a personal choice, he said, but there should be consequences to those personal choices. Fine, you want to do that, you become obese, your health care is going to cost more. Or, the qualityor not the quality, but the amount of health care may go down, because you may not have the money to afford it. You have to force personal responsibility back to people, and also make them smart consumers. Hovdes campaign didnt return messages seeking comment. His old commentary comes to light amid a national conversation around weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, and after Oprah Winfreys TV special centering on treatments and the stigma people face when overweight. It also arrives as Democrats eye health care as a major issue in the 2024 presidential election, with President Biden celebrating the ACAs 14th anniversary this weekend with an ad blitz and events spotlighting his record on the legislation. Since last fall, Trump has vowed to dismantle Obamacare if elected to a second term, despite a record number of people enrolling in health plans through its insurance marketplace. Obesity experts told The Daily Beast remarks such as Hovdes are discriminatory and show a lack of understanding about obesity as a disease. Melanie Jay, an associate professor of medicine at NYU and director of the NYU Langone Comprehensive Program on Obesity Research, pointed out that the American Medical Association has deemed obesity a disease for a decade. Personal behaviors do play a role in every chronic disease but obesity is as heritable as height, she said. We have a very obesogenic environment, no doubt, and its interacting with peoples genes and thats why over time people are getting heavier, Jay told The Daily Beast, adding that willpower doesnt really play a role in the disease. Several factors built into the American environment can lead to obesity, including easy access to high-calorie foods, jobs that are more sedentary, and prescription drugs that put on pounds. Theres lots of reasons, but its not the persons fault that theyve developed obesity, Jay said. Jay said that Hovdes comments singling out obesity as something that should raise peoples insurance rates reveals that either youre not understanding or youre really discriminating against people who have a chronic disease. Its assuming that obesity is some sort of moral failing that people need to be punished for, she said. Thats not true. She added: Its a pretty awful and dangerous thing to say. Eric Hovde Douglas Graham/Roll Call via Getty We already have people who dont want to get health care because they are ashamed or internalize the shame, Jay said. And then if you make them pay more, you just get barriers to care, and its gonna make everything worse. David S. Seres, MD, professor of medicine in the Institute of Human Nutrition and Director of Medical Nutrition at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, said of Hovdes comments: This person clearly lacks any credibility where health-care policy is concerned. Itd be like charging people more who get cancer or have heart attacks that are due to genetics, or due to the polluted environment, or to the overabundance of unhealthy food and a lack of access to healthy food that is the current environment in which a lot of people live. This would be plain and simple blaming the victim. Dr. Angela Fitch, president of the Obesity Medicine Association, said, We cant create a health-care system where people who are sicker, by whatever nature, have to pay more money. She added that treatment of the disease needs to be a standard benefit on health plans. In 2011, then Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer proposed (and eventually dropped) a similar cost-saving measure that got national attention: an annual $50 surcharge for Medicaid recipients who have obesity and fail to work with a physicians treatment plan. Private companies have also penalized workers who are overweight with insurance surcharges, and CVS Caremark made headlines in 2013 for requiring employees enrolled in its insurance plan to disclose their weights or pay a $600 annual penalty. Joe Nadglowski, president and CEO of the nonprofit Obesity Action Coalition, told The Daily Beast that obesity is not a personal choice. Penalization of people with obesity in any facet of life, whether it be employment, health care, education and so on, is a clear example of weight bias in today's society and most certainly not ethical, Nadglowski said in an email. Individuals affected by obesity deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Before his WisconsinEye interview, Hovde also employed the personal responsibility narrative in a talk with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, saying low-income people shouldnt go without medical care but we also have to have people stand on their own two feet and start focusing on their health. We have an obesity crisis, Hovde told the editorial board. Weve taken away peoples self responsibility to try to take care of their own health. He then made a puzzling correlation, claiming the more weve moved to a socialized system of medicine, the higher the countrys rates of Type 2 diabetes have become. Seres threw cold water on Hovdes claim. I could similarly say, and probably have more credibility, that our political support of industry has led to an overabundance of high-calorie, unhealthy, highly processed foods, Seres said, and theres certainly a lot more scientific evidence for these predisposing people to diabetes. GOP Candidate Eric Hovde Says Hes a Uniterbut Donates to the MAGA Extreme Hovdes suggested insurance penalty would impact a number of residents, data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services shows. The state reported that 68 percent of adults have a body mass index consistent with being overweight (36.1 percent) or having obesity (32.3 percent), figures that are just above the national average. Hovde was still focused on health care in 2017, bashing Senate Republicans on a conservative radio show for failing to repeal and replace the ACA. This year, hes continued the crusade. His campaign site argues Obamacare burdened middle-class people with higher premiums and mentions his own multiple sclerosis diagnosis as proof hes experienced the failures of our healthcare system. While his page attacks the ACA, it does not offer any alternatives. Hovdes opposition runs counter to polls showing a majority of Americans support the lawand, according to The Hill, Senate GOP leaders saying theyre unwilling to take up the battle this cycle. According to a February KFF poll, 59 percent of adults hold a favorable opinion of the ACA while 39 percent view it negatively. And 67 percent of respondents called its protections related to pre-existing conditions very important. Other KFF data shows that a quarter of non-elderly Wisconsinites, or 883,000, would have been denied health coverage prior to the ACA because of pre-existing conditions. GOP Guv Candidate Mark Robinson on Obamacare: Its an Effort to Enslave Everybody Since Hovde entered the ring, hes billed himself as a uniter amid toxic partisan divisions, but past soundbites have come back to haunt him. The 19th reported Hovde once blamed societal problems on single moms, and The Daily Cardinal, a University of Wisconsin-Madison student paper, exposed his comments attacking young people as lazy and drug users. Rolling Stone revealed Hovde was against the commercialization of alcoholin a state where its a major part of the economy. The Daily Beast has previously reported on Hovdes donations and ties to extreme Republicans, including Sen. Ron Johnson and Congressman Derrick Van Orden, recently in the press for shouting lies during Bidens State of the Union. Hovde is just one well-heeled candidate the GOP is banking on to flip the Senate. One poll shows Baldwin, the two-term incumbent, leads Hovde by 3 points, and that people rate the economy their No. 1 issue, followed by health care. If you are about to have surgery, dont you want the best doctor? Hovde tweeted on Thursday. If you are about to head on a plane, dont you want the best pilot? We have a dire economic situation on our hands. I am the best candidate in this race equipped with the skills to lead us out of it. Not everyone was buying it. One X user replied, Youre not the next doctor, fella. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Description The closing reception for the Third Annual Middle and High School Student Artists Juried Show will be held on Saturday, March 23rd, from 12Noon-2PM. We invite family and friends to join us for light refreshments and to applaud the winners as awards are announced and distributed. We hope to see you there! TODAY.com is re-sharing this essay in light of news that Catherine, Princess of Wales, is undergoing chemotherapy after she was diagnosed with cancer. In a video shared on social media, the former Kate Middleton addressed a part of the process that many parents with cancer struggle with: how to talk about it with their children. It has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way thats appropriate to them, and to reassure them Im going to be OK, she said. Writer and cancer survivor Julie Devaney Hogan shares what worked for her family in the following essay. Thats a really good question, is not what you want to hear when you ask your doctor, What the hell do I tell my kids? after being diagnosed with cancer. But thats what I heard, along with a collection of other unhelpful non-answers from various experts, including but not limited to: Well, it really depends. Theres no right or wrong answer. And my personal favorite Only you as their mom will know what to say. Really? Because I do not know what to say and I would like some help, was my answer to that last one. Hiking with my boys, one year before my diagnosis. (Courtesy Julie Devaney Hogan) After I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in late 2022 and began researching how to tell my children, I felt like the internet and social workers were reading me bad fortune cookie one-liners. I also found lots of conflicting information. Tell them its cancer. Dont use the big 'C' word. Prepare them for all possibilities. Dont tell them anything they dont ask about. Dont millions of people have cancer? How did we gloss over getting this part of the hell ride right? In addition to the information being insufficient and confusing, the content itself struck me as stark. I bought all the books, read all the jargon-filled pamphlets, yet I couldnt see myself in any of it. Mom will be sick. Mom will be bald. Mom wont be the same for a while. For a minute I wondered if I was in denial. Early in the journey I still felt like myself, and I knew that would change, but I certainly didnt envision myself becoming the same frail, pale, bedridden pencil figure illustrated in the books I was supposed to show my kids. Every image of a mom with cancer reminded me of the grandparents laying in bed in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Couldnt they at least draw my future sad sick self in these terrible books in something other than beige pajamas? Taking a swim with my oldest and youngest, two weeks after my diagnosis. (Courtesy Julie Devaney Hogan) Weeks into my diagnosis, people in our life were starting to ask me, too. Do the kids know? How are you going to tell them? It struck me that there was no playbook, so I started to piece together something that was more aligned with the authenticity and truth I wanted the conversation to have. I worried the wrong words would instantaneously evict innocence from their souls, immediately catapulting them from the blissfully naive kids they should be at 3, 6 and 8, and into little people with heavy, burdened and scared hearts. I decided if this was the fight of my life, I was telling my kids my way. My husband, Dave, and I first talked about what we didnt want. I had a list of 3 things: We didnt want it to feel like a bad TV movie. Eating dinner, the sound of forks on plates, a bomb dropped by parents starting with, Kids, Mom has some news to share, children traumatized. Weve all seen that scene. I didnt want that scene. We didnt want the conversation to be about mom being sick. My mindset since diagnosis has not been that Im sick, but that Im healing. We didnt want any secrets or panic. In our house we say secrets make you sick, so we agreed that wed tell them the full story in a way they could understand and also be able to talk about themselves. There isnt a lot of non-panic language when talking about cancer. Words like cancer, chemotherapy, radiation and mastectomy are pretty heavy. Wed have to get creative. Knowing what we didnt want, we needed to land on what we were actually going to say. As someone who has worked in marketing, consulting and technology my entire career, my love language is a slide deck. In my professional life, its how I tell stories. Ive spent many all-nighters building decks for big meetings I was going to do the same for my family. I found a template and got to work on the most important presentation of my life. I decided to personify my sickness and boil down an executive summary story for my kids. We named the barbell-shaped tumor in my breast Barb. Barb was a boo-boo villain in Moms boob, and Barb needed to go. The acronym for the clinical trial drug that I was going to take was MARGOT, so Margot was my superhero. Id be heading into Boston every week to get special Margot medicine through a magical tool called a port, and this would help shrink Barb. The slides I showed my kids: Courtesy Julie Devaney Hogan Courtesy Julie Devaney Hogan Courtesy Julie Devaney Hogan We chose a Saturday morning to have the talk. We were purposeful about the day and time so the kids had the whole day with us if they had questions (not off to a school bus) and also not so close to bedtime that their little minds could race alone. In heavy avoidance of the sad TV movie scene while we were around a table, there was no meal we were playing a game together, something we frequently do. A funny one, too (Kids Against Maturity I highly recommend it). The mood was light and we were laughing. No sad sounds of forks on plates. I presented the slides to the kids after we wrapped up our game, telling them I had something I wanted everyone to know about. We introduced Barb and Margot, and talked about the side effects of Margot, and what would happen in the weeks and months to come. Bringing to life the cancer that was trying to take my life was ironically empowering. By doing this, you dont hear us talk about Moms cancer much in our house. We talk about Barb (and hearing their little Boston accents say "Barb" makes me smile). There are two words we decided to omit from our slides: cancer and death. We wanted to give our kids the most important stuff first (whats happening, what to expect), and decided wed answer questions when they brought them to us. A few weeks later, my 8-year-old asked me if Barb was cancer. Yes, she is, I told him. He then asked how wed get her out during surgery, if she had legs and if I could keep her in a jar. Can I still call her Barb, though? he asked. Yup, thats who she is, I told him. Shes Barb. A note from my son's school. I was thrilled when his teacher told me how positive he'd been about my journey with breast cancer. (Courtesy Julie Devaney Hogan) Last week I underwent a double mastectomy. As my middle son puts it, Barb has buzzed off. I had trace amounts of cancer remaining, but the majority of Barb (and the friends she made in 7 lymph nodes) is gone, as a result of the chemotherapy I received before surgery. I will start low-dose chemotherapy and radiation as an insurance policy to make sure nothing comes back. We told our kids, Barb is gone now we burn her house down so she cant come back! The question I havent been asked is, Could you die? Its a question I dread more than my treatments and surgery, one I know is coming, and one that truly does not have a right answer. While my prognosis remains curable, aggressive stage 3 cancer leaves me in a place where the unknowns can erode you quickly if you dont quiet them. I dont want my kids to carry that, and I also dont want to lie to them. My planned answer is, I dont plan to! And thats the authentic truth. Do you have a personal essay to share with TODAY? Please send your ideas to TODAYEssays@nbcuni.com. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Our government lies. Two and a half years ago, while doing some research, I filed a Freedom of Information (FOIA) request for information on former Trump fixer Michael Cohen and the investigation that led to his prosecution. Cohen gave me permission to pursue the information; he wanted it too. So for the last two and a half years, with the assistance of brilliant FOIA attorney Mark Zaid and his firm, we have pursued the information to no avail. Ive sat in Zoom meetings listening to excuse after excuse. Ive appeared in court. Nothing has ever been done. If youve ever filed a FOIA with any branch of the federal government, be prepared for a wait. It is always a long wait and the amount of information you obtain is usually minimal. The idea behind the FOIA Act is to provide transparency in government. The reality is that the act is often used to obscure governmental activities. Often, we are told, the FOIA offices in the federal government are underfunded and overworked, thus producing a backlog of information that American taxpayers never get to see. Thats an undeniable fact, Zaid has told me on numerous occasions. My own investigation into the issue substantiates that claim. But, Zaid has also warned me the government drags its heels in providing information - which is a better explanation of what happened in Manhattan recently. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs office said federal prosecutors had provided about 73,000 pages of records since March 4 in response to a Trump subpoena filed in January. They appeared largely irrelevant, but 172 pages were witness statements that Trumps team could review before trial, according to a court filing from state prosecutors. For that reason, the Manhattan case has been delayed by 30 days. Not so coincidentally, around the same time the federal government responded with documents that. I had requested on that same case two and a half years ago. But I didnt get 73,000 pages. The government reviewed 32 pages and sent me 31. In the beginning, the government told me there were no documents in their possession that matched what I requested. But, thanks to Cohen, I already had at least one document that indicated others also existed. When presented with that information the government then came back and said there were extensive documents and it would take years to process my request. Turns out, I just needed to be Alvin Bragg. Donald Trump is right. There is a two-tiered justice system in this country. But only a fool would think hes on the bottom tier. Among the information I sought and received was information that detailed the beginning of the investigation into Michael Cohen and his dealings with Stormy Daniels. In the course of this investigation, evidence has been gathered . . . focusing on Cohen, former executive in the Trump organization and current personal attorney for President Trump, some of the released information from the Justice Department (DOJ) explained. It is being reclassified from Bank Fraud to crimes related to the federal election campaign act. The information shows why Cohen was targeted and the acts he took for the benefit of Donald Trump. There is very little that is new that the DOJ provided me but it does help verify what Michael Cohen has long said and been accused of lying about by Donald Trump. Trump has long said that Cohen cannot be trusted which makes you wonder why he ever hired him. But the evidence released shows that it was quite the contrary. Trump trusted Cohen with good reason he carried out the Donalds wishes as a good foot soldier. Everything released to me shows not only that Cohen was accurate in describing his actions but that everything he did was for Donald Trump. His loyalty to Trump was unquestionable. Unshakable. Undeniable. And it cost him dearly. The information I received also backs up most media reports and indeed is based upon information already disclosed to the public. For this I waited two and a half years? Part of the information reads like an index of media articles and television shows regarding Donald Trump. Some FBI interviews, private texts and phone calls are also part of the documents I received but again nothing new is mentioned in them. We all know why the federal government began investigating Cohen. What is interesting in the 32 pages I received are several blacked-out sections describing who was interviewed, yet the information provided from those interviews provides few insights. Sure, if you want a backstage pass to the clandestine way members of the press get tips on the Access Hollywood tapes, then grab some popcorn. But none of this is news and none of it is new. There is little doubt that the amount of information dropped on Bragg includes thousands of pages of minutia just like this, thereby ensuring that Bragg will have to take up his time to determine what we already know: Trumps a criminal and asked Cohen to fix it. With a 30-day delay, Bragg must read, digest, condense, report on and determine if any of these 73,000 pages are relevant to a complex case in Manhattan. That means the processing of 2,433 pages a day. Even if you have 24 people reading 100 pages a day it will be difficult. Expect further delays, or expect some information to be overlooked, and/or the trial to be further delayed. Who does this benefit other than Donald Trump? No one, but it brings to mind several questions: Why did the government lie to me about processing my request? Why did the government make a last-minute dump to Trump. The right to a speedy trial doesnt just belong to the defendant. It belongs to all of us, a guarantee that the government doesnt abuse our rights or railroad us indefinitely in matters of extreme and mundane importance. The most telling thing in the information released to me was Hes pissed! which Cohen said about Trump when the former president found out his peccadillos were about to become public; just another look inside Trumps bombast. Meh. Still, thats not even mildly entertaining after what I heard from Trump in person. It sounds less than amusing boring. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. The biggest revelation to me was the statement that the positive news coverage of Trump during the campaign and the payments . . . were intended to shield then-candidate Trump from public criticism and scrutiny, and therefore influenced a presidential election. There it is. The press helped Donald Trump. Some of us were cognizant of it, and some were victims of the crap spewed by Trump and his paid allies. The U.S. press has a lot to answer for, then and now about our coverage of Donald Trump. And as the actions taken by the government in the Bragg case also show, the government is complicit in this as well. There is not a single truth to be told by Trump. Theres no amount of grifting he wont do, and theres no one he wont corrupt to save his own skin. There are obviously still members of the Department of Justice who through ignorance or malice will support Donald Trump for a variety of reasons. The released information this week also shows there are obviously members of the media who either are greedy or stupid and thus are assisting Trump. Trumps love/hate relationship with the press is a cautionary tale if ever there was one. But I admit I could be wrong. I received less than three dozen pages. Bragg got 73,000. And we both got took. ALGER COUNTY, Mich. (WJMN) A Grand Rapids man has been arrested following an undercover operation in Alger County earlier this year. According to the Alger County Sheriffs Office, Manuel Uribe-Mendez was arrested on February 24, 2024. 5 men added to Chippewa Co. sheriffs Most Wanted list Authorities report an undercover officer posed as a 15-year-old girl. Uribe-Mendez is accused of communicating with the undercover officer using social media and traveling from Grand Rapids to Alger County with the intentions of engaging in sexual activity. Manuel Uribe-Mendez When Uribe-Mendez arrived at the predetermined location in Alger County, authorities immediately arrested him. He has been arraigned and is currently being held at the Alger County Jail, where he will have a Preliminary Examination hearing in the 93rd District Court. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJMN - UPMatters.com. (Editors note: A students appearance in the video does not suggest the student was involved in the alleged altercation.) CHARMCO, WV (WVNS) A grandmother of two Greenbrier West High School students said students who film or share videos of other students being physically assaulted or fighting should face school disciplinary measures. The grandmother, Barb Cordial, shared a video with 59News. Cordial said the video, which begins with a group of students in a hallway and shows a teenaged girl appearing to physically assault another teenaged girl who is exiting a classroom, shows her granddaughter being attacked at Greenbrier West High. Other students in the video appear to watch and film the fight as it goes on. Raleigh County Sheriffs Office seeks juvenile petitions against Greenbrier West High School students Cordial said she is also worried about the culture at Greenbrier West High School based on what her grandkids and their former classmates have reported. She says her grandchildren were forced to leave the school earlier this academic year because of repeated instances of bullying. I just feel like, that if somethings not done, the staff doesnt start teaching kindness and respect [] I feel like something really bad is going to happen, she added. Cordial said it wasnt the first time her granddaughter had been attacked at the school. She also said her grandson, the girls brother, was also bullied at the school. Greenbrier West High students claim staff deemed the n-word protected speech My granddaughter and grandson had been attacked and beat up and my grandduaghter on more than one occasion, Cordial said on Friday, March 22, 2024. There were people calling her names and kicking her in the hallway, and just doing really mean things. According to Cordial, the bullying continued, even after her family spoke with school administrators. She said administrators told her granddaughter not to fight back or she could also be suspended. Cordial said both of her grandkids left Greenbrier West because the bullying continued. We reached out to officials with Greenbrier County Schools central office. They told us the school takes instances of bullying seriously. They said if school principals can not stop a student from being bullied, guardians should reach out to central office administrators. Associate Superintendent Doug Clemons said, We do have full-time PRO officers in every secondary school and police presence in all elementary schools, in buildings every day. We have greatly enhanced mental health support for students with our partnership for mental health services. Clemons said on Friday, March 22, 2024 that he planned to investigate a report by Cordial that security cameras are not operating in certain parts of Greenbrier West High School. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS. CAPITOL HEIGHTS, Md. - Mohammad Hanif's family is grieving. The 50-year-old was attacked inside the convenience store he owned in Capitol Heights around three weeks ago. His wife and children told FOX 5 Friday they're thankful the murder suspect is now in jail. Prince George's County police arrested and charged 48-year-old Anthony Edward Stevens after authorities say he assaulted Hanif on March 5 around 8 a.m. Grieving family finds closure as suspect arrested in Capitol Heights convenience store owner's murder Detectives told FOX 5 that Stevens robbed the convenience store and then attacked Hanif. Police found Hanif in the store, suffering from a severe head injury. He died three days later. Mohammad Hanif, 50, of Annandale, Va. Hanif moved to the U.S. in 1999 and opened the store a year and a half ago. He lived in Annandale, Virginia with his wife and three kids ages 11, 14, and 19 years old. "It does bring us a sense of closure, but it will never bring my dad back, which we are, you know, still grieving about," said Hasnat Rayhan, the victim's son. "I'm just happy that the police made an arrest because at first, when we heard about the whole situation and found out, you know, he died, we were just worried the guy was going to go around and kill more people and we didn't want that. The fact that the police have got him now, it gives us a lot of peace of mind, and now we can just try to move on." Anthony Edward Stevens, 48 Stevens is charged with first and second-degree murder. He is currently in the custody of the Department of Corrections on a no-bond status. His next court hearing is on Monday, April 22. VIDEO: detectives released surveillance video of the suspect wanted for killing an owner of a convenience store. Please share.https://t.co/gtEVdiIiFE pic.twitter.com/CeNDvKEYjA PGPDNEWS (@PGPDNews) March 11, 2024 Armed police officers monitor a street after gang violence in the neighborhood on the evening of March 21, 2024, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (Clarens SIFFROY) Heavy gunfire erupted early Saturday in the Haitian capital as residents, already enduring chaotic violence and grave food shortages, waited for word of progress in forming a transitional government meant to restore stability. Residents contacted by AFP said armed criminals had attacked a base of the Departmental Operation and Intervention Brigade (BOID), a rapid-response force, in the Fort National neighborhood of Port-au-Prince. Another specialized unit in the capital area, the Motorized Intervention Brigade (BIM), was also attacked, locals said. The scenes of chaos played out as the impoverished Caribbean country continued a tense wait for the establishment of a transitional government -- part of a deal that brought the promised resignation of unpopular Prime Minister Ariel Henry. A video meeting set for Saturday afternoon between members of a presidential transitional council, representing a range of Haitian society, with representatives of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was delayed until Monday, according to an official close to the council. The council members met among themselves Saturday morning, but were unable to reach an agreement on how the body will function. Henry agreed on March 11 to resign when the council is in place, but negotiations over its formation have been slow despite pressure from neighboring Caribbean countries and the United States. The council is meant to name an interim prime minister to oversee the country's first elections since 2016. The political chaos and street violence are taking place against a backdrop of increasingly desperate hunger. Farhan Haq, a spokesman for the UN secretary-general, said roughly half the Haitian population faces "crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity." Haiti has been rocked by violence since late February, when the country's gangs launched a coordinated offensive, raiding a prison and releasing thousands of inmates as they demanded Henry resign. Amid the sharply worsening conditions, more than 33,000 people have fled the capital area in the past two weeks, according to the UN International Organization for Migration. A state of emergency has been declared in the capital region until April, while an overnight curfew has been prolonged until Tuesday, the prime minister's office said. Many foreigners have fled the country, and the US Embassy has been evacuating American citizens hoping to leave. The State Department said Friday evening it had helped 230 citizens leave since March 17. And it renewed a blunt warning to US citizens: "Do not travel to Haiti." bbk/md/des/acb Im guilty of chatting with my female friends about icks we get from guys, so it only felt right to share mens icks and turn-offs about women. Here is what some men shared in this thread that I stumbled upon: Note: Some of these responses have been edited for length and/or clarity. Luckybusiness / Getty Images/iStockphoto "No reciprocation of efforts." u/ASVP_M3L "If you dont let me know in some way that youre feeling me after Ive made it clear Im feeling you, then I stop pursuing. It happens a good amount, and a week later theyll ask why I stopped trying to spend time with them." u/AyybrahamLmaocoln skynesher via Getty Images "Rude and demeaning attitudes. Like, aggressively rude or demeaning. That kills it for me." u/TattedPastor412 Michael Heffernan / Getty Images "No hobbies (people who cannot amuse themself usually demand your full attention, making you unable to practice your own hobbies). Negativity is another one. Not all days are good, but people who complain about every detail, even if their day would be considered amazing by most, are a pain." u/POLlCEFORCE AzmanL via Getty Images "When a woman doesnt hold herself to the same standard that she holds her man. Not to say that the roles and responsibilities of each party need to be exactly the same in any given relationship, but its the worst when a woman acts a certain way/has a certain attitude but gets upset when the man acts that way as well." u/wesagod Catherine Falls Commercial / Getty Images "When their dating profile is a list of qualities they want in a man, but doesn't say anything about what they're like or what they bring to a relationship." u/LookOutForThatMoose valentinrussanov via Getty Images "Lack of clear and effective communication. If you want or don't want something, make that excessively clear, with no ambiguity. If it's a big thing and the other person isn't getting it, sit them down in a non-emotionally charged situation, warn them you will be talking about something serious, and then go over it with them until they get it." u/Edumacator239 Drazen Zigic / Getty Images/iStockphoto "Treating people like servers, bartenders, or cashiers like complete garbage is a huge red flag, and it shows what type of person they really are." u/Spindlebrook FluxFactory via Getty Images "The ones who think they need to cut down every other female they see. It's repulsive. No, Karen. I didn't notice the top that woman was wearing until you pointed it out, but even now that I have, it's still not as tacky as the sewage you keep spewing from your mouth." u/jtf3983 miniseries via Getty Images "If I'm the only one who can even start a text conversation, it tells me I'm only there to be an ego boost. For example, I MUST be the one to say 'good morning' first. If not, I'm met with silence, possibly for a few days, followed by a passive-aggressive message about me 'not being interested.' I'm in my late 40s. I broke up with my first girlfriend in grade seven over this exact issue. (Phone calls, not texts, obviously.) Find an immature fool if you want to play immature, foolish games." u/Pimp_Daddy_76 Klaus Vedfelt / Getty Images "If they only have guy 'friends.' Claims other women are 'too much drama.' Coincidentally is always involved in drama and loves gossip. Always talks about 'haters' and 'fans.'" u/OkAnything4877 PhotoAlto/Frederic Cirou via Getty Images "The silent treatment. Its passive-aggressive, manipulative, whack bullshit." u/Additional-Stay-4355 Tom Werner via Getty Images "Romanticizing or unable to move past their exes, and refusing to stop messaging them because 'They're really important to me.'" u/KeisuketheLoser Klaus Vedfelt / Getty Images "I recently visited Santorini. One evening, I had dinner at a place overlooking a very popular spot with an amazing view of the island and the water. I lost count of how many Insta girls dragged their dead-eyed boyfriends there and proceeded to cycle through two dozen look-at-me poses while whining photo instructions. Treating people in your life like props or unpaid crew just so you can appear glamorous on social media is a major ick." u/BoomHeadcheese Thai Liang Lim via Getty Images "When I feel like I'm putting more effort into the relationship than she is." u/captnameless88 State Rep. Jessica Miranda, D-Forest Park. Miranda is running for re-election, but could be appointed Hamilton County Auditor in the wake of news that Auditor Brigid Kelly resigned for health reasons. A decision on who will fill the seat will be made next month. Editor's note: This story has been updated to more accurately describe how the selection process works and to include comment from State Rep. Jessica Miranda, D-Forest Park. News that Hamilton County Auditor Brigid Kelly had resigned due to health reasons prompted a wave of tributes and condolences. It also thrust into the spotlight the question of who will replace her. Kelly wants Democratic state Rep. Jessica Miranda, of Forest Park, to serve as the next Hamilton County auditor. That would trigger a search for Miranda's replacement in a competitive suburban House seat. "Rep. Miranda has demonstrated her commitment to transparency, accountability, and service in every step of her career," Kelly wrote in a letter to her supporters. "She has put politics aside to work on behalf of her constituents. She has the background, talent, and knowledge to excel in this position." Miranda, in a statement of her own, said she was honored by Kelly's recommendation but stopped short of discussing her plans. "Today, I am focused on supporting Brigid, her family, and my constituents while we collectively grieve the loss of her service at the county and celebrate her personal and professional triumphs, said Miranda, who serves as House minority whip. Who is serving as auditor now? Hamilton County Commissioners on Thursday appointed Chief Deputy Auditor Amy Humphrey to fill the interim role of auditor. Humphrey has worked in the auditor's office since 2010. In 2022, under auditor Dusty Rhodes, she worked as director of administrative services, according to payroll records. After Kelly took over, records list her as chief deputy auditor. Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus swears in Chief Deputy Auditor Amy Humphrey as the interim auditor following the resignation of Brigid Kelly, the auditor for the past two years. Who picks the candidates? The Hamilton County Democratic Central Committee, a group made up of about 300 Democrats, will take up the issue of replacing Kelly at its meeting next month, Hamilton County Democratic Party Chairwoman Gwen McFarlin said. That same committee will have to choose who will run in November to fill out the remainder of Kelly's term, which expires March 7, 2027. Both county parties have until Aug. 12 to nominate a candidate to run. Miranda said in an email Saturday "because of her long-lasting friendship" with Kelly and her "relevant experience to the auditor's office" she would accept the nomination. She said she would then resign her House seat. Who wants to be the next auditor? McFarlin supports Kelly's pick of Miranda to fill the seat. She noted the party honored Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune's wishes by appointing his chief of staff, Victoria Parks, to the seat when he resigned before he died in 2020. Parks is now a Cincinnati city councilwoman. Hamilton County Auditor Brigid Kelly, pictured here, resigned citing health reasons. Behind the scenes, some Democrats mentioned attorney Evan Nolan, a Democrat who works at the firm Katz Teller and served as Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval's treasurer. Hamilton County Republican Party Chairman Russ Mock said the $118,884-per-year auditor's seat will be attractive to candidates on both sides of the aisle. On the Republican side, he mentioned as a possibility former Cincinnati City Councilman Charlie Winburn, who was briefly appointed Hamilton County treasurer in 2021. Winburn is a commissioner on the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. Charlie Winburn poses for a portrait in his office in the Todd B. Portune Center for County Government in downtown Cincinnati. What could happen in the 28th District? And if Miranda gets the auditor seat? House Democrats would appoint someone to replace Miranda for the rest of her term. Hamilton County Democratic Party Central Committee members would choose a candidate to run for the district in the November election. Republican Jenn Giroux is already on the ballot for November. A bevy of elected officials from Deer Park, Forest Park and Sycamore Township could run. Some possibilities: Deer Park Councilman Neil Kelly; Forest Park Mayor Aharon Brown; Sycamore Community Schools Board President Sara Bitter and fellow school board member Victor Harris and Karen Brownlee of Symmes Township, who ran for Trustee last year, but lost. Miranda, in the Saturday email sent to precinct executives and shared with The Enquirer, said she is backing Brownlee. Brownlee is a social worker, therapist and mother of three. "Karen has what it takes to keep this district blue," Miranda said. Among the qualities: the ability to raise money and door knock, Miranda said. "I have gotten to know Karen over the last year and I am drawn to her demeanor, her character, her undeniable commitment to Democratic values," Miranda wrote. How competitive is the 28th House District? The 28th District covers the northeastern suburbs of Hamilton County: Forest Park, Springdale, Sharonville, Evendale, Blue Ash, Montgomery, plus parts of Symmes Township, Loveland, Kenwood and Deer Park. Miranda has held that seat since 2018 when she narrowly defeated GOP Rep. Jonathan Dever. That was a highly competitive race, but the district has started to lean Democratic because of former President Donald Trump. The district is about 53% Democratic, according to the popular redistricting tool Dave's Redistricting. "The 28th is a perfect example of how college-educated suburban voters swung toward Democrats in the era of Trump," said Jared Kamrass, a Democratic strategist with Washington D.C.-based Technicolor Political. "After having been one of the most hotly contested districts in the state for years, Rep. Miranda locked it down, and Republicans have done little to put it back on the map." This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Brigid Kelly: Who will be Hamilton County auditor? By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Representative Chip Roy, one of the most prominent hardline Republicans in Congress, pulls no punches when it comes to how frustrated he is about the $1.2 trillion spending package that lawmakers are working to pass before midnight on Friday. "Everyone that I know and trust about the border, about overall spending, see it as a complete and total failure and a capitulation by Republicans. And (Republican) leadership worked the deal, so it's on leadership," Roy told reporters. "Republicans should reject it," added the Texas Republican, vowing that he would not back the reelection campaigns of any fellow party member who votes for it. Roy is part of a small band of hardliners in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives who spent the last 14 months in a bare-knuckle effort to push Congress further to the right, railing against the Democratic-majority Senate and many of their House Republican colleagues. The House approved the legislation Friday on a 286-134 vote, with more support from Democrats than the majority party, sending it on to the Senate, which would also have to pass it for President Joe Biden to sign it into law. Passage of the $1.2 trillion bill funding the government through Sept. 30, without any major hardline policy concessions, marks their defeat - for now. Soon after Republicans took narrow control of the House in January 2023, party hardliners led by members of the House Freedom Caucus began pushing to reset spending to pre-pandemic levels, stop the flow of migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border and end diversity programs in federal agencies, including the Pentagon. Hardliners shuttered the House floor repeatedly and blocked Republican spending bills they disliked. Ultimately, some of their number ousted Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson's predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, after he moved a bipartisan stop-gap bill to avert a government shutdown. But the bill on track to pass follows the broad outlines of a bipartisan spending deal worked out between McCarthy and Biden last May. In an echo of McCarthy's ouster last year, the spending bill's House passage on Friday prompted hardline Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene to introduce a measure to oust Johnson. Greene, however, said she would not push for an immediate vote. "I filed a motion to vacate today. But it's more of a warning than a pink slip," she told reporters. Hardliners last year also rejected a major bipartisan border bill that would have imposed new limits on immigration, after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump voiced opposition to it. House passage of the spending bill provided another illustration of how their tactics undercut their party's narrow 219-213 majority by forcing Johnson to turn to Democrats to approve the legislation. The bill won the votes of 185 Democrats and 101 Republicans. Did hardliners achieve any substantial successes during those months of infighting and chaos? "No," replied Representative Ken Buck, a hardline Republican who voted for McCarthy's ouster. "The border is the same, which was the major issue that people wanted policy changes on. And the spending levels are absurd." Buck plans to leave Congress on Friday, before the end of his two-year term, blaming a "breakdown in civility." DIVIDED GOVERNMENT House Republican leadership defended the bill as their best option in a divided government, where Democrats hold a Senate majority as well as the White House. "Seventy percent of the bill is defense, including the largest pay raise our troops have had in decades," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, the chamber's No. 2 Republican, said in response to hardline criticism. "At a time when the world is on fire more than ever, we need to make sure that we're properly funding our nation's defense and supporting our troops, who deserve that pay raise." McCarthy's ouster by eight hardliners, including six Freedom Caucus members, paralyzed the House for weeks in October until Republicans settled on Johnson as a replacement. In the end, the hardliners said that move hurt their cause. "It really set us back, and these spending negotiations are indicative of that," said Representative Byron Donalds, one of roughly three dozen Freedom Caucus members. Like Roy, he voted against McCarthy's ouster. Their Democratic colleagues agreed. "It clearly exposes the Republican caucus for being a very unstable majority, if you can even call it a majority," said Democratic Representative Gerry Connolly. Hardliners insist their efforts have been fruitful, saying the current bill keeps nondefense spending flat, targets unspent COVID-19 funds, drains funds earmarked for the Internal Revenue Service and ends taxpayer funding for the main U.N. relief agency for Palestinians in Gaza. What happens now as the fight over fiscal 2024 spending comes to an end? "Focus on 2025. We have to start trying to put the genie back in the bottle," said Donalds. (Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Scott Malone and Jonathan Oatis) The long-vacant Harrington Inn, 1026 Military St., pictured on Thursday, June 29, 2023, saw another potential buyer in December. Since then, they said they had to walk away from the historic hotel. Another buyer of the Harrington Inn in Port Huron may have walked away from the property since a potential deal emerged in December. But the finality of that status remains unclear after recent finagling in court to unhitch a $3.4 million albatross of debt from any future sale, as well as steps from the city to preserve an incentive for developers. A second auction for the historic hotel, 1026 Military St., was originally set for December when word got around to Port Huron officials that a purchase was in the works. Days later, representatives from Global Integrity Investments reached out to the Times Herald their plans explained to be to restore the hotel property to its former glory. When reached by phone Thursday, Nick Love, director of acquisitions for the Texas-based firm, confirmed they had to walk away from the purchase a couple of months ago. He did not get specific but cited dealings with the current owner and just a bunch of pain that way, so unfortunately, we had to pass on it. Despite the statement, Port Huron City Manager James Freed, who had quickly notified City Council of an imminent purchase at the end of last year, said he thought there remained too much interest in the property for it to sit long, whoever the buyer. We are confident a deal is going to emerge quickly, he said Thursday. Meanwhile, the city is slated to remove a partial tax break on the property, which was originally set under the current owner. Purchased for redevelopment by California attorney Jeff Katofsky under Hip Hip Huron! in 2018, City Council originally signed off on establishing a nine-year abatement on the property under the Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Act. An OPRA certification exempts the developer from paying additional taxes based on higher property assessments for up to 12 years, and council members will consider the nine-year exemption at Mondays meeting. We are simply doing this to preserve the incentive for a future buyer, Freed said. Once the clock runs out, we can never restart it. Therefore, we are revoking to pause the time. As of Thursday, Hip Hip Huron! was delinquent by just over $240,000 in taxes in fee for the year 2022, according to the register of deeds. Its 2023 taxes were paid last July. Removing the albatross and finding a new bidder? The Harrington joined two of his St. Clair Inn properties the inn property and another St. Clair parcel across the street in receivership in 2022 amid litigation from mortgage lenders to recoup millions in debt on all three. One firm vacated oversight of the assets a year ago, and a new firm SCMI Associates LLC, identified as an operating affiliate of GF Hotels and Resorts in court records was appointed the acting receiver. Soon after, under a supporting court order, SCMI hired Berkadia to market and sell the Harrington. Initially, the profits of any sale had to come into the receivership managing Katofskys debts, and any buyer would have to assume a $3.4 million debt originally assessed on the Harrington to pay for environmental upgrades through a PACE, or property assessed clean energy, loan program. Katofsky had joined the program close to seven years ago. But city officials have said PACE improvements, like LED lighting, insulation, window fixtures, or high-efficiency heating and cooling, were never carried out. A first auction was held for the Harrington earlier in 2023, originally going to the Florida-based MAQ Financial LLC for $9,500 plus a $25,000 platform fee and the debt from PACE. That purchase did not move forward, and by the time the 1026 Military site was listed for auction once again in December, Berkadia was listing it as unencumbered of PACE. Additionally, according to court records, Katy Crocker, senior vice president of legal and transactions at Petros PACE Finance LLC, wrote in a Dec. 7 message to an associate at Berkadia Real Estate Advisors that the PACE assessment levied on the property could be removed as an exception to a future owners policy of title insurance. Still, it wasnt until earlier this month that removing the PACE condition was OKd in St. Clair County Circuit Court. During a March 11 motion hearing, Kelli Baker, an attorney for SCMI, said they had a change in circumstance since his original order approving the Harringtons sale. Though she did not specifically name MAQ Financial, Global Integrity, or other potential purchases, she said an early buyer did not decide to go forward with the sale. There was a subsequent backup purchaser, and several parties that made offers at the time of the auction, Baker said. It was a backup party that wanted to sign a PA and did sign a PA but did not want to assume the Petros PACE loan. That buyer has now gone away, as well. Instead, she asked Judge Michael West to allow the broker, the receiver, and Petros PACE to go through the list of backup bidders and find a bidder to proceed forward. Any proceeds from the sale would go to PACE and the loan discharged with no proceeds into the receivership. It seems to make sense to me. Being a local, Ive kind of been following the Harrington Inn and the Harrington Inn project for a number of years, West said March 11. Its unfortunate the way things are going but the value thats represented by the PACE loan is never going to be recovered through a sale of those assets. Its just not going to happen, and I guess it takes time for people to accept that reality. Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Has the Harrington Inn lost another buyer? In a bid to secure McLaren's future, Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund, Mumtalakat, has flexed its financial muscle. Having already held a significant stake in the automotive company, Mumtalakat has taken complete ownership of the McLaren Group, encompassing both their high-performance car manufacturing and majority ownership of the McLaren Formula 1 team. This move comes after a tumultuous period for the British company. Struggling with mounting financial losses, McLaren desperately needed a lifeline. McLaren, however, sees this as a positive step, calling it a "major milestone". Looking ahead, the company is now reportedly exploring strategic partnerships with other players in the automotive industry, which suggests McLaren might be seeking expertise and resources to propel them into the electric vehicle (EV) market, a rapidly growing and crucial sector. "We are delighted at Mumtalakat's continued commitment to McLaren through this deal," McLaren Group's executive chairman Paul Walsh said in a statement. "This will further enable us to focus on delivering our long-term business plan, including investment in new products and technologies, while continuing to explore potential technical partnerships with industry partners." Bahrain's Mumtalakat first entered the scene in 2007, acquiring a 30% stake in McLaren Group from founding figures Ron Dennis and Mansour Ojjeh. This initial investment marked the beginning of a significant partnership. While Mumtalakat has become the sole owner of the McLaren Group, the latter retains a majority (67%) stake in McLaren Racing, which includes the brands F1 venture as well as its IndyCar, Formula E, and Extreme E endeavors. The past few years haven't been easy for McLaren. The COVID-19 pandemic forced a temporary halt to car production and disrupted global racing activities. This financial strain necessitated a major restructuring in 2020, unfortunately leading to job losses. As economies recovered, new challenges emerged, including global supply chain disruptions and a shortage of computer chips. McLaren also encountered issues with their Artura hybrid launch, causing production delays. These factors combined resulted in a significant pre-tax loss of 276 million in the first nine months of 2023. Despite these recent struggles, Mumtalakat's decision to take full ownership of McLaren Group in 2023 signifies a long-term commitment to the company's future. Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday announced new gun safety initiatives from Parkland, Florida, after walking through the old Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School building, where 17 people were killed by a gunman in 2018. The vice president was in the state Saturday to meet with victims families and to see the high school, which was preserved as evidence for the shooters trial that concluded in late 2022. The building will be demolished this summer. Harris, who spent hours inside the building on Saturday, walked up to the podium for her remarks as the Parkland families stood behind her holding photos of their late children. I will say thank you to the leaders of this community, starting with these families. This school is soon going to be torn down. But the memory of it will never be erased, Harris said. And let us through the courage and the call to action of these families find it in ourselves to consider what theyve been through as some level of motivation and inspiration for all of us. The vice president has played a growing role in the administrations gun safety work and will continue to serve as a leading voice on the issue for the 2024 cycle. President Joe Biden tapped her in the fall to oversee the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. She announced on Saturday the launch of the first-ever National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center, which will support states in the implementation of red flag laws. The center, funded by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and run by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, will provide training and technical assistance to states and localities. Harris also made a plea for states across the country to pass red flag laws, and to use the funding from the 2022 gun safety legislation to implement these programs. Twenty-nine states currently dont have red flag laws. Of the 21 states that do have these laws, only six are using Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Funding to implement them. Part of why Im here today is to challenge every state. Pass a red flag law, Harris said. See how these leaders and these parents, through their advocacy born out of tragedy, have changed some of the laws in this state. The building Harris walked through on Saturday has been preserved for criminal purposes for several years. The gunman was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2022 after a jury failed to unanimously recommend the death penalty. About 10 months ago, the state attorney general turned control of the building back to the school district. Fred Guttenberg and Max Schachter, who lost their kids in the shooting, proposed the idea of bringing in elected officials, law enforcement and school administrators so that they could learn from the space to prevent other school shootings across the country. Once the White House gun office was announced six months ago, Guttenberg pressed Bidens team to have staff walk through the space before its demolished. Harris, as well as the gun offices deputies, Greg Jackson and Rob Wilcox, told Guttenberg they wanted to make the trip. This building exists at a minimum before it gets torn down, Guttenberg said in an interview with POLITICO. Let it be able to teach lessons. HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) A Hays CISD school bus that was in a Friday afternoon crash did not have seat belts, according to Hays CISD Chief Communication Officer Tim Savoy on Saturday. RELATED: 2 dead, more than 50 people involved in school bus rollover crash, officials say One child on the bus died in the accident, according to Texas DPS, with at least 10 other patients transported from the scene by STARFlight and Austin-Travis County EMS. The bus was a 2011 model, Savoy said, which predates a 2017 Texas law mandating seat belts on school buses. Savoy said that as of 2022, around 40 of the districts 200 buses lacked seat belts because Hays CISD had them prior to 2017. RELATED: Man pulls kids out of Hays CISD bus after crash All buses in use by Austin ISD, Leander ISD and Pflugerville ISD have seat belts, according to the districts websites. KXAN reached out to Round Rock ISD for information about its bus fleet. Parents push to get seat belts on all Hays CISD buses Hays CISD parents said they intended to make public comments about seat belts on district buses, at a now-canceled Hays CISD Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, March 25. Hays CISD parent Megan Owens said she was among those who have bus safety concerns and was prepared to speak at that meeting. Before Saturdays statement, Owens said parents intended to ask the district how many buses did not have seat belts and how much money would be needed to retrofit them with the safety devices. She also said parents are prepared to help raise the funds needed to fulfill that request. Once we get that dollar figure from the district, we plan to establish a GoFundMe page to start raising that money. Depending on how big that dollar figure is we might take additional steps beyond that, but that is our first initial goal, Owens said. Since the crash, memorials for those affected have been erected at the crash site and outside Tom Green Elementary. Bouquets of flowers, stuffed animals and cheerful balloons were lined up underneath the schools sign out front. A memorial at Tom Green Elementary for the victims of a school bus crash in Bastrop County. (KXAN Photo/Mercedez Hernandez) A memorial at Tom Green Elementary for the victims of a school bus crash in Bastrop County. (KXAN Photo/Mercedez Hernandez) Hays CISD sixth grader Jeremy Guerra was among those who paid respects Saturday, adding a stuffed bear to the memorial outside the school. He said hes ridden the districts buses before and while hes noticed that some do not have seat belts, hes overall felt safe while on the bus. I think they should have seatbelts for the little kids and also the big kids you know to protect us, but I think theyre still safe. I have had a good experience on them, Guerra said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. Hayward, Calif. - Hayward police are characterizing a stabbing that resulted in a woman's death as domestic violence committed by the victim's husband. Neighbors at the Peppertree apartment complex were shocked and saddened to learn their neighbors life was lost on Thursday evening. It was on busy Cypress Avenue in Hayward on Thursday night, when several neighbors called 911, reporting a woman screaming. "Officers arrived on scene, located a female inside the apartment, unresponsive, suffering from what appeared to be stab wounds," said Officer Cassondra Fovel. "Medical personnel arrived on scene, attempted to treat her and pronounced her deceased at the scene." One resident, Rohullah Shirzad was studying at home at the time of the killing. He said, "I had my headphones on, in my ears, and my roommate asked me, Is there something going on here? Maybe the cops going to arrest somebody?" A womand was stabbed to death in Hayward. Her husband is in custody One neighbor who didnt want to be identified, reported hearing screaming and then it stopped suddenly. He said, "I heard a man screaming, No! No! No! I think he realized what he had done." Fovel reported, it was a few hours later, that Gary Garcia turned himself in to another police department. "The male is Gary Garcia, a 66-year-old Filipino male, a resident of Hayward," said Fovel. "The victim was his wife. Theyve been married two or three years." Neighbors shared Garcia used a wheelchair and had told them he served in Iraq and became disabled. Christopher Wagner, a neighbor who lives on the first floor of the apartment complex that has 60 units, said, "He had a prosthetic leg, so I would hold the door open for him. I would see him in the mornings when I would do my workout, and we would pass each other and say hi to each other." Police say the victim is a woman in her fifties. They are not identifying her until next of kin are notified, some of whom live outside the area, according to Fovel, "She does have family, and were working on getting in touch with all of those family members, including possibly any children," Fovel said. Neighbors and police say they havent experienced problems at the couples apartment before. Hayward Police have not had any prior calls for service calls at the unit. This is one of several fatal cases of domestic violence in the Bay Area lately. Public safety, police and other organizations that can help people know if you are a victim of domestic violence, there are resources available locally, nationally and globally. If youre in desperate danger, call 9-1-1. In the meantime, police are asking anyone who saw or heard anything about this domestic violence case in Hayward to contact them with information at (510) 293-7176. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 800-799-7233. It operates 24/7 and offers support in multiple languages: English, Spanish and 200+ through interpretation service. Learn more Alice Wertz is a freelance reporter at KTVU Fox 2 News. She can be reached at Alice.Wertz@Fox.com Lincoln University of Missouris President was reinstated after an investigation found no claims of bullying after an administrators death by suicide earlier this year. Antoinette Bonnie Candia-Bailey, a university alum and the vice president of student affairs, died on Jan. 8. She accused President John Moseley of bullying, harassment and discrimination in a letter, according to ABC News. There is not a lot I can say about the independent report and its findings, but I am grateful to the Board of Curators for their faith in me and their vote of confidence, Moseley said in a statement released Thursday. The Board advised me of the reports findings a week ago, and Ive had time to reflect and to discuss my future and that of the University with my family and members of the Lincoln University community. I care deeply for this University, its mission, our students, staff and faculty and I look forward to returning from administrative leave to resume my duties as President. Moseley had volunteered to be placed on leave as the HBCUs Board of Curators opened an investigation into the matter. Candia-Bailey wrote in her letter that she experienced months of harassment, bullying and differential treatment from her white colleagues while working under Moseley. She had started working at the institution in May 2023 and received a termination letter on Jan. 3. The letter cited the reasons for her termination, such as insubordination in allowing an ineligible student to work, allowing ineligible students to obtain a discounted housing rate and non adherence to confidentiality requirements in a grievance matter filed by two of her subordinates. I couldnt even finish the meeting because you didnt hear me. I left in tears, Candia-Bailey wrote about a meeting she had with Moseley. You intentionally harassed and bullied me and got satisfaction from sitting back to determine how you would ensure I failed as an employee and proud alumna. Students and alumni called for Moseleys resignation following Candia-Baileys death. They also listed demands concerning student involvement and advocacy for personnel issues. The investigation was led by attorney Ron Norwood at Lewis Rice LLC, a member of the governing board and a past board president at an HBCU. The investigation found that claims of bullying were unsubstantiated. No witnesses reported that they had ever witnessed President Moseley engage in bullying and all denied having ever personally felt bullied by President Moseley, a statement by the Board of Curators indicated. Some former students are now calling for a separate investigation. Her last words to us, when we asked her how can we help she said, pray for me, I love you all and do not let them sweep this under the rug. We are going to make sure that other Black females do not have to suffer things that they have endured, Nell Cheatham, Lincoln University attendee, told ABC News. Joanna Chen, as you may know, is the Israeli journalist, writer, and translator who recently published a piece in the literary quarterly Guernica that set off a firestorm at the journal, leading to several resignations and an official retraction of the article, which was denounced by various staffers as an apologia for settler colonialism and the mark of Guernicas descent into being nothing more than a pillar of eugenicist white colonialism masquerading as goodness. The essay, which The Washington Monthly republished, is in fact a heartfelt and nuanced reflection on the ongoing tragedy by a woman who spent her time volunteering (and continues to, after a brief postOctober 7 hiatus) driving Palestinian children to hospitals. The essays sin seems to be that it acknowledges Israeli suffering as well as Palestinian suffering. As Sasha Abramsky put it last week in a bracing piece in The Nation: If Chen were defending the Netanyahu governments ghastly and indiscriminate slaughter in Gaza, I could understand the hostility. If she were defending right-wing West Bank settlers and their gun-toting supremacism, I could understand the hostility. If she were defending the fascistic words and actions of Israeli cabinet ministers such as Itamar Ben-Gvir, I could understand the hostility. But Chen, who is a lifelong anti-militarist and spends her days shuttling sick Palestinian children to healthcare facilities in Israel, is none of those things. Shes a voice for peace and reconciliation in a country that has gone mad. Yet, by virtue of her showing sympathy for slaughtered and kidnapped Israelis and recognizing the shared humanity of all victims in this conflict, she seems to have been deemed illegitimate by Guernicas holier-than-thou staff. Shared humanity of all victims. If a liberal, humanist politics loses sight of that, it is lost. And if journals and magazines cant make room for an essay like this, which is not a political polemic and which attempts to look at a tragic and complex reality through a different and less crisply ordered lens, then that is sad too. I conducted an interview with Chen via email Thursday. Michael Tomasky: What made you want to write the piece? Joanna Chen: Ive been listening intently to voices on all sides since this ongoing horrific conflict began. I knew my essay would be uncomfortable and inconvenient to readers, but for me it is a necessary voice in this broken world. M.T.: Describe in a little more detail this work you did driving Palestinian children. How long had you done it? J.C.: Ive been volunteering with Road to Recovery for a few years, driving Palestinian children from the Tarkumia checkpoint to Israeli hospitals. Some of the criticism Ive received over the past week and a half suggests I ought to think exactly why there are inadequate medical facilities in the occupied territories and that I should do something about that. So what do you want me to do? Go demonstrate on street corners or sign petitions? These kids dont have time for that. They need medical attention now. Any parent who has had to care for a sick child will understand this. Im not going to stop driving them, Im going to hold onto my humanity the best I can, person to person. M.T.: Your own politics seem certainly somewhere left of center, is that fair to say? Could you talk a little about your political awakening and growth? J.C.: I was 16 years old when my parents sent me to Israel. I had just lost my only brother, Andrew, in a traffic accident, and I was very much alone. I had no awareness of politics for years; I was struggling to survive. I worked for Newsweek for 15 years, and during that time I met people on both sides of the conflict. I met politicians, but it was always the people who interested me, the faces behind the slick slogans and quick takes. I met Palestinians in refugee camps, I met Jewish settlers on hilltops, I met bereaved mothers on both sides. I accompanied a senior journalist to Gaza to meet Abu Mazen; I went with the same journalist to interview Ariel Sharon on his farm in southern Israel. I covered demonstrations, but I was always on the sidelines; I was always watching and listening. Im not a peace activist. I dont go to demonstrations, and Im not affiliated with any left-wing movements. On the other hand, I dont shy away from the reality. Its easy to get caught up in your own (real) troubles, your own pain. The Israeli press rarely reports on the dire situation in Gaza of the civilian population, for example. M.T.: When the editors read the draft, what did they say initially? J.C.: Only one editor worked with me on my essay. Theres nothing unusual about this, and I had no reason to be suspiciousthis was my second essay for Guernica, and the process was the same. I was given the distinct impression that my words were appreciated. M.T.: How did you first hear about these staff reactions? J.C.: On Saturday night, a friend texted me that a staffer had resigned. I had no indication before then that something was up. When I publish essays, I let go of them, I let them out into the world, I dont check obsessively to see whats happening, whether there are reactions. I move on. M.T.: Toward the end of the piece, you write, We learned the importance of acknowledging both the Israeli and Palestinian narratives and the importance of understanding the pain of each side. Do you think, at bottom, that this was why the piece was attacked, because it acknowledged Jewish as well as Palestinian suffering? And if so, what does that say about discourse around this issue? J.C.: My essay is uncomfortable and inconvenient to readers because it considers the incredible suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians. Some people complained that I stopped my volunteer work with Road to Recovery after October 7, when in fact I temporarily paused: I was scared, I needed time to digest what had happened. Three weeks later, I signed up again. Discourse demands a conversation, a give and take. Its a lot easier to listen to the sound of your own voice, but conversation is a necessary step in order to break away from the vicious circle of violence and hate. M.T.: What, then, is the conversation that you were hoping to provoke? And Im curiousgiven the reaction, do you feel you might have presented anything a little differently? The reaction was intolerant, but has it made you think, well, maybe I could have said this in some different way and communicated my point better? J.C.: The essay considers how to remain human in a situation where each side in the conflict dehumanizes the other and refuses to see others and their needs and aspirations. I think the reaction demonstrates how difficult it is to see the others multifaceted humanity. As a translator, I know there are several ways to say the same thing, and every way will highlight or showcase a different facet of the narrative. It depends on the context, it depends on the underground life of words and phrases. I choose my words carefully. The incredible reaction to Broken World has moved me to write a new essay, because there is always something more to say. M.T.: Experiences like yours often shake people and move them to the right, because theyve seen an intolerant left firsthand. How are you working to remain true to your principles? J.C.: I do not think in terms of left and right, although I acknowledge their existence. Im certainly grappling with the current situation, but staying on track is not a problem for me. Im determined to retain my humanity. M.T.: With everyone bracing for carnage in Rafah, with Netanyahu not budging, with Trump saying if he gets back in, Israel gets a blank check, and with Hamas not budging on hostages do you see any basis for hope? J.C.: The situation is dire. My words are a drop in an ocean of discontent and hatred, but I believe the heart is capable of grieving for two peoples at once. This is what being human demands of us. M.T.: A final thought on literature and cancel culture? J.C.: Literature and art certainly possess a political dimension, but reducing literature to politics creates dogmatic, monolithic writing without the nuances that make literature a tool for reviewing ourselves and the reality we live in. History has taught us that attempts to censor and suppress literary works only serve to expand readership. The message, rather than being erased, is heard all the more loudly. I see what happened as a way forward. The conversation has begun. When the nurses at local hospitals kept seeing identical twin firefighters Erin and Ashley Lucas working on ambulance runs with the Lexington Fire Department day after day, they grew a little concerned. Theyre like, Good Lord, do you ever take a break? Erin Lucas said. The nurses didnt realize they were seeing double. Erin and Ashley Lucas are the only set of twins on the staff of the Lexington Fire Department, and they said that sometimes makes work a little more interesting. Theyre among just 27 women on the Lexington Fire Department, which has a fire service staff of 562, said District Chief Derek Roberts. Women made up just 4.4% of the nations firefighter workforce in 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The National Fire Protection Association said there were 17,200 women working as career firefighters that year, though the number of female career and volunteer firefighters was much higher, at 89,600. As women in a male-dominated field, the Lucas twins said they feel good when theyre out on runs and girls or young women see them at work, and they want to encourage more women to go into the field. You just have to have the heart and willpower, Ashley Lucas said. Dont be afraid to go out there and try whatever you want to. Everyones treated the same, Erin said. Come on out. Roberts said the Lexington Fire Department has worked in recent years to increase its female workforce by holding camps named in honor of Lexingtons first Black female firefighter, Brenda Cowan to introduce young women to the fire service. He said the fire department also supports the Fayette County Public Schools Eastside Technical Center, which has a firefighting and EMS career pathway, and the department has tried to increase our name recognition by supporting its male and female Firefighter Combat Challenge teams. This is no secret, but the job of the traditional fire service has been a white male dominated workforce for a long time, Roberts said in an email. I know we as a department are more aware of that fact and are working to recruit and attract a more diverse workforce across the board and a workforce that more accurately reflects our community. Erin Lucas said she likes giving back to the community we grew up in. The sisters grew up in Lexington and graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar High school. They attended Midway University and both worked for AMR, which provides ambulance services, before joining the fire department. While everyone on the fire department is equipped to work as a firefighter and an EMT, there are also areas of specialty, and working as a paramedic is the path both sisters have chosen. Erin Lucas said shes always known she wanted to be a paramedic, and she enjoys the variety the work offers. No days the same, she said. You never know what youre going to walk into. While Erin joined the department in 2018 and has since become a paramedic, Ashley came aboard three years ago and is in the departments paramedic training program now. As an EMT you can only do so much, Ashley said. Becoming a paramedic will allow her to handle procedures EMTs cant. Ultimately, Erin said she aspires to become a lieutenant, where she could take everything Ive learned ... and pass it down to other generations who are going to be applying and coming out to this department. She recently was part of the fire departments first all-female ambulance crew. While the crews change frequently, depending on who is working, she and her co-workers told WKYT they enjoy a close relationship. Most times, you dont even have to communicate. You go out on a call, and your crew knows what you want and knows what you need, Erin Lucas told the television station. The sisters live together, but they dont necessarily see a lot of each other at work. One works first shift, and the other works second. Ashley is assigned to Station 14 on Versailles Road, while Erin is at Station 5 on Third Street. It kind of works out, Erin said. Im blessed to be at a good house, Ashley said. Im enjoying how close-knit we are. The sisters have an especially close bond. As twins, Ashley said, youre either close or not. We do everything together. But the sisters said they also have a tight-knit relationship with their co-workers, who have also become like family. Its a lot of fun, Erin said. I loved how it was family-oriented, Ashley said. They made me feel at home. Heather Mills is a woman with an innate ability to defy and conquer anything that falls in her path. Thats her own assessment at least. Who is Heather Mills? she asks on heathermills.org, before listing the many successes that have peppered what she calls an unusual life of extraordinary circumstances. Its a good question. According to her bio, she has excelled in various areas, including but not limited to: business, sport and activism (did you know she had been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize? No, nor me.) In fact, she has had so many lives, it could be hard to pin her down. Depending on where her name has been filed in your memory bank of 90s showbiz gossip, you might remember Mills as a model or a charity campaigner. You might recall that she lost her left leg when she was hit by a police motorbike in Kensington in 1993. You might remember her militant veganism or her phone hacking trial, or even her stint as a world record breaking skier. More likely, youll know her as the former wife of a Beatle. We meet at her vegan food factory in Peterlee, County Durham, to talk about VBites, the vegan empire Mills founded in 2009, which she has just brought back from the brink of collapse. In an office in the factory which is vast and strangely quiet, though she tells me they make upwards of 75 tonnes of meat-free products a week she sits at a conference table, peering at a laptop over thick rimmed glasses. She is wearing a sharp, lurid green Victoria Beckham suit; her white blonde hair is sleek and pulled back, her nails long and red. Beckham, incidentally, is something of a personal hero. I really admire her, she says. I love what shes done with her life. The whole effect is very contestant on the Apprentice, which I soon realise is no accident. Mills is keen to come across like a titan of industry. She wants you to understand that she has an unrivalled grasp on everything from entrepreneurship, to the nations health, to local politics, to the gut microbiome, to the vegan food industry. She may well do, but to most, she is likely still the woman who threw a jug of water over Paul McCartneys lawyer, Fiona Shackleton, during her divorce proceedings. Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills (pictured here together in 2005) finalised their divorce in 2008 - Yui Mok/PA Mills shot firmly into the public consciousness in 1999, when she began dating McCartney. Ive been forewarned she wont speak about her ex-husband today, but as the story goes, he fell for her when she presented an award at the Daily Mirrors Pride of Britain ceremony. McCartney was there to give an award in memory of his wife Linda, who had died the year before. He was taken with Mills; before long, they were dating and by 2002 they were married. Their daughter, Beatrice, now 20, was born in 2003. By 2006, it was all in (very public) flames. Mills was awarded a 24.3m payout in their 2008 divorce; she had sought 125m. Outside court, she told reporters she was relieved to secure mine and Beatrices future and all the charities I plan on helping. Mills was a mainstay in the tabloids before McCartney, for her looks, her accident, and then her charity work. When she lost her leg, she was described as the 200,000-a-year model with a golden future who had had her career cruelly taken from her. The People won the bidding war for the story. Gorgeous model Heather Mills gazed down at the stump where her shapely left leg once was and wept Afterwards, she worked with landmine victims, sending unused artificial limbs from Britain to Croatia. She threw herself into animal activism too, becoming an ambassador for PETA. A Sunday Times article from 2004 describes her as having cleverly positioned herself between Princess Di and Mother Teresa in the spectrum of angels. In recent years, Mills has reinvented herself as a poster girl for veganism. She built a business making meat and dairy substitutes for supermarkets and chains VBites produces the cheese for Dominos Pizza and has worked with McDonalds. You suspect it also kept Mills in the press and gave her a soapbox to stand on. She always had a personal story to tell Mills credits veganism with healing all manner of personal health crises, from the recovery from her accident, to her debilitating gut troubles, to the two ectopic pregnancies she suffered during her first marriage to businessman Alfie Karmal but she wanted to save the planet too, ideally while coming out on top as a successful businesswoman. Heather Mills and Alfie Karmal on their wedding day in 1989 - Martin Emerson/Shutterstock In the Noughties, the plant based sector was booming and she was on a mission to grow with it. Then things began to slump last year was hailed as a nadir for vegan food as companies like Heck sausages removed their meat alternative products from circulation citing a drop in interest. In December, VBites collapsed into administration. At the time, stories cited rising cost pressures and a failure to secure fresh funding. Mills issued an excoriating statement blaming Brexit, the government, and the meat and dairy industries, which she said had galvanised misinformation around vegan food. She wrote that she had put blood, sweat and tears into her business for the sole purpose of furthering the plant-based movement. Her efforts to save it had been thwarted by a demand that I stepped away from day to day management, in order to secure essential investment. Meanwhile, she said, VBites had been a victim of poor management. Who was responsible for that poor management was rather less clear. Ahead of our interview, an email arrives from her assistant. You may not be aware that Heather has invested millions, lost millions because of bad management and never taken a dividend in any of her plant-based businesses to try and help the animals, ones health and save the planet It is time the true story of just what Heather has done is told Interviewing Mills is an exercise in keeping up. She has what you might call a unique conversational style, bombarding you with facts and figures at such lightning speed that talking to her feels a bit like riding a runaway train. She is at once on the defensive and strangely open. She also has a score to settle. In fact, you suspect she has spent much of her life settling scores. For years, says Mills, her business was thriving. Veganism was going like that, she gestures a plane taking off. After Brexit, she predicted there was going to be a disaster in the North East. All the factories started closing down, and this was one of them. Mills considers herself something of a politician and has claimed previously to have been asked by all three of the major parties to stand for office. After Brexit, she had begun mulling over an idea to make the North East, where she grew up, a kind of plant based Silicon Valley, with thriving factories churning out innovative vegan food and providing jobs. It could have been the plant-based valley of the world, she says. Heather Mills at the 2009 launch of her V-Bites vegan restaurant in Hove, which closed the following year - Tim P. Whitby/Stringer/Getty We are talking in what was once the Walkers factory; Mills bought it in 2018. My best girlfriend rang me up and said that this factory was closing down, youve got to come and help us. Its interesting that Mills, 56, who now lives in Kent, still feels a pull to the North East. From everything Ive read, it must hold painful memories. Mills grew up in Washington, Tyne and Wear, daughter of a former army officer father who she has described as very abusive and a mother who ran off to London when she was nine with an actor. Mills has said previously she didnt see her mother for three or four years. Her father, Mark, behaved like a general. She has cited him as the root of her discipline. When she was 13, he was sent to prison for fraud, after which Mills moved to London. Today, she remembers him as a really male chauvinist dick of a dad. He was a horrible character that I never spoke to in 30 years. He died ten years ago. Mills is still close to her biochemist half-sister, who lives in the area. A lot of my best mates are here. [...] So Ive got a lot of brilliant memories here as far as friends are concerned. And I was very young when I left. My mum left when I was nine, my dad went to prison when I was 13. And we were taken down to London. Mills considers herself a survivor of a horrible childhood. Since then Ive worked in war zones, Ive seen people blown up. Its like, its all relative. Lost my leg, had a million illnesses. More scar tissue, you just carry on. It creates no fear because you just think when youre going to go youre going to go. Because why didnt I die in the war zone? Why did I lose my leg in England? You start to appreciate life and every precious moment it is and just to try and create a great environment. In 1987, six years before she lost her leg in a road traffic accident - Teamcamera/Shutterstock Its all a matter of attitude, she says. It depends how you set your mind. For me its like: came from nothing and managed to make a lot happen and keep my friendships. Another neat line for the Heather Mills bio. These days, she is in the North East visiting her factories four days a week. Before 2021, when Mills took investment from a German company which she says marks the beginning of a torrid time for VBites, things were going well. I had Burger King in Zurich saying can you make [us] your vegan burger? Things grew more difficult when Brexit snarled up the export of her vegan cheese. So suddenly where you had a little margin that we could give to charity you had none. Mills says she doesnt take any money from her vegan empire. Instead, any profit goes to charity. All of my money that comes from it I fund. Mills won a substantial payout from News Group in 2019. She and her sister Fiona told the court they had experienced strange activity with their telephones with journalists and photographers turning up in unexpected locations. Stories appeared in newspapers featuring private information without any apparent identifiable source. Mills says it took her 17 years to prove the phone hacking. Since then, she says, the media have largely left her alone. Or in her words: nobodys wrote any crap. Mills said being a victim of phone hacking by the News of the World had impacted her ability to raise funds for her landmine and animal charities. These days any profits we make always go to cover those. Hillary Clinton once thanked her for her charity work, or more specifically for the person she is and the work that she does. You can find that particular clip on Millss YouTube channel, naturally. When German snacks company Pfeifer and Langen (P&L) came in as minority investors in VBites, Heathers hope was that investment from a big corporation would accelerate VBites growth, helping smooth the post-Brexit supply chain issues and launching Millss products on the German market. In practice, it didnt play out as she had hoped. From early on, Mills was unhappy with how things were progressing, but she was determined to continue. ..I thought: were going to help the planet, animals, all the reasons I started in the first place. Activist Heather Mills accepts her award during the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) 15th Anniversary Gala and Humanitarian Awards at Paramount Studios in 2005 - Kevin Winter/Getty Images Mills and P&Ls versions of what happened next differ. According to Mills, P&L withdrew their funding in February 2023 with three days notice, forcing her to find a large amount of money, fast. I said woah you cant do that but they did, just before payroll. And theyre my staff and my friends. So I went ok, and luckily managed to find the money to cover it. How much did she have to find? About 1.2 million. The Natures Richness Group, a division of P&L, says it didnt withdraw funding. Rather, VBites did not meet the requirements for further funding. How did Mills find the money? Well because I basically have properties and thats how I live. Not that she rents them out. I just give them rent free. It helped, she says, that shed just sold a factory shed bought in Northumberland in 2019. So I had some money from there. And thats how I managed to fund [VBites] to make sure people kept their jobs and kept going. In early December 2023, administrators were instructed. Mills claims taking the company into administration was unnecessary, but if no rescue deal was secured by December 24, the company would be wound down. Staff were let go; she decided to bid for her own company. I was like screw you. Mills says she had 5.6m invested in the company, with 4.85m sitting as a secured loan. So I said well Ill relinquish my 4.85m and my 5.6m investment, and Ill add another million on top which Id then by that time got access to. And I won, which nobody was happy about apart from my staff. Heather Mills says that the vegan industry has become "saturated with a lot of bad products" - Lorne Campbell/Guzelian Mills admits she has been naive. I really regret having taken investment. It would be something that Id warn [others] really really be careful about as a small family business taking on big corporates. Its all in the fine detail. She brushes off any suggestion this has been a hard season of her life. Ive been through so much mentally. Its the injustice of it all that she cant bear. Its like just tell me to my face. Just tell me were going to try to take the company. I hate it, because Im dead straight. We walk from the office to an unused area in the factory for Mills to have her photo taken. Her assistant turns to me. I could listen to her all day. Shes got some mad stories hasnt she? That she has. There is a typically odd one behind the new range she is launching as part of the VBites reboot, in fact. No Bloat is meant for people who are suffering with bloating or acid reflux. It is inspired by Millss own digestive struggles, which stem from a bout of Lyme Disease she contracted in 1999, when she was on a fact finding mission in Cambodia with the Duchess of Kent. She was reporting for an Esther Rantzen programme (another of Millss many lives as a TV journalist) when she was bitten, she believes, by a dengue fly. When she fell ill, doctors said shed contracted dengue fever. They misdiagnosed it. It was actually Lyme. Lyme Disease comes from anything that carries the disease. [...] Its a big myth that its only from deer. Heather Mills (right) during her stint as a TV journalist on That's Esther with Dame Esther Rantzen and Lara Masters - Meridian Television The Lyme wreaked havoc on her body. It wiped out my microbiome, my colon, everything, she says. My appendix burst. They rushed me to hospital just in time. Then they took my gallbladder out which they didnt need to take out. So I suddenly couldnt digest anything. So I had to live off liquid food for three years. Mills was ski racing then (youll recall she had a stint in the 2010s as a pro skier she still holds the record for the fastest disabled woman on skis) and couldnt afford a sensitive digestive system. I had to live perfectly because there are no toilets at the top of a mountain. Its covered in white snow. And if you have an accident its not great. I would lose complete control of my bowels and have to jump out of cars. The Lyme created a putrefied appendix which meant she was always in agony. She went to Germany for further tests. In the UK they test blood whereas in Germany they test urine, she explains. They told me straight away youve got Lyme Disease and youve had it for a long time. There are, it should be said, a few problems with this story. Namely: there is no mosquito species known to harbour the bacterium that causes Lyme, theres no evidence that Lyme affects your gut microbiome, appendicitis is not epidemiologically associated with the disease, and urine testing to diagnose it is not, in the words of one expert, mainstream medicine. However she contracted these illnesses, it does sound as if she had a rough time of it. VBites new line is for people suffering as she has. Fifty per cent of the UK are living off antacids and PPIs [proton pump inhibitors], Mills explains, as we talk not, it should be said, over a stomach-settling ginger tea, but black coffee. I cant say Ive been able to find much scientific data to back up the idea that half the population are popping antacids, but Mills is nothing if not persuasive. Imagine youve had a life of putrefied meat in your colon, theyve done godiva experiments on people who have been vegetarian 30 years, die at 70 and theyve still got putrefied meat in their colon. Just sitting in the crevices. I think she must mean cadaver, not godiva. But I get her gist: eat a lamb chop and itll stick around in your body. These days, Mills has worked out the exact amount of certain ingredients she can eat without being in pain. 32 peanuts no problem, you go to 38 and theres a tipping point. She lives what sounds like a tightly controlled life and works constantly. I sleep four hours. On Mondays, after an hour in the gym, she gets a train from Kent to St Pancras and on to the north to visit her factories, staying with a childhood friend until Thursday evening when she takes a train back down south. Life is a suitcase. For 30 years Ive never slept in the same bed for more than two weeks ever. This sounds like a slight exaggeration. Even when Beatrice was young? We were on tour all the time so that was moving. And then when school came we had joint custody so I would only travel on the days that our child was with their father. Mills wont be drawn on her daughter other than to say she has finished university and is working. Keeping her out of the spotlight has been her biggest achievement. Thank goodness I did because our child wants nothing to do with public life. Last year, it was reported Mills was engaged to businessman Michael Dickman, whom she met on a train and is 17 years her junior. In fact they arent engaged, she says, but have been happily together for five years. I wonder why she is still plugging away when the vegan sector appears to be in freefall. It isnt, she says, this is just a blip. The industry simply became saturated with a lot of bad products. People would try them and go urgh Im not doing vegan. And so it started to push the train backwards that wed been pushing uphill for decades. Investors who pull funding from vegan start-ups will regret it, she warns. For her part, Mills wants to be left alone to do the work that has to be done. She believes vehemently in the power of keeping things positive. Thats, I suppose, how Ive overcome and survived all the madness. And with that I leave her to it, before she has time to tell me about that Nobel Peace Prize. 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. Heavy rain with potential thunderstorms, a flood watch and strong winds are in the forecast for Saturday as most of Northern New Jersey will see a barrage of rain throughout the day. Two to three inches of rainfall are expected in numerous New Jersey counties such as Bergen, Passaic and Essex. Some counties in Southern New Jersey may even see four inches of rain. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch that will be in effect from 8 a.m. on Saturday until 2 a.m. on Sunday. Counties such as Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Union and Hudson may see flooding due to excessive rainfall. The heaviest amount of rain is expected to occur in the afternoon between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m., according to the Bergen County Department of Public Safety. "We are expecting heavy rainfall and high winds across the state tomorrow, as well as localized flooding. Stay safe and stay dry!" Gov. Phil Murphy posted on X, formerly Twitter, Friday night. The National Weather Service warning for Saturday's storm. Flooding Runoff from the rain will result in minor to moderate flash flooding of rivers, small creeks, streams, and other lowlying and flood prone locations. Some rivers that are expected to be affected are Hackensack River's high tide, Passaic River's high tide at East Rutherford and Saddle River in Lodi. Saddle River is expected to crest at five feet on Saturday. Passaic and Hackensack River may reach their high tide overnight on Saturday going into Sunday morning between 8 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday. High winds Winds will also be strong in Northern New Jersey. Winds gusts could reach up to 30 miles per hour on Saturday. The Bergen County Division of Emergency Management warns residents that winds could cause down tree limbs, resulting in power outages. Temperatures will be mild as the high is suppose to reach 50 degrees during the day and a low of around 28 degrees in the evening. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ weather: Flood watch, strong winds on Saturday Netflix's "3 Body Problem" is based on a science-fiction trilogy and follows a group of physicists. We asked an astronomer and an aerospace engineer to explain some of the show's scientific concepts. It might help to have a bit of background on the Fermi paradox and the Wow! signal before you watch. The upcoming Netflix show "3 Body Problem" is a sci-fi story about a group of physicists grappling with the discovery of an alien civilization. Taking its name from a tricky bit of orbital mechanics three celestial bodies moving around each other the show is based on the science-fiction trilogy "Remembrance of Earth's Past" by Liu Cixin. In the show, several of the main characters studied physics at Oxford University. Luckily, you don't need to have the same background to enjoy the show. However, there are a few scientific concepts that might be helpful to know before you tune in on March 21. The three-body problem is unsolvable and chaotic Some of the show's action takes place in a virtual world that's orbited by three suns. The celestial mechanics of such a planet have long perplexed scientists in the real world. "This is a centuries-old problem," Shane Ross, an aerospace and ocean engineering professor at Virginia Tech, told Business Insider. Isaac Newton was able to figure out the two-body problem, how a pair of massive objects like stars or planets move when affected by each other's gravity. "The two-body problem is sort of the paradigm of stability," Ross said. Adding in a third body, though, makes everything topsy-turvy. Isaac Newton. Georgios Kollidas/Shutterstock From a mathematical perspective, "it's unsolvable," Ross said of the three-body problem. "You can't write out the solution for all time as some algebraic formula." It's a bit like the butterfly effect: a small change can vastly alter the outcome. "Any uncertainty we have in the initial conditions grows exponentially, to the point where the future state of the system is essentially unpredictable." Alpha Centauri is the closest star system to Earth The three-body system in the story is based on a real neighboring star system called Alpha Centauri. At about 4 light-years from Earth, it's the closest star system to our own and contains three stars: Alpha Centauri A, Alpha Centauri B, and Proxima Centauri, which has two planets orbiting around it. "We're talking about something super close to us," Franck Marchis, a senior planetary astronomer with the SETI Institute, said. "It's like looking at the backyard of neighbors, basically." A view of the bright triple-star system Alpha Centauri. ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2 Acknowledgement: Davide De Martin However, it would take special conditions for life, at least as we know it, to survive, on either planet around Proxima Centauri. "The conditions for life are extremely rare," Ross said. "I think the Earth is a very special planet," adding that "there could be life that takes some other form that we don't know about." If a civilization from Alpha Centauri evolved at a similar pace to our own, then "they're probably more advanced than us," Marchis said because the system is estimated to be between 5 and 7 billion years old whereas Earth's solar system formed 4.5 billion years ago. The Fermi paradox poses the question, where are all the aliens? If there are highly evolved beings on other planets, why haven't they gotten in touch? That's the question astrophysicist Ye Wenjie is asking when she brings up the Fermi paradox in the show. In 1950, Nobel prize-winning physicist Enrico Fermi wondered where all the extraterrestrials were. Decades later, other scientists picked up the question. If other civilizations existed, they must have left some evidence. 1954: Italian atomic physicist and Nobel Prize winner Professor Enrico Fermi (1901 - 1954), inspecting equipment at the laboratory of Columbia University, USA, where he will teach. Keystone/Getty Images To Marchis, what became known as the Fermi paradox is an outdated way of thinking. "The idea is that because we are a civilization that's become technologically advanced, the first thing that we do is to travel through the galaxy, 'Star Trek'-like," he said. Instead, he prefers the "zoo hypothesis." If they are truly advanced, he said, "they probably reached a certain level of sentientness or consciousness that makes them more respectful of other civilizations which are progressing." In short, they're purposefully avoiding contact with our planet. Aliens could have communicated through the Wow! signal One of the most mysterious potential alien communications is known as the Wow! signal. In the show, Clarence (Benedict Wong) describes how the strange signal was picked up in Ohio and China. During the 1970s, researchers at Ohio State University really were involved in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, or SETI. They used a radio observatory nicknamed "Big Ear" to try and pick up extraterrestrial communications. In 1977, volunteer Jerry Ehman was looking at a computer printout of a signal Big Ear had picked up three days earlier. He circled the numbers and wrote "Wow!" alongside them. The 72-second signal was strong and located at a frequency known as the hydrogen line. The famousor infamousWow! signal detected in 1977. Big Ear Radio Observatory and North American AstroPhysical Observatory At the time, researchers thought aliens would communicate via that frequency "because it's the easiest way to send signals through the galaxy," Marchis said. The signal has never repeated or been detected again Marchis said. (And no other observatories reported picking up the signal, in China or anywhere else.) Since the signal itself wasn't saved, there's no way of knowing if it contained a message, Marchis said. Some more mundane explanations for the signal have been suggested, like the radio transmission reflecting off a passing comet. SETI has come a long way since the '70s, with many researchers using newer technology and a broader range of signals, Marchis said. "We assume that if aliens will communicate with us," he said, "they're slightly more advanced than the people from the 1970s." Occam's razor suggests simple explanations are often better Like many other sci-fi movies and shows before it, including "Contact" and "Fringe," "3 Body Problem" makes a reference to Occam's razor. In 1852, philosopher Sir William Hamilton coined the term "Occam's razor," attributing the idea to 14th-century theologian William of Ockham. William of Ockham had written, "Numquam ponenda est pluralitas sine necessitate," or "Plurality must never be posited without necessity." It's an idea that Aristotle and Ptolemy also stated. Today, the well-known concept is usually stated as "the simplest solution is usually correct." The often-cited example is, if you hear the sound of hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras (provided you're not on the savanna). Neutrino detectors are built deep underground The trailer for the show includes a dramatic shot of one of the characters stepping into what looks like a neutrino detector and falling, presumably to her death. Neutrinos, also known as ghost particles, are subatomic particles that the sun and supernovae create. Billions pass through your body at any given time. A prototype detector, part of the protoDUNE experiment, at CERN. Maximilien Brice/CERN Much like particle accelerators, the devices may help unlock some of the universe's secrets. They're often built underground to shield them from cosmic rays that can interfere with the data. Three celestial bodies lined up is known as syzygy During the show's third episode, the three suns in the virtual world all line up in a triple eclipse. Ross pointed out that the show debuts around a "cosmically significant day," the vernal equinox. "That's the day when all across the world it's equal daylight and nighttime," he said. The 2017 total solar eclipse at 100% totality. John Finney photography / Getty Images It's also close to the upcoming solar eclipse that has a path of totality through a large portion of North America. "That's the sun, moon, and Earth all in a line," Ross said. "It's called syzygy, when three celestial bodies are exactly in a line." Read the original article on Business Insider High maintenance 'prima donna' F-16 jets will be hard work for Ukraine, former US Marine pilot says Ukraine is due to receive much-anticipated F-16 fighter jets from its Western allies. A former US Marine said Ukraine may face challenges operating and maintaining the jets. He said the jets are much more "high maintenance" than the Soviet-era aircraft Ukraine is used to. As Ukraine awaits the long-anticipated delivery of F-16 jets from its Western allies, experts warn that it may face challenges operating the "high maintenance" aircraft. Tom Richter, a former US Marine pilot who flew the jets when in the National Guard, told Politico that the F-16 is "a sensitive beast" compared with the Soviet-era aircraft that Ukraine is used to. "If you ever walked up and put your hands on a MiG-29 at an air show and then walked right over and put your hands on an F-16, you can feel just from the outside how the F-16 is highly engineered," he said. "It is a prima donna, and it is very sensitive and needs high maintenance," he continued, adding that Ukraine's Soviet-era MiG jets are more "rough and tumble" and require less maintenance. Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force, told Politico that some changes would be needed for Ukraine to operate the F-16 Fighting Falcons. "Falcons indeed need some adaptation this is the preparation of the runways because the landing gear is more delicate in the MiGs, the wheels are small, the air intakes are low to the strip, there may be a danger of swallowing objects. But all this can be solved. There are risks for all aviation," he said. An F-16 Fighting Falcon. US Air Force photo F-16s, which are built by Lockheed Martin, are "a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft" used in air-to-air and air-to-surface combat, per the US Air Force's website. A coalition of countries led by the US, Denmark, and the Netherlands is helping train Ukrainian pilots and crews to operate and maintain the jets. A cohort of Ukrainian pilots began training on the F-16 in Denmarks's Skrydstrup Air Base last August, Reuters reported. Denmark's defense minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, told The New York Times that despite challenges with language and Western military practices, the Ukrainian pilots' training was progressing well and that they were now flying the jets over Danish airspace. Other countries, such as the UK, are preparing the pilots for the training by providing basic flying and English language lessons. The UK government said in a press release earlier this week that 10 Ukrainian pilots had graduated from Royal Air Force training and would now be moving on to advanced flying training with the French Air Force before learning to operate the F-16. There are also about 50 Ukrainian technicians being trained to support and repair the jets, which are so complex that it generally takes eight to 14 people to maintain each one, The Times reported. One Ukrainian pilot training in Denmark previously praised the jets and said using them was like upgrading from a Nokia to an iPhone. The pilot said that while the F-16s were "awesome," it has been a challenge adapting to their advanced electronic systems. Kyiv has long argued that it needs fighter jets to effectively combat Russian forces and has pushed allies to deliver the F-16s as soon as possible. Of the roughly 45 jets pledged to Ukraine, the first six will be sent by Denmark in the late spring, The Times reported. Read the original article on Business Insider Russia said on Saturday it had arrested 11 people including four suspected gunmen in connection with a shooting rampage that killed 143 people in a concert hall near Moscow, the deadliest attack in Russia for 20 years. The deadliest terror attack on Moscow in decades, Fridays assault came less than a week after President Vladimir Putin won a stage-managed election by an overwhelming majority to secure another term in office, tightening his grip on the country he has ruled since the turn of the century. State-run RIA Novosti reported the armed individuals opened fire with automatic weapons and threw a grenade or an incendiary bomb, which started a fire. They then allegedly fled in a white Renault car, the news agency said. State media Russia 24 reported the roof of the venue has partially collapsed. The fire had been brought largely under control more than six hours later. There are still some pockets of fire, but the fire has been mostly eliminated, Moscow governor Andrey Vorobyov said on Telegram. The carnage broke out before a concert by the band Picnic, according to Russia 24. With attention focused on the countrys war with neighboring Ukraine, Putin had trumpeted a message of national security before Russians went to the polls. Police have arrested 11 suspects - including all four gunmen directly involved in carrying out the deadly attack - following a "car chase" in Russia's Bryansk region. Russian security agency said the attackers had contacts in Ukraine and were driving to the border. "After committing the terrorist attack, the criminals intended to cross the Russian-Ukrainian border, and had appropriate contacts on the Ukrainian side," the FSB said. Ukraine's presidency said Kyiv had "nothing to do" with the attack, while its military intelligence called the incident a Russian "provocation" and charged that Moscow special services were behind it. Meanwhile CNN has reported that ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack. In a short statement published by ISIS-affiliated news agency Amaq on Telegram on Friday, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, saying its fighters attacked "a large gathering" on Moscow's outskirts and "retreated to their bases safely". However, it did not provide evidence to support the claim. Video footage from the Crocus City Hall shows the vast complex, which is home to both the music hall and a shopping center, on fire with smoke billowing into the air. Unidentified people in camouflage broke into Crocus City Hall and started shooting before the start of the concert, the Prosecutor Generals Office said, cited by TASS. Attackers dressed in camouflage uniforms entered the building, opened fire and threw grenades or incendiary bombs. Videos showed images of flames and black smoke pouring from the hall. Three helicopters were involved in efforts to put out the fire, dumping water on the giant concert hall that can hold several thousand people and has hosted top international artists. Scores of people hid behind seats in the hall or rushed towards entrances to the basement or roof to escape the bullets. Shortly after midnight, the emergencies ministry said the fire had been contained, said local media reports citing sources. Russian President Vladimir Putin wished a speedy recovery to the inured. "The president wished everyone a speedy recovery and conveyed his gratitude to the doctors," deputy prime minister Tatyana Golikova was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. The European Union, France, Spain and Italy joined several countries in condemning the attack. The US called the attack "terrible" and said there was no immediate sign of any link to the conflict in Ukraine. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and Prime Minister His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, both denounced the terror attack in Moscow. "We strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation in this hour of grief," PM Modi posted on X - earlier known as Twitter. French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the attack. France expresses its solidarity with the victims, their loved ones and all the Russian people, the Elysee Palace said, AFP and Reuters reported. Investors looking for stocks that can deliver heaps of passive income might want to turn their heads toward the healthcare sector. Right now, there are a couple of beaten-down stocks offering above-average dividend yields. After falling a long way over the past 12 months, shares of Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) offer a 6.1% dividend yield at recent prices. Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ: WBA) still owns America's largest chain of retail pharmacies but its stock price has fallen hard in recent months. Shares of the pharmacy chain operator have been offering a 4.7% dividend yield. Image source: Getty Images. These stocks offer enticing yields now, but they won't help you retire comfortably if their underlying businesses can't produce growing profits. Here's a closer look at both healthcare giants to gauge their ability to maintain and raise their dividend payouts in the years ahead. Walgreens Boots Alliance Walgreens Boots Alliance operates America's largest chain of retail pharmacies. At last count, there were about 9,000 retail locations across America plus a few thousand abroad. Being America's largest chain of retail pharmacies isn't as much of an advantage as it used to be. In January, the company ended a 47-year streak of annual dividend payout raises by slashing its quarterly payout by 48% to $0.25 per share. Shares of Walgreens are down about 79% from the all-time high they reached in 2015. On the surface, Walgreens' 4.7% dividend yield seems attractive now that the average dividend-paying stock in the benchmark S&P 500 index offers a 1.38% yield. During Walgreens' fiscal 2024, which ends on Aug. 31, management expects adjusted earnings to land in a range between $3.20 and $3.50 per share. That's more than enough to meet a dividend commitment currently set at just $1.00 per share annually. While its reduced dividend is well-funded now, significant growth in the years ahead could be a challenge. Walgreens does not own a pharmacy benefits management (PBM) business, but its lead competitor in the retail pharmacy space, CVS Health, does. In a nutshell, PBMs decide which drugs our health plans cover and how much they cost. Story continues For several years now, Walgreens has been building out a U.S. healthcare services segment, but it's still losing money. The segment posted a $1.7 billion operating loss during the 12 months that ended last August, then lost another $436 million during the three months that ended last November. I'd avoid Walgreens stock until the company shows investors it can execute an acquisition of a vertically integrated healthcare business. Pfizer Pfizer spun off its collection of post-market-exclusivity drugs in 2020, so these days, it's fully focused on selling and developing new medicines. The stock is down mainly because its COVID-19 product sales evaporated faster than expected. Investors will be glad to learn that revenue excluding sales of its COVID-19 products grew 7% in 2023, and significant gains could be up ahead. Sales of Pfizer's COVID-19 products fell faster than expected, but not before the company reinvested a great deal of the profits they generated. Last December, Pfizer acquired Seagen, a cancer drug developer that's expected to contribute $3.1 billion in revenue to Pfizer's top line this year. Pfizer's dividend has risen 61.5% over the past decade, and investors can reasonably expect several more years of dividend growth. Management expects Seagen's revenue contribution to reach $10 billion by 2030. Pfizer's confidence in Seagen's growth story is partly due to the Food and Drug Administration's approval of Padcev, a Seagen therapy, last December. Now, it's part of a chemo-free treatment option for newly diagnosed bladder cancer patients. Pfizer offers a higher dividend yield than Walgreens right now, and I'd argue that it's a much better stock to buy and hold over the long run. Management feels the acquisition of Seagen doubled the company's oncology research and resources overnight. With this in mind, we can be fairly confident that Padcev won't be the only new blockbuster emerging from its pipeline in the years ahead. Pfizer shares have been trading for just 12.4 times forward-looking earnings estimates, even though continued growth at a mid-single-digit percentage seems likely. Put it together, and the pharma stock looks like a screaming buy right now. Should you invest $1,000 in Pfizer right now? Before you buy stock in Pfizer, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Pfizer wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than tripled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of March 21, 2024 Cory Renauer has positions in CVS Health. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Pfizer. The Motley Fool recommends CVS Health. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2 High-Yield Dividend Stocks Near 52-Week Lows. Time to Buy the Dips? was originally published by The Motley Fool Holiday lets and second homes have seen prices rise across the English countryside Rising house prices in the English countryside have pushed more than half a million people into renting over the past decade, a new report has found. A 19% increase in rural renting has outpaced rises in London and England's other cities, says local authorities' group, the County Councils Network. It says house prices in rural counties are the most unaffordable outside London at an average of 309,000. The government says it is committed to creating a fair housing system. Sophie Brown says people moving to the countryside from cities are pricing locals out In the Cotswolds, which has long attracted the wealthy and famous, locals like Sophie Brown are finding they have been priced out of the property market. Sophie, who is renting affordable housing in her home village of North Cerney, told the BBC that if she had bought locally it would have cost her around half a million pounds - "standard for the Cotswolds". "I was lucky to get this property," she said. "A lot of people are coming from London with their second homes and you've got people like celebrities that are moving into the area and pricing out the normal everyday person with a normal job. "Local people are having issues trying to buy houses. I think the majority of people are living at home longer, which has its challenges, and a lot of people are in rented accommodation and potentially people are in sub-standard accommodation because they can't afford to have a decent place to live." Cara Loukes fears the housing shortage will see local communities die out It is a region-wide situation that Gloucester Rural Community Council (GRCC), which helped Sophie find her home, has been dealing with. Cara Loukes, the GRCC's affordable housing manager, said holiday lettings and second-home buying had seen many landlords take properties out of the longer-term private rental sector. That in turn has seen "more and more people need to move onto council waiting lists" while it was taking years for new affordable rental homes to be developed. For local people on lower incomes the options were limited, Ms Loukes said. "You will probably need to rely on friends and family, possibly sofa-surfing, inappropriate rentals - people are living in caravans, insecure housing, garages - or hoping eventually for affordable housing to come through," she explained. If the situation is not tackled, Ms Loukes warned, "communities will die, socio-economically". Crisis 'worsening' The new report by the County Councils Network (CCN) warned that the number of households in private and social rental properties in rural areas has increased by 550,000 between 2011 and 2021. It found that rented properties - both social and private - now make up almost one third of all housing in England's county council regions. In private renting, there had been a 31% rise - higher than London's increase of 25%. The report also found that property prices in those counties are the most unaffordable in England outside of London, with the average price now more than 309,000, that waiting lists for council housing in the countryside increased by 10% between 2018 and 2023 and that temporary accommodation use was up by 52% over the last five years. Meanwhile, rural homelessness had risen 18% over the last three years. Richard Clewer says the CNN is not proposing to "concrete over our countryside" Richard Clewer, the CCN's housing and planning spokesperson, said: "It is widely accepted that the housing crisis is one that is worsening, with rising unaffordability locking hundreds of thousands out of getting onto the property ladder. "This report does not suggest that we alleviate these issues by concreting over our countryside. "Instead it sets out a number of important yet easily deliverable recommendations that, taken together, could accelerate the delivery of new homes of all tenures where there is most need." The CCN is calling for government to set out a new plan for rural housing, with a greater focus on social housing and a review of the right-to-buy policy that has seen affordable rental properties taken off the market. A spokeswoman for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said it was putting 10bn towards boosting housing supply and 11.5bn into providing more affordable homes. Although only around 234,000 new homes were delivered last year, she said that the government's target to build 300,000 homes a year remained and that the Renters Reform Bill would "deliver a fairer private rented sector for both responsible tenants and good faith landlords". "We are committed to creating a fair housing system that works for everyone in both urban and rural areas, including increasing first-time buyer numbers in all regions and boosting availability of new, genuinely affordable housing," she said. DAVIS COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) The United States Air Force will be conducting a training exercise in Utah next week, according to a press release. The training will take place March 25 29. Officials said residents in Wendover and western Tooele County will notice an increase in aircraft and military personnel activity throughout the week. Ruby Frankes husband tells police bizarre tale of how Jodi Hildebrandt upended his life, pushed him out of his family The exercise reportedly includes noises meant to simulate combat activity, which may be heard in the region. Most activity will be during daytime hours, officials said, but times can shift based on a number of factors. This exercise has reportedly been planned for months and is not in response to any current events. If you have any questions regarding noise, you may reach out to the Hill Air Force Base here. No further information is available at this time. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. When Sandra Johnson was a little girl, her father would ask her the same two questions at the end of every day. Were you the best you could be? Did you do the best you could do? Seven decades later, his little girl walked into the Minnesota Legislature, counting each step on the grand staircase outside, making each one count. Thirty-eight. Thirty-nine. Forty. She had arrived. "At the end of the day, I could say, 'Yes sir, Daddy. I did the best I could do,'" she said. It was Homeless Day at the Hill. A chance for politicians to stop talking about the housing crisis and listen. A chance for Johnson to make sure that the people who represent her actually understand her. She always had a roof over her head. She always worked hard. She raised her four children after her husband, a veteran, died tragically young. Until she lost her job, lost her savings, lost her health and finally lost her home. "Hi, my name is Sandra and I'm just the face of hundreds and hundreds of faces," she said, rising to her feet in a crowded Capitol hearing room a space large enough to hold the Minneapolis constituents who had come to see their state Sen. Scott Dibble. "We never think we might wear [the label of] 'homeless' and have that stigma." That was why she climbed all those stairs. She wanted to push back against that stigma. To share some of the stories she had heard from others less fortunate than herself. The very young, the very old, the very ill. The ones who had lost hope. The ones who headed into this snowy weekend without shelter. One by one, others in the crowded room rose to share their stories and to lobby their lawmaker. They wanted what most of us probably want. Affordable housing. Safe, clean and peaceful mass transit. More funding to help homeless youth. Support for those struggling with mental illness and addiction. They came to beg their lawmakers to do something about the fentanyl epidemic that has killed so many Minnesotans, including Johnson's 41-year-old son. They talked. Their senator listened. "As legislators, we look at legislation, we look at spreadsheets," said Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis. "And those are very important, but they're a little bit abstract. They become humanized and contextualized when we meet people." So meet Sandra Johnson, who lost her home, but never her hope, her joy or her desire to help others. Once, she had a job and a three-bedroom home. She was two classes away from an accounting degree. Until, as she says, "life happened." Family members fell ill. Her own cancer returned. She dipped into her retirement savings to pay for her mother's funeral expenses. Her job was outsourced and she was downsized. She lost her home and found herself sleeping in her car. Most people she met, she figures, had no idea. "I styled, I smiled," she said. "I went about my day." Six years later, she found her way to the Catholic Charities Evergreen Residence 88 single-room units of supportive, permanent housing, just down the street from the Minneapolis Farmers Market. "Everyone has a story," she said. "When you start asking, you realize 'Wow, I'm not really going through anything. I'm not going to complain.' " These days, she focuses on helping the people around her. She looks after her neighbors at Evergreen, tidying up the public spaces, checking in on the new arrivals and cheering each success story when someone moves out into a place of their own. She volunteers. She teaches computer classes for seniors at the community center. She cooks enough to share. She lobbies the Legislature. "She has now become Mother Johnson," said Brandon Johnson, senior property manager at Catholic Charities of the Twin Cities. He wishes the community celebrated the courage and resilience and successes of more people like her. "She's the person who looks out for everyone here on campus." Sometimes, Johnson thinks about everything she's lost. Her father, her mother, her husband, her son, her career, her home. Sometimes, she looks at the grand old mansions in town and dreams. Then she remembers who she is, what her father taught her, and what she still has. "Now, I have an 88-bedroom residence," she said, her smile brightening. "Yeah, kind of like a mansion." Hong Kongs Catholics are worried that new legislation means Beijing could bug confessionals, imprison priests or send in spies to entrap the citys clergy, with one priest saying it was like a knife above your head. The fears come amid another major tightening of already tough national security laws. Article 23 came into force on Saturday introducing a series of new and vaguely defined crimes including treason, sabotage, sedition, the theft of state secrets, external interference and espionage. It was hurriedly passed this week by Hong Kongs Legislative Assembly, coming on top of the 2020 National Security Law, which has already effectively stifled any dissent or opposition to China in the city of 7.4 million. Although it has faced state pressure, so far, the church has largely avoided the kind of sweeping detentions politicians, activists and journalists have faced as part of Beijings crackdown on civil rights and freedoms. But fears have grown that the sacred Seal of Confession, a Christian doctrine that forbids priests from sharing anything confessed to them, might be threatened by a provision in Article 23. The new law means anyone who knows that someone has committed treason or plans to do so but fails to report it to the police can be jailed for up to 14 years. People might hesitate to [take] this sacrament, priests might end up in prison, eavesdropping devices might be found in the confessionals, one Hong Kong priest, who asked to speak anonymously out of security concerns, told The Telegraph. For us true believers, we are not scared, we only worry that people in need will not be helped, another priest said, adding that self-censorship was hindering his professions mission to speak the truth. In reality, we are not able to spread the whole gospel, we are not allowed to speak the whole truth, we are not free to warn our people about the evil of communism and the harms it has done in history, he said. What kind of truth-bearers are we, if we do not stand up for the truth? Thats the main struggle. Sting operations Another priest told The Telegraph that there were also fears of sting operations. If the government really wanted to ... they could essentially send in some spies to confess to the priest and [if] the priest says nothing, then they file a report saying I confessed to the priest and he did not report, they said. I dont think any Catholics would have the courage or would dare to say anything in the confessional that may potentially jeopardise the priest. But its like there is a knife above your head. These fears mean many priests are exercising self-censorship to avoid any issues. Basically, any criticism against the government is eliminated. You rarely see priests criticising the government, they said. When asked about the issue earlier this month, Paul Lam, Hong Kongs secretary for justice, said it would be very difficult to create exceptions for the clergy. The Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong said in a statement last week that it recognises that citizens have an obligation to ensure national security but insisted the security law will not alter the confidential nature of Confession. But such are the fears around the possibility of prosecution, that even expatriate Hong Kongers are taking extra precautions. In Britain, Roy Chan, a pastor at the Good Neighbour Church England, said some of his previously 180-strong congregation were leaving out of fear that spies within the flock could file reports about dissent or possible breaches of the opaque law back to the authorities. In the last few months, some church members have become afraid, asking me not to say things in a political way or it will become more dangerous for us, he told The Telegraph. Mr Chan founded the church in London, Birmingham and Manchester after fleeing political repression in Hong Kong, taking his young family into self-exile in 2020. He had led a church of a similar name that was targeted by the authorities after they accused it of supporting the citys pro-democracy movement. White terror The security law had brought white terror to the church service, said Mr Chan, referring to a term used in Hong Kong to refer to creeping authoritarianism and the policing of freedom of expression and thought. The phrase has been used to describe multiple periods of political persecution throughout history, but in Hong Kong it normally recalls decades of martial law and repression in nearby Taiwan from 1947 to 1987. Religious leaders say self-censorship and the avoidance of topics like social justice or human rights has been widespread in Hong Kongs churches since Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law in 2020 to stamp out the anti-government protests that shook the financial hub the year before. At the time, Cardinal John Tong issued a pastoral letter to all clergy advising them to be cautious in their sermons. The former head of the Catholic church in Hong Kong, John Tong - AFP/PHILIPPE LOPEZ Article 23 would make the situation worse by creating more tools to accuse people of offences even without evidence, said Mr Chan. In a report late last year on threats to freedom of belief, the Hong Kong Watch advocacy group suggested Beijings hostility towards religion was likely exacerbated by the fact that many of the citys pro-democracy activists were people of faith. Some churches also found themselves on the front lines of the demonstrations, offering shelter and comfort to fearful young protesters. Volunteers from Mr Chans church were regularly seen lining up quietly as a buffer between protesters and riot officers and trying to play a mediating role. The current threats to freedom of religion were subtle, complex and undramatic, said the report. Instead of a physical crackdown on religion in Hong Kong, the authorities aim is to create an environment in which religious leaders and practitioners feel obligated to self-censor, compromise and kowtow, in order to protect the basic freedom of worship that they enjoy. 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. Dozens joined a rally in Taipei on Saturday afternoon to protest the law (Sam Yeh) Hong Kong's new national security law came into force on Saturday, putting into immediate effect tough penalties of up to life imprisonment for crimes including treason and insurrection. The law -- commonly referred to as Article 23 -- targets five categories of national security crimes and was swiftly passed by Hong Kong's opposition-free legislature on Tuesday. The United States, the European Union, Japan and Britain have been among the law's strongest critics, with UK Foreign Minister David Cameron saying it would "further damage the rights and freedoms" of those in the city. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Friday expressed "deep concern" that the law could be used to undermine rights and curb dissent, adding it could damage Hong Kong's reputation as an international finance hub. But Hong Kong leader John Lee has called the passage of the "Safeguarding National Security Ordinance" a "historic moment". He has often cited Hong Kong's "constitutional responsibility" to create the new legislation as required by the Basic Law, the city's mini-constitution since its handover from Britain to China in 1997. Lee also said the law was necessary to "prevent black-clad violence", a reference to Hong Kong's massive and at times violent pro-democracy protests in 2019, which brought hundreds of thousands to the streets demanding greater autonomy from Beijing's grip. In response, authorities cracked down on protesters, and Beijing imposed a national security law in 2020 -- targeting secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces -- which has effectively silenced opposition voices among Hong Kong's once-vibrant civil society. Nearly 300 people have been arrested under the 2020 law so far. But Lee -- sanctioned by the United States for his role as security chief during the 2019 protests -- has said Article 23 was still needed to "plug" the legislative gaps of Beijing's law. - Life in prison - Under the new law, penalties run up to life in prison for sabotage endangering national security, treason and insurrection; 20 years for espionage and sabotage; and 14 years for external interference. It has also expanded the British colonial-era offence of "sedition" to include inciting hatred against China's Communist Party leadership, with an aggravated sentence of up to 10 years in jail. City leader Lee is now empowered to create new offences carrying jail terms of up to seven years through subsidiary legislation, while the security minister can impose punitive measures on activists who are overseas, including cancelling their passports. Police powers have also been expanded to permit detaining people for up to 16 days without charge -- a jump from the current 48 hours -- and to restrict a suspect from meeting lawyers and communicating with others. The United Kingdom and Australia on Friday updated their travel advice to warn citizens about the risks of breaching the new law when travelling to Hong Kong. Former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi said at a Friday press conference that the new law was an "alarming expansion of the Chinese Communist Party's assault on freedom in Hong Kong". A previous attempt by the government to introduce Article 23 in 2003 was dropped after half a million Hong Kongers protested it. This time, public response in the city was muted but protests are expected worldwide. In London, where a large Hong Kong diaspora relocated after the government's crackdown on the 2019 protests, around 100 demonstrators gathered outside the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office on Saturday, chanting "Free Hong Kong". "When journalists approach Hong Kong citizens in Hong Kong, they're not really willing to share their view because of fear and because of the nature of this Article 23," said 30-year old protester "J", one of those who moved in 2019. "Every time we go back (to Hong Kong) we will have to be more careful." Chinese citizens were also present, including "Fernando", a 23-year-old student from near Shanghai. "As a Chinese citizen, I want China to be democratic and have the rule of law, so I have some moral motivation to support them," he told AFP. When asked about the risk of being surveilled, he replied: "I think they are looking, they are everywhere. You see a lot of people here they wear the masks and the sunglasses, including me." su-hol/jwp/st Hotel room shampoo bottles will be banned in Northern Ireland but not in the rest of the UK under EU net-zero rules. New laws from Brussels on packaging waste, criticised by politicians as anti-democratic and by industry groups as burdensome, go further than the UKs ban on single-use plastics and will apply in Northern Ireland because of the Windsor Framework. Rishi Sunaks Brexit deal means the region follows hundreds of EU laws to prevent a hard land border with the Republic of Ireland. Powerless to make our own laws Lord Dodds, the DUP peer, opposed his partys ending of its two-year boycott over the Irish Sea border and Windsor Framework last month. Its another example of how Northern Ireland is subject to foreign laws which we have no role in developing or making, he told The Telegraph. Northern Ireland should be able to make laws for itself either through our MLAs in Stormont or our MPs in Westminster. Under the Windsor Framework we are powerless to make our own laws. Government should take steps David Jones, the former Cabinet Minister, said, There is no good reason why Northern Ireland hospitality businesses should be in any way disadvantaged as compared with the rest of the UK. This is yet a further example of Northern Ireland becoming semi-detached from the rest of the country. The Government should take steps to ensure that this EU proposal does not apply in any part of the UK, Northern Ireland included, the Conservative Brexiteer said. Under a provisional EU deal struck earlier this month, mini shampoo bottles will not be allowed in hotels from Jan 1 2030, and nor will plastic shrink wrap around suitcases in airports. Restaurants will be banned from offering sauces such as ketchup and mayonnaise in plastic sachets, unless they are takeaways. Deadline would be hard to hit Environmental campaigners said that the UK had fallen behind the EU in its waste laws and have called on it to copy the European rules, which call for packaging waste reduction targets of 5 per cent by 2030. Northern Irish industry groups stressed they were committed to being environmentally friendly but said the 2030 deadline would be hard to hit for a sector still struggling after the pandemic. Colin Neill, the chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, said, Already in Northern Ireland, the hospitality sector is making moves to become a more sustainable sector than it has ever been. However, this is something that will take time, and there has been limited consideration on the position of the 2030 deadline as the sector here attempts to grapple with spiralling costs and focus on the survival of their business in the first instance. We continue to work with industry and international partners to tackle plastic pollution and meet our environmental targets, a Defra spokesman said. Measure of last resort Critics of the Windsor Framework say that it robs Northern Irish politicians of a say over new EU law applying to the region. However, the deal does contain mechanisms by which Assembly members can raise objections. The Government claims the Stormont brake is a veto but in reality that would be a measure of last resort after lengthy talks with the EU. On Tuesday, the DUP used the mechanism for the first time over a law extending geographical protection of food products such as Parma ham to craft and industrial products. Impact of the law will be limited Because the new law failed to get cross-community support between unionists and nationalists, it will be up to the Government whether to veto it. It is unlikely to do so because it argues the impact of the new law will be limited. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the leader of the DUP, said the use of the Stormont brake proved the DUP was right to accept Mr Sunaks offer of concessions and return to devolved government. Without Stormont these EU regulations would automatically become law, he said on social media. 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. House Republicans railed against a provision of the $1.2 trillion federal funding package that passed Friday that will fund a new FBI headquarters in Maryland. Tucked away in the 1,012-page bill was a line that appropriated $200 million for the General Services Administration to build a new FBI headquarters in Greenbelt, Maryland. The new funding outraged some House Republicans, who have accused the bureau of political bias. "The $1.2 trillion, 1000-page swamp-bus released in the dead of night includes $200 MILLION for a new FBI Headquarters So much for those cuts to FBI," Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, posted on X. The FBI funds were included in a list of "sellouts and failures" contained in the spending package posted by Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa. SENATE PASSES MAMMOTH $1.2T SPENDING PACKAGE AFTER BRIEF PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, slammed a provision in the $1.2 trillion federal funding package that grants $200 million for a new FBI headquarters in Greenbelt, Maryland. Republicans hold a long list of grievances against the FBI including the investigations into former President Trump, an anti-Catholic memo that identified traditional Catholics as potential "terrorists," and activities during the pandemic to flag so-called misinformation on social media. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP The FBI has contested GOP allegations and maintained its law enforcement operations are not influenced by politics. But the bureau's denials have not quieted its critics. "The FBI labels parents as domestic terrorists, targets pro-lifers, and wages a war against conservative Americans. Their punishment? $200 MILLION for a new headquarters in this minbus," said Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo. "Vote NO." HOUSE PASSES $1.2 TRILLION GOVERNMENT SPENDING BILL TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN In November, the Biden administration announced Greenbelt, a Washington, D.C., suburb, as the home for a new FBI facility to replace the crumbling J. Edgar Hoover Building, which is blocks away from the White House. The GSA, which manages the governments real estate portfolio, said that Greenbelt site about 13 miles northeast of Washington was the cheapest one with the best access to public transit. Lawmakers approved $375 million for the headquarters project in a government funding bill last year. Rep Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., had put forward an amendment to strip that funding from the fiscal 2023 bill, but was unsuccessful. RUBIO SAYS BEING TRUMP RUNNING MATE WOULD BE 'INCREDIBLE HONOR' Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., welcomed the additional $200 million for the FBI in a statement Thursday, calling the new building in Prince George's County one of his "top priorities." "This funding that I worked to secure within our FSGG appropriations bill is another critical step in moving forward with the new headquarters in Greenbelt," said Van Hollen, chairman of the Financial Services Appropriations Subcommittee, in a statement to Roll Call. "We are ready to welcome the FBI to its new, consolidated headquarters in Maryland," added Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md. "The latest funding adds to the more than $1.5 billion already available for this important and urgent project," he told Roll Call. Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace contributed to this report. Original article source: House Republicans slam $200 million in funding for new FBI HQ Jacksonville hosted its 16th annual Fight For Air Climb on Saturday at the Bank of America building Downtown. From beginners to competitive climbers, many took on the challenge to race up 37 flights of stairs. Thats 734 steps! I finished in 3 minutes and 57 seconds, said climber, Troy Alston. I get to come out and push my own limits and see how fast I can go. But also get to make a contribution to the American Lung Association. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Read: New Jacksonville alcohol ordinance has mixed reactions from public Our mission is just to ensure that everyone has access to clean air and their lungs are healthy, said Cindy Springer, with the American Lung Association, and a lung cancer survivor. Local businesses, friends and families throughout the community made the climb. So did first responders in full gear. We are fighting for those who may fight and are fighting, said Jeremy LaTraverse, a firefighter for Kingsland Fire Rescue. The biggest honor for us is we are climbing for those who no longer can. Read: National Puppy Day: Top dog names in Florida and Georgia Over the last 12 years, climbers have raised more than $71 million to support the mission of the American Lung Association. Cindy said all the money raised will go toward ensuring clean air for all. Thats going to fund our research, our education, our advocacy to make sure thats the case for everybody in America, said Springer. Action News Jax was a proud sponsor of the event that raised money for lung cancer research. First Alert Meteorologist Garrett Bedenbaugh was the emceee. Read: Jax River Jams returns to the riverfront [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. This story originally published March 22 at Idaho Capital Sun. A bill to ban Idaho public funds from covering gender-affirming medications and surgeries for Idaho adults and children heads to Idaho Gov. Brad Little for final approval. House Bill 668 would ban public funds from paying for gender-affirming medications and surgeries. That would apply to Idahoans covered under Medicaid and Idahos state insurance plan, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. The Idaho Senate passed the bill on a near party-line 26-8 vote on Friday. All seven Senate Democrats opposed it. Sen. Abby Lee, R-Fruitland, was the only Senate Republican to vote against the bill. The Idaho House previously passed the legislation, backed by 58 House Republicans and opposed by all 11 House Democrats. Major medical groups say gender-affirming care is medically necessary and safe. Idaho Medicaid largely covers low-income and disabled people and insures around 300,000 Idahoans. About 62,000 Idahoans are insured through government employee insurance policies, which are set to switch to a new insurer this summer. A study recently found that gender non-conforming people were at a higher risk for being in a lower socio-economic status. About 7,000 Idaho adults and 1,000 Idahoans age 13 and up are transgender, according to estimates from the University of California-Los Angeles. Little has expressed support for banning Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care. In May 2023, he directed the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to develop a policy to ban Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care treatments for adults and children. Gender-affirming surgeries were not performed on minors in Idaho before last years ban on the care for children was passed, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, which administers Medicaid, has not covered any surgeries for gender dysphoria for adults or youth, a spokesperson previously told the Idaho Capital Sun. Sen. Ben Toews, R-Coeur dAlene, told senators in floor debate on Friday that the bill ensures taxpayer dollars are not used to pay for medically harmful treatments. Responding to the brokenness of the world requires humility, compassion and wisdom. We dont have enough of these things by ourselves. And it is only by the power of our creator, that healing is truly enabled. The answer to our affliction will not be contrived because wholeness is given, not manufactured, Toews said. Sen. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, called the bill discriminatory, and part of a family of bills that clearly violates the 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause. Latest Idaho gender-affirming care ban draws on a previously passed bill, which a judge temporarily blocked Public employees or officers who intentionally violate the bill could face misuse of public funds charges. If passed, House Bill 668 would still allow surgical procedures and medications used in gender-affirming care to use public funds in certain cases, like when its necessary for health. But the bill excludes it for the purpose to affirm the individuals perception of their sex, the legislation states. Surgical operation or medical intervention is never necessary to the health of the minor or adult on whom it is performed if it is for the purpose of altering the appearance of an individual in order to affirm the individuals perception of the individuals sex in a way that is inconsistent with the individuals biological sex, the bill says. House Bill 668 relies on definition for gender-affirming medication and surgeries created in Idaho law through last years House Bill 71. That laws implementation has been blocked during litigation thats been appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. House Bill 668 allows the following exceptions to the ban: When a surgical operation or medical intervention is necessary to the health of the person on whom it is performed. To treat infections, injuries or disorders caused or exacerbated by gender transition procedures. And when performed in accordance with the good faith medical decision of a parent or guardian of a child or an adult born with a medically verifiable genetic disorder of sex development. If passed, House Bill 668 would take effect July 1. House Bill 71, which is temporarily blocked, would have banned gender-affirming care medications and surgeries for any child in Idaho, but not all gender-affirming care, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. But, the laws implementation is temporarily blocked as a lawsuit challenging the legislation makes its way through the courts. State property, facilities or buildings cant be used to provide the surgical operations or medical interventions in that previous law. Doctors or health care professionals employed by state, county or local governments cant provide those services in the course and scope of (public) employment. The bill would ban any gender-affirming care medications and surgeries for purposes of altering the appearance of an individual in order to affirm the individuals perception of the individuals sex in a way that is inconsistent with the individuals biological sex. This article was originally published in Idaho Capital Sun. Thirty people, including library staff, board members and patrons testified in person and virtually at a Senate State Affairs Committee hearing Wednesday morning to voice their opinions on the Legislatures most recent library bill House Bill 710. However, the committee did not vote on any motion related to the bill because of time constraints. Committee chairman Sen. Jim Guthrie, R-McCammon, said the committee will continue its discussion at a later time. An affirmative vote in the committee would secure the bill a spot on the Senate floor, making the bill one step closer to becoming law after it passed the Idaho House of Representatives last week in a 47-23 vote. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter House Bill 710 is an amended version of a previous bill introduced earlier this year. The bill would rely on Idahos existing definition of materials harmful to minors, which includes any act of homosexuality under its definition of sexual conduct. It would require libraries to have a form for people to request review of materials. The bill grants county prosecuting attorneys or the attorney general the authority to seek injunctive relief against schools or public libraries found violating the law on promoting, giving, or making available material deemed harmful to minors. Sen. Cindy Carlson, R-Riggins, the sponsor of the bill, said she believes the bill is a great solution. Parents and citizens of the state of Idaho and the rest of the country are angry and want access to this harmful material to children be removed, she said. House Bill 710 was the only piece of legislation on the committees agenda Wednesday morning, and public testimony took nearly all two hours of the committees allotted time. Most of the librarians who testified said the legislation is confusing, unnecessary and demoralizing to their professions. Many said this year marks the third year they have had to testify in opposition to a library bill, and they expressed frustration that the bill is targeting the LGBTQ+ community under its definition of materials harmful to minors. Megan Cafferty, a Meridian librarian, said her main concern was the costs that this bill would create for Idaho libraries, noting that the $250 fine in damages would disproportionately hurt small libraries, and requiring an adults-only section would create challenges for libraries with limited staff and space in their building. Currently we are having issues even retaining our current staff because we cant compete with the rising cost of living, she said. We cant afford to live in the city where we work. I personally cant have a studio apartment and afford to eat in Meridian, so we definitely cant afford to remodel and add all of these extra costs. Huda Shaltry, a Boise librarian and the legislative co-chair for the Idaho Librarian Association, said that library-related legislation has created challenges in her career. But for each negative encounter, she said she experiences hundreds of positive interactions with library patrons. Every week somebody has thanked me for the existence of libraries and what we do and the resources that we provide the tech support, the printing, helping people find a home or escape their domestic violence situation, she said. This is what we do. This is what I was trained to do. Grace Howat, a representative for the conservative organization, Idaho Family Policy Center, was the only person to testify in favor of the legislation. In her testimony, she said the policy center is excited to support the bill as it would protect children. Recap of library bills during 2024 session House Bill 710 was brought to the Legislature after the Idaho Senate rejected Senate Bill 1289, a combination of previous legislation brought by Rep. Jaron Crane, R-Nampa, and Sen. Geoff Schroeder, R-Mountain Home. At least four bills have been brought to the Idaho Legislature to regulate library materials for minors, including House Bill 384, which would have allowed library patrons to sue libraries if they provide harmful materials to minors. It would have also created a policy that requires community members fill out a written notice asking libraries to relocate a library item that they deem harmful to an adults only section. If a library failed to relocate the item within 30 days, then one could have sued the library for $250, as well as actual damages and any other relief. Senate Bill 1221, which would have required school boards establish a library materials review committee, or a group of parents, educators and administrators who review requests for reconsideration of school library items, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. It did not advance to a hearing.Senate Bill 1289, which according to bill sponsors, combined House Bill 384 and Senate Bill 1221. It died in a 18-17 vote in the Senate, the Sun previously reported. House Bill 710, an amended version of House Bill 384. While regulating library materials is at the top of the agenda for some Republican legislators, a Boise State University survey showed that most Idahoans trust library staff with book selection. According to the universitys ninth annual Idaho Public Policy Survey, 69% of respondents said they trust library staff with book selection, while 23% of Idahoans said they do not trust libraries and library staff. At the end of the committee hearing Monday, Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Winder, R-Boise, addressed the librarians in the room, some of whom came from Idaho Falls, Ketchum and across the Treasure Valley. Please dont think this is out of disrespect to any of you as librarians, any of you as teachers, Winder said. Thats not what this is about. Weve got parents that have concerns were trying to deal with, and remember, our Constitution is set up to protect the minority, not the majority. Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: info@idahocapitalsun.com. Follow Idaho Capital Sun on Facebook and Twitter. Image source: Getty Images As you go through everyday life, you'll make crucial decisions that impact your life direction. One choice that many people must decide is whether to have kids. When considering your ideal life, you'll want to determine if children are part of the picture. It can be rewarding to become a parent. But you should know that your finances will be impacted, in addition to the everyday life changes you experience. Are you still on the fence about having kids? I'll share a few ways not having kids could be a financial game changer. 1. You can focus on reaching career milestones If you have lofty career goals, being childfree could make it easier to reach them. You'll be responsible for other humans beyond yourself when you have kids. That means you may miss time at work to care for a sick kiddo or attend parent-teacher conferences. You may even have to step away from work for an extended period due to the high cost of child care. But you won't have these same struggles if you don't have kids. You can put more energy and focus into reaching important career milestones. Because of your decision not to raise kids, you may be able to make more money throughout your lifetime. Having the ability to focus on your career growth can be a win for your bank account and resume. 2. You can prepare for retirement Another financial win that can come with not having kids is the ability to save and invest for retirement. Many workers contribute to IRA accounts and other tax-advantaged retirement accounts. Investing is an excellent way to prepare for your future non-working years. When you don't have the responsibility of paying for the costs associated with raising kids, you'll have more income to put toward your retirement planning goals. Some childfree adults may find they can retire from their careers sooner than expected or can afford to work part-time instead. 3. You can afford to prioritize self-care Another potential financial benefit is that you'll be able to afford self-care more easily. Whether you become a parent or not, taking good care of yourself, including your physical and mental health, is necessary. When you're rested and cared for, you can be more present in your daily life. Story continues Those who don't have kids are more likely to afford the cost of self-care because they're not spending money on child care and other family expenses. Whether self-care looks like bi-weekly therapy sessions, a fitness center pass, or monthly massages, spending money on self-care expenses like this can help reduce stress and improve overall health. Keep your finances in mind For some, having kids is a big life goal, and the benefits outweigh any financial struggles they may face. But don't neglect to consider how your finances may change once you become a parent. If you want to have kids and are willing to wait a few years, you can take steps to get your finances in order so you're adequately prepared for the additional expenses of raising a family. For additional money help, take a look at our personal finance resources. Alert: our top-rated cash back card now has 0% intro APR until 2025 This credit card is not just good its so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a lengthy 0% intro APR period, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee! Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes. We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 3 Reasons Why Not Having Kids Is a Financial Game Changer was originally published by The Motley Fool CHICAGO A lucky Illinois iLottery player is rolling into the weekend nearly $1 million richer after they hit it big while playing a $20 online Fast Play game this week. The lucky player snagged a $985,000 prize while playing Illinois Super Jackpot, a $20 game that offers players the chance at a jackpot that starts at $50,000 and climbs each time a ticket is sold. Officials from the Illinois Lottery say the big winner claimed the prize while playing on Wednesday. The major win is the largest Illinois Super Jackpot prize that has been claimed since the ticket first launched in October of 2023. Illinois Lottery: Stories of millionaires made overnight Illinois Super Jackpot players have a 1 in 3.05 chance of claiming a prize while playing, but jackpot odds are much higher at 1 in 120,000 The jackpot prize winner will take home about $748,600 after taxes, which equals out to about $236,400 in federal taxes and $48,758 in state taxes, according to Nerdwallets Lottery Tax Calculator. According to the Illinois Lottery, Wednesdays life-changing ticket was just one of more than 326,000 winning tickets sold for the Illinois Super Jackpot this year, which have netted players more than $16.7 million in prizes. Mega Millions: These hot numbers have been drawn the most since the last jackpot Illinois Super Jackpot is just one of more than 25 Fast Play games available in Illinois and while the jackpot ticket was bought online, Fast Play games can also be purchased in person, at participating retail locations. Officials offered details about the big win on Thursday morning but did not disclose the name of the winner. Fast Play Winners have one year from the date of winning to claim their prizes. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. Illinois House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch apologized to Chicago Tribune reporters and the Statehouse press corps Saturday, saying an order his office issued instructing members of his Democratic majority not to speak to a Tribune reporter about political matters at the State Capitol or elsewhere was a mistake. The order was issued Thursday in a blast email to House Democrats after Tribune reporter Jeremy Gorner questioned members of the speakers leadership team about tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions that they made supporting the candidacy of Michael Crawford. Crawford was the successful Welch-backed candidate who defeated Democratic state Rep. Mary Flowers of Chicago, the longest serving Black House member, in Tuesdays primary. The memo warned that Gorner was asking questions that were explicitly political and stated that it is inappropriate to discuss campaign related matters on the Capitol grounds. It further instructed Democratic members not to call him back or give him a number for him to reach you to discuss political matters as it is also ethically dubious. Related Articles In a Tribune story published online Friday providing details about the memo, the order was immediately assailed by one former Statehouse veteran reporter and journalism professor as a goofy and stupid effort to restrain legitimate newsgathering, while Tribune editor Mitch Pugh said, this wrong-headed memo was an attempt to stifle our reporters constitutional right to do his job. Welchs office initially defended the issuance of the order based on the highly dubious rationale that lawmakers engaging in such conversations could create an ethical breach even though such discussions are constitutionally protected First Amendment free speech and the speakers staff could produce no statutory prohibitions on lawmakers answering questions from reporters at the State Capitol or elsewhere. The only statutory campaign prohibitions prevent lawmakers from being offered or accepting campaign contributions inside the Capitol and a ban on lawmakers and legislative candidates from holding campaign fundraisers on session days in Sangamon County, where Springfield and the Illinois State Capitol are located. On Saturday, Welch, who is in his third year as House speaker and now with a 78-member supermajority, said the order was issued in error. This week members received an email from staff with incorrect information that could compromise the important work of our Statehouse reporters. That email was a mistake and I apologize, Welch wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. Since then, our ethics officer has made it clear to the caucus that reporters are free to ask questions without fear, Welch wrote. In a time when the First Amendment is being undermined at the federal level and media conglomerates threaten the role of local journalism, I will always respect the work of reporters to do their jobs and ask the tough questions. Jaclyn Driscoll, a former Statehouse reporter who is now Welchs chief spokesperson, had initially said the memo represented longstanding policy, though no such policy has existed in the Statehouse for at least four decades. But on Saturday, she also took to social media to apologize. I am the first to admit that this situation wasnt handled properly within the Office of the Speaker and I apologize, Driscoll wrote. A mistake was made and we will fix our internal processes to ensure this wont happen again. IRON COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) A Cedar City man received the maximum sentence in a child sexual exploitation case Thursday. Patrick Aaron Merrifield, 39, was sentenced to serve one to 15 years in the Utah State Prison for second-degree felony sexual exploitation of a minor, according to a press release from the Iron County Attorneys Office. READ NEXT: Woman stabbed as fight ensues involving Midvale couple Chief Deputy Iron County Attorney Shane Klenk emphasized the seriousness of the situation. As a society, it is crucial that the response to this type of crime be heavy, swift, and unequivocal. The maximum penalty is warranted, and imprisonment is deserved, Klenk said in the release. Merrifield was arrested in October 2023 after the Wheat Ridge Police Department in Boulder, Colorado, alerted the Iron County Sheriffs Office he relocated without complying with sex offender registration requirements, a stipulation of his parole terms, the release states. During the court proceedings, Klenk reportedly underscored Merrifields history, including previous charges for similar offenses in Colorado and instances of contempt of court, as documented in court records, the release states. The defendants track record reveals a pattern of non-compliance and disregard for law, Klenk said. Despite adhering to registration protocols when Merrifield first relocated to Cedar City, his failure to update his registration status following subsequent moves and job loss resulted in a violation of the law, the release states. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Merrifields address, and reportedly uncovered disturbing evidence, including sexual images of children on digital devices. Merrifield also reportedly admitted to police that he viewed child pornography since he relocated to Utah. Iron County Attorney Chad Dotson said that in cases of this nature, where the safety of the community and its children are at stake, We spare no effort. We will continue to advocate for the imposition of maximum sentences to ensure justice is served and our communities and children are safeguarded, he said. I am proud of the hard work of our office and for the efforts of the Iron County Sheriffs Office. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Captured Somali pirates brought in for prosecution by the Indian Navy, in Mumbai Captured Somali pirates brought in for prosecution by the Indian Navy, in Mumbai By Krishn Kaushik NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The Indian navy handed over 35 Somali pirates to the police in Mumbai on Saturday, after 100 days of anti-piracy operations east of the Red Sea, where piracy has resurfaced for the first time in nearly a decade. India, the largest national force in the Gulf of Aden and northern Arabian Sea region, captured the pirates from the cargo ship Ruen last week, three months after it was hijacked off the Somali coast. Taking advantage of Western forces' focus on protecting shipping from attacks in the Red Sea by Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi militants, pirates have made or attempted more than 20 hijackings since November, driving up insurance and security costs and adding to a crisis for global shipping companies. With the attacks by the Houthis, who claim solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during Israel's war against Hamas, and the surge in piracy, commercial traffic through the region has halved since November as ships take the longer route around southern Africa, India's navy said. The pirates seized by Indian commandoes face up to life in prison as the first to be prosecuted under India's 2022 anti-piracy law, which enables the navy to apprehend and arrest pirates on the high seas. The Somalis were using the Ruen as their "mother ship" to launch attacks on other vessels, navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar told a press conference marking the 100th day of the operations. The commandoes rescued all 17 crew members. India has responded to 18 incidents, deploying 21 ships and 5,000 personnel in rotation, boarding and investigating over 1,000 vessels, the navy said. Its unprecedented presence has deployed more than a dozen warships some days. "The task is to ensure that there is safety, security and stability" in the region, Kumar said. "We are able to live up to the requirement of being a first responder and a preferred security partner... to ensure that the Indian Ocean region is safe, secure and stable." During its mission since mid-December, there have been 57 drone or missile attacks or sightings. India's navy has helped some of the attacked ships, recovering debris from drones launched by the Houthis, whom Kumar said "we really have no quarrel with". One recovered plywood drone was capable of travelling 1,600 km (1,000 miles) with a four-stroke engine and "elementary" electronics, Kumar said. "It doesn't require any very complicated tools to develop or manufacture these drones." (Reporting by Krishn Kaushik; Editing by William Mallard) By Saurabh Sharma and Krishna N. Das NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A court in India essentially banned Islamic schools in the country's most populous state, a move that could further distance many Muslims from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu-nationalist government ahead of national elections. The Friday ruling scraps a 2004 law governing madrasas in Uttar Pradesh, saying it violates India's constitutional secularism and ordering that students be moved to conventional schools. The Allahabad High Court order affects 2.7 million students and 10,000 teachers in 25,000 madrasas, said Iftikhar Ahmed Javed, head of the board of madrasa education in the state, where one-fifth of the 240 million people are Muslims. "The state government shall also ensure that children between the ages of 6 to 14 years are not left without admission in duly recognised institutions," Judges Subhash Vidyarthi and Vivek Chaudhary wrote in their order, which was made on the basis of an appeal by lawyer Anshuman Singh Rathore. Reuters could not contact Rathore or determine if he is connected to any political group. India holds a general election between April and June that Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is widely expected to win. Muslims and rights groups have accused some BJP members and affiliates of promoting anti-Islamic hate speech and vigilantism, and demolishing Muslim-owned properties. Modi denies religious discrimination exists in India. The BJP says the government is undoing historical wrongs, including by recently inaugurating a Hindu temple on the site of a 16th-century mosque razed in 1992. Many Hindus believe the mosque was built where God-king Ram was born and over a temple demolished under the Mughal ruler Babur. Rakesh Tripathi, a spokesperson for Uttar Pradesh BJP, which runs the state government, said it was not against madrasas and was concerned about the education of Muslim students. "We are not against any madrasa but we are against discriminatory practices. We are against illegal funding, and the government will decide on further actions after going through the court's order." Modi's office did not immediately respond to an email on Saturday seeking comment on the court ruling. 'I AM SCARED' Arguing for the federal government, which was a respondent in the case, Sudhanshu Chauhan told the court that "religious education and religious instructions of a single religion cannot be included in school education and the state government has no power to create statutory education boards permitting religious education". He said the government was not planning to revive a federal policy stopped in March 2022 that had provided funds to madrasas to teach subjects like mathematics and science. Madrasa official Javed, national secretary of the BJP's minority wing, said that as a Muslim he is often caught between the priorities of his party and members of his community. He said he has been fielding numerous calls from fellow Muslims since Friday's order, which came during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. "Sometimes it becomes very difficult," he said. "I have to balance a lot because, being a Muslim, the party sends me to the community to convince them to vote for us and join the party. I am scared and I walk with personal security whenever I go to any public event or programme." The BJP's Tripathi responded that Muslim BJP leaders had no reason to fear because their community equally benefits from various government welfare programmes. "I am Hindu and I visit the Muslim community often and get good support from them," he said. "The fact is that the BJP and the government is very serious about education and it's doing its best." The BJP's de facto parent organisation has been installing Muslims loyal to it in leadership positions at India's Muslim universities as part of a push to garner Muslim votes. The Uttar Pradesh government halted a funding programme for madrasas in January, making 21,000 teachers jobless. Friday's order applies to all madrasas in the state, whether funded privately or by the government, Javed said. The court did not give a timeline for its order, but Javed said madrasas are unlikely to be closed right away. The northeastern state of Assam, also ruled by the BJP, has been converting hundreds of madrasas into conventional schools. (Reporting by Krishna N. Das in New Delhi; Editing by William Mallard) By Shivam Patel and Fayaz Bukhari NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR (Reuters) - Famed Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk, on a hunger strike to bring autonomy to the Himalayan region of Ladakh, said on Saturday he was weak as his fast stretches into its 18th day but he would continue for three more days as planned despite pleas from supporters to stop. Wangchuk's campaign seeks to highlight the damage to Ladakh's fragile ecology and glaciers by industrialisation as well as to protest what locals call encroachment by China. He is determined to complete a 21-day hunger strike although supporters have urged him to end it early fearing further deterioration of his health, Wangchuk told Reuters by phone. Even after it ends, local people and supporters will take it in turns to go on hunger strikes until he regains sufficient strength to fast again, he said. Wangchuk added that some 2,000 people had come to his protest site in the city of Leh to show their support on Saturday. Reuters was not immediately able to confirm those numbers. On Wednesday, thousands marched in the region's town of Kargil to demonstrate support. After the Buddhist enclave was carved out of the Jammu and Kashmir region in 2019 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, it lost what regional autonomy it had. Modi's party promised in the 2019 national elections that Ladakh would be added to the list of states recognised under the sixth schedule of the constitution, which would allow the creation of elected local bodies to protect tribal areas, but that has yet to happen. "Ladakh has no democracy," Wangchuk, 57, said in an earlier interview with Reuters this week, adding that if the region had elected representatives, laws could be made to protect the land and forests from industrial and mining interests. The federal interior ministry, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor's office and Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Talks on March 4 between the federal interior ministry and regional leaders about the local demands failed. "They have been rude and gave cold-shoulder responses," said Asgar Ali Karbalai, the co-chairman of the Kargil Democratic Alliance. The Indian Express reported this month that the government rejected demands for Ladakh autonomy, but offered to extend protections for local jobs and land and to address other concerns. Wangchuk said the federal government had recently "thrust" a 13-gigawatt renewable energy project on nomadic pastures in Ladakh without local consultation. "Ladakh is like a thermometer of the planet. So if it is destroyed ... it will be a global catastrophe," he said. Scientists have warned that glaciers in the Hindu-Kush Himalaya could lose up to 75% of their volume by the end of the century due to global warming, causing dangerous flooding and water shortages for 240 million people. Locals and nomadic tribes will march to the border with China on April 7 to highlight what they say has been the loss of land to Chinese encroachment and corporate interests, Wangchuk said. Local shepherds allege that China has taken over some of their grazing land and earlier this year some shepherds clashed with a Chinese Army patrolling unit. In 2018, Wangchuk received the Ramon Magsaysay Award, known as Asia's Nobel Prize, for his innovative, community-driven reforms in education for Ladakh. (Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi and Fayaz Bukhari in Srinagar; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) A prison inmate serving five years at Miamis Federal Correctional Institution may extend his stay four-fold after a judge hands down a sentence later this spring. The feds say Pedro Jose Collazo-Prieto, 26, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute while inside prison. The guilty plea, entered on March 21, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office, means Collazo-Prieto, who was scheduled for release in July 2026 on unrelated charges, may face up to 20 years in federal prison. He has a sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jose Martinez on May 31. According to prosecutors, correctional officers found Collazo-Prieto with more than 50 grams of cocaine, divided among 21 plastic baggies, and one larger, unsealed plastic bag, also containing cocaine during a routine search at the correctional institution. In addition to the cocaine, he was found with more than 17 grams of marijuana. Collazo-Prieto may have been undone by his urinalysis. The cold and dark brew he proffered didnt pass muster with the officers, according to a proffer filed with the Southern District of Florida court. The defendant failed his urinalysis by providing a sample that was cold and dark which, therefore, did not comply with the urinalysis requirements, the court document read. The simultaneous pat-down didnt help Collazo-Prieto. Officers found stamps, a form of currency in prison, on his person. A suspicious FCI captain ordered a visual search and thats when officers found the cocaine and marijuana. The defendant agrees that the quantity of the substances and the way in which they were packaged is inconsistent with personal use and is consistent with an intent to distribute the substances within FCI, the proffer said. Collazo-Prieto, his court-appointed attorney and Elizabeth Noonan-Pomada, the lead prosecutor, signed the factual statement, as well as his plea agreement. Prosecutors agreed to dismiss the other counts the marijuana possession in exchange for a guilty plea on the cocaine possession with intent to distribute charge. Former Army lieutenant colonel from Broward sentenced for possessing child pornography South Florida couple sold fentanyl to a mom whose infant died after eating it, feds say On her popular and sometimes controversial YouTube channel, Ruby Franke meticulously documented family life with her husband and six children for millions of followers. But newly released handwritten journals reveal that the Utah mommy blogger also obsessively documented the harrowing months-long abuse she inflicted on her two young children she believed were possessed by the devil. I will not feed a demon, Franke wrote in one July entry about her 12-year-old son. Prosecutors allege that in addition to starving her kids, Franke and her business partner shaved the kids heads, subjected them to manual labor in the desert heat while barefoot, doused them in dirty mop water, forced them to perform wall sits for hours, and denied them beds to sleep in. If you can engage a weak-minded soul in a physical activity of obedience you can begin to break the bond Satan made w/ the weak, Franke wrote in one journal entry. In another entry, Franke writes how she shaved her sons head after he refused to do any more work and started to cry. The next day, she wrote, the child tried to run away. I told [him] that he emulates a snake. He slithers and sneaks around looking for opportunities when no one is watching, the July 10 entry says. Franke continued to attack her son, writing that he is a compulsive liar and admitting that she never would have suspected the cold, dead heart [he] has. In an entry the next day, she wrote that it was a big day for evil before describing how she pushed her son into a poolwhile holding his nose and mouthto help him. In other entries, Franke describes her 10-year-old daughter as manipulative and how she forced her to stand in the rain for hours. She also wrote that she doused the little girl with dog wash water for complaining about not eating for days. Mommy Vlogger Blames Dark Delusion at Child Abuse Sentencing The abuse is among several new details revealed in a slew of records released by the Washington County Attorneys Office on Friday. The records also include police reports, crime scene videos, interrogation tapes, and body camera videos that showcased the child abuse investigation. The heavily redacted journal entries include a timeline of the abuse, as well as Frankes escalating plunge into a renegade sect of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The investigation found that religious extremism motivated Ms. Franke and Ms. Hildebrandt to inflict this horrific abuse, prosecutors said in a Friday statement. The women appeared to fully believe that the abuse they inflicted was necessary to teach the children how to properly repent for imagined sins and to cast the evil spirits out of their bodies. Franke, a 41-year-old mother of six known for her YouTube channel 8 Passengers, was sentenced to at least four years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of second-degree felony child abuse. Her business partner, 54-year-old mental health counselor Jodi Hildebrandt, was also sentenced to the same jail time for her role. At sentencing, Franke apologized to her children and said she was disoriented because she believed dark was light and right was wrong. For the past four years, Ive chosen to follow counsel and guidance that has led me into a dark delusion, Franke added. My distorted version of reality went largely unchecked as I would isolate from anyone who challenged me. The investigation into Franke began in August after her malnourished and bruised 12-year-old son escaped through a window and knocked on nearby homes until a neighbor answered. The boy then asked a neighbor to take him to the nearest police station. In a video, the boy is asked about the open wounds and lacerations on his ankles and wrists, which he says he got because of me. Later, the boy told investigators that Hildebrandt bound his arms and feet to weights on the ground and used honey and cayenne pepper mixture on his wounds. Authorities later found Frankes daughter inside an empty closet. Body-camera footage shows police spending four hours trying to coax the little girl out of the closet by offering to sit with her, bringing her pizza, and playing music. Since her arrest, Frankes husband, Kevin, has filed for divorce. In a police interview, he explained that he did not know what was happening to his youngest children because he had separated from Franke in July 2022 and moved out. Everything youre telling me just sounds like a made-up story, like, I have no idea what youre talking about, Kevin Franke said in the police interview. It sounds like a horror movie. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Instagram posts could lead police to more answers in a 2018 homicide case that left a man dead in front of a southeast Oklahoma City home. The case dates back to October 26, 2018, when 42-year-old Stephen Robertson was found shot to death outside a home near 4700 Clendon Way. The home sits near Southeast 48th Place and Clendon Way. | READ PAST STORY > Breaking overnight: homicide at Del City apartment > They believe that the shooters fired at Robertson, hit him, and then ran off. Documents say two male suspects were seen on several neighborhood cameras running back to 3700 48th Place and getting in a vehicle to escape. Ive lived in this neighborhood so long, I wish we could have had some answers sooner, said Manley Mahaffey, who lives a few houses down from where Robertson was killed. He said that he was there when the gunshots went off. I heard them from inside my house. I came outside when I saw the cops pull up, said Mahaffey. For years there have been no suspects arrested and there still arent. But recent court documents show that investigators have searched the social media accounts of two men who might be connected somehow according to the documents. In 2020, DNA evidence from a firearm sight found on the scene matched to DNA on file with the Oklahoma County Court System. That DNA was allegedly Aaron Henrys. Documents allege that Aaron posted several times on Instagram around the time of the shooting allegedly bragging about the crime itself. One post seemed to reference the crime and showed a picture of the Henrys, a pistol, and a caption that read, been sliding lately. | MORE LOCAL NEWS > Five tribes speak out against poultry bill to protect Oklahoma farmers > Aaron also posted a music video on YouTube to his channel that showed him holding what officials said was a loaded AR-15. Aaron is a felon and is not allowed to have a firearm. There is a warrant for his arrest due to the video posted. The video also seemed to be recorded a few blocks away from where Robertson was shot and killed. In the video, Aaron raps, We only three blocks away, and them n#$%s still aint split back. You n#$%s is tattletales, we pulled up to the 48th and started ringin bells. A clip from the music video being used by officials. {Oklahoma County Courts} As for Aaron, he has a warrant out of Oklahoma County for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The affidavit states that Aarons brother Zaccheaus was seen in the Instagram post,. Officials searched both of the mens Instagram accounts for the investigation. As of last check Aaron was taken from the Tarrant, Texas county jail and handed over to the U.S. Marshalls in January. No arrests have been made yet, but neighbors told KFOR that they hope some are. It has taken over five years? I really wish this could have been solved sooner, said Mahaffey. But Im happy that some answers are coming down. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. National Puppy Day is Saturday, March 23 and Boston police are asking for help naming their new comfort dog. The department posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) asking to vote on names. The new pup is a Fox Red Labrador Retriever and joined the world in December. Our newest recruit begins her training the same week as our latest class of recruits entered our police academy, the department wrote. The name options for the pup are: Cooper Faith Hope Trusty People can vote for the dogs name on X. The poll will run through early next week. In honor of National Puppy Day tomorrow, we need your help! The BPD is getting a brand-new comfort dog and we need help with her name! Take a look at her below and vote with your favorite option here! Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) March 22, 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. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Adene Sanchez / iStock.com When planning for an international trip, you may be aggressively budgeting for things like airfare, lodging, meals out and all the other essential and obvious expenses. But dont forget about one sneaky cost that could seem to hit from out of nowhere: an elevated cellphone bill. Data roaming charges can be astronomical and all too easy to rack up while abroad. Read Next: Dave Ramsey: 7 Vacation Splurges That Are a Waste of Money Check Out: How To Get $340 Per Year in Cash Back on Gas and Other Things You Already Buy Fortunately, there are ways to get ahead of this potentially surprising cost. Pre-trip preparation is key. Heres what to do. Sponsored: Owe the IRS $10K or more? Schedule a FREE consultation to see if you qualify for tax relief. Invest In a Pocket Wi-Fi Device If youre a frequent international traveler, its worth it to invest in your own pocket Wi-Fi device. I have a GlocalMe that I bought for around $100 on Amazon, and have used it in Japan, India and all over Europe, said Adeline Kuroki of Savor & Soak Travel Co. Once you own the device, you can log into your account and purchase a full monthly data plan, or just data for a week or two in different destinations for really reasonable rates. An added bonus to using a Wi-Fi device over an international plan on your phone is that you can connect other devices as well. Find Out: 8 Tips to Fly Business Class for the Price of Economy Or, Rent a Pocket Wi-Fi Device While Abroad If youre not traveling to other countries more than, say, a few times a year, consider renting one instead. The last time my husband and I were both in Japan, he rented a pocket Wi-Fi from a local company, Pupuru, and I used my GlocalMe, Kuroki said. For about the same price, the speed on his Pupuru device was much higher! The one downside with using a local company is that youre spending time at the airport picking it up, or having it sent to your first hotel, meaning you wont have it for your airport transfer. Story continues Get a Local SIM Card Once you reach your destination, it makes great sense to get a SIM card there. For decades now my first choice has been to get a local SIM at my destination, said Nicole (Nikki) Beauchamp, NYRS, associate broker at Sothebys International Realty. Thanks to technological advances there are also eSIM possibilities. Download Messaging Apps If you want to cut costs on your cellphone bill while traveling internationally, its crucial to download free messaging apps such as WhatsApp so that you can stay in touch with people all over the world without having to tap pricey SMS. Before your trip, make sure that both you and the people you wish to communicate with have multiple messaging apps installed, said Farhan Siraj, a frequent traveler and the CEO of OSHA Outreach Courses. This is because many countries have restrictions on certain messaging platforms, and having alternatives ensures that you can stay connected regardless of local regulations. These apps allow you to use data instead of SMS, which is much more expensive while using internationally. Video and voice calling through these apps are also much cheaper. Use Airplane Mode When You Dont Need To Text or Talk One of the biggest ways that I save money on cellphone costs is by turning my phone on airplane mode and hopping on Wi-Fi whenever feasible, said Brittany Betts, travel expert, Florida Panhandle. Cellphone companies do offer international texting now, but that can definitely get pricey. If you are looking to avoid this cost, Wi-Fi is your best bet to be able to still talk to others internationally. Other than that, keeping your phone on airplane mode prevents it from roaming freely and charging you for your international roam plus text. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Ways To Save on Cellphone Costs When Traveling Internationally Iran has made it no secret that it plans to invest heavily in artificial intelligence (AI) to help better its military capabilities, but Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is now turning to Irans private sector in a move he thinks will boost his crippling economy. On Sunday, Raisi met with private sector companies to announce Tehrans intent to invest in digital businesses. Raisi claimed the move would not only help develop Irans AI capabilities, but help achieve his goal to grow the economy by 8%, reported pro-government media outlet Tasnim News Agency. However, experts remain skeptical about whether the move will actually fix Irans economic woes and said they are more concerned by the abilities AI would grant Tehran when it comes to the battlefield. An Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicle, the Shahed-136, is being displayed at Azadi Square in western Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 11, 2024, during a rally to mark the 45th anniversary of the victory of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. IRANIAN THREATS TO US HAVE 'METASTASIZED' AS PROXIES EMPLOY TACTICS TARGETING HOMELAND: HOUSE HEARING Iran made headlines during the early months of Russias invasion of Ukraine when the White House accused it of "gifting" Moscow drones, and these deadly aerial weapons have continued to plague other areas like Yemen, Iraq and Syria where Iran-backed militia reside. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "Iran doesn't have endless access to certain technologies, even things like drone engines, because of sanctions. It's not always easy for them to build everything locally," Seth Frantzman, author of "Drone Wars: Pioneers, Killing Machine, Artificial Intelligence and the Battle for the Future" and adjunct fellow at The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Fox News Digital from Jerusalem. "But when it comes to AI, they do have access to computers. That's the kind of technology they can invest in because it's something that doesn't require you, necessarily, to import really complicated rocket engines. You can do it locally if you have a high-tech ecosystem," Frantzman added, noting Irans ability to leverage its access AI technologies. WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)? Irans move to bolster its military capabilities without relying on physical product imports not only increases Tehrans security standing in the international sector, but would further enable it to affordably back foreign actors, armed militia and designated terrorist organizations that are active security threats to the U.S. and its Western allies. Missiles and UAVs are shown with Israeli and American flags on the ground for the people on the side of the road in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 11, 2024. "They're looking to expand public/private partnerships to create platforms that would be more directly applicable or usable for the regime," Iran expert and senior fellow with the FDD, Behnam Ben Taleblu, told Fox News Digital. US MILITARY SHOOTS DOWN HOUTHI DRONE OVER THE RED SEA Taleblu said that while Tehran will also likely expand how it uses AI as a tool for digital repression, his chief concern is "how Iran will continue fighting on the cheap using AI." The Iran expert explained that Irans intent to integrate AI militarily with cruise missiles and drones, coupled with hacking campaigns and deepfakes to spread misinformation, gives some insight into the "mosaic of capabilities" that Tehran will attempt to employ against the international community. "Just as you see Iran as an asymmetric powerhouse in the Middle East today, if they layer on that AI component, they will likely continue punching above their weight," Taleblu warned. However, apart from the military threat that Iranian investment in AI poses, there are also geopolitical consequences, explained Frantzman. Protesters hold up their phones with flashlights lit during a protest in Warsaw, Poland on Oct. 17, 2022. Several hundred people gathered in front of the Iranian Embassy to protest the supply of loitering Shahed drones to Russia. "Investing in technology to increase [its] marketplacesseems to be a natural place that Iran would want to place its investments, because it can help Iran get around sanctions," he said. "It can also help knit the Iranian economy into the Chinese economy, Russia and all those countries that Iran is basically trying boost ties with." Both experts cautioned that Tehran, which already stands as a chief security concern to the U.S. in the Middle East, will only be able to expand the threat it poses to the West through the use of AI. "It would behoove us to take Iranian statements about an interest in AI seriously, given the immediate and quite clear military ramifications," Taleblu warned. Original article source: Iran looks to AI to weather Western sanctions, help military to fight 'on the cheap' IRVING, Texas - Despite an increased focus on bicycle and pedestrian safety in recent years, TxDOT says Texas roads are getting deadlier. Fatalities are up an alarming 30%. Numbers from TxDOT show Texas drivers killed 200 more people walking or cycling compared with five years ago. A 19-year-old is hoping his powerful story can help make drivers put their phones away. Hes on a mission to save lives after he nearly lost his own. On Jan. 13, 2011, Misael Rico was 6 years old walking on the sidewalk with his mother on an early release day from school in Irving. "A vehicle ran us over," he recalled. "The driver jumped the curb, running both me and my mother over. My mom, she was trapped with another vehicle. She broke her leg. I was under the four tires of the car." "I was looking for Misael. I did not feel pain in my leg because I was looking for my son," recalled his mom, Maria Espinoza. "My son was under the other car." "I vividly remember seeing someone reach in under the car taking me out. I passed out," Rico said. "Next time I opened my eyes, I was a different person." "The driver was texting and driving," Espinoza said. While he still has lifelong impacts from his injuries, Rico defied doctor's expectations after three months in a coma. "They said 80% of my brain was gone, that I was like a vegetable in a wheelchair for a long, long, long time," he said. "I have many brain injuries. I have double vision. But at least I can see, am I right?" 2011 Family Photo After seeing a series of deadly crashes in the news, at age 12, Rico told his mom he wanted to be part of the solution. That year, there were 675 pedestrians or cyclists killed in Texas. Five years later, the number jumped to 919. "You want to do something," Espinoza said. "Pledge to drive safe today. Not tomorrow. Today." Now, TxDOT is sharing Ricos story along with a walking billboard campaign. The campaign along Buckner Boulevard in Dallas Friday urged drivers to pay attention and yield to pedestrians. "A life is priceless," Rico said. "But a text isn't." Nov. 7, 2000, was the last day that no one died in a car crash on Texas roads. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) The Illinois State Board of Education is trying to help schools teach computer science, and the state is facilitating that with a $3 million grant. The Board of Education launched on Thursday the competitive Computer Science Equity Grant, with the aim of bridging the digital divide and helping students learn tech literacy. As a part of an Illinois law signed into effect in 2021, every Illinois high school student is required to have the opportunity to enroll in at least one computer science course, with literacy requirements for each grade. Champaign school board holds special meeting to discuss board vacancies following new resignation Computer science education is foundational to preparing students for success in the 21st century workforce, said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders. Closing gaps in access to high-paying, in-demand technology careers starts with equitable access to computer science and computer literacy education. Whether or not students choose to pursue careers in technology, computer science education will equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven world. Some of the goals of the Computer Science Equity Grant include expanding learning opportunities, providing professional development for K-12 teachers and equipping classrooms with necessary materials for computer science instruction. The Regional Offices of Education, Intermediate Service Centers, state institutions of higher education, charter schools and school districts are all eligible to apply for the grant. Proposals aiming to serve populations underrepresented in the computer science labor market and schools or districts lacking accessible computer science coursework will be prioritized for funding. State senators join fight against changes to Central IL post offices For far too long, students across Illinois have not had equal access to opportunities to prepare them for our changing world, State Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) said. This grant builds on the progress we have made to close systemic inequities by ensuring we are supporting school districts in developing or enhancing their computer science programs, as well as supporting the expansion of opportunities for students in all grades to gain computer literacy skills in an equity-driven way. Anyone interested in the applying can visit ISBEs website for more information. All proposals must be submitted by 5 p.m. on April 4. Grant awards can range from $10,000 to $330,000 per year. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. WASHINGTON- The U.S. has intelligence confirming Islamic State's claim of responsibility for a deadly shooting attack at a concert near Moscow on Friday, a U.S. official told Reuters. Here is information about the Islamic State's Afghan branch known as ISIS-K and their motives for attacking Russia: What is ISIS-K? Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), named after an old term for the region that included parts of Iran, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, emerged in eastern Afghanistan in late 2014 and quickly established a reputation for extreme brutality. One of the most active regional affiliates of the Islamic State militant group, ISIS-K has seen its membership decline since peaking around 2018. The Taliban and U.S. forces inflicted heavy losses. But the United States sees the group as an ongoing threat. General Michael Kurilla, the commander of U.S. Central Command, told Congress last March that ISIS-K was quickly developing the ability to conduct "external operations" in Europe and Asia. He predicted it would be able to attack U.S. and Western interests outside Afghanistan "in as little as six months and with little to no warning." A view shows the burning Crocus City Hall concert hall following the shooting incident in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow, on March 22, 2024. Gunmen opened fire at a concert hall in a Moscow suburb on March 22, 2024 leaving dead and wounded before a major fire spread through the building, Moscow's mayor and Russian news agencies reported. Attacks within the U.S. itself were less likely, he said. The United States has said its ability to develop intelligence against extremist groups in Afghanistan such as ISIS-K has been reduced since the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country in 2021. The U.S. military has said it can see the "broad contours" of an impending attack, but does not have the specific detail it did previously. What attacks has ISIS-K carried out? ISIS-K has a history of attacks, including against mosques, inside and outside Afghanistan. Earlier this year, the U.S. intercepted communications confirming the group carried out twin bombings in Iran that killed nearly 100 people. In September 2022, ISIS-K militants claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing at the Russian embassy in Kabul. The group was also responsible for an attack on Kabul's international airport in 2021 that killed 13 U.S. troops and scores of civilians during the chaotic U.S. evacuation from the country. Why would they attack Russia? While the attack by ISIS-K in Russia on Friday was a dramatic escalation, experts said the group has opposed Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent years. "ISIS-K has been fixated on Russia for the past two years, frequently criticizing Putin in its propaganda," said Colin Clarke of Soufan Center, a New York-based research group. Michael Kugelman of the Washington-based Wilson Center said ISIS-K "sees Russia as being complicit in activities that regularly oppress Muslims." He added that the group also counts as members a number of Central Asian militants with their own grievances against Moscow. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is ISIS-K, the group that attacked a concert hall in Russia? The four men wear black baseball caps and as they point to the sky in a gesture relating to belief in one god - UNPIXS Islamic State published a photo of the four attackers it said had dealt a strong blow to Russia with a bloody attack on Saturday, in a post detailing how it planned and conducted the assault on a Moscow concert hall that claimed more than 130 lives. In the picture, which was released on Islamic States official news agency Amaq, the four men are wearing black baseball caps and face scarfs and are pointing to the sky with one finger. The gesture has become associated with Islamic State and refers to the Muslim belief that there is only one god. In the background is an Islamic State poster with the groups name in black and white. The men carried out an intensive monitoring operation before the attack, according to the statement. They were armed with machine guns, knives and bombs and sought to inflict as much damage as possible on the large crowd of Christians. Russian media reported that the attack suspects were from Tajikistan, a Muslim Central Asian country formerly part of the Soviet Union that borders Afghanistan, where Islamic State is active. Islamic State claimed that the attack killed or injured at least 300 people in total. It said the motive was the raging war between the Islamic State and countries fighting Islam. Although the Telegram post did not attribute the attack to a specific branch of IS, the US believes it was conducted by members of the Islamic State-Khorasan, or IS-K. American security sources, including a senior counterterrorism official, have confirmed as such to the New York Times. A Kalashnikov assault rifle lies on the ground in the aftermath of the vicious attack IS-K is an offshoot of the terror group active in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. Earlier this month, the top US general in the Middle East said IS-K could attack US and Western interests outside of Afghanistan in as little as six months and with little to no warning. Just weeks ago, the US embassy in Moscow issued a warning of a potential terror attack by extremists, advising US citizens to avoid large gatherings, including concerts. By Saturday, US officials were privately admitting the alert had been partially based on recent intelligence indicating the IS-K branch of the terror group was active inside Russia. The US also warned that it had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow potentially targeting large gatherings, to include concerts. It linked that intelligence to IS-K. What is IS-K? IS-K is named after an old term for the Khorasan region that included parts of Iran, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. It emerged in eastern Afghanistan in late 2014 and quickly established a reputation for extreme brutality. In its earliest days, the group had wide-ranging priorities, including toppling the Pakistani government, punishing the Iranian government for supporting the Shia Muslim world, and to purify Afghanistan, including by pushing out the Taliban as the main jihadi movement, according to the Wilson Center, a US think tank. The groups priorities have expanded in recent years to include the US government. One of the most active regional affiliates of the IS militant group, IS-K has seen its membership decline since peaking around 2018. The Taliban and US forces inflicted heavy losses. The US government has said its ability to develop intelligence against extremist groups in Afghanistan such as IS-K has been reduced since the withdrawal of US troops from the country in 2021. An image from video shows windows blown out after a bomb explosion inside a mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif province, Afghanistan, in 2022, blamed on IS-K. An image from video shows windows blown out after a bomb explosion inside a mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif province, Afghanistan, in 2022, blamed on Islamic State Khorasan. - AP What attacks has IS-K carried out? IS-K has a history of attacks, including against mosques, inside and outside Afghanistan. Earlier this year, the US intercepted communications confirming the group carried out twin bombings in Iran that killed nearly 100 people. IS-K posted at the time on its official Telegram account that it was indeed behind a bombing in Iran during a memorial procession for Qassem Soleimani, the revered Iranian commander killed in a US drone strike in 2020. Iran described it as the worst attack it had experienced in decades. In September 2022, IS-K militants claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing at the Russian embassy in Kabul. The group was also responsible for a massive attack on Kabuls international airport in 2021 that killed 13 US troops and scores of civilians during the chaotic Western evacuation from the country. Other previous attacks in Kabul have included a 2019 wedding reception, killing more than 60 and injuring 180 and a maternity ward the following year, killing 24 civilians, according to the US office of the director of national intelligence. Before the US withdrew from Afghanistan, IS-K targeted American military personnel. After the US drawdown in 2021, it has become more difficult for Washington to gather intelligence about the group. Why would IS-K attack Russia? Islamic State-Khorasan, or IS-K, is based in Afghanistan and has in recent years focused much ire on Russia, which it blames for killing Muslims given Moscows interventions in Afghanistan, Syria and Chechnya. While the attack by IS-K in Russia on Friday was a dramatic escalation, experts said the group has opposed Putin in recent years. IS-K has been fixated on Russia for the past two years, frequently criticising President Vladimir V. Putin in its propaganda, said Colin P. Clarke, a counterterrorism analyst at the Soufan Group, a security consulting firm based in New York. IS-K accuses the Kremlin of having Muslim blood in its hands, referencing Moscows interventions in Afghanistan, Chechnya and Syria. Michael Kugelman of the Washington-based Wilson Center said that IS-K sees Russia as being complicit in activities that regularly oppress Muslims. He added that the group also counts as members a number of Central Asian militants with their own grievances against Moscow. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack on the Moscow concert hall Friday that left 115 people dead and over 100 civilians injured. The group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement Friday evening shared by SITE, an intelligence group. Russias Health Ministry released a list of 145 people injured, The Associated Press reported earlier Friday. The U.S. collected intelligence that Islamic State-Khorasan, also known as ISIS-K, a branch based in Afghanistan has been planning an attack on Russias capital city, Moscow, according to The New York Times, citing one U.S. official. The Islamic State has been wanting to ramp up attacks, per U.S. counterterrorism officials, cited by The Times. Video footage from the Crocus City Hall music venue showed at least three gunmen, dressed in camouflage clothing, shooting at people with automatic weapons. They also unleashed explosives during the attack, which caused collapsing of the roof as flames poured over the building. Russian rock band Picnic was set to perform at the venue, which can hold over 6,000 listeners. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been briefed on the shooting, according to AP. At least 115 people were hospitalized from the attack, including five children, while several were treated and released, said Russian Minister of Health, Mikhail Murashko, according to The Times. Sixty adult patients are in critical condition, according to Murashko. Over 50 ambulances, along with firefighters and law enforcement, were sent to the scene. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the attack was a huge tragedy and is being currently investigated, per AP. White House spokesperson John Kirby said the footage is hard to watch, but added there was no evidence of Ukraine being involved in the attack. The images are just horrible. Just hard to watch, and our thoughts obviously are going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack, Kirby said Friday. No indication at this time that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved in the shooting. Updated at 9:43 a.m. EST. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Islamic State released on March 23 a photo of what it claims are four attackers involved in a shooting near Moscow, Reuters reported, citing the Amaq News Agency affiliated with the terrorist group. Several gunmen opened fire at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, northwest of Moscow, on the evening of March 22, killing 133 people and injuring at least 140, according to the latest updates by the Russian authorities. "The attack comes within the context of a raging war between the Islamic State and countries fighting Islam," Amaq said. The Islamic State previously claimed responsibility for the attack in a post on Telegram. The terrorist group has in the past claimed to be responsible for attacks it did not carry out. U.S. intelligence officials, however, confirmed the claim shortly after the post. According to the Kremlin, a total of 11 people involved in the shooting have been detained, four of whom were called "the perpetrators." A photo published by Amaq shows four men with covered faces, making their reliable identification difficult. Russian independent investigative outlet The Independent noted that the clothes of some of the men seem to match those of alleged perpetrators detained by Russian security services, based on the footage that appeared on Telegram. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims. Read also: Putin seeking to blame Ukraine for Moscow shooting, despite ISIS taking responsibility Despite the Islamic State claiming responsibility for the attack, Russian officials are attempting to connect it to Kyiv without providing any evidence. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the detained suspects planned to flee to Ukraine. Andrii Yusov, a spokesperson of Ukraine's military intelligence agency, denied Russia's claims that seek to accuse Ukraine of involvement in the shooting. "The version that the perpetrators of the terrorist attack were fleeing toward Ukraine does not withstand any criticism," he said on national television. Ahead of the attack, the U.S. Embassy in Russia issued a warning on March 7 that "extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow" and urged American citizens to stay away from crowded areas and venues over the next 48 hours. The U.K., Canada, Germany, and several other countries published similar statements soon after. Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) called the shooting a "deliberate provocation by Putin's special services." HUR claimed the attack was intended to justify "even tougher" strikes on Ukraine and total mobilization in Russia. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Congress included a measure to block funding to a controversial United Nations agency that is under investigation for alleged ties to Hamas. Israel praised the move to prevent funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as part of the spending bill passed early Saturday morning. "The historic ban on U.S. funding to UNRWA that passed today with overwhelming bipartisan support, demonstrates what we knew all along: UNRWA is part of the problem and can not be part of the solution," Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote in a post on social media platform X, adding a plea for other nations to follow suit. "UNRWA will not be a part of Gazas landscape in the aftermath of Hamas," Katz wrote. "Thousands of UNRWA employees are involved in Hamas terror activities, and their facilities were used for terrorist purposes.", UNRWA suffered a debilitating budget freeze after allegations surfaced in January that at least 12 of its employees had ties to and assisted Hamas during the October 7 attack on Israel. The U.S. first cut funding based on information Israel had shared, followed by several other major allies, and UNRWA fired the 12 employees named in the allegations. SENATE PASSES MAMMOTH $1.2T SPENDING PACKAGE AFTER BRIEF PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Some nations, such as Canada and Sweden, resumed funding based on their own preliminary reviews, but the U.S. doubled down on its commitment to keep UNRWA at a distance with a new provision included in the $1.2 trillion government spending bill passed on Friday night in the House and approved in the Senate on Saturday. The bill included a ban on funding for UNRWA for the remainder of calendar year 2024 and blocks any funding until March 25, 2025. "Notwithstanding any other provision of any other division of this Act, funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act or other Acts making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs, including provisions of Acts providing supplemental appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs, may not be used for a contribution, grant, or other payment to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency," the item states. WHY MIDEAST NEIGHBORS WON'T OFFER REFUGE TO PALESTINIANS STUCK IN GAZA WAR ZONE UNRWA earlier this week argued in a statement that the funding cut will "undermine the effort to assist Gazans and potentially further weaken regional stability." Hamas terrorists kidnap a bloodied Israel woman into the Gaza Strip. The bill does, however, set aside $175 million in funds for other humanitarian projects in the West Bank and Gaza, which will be distributed through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), according to The Times of Israel. The funds remain subject to severe scrutiny of spending and dispersal and subsequent review in order to avoid diversion to Hamas or other terrorist and extremist entities in the Palestinian territories. HOUSE REPUBLICANS SLAM $200 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR NEW FBI HQ The U.S. is also pursuing President Bidens plan to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean Sea to provide a maritime corridor for humanitarian aid delivery. The first vessel carrying equipment necessary to build the pier departed from Cyprus on March 10, The Military Times reported. The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. UNRWA remains under two investigations to determine the full extent of its alleged ties to Hamas, which Israeli intelligence alleges run so deep that it includes hundreds if not thousands of UNRWA employees with ties to the terrorist organization. The United Nations investigation, carried out by its Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), will publish its findings in April, but an interim report provided to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres provided information that led some nations to reverse their funding freeze for the agency. Another, independent review carried out by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna commenced following the allegations against the UNRWA employees, specifically citing concerns that UNRWA was not maintaining its neutrality policy. Colonnas group issued an interim report on March 20, 2024, with a completed report expected exactly one month later. The interim report claimed that URNWA has "a significant number of mechanisms and procedures to ensure compliance with the Humanitarian Principle of neutrality, and the group has also identified critical areas that still need to be addressed." Original article source: Israel lauds Congress' blow to UN agency with alleged Hamas ties as investigations continue FILE PHOTO: Israeli raid at Al Shifa hospital and the area around it, in Gaza City FILE PHOTO: Israeli raid at Al Shifa hospital and the area around it, in Gaza City By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Bassam Masoud CAIRO/GAZA (Reuters) -Fighting raged on Saturday around Gaza's main hospital where Israel says it has so far killed more than 170 gunmen in an extensive raid, which the Palestinian Health Ministry says has also resulted in the deaths of five patients. The armed wing of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad said their fighters were engaged in battles with the Israeli forces outside and around the vicinity of Al Shifa hospital in Gaza City. Hamas denies any presence inside the facility. Israeli troops stormed Al Shifa in the early hours of Monday and have been combing through the sprawling complex, which the military says is connected to a tunnel network used as a base for Hamas and other Palestinian fighters. The Gaza health ministry said five wounded Palestinians "besieged" inside Al Shifa died as a result of being denied proper care, water and food for the past six days and that the condition of other injured patients was deteriorating. Israel's military, which has lost two soldiers in combat at the hospital, says it is preventing harm to civilians, patients and medical staff there and providing them with food, water and adequate access to healthcare. Reuters has been unable to access the hospital and verify either account. Al Shifa, the Gaza Strip's biggest hospital before the war, is now one of the few healthcare facilities even partially operational in the north of the territory, and had also been housing displaced civilians. Residents living nearby said Israeli forces blew up dozens of houses and apartments in the streets around the hospital and bulldozed roads. They said the nearby private Al-Helo Hospital was also hit by the army. The Hamas-run Gaza government media office said Israeli tanks hit several buildings at Al Shifa Hospital and set fire to a surgery department and that around 240 patients and their companions as well as dozens of healthcare staff had been detained. The Israeli military said that more than 350 Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants have so far been detained at the hospital and a total of 800 people have been questioned. HAMAS DENIES ARMED PRESENCE In recent days, Hamas spokespeople have said that the dead announced in previous Israeli statements were not fighters but patients and displaced people. Israel faced heavy criticism last November when troops first raided the hospital. The troops uncovered tunnels there, which they said had been used as command and control centres by Hamas. Israeli forces shot and killed Palestinian pharmacologist Mohammad Al-Nono outside Al Shifa hospital after they ordered him to evacuate, along with some colleagues, his family said. A member of the family said they learned about his death from other doctors. The Israeli military had no immediate comment. Nono is the brother of Taher Al-Nono, who serves as the media adviser to Hamas's political chief Ismail Haniyeh. Hamas media said 19 Palestinians were killed in Gaza City on Saturday and several others wounded at the Kuwait roundabout while they waited for aid trucks. "We survived death, they shot at us, there are many martyrs, there are many injured, we almost died to get our children a bite to eat," said Alaa al-Khoudary, a resident of Gaza City who had just returned from the Kuwait roundabout carrying a bag of aid. The Israeli military said the incident was being investigated, but "preliminary findings have determined that there was no aerial strike against the convoy, nor were there incidents found of IDF forces firing at the people at the aid convoy." "The IDF facilitated an aid convoy to deliver food to people in Northern Gaza. Upon its approach to the designated distribution point, the convoy was intercepted and looted by hundreds of Gazans, north of the humanitarian corridor," the Israeli military statement said. In Rafah, where over a million people have been sheltering, health officials said an Israeli air strike on a house killed eight people and wounded others. The Israeli military said it killed at least 20 gunmen in air strikes and close-encounter combat in central Gaza and in the southern area of Khan Younis. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing on Saturday. It was time for Israel to give an "ironclad commitment" for unfettered access to humanitarian goods throughout Gaza, said Guterres, who also called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Separately, the armed wing of Hamas said in a statement on Saturday that a 34-year-old Israeli hostage had died due to "lack of medicine and food". Israel said last month it had pronounced dead 31 of the more than 100 remaining hostages in Gaza. More than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip, according to health authorities in the Hamas-ruled enclave. The war was triggered when Hamas fighters crossed into southern Israel on a rampage on Oct.7, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. (Additional reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem; Editing by Frances Kerry, Christina Fincher and Daniel Wallis) Supporters of the Israeli hostages are increasingly unhappy with Netanyahu - Oded Balilty/AP Families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza have penned a letter to Joe Biden, urging him to push Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, to agree to a ceasefire deal. We encourage you to use the means available to you, to press and convince all parties, including the Israeli prime minister, to agree to the deal that you assess is reasonable, reads the letter sent to the US President by nearly 600 relatives of the 81 Israelis who remain hostages. The letter also said the hostages relatives were increasingly frustrated and concerned about Mr Netanyahus handling of the situation and commitment to the hostage release cause. They are suffering physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, hunger and an immediate risk to their lives, the letter reads. They are dying with every passing hour and day. Family members of 81 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza sent a letter to President Biden calling him "to use the means available to you, to press and convince all parties, including the Israeli Prime Minister, to agree to the deal that you assess is reasonable" pic.twitter.com/VaArxOkOJF Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) March 22, 2024 As the Israel-Hamas war rages on to nearly six months, people whose loved ones were taken as hostages on Oct 7 when a devastating Hamas terrorist attack sparked conflict have been living in agony. By urging Mr Biden to press Mr Netanyahu, the letter reflects growing dissatisfaction with the Israeli prime ministers handling of the war. Families of hostages have for many months tried to keep their message apolitical, in order to have a wide base of public support. But as war continues, doubts have grown over which outcome dominates Mr Netanyhus priority list eradicating Hamas or bringing home hostages. Some hostages were released late last year during a week-long truce, though many others remained under Hamass control. Contentious talks in Doha The letter comes as officials from Israel, Qatar, Egypt and the US meet in Doha to continue negotiations for a ceasefire deal. Ongoing talks between Israel and Hamas have been contentious, and have not yet produced a second or more lasting ceasefire as the two sides have stuck to their conflicting demands. Israel has called for the release of all remaining hostages before a truce, while Hamas has said that a truce must be reached before the release of any hostages. Meanwhile, Israel has vocalised plans to bombard Rafah, in southern Gaza, the last remaining enclave where millions of Palestinians have sought shelter after Israeli military attacks pushed them from the north part of the Strip to the south. World leaders and aid organisations have urged Israel to hold fire on Rafah, to avoid making an already-catastrophic humanitarian disaster worse. Many nations have urged the US, Israels staunchest ally, to press Mr Netanyahu to back off on Rafah. 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. Ben Shapiro says Social Security wasn't meant to provide benefits for 20+ years, thinks retirement is 'stupid' Americans can start receiving their Social Security retirement benefit as early as age 62. But should they? According to lawyer and political commentator Ben Shapiro on an episode of The Ben Shapiro Show, its insane that the U.S. hasnt raised the official retirement age. [President] Joe Biden has technically been eligible for Social Security and Medicare for 16 years, and he wants to continue in office until he is 86, which is 19 years past when you would be eligible for retirement, Shapiro says. Dont miss Commercial real estate has beaten the stock market for 25 years but only the super rich could buy in. Here's how even ordinary investors can become the landlord of Walmart, Whole Foods or Kroger Cost-of-living in America is still out of control use these 3 'real assets' to protect your wealth today, no matter what the US Fed does or says These 5 magic money moves will boost you up America's net worth ladder in 2024 and you can complete each step within minutes. Here's how Rather than raise the retirement age, however, Bidens 2025 budget calls for raising taxes on high-earners to pay for Social Security and Medicare (and prevent a shortfall). But Shapiro says there arent enough high-income taxpayers for that. Frankly, I think retirement itself is a stupid idea unless you have some sort of health problem, he says, adding that, once you lose your purpose in life, things go to hell in a handbasket real quick. But aside from that, Shapiro argues that raising the retirement age makes sense on a fiscal level. Is he right? Should the retirement age be raised? According to Shapiro, theres a straightforward reason the retirement age should be raised: average life expectancy has increased in the last few decades. Back in 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt established 65 as the official retirement age under the newly established Social Security Act. At the time, the average life expectancy in the U.S. was 60.7 years so, the average American would have been lucky to even reach retirement. Story continues Today, the average life expectancy is closer to 80 with 76.4 years being the national average. While you can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefit as of 62, you wont receive your full benefit until you reach your full retirement age, as defined by the Social Security Administration (SSA). You can start receiving Medicare at age 65. However, the idea that you can work for 45 years and then receive Social Security benefits sufficient enough to support yourself for another 20-plus years is not fiscally sustainable, Shapiro believes. Not only that, but its probably not going to be enough to live on at least not comfortably. The average monthly Social Security check is $1,907, according to the SSA. Over the course of a year, that isnt much higher than the federal poverty level, which currently sits at $15,060 for individuals. Read more: Generating 'passive income' through real estate is the biggest myth in investing heres how you can do it in as little as 5 minutes Savvy ways to stretch your retirement savings If you want to live out your golden years in relative comfort, you wont want to rely solely on Social Security benefits. Rather, take charge of building your nest egg the earlier you start, the better, since you can benefit from compound interest. For example, max out any tax-advantaged accounts, like 401(k)s and IRAs, and take advantage of employer matching. If youre self-employed, you still have options, such as the solo 401(k) and SEP IRA. And if youre 50+, you can take advantage of catch-up contributions of up to $7,500 for 401(k), 403(b) and most 457 plans. You can also stretch your retirement income by choosing to retire at age 70. Youll receive 100% of your benefits at your full retirement age, which is 67 for anyone born after 1960. However, for each year that you postpone the collection of your benefit, up until you turn 70, youll receive delayed-retirement credits. That adds up to a permanent bump in your payout by 8% per year, for each year you wait, until age 70. (If you were born before 1943, that credit decreases, depending on your year of birth.) Whether you retire and live on less say, selling your three-bedroom home and moving into a condo, or relocating to a less expensive state you could also keep working if youre willing and able. That means youd still be receiving a paycheck to cover expenses while continuing to contribute to your retirement accounts. It doesnt mean you have to stay in the same job indefinitely. Perhaps you can pursue a second career in something youre passionate about. You could also consider part-time work, so you dont have to put in full-time hours and you wont have to dip into your nest egg, either. What to read next Rich young Americans have lost confidence in the stock market and are betting on these 3 assets instead. Get in now for strong long-term tailwinds Car insurance rates have spiked in the US to a stunning $2,150/year but you can be smarter than that. Here's how you can save yourself as much as $820 annually in minutes (it's 100% free) Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now use $100 to cash in on prime real estate without the headache of being a landlord. Here's how This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Russian forces are exploiting Ukraine's air defense shortages to launch a renewed assault that aims to destroy the country's energy grid, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote in their March 22 report. The Russian military targeted over 130 energy infrastructure facilities across Ukraine overnight on March 21-22 in a massive drone and missile attack. The attack struck Ukraine's largest hydroelectric station, the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant, and dozens of other facilities. The attacks represented "the largest series of combined drone and missile strikes targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure since the start of the full-scale invasion," the ISW said. Russian attacks against Ukraine's power grid in winter of 2022 destroyed half the country's energy infrastructure. Ukraine braced itself for another winter of Russian assaults on the grid, but Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at the end of January 2024 that Ukraine's energy sector was stable. The massive aerial attack on March 22 indicates that Russia may not have given up on the goal of disrupting Ukraine's power grid. "Russian strikes on energy infrastructure in early Spring 2024 likely aim to collapse the energy grid in part to stall Ukrainian efforts to rapidly expand its (defense-industrial base)," the ISW said. Critical shortages in Kyiv's air defense missile systems also offer the Russian military another chance to disrupt the grid. The Washington Post reported on March 15 that the shortage may soon force Ukraine to adjust its strategy regarding Russian attacks, shooting down only one out of every five missiles. The ISW said Russian forces will likely exploit this window of opportunity as long as the shortages last. "Russian forces failed to collapse the Ukrainian energy grid on March 22 but may aim to continue intensified strikes on energy infrastructure in subsequent strike series, especially to capitalize on continued delays in Western security assistance that are reportedly expected to significantly constrain Ukraine's air defense umbrella," analysts said. Ukraine's ability to replenish its missiles stocks relies on the continued flow of U.S. aid, which has been stalled in a congressional deadlock for six months. Read also: With arrival of spring, a look at Russias winter strikes on Kyiv Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Pianist Maurizio Pollini presents his award in the category 'Instrumentalist/Piano' at the 'Echo-Klassik' classical music award ceremony in Hamburg, Germany. Internationally renowned Italian pianist and conductor Pollini has died at the age of 82, the Teatro alla Scala opera house in his native Milan said on 23 March. picture alliance / Axel Heimken/dpa Internationally renowned Italian pianist and conductor Maurizio Pollini has died at the age of 82, the Teatro alla Scala opera house in his native Milan said on Saturday. The Scala was mourning "one of the great musicians of our time," it said. Pollini, whose repertoire stretched across the major piano works of classical music to contemporary music, had his breakthrough at the age of 18, winning Warsaw's renowned international Chopin Piano Competition in 1960 which is dedicated to the works of the Polish composer. The head of the jury at the time, piano legend Arthur Rubinstein, praised Pollini, saying he "plays the piano better than any of us." The Italian later honed his skills studying with Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, another great pianist, further helping him build a global career. Critics called his style unsentimental and intense, perfect and unique, clear and brilliant. Piano concertos, sonatas and ballads by Frederic Chopin, Franz Schubert and Ludwig van Beethoven, solo or accompanied by an orchestra made up the core of Pollini's work. Over the decades, he expanded his programme to include contemporary music including by Luigi Nono, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Pierre Boulez. Pollini also played concerts at gymnasiums and factory halls. In 1976, he was voted the "best pianist in the world" in a critics' poll. Over the decades, he has performed no fewer than 168 times at La Scala, the world famous opera hall in his native Milan, where he gave his final performance in February last year. While some critics sometimes lamented a lack of intensity and dramatic suspense, Pollini always managed to set new impulses. Over the decades, he received numerous prizes, including the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize and the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra) for a Chopin performance. Maurizio Pollini pictured being honoured at the Praemium Imperiale awards in Tokyo in 2010 (TORU YAMANAKA) Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini, a virtuoso of Chopin and Beethoven who enjoyed a decades-long collaboration with La Scala, died Saturday age 82, the Milan opera house announced. He had been in poor health in recent years and obliged to cancel some concerts. La Scala called the pianist "one of the great musicians of our time and a fundamental reference in the artistic life of the theatre for over 50 years". From 1958 to his last recital in February 2023, Pollini played La Scala 168 times, it said, not including countless workshops with students and conferences. "Pollini was an interpreter capable of revolutionising the perception of composers such as Chopin, Debussy and Beethoven himself, and of promoting ... listening to the historical avant-gardes, above all Schonberg, and the music of today," said La Scala. Born January 5, 1942 in Milan into a family of artists, Pollini stormed the classical music scene in 1960 where, aged 18 and the youngest person in the contest, he won the Warsaw Chopin Competition. Arthur Rubinstein, president of the jury, was famously to have said that the young prodigy "already plays better than any of us". Half a century later Pollini corrected Rubinstein's quote, saying "I played 'technically' better than any member of the jury." "I always thought he said that to make fun of the colleagues on the jury. Someone doctored that statement by removing the 'technically' and it became an exaggerated compliment," Pollini said in a 2014 documentary. Instead of embarking straight onto the concert scene, Pollini put his career on hold to study, explaining that performing right away would have been "a little premature for me". "I wanted to study, get to know the repertoire better, play the music of Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms..." he said. He gradually extended his repertoire to include contemporary music, in particular that of Pierre Boulez and Luigi Nono, with whom he became close friends. He also collaborated with conductors from Riccardo Muti to Daniel Barenboim and Riccardo Chailly. - Beethoven to Brahms - In the late 60s, Pollini participated in improvised concerts in factories and programmes for students and workers at La Scala, conducted by his friend Claudio Abbado. Pollini made his first American tour in 1968. From the 1970s to the 90s, he made a string of recordings with the prestigious Deutsche Grammophon label, while maturing into an acclaimed interpreter of Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Schumann, Franz Schubert and Johannes Brahms. Pollinis albums earned numerous awards, including a Grammy in 2007 for best instrumental soloist performance (without orchestra) for Chopin: Nocturnes. He is survived by wife Marilisa and son Daniele, himself an accomplished pianist and conductor, under whom Pollini sometimes performed and recorded. ot-ams/bp Blake Lively has apologised for her 'Photoshop fails' post about the Princess of Wales - Taylor Hill/Getty Images Blake Lively is among celebrities who have been upbraided for mocking the Princess of Wales in the weeks before she announced she had been diagnosed with cancer. The American actress, 36, made a Photoshop jibe, alluding to the Princesss absence from public life, when she launched her new drinks range earlier this month. Lively posted an intentionally edited picture of herself to her 44.7 million Instagram followers, writing in the caption: Im so excited to share this new photo I just took today to announce our four new Betty Buzz and Betty Booze products! Now you know why Ive been MIA. The Gossip Girl actress has since deleted the post and apologised for the silly joke, saying: Im sure no one cares today but I feel like I have to acknowledge this. I made a silly post around the Photoshop fails frenzy, and oh man, that post has me mortified today. Im sorry. Sending love and well wishes to all, always. The social media furore around the Princesss whereabouts, well-being and domestic life reached a fever pitch following her release of a Mothering Sunday picture of herself and her three children and her subsequent apology for editing it. Jamie Lee Curtis defended the Princess from her attackers before she revealed her diagnosis - Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images A few US celebrities weighed in with jokes amid the surge in online speculation, including by the social media star Kim Kardashian, who published a series of photos to her 364 million followers on Instagram with the caption: On my way to find Kate. The post, which at the time of writing is still on her page, received an immediate backlash after the Princess announced in a personal video message on Friday that she has been undergoing preventative chemotherapy since late February. How do you feel now its been announced she has cancer? one follower asked on Kardashians post, with another weighing in writing: This didnt age well. You never know what someone is battling. Owen Jones was among more high-profile people to apologise on Saturday following the Princesss health revelation. The Left-wing activist and journalist wrote on X, formerly Twitter: As someone who speculated on this without considering it could be a serious health condition, Im very ashamed to be honest, and all the very best to her. He had previously publicly said that he was fully on board the Kate Middleton truther train, which is a reference to the online sleuths who started conspiracies about her whereabouts and condition. The Princesss revelation sparked an outpouring of support and well wishes from around the world and has prompted a fierce outcry at some of the nasty conspiracy theories propagated during her absence from public life. On Saturday, Hollywood star Jamie Lee Curtis called for people to stop peddling conspiracy theories about the Princess, saying: Can we please just STOP with this bull---t conspiracy theory? This is a human being with young children, and clearly some sort of health issue. That is a private matter. Do we not have better things to do and more important things to think about and be concerned about than this? Its a really low point in our society when there are SO MANY crucial issues that need our attention. Davina McCall is among media figures calling for respect for the Princess's privacy - Samir Hussein/WireImage On Friday, Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, said the Princess had been subjected to intense scrutiny and unfairly treated by certain sections of the media around the world and on social media as he called for her privacy to be respected. Some TV hosts in the US have also come under fire for their involvement in spreading conspiracy theories on their shows, including John Oliver and Andy Cohen. Meanwhile, TV presenters Davina McCall and Piers Morgan are among the British media figures who have called for the mother-of-three to be left alone amid her cancer diagnosis and ongoing treatment. 05:02 PM GMT Thats all for today. Thanks for following the Telegraphs live blog. Well be back tomorrow with the latest Royal news. 04:55 PM GMT We Americans salute the Princess of Wales for her courage and dignity s news of the Princess of Wales battle with cancer reaches across the globe, a profound sadness washes over the hearts of Americans like me, writes Lee Cohen. Her Royal Highness is one of the brightest lights in our often dark times. Along with our British friends, we fervently pray for her full and rapid recovery. Princess Catherines decision to bravely announce her condition to the world resonates deeply with us as with you. Read the full piece here. 04:37 PM GMT Lord David Cameron praises Princess of Wales remarkable strength Lord David Cameron praised the Princess of Wales remarkable strength after she announced she was undergoing treatment for cancer. The Foreign Secretary said in a post on X, formerly Twitter: My thoughts go out to The Princess of Wales, The Prince of Wales and their three young children at this time. The strength of the princess - speaking so frankly, with all the pressures of publicity and bringing up a young family - is remarkable and is rightly admired around the world. 04:19 PM GMT High-profile cancer cases leads to greater awareness, charity says High-profile diagnoses of cancer such as the Princess of Waless lead to a significant increase in public awareness, Cancer Research UK has said. The charitys executive director of policy Dr Ian Walker said there was an uplift in traffic to its website after announcements from royal figures such as the King and Kate. He added that high-profile diagnoses such as Kates on Friday evening could have real positive effects. Dr Walker told the PA news agency: We see significant increase in uplift in terms of the number of people that visit our website for health information after these types of announcements. High-profile cancer cases, like the King and the Princess yesterday, can act as a prompt to encourage people to find out more. 04:01 PM GMT Ivanka Trump deeply saddened to hear about Princess Kates diagnosis I am deeply saddened to hear about Princess Kate's diagnosis. Amidst the trials she faces, her strength and grace continue to shine brightly. It's disheartening to see the speculation that has surrounded her, particularly during a time when support and kindness are most needed. https://t.co/MvLhAABLZA Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) March 22, 2024 03:40 PM GMT Wales family to spend more than three weeks out of the public eye The Wales family are to retreat for more than three weeks to spend time out of the public eye, as their three young children are given space to continue their childhood in privacy, writes Hannah Furness, Royal Editor. The welfare of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis has been at the heart of plans to disclose the Princess of Wales treatment for cancer, timed to fit in with their Easter holiday when they could circle the wagons. The Prince and Princess took the decision for her to go public with the news after they broke up from school, reducing the risk of the children hearing other people talking about the mother-of-threes condition even in the most well meaning of ways. 03:14 PM GMT The Princess of Waless health statement very well-delivered The Princess of Waless health statement was very well-crafted, a top cancer doctor has said. Dr Mangesh Thorat, deputy director of the Barts clinical trials unit at the centre for cancer prevention at Queen Mary university, told Sky News: It was a very well-crafted statement and very well-delivered. I think it was very balanced. It provided the information that people wanted to know. It kept the private information private and it also gave an important message to the public, that we are in it together. 02:34 PM GMT Im just so shocked: Crowds gather outside Windsor Castle People visiting Windsor Castle have spoken of their shock after the Princess of Wales announced she is undergoing treatment for cancer. Well-wishers went to the Berkshire town on Saturday morning and many expressed hope that Kates video message will end recent online speculation about her. Linda Boby, from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, told PA: Its such a shock, shes such a young lady and she deserves her privacy. Im glad that shes come out and said something so that can put everybodys speculation to rest, and she can recover and be wonderful with her family, which is what she deserves, she deserves her space to do that. A number of UK and International television crews were broadcasting from outside Windsor Castle on Saturday - Maureen McLean / Alamy Live News Im just so shocked because shes so young and really theyve had to keep it to themselves to be able to digest it for their own sake before they can come out and say something. Shes got to consider the children as well, theyre so young and hopefully shell be on the mend. Ann Anderson, from Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, commended Kates announcement in the wake of spiteful speculation. The 75-year-old said: I thought it was absolutely tremendous for her to do that on her own, how can you sit on a bench like that at that age and just talk about your health? People shouldnt have put her through that, it wasnt necessary. She added: My heart goes out to her, my heart goes out to William, hasnt he been through enough? He really doesnt need any more. 01:59 PM GMT Princess of Wales raises awareness of how cancer affects families Gemma Peters, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, said: We hear from people every day who are worried about how cancer will affect their loved ones, and how best to support each other through it. In sharing her news, the Princess of Wales has raised awareness of these worries and will be helping to encourage others who have concerns to visit their GP and seek support. Many will be relating to the Prince and Princess of Wales at this time. 01:34 PM GMT Blake Lively apologises to the Princess of Wales for photoshop jibe Blake Lively, the American actress, has apologised for making a photoshop jibe about the Princess of Wales weeks before she announced she has cancer. Lively, 36, who starred in the US drama series Gossip Girl, made a joke alluding to the Princesss absence from public life when launching her drinks range earlier this month. She wrote: Im so excited to share this new photo I just took today to announce our 4 new @bettybuzz & @bettybooze products! Now you know why Ive been MIA. Blake Lively, the American actress, has apologised for making a 'photoshop' jibe about the Princess of Wales - Theo Wargo/Getty Images North America After the Princess announcement on Friday, Lively wrote on Instagram: Im sure no-one cares today but I feel I have to acknowledge this. I made a silly post around the photoshop fails frenzy and, oh, man, that post has me mortified today. The Princess of Waless revelation that she is undergoing treatment for cancer has sparked an outpouring of support and well wishes from around the world. In an emotional video message, Kate spoke about the huge shock after tests identified cancer following her abdominal surgery and the incredibly tough couple of months her family have experienced. 01:26 PM GMT Pictured: TV crew outside Buckingham Palace Television crew in front of Buckingham Palace the day after the Princess of Wales reveals cancer diagnosis - Toby Melville/Reuters 12:56 PM GMT King praises Princess of Waless bravery The King has revealed his pride in the Princess of Wales, his daughter-in-law, after she spoke publicly about her cancer diagnosis, writes Victoria Ward. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said that His Majesty, who is also undergoing cancer treatment, was so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did. The spokesman added that the King had remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks. Read the full piece here. 12:27 PM GMT You are not alone, Kate Garraway Kate Garraway has said you are not alone in a message of support for the Princess of Wales. Garraway, whose husband Derek Draper died in January from his battle with Covid, said: Sending love and support to her and her beloved family and to all facing terrifying challenges on this beautiful spring morning. Know you are loved and not alone, even though, whoever you are, it can feel like it. 12:08 PM GMT Celebrities wish the Princess of Wales so much love Giovanna Fletcher and Dr Alex George were among the celebrities who have met the Princess of Wales and were sending her well-wishes after her cancer diagnosis announcement. In a video message released on Friday, the Princess said that she was in the early stages of preventative chemotherapy following her January visit to hospital for abdominal surgery. Author and podcast host Fletcher was among those commenting on the video, after the Princess appeared on her parenting podcast titled Happy Mum, Happy Baby, in 2020. Sending you and the family so much love from me and mine, Fletcher, who is married to McFly star Tom, said. 11:53 AM GMT Inevitable reduction in Royal engagements after diagnosis, says expert There will be an inevitable reduction in royal engagements after the Princess of Wales joined the King in sharing her cancer diagnosis, an expert on the monarchy has said. The managing editor of Majesty magazine Joe Little said it was a significant moment for the monarchy that two senior figures should be out of action, adding that Kates announcement on Friday evening was a great shock to many people. He said the Queens profile had come to the fore in recent weeks because she has had to attend more engagements alone. 11:39 AM GMT Unbelievably upsetting: Windsor locals respond to Princesss announcement A Windsor local has said it was upsetting that the Princess of Wales had to make an announcement on her cancer treatment due to online speculation. Clementine Black, 49, a business consultant, said: Its unbelievably upsetting that Kate has to come out and say this because of online speculation to be honest. I really feel sorry for her children, theyll be affected the most, everyone has to remember that shes a mother. 11:26 AM GMT Our nation is in shock as the Prince and Princess of Wales face their toughest test Oh, no. No. A sense that something was not right, that our wonderful Princess was perhaps in more trouble than wed been told, was confirmed at 6pm on Friday with an unprecedented TV address that dealt a blow to the nations solar plexus, writes Allison Pearson. Some will simply have been stunned by the news, hardly able to comprehend it (what, cancer twice in the Royal family within two months? But shes so young). Others will have been in tears, as I was, watching our Princess of Wales, parchment-pale, clearly fragile yet valiantly composing herself to record a message in that crystal-clear voice, reassuring us that, although it had been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, she would be OK, given enough time, space and privacy. Read the full piece here. 11:06 AM GMT Celebrities say Princess needs to be left alone to recover Hollywood star Jamie Lee Curtis and TV presenter Davina McCall are among the celebrities who have called for the Princess of Wales to be left alone amid her cancer diagnosis. Oscar-winning actress Curtis, 65, was reacting to the surge in conspiracy theories on social media about the Princesss health following her withdrawal from public life. Halloween star Curtis wrote on Instagram: Can we please just STOP with this bullshit conspiracy theory? This is a human being with young children, and clearly some sort of a health issue. That is a private matter. Do we not have better things to do and more important things to think about and be concerned about than this? Its a really low point in our society when there are SO MANY crucial issues that need our attention. Following Kate speaking out about the incredibly tough couple of months her family have experienced in the emotional clip, Curtis wrote an additional comment on the same post to plead with people to stop focusing on the royals. The American actress wrote: And now Princess Kate has told us about her health and now we should send nothing but our best wishes to her and her family and focus on our own lives and the lives of people directly related to us, and the myriad life-threatening issues to our children that we can focus on. Underneath her post, musician Rita Wilson and McCall applauded her remarks. 10:57 AM GMT We love you: World reacts to Princess of Waless cancer diagnosis World leaders and celebrities have paid tribute to the Princess of Wales, commending her bravery in opening up about her cancer diagnosis in a video message, writes Rozina Sabur, Deputy US Editor. The Princess is undergoing a course of preventative chemotherapy after cancer was detected during tests following her abdominal surgery on Jan 16. Heres how world leaders, politicians and celebrities reacted to the news. Read the full piece here. 10:44 AM GMT Six things I wished Id known before being a mum battling cancer Im not going to die. Thats the first thing I said to my two young children when I got my cancer diagnosis, writes Lisa Markwell. At that moment, of course, I knew no such thing and was still reeling from leaving the hospital and the specialist who had delivered the news. But it was imperative to say it out loud to them to try to create calm in the middle of the maelstrom. Now, looking back, I realise it was as much for myself as them. The Princess of Wales will have been having to have that conversation with her children, as she mentioned in her announcement. Read the full piece here. 10:29 AM GMT Analysis: Princess of Wales wanted to protect children from public reaction 10:22 AM GMT Princesss uncle pulls out of Celebrity Big Brother final The maternal uncle of the Princess of Wales has pulled out of the live Celebrity Big Brother final after the Princesss cancer announcement. Gary Goldsmith was the first housemate evicted from the ITV reality show, with the businessman and podcast host surviving five days before he was evicted after a public vote. Following todays news, I will not be attending tonights Celebrity Big Brother final, Goldsmith said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to my fellow housemates and to everyone involved in the making of this brilliant show. I hope you all enjoy your special night. 10:06 AM GMT Blake Livelys apology to Princess of Wales Blake Lively apologises on Instagram about photoshop jibe - Blake Lively's Instagram Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A St. Louis Cardinals fan accused of storming the Capitol in all red during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack pleaded guilty Friday to charges related to the insurrection. The man, who legally changed his name from Daniel Donnelly, Jr. to Rally Runner in 2017, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to a felony offense of civil disorder, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia. Runner, a 43-year-old man from Missouri, stormed the Capitol while wearing a red Keep America Great hat, a red jacket and red face paint. Runner is known in his hometown of St. Louis for his antics during Cardinals games, which include him running around the stadium in a red outfit and red face paint, The Associated Press reported. While participating in the riot, Runner donned a stolen police riot shield to face off against law enforcement and used it to push the crowd of rioters further into the Capitol, prosecutors said. Runner addressed his actions at the Capitol in a video he posted to Facebook later that day, during which he was still wearing his red outfit and face paint. I get a riot shield, and Im not trying to cause any violence, but Im trying to be the furthest person to get through all the way, or at least get the furthest, he wrote on the social media site, according to the release. Runners post continued, I took up a lot of space, and I had the rioter shield, and I was right up there, and for some reason, like, the other people up there on the front lines with me, they did something similar. Its like they followed my lead, kind of. He was arrested on Aug. 2, 2023, in St. Louis. U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb will sentence him on July 30. More than 1,358 people have been charged for crimes related to the Capitol riot. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. JetBlue Airways, struggling to cope with the expense of its failed merger attempt with Spirit Airlines, will soon be cancelling flights from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to Atlanta, New Orleans, Austin, Kansas City, Nashville and Salt Lake City. It also plans to end service from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood to Bogota, Colombia, Quito, Ecuador, and Lima, Peru. JetBlue flies out of Palm Beach International Airport, but as of now, there are no cancellations for routes flying in and out of that airport. PBI is experiencing record passenger volume, and recently added a JetBlue nonstop flight from PBI to Los Angeles. The cancellations will occur on June 13. They are part of an effort to cut costs after a federal judge disallowed the Spirit-JetBlue merger, ruling it would raise air fares for consumers across the country. JetBlue and Spirit this month called off the merger plans. JetBlue will pay Spirit $69 million. Spirit shareholders have already received $425 million in prepayments from JetBlue. JetBlue has incurred losses exceeding $2 billion since its last profitable year in 2019. JetBlue plans to cut nearly a third of its flights out of Los Angeles International Airport in June, including routes to Las Vegas, Miami and San Francisco, the airline said in a memo to employees, according to Bloomberg. A JetBlue plane takes off from Palm Beach International Airport. The airline is the airport's dominant carrier. More than 1 million passengers flew on its planes at PBI in 2023. More: JetBlue, Spirit call off $3.8 billion merger; what's the impact on South Florida airports? Every route has to earn its right to stay in the network, Dave Jehn, vice president of network planning and airline partnerships, said in the memo. Its more important than ever that we are surgical about every route in our network. JetBlue, though, announced that it will increase service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood and the Caribbean, including Cancun, Montego Bay and Punta Cana, and parts of the Northeast U.S. The carrier reported it will also add flights in the winter from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood to Albany and Buffalo, as well as Providence, Rhode Island, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. So JetBlue says the overall number of departures will remain about the same at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood with the new flights offsetting the eliminated ones. JetBlue's passenger count continues to fall at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport JetBlue has announced a number of flight cancellations as it moves on from the failed merger with Spirit Airlines. JetBlue said the cuts were necessary to ensure its profitability. Flights out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport has been affected. JetBlue is Fort Lauderdale-Hollywoods No. 2 carrier, accounting for about 20% of its passenger count. But the airline had been cutting back at FLL since 2019 while other airlines have returned or even exceeded their 2019 levels. According to the airport's passenger statistics web site, JetBlues passenger count for 2023 fell by about 1.6 million, or 20% when compared to 2019. Spirit saw an increase of about 24% from 2019 to 2023; it currently accounts for 29% of all passengers at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood. Spirit has also been restructuring its network. Late last year, it eliminated service to Denver from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood and further flight reductions are expected to take place as Spirit, like JetBlue, takes steps to return to profitability. Analysts, though, have questioned whether Spirit can survive as a stand-alone carrier. Since Jan. 1, its share price has fallen nearly 70%. 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: JetBlue cancelling flights out of FLL airport in Florida Veterans' minister Johnny Mercer has been ordered to give evidence to a public inquiry relating to alleged war crimes in Afghanistan. The Plymouth Moor View MP previously said he had received warnings allegations of war crimes by UK special forces may be true. He would not name those who said the allegations were credible. The BBC understands Mr Mercer has been served with a Section 21 notice under the Inquiries Act 2005. Mr Mercer also refused to name the serving member of the Special Boat Service who he claimed told him he had been asked to carry a "drop weapon", which he said were non-Nato weapons carried by UK Special Forces units which could be planted on the body of someone killed during a mission, to falsely suggest the unarmed victim had posed a threat to British troops. The Section 21 notice allows the chair of an inquiry, in this case Sir Charles Haddon-Cave who is running the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan, to demand evidence relevant to its terms of reference. There are limited circumstances under which Mr Mercer can claim it is not possible or reasonable to comply. The inquiry is investigating whether British special forces killed civilians and unarmed people on night raids in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013. Previously in the inquiry, Mr Mercer refused to provide the names of those who had warned him there might be truth to allegations of extrajudicial killings, as well as the member of the SBS asked to carry a drop weapon. He also repeatedly refused to answer whether he agreed that the member of the SBS had important evidence to share with the inquiry, responding only that "multiple people have important evidence". "There are multiple people across these organisations who have knowledge of, for example, drop weapons," he said. Mr Mercer has been contacted for a response. Follow BBC Devon on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. Jordan North took up vaping in order to quit cigarettes Presenter and podcaster Jordan North started vaping to try to give up cigarettes. He found himself reliant on both - and wasn't happy. Confused by conflicting reports about the potential harms of vaping, he has been looking at the evidence himself for a BBC Three documentary. I hate to admit it, but I started smoking when I was 16. I tried so many times to quit - and failed - but found that switching to vapes really helped me cut down. But it soon got to the stage where I was vaping way more in a day than I was smoking the cigs. Now I wonder - have I just swapped one bad habit for another? The number of people vaping in Britain has tripled in 10 years, charity Action on Smoking and Health estimates. Health experts largely agree that vapes - or e-cigarettes - are a good way to wean adults off smoking because there are fewer toxins in vapes than in tobacco smoke. BBC iPlayer Jordan North: The Truth About Vaping Jordan North sets out to decide, once and for all, if it's time he quit vaping. Watch now on BBC iPlayer (UK Only) BBC iPlayer But many young people are bypassing cigarettes and going straight to vaping. One survey of 18-24 year-olds who use disposable vapes suggests about half have never smoked cigarettes. I think a lot of them probably think vaping is pretty harmless - just like I did. I have a few friends who have never smoked but now vape - and they say they are addicted. That's something that started to concern me too. What's inside a vape? I really wanted to get to the bottom of the effects of vaping on my health - and find out what's actually inside these little plastic things. So I paid a visit to the University of Sunderland, where I got my degree. There I met Dr Stephen Childs, who is doing loads of research on vapes. I brought along some legal disposable vapes and he pulled them apart in front of me. The smell of the liquid was incredibly strong. I was a bit afraid to hear what would be inside them, but knew I needed to know. Taking vapes apart with Dr Stephen Childs at Sunderland University Dr Childs told me that the vapour inhaled from a vape contains nicotine, which is addictive, as well as a small amount of other chemicals used for flavour enhancement. The e-liquid inside vapes also includes the kinds of additives commonly found in processed foods such as sauces and cake mixes. They are safe to eat, but what happens if you're inhaling them? "There are some short-term studies which suggest that there might be things like inflammation in the lungs caused by inhaling these types of [additives] chemicals," Dr Childs tells me. Illegal vapes In the UK, disposable vapes have to follow lots of regulations - the nicotine content can't be higher than 2%, which is about 20-40 cigarettes-worth. But when we visited shops selling vapes and looked online, we found examples of illegal ones containing 10 times that amount. Dr Childs told me that even legal vapes contain thousands of chemicals that aren't listed on the packaging. It's not against the law to do this, but I still felt duped. A third of vapes on the market in the UK are likely to be illegal versions, the Chartered Trading Standard Institute estimates. But it can be really hard to tell which ones are compliant by looking at the packaging - and we found dodgy versions for sale in a number of High Street shops. Here are some things to look out for: UK regulations state disposable vapes must not contain more than 2ml of e-liquid, which amounts to about 600 puffs. So if is bigger than that, it's likely to be illegal How big are the health warnings? They should cover about a third of the packaging, and the words "This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance" should be displayed on the front and back What level of nicotine content does it advertise? The limit for legal disposable vapes is 2% More and more young people are taking up vaping 'Toxic chemical' To find out more about the illegal market, I visited the Inter Scientific laboratory in Liverpool, which tests thousands of illegal vapes seized from across England. Out of a recent sample of 24 vapes that the lab looked at this year, nearly a third contained lead. It's a toxic chemical and the World Health Organization says high levels of exposure in young people can affect brain development. I also learned that almost 90% of the samples contained high levels of nickel. This is a metal, found in coins or electrics, and prolonged exposure can be harmful to your health. In addition, lab tests found compounds called carbonyls. When the e-liquid heats up, these break down into chemicals such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. These are potentially carcinogenic substances - in other words, they could cause cancer. To cap it all, about a third of these vapes claimed to be free from nicotine, but weren't. We don't know where these illegal vapes were made - there's no UK authority keeping tabs on how they are being produced. Raids So who is in charge here? In England and Wales, Trading Standards - a watchdog for illegal or unfair business dealings - can visit shops and seize illegal vapes. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own teams. I spent a day with Trading Standards officers in Newcastle as they raided shops. Some shop owners were crafty and had vapes in a back room, but in other stores they were out on display. The Trading Standards officers seized about 1,000 vapes that day. On patrol with Trading Standards officers in Newcastle But the number of businesses actually being prosecuted for selling illegal vapes appears to be very low. Our team contacted 100 councils, and 80 responded. They said that about 2,200 businesses were found to be selling illegal vapes in 2023. Of those businesses, Trading Standards recommended fewer than one in 20 for prosecution. In January, the UK government said it was going to ban disposable vapes in order to tackle a rise in youth vaping. It also said it would give Trading Standards the power to issue fines on the spot for people found selling the illegal products. Non-disposable vapes will remain legal, but a tax on vapes was introduced in the Budget earlier this month. But if we ban disposables, we also need to get the dodgy ones off the street, otherwise people might just turn to those instead. Breathing difficulties Scientists continue to look into the potential health risks of vaping but say knowing their long-term effects could take decades. So while we wait for more information, how am I supposed to decide whether to stick with vapes or not? Meeting Jemma in Essex was the moment I decided I didn't want to smoke vapes anymore. The 34-year-old has used both legal and illegal vapes regularly for 10 years. She was a light smoker who first turned to vaping to get off the cigs. But then it became a problem of its own. "I was vaping all day, everyday - in the car, first thing in the morning," she tells me. "I'd be thinking: 'Right where's my vape?'" Jemma has been diagnosed with a lung condition that may be connected to her vape use Unfortunately, last year doctors diagnosed Jemma with COPD - a serious lung condition that causes breathing difficulties. It is rare for someone so young. We don't know for sure - but her doctor thinks it could be down to her years of vaping. She really struggles some days and has been told she has a reduced life expectancy. "It's basically a terminal illness," she says. "But it doesn't mean that you're gonna die within the next year. I could live up to 20 years." After hearing Jemma's story, I've realised I can't swap one addiction for another. I can see there's still a lot of unknowns. Yes, vapes may be better than cigarettes, but we still can't be sure how they affect our health. The risks feel pretty real for me right now though, so I think overall it's probably better for me to just pack them in. Since filming the documentary, I'm proud to say I haven't touched a vape. The resource center will help state and local governments optimize the use of red flag laws, Harris said. The resource center will help state and local governments optimize the use of red flag laws, Harris said. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images The White House has announced a new national office to support states implementing red flag laws to combat gun violence, an initiative funded by the justice department. Related: Utah governor signs bill encouraging teachers to carry guns in classrooms Kamala Harris made the announcement on Saturday during a visit to Parkland, Florida, where she toured the site of the nations worst high school shooting, the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas massacre that killed 17. The vice-president met with victims families many of whom have been active in gun control advocacy since the shooting and visited the building where 14 students and three staff members were slain. The launch of the federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center (Erpo) follows Joe Bidens establishment of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention in September, which the president tapped Harris to lead. Operated through the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, and paid for by a justice department grant, Erpo is designed to help state and local governments, law enforcement, and others including behavioral health and social service providers optimize the use of red flag laws, Harris said. It will provide training and technical assistance, including educational opportunities and workshops for a wide variety of stakeholders. But the vice-president also acknowledged that red flag laws, which facilitate the temporary removal of firearms from a person a court believes capable of harming themselves or others, are not universally popular. Only 21 states have implemented red flag laws, and the White House said that only six of those states had taken advantage of $750m in funding that the Biden administration made available through the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) for crisis-intervention initiatives such as red flag programs and mental health, drug and veteran treatment courts. Harris called on the other 29 states to enact red flag laws and urged those that already have them to tap into the BSCA funds to support them. The shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school occurred after there were clear warning signs, but there were no tools to remove the shooters firearm, a White House statement announcing the new resource office said. The survivors of the shooting advocated for passage of a red flag law in Florida, and the tragedy helped to inspire the passage of red flag laws in other states. These laws have been shown to prevent mass shootings and suicides, but the tools made available under these laws are only effective if people are aware of them and can properly invoke them. The Parkland shooter was sentenced to life imprisonment at a trial last year after two jury members refused to recommend the death penalty. The Republican legislative majority in Florida subsequently tightened the law to allow a majority jury recommendation in such cases. Republicans also tried to reverse another provision of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas safety act, passed after the mass killing there. But the measure to lower the buying age of long guns from 21 back to 18 stalled in the state senate after passing the house. Max Schachter, whose 14-year-old son Alex was among the Parkland victims, joined Harris on the tour of the building where the murders occurred, one day after helping guide the FBI director, Christopher Wray, through the school. In a tweet, he rejected criticism from another victims family that Harriss visit had been politically motivated. It is unlike any other crime scene. It has been frozen in time since the day of the shooting. Nothing has been removed, and it has not been cleaned, said Schachter, whose non-profit Safe Schools for Alex advises students, parents, school districts and law enforcement on campus safety best practices. I have had many conversations and given many presentations across the country, but there is no way to replicate what one sees and experiences when they walk through the site. It profoundly affects people. Every time an official walks through the building, lives are saved and schools are safer. This is not a political visit. She is the vice-president of the US and she has an obligation to come to Parkland. The building that Harris toured previously visited by numerous other elected state and federal officials at the families invitation is scheduled to finally be demolished this summer, more than six years after the deadly shooting, and replaced with a permanent memorial to the victims. Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Puerto Rico early Friday afternoon to embark on her first visit to the U.S. territory since being sworn in three years ago. According to her office, the purpose of the trip is to highlight President Joe Biden's "commitment to supporting Puerto Ricos recovery" following hurricanes, earthquakes and the Covid-19 pandemic with a special focus in promoting the administration's investments on the island's infrastructure and economic recovery initiatives. Her five-hour trip included a visit to an area in the town of Canovanas that received federal housing funds disbursed by the Biden administration to rebuild homes for about 6,300 families islandwide during the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017. "We're making a difference," Harris said in a speech delivered outside the home of an octogenarian Canovanas resident that was ravaged by the hurricane and rebuilt with federal funds. The new home will be able to withstand future hurricanes and uses solar energy. The Biden administration has invested a total of $140 billion in Puerto Rico across multiple sectors, including education and disaster response, Harris said in her speech. She also emphasized investments in small businesses, entrepreneurs, infrastructure and renewable energy initiatives. "There's more work to do," Harris added. Harris also commemorated the 151st anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Puerto Rico when it was under Spanish rule, alongside community leaders and artists in San Juan dedicated to celebrating the island's cultural heritage and its African influence. Since Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory and not a state, people living in the island cant vote in presidential elections even though they are U.S. citizens by birth. But political parties allow them to participate in the primaries that help elect presidential nominees. The Democratic primary in Puerto Rico is scheduled for April 28, and the Republican primary for April 21. Close to 6 million Puerto Ricans live in the U.S. mainland, many in competitive states like Florida and Pennsylvania. Biden-Harris supporters hope that touting the wins of the Biden administration in Puerto Rico can influence Latino voters of Puerto Rican heritage who live in the U.S. mainland and can register to vote in presidential elections. Charlie Rodriguez, president of the Democratic Party in Puerto Rico, told NBC News he viewed the vice president's visit as "a reiteration of the policies established by the President since he stepped into the White House, of staying focused on Puerto Rico a during his term." More often than not, people living in Puerto Rico dont always see how decisions made in Congress and the White House affect their daily lives, Rodriguez said, adding that under the Biden administration investments in infrastructure and economic recovery has allowed for the revitalization of roads and some decaying buildings, the ongoing reconstruction of the electrical grid, and the expansion of federal nutrition programs and education funds. These have extraordinary impact, he added. Thats why we have to continue spreading that message. Harris trip comes a week after first lady Jill Biden visited Puerto Rico. Harris' visit also drew protests, as dozens of Puerto Ricans like Joseline Velasquez, a spokesperson for the group Jornada: Se Acabaron Las Promesas, first gathered near Condado in San Juan and blasted the Biden administration's handling of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, expressing concerns over U.S. involvement in Haiti and expressing discontent over Puerto Rico's recovery. Several counter-protesters in favor of the vice president's visit showed up to San Juan Friday afternoon, chanting pro-statehood remarks. It is disrespectful," Velasquez of the group Jornada: Se Acabaron Las Promesas, told Telemundo Puerto Rico in Spanish, adding that she believed Harris' main purpose for her visit is to "walk through the streets of Puerto Rico to raise funds for the electoral campaign." (Telemundo is part of NBCUniversal, the parent company of NBC News.) The Biden Victory Fund political action committee organized a fundraising event in an apartment complex owned by investor Nicholas Prouty, Puerto Rican national newspaper El Nuevo Dia first reported. Harris stopped by the event before leaving the island. Prouty, a New York native, is most known in Puerto Rico for being one of the estimated 6,000 wealthy investors who have moved to the island following tax breaks if they buy a residency in Puerto Rico and live there at least half of the year. But in political circles, Prouty is a longtime campaign donor; Federal Election Commission records show Prouty has contributed to the campaigns of multiple Democratic candidates such as Biden, Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton since at least 2008. Fewer campaign contributions were done in favor of Republican candidates. Rodriguez said it's common practice, especially during an election year, that elected officials take time from their official visits to participate in a fundraising event. "There is no doubt that there are a number of people in Puerto Rico who are in a better position to be able to contribute generous amounts, within the framework of what's allowed by federal law, and to give those types of donations," Rodriguez said in Spanish. The U.S. Government Accountability Office is currently investigating the controversial tax breaks, known locally as Act 22, after four Democratic members of the House Natural Resources Committee requested they review parts of the Puerto Rico tax incentives law that may be allowing wealthy individuals from the U.S. mainland and some businesses to avoid significant taxes. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service has also said it is investigating about 100 high-income individuals who attempted to avoid U.S. taxation by benefiting from a controversial tax break in Puerto Rico without meeting the appropriate requirements. For more from NBC Latino, sign up for our weekly newsletter. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Brookfield Asset Management (TSE:BAM) Full Year 2023 Results Key Financial Results Revenue: US$4.06b (up 12% from FY 2022). Net income: US$1.84b (down 4.0% from FY 2022). Profit margin: 45% (down from 53% in FY 2022). The decrease in margin was driven by higher expenses. EPS: US$4.72 (down from US$4.83 in FY 2022). All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period Brookfield Asset Management Earnings Insights Looking ahead, revenue is forecast to grow 16% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 4.3% growth forecast for the Capital Markets industry in Canada. Performance of the Canadian Capital Markets industry. The company's shares are up 3.9% from a week ago. Risk Analysis We should say that we've discovered 2 warning signs for Brookfield Asset Management that you should be aware of before investing here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. UPDATE: Elizabeth Xing has been found safe. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Kansas City police need the publics help finding a missing woman who was last seen on March 18. Elizabeth Xing, 27, is an Asian female with black hair and brown eyes. The clothing she was wearing at the time of her disappearance is unknown. See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri She was last seen near Signature Hospital at 2900 Clay Edwards Dr. She suffers from medical conditions that require immediate attention. Her family is concerned for her safety. If located, contact the Missing Persons Unit at 816-234-5043 or call 911. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. MARYSVILLE (KSNT) A Marysville police officer got to learn from the best during a recent multi-agency law enforcement operation in Florida. 27 News spoke with Lieutenant Anthony Escalante with the Marysville Police Department about his recent journey to Polk County, Florida. There, he participated in the National Public Safety Innovation Academy where he got first-hand experience seeing the latest law enforcement strategies put into action. Oftentimes, were a little behind the curve on whats available nationwide, Escalante said. It was a great opportunity for us to go down and see what all is available for tactics and techniques. Hidden gem: Step inside the Kansas missile silo turned Airbnb The academy gave Escalante the chance to use high-tech drones and work with experts showcasing cutting-edge new techniques being employed by police. He was able to attend the course with help from a grant to cover the $3,500 tuition cost. A big highlight of his trip to Florida came when he was able to meet the former host of NBCs Dateline hidden camera To Catch A Predator series, Chris Hansen. That was an incredible experience, Escalante said. Not just meeting Chris Hansen, but Sheriff Grady Judd in Polk County. Hansen, with his long experience in investigating predators, was on hand due to the nature of a human trafficking/child exploitation operation being held in Polk County during the academy. Escalante says the operation resulted in nearly 230 arrests in eight days with 13 victims of human trafficking identified. He [Chris Hansen] was incredibly gracious and friendly and kind with each of us to discuss things he had learned through the To Catch A Predator series, Escalante said. What to do if you see a mountain lion in Kansas Escalante didnt get to participate in the operation directly as he was there to take notes and observe. However, he was able to participate in an interview with a human trafficking victim afterwards. We were there to learn the way they plan and execute an operation like that so we can bring that information back to our home states, Escalante said. Working with Hansen is something Escalante wont be forgetting anytime soon. He says he enjoyed being able to meet him and hear from someone who was a wealth of experience in this field. It was wonderful, Escalante said. I havent met a lot of celebrities. Im typically very cautious making judgement on people based on their TV personalities but he was very gracious. I appreciate his willingness to share his experience; he has a number of years doing this type of thing. Kansas towns compete for best small town title Witnessing the operations execution and seeing law enforcement not only make arrests, but also take care of crime victims, made Escalante proud of the work being done in Florida. He says he will take the lessons he learned from the operation and put them to use in Marysville in efforts to combat human trafficking. Depending on what statistics you hear, Ive heard as many as one in seven human trafficking victims, in some way shape or form, come through Kansas, Escalante said. Hansen continues to create content similar to the To Catch A Predator series and has a channel on YouTube you can follow. To learn more about the National Public Safety Innovation Academy, click here. For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. TOPEKA (KSNT) Top officials with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) are meeting in Topeka this month to talk hunting applications and bag limit changes. The KDWP announced in a press release on March 20 that commissioners, along with the new KDWP Secretary Chris Kennedy, will be in Topeka to discuss several topics related to hunting, fishing and boating in Kansas. This meeting is open to both physical and virtual attendees. Action items commissioners will be voting on include the following possible amendments: Addition of clarifying language to K.A.R. 115-4-11 for big game and wild turkey permit applications. Introduction of an extended season for raccoon and opossum by hunting and trapping in K.A.R. 115-25-11. If this is approved, the extended season would take place annually from the first day of March through the first Tuesday after the second Saturday in November of the same year. Possible changes to the definition of personal watercraft operating requirements and restrictions for K.A.R. 115-30-10. Find your next trophy catch with the 2024 Kansas Fishing Forecast KDWP spokeswoman Nadia Marji said following this voting period, commissioners will move on to other items such as a state and agency fiscal update, 2024 Legislative update and time for public comment on non-agenda items. Commissioners will also discuss trout program regulations regarding season length and permit prices and the Aquatic Species Recovery Program. The meeting will close with hearings on the following items which may be voted on at a later date: K.A.R. 115-25-7 Antelope 25-Series Regulations K.A.R. 115-25-8 Elk 25-Series Regulations K.A.R. 115-25-9a Military Deer Seasons New Carcass Movement Regulation Webless Migratory Bird Regulations Waterfowl Regulations Why are there seagulls in Kansas? Marji said the commissioners will meet at noon on Thursday, March 28 at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library in the Marvin Auditorium. More information on the meeting can be found here. To learn how to attend this meeting over Zoom, click here. The next KDWP meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 25 at Kansas State Universitys campus in Salina. For more Kansas Outdoors, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. There has been a huge outpouring of love and support for the Princess of Wales after she revealed she was being treated for cancer. In a video statement, Catherine said her diagnosis had come as a "huge shock" and that she had been receiving chemotherapy since late February. Cancer charities have praised her openness, while world leaders, friends and celebrities have wished her well. The news has also led to calls for her and her family to be given privacy. In an emotional message on Friday, Catherine explained that when she had had abdominal surgery in January, it was not known that there was any cancer, but subsequent tests "found cancer had been present". She said it had been an "incredibly tough couple of months" for her family but she was feeling "well and getting stronger every day". Catherine also said she and Prince William had taken time to sensitively share the state of her health with their children. Kensington Palace has not disclosed the type of cancer Catherine has been diagnosed with, but says it is confident she will make a full recovery. King Charles III - who was recently diagnosed with cancer himself - said he was "so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did". King Charles and Queen Camilla, who had already been informed about the princess's health, said they would "continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time". The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are understood to have reached out privately to the Prince and Princess of Wales following the announcement. They also released a statement saying they wished Catherine "health and healing", and hoped her and her family could heal "privately and in peace". Others have also called for her to be given space and privacy to recover, including actor Jamie Lee Curtis and TV presenter Davina McCall. While X CEO Linda Yaccarino said the princess's request for privacy seemed like "a reasonable request to respect". Members of the public have also been sharing messages of sympathy with the princess. Karl from Yorkshire, told BBC Radio 5 Live he wished Catherine the very best. He said he had been diagnosed with cancer two years ago and that telling his three adult children had been "one of the toughest things" he had ever done. He said he had not yet told his six-year-old daughter because "I don't look ill", adding he did not "envy Kate who doesn't have the luxury of anonymity like me". Rod Laight, chairman of trustees of the Primrose Hospice in Bromsgrove, said many families would find comfort from Catherine and her words. "What Princess Kate has achieved will have unbelievable positive effects on the future of everyone involved in cancer care," he added. Eve Watts, who lives in Windsor, said the news was a "shock because she's so young". She added: "It just shows you it could happen to anyone." And Ms Watts' mother Valerie, who was visiting the historic town from Southport, said she hoped Catherine's video would "end all the speculation that's been going on". Eve Watts (left) says she was shocked to hear Catherine's news, adding "it could happen to anyone" Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Friday that Catherine had shown "tremendous bravery" in the face of "intense scrutiny". He added: "When it comes to matters of health, like everyone else, she must be afforded the privacy to focus on her treatment and be with her loving family." Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said his thoughts were with the Royal Family, and that he was heartened by the princess's optimism and "message of faith and hope". In her video statement, the princess said she was thinking of all those who have been affected by cancer, adding: "For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone." Messages of support have also been pouring in from across the world. US President Joe Biden said he was joining "millions" in praying for Catherine's "full recovery", while his wife Jill Biden described the princess as "brave". And French President Emmanuel Macron said the princess's "strength and resilience inspire us all". Catherine and the Prince of Wales are not expected to appear with the Royal Family on Easter Sunday. There will not be any early return to official duties for the princess either. Kensington Palace has also said Prince William's sudden absence from a memorial service on 27 February was because of the discovery of Catherine's cancer diagnosis. While Catherine has stood back from royal duties, Charles has continued with his constitutional role as head of state, and was recently seen in a virtual address to a service celebrating Commonwealth Day. Catherine, Princess of Wales, said she didnt rush into discussing her cancer diagnosis with her three young children. As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment, the former Kate Middleton said in a video statement on March. 22. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK." Kate, 42, shares Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5, with her husband Prince William. Follow TODAYs coverage of Kate Middletons diagnosis and live updates here. The princess, who underwent abdominal surgery in January, said her diagnosis came as a huge shock, as her condition was previously thought to be noncancerous. William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family, she said. Kate added that she is getting stronger every day, and asked for time, space and privacy as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy. Kate has not specified what kind of cancer she was treated for. Both Kate and William are champions of mental health and therapy. In 2016, Kate shared her approach to parenting in a blog published on The Huffington Post UK. Like most parents today, William and I would not hesitate to seek help for our children if they needed it," Kate wrote at the time. "We hope to encourage George and Charlotte to speak about their feelings, and to give them the tools and sensitivity to be supportive peers to their friends as they get older. We know there is no shame in a young child struggling with their emotions or suffering from a mental illness, she wrote. King Charles III is also facing health issues. In February, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles, 75, was diagnosed with cancer after undergoing a procedure for benign prostate enlargement. This article was originally published on TODAY.com An emergency worker and a police officer have been injured and vehicles belonging to Ukraines State Emergency Service have been damaged during a second Russian attack on Kharkiv at midnight. Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) Details: The SES noted that a fire, covering an area of 150 square metres, broke out at midnight in a three-storey building as a result of a Russian UAV strike on the city. Emergency services and the National Police immediately arrived at the scene. While the emergency workers and law enforcement officers were operating at the scene, the Russians launched a second UAV strike. As a result, an employee of the State Emergency Service and an officer from the National Police were injured. Two vehicles belonging to the SES were also damaged. Support UP or become our patron! Ukrainian defenders on the left (east) bank of the Dnipro River. Stock photo: Zelenskyy's social media Kherson Oblast Military Administration has released a video showing the killing of Russian soldiers and destruction of their equipment by Ukrainian marines. Source: Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration, on Facebook Quote: "The village of Krynky. Our marines are reliably holding the bridgehead... ...Our defenders are tirelessly killing the Russian occupiers and destroying their equipment." Details: Kherson Oblast Military Administration clarified that the video shows the work of the soldiers of the 137th separate battalion of the 35th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Ostrohradskyi. They added that the soldiers are precisely targeting Russian infantry fighting vehicles and clusters of personnel using high-speed FPV drones. Support UP or become our patron! Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his address, the day after a terror attack on the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk. -/Kremlin/dpa Ukraine's military intelligence has sharply rejected comments by Russian President Vladimir Putin about the country's alleged involvement in Friday's terrorist attack on a Moscow concert hall. Putin's claim that four perpetrators were arrested on their way to an escape route into Ukraine is an "absolutely false and absurd statement," the spokesman of the HUR intelligence service, Andriy Yusov, said on Saturday. "Of course, this version cannot stand up to criticism," the spokesman said, according to the Ukrainian Pravda website. "Everyone in the world understands this, except perhaps the zombified Russian population," he added, listing the many obstacles preventing any such infiltration across the border. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been under way for more than two years, and the border areas are full of its troops, special agents, intelligence services and security forces, Yusov said. "The border line is mined, it is monitored using all means, including aerial reconnaissance from both sides." The spokesman accused the Kremlin of wanting to use the tragedy in Moscow to intensify repression within Russia. A day after at least 133 people died in the attack by gunmen on the Crocus City Hall concert hall near Moscow, Putin claimed in a televised speech that four of 11 suspects arrested had tried to flee to Ukraine. He cited a "Ukrainian trail" in Friday's bloody events, using a Russian expression for apportioning blame or involvement. Russian propagandists were also quick to dismiss as fake a letter of confession from the Islamic State terrorist militia, which claimed responsibility for the attack. It was a touching moment that largely went unnoticed by the congregation inside Westminster Abbey. As the King approached the Princess of Wales at the service to mark the late Queens 70 historic years on the throne in 2022, the affection between the pair was plain to see as he tenderly blew her a kiss while they waited for the royal procession to begin. The monarch, 75, and his darling daughter-in-law, 42, have always been close but sources say an already special bond has been cemented by them both being diagnosed with cancer within weeks of each other. When the Princess spoke in her moving video message of how she was thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer, adding: You are not alone, her father-in-law will doubtlessly have been foremost in her mind. According to one well-placed source, the fact that they were both in hospital at the same time and are now joined together by the shared experience of undergoing cancer treatment chemotherapy in the Princesss case has been comforting and reassuring. The King is understood to have visited the Princess soon after arriving at the London Clinic in January for a planned procedure on an enlarged prostate, when his own cancer was discovered. The Princess was recovering in the private London hospital following abdominal surgery and her condition was not thought to have been cancerous until later tests revealed that cancer had been present. The source added: There were other visits when they were both in there together and they have been in contact ever since. They can both empathise with what the other is going through, which does help at a difficult time like this. What weve seen in recent weeks is that because they are both going through the same health experience its cemented that bond. The King and the Princess of Wales at a service to mark the late Queen's 70 years on the throne in 2022 - Getty One of the reasons the Princess agreed to record the video message is because she felt encouraged by how warmly the Kings public statement on his health was received, and the positive impact it has had on others going through the same thing. Although Prince William is understood to have had reservations and questioned why she should have to explain herself, Kate apparently resolved that it was the only way to take complete ownership of the news. Shes got a steely determination inside her, said one source who knows her well. Once shes put her mind to something, theres no stopping her. Shes tough. Buckingham Palace released a statement on Friday expressing how the King is so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking out. The statement added that he has remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks, and that he and his wife, the Queen, will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time. The Princesss announcement came six weeks after the King paused his public appearances following his own cancer diagnosis. Some have questioned why it took Kensington Palace so long to break the news which the couple received at the end of February. Yet as the Princess carefully explained, it took time to come to terms with the huge shock, not to mention working out how to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis. As one Palace insider explained: The timing priorities were wholly different for the Princess because her primary audience was always going to be an audience of three children rather than millions. His constitutional obligations meant he couldnt keep it private. The Queen, 76, who has two children and five grandchildren is understood to have been checking in on the Princess and offering advice on how to handle the media storm. The Queen hasnt gone through cancer but she has raised children in the face of a feeding frenzy so can empathise on that front, added the insider. According to those familiar with their relationship, the King has always had a soft spot for the Princess. Its a different relationship to the one he has with his son because hes not just pa-in-law, he is also the King, explained one insider. She does often turn to him for guidance on royal matters, but not family matters she has William for that and her own parents Michael and Carole, to whom she is extremely close. Hes not a father figure as such shes got her own dad to whom shes absolutely devoted but you could say the King treats her like the daughter he never had. You see it in the pictures of them together. That relationship is best summed up in those fascinating moments when she greets him first with a kiss and then with a curtsey. Having endured a difficult marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales from whom he separated in 1992 before divorcing in 1996, the King has always supported his eldest son and heirs desire to prioritise immediate family over the family Firm. When William, 41, announced he would be taking a step back from public duties to support his wifes recuperation, he did it with his fathers blessing. And amid the adversity, the King and the heir to the throne appear closer than they have ever been. It is not just a case of them working in lock step as King and future king on royal matters since the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The Megxit saga with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex having launched repeated salvos against them, their wives and the institution of monarchy since they stepped down as senior royals in 2020 has apparently strengthened their relationship as father and son too. 'The King has always supported his eldest son and heir's desire to prioritise immediate family' - Alamy It hasnt always been an easy relationship. In 2017, when the world was commemorating the 20th anniversary of his mothers death, Prince William was reluctant to acknowledge his fathers role in his and Prince Harrys upbringing following the Paris car crash in 1997. The Kings aides begged Prince William to give him the nod when he addressed journalists before the screening of the ITV documentary Diana, Our Mother: Her Life And Legacy in 2017, but he flatly refused. As the royal author Penny Junor explained: Diana shared an awful lot of her misery with William. It was left to Prince Harry to say some kind words about their father. That episode came after relations between the King and Prince William fell to an all-time low when a previously unseen photograph of George inadvertently appeared in a video broadcast featuring the King. According to insiders, Prince William hit the roof. Yet it seems their shared pain over Prince Harry (and Meghans) behaviour has helped to bring them back together. As well as having to manage the fallout from Oprah Winfrey, Netflix and Spare, they spent a great deal of time together preparing for the late Queens funeral, the Coronation and Prince Williams transition to heir to the throne. The royal grandchildren have also been a source of mutual delight. Just as marriage and fatherhood has been the making of Prince William, becoming a grandparent has helped the workaholic King to mellow a little something his son had been demanding for some time. As the Prince told a documentary to mark the Kings 70th birthday in 2018: I think now hes reached his 70th year, its a perfect time to consolidate a little bit because, as most families would do, you are worried about having them around and making sure their health is okay. So, having more time with him at home would be lovely, and being able to, you know, play around with the grandchildren. When hes there, hes brilliant, but we need him there as much as possible. Little did he know that he would now be having to cope with both his father and his wife being diagnosed with cancer at the same time. As they continue their cancer treatment, Prince William can at least rest assured that the King and the Princess have got each other to lean on as they face one of lifes biggest challenges, together. 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. If he is well enough, King Charles will be accompanied by the Queen to the annual service - Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images The King is hoping to step out in public next Sunday to lead a reduced royal contingent at the traditional Easter Matins service. Charles, 75, accompanied by the Queen, will attend the annual service at St Georges Chapel, Windsor, if his health allows. The King has stepped back from public duties on medical advice as he undergoes cancer treatment, to avoid the risks associated with large crowds. The royal turnout on Easter Sunday will therefore be considerably smaller than usual to minimise his contact with others, an outing dubbed Easter Lite. The King and Queen are hoping to attend some form of Easter service in Windsor, a palace source confirmed. However, it will not be the large family gathering that we might expect to see in different circumstances. Kensington Palace has confirmed that the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children will not attend. The Princess revealed on Friday that she was having treatment for cancer. Her video message was released just as Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, broke up from school. The family have now retreated from the public eye for the school holidays as the Prince and Princess seek to protect their children from the media coverage surrounding her diagnosis. In recent years, the Easter Matins service has seen almost as big a royal turnout as the traditional Christmas Day outing, with most senior royals photographed strolling through the grounds of Windsor Castle in the spring sunshine with various children in tow. Last year, it was Prince Louis who captured the headlines, as he joined his family at church for the first time, dressed smartly in a shirt and tie and clasping his mothers hand. The occasion marked one of the first large public gatherings of the Royal family since the death of Elizabeth II in September 2022 and they were out in force. The King and Queen were followed by the Duke of York, the Princess Royal, the Prince and Princess of Wales with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis and the then Earl and Countess of Wessex with their son James. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie were there with their husbands, Eduardo Mapelli Mozzi and Jack Brooksbank, as were Mike and Zara Tindall with their two daughters Mia and Lena. Next week, by comparison, the vastly reduced royal contingent will serve as a visual reminder of the health woes that have befallen the family in recent months and the ensuing changes to the senior line-up. Ever since his cancer diagnosis, the King has been determined to maintain a public profile, reassuring the nation that his hand remains on the tiller and that he is continuing his state duties. Prince Louis captured the headlines last year as he joined his family at the Easter service for the first time - Yui Mok/Pool via REUTERS As such, he has also recorded an audio message that will be played at the Royal Maundy Thursday service at Worcester Cathedral this week, when he will be represented by the Queen. He was unable to provide a video message as the cathedral does not have the technological capacity to broadcast it during the service. Camilla, 76, will distribute Maundy money on behalf of her husband, taking on the ancient custom for the first time. Maundy money is given to a number of male and female recipients equivalent to the monarchs age and is delivered in two purses, one red and one white. Retired pensioners who have supported the church and their local communities are recommended by clergy of all denominations to receive the gifts. After Easter, the King and Queen will step back from their duties as they go away for their annual Easter break. The last time the Royal family was out en masse was on Christmas Day when the King and the Princess led the traditional walk to church. The cancer treatment both are now undergoing means that a large family gathering is unlikely for the foreseeable future. The Prince and Princess of Wales were last seen in public with their children on the Christmas Day walk to church in Sandringham in 2023 - Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images Trooping the Colour on June 15, followed two days later by Garter Day, could have a very different feel if both the King and the Princess are unable to take part as per tradition. The King is said to be determined to take part in Trooping, his official birthday celebration, and Buckingham Palace is drawing up plans that would allow him to attend during his cancer treatment without any undue risk to his health. Options may include watching the colourful military parade from a podium, rather than on horseback, and being driven from Buckingham Palace in a carriage. The Colonels Review, which takes place a week before Trooping the Colour, was this year scheduled to be taken by the Princess of Wales, as Colonel of the Irish Guards, whose colour the regimental flag is being trooped. The Princesss ongoing cancer treatment, a course of chemotherapy which she acknowledged is still in the early stages, and her request for privacy until it is completed, suggests it is unlikely she will take part. 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. Last year 97pc of solar panels installed across Europe came from China - Andrea Verdelli/Bloomberg Europes ambitious plans to expand green energy generation with Made in EU solar panels face a distinctly cloudy future as the continent faces a massive glut of the devices. Millions of solar panels are piling up in warehouses across the Continent because of a manufacturing battle in China, where cut-throat competition has driven the worlds biggest panel-makers to expand production far faster than they can be installed. The supply glut has caused solar panel prices to halve. This sounds like great news for the EU, which recently pledged to triple its solar power capacity to 672 gigawatts by 2030. Thats roughly equivalent to 200 large nuclear power stations. In reality, though, it has caused a crisis. Under the EUs Green Deal Industrial Plan, 40pc of the panels to be spread across European fields and roofs were meant to be made by European manufacturers. However, the influx of cheap Chinese alternatives means that instead of tooling up, manufacturers are pulling out of the market or becoming insolvent. Last year 97pc of the solar panels installed across Europe came from China. The European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC) has warned of a looming wave of bankruptcies including Dutch panel producer Exasun and Austrian module manufacturer Energetic. ESMC secretary general Johan Lindahl has appealed for urgent measures to safeguard the sector, calling for the EU to buy up all those unwanted solar panels to keep his members in business. The best estimates suggest that about 90 gigawatts worth of solar panels are stashed around Europe. That solar power capacity roughly equates to 25 large nuclear power stations the size of Hinkley Point C. The crisis is extending back to China too, where Longi, the worlds largest solar panel manufacturer, is set to slash its workforce by almost a third as the industry struggles with oversupply. The sheer scale of the problem was revealed in a recent report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). Story continues It warned that although the world was installing at record rates of around 400 gigawatts a year, manufacturing capacity was growing far faster. By the end of this year solar panel factories, mostly in China, will be capable of churning out 1,100 gigawatts a year nearly three times more than the world is ready for. For comparison, thats about 11 times the UKs entire generating capacity. For some solar power installers, its a dream come true. Sagar Adani is building solar farms across Indias deserts, with 54 in operation and another 12 being built. His company, Adani Green Energy, is constructing one solar farm so large that it will cover an area five times the size of Paris and have a capacity of 30 gigawatts equal to a third of the UKs entire generating capacity. I am installing tens of millions of solar panels across these projects, says Adani. Almost all of them will have been imported from China. There is nowhere else that can supply them in such numbers or at such prices. China saw the opportunity before others, it looked forward to what the world is going to set up 10 years on. And because they scaled up in the way they did, they were able to reduce costs substantially as well. That scaling up meant the capital cost of installing solar power fell from around 1.25m per megawatt of generating capacity in 2015 to around 600,000 today a decrease of more than 50pc making it cheaper than almost any other form of generation, including wind. Cut-throat competition from China has pushed EU manufacturers to the brink - STR/AFP via Getty Images Can European manufacturing catch up? I think that ship has sailed, says Tom Smout at Aurora Energy Research. Up to 2012 there was a healthy looking European solar panel industry but it was actually very reliant on subsidies and preferential treatment. But then European governments and other customers started buying from China because their products were so much cheaper. And China still has cheap labour and cheap energy plus a massive domestic market. Its hard to see Europe recovering from those disadvantages. Britain is less involved. Its last remaining solar panel maker, GB-Sol, caters to niche and upmarket customers, not the mass market, so we have little choice but China. The Governments solar taskforce is about to publish the UK Solar Roadmap, which will commit the UK to an even greater reliance on the Peoples Republic. Chris Hewett, chief executive of Solar Energy UK, the industrys trade body, chaired the taskforce with energy minister Andrew Bowie. Hewett said the report would recommend a fourfold expansion of UK solar power. That means Britains solar farms will expand from 18 gigawatts now to 70 gigawatts by 2035 mostly in big solar farms across the English and Welsh countryside. In practical terms we will be covering an area of countryside the size of Middlesex with Chinese solar panels. When the sun shines on Europe and the UK, it is the Chinese who are smiling. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The King, seen here with the princess at a 2022 event, says he and Queen Camilla will "continue to offer their love and support to the whole family" King Charles III is "so proud of Catherine for her courage" in speaking about her treatment for cancer, Buckingham Palace has said. The King, who has been diagnosed with cancer himself, is in the "closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law", a short statement read. Support has poured in for the princess, who described her diagnosis as a "huge shock" in a video released on Friday. She has been undergoing preventative chemotherapy since late February. The princess said it had been an "incredibly tough couple of months" for her family but she was "well and getting stronger every day". Her news comes six weeks after King Charles paused his public appearances following a cancer diagnosis himself. The two were briefly treated at the London Clinic private hospital at the same time. Catherine had a planned abdominal surgery there in January, and the King was admitted for a "corrective procedure" for an enlarged prostate. "His Majesty is 'so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did'," Buckingham Palace said. King Charles and Queen Camilla, who were informed of the news about the princess's health before Friday's announcement, said they would "continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time". The Duke and Duchess of Sussex sent a message saying: "We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace." Catherine's brother James Middleton posted a message of support for his sister on Instagram, writing: "Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one with you too". Kensington Palace has not disclosed the type of cancer Catherine has been diagnosed with, but says it is confident she will make a full recovery. Members of the public have been sharing messages of sympathy with the princess. Karl from Yorkshire, told BBC Radio 5 Live he wished Catherine "all the best". He said he had been diagnosed with cancer two years ago and telling his three adult children was "one of the toughest things" he had ever done. He said he had not yet told his six-year-old daughter because "I don't look ill", adding he did not "envy Kate who doesn't have the luxury of anonymity like me". Rod Laight, chairman of trustees of the Primrose Hospice in Bromsgrove, said many families would find comfort from Catherine and her words. "What Princess Kate has achieved will have unbelievable positive effects on the future of everyone involved in cancer care," he added. Eve Watts, who lives in Windsor, said the news was a "shock because she's so young". She added: "It just shows you it could happen to anyone." Ms Watts' mother Valerie, who was visiting the historic town from Southport, said she hoped Catherine's video would "end all the speculation that's been going on". Across the road from Windsor Castle, visitor Sonia Dunn said the princess was an "amazing young woman" and a "huge asset to the country", adding: "We just need to let her have time and space." Eve Watts (left) says she was shocked to hear Catherine's news, adding "it could happen to anyone" Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Friday that Catherine had shown "tremendous bravery" in the face of "intense scrutiny". He added: "When it comes to matters of health, like everyone else, she must be afforded the privacy to focus on her treatment and be with her loving family." Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said his thoughts were with the Royal Family, and that he was heartened by the princess's optimism and "message of faith and hope". Sir Keir also referenced the scrutiny Kate had faced in recent weeks, remarking on the "added stress" of receiving her diagnosis amid "lurid speculation". The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, praised the princess for her "compassion and sense of service" in speaking about her diagnosis, adding his prayers were with her "at this tremendously difficult time". Elsewhere, US President Joe Biden said he was joining "millions around the world in praying" for Catherine's "full recovery". And French President Emmanuel Macron said the princess's "strength and resilience inspire us all". Catherine's video statement explains that when she had abdominal surgery earlier this year, it was not known that there was any cancer. In January, Kensington Palace announced that the princess had undergone a planned surgery which was not cancer-related and that she would remain in hospital for 10-14 days before continuing her recovery at home. On Friday, the princess said tests following that operation "found cancer had been present". "My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment," she added. The 42-year-old said she was thinking of all those who have been affected by cancer, adding: "For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone." Catherine and the Prince of Wales are not expected to appear with the Royal Family on Easter Sunday. There will not be any early return to official duties for the princess either. Kensington Palace has also said Prince William's sudden absence from a memorial service on 27 February was because of the discovery of Catherine's cancer diagnosis. The couple have faced intense public speculation and a social media frenzy about her health - including conspiracy theories - since her operation in January. She has not attended any official events since Christmas. Earlier in March, the prince and Catherine released a photo of the princess with their three children to mark Mother's Day. The image was later withdrawn by several news agencies over concerns it had been "manipulated". Kensington Palace later released a statement from Catherine apologising "for any confusion" over the image, and explaining that she occasionally experiments with photo editing. While Catherine has stood back from royal duties, Charles has continued with his constitutional role as head of state, and was recently seen in a virtual address to a service celebrating Commonwealth Day. Additional reporting by Ian Aikman King Charles released a statement following his daughter-in-law's candid public statement about her cancer diagnosis AP King Charless spokesperson expressed the monarchs pride for his daughter-in-law Kate Middleton after she revealed her cancer diagnosis last night. Buckingham Palace said the King is so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did. The pair have remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks after they spent time in hospital together, according to the spokesperson. They added that Charles and his wife, Camilla, will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time. In a video statement released on Friday, Princess of Wales announced she was diagnosed with cancer after a planned abdominal surgery in January. She said she is now undergoing preventative chemotherapy. The news comes a few weeks after the monarch revealed he was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year following a separate procedure for a benign prostate enlargement. Charles is now going through a schedule of regular treatments. The two royals were treated at the London Clinic at the same time earlier this year. The Palace has not revealed what kind of cancer either of the senior royals has, and it is unlikely to do so. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle extended their sympathies to Kate from across the pond, saying: We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace. Kates brother James Middleton also posted on Instagram about the news, sharing an old photo of the two of them alongside the caption: Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one with you, too. As Catherine, Princess of Wales, informed the public on March 22 that she was undergoing treatment for cancer, she acknowledged the significant impact her diagnosis has had on her entire family. The public has long been interested in the parents who raised the princess. Read on for what we know about Carole and Michael Middleton, Kate's parents. Royal Wedding - Carriage Procession To Buckingham Palace And Departures (Chris Jackson / Getty Images) Who are Kate Middleton's mom and dad? Carole Middleton (nee Goldsmith) was born in London and spent her first six months in a "council flat," or a British public housing apartment, in Ealing, she told The Daily Telegraph in 2018. Her father, Ron, was a painter and decorator, and her mother, Dorothy, was the family's warm-hearted matriarch, doting on both her children and grandchildren, she told the publication. Prince George birthday (Mario Testino / Art Partner / PA Wire via AP) She met Michael Middleton, who was born into a wealthy family in Leeds, England, during the 1970s when she was flight attendant for British Airways and he was one of the company's flight dispatchers, the publication reported. Michael Middleton was, she said, rather shy but very handsome. The couple welcomed three children (and several grandchildren) Carole and Michael Middleton (Stefan Rousseau / AP) Carole and Michael Middleton welcomed their first child, Catherine, in January 1982. Their second daughter, Philippa Pippa Middleton, arrived in 1983 and a son, James Middleton, in 1987. The couple are grandparents to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, Catherine's children with Prince William. They share four other grandchildren: Arthur, Grace and Rose, Pippa Middleton's children with husband James Matthews, according to People; and newborn baby boy Inigo, James Middleton's first child with wife Alizee Thevenet, according to People. The young family relocated to Jordan in the early 1980s Nearly three years after marrying, the Middletons and baby Catherine relocated to Jordan, where Michael Middleton worked as an aviation manager for an international air station, Carole Middleton told The Telegraph in 2018. After three years in Jordan and the arrival of the couple's second daughter, Pippa Michael and Carole, who was then pregnant with the couple's third child, decided to return to England. "I wasn't convinced I wanted to be an expat mum and Mike's job there was coming to an end," Carole Middleton told The Telegraph. The Middletons founded Party Pieces, a successful party planning company, in 1987 Duchess of Cambridge's Family Sell 'A New Little Prince' and 'A New Little Princess' Party Range (Max Mumby/Indigo / Getty Images) Carole and Michael Middleton launched Party Pieces, a party planning company, in 1987, the same year their son James was born. The company's beginning were humble: Carole Middleton worked in her kitchen selling festive paper plates and cups she sourced from local wholesale sellers at a profit, she told the Telegraph. In those early days, she hung up self-designed flyers at daughter Catherines playgroup. Business picked up after the resourceful young mom and entrepreneur began advertising with The Red House, a children's book club. The Middletons moved Party Pieces' headquarters from their home to an office unit. Michael Middleton quit his day job at British Airways to focus on the company. "My mother thought that was big, because at that stage he probably wouldn't have got employment again, but we could see this was a business we could scale up," Carole Middleton told the publication. "We were pretty much the only ones doing this sort of thing when we started," she added. "It was really clear almost from the start that this was going to work." Party Pieces later would grow to be a thriving online operation until it was hit hard by the COVID pandemic. In May 2023, The Middletons sold the business to entrepreneur James Sinclair, Sky News reported. Carole thought nothing of juggling work and motherhood Carole Middleton was a busy young mother of three when she and her husband got Party Pieces off the ground. To hear her tell it, juggling work and motherhood was no big deal because the couple's children always considered the company a family affair. "Mike and I often talked about work in the evenings or on holiday, but we enjoyed it. I never really felt I was a working mother although I was and the children didn't either. They grew up with it," she told The Telegraph. Carole was close to Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II, Carole Middleton (Invicta Kent Media / Shutterstock) Carole Middleton struck up a close friendship with Queen Elizabeth II that surprised many royal watchers. The Party Pieces founder was photographed riding in the front seat of the queen's Range Rover in September 2016 as the queen drove through Balmoral Castle in Scotland. "Because of the circumstances of Williams childhood, the Queen has made a big effort to include the Middletons much more than she would have done otherwise, royal expert Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of "Majesty," told People in November 2016. She is recognizing they have a big role in the lives of her family and she is happy with that. Prince Phillip, Carole Middleton, Queen Elizabeth II and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall stand outside of Westminster Abbey after the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in London. (Martin Meissner / AP) Robert Lacey, one of the consultants to the "The Crown," said Queen Elizabeth appreciated Carole Middleton's perspective. In the past, (young Princess) Elizabeth had a Scottish nanny who was the daughter of a railway signalman and actually slept in her bedroom until she was a teenager. She would teach her the habit of unwrapping your presents carefully and then ironing (the wrapping paper) and putting it back in a drawer so you could use it again," he told People. That sort of contact with ordinary life came through the servants in that generation and now its coming through Carole," he added. Prince William gushes about 'my in-laws' in 2021 Prince William opened up about his fondness for Carole and Michael Middleton while speaking to emergency personnel in Scotland during the COVID pandemic. Some people are quite happy they havent seen their in-laws for a year. I love my in-laws," the prince said after some attendees joked about how the pandemic allowed them to dodge certain family members. "The funny thing is when I spoke to my family, I found it so good to catch up, but then you havent anything to catch up on because no one had done anything," he added. Catherine blew a sweet kiss to her parents at Wimbledon in 2022 Catherine, who was then the Duchess of Cambridge, took a moment to say hello to her parents from afar, when she and Prince William attended Wimbledon in July 2022. As the royal couple arrived to the event, Catherine spotted her parents, who were seated far from her in the Royal Box, and she blew a cute kiss their way. She also waved to them and mouthed the word Hi. Carole and Michael attended King Charles III's coronation Michael and Carole Middleton arrive at Westminster Abbey ahead of the coronation of King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, in London, Saturday, May 6, 2023. (Andrew Milligan / AP) The Middletons attended King Charles III's coronation at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Russia has been left reeling in the wake of the nations worst terrorist attack in decades. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the massacre, which saw armed assailants storm a popular concert venue complex on the outskirts of Moscow, killing more than 130 people. Nearly a dozen people have been detained in connection with the atrocity, according to authorities. Among them, four suspected gunmen from the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan have been charged with terrorism and remanded into pre-trial detention. Heres what we know. What happened? Attackers armed with guns and incendiary devices opened fire at random at the Crocus City complex - home to a popular music hall and shopping center - on Friday night. Crowds were still filing in but the auditorium was already packed with people ahead of a concert by the band Picnic. Some 6,500 tickets had reportedly been sold for the show. But instead of a night dancing away to rock music, sheer chaos unfolded. Panicked eyewitnesses captured on video the exact moment gunmen, dressed in camouflage fatigues and carrying automatic weapons, started shooting indiscriminately. The footage showed concertgoers screaming and ducking for cover behind cushioned seats while others huddled together as shots echoed through the vast hall. During the rampage, one group sheltering next to a large wall of windows outside the concert venue were forced to break them to escape the gunfire, video obtained by CNN shows. An unnamed man who survived the attack said the gunmen entered the concert hall and started shooting everyone. I was sitting in the hall upstairs where the balconies were. We heard gunshots. At first, we didnt understand what had happened, he said in an interview with Ostorozhno Novosti, which was published by Reuters. The attackers threw a Molotov cocktail, and then everything was set on fire, he added. The bands manager later told state media the performers were unharmed. A SWAT team was called to the area and more than 70 ambulance teams and doctors assisted victims. A large fire at Crocus City caused the venues roof to partially collapse. Nearly 500 personnel worked to dismantle rubble at the scene, the Russian Emergencies Ministry said. Law enforcement officers outside the burning Crocus City Hall concert venue following the attack on Friday. - Yulia Morozova/Reuters How many people were killed? At least 137 people were killed in the terror attack, according to Russias Investigative Committee on Saturday. Authorities say that number is likely to rise as emergency responders work through the scene. Additionally, more than 100 others were injured with many of them in serious condition, including two children. Moscow region Gov. Andrey Vorobyov said Saturday the victims would receive financial compensation from the region and city governments. Relatives of each of those killed would receive 3 million rubles ($32,500), while the injured would receive 1 million rubles ($10,840) each. Children registered in the Moscow region whose father or mother died in the tragedy will also receive monthly payments. In addition, we will compensate everyone for burial expenses and resolve all legal issues, Vorobyov added. A woman lays flowers at a makeshift memorial on Saturday. - Olga Maltseva/AFP/Getty Images Who was behind the attack? ISIS claimed responsibility for the assault in a short statement published by the ISIS-affiliated Amaq news agency on Telegram on Friday. The following day, the terror group published an image through Amaq purporting to show the four men who had attacked the complex. None of the men were identifiable in the image; all were wearing balaclavas and the rest of their faces are blurred. ISIS described the attack as the fiercest in years, according to a translation of the message by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors terror groups propaganda. Amaq also provided details of the attack, saying that three fighters attacked the crowd with guns and knives while the fourth threw incendiary devices. It said the attack was preceded by an intensive surveillance operation of the venue. The attack comes within the normal context of the raging war between the Islamic State and countries fighting Islam, it added, according to SITEs translation. The United States had previously warned Moscow that ISIS militants were determined to target Russia in the days before assailants stormed the concert hall. Earlier this month, the US embassy in Russia had said it was monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, including concerts, and it warned US citizens to avoid such places. US National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the US government had shared this information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding duty to warn policy. But in a speech on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin had blasted the American warnings as provocative, saying these actions resemble outright blackmail and the intention to intimidate and destabilize our society. Experts said the scale of the carnage would be deeply embarrassing for the Russian leader, who had championed a message of national security just a week earlier when winning the countrys stage-managed election. Over the past month, Russia has thwarted several ISIS related incidents in March alone, according to state-run news agency RIA Novosti. There have been at least four reported incidents across Russia that local authorities said involved people connected to ISIS, according to RIA. Who are the main suspects? Four men from the ex-Soviet republic of Tajikistan have been remanded into pre-trial detention through May 22 after appearing in court in Moscow on Sunday accused of carrying out the terror attack, according to Russian authorities and state media. The four, aged in their 20s and 30s, were named as Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, Shamsidin Fariduni and Mukhammadsobir Faizov by Moscow City Courts on Telegram. Three of the men pleaded guilty to committing a terrorist act during closed hearings, according to Moscow courts and state news agency TASS. All four face possible life imprisonment. Images from the courtroom showed the suspects with bruised faces, including one man wearing a bandage on the right side of his head. Another suspect appeared nonresponsive in a wheelchair and was accompanied by a doctor to court, a Moscow City Court video on Telegram showed. The Kremlin said earlier that four people believed to be directly involved in the attack had been arrested while trying to cross the border into Ukraine, according to TASS and other state media outlets. RIA later published the purported confession of one of the men on Telegram. In a brief video, a man with a bloodied, bandaged head, speaks in halting Russian. He gives his name and age of 30. When asked where the weapons from the attack were dropped off, he replies, I dont know the city, ask my friends, they know. CNN cannot independently verify the veracity of the RIA Novosti report or the statements made by the alleged attacker, which may have been made under duress. RIA also posted images of three of the alleged attackers after they were detained, which match videos uploaded on unofficial channels earlier Saturday showing the men being apprehended in the southwestern region of Bryansk. RIA said one of the alleged attackers had mentioned returning to Russia from Turkey earlier this month. It also reported that the group lived together in a hostel in the north of Moscow and that at least two of the four perpetrators met only 10-12 days ago. The car they drove to Crocus City Hall and then used to escape had been bought through a family connection. Earlier, Russian state media reported that the head of the Russian Security Service, Alexander Bortnikov, had told the Russian leader that 11 people had been detained in connection with the attack. What else is Russia saying? Putin expressed his deep condolences following the shooting, describing it a bloody and barbaric act in a video statement released Saturday. He showed gratitude to emergency service workers who did everything to save peoples lives, to get them out from under fire, from the epicenter of fire and smoke, and said agencies were working to establish the details of the massacre. Putin also appeared to pin the blame on Ukraine for the deadly attack, when he claimed that a window was prepared for attackers to escape to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Telegram: Now we know in which country these bloody bastards planned to hide from persecution Ukraine. Ukraine strenuously denied any involvement. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Friday: We consider such accusations to be a planned provocation by the Kremlin to further fuel anti-Ukrainian hysteria in Russian society, create conditions for increased mobilization of Russian citizens to participate in the criminal aggression against our country and discredit Ukraine in the eyes of the international community. Ukrainian Defense Intelligence alleged Friday without giving evidence that the attack was planned by Russian special services to justify increased strikes on Ukraine. Whats the international response been? Condemnation of the attack from world leaders has been swift. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday said the US strongly condemned the massacre and while passing along our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and all affected by this heinous crime. There were similar sentiments from British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who conveyed that his nations thoughts are with the families of all the victims and all those injured. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said his country hopes that the attack wont become a pretext for anyone to escalate violence and aggression in a post on X. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed solidarity with all Russians, while Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman both also denounced the attack. Chinese leader Xi Jinping offered his condolences to Putin on Saturday over the serious terrorist attack that caused heavy casualties, according to a report from Chinese state media. Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council labeled it a heinous and cowardly attack, as Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the incident in the strongest possible terms. This story has been updated with additional information. CNNs Anna Chernova, Darya Tarasova, Tim Lister, Mariya Knight, Mia Alberti, Jennifer Hauser, Paul Murphy, Matthew Chance, Mary Kay Mallonee, Katherine Grise, Chris Lau, Samantha Waldenberg, Masha Angelova, Josh Pennington and Kathleen Magramo contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Three children were among the 93 people killed when gunmen dressed in camouflage opened fire at a popular hall near Moscow as crowds gathered for a Russian rock band concert. The attack, involving at least four gunmen, sparked a huge fire at the Crocus City Hall, reportedly causing the roof to collapse, according to state media. Russia arrested 11 people, including four suspected gunmen, in connection with the shooting rampage, the Kremlin said on Saturday. It said FSB security service chief Alexander Bortnikov had reported to president Vladimir Putin that those detained included four terrorists and that the service was working to identify their accomplices. Who were the attackers? Islamic State, the militant group that once sought control over swathes of Iraq and Syria, claimed responsibility for the attack, the groups Amaq agency said on Telegram. Islamic State said its fighters attacked on the outskirts of Moscow, killing and wounding hundreds and causing great destruction to the place before they withdrew to their bases safely. The statement gave no further detail. The United States has intelligence confirming Islamic States claim of responsibility for the shooting, a US official said on Friday. The official said Washington had warned Moscow in recent weeks of the possibility of an attack. Lawmaker Alexander Khinshtein cited preliminary information saying the attackers were in a Renault vehicle that was spotted by police in Bryansk region, about 340km (210 miles) southwest of Moscow on Friday night, but disobeyed instructions to stop. During the pursuit, shots were fired and the car overturned. One terrorist was detained on the spot, the rest fled into the forest. As a result of the search, a second suspect was found and detained at approximately 3.50am. The search for the others continues, the lawmaker said. It was not clear how many people had escaped the scene. Mr Khinshtein said a pistol, a magazine for an assault rifle and passports from Tajikistan were found in the car. Russia has yet to say who it thinks is responsible. Firefighters work near the burning Crocus City Hall concert venue following a shooting incident, outside Moscow, Russia, 23 March 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov (REUTERS) When did the attack happen? Gunmen sprayed civilians with bullets just before Soviet-era rock group Picnic was to perform to a full house at the 6,200-seat Crocus City Hall just west of the capital. Verified video showed people taking their seats in the hall, then rushing for the exits as repeated gunfire echoed above screams. Other videos showed men shooting at groups of people. Some victims lay motionless in pools of blood. Russian investigators said the death toll was more than 60. Health officials said about 145 people were wounded, of which about 60 were in critical condition. Fire rises above the burning Crocus City Hall concert venue following a shooting in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow, Russia, 22 March 2024. (EPA) What have eye-witnesses said? Dave Primov, who was in the hall during the attack, described panic and chaos when the attack began. There were volleys of gunfire, Mr Primov told the Associated Press. We all got up and tried to move toward the aisles. People began to panic, started to run and collided with each other. Some fell down and others trampled on them. Videos posted by Russian media and on messaging app channels showed men toting assault rifles shooting screaming people at point-blank range. One video showed a man in the auditorium saying the assailants had set it on fire, as gunshots rang out incessantly. Suddenly there were bangs behind us shots. A burst of firing I do not know what, one witness, who asked not to be identified by name, told Reuters. A stampede began. Everyone ran to the escalator, the witness said. Everyone was screaming; everyone was running. Smoke from fire rises above the burning Crocus City Hall concert venue following a shooting incident, outside Moscow, Russia, 22 March 2024. (REUTERS) Is this Moscows deadliest attack? The attack, which left the concert hall in flames with a collapsing roof, was the deadliest in Russia in years and came as the countrys war in Ukraine dragged into a third year. In the 2004 Beslan school siege, Islamist militants took more than 1,000 people, including hundreds of children, hostage. The three-day Beslan drama began when Islamist militants took more than 1,000 people hostage on the first day of the school year and called for independence for the majority-Muslim region of Chechnya. More than 330 hostages lost their lives, including at least 180 children, when the siege ended in a gun battle. It was the bloodiest incident of its kind in modern Russian history. Emergency services vehicles are seen outside the burning Crocus City Hall concert hall following the shooting incident in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow, on March 22, 2024 (AFP via Getty Images) How has Russia reacted to the attack? Russian president Vladimir Putin was being updated by security chiefs about the situation, including from Alexander Bortnikov, the head of the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Kremlin said. Russian investigators published pictures of a Kalashnikov automatic weapon, vests with multiple spare magazines and bags of spent bullet casings. Russia tightened security at airports, transport hubs, and across the capital - a vast urban area of over 21 million people. All large-scale public events were cancelled across the country. The president constantly receives information about what is happening and about the measures being taken through all relevant services. The head of state gave all the necessary instructions, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin called the raid a huge tragedy. A Russian Rosguardia (National Guard) servicemen secures an area as a massive blaze seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, 22 March 2024 (AP) What have world leaders said? Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said it was a bloody terrorist attack that the entire world should condemn. The United States, European and Arab powers and many former Soviet republics expressed shock and sent their condolences. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak denied any Ukrainian involvement. The United Nations Security Council condemned what it called a heinous and cowardly terrorist attack. View of the burning Crocus City Hall concert venue following a shooting incident, outside Moscow, Russia, 22 March 2024. (REUTERS) What happened to the attackers? The fate of the attackers was unclear as firefighters battled a massive blaze and emergency services evacuated hundreds of people while parts of the venues roof collapsed. A grainy picture was published by some Russian media of two of the alleged attackers in a white car. Where is the Crocus City Hall? The Crocus City Hall is a large music venue on Moscows western edge in the Krasnogorsky district, close to the Moscow Ring Road in the city of Krasnogorsk. The venue was opened by Azerbaijani billionaire and real estate developer Aras Agalarov on 25 October 2009 and can accommodate 6,200 people. Additional reporting by agencies Slovakia's presidential candidate Ivan Korcok speaks to media after casting his vote at a polling station in the first round of the Presidential election. Luko Grinaj/TASR/dpa Some 4.4 million Slovak voters were called on to elect a new head of state on Saturday as polling stations opened their doors at 7 am (0600 GMT). Voting was to end at 10 pm, with the result expected to be announced by Sunday afternoon. If, as expected, no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, there will be a run-off election on April 6. There are no women in the field of nine candidates standing in the election. The incumbent president, Zuzana Caputova, is not running for a second five-year term despite her continued popularity. According to opinion polls, there are two clear favourites. Liberal former foreign minister Ivan Korcok promises to be a counterweight to the left-wing nationalist government under Prime Minister Robert Fico. A liberal Social Democrat, Peter Pellegrini, who is part of the government coalition, is calling on Slovakians to overcome the country's crippling political divide. He wants to maintain a good relationship with the government as well as the opposition. Slovak politics and society are currently deeply divided, and the climate between the government and opposition has been tainted by mutual accusations. There is a tense debate about the country's stance on the war in Ukraine, but also about the rule of law and democracy. The country has seen repeated mass protests against the government. Slovakia's former President Andrej Kiska (L) and his wife Martina cast their votes at a polling station in the first round of the Presidential election. Michal Svitok/TASR/dpa Residents of a facility for the elderly people cast their votes during the first round of the Presidential Elections. Henrich Miovie/TASR/dpa Andriy Yusov, spokesperson of Ukraine's military intelligence agency, denied Russia's claims that seek to accuse Ukraine of involvement in the shooting. "The version that the perpetrators of the terrorist attack were fleeing toward Ukraine does not withstand any criticism," he said on national television. Kyiv has dismissed the allegations of its involvement in the mass shooting on multiple occasions. The White House said there was no indication that Ukraine was behind the Moscow attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the detained suspected perpetrators of the Moscow shooting allegedly planned to flee to Ukraine, without providing any evidence. Several gunmen opened fire at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, northwest of Moscow, on the evening of March 22, killing 133 people and injuring over 120, according to the latest updates by the Russian authorities. "They tried to escape and were moving towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window for them to cross the state border was prepared on the Ukrainian side," Putin claimed. In his address, the Russian president did not mention the fact that the terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the shooting, nor the warnings of Western countries about a possible terrorist attack in Moscow. Read also: Putin seeking to blame Ukraine for Moscow shooting, despite ISIS taking responsibility Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian President Vladimir Putin linked Moscow concert hall attackers to Ukraine. At least 133 people were killed by gunmen, and 11 have suspects been detained, say Russian sources. ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the gunmen who attacked a Moscow concert hall and killed 133 people had links to Ukraine, an allegation Kyiv completely rejected. "They tried to escape and were moving toward Ukraine, where, according to preliminary information, a window was prepared for them from the Ukrainian side to cross the state border," Putin said. Putin alleged the connection when he broke his silence on the attack 20 hours after at least four gunmen infiltrated Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, on the outskirts of the Russian capital. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) had earlier claimed a link between Ukraine and the gunmen in a statement, said Russian news agency TASS. "The terrorists planned to cross the border and had contacts on the Ukrainian side," the message read. Pro-Putin supporters on social media platformed the baseless theory in the immediate aftermath of the attack. Kyiv denied any involvement and called the FSB claims a"provocation," per the Kyiv Post. Andrii Yusov, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of the Ministry of Defense, rejected the FSB's statements as "absurd." Putin had dismissed US warnings Emergency services vehicles are seen outside the burning Crocus City Hall concert hall following the shooting incident in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow on March 22, 2024. Photo by STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images The four gunmen have been detained, said Putin, alongside seven other detainees. According to Russia's Investigative Committee: "The death toll will rise further. According to preliminary data, the causes of death were gunshot wounds and poisoning by combustion products." ISIS-K, one of the most active regional affiliates of the Islamic State, claimed responsibility for the attack. The militant group previously hit the headlines for orchestrating the suicide bombing at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul that killed 13 US military soldiers and 169 civilians in 2021. Putin called on international cooperation to address terrorism. "We will stand united against this common enemy of international terrorism no matter where it shows its ugly head," he said, per Politico. Just three days before the rampage, Putin dismissed US warnings about an incident as "blackmail." Read the original article on Business Insider Its the kind of moment you never forget. It was a Monday afternoon in 1992 when we were at home and Dad came in to tell us the news. Slowly, and with his voice cracking, he explained he had lost his job. He was redundant. I can still hear the hushed tones we wouldnt tell the neighbours and I recall the palpable fear about our future. My mum, a nurse, didnt know how her salary would keep us going: there was the mortgage, supporting a family, and also my school fees which my parents had worked so hard to pay. Over the next five years, I saw how my father struggled to find work. The strain of unemployment nearly broke our family. Mum took on extra shifts, sacrificed in ways Ill never know and somehow made it work. But the impact on me, as a 12-year-old girl, was life-changing. I came to see my education as a precious gift to be cherished. My parents never had the chance to sit A-levels so, for them, seeing me receive mine was priceless. My story is not unusual. Its playing out in thousands of homes today. Parents who, for myriad reasons, thought the state sector couldnt provide properly for their children are straining every sinew to give their children what they need. And it is why Labours crass attempt at a class war by levying 20 per cent VAT on school fees is misguided and destructive. Labour assume this will only impact millionaires and royalty. But it will penalise the thousands of working families all over the country who needed and wanted something the state sector could not or would not offer. It will, for example, price out many of the 95,000 vulnerable children who attend excellent schools for those with special educational needs (SEN). As a constituency MP, Ive met children with epilepsy, cerebral palsy, autism and Downs syndrome and seen how independent specialist schools are a lifeline for them. And it will render many of the small independent faith schools unviable, pushing up to 370,000 pupils back into the state sector that all too often is indifferent or even hostile to their needs. Many of these schools will be driven out of business. Once they shut, well never ever get them back again. The tragedy is that this clumsy attack on an educational sector a re-heating of New Labours scrapping, in 1997, of the Assisted Places Scheme is profoundly missing the point when it comes to education reform. Private schools play a valuable role in our society but they could do much more to support children who are consigned to the state monopoly for lack of funds and alternative provision. Often these schools are seen as divisive and elitist not because they maintain class barriers but rather because of their commitment to excellence. But charitable status demands that they extend their mission to all, or rather more, of our citizens. Rather than destroy excellence we should seek to extend it. Smarter reforms could help them to expand the virtues and values of independent schools to more and more children. We know from all the sociological and historical evidence that it is class not race or sex that holds people back most in Britain today. Overcoming the invisible barriers that consign children born in the wrong postcode to a shorter, more brutal and precarious life is really the most pressing political and moral task. In that regard the independent schools sector should be re-purposed, not erased. For instance, state school pupils should be able to access teaching at private schools in certain subjects not offered or poorly delivered in their current school. An a la carte approach, where pupils could study a certain subject at a private school, would greatly increase social mixing and mobility. Similarly, teachers at private schools should be encouraged to teach at disadvantaged schools to share their intellect and experience. For the same cost of a bursary, private schools could broaden this to participation in extracurricular activities, sport or revision camps. This happens already but ad hoc and at negligible levels. More broadly, private schools should adopt or take over failing or perhaps just average schools in the state sector to better spread opportunity and privilege. Further, if state school parents were empowered to choose specific aspects of their childs education, at a smaller private cost, isnt there a case for granting them more discretion over how some of the tax monies allocated to them are used, for example the pupil premium? And we should explore how to maximise the use of tax-funded vouchers for parents to choose how their children receive their education and across which schools. Lastly, our private schools should be more innovative and pioneering in education, mirroring much of the brilliant work at the free schools now dotted around the country thanks to Conservative government reforms. For example, private schools really should be leading the charge against diversity, equity and inclusion and virtue-signalling, not producing the next generation of Just Stop Oil maniacs. The real answer to the lack of social mobility in this country where class remains the greatest barrier to peoples betterment is not a tax on choice and aspiration. Instead, the solution lies in an educational melting pot, where children from all different backgrounds can mix and learn from each other. Our independent schools should be at the vanguard of this righteous crusade, spreading opportunity far and wide by taking responsibility for more of our childrens precious education. There really is no more important mission. Rt Hon Suella Braverman KC MP is a former home secretary 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. (KLFY) Two 24-year-olds from Acadiana have been sentenced in an identity theft case, according to United States attorney Brandon Brown. Joshua Dunbar of St. Martinville and Jaqualyne Etienne of Lafayette, both 24, pled guilty to one count of committing aggravated identity theft. The investigation showed Dunbar and Etienne were using peoples personal information to get credit card accounts from Synchrony Bank. The two would use the personal information to ask for new credit cards to be sent to addresses in St. Martinville and New Iberia for each of the accounts that were being used, according to Brown. Dunbar confessed to fraudulently charging $66,421.43 using the cards, and Etienne charged $164,437.66 to the illegal credit cards. They both admitted to using the same plans to get the credit cards and making fraudulent purchases, according to Brown. Dunbar was sentenced to two years in prison, with one year of supervised release following. Etienne was sentenced on Feb. 27 to two years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. 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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: Laura Wood, Senior 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 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 Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/china-social-commerce-market-intelligence-report-2024-2029-strong-growth-forecast-in-social-network-led-shopping-and-video-commerce-302096982.html SOURCE Research and Markets An amendment named after slain Augusta University 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley from Georgia is at the center of a Senate showdown over the $1.2 trillion spending package that must pass before midnight to avoid a partial government shutdown. The Laken Riley Act has been introduced as an amendment to the six-bill appropriations package by Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., but sources have told Fox News Digital that Democrats are unwilling to agree to a vote on it. REPUBLICAN SENATORS INTRODUCE BILL TO BLOCK MIGRANTS FROM USING BORDER PATROL APP AS ID AT TSA CHECKPOINTS His modified Laken Riley Act would stop illegal immigrants from gaining citizenship or legal status if they've ever committed burglary, theft, or shoplifting. Budd's second proposed amendment to the spending bills is also immigration-related, and also being contested in negotiations. The amendment would similarly prevent illegal immigrants from becoming legal or citizens if they've assaulted a law enforcement officer. Laken Rileys killing has gripped the nation as the border crisis continues. Budd said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital, "We know that the Biden administration would love nothing more than to grant legal status to illegal aliens who are unlawfully living in this country. So I am fighting to defund the ability of the Biden administration to grant any sort of legal status to any illegal alien who commits crimes like assaulting a law enforcement officer; as well as theft and shoplifting." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP HOUSE PASSES $1.2T GOVERNMENT SPENDING BILL TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Three GOP Senate sources told Fox News Digital that a specific obstacle to consideration of the immigration-related amendments is Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., who frequently postures himself as a moderate and is up for re-election in a competitive match-up in November. The sources detailed he is particularly against being on record on the Laken Riley Act. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., called Tester out by name on X, formerly known by Twitter, on Friday night. "Tonight, @TheDemocrats are shutting down the United States government because they don't want @jontester to have to vote against OPEN BORDERS in an election year. I can't wait for @SheehyforMT to send him packing. #MAGA," he wrote. Republican Minority Whip John Thune similarly blamed Democrats for the nearly inevitable shutdown. "Make no mistake, if the government shuts down, it will be because of one thing and one thing only: Democrat leaders protecting vulnerable incumbents from taking hard votes," he said on X. However, Tester is pushing back on the idea. "This is false and Senator Tester is happy to debate amendments. He is pushing his colleagues to hire more border patrol agents, secure our border, and crack down on fentanyl," spokesperson Eli Cousin told Fox News Digital in a statement. MILLIONS FOR LATE-TERM ABORTION CLINIC, TRANSGENDER DEVICES BURIED DEEP IN $1.2T SPENDING PACKAGE But the immigration amendments aren't the only hang-up in the Senate's negotiations to bring the spending package to the floor for a vote. According to two senior Republican Senate sources, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., refuses to allow a vote on any amendments that are "germane" or might pass with bipartisan support. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. "Anything that can pass would send the bill back to the House," a source in Schumer's office shared with Fox News Digital. If any amendments to the spending package are passed, the bills would head back to the House to be voted on again. This would ultimately trigger a partial shutdown, which the Senate negotiators were hoping to avoid. Original article source: Laken Riley amendment at center of Senate standoff in partial government shutdown battle SOUTHERN TIER, N.Y. (WETM) Congressman Nick Langworthys Office is currently accepting submissions from high schoolers for the 2024 Congressional Art Competition. All high school students who live in New Yorks 23rd Congressional District, which includes Chemung, Schuyler, and Steuben counties, are eligible to submit a piece of artwork that they made to Langworthys office by April 19. One winner will be selected to have their art displayed in the U.S. Capitol alongside other winners from around the county. Western New York and the Southern Tier are filled with artistic talent, and I am thrilled to once again host the Congressional Art Competition to showcase the incredible work of our local high school students, said Langworthy. This competition provides a unique opportunity for young artists to have their talent recognized on the national stage. I encourage all eligible students to participate and share their art with our community and the nation. Gmeiner asks for art donations for fundraiser Each student can submit one artwork that is no more than 26 inches by 26 inches, up to 4 inches deep, and no more than 15 pounds. The winning piece will need to be framed and not exceed the maximum dimensions and weight. Artworks must be made by one student only and cannot violate any U.S. copyright laws. Students should only submit pieces that they do not need back. The following types of art are eligible for the contest: Paintings made from oil, acrylics, or watercolor Drawings made from pastels, colored pencils, pencils, charcoal, ink, or markers Charcoal and pastel drawings should be fixed 2D collages Prints, including lithographs, silkscreen, and block prints Mixed media (the use of more than two mediums, like pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.) Computer-generated art Photography Additional guidelines can be found in this document, which is also available on Langworthys website. Langworthys Office must receive all artwork submissions and completed release forms by April 19. Those interested in submitting art should visit Langworthys website and fill out the form on the Art Competition page. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. Former President Donald Trump was a big winner this week, not only in the presidential primaries in a handful of states across the country, but also in a number of highly contested down-ballot showdowns. And victories by Trump-endorsed candidates in some high-profile Senate and House primaries delivered further proof of the former president's immense sway over the GOP. "An endorsement from Donald J. Trump is the most powerful endorsement in modern political history," Bernie Moreno emphasized in an exclusive Fox News interview minutes after he won the Republican Senate primary in Ohio. "There's never been anything like it before probably won't be anything like it afterwards." Moreno, a Cleveland-based business leader and luxury auto dealership giant, rode Trump's endorsement to victory in Tuesday's primary in a costly and contentious battle. Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno celebrates with supporters after winning Ohio's GOP Senate primary, in Cleveland, Ohio on March 19, 2024 "I want to thank President Trump for all he did for me, for this campaign, for his unwavering support," Moreno said in his victory speech. "I wear with honor my endorsement from President Trump." Moreno's victory in a bruising nomination fight over state Sen. Matt Dolan and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose propelled him into a general election showdown against longtime Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in a race that may determine if Republicans win back the Senate majority in November. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP The Senate primary in its closing days was framed as a showdown between Trump and the MAGA/America First wing of the party, which rallied around Moreno, vs. the conservative establishment, which supported Dolan. And it was also viewed as a test of Trump's clout over the Republican Party. Trump returned to Ohio three days ahead of the primary, after Dolan surged in the polls and landed the endorsement of two-term Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and former Sen. Rob Portman, part of the state's Republican old guard. Headlining a rally for Moreno outside Dayton, Trump claimed that Dolan was a "weak RINO" [a derogatory acronym which stands for "Republicans in name only"]. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump greets Ohio Republican candidate for Senate Bernie Moreno during a rally at the Dayton International Airport on March 16, 2024, in Vandalia, Ohio. Trump, who earlier this month clinched the GOP nomination as he became his party's presumptive 2024 nominee, easily cruised to victory in Ohio's Republican presidential primary on Tuesday. However, Moreno's nearly 20 point win in the competitive Senate contest was arguably a bigger victory for Trump than his presidential primary romp. Moreno told Fox News Trump's backing "was probably decisive" in his primary victory. "I think it was a victory for the [Trump] agenda. For the America First agenda," he added. Dolan, who did not seek Trump's support, told reporters after conceding that "I think it's pretty self-evident that Donald Trump's endorsement for Bernie Moreno was a key factor for Bernie winning." Moreno was not the only Ohio Republican boosted by Trump. Last weekend, the former president endorsed state Rep. Derek Merrin in the GOP primary in Ohio's 9th Congressional District. On Tuesday, Merrin topped former state Rep. Craig Riedel by 18 points. Former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a rally in Vandalia, Ohio, on March 16, 2024. With the departure of controversial candidate J.R. Majewski from the primary earlier this month, Republicans are hoping Merrin can defeat veteran Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur in November. "Donald Trump is the most important endorsement in Ohio, bar none," longtime Republican strategist and 2016 Trump campaign veteran Mike Biundo told Fox News on the eve of the Ohio primary. Biundo, who has worked on multiple campaigns in Ohio, emphasized that "Trump moves numbers and helps to hand victories to those he endorses. Its just a fact." The Trump endorsed candidate also came out on top in a contested GOP House primary in Illinois, where Rep. Mike Bost edged past former state lawmaker and 2022 gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey, who was popular with many in the MAGA base. And Vince Fong, endorsed by Trump and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, came out on top in a special election to fill McCarthy's vacant congressional seat in California. But with Fong under 50%, that contest is now headed to a runoff. Trump's endorsement record in contested Republican primaries is not perfect. "This is Trump's party and his endorsement in contested primaries has proven to be helpful, but it's not a lock," veteran Republican strategist and communicator Ryan Williams noted. An Ohio-based Republican consultant, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely, last week called the Republican Senate primary "a litmus test" of Trump's sway over the GOP. "The real question is whether President Trump's endorsement still carries weight with Republican primary voters in Ohio," the consultant said. "It's that simple and straight forward, and I think ultimately the answer is yes." Fox News' Jamie Vera, Deirdre Heavey and Brooke Curto contributed to this report. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub. Original article source: Latest Republican primary results signal who has grip over GOP: 'This is Trump's party' Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher, who led the charge on a bill that could effectively ban TikTok within the country on the basis that China can surveil its users plans to take up a post with the American surveillance company and defense contractor Palantir, Forbes reported. Earlier on Friday, the Wisconsin congressman announced that he would be resigning from Congress next month and that his last day will be April 19. His departure further shrinks Republicans slim majority and leave their party with a 217-213 majority in the House. Forbes wrote that Gallaghers title at the company is still unknown. Gallagher, who currently chairs the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, was the lead sponsor on the bill that would force TikToks Chinese parent company ByteDance to sell the popular social media platform within six months or face a potential ban from app stores and web-hosting services. On March 13, the House voted to pass the bill, sending it to the Democratic-led Senate where it faces an uncertain future. After the vote, Palantir executive Jacob Helberg, who also serves on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, called on his social media followers to fund opponents to lawmakers who voted no on the bill to ban TikTok. Gallagher worked with Helberg in recent months as part of an effort to build bipartisan, bicoastal support of the bill. Helberg took a job at Palantir as a senior policy advisor to CEO Alex Karp back in August. Gallagher justified the legislation in a press conference by calling TikTok a threat to U.S. national security. Under ByteDances ownership structure, he said, the Chinese government has the ability to manipulate TikToks algorithm, surveil its users, and conduct influence operations that quietly populate Americans For You pages. Gallagher has insisted that the bill was not about censorship. The text explicitly prohibits that. And it cannot, cannot be used to censor speech. It takes no position at all on the content of speech, Gallagher said, according to WPR. Only foreign adversary control, foreign adversary control of what is becoming the dominant news platform for Americans under 30. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Lawmakers get thousands of calls in support of TikTok amid threat of US ban CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Lawmakers across the United States are getting thousands of calls from constituents about TikTok. Members of the House of Representatives passed a bill to force the social media apps parent company to separate from its Chinese investors. Local business owners say TikTok has boosted their revenue, so they dont want the app to go away. DOJ accuses Apple of monopoly in antitrust lawsuit At Vixen Ready Art Factory in Northlake Mall the walls are covered with colorful canvases. The owners cultivate a community of creatives who they cater to on platforms like TikTok. Manager Curtis Dawayne Martin III says it has been a big boost for business. TikTok brings in a lot of revenue for all companies, all businesses. TikTok reaches people, Martin said. Unlike Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Its not like TikTok, this is different. TikToks parent company Byte Dance is based in Beijing and owned by global investors including some who are Chinese. Like the majority of U.S. representatives in the Carolinas, Republican Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina voted in favor of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. It would force TikTok executives to buy out Chinese investors or the app would be banned. I dont know whether the Senate is going to take it up and vote on it, said Norman, whose district includes York and Lancaster counties. But if they let this lie, its a national security threat, just like the balloon was and everything else Chinas doing in the South Pacific sees what theyre doing in Taiwan. The app offers a pop-up for its Keep TikTok Campaign to help voting-age users find their senator or congressman. Users had the option to type in their Zip codes to make calls to their congressional representatives. Theyve got a big force put together, but look at the money they stand to lose, Norman said. But now even more so than the money, look at the information theyre getting? So, theyve got every incentive to have young people call us have middle aged people have everybody call us. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) says he got a threatening voicemail from a TikTok user about possible action against the app. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) calls TikTok a national security threat. Ill shoot you and find you and cut you into pieces, the user said on the recorded line. Queen City News reached out to TikTok about the Tillis call. A spokesperson said Threats like this are unacceptable and we condemn this in the strongest possible terms. Clearly, there are millions of Americans who want to and have the right to speak out against the ban bill that would trample Americans constitutional rights of free expression, but we must all do so in a respectful, civil manner. The future of TikTok depends on a Senate vote that hasnt been scheduled at this time. Martin hopes to keep using the app as a marketing tool. It supports us. You feel what Im saying it really puts our name out there, Martin said. So, Im saying it gives a lot of people a way to make money, put money in their pockets. I feel like without TikTok, we gon be able to survive, but it would be a major impact on us. Martin said. Biden boycott vote resonates with young Americans Senate leaders say they are interested in writing their own bill to address the privacy concerns with TikTok. Leaders could start working on a bill after their Easter break. Back in 2019, TikTok (formerly musical.ly) paid the Federal Trade Commission $5.7 million in a settlement over concerns of violating Child Privacy Laws. TikTok has launched Project Texas which houses all data collected in Oracle offices in Texas. TikTok has invested billions of dollars in the facility and hired thousands of American employees to work there, but some lawmakers believe thats not enough. The only thing that will protect it is do away with the ownership, Chinese ownership, or any adversary, Norman said. Thats the only metric you can use to stop TikTok and any window dressing is not gonna get the job done. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Anti-Semitism is now so rife that an NHS trust is investigating accusations that a Jewish boy was mistreated by nurses wearing Free Palestine badges on a hospital ward. According to his family, the nine year-old, wearing his kippah skullcap, was kicked out of his bay and made to sit on the floor. That this reportedly happened in Manchester, home to the UKs biggest Jewish community outside London, is deeply worrying. Yet wherever you find Jewish people, youll find anti-Semitism. Over in Leeds, where Britains third largest Jewish community resides, Rabbi Zecharia Deutsch, the Orthodox Jewish chaplain for a number of universities in Yorkshire, was forced into hiding in February after receiving threats to his safety and that of his family. When I studied law at Leeds University in the late 1990s, it boasted a proud community of Jewish and Israeli students, some of whom were on my course. But now my alma mater appears to have been captured by pro-Palestinian protesters who occupied the historic Parkinson Building and generally have made Jewish students feel deeply uncomfortable on campus. Last week, the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism reported the posting of a grossly offensive sticker which read: Zionism? Nein danke, while a stall that was being operated by Jewish students was attacked. It also said that, last month, one of the universitys professors had led a from the river to the sea chant, and in a separate incident a Jewish student centre, Hillel House, was defaced with graffiti that read: IDF off campus and Free Palestine. According to Guy Dabby-Joory, of the Union of Jewish Students: Jewish students have been targeted by violent threats, physical assault and verbal abuse by their peers, while grieving the consequences of Hamas attack. Emma Levy, president of the Jewish Society, told me: Jewish students are exhausted of constantly having to defend their right to exist proudly on campus. We deserve the right, like any other group, to display our identity without risk of abuse. Dame Andrea Jenkyns, the Conservative MP for nearby Morley and Outwood, has rightly demanded an urgent meeting with the vice-chancellor. This isnt the Leeds University that I used to know and love. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The Murrieta Police Department used Lego toy images to conceal the faces of arrested suspects to abide by a new state law. The Lego company asked the department to cease the practice. (Murrieta Police Department) The maker of Lego toys has asked the Murrieta Police Department of Riverside County to stop using digitally added Lego heads to hide the identities of suspects in mug shots. The request comes after the department posted a photo on social media earlier this week of suspects with their faces hidden by the yellow heads, writing that they did so to comply with a new state law. The Murrieta Police Department prides itself in its transparency with the community, but also honors everyones rights & protections as afforded by law; even suspects, the post said. Read more: Lego heads? California police department posts mug shots but without real faces The California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 1475 in 2021, prohibiting local law enforcement from publishing mug shots of suspects in nonviolent crimes. The Murrieta Police Department has instead used photoshopped Lego heads as a way around the regulation. The state also passed AB 994 last year, which requires mug shots of any suspect to be removed from social media within 14 days unless there are special circumstances. After the altered mug shots gained traction on social media, Lego asked the department to stop using the heads in their posts, Murrieta police Lt. Jeremy Durrant confirmed Friday. He emphasized that it was an amicable conversation and the department cooperated fully. Read more: War in the toy aisle: Squishmallows and Build-A-Bear sue each other over 'copycat' accusations Durrant previously told The Times in an email that the department has been obscuring faces in mug shots in various ways for the past couple of years, and the practice was not unusual. Durrant told Fox News they are exploring other ways to publish content that interests and engages the public now that the Lego heads are off the table. "The Lego Group reached out to us and respectfully asked us to refrain from using their intellectual property in our social media content which of course we understand and will comply with," the Murrieta Police Department said in a statement, according to Fox News . 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. Vice President Kamala Harris walked through a former crime scene in Florida on Saturday and met with affected families, more than six years after a gunman killed 14 students and three teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. No one has occupied the building since the 2018 shooting in Parkland, Florida. It remains untouched, with coursework still scattered on desks from that day. Harris, accompanied by Greg Jackson and Rob Wilcox, the deputy directors of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, saw shattered glass, walls covered with bullet holes and blood-stained floors as she walks the path of the shooter. Officials will demolish the building this summer. Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter, Jaime, was killed in the shooting, helped push the White House to show up for a walkthrough and met with Harris. A senior adviser to Brady United Against Gun Violence, he talked with POLITICO about why he sees this moment as vital for the gun violence movement. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Why did you organize this trip? About 10 months ago, the state attorney turned the building back over to the school. It had been a crime scene used for different criminal purposes. Once it was turned over to the school, we had this idea that we should start bringing in elected leaders, administrators, and law enforcement. Let them see this untouched crime scene. This building exists at a minimum before it gets torn down. Let it be able to teach lessons. And so over the course of the 10 months and I credit Max Schachter [Max's son, Alex, was another victim in the Parkland shooting] with the idea he and I have organized a lot of different walkthroughs with different people. And once the Office of Gun Violence Prevention was set up, I immediately said to Rob Wilcox and Greg Jackson, the White House should walk through this building. They immediately said, 'Youre right.' And then the vice president said she would be a part of this as well. Why does it matter that she sees this? There may not be another building like this that exists anywhere. To see what happened and what could have been done, and to have that drive decision making and policy possibly going forward is such a big deal. And I dont just mean in terms of different things that can be done on gun violence prevention work. Think about what shes going to see. Shes going to see a building that was constructed with big glass panes in the doors. That werent bulletproof. That didnt have self-locking doors. That wasnt designed to protect kids if a shooter decided to come into the school. And I tell you all of this because the building that was built to replace it, if a shooter walks in that building, nobody will die. Self-locking doors. Recessed, bullet proof glass. Well-marked corners. And shes going to see the difference. We have to rethink how we are building our buildings in an age of 400 million weapons in America. I know this wont be the first time youve walked through. What was that first experience like for you? I did not walk through many of the early walkthroughs that happened because I couldnt bring myself to do it. The anxiety over walking by the spot where I know my daughter died. I couldnt do it. And then, I believe, it was when we had Secretary of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona here, I decided that, you know, hes coming because I asked him, along with Max Schachter. And I said, Im going to walk through with him, and I did. It was as bad as you can imagine. Not just the reality of what you know youre walking through, but it is an untouched crime scene. Its all there, and walking and Im going to cry talking about it but walking on the third floor, by the stairwell that my daughter turned into and made it to within one second of her life. And literally just sitting in the spot where she died is something that Ill never get over. But also because of the fact that she died there, its also the reason why Ill never stop trying to do this work to stop the next one. How are you processing the building being demolished? Its time. The building will have served a purpose that I dont think any of us would have thought a year ago when it was just being kept open for the criminal trials. But the idea, listen, someone else I wont say who whos been through Auschwitz and who has been through this building, too, said theres a similar feeling. Because it was a way of preserving history and teaching a lesson that nothing else couldve done in any other way. Is there anything else you and the families hope the vice president walks away with? Ill answer in two ways. So the first one is the policy. Three weeks after the Parkland shooting, we passed meaningful gun safety legislation in Florida. One of the things that we passed was the Red Flag Law, which has now been used over 12,000 times in the state. Had that law been in effect before Feb. 14, 2018, the shooting doesnt happen. And so I do hope that the ability to more meaningfully discuss red flag laws, extreme risk protection orders, how much they matter and how they should be the law of the land without question. The monster who did this was a known threat. And before Feb. 14, 2018, the mechanism to do something about that known threat didnt exist, but it does because of what happened there. I think her ability just to see that clearly there, I hope leads to ongoing enhanced conversation around red flag laws. Number two, weve been building schools in America to deal with fires, to protect kids and educators from fires fire suppression systems, fire alarms, fire drills. Weve been doing it for a long time. Not a single person has died of a fire in the school since the 50s. And I think we need to have a similar conversation in this country about schools and public buildings in an age of 400 million weapons. We need to rethink everything. We are able to look forward and build schools differently or retrofit schools to save lives. And we need to have that conversation. Beyond this, is there a message the families will deliver to the VP? As a general rule, every family agrees this should never have happened in America, and that there is more that must be done to stop the next one. And were going to ask her to go forward to never forget what she experienced today. To the editor: I was raised in the church, as Paul Thornton was. My father and both grandfathers were Methodist ministers. I came to question some parts of the Methodist creeds and theology, and as an adult I did not participate in organized religion until about 10 years ago. ("Grieving without God is one thing. Grieving without God's people is another," Opinion, March 16) Then I found my people in my local Unitarian Universalist congregation. Some of our members are atheists and some come from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist backgrounds. We have members who are gay or transgender. We have a vibrant community that provides services to the unhoused and supports many local organizations through our community outreach offerings. We also support each other in exactly the ways Thornton describes in his column, through the joys and sorrows of life. Ann Hou, Nipomo, Calif. .. To the editor: As a fellow atheist, I have to applaud Thornton's journalistic courage. Even in our secular democracy, admitting to atheistic beliefs exposes one to antagonism from those who worship one deity or another. Still, Thornton freely concedes the notable positive aspect of "faith-based communities": In times of need, church members typically will find ample interpersonal support from fellow congregants. That advantage serves to maintain church membership numbers, to be sure. But the seldom spoken downside is that a common faith tends to generate groupthink, which too often abides anti-democratic political maneuvering. However much that downside may have induced Thornton to leave the church, I don't know. But I'm glad he found comfort from its members in his time of sorrow. Rona Dolgin, Los Angeles .. To the editor: I grew up Catholic with all that entails communion, confession and coma-inducing services. But when I was 15 I'd had enough. Now I have two sons who are well past 15 and were never brought up in any religion. My only regret is that neither had something to reject when they were 15. Russ Woody, Studio City .. To the editor: My deepest condolence to Thornton for the loss of his mother. I lost my eldest sister (kind of like a second mother) at about the same time Thornton lost his mother, and I grieve with him. To be sure, our mothers never leave us. Their memory, love and legacy will continue to live on. For so many people, unfortunately, the faith that shaped and molded our parents' lives is slipping away. That is a tragedy. In our modern post-Judeo-Christian America, more and more people are experiencing pain, anguish and hopelessness like never before. I hope and pray that more nonreligious people find the anchor and firm foundation that had been there for our parents and past generations. Watson Gan, San Gabriel This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) made waves this week with the announcement of its first-ever stock split. But this isn't any old stock split; it's one of the largest in market history, splitting each share into 50 pieces. It's been a long time coming; Chipotle stock has traded at a four-digit price tag for about four years, and it's gained about 175% in that time, almost tripling in price. Let's go through the reasons Chipotle is splitting its stock, and whether or not the stock is a buy right now. What a stock split achieves Although stock splits have become popular for public companies when their stock price becomes very high, they don't change anything essential about the stock or the company. They just divide the same-sized pie into more and smaller pieces. Chipotle said it decided to split its stock now to make it easier to buy, which is the usual reason. CFO Jack Hartung said, "We believe this will make our stock more accessible to employees as well as a broader range of investors." Although these days most investors can invest in stocks with high prices by buying fractional shares, a four-figure price tag can look intimidating. It can also put it out of range for individual or institutional investors that looks for specific criteria. One reason investors might be interested in stock split stocks is that they usually indicate a company that's doing well enough for its stock to have soared and hit a high price. Investors have lots of confidence in stock-split stocks prior to any stock split announcement, and that's likely to continue. Hartung continued: "This split comes at a time when our stock is experiencing an all-time high driven by record revenues, profits, and growth." Some high-profile stock splits that have happened over the past few years include Apple and Amazon, and Walmart recently announced one as well. Forget the stock split; Chipotle is a great company A stock split itself isn't a great reason to buy a stock. It's important to evaluate any company's fundamentals and not rely on a split to imply that a stock is worth buying. As Hartung pointed out, Chipotle is demonstrating incredible performance leading to record sales and profits. Even more, it's doing it at a time when many companies are feeling tremendous pressure. Story continues Revenue increased 14.3% year over year in 2023 to $9.9 billion driven by a 7.9% increase in comparable sales. Operating margin expanded from 13.4% in 2022 to 15.8% in 2023, and earnings per share (EPS) rose 38.4% to $44.34. But can Chipotle keep it up? It definitely seems so. It practically invented (and perfected) the fast-casual restaurant model, and earned loyal fans who love its fresh, mid-priced meals. It draws from an affluent customer base who are more resilient during tough times, and it gets more mass sales when times are better. The company opened 271 new locations in 2023 and operated more than 3,400 restaurants as of the end of the last year. However, it sees an opportunity for 7,000 restaurants in North America. Chipotle's presence is fairly saturated in U.S. urban markets, but it's been opening new stores in suburban areas as well as international stores, specifically Canada. It recently signed its first-ever franchise agreement with a Middle Eastern operator to open stores in Dubai and Kuwait. Should you buy before the stock split? There's some data to back up the theory that a stock gains value right after a stock split, suggesting that it might make sense to buy before the split. But that's often near-term momentum, and it doesn't last. In the longer term, stock splits stocks gain value from performance and opportunity. If you appreciate Chipotle's solid model and future potential, it doesn't matter when you buy Chipotle stock. It has soundly outperformed the market over its lifetime, and that's likely to continue. Should you invest $1,000 in Chipotle Mexican Grill right now? Before you buy stock in Chipotle Mexican Grill, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Chipotle Mexican Grill wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than tripled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of March 21, 2024 John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Jennifer Saibil has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Apple, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Chipotle Stock Split: Is This Behemoth Restaurant Chain a Buy Now? was originally published by The Motley Fool Outdoor rec a must at Centre County jail For a community that prides itself on being enlightened, it continues to be very disappointing that access to outdoor space by people incarcerated in the Centre County prison is still under debate. We should keep in mind, some of the people who are in the prison will be found innocent and are being held pending trial, but even those who are guilty of a crime are entitled to have access to sunshine and outdoor space. Just like food, sunshine is a key ingredient of life, health and promoting a more positive mood. Who would believe that the jailhouse in Centre County has worse conditions for its inmates than many third world countries? This is something that we have been aware of since 2005 and yet has still not yet fixed. Joel N. Myers, State College Competing visions Ive voted in more presidential elections than I care to admit. Some of my preferred candidates won, some didnt. But I never doubted that each candidate was qualified and had the best interests of our country at heart. Until now. The once proud Republican Party is hell-bent on nominating someone who pledges vindictiveness against his enemies and, in the process, destroy our democratic traditions. And his track-record indicates that, with the acquiescence of boot-licking GOP leaders, he is capable of doing just that. The election this fall is about more than the contest between two men. An independent Justice Department, a fair tax code that doesnt give outlandish benefits to billionaires, honest elections, our full participation in the Western alliance to counter despot aggression, womens rights, a system of education that is unparalleled in the world, the advances weve made in providing a social safety net for all of us, a livable climate for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and more will really be on the ballot. Your ballot choice in November will be Biden or Trump. But this election is about competing visions of Americas future. Trump is about amassing his personal power to achieve dominion over his critics while stomping on our democratic norms. Biden is about preserving and enhancing a fair democracy to serve all Americans. The choice for America couldnt be clearer. Harvey Gilbert, State College Election deniers in our state legislature The States United Democracy Center has identified 201 state legislators in battleground states who denied the validity of the 2020 presidential election. Of the seven states studied, Pennsylvania has the most election deniers: 64 in the House of Representatives and 22 in the State Senate (to say nothing of the seven election deniers who represent Pennsylvanians at the federal level, including our own Congressman Glenn Thompson). The study reports that Pennsylvanias election deniers make up more than 80% of the Senate Republican caucus and hold a majority of seats on several of the most important committees that handle election matters. Three lawmakers with Centre County constituencies were named in the report: State Senators Chris Dush and Wayne Langerholc and Representative Kerry Benninghoff. Because U.S. elections are administered at the state and local level, state legislators have broad power to shape election administration and voting procedures, the report says. Election Deniers in the state legislature, especially in leadership or on powerful committees, can push for barriers to voting, seek to hamper election administration, and erode trust in elections and the officials who keep them free, fair, and secure. The 2020 presidential election was fair. More than 60 court challenges affirmed that. The bedrock of democracy is the publics faith in the integrity of elections. It is worrisome that so many of our state legislators have taken unwarranted actions to undermine that faith and remain in positions to do it again. Ed Satalia, State College LANCASTER, N.Y. (WIVB) Last month Lancaster police officers received an alert from their Flock license plate reader cameras that a vehicle with a stolen license plate had been detected. Officers located the driver at a local motel and a search of the subject found two needles, one filled with suspected meth. The male was arrested and charged for the allegedly stolen license plate as well as possession of narcotics. A spokesperson from Flock license plate readers says this is one of many cases where these cameras are keeping neighbors safe. A lot of run-of-the-mill burglaries and robberies are actually committed with vehicles. So, a Flock license plate reader provides objective vehicular evidence that law enforcement can actually search to identify a specific vehicle that was involved in a crime, said Flocks spokesperson Holly Beilin. Police are placing them in high-traffic areas and hot spots of crime. The cameras scan the plate as the car drives by, take a photo of the back of the car, and store it for 30 days then they are automatically deleted. The images are fully encrypted and are also owned by the law enforcement agency, making them subject to oversight and auditing. Other departments in the area are also using this technology, with Cheektowaga police placing them on utility poles across town this past fall. Captain Thomas Gerace said its a tool thats paying dividends. Weve solved things as varied as several arrests for possession of stolen motor vehicles, an arrest made for an armed robbery of a local store here on Walden that would not have been solved if it wasnt for the Flock camera, Gerace said. The suspects fled in a vehicle that we just had a vehicle description and a possible state plate and because there was a camera nearby, we were able to identify that vehicle, identify the driver eventually and arrest them. In the past, residents said they were unsure of the cameras and concerned their privacy was being invaded. Gerace says the sole purpose of this tool is to fight crime. It doesnt run the plate; we dont know who owns the vehicle. Its just a photograph of the vehicle and the license plate that we then use for investigative purposes, Gerace said. Latest Local News Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. James shared a photo of him and Catherine when they were younger as he paid tribute to his older sister - Instagram The warm public message of support released by the Princess of Waless brother, James Middleton, spoke more than a thousand words. Mr Middleton was the only member of the Princesss close inner circle to react publicly to the news of her cancer diagnosis on Friday evening but his brief message neatly encapsulated the tight family bond. His Instagram post, accompanied by a photograph of him and the Princess as children, said: Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one with you too. The Princess has long hailed the importance of family and has spoken warmly about her only family upbringing and the close ties she enjoys with her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, her brother James and sister, Pippa Matthews. Now, more than ever, she will be leaning on that family unit as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy. James is very close to his family and would not have released anything publicly without consent. James and sister Pippa Matthews enjoy close ties with their royal sister - Dan Charity The Middletons are thought to have maintained a regular presence at the Wales family home, Adelaide Cottage, in Windsor, in recent weeks, with Carole and Michael in particular helping look after the children and provide much-needed stability. The Prince and Princesss move to Windsor in August 2022 was largely due to schools but had the added benefit of bringing them within much closer proximity to Catherines family. Mr and Mrs Middleton, widely considered the future King and Queens closest confidantes, live just 15 miles from Windsor in Bucklebury, Berks. Discreet, eminently sensible and great company, they have been described as the couples anchors, bringing a real sense of normality amid any chaos. Pippa and her husband, James Matthews, live in the area, as does James, with his wife, Alizee, and their young son. Carole and Michael Middleton have maintained a regular presence at Adelaide Cottage to help look after the children and provide much-needed stability - Andrew Milligan - WPA Pool/Getty Images The Princess has regularly spoken about the importance of a tight family unit and how lucky she feels to have enjoyed such security throughout her childhood. Her happy upbringing is the bedrock upon which she and Prince William have created their own family unit, both determined to put family above all else and ensure their children are free to enjoy a happy, stable upbringing in preparation for the future. In 2019, James Middleton wrote a newspaper article about his battle with depression, citing his sister and brother-in-law as an inspiration for his honesty. I feel compelled to talk about it openly because this is precisely what my brother-in-law Prince William, my sister Catherine and Prince Harry are advocating through their mental health charity Heads Together, he wrote. In an interview with the Telegraph that same year, he spoke of the importance of his close family unit. My mother will see how much Im eating and know that theres something wrong. Shell see the way that I look at her and know theres something wrong, he said. Its the same with all my family. We are very close. And I think that can be a challenge. And I do remember feeling that I almost had to say to them, Ill be back, but this is a process and its going to take time for me to recover. Such respect and admiration are reciprocated from all sides. And as the Prince and Princess batten down the hatches to ride out the storm, the Middleton clan will prove one of their strongest supports. 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. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The El Paso County elections administrator cleared the misconception that many people have during election time. Noncitizens cannot vote in federal elections. Lisa Wise, the elections administrator, said undocumented immigrants can be penalized for casting their ballots in races for the president, vice president, Senate and House of Representatives. Every state has their own penalty. Texas law would be a second-degree felony if its completed, if they did actually cast a ballot. If its an attempt, its whats called a state jail felony, said Wise. On top of jail time, noncitizens could also be fined and even deported. With these high-stake penalties, it is uncommon for noncitizens to vote in federal elections despite rhetoric spread. Wise said numerous studies have been done by organizations that fall on both sides of the political spectrum and their findings show very few instances on noncitizens voting. Anything that weve seen in the last 20 years, 10 years, five years, there has been no proof of any widespread noncitizen voting. So, its in the very small digits, that the sample size is millions, and the number is in the tens or dozens. So, I do believe thats a pretty decent success rate and not something that weve seen here or frankly, across the country, Wise said. The state of Texas has a rigorous voter verification process to ensure that voter unique identifiers are given to qualified voters. If the system identifies someone who is registering as a noncitizen, Wise says the state follows a process to check citizenship. We send out a letter and its designed by the state, and it basically says we have reason to believe that you are a noncitizen, and you have 30 days to basically prove that you are, Wise said. People can prove citizenship by providing identification documents like a birth certificate, but if there is no response their voter registration is cancelled. Wise said the registration process is more complex than people think. They cant just check something and say, yes, I am a citizen. You have to provide documentation, Wise said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) VDOT announced this week that new federal grants will be used to build, own and operate electric vehicle (EV) charging stations along major travel routes. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Phase 1-A proposed awards were announced on March 19, 2024, at the Commonwealth Transportation Board meeting. The first investment of $11.3 million will add 66 fast charging ports across Virginia. One of the recipients is in Hampton Roads. The first round of grant winners includes Global Montello Group, which operates an Amoco gas station in Chesapeake. It was awarded almost $700,000. View the full presentation. The Commonwealth of Virginia is projected to receive $100 million in federal funding over the next several years to install EV charging stations. For detailed information on awards, program updates, federal EV infrastructure grant opportunities, and educational resources, visit VDOTs Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment website. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. For Petoskey Middle School, Hannah Begos placed first in the 55th annual America & Me Essay Contest, with Alexa Wang earning second and Braden Fralick placing third. NORTHERN MICHIGAN Students from Petoskey Middle School and Harbor Springs Middle School were recently named as award winners in the 55th annual America & Me Essay Contest, sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance. For Petoskey Middle School, Hannah Begos placed first, with Alexa Wang earning second and Braden Fralick placing third. For Harbor Springs Middle School, Hadley Flynn placed first, with Lillian McShannock earning second and Makayla Jo Beach placing third. For Harbor Springs Middle School, Hadley Flynn placed first in the 55th annual America & Me Essay Contest, with Lillian McShannock earning second and Makayla Jo Beach placing third. The students placing in the top three received award certificates, and the first place winners will have their names engraved on a plaque for display at their school. Both Begos and Flynn will also have their essays advance to the state level competition. The top 10 statewide winners will be announced in April. The Petoskey Middle School and Harbor Springs Middle School contests were sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance agent Dan Polleys of Petoskey. This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Northern Michigan students earn America & Me Essay Contest awards Democratic voters in Louisiana will head to the polls Saturday to cast votes in the states primary. President Biden is expected to win all of the Pelican States 48 delegates. Author Marianne Williamson, who briefly suspended her White House bid, but jumped back in late last month, will also appear on the ballot. But, the long-shot candidate has yet to garner any delegates in the previous primary races. Polls are set to close at 9 p.m. EDT. Follow Decision Desk HQs live results here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. GOP voters in Louisiana will head to the polls Saturday to cast votes in the states primary. Former President Trump is expected to bring in all of the states 47 Republican delegates. The GOP front-runner garnered enough votes earlier this month to clinch the nomination, and pave the way for a rematch against President Biden in November. Trump won the Pelican State in the 2016 and 2020 elections over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Biden. Polls are set to close at 9 p.m. EDT. Follow Decision Desk HQs live results here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (KLFY) The Louisiana Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Diocese of Lafayette in an alleged sexual abuse case. The lawsuit, originally filed in 2018 against Saint Martin de Tours Catholic Church, alleges that Rev. Kenneth Morvant abused Doug Bienvenu, the only plaintiff named in the suit, and other altar boys various times between 1971 and 1979. The plaintiffs ages at the time of the alleged abuse range from 8 to 14. This ruling stems from a 2021 amendment that led to a three-year lookback window. The judges decided the Louisiana Legislature went above their constitutional power after they gave the opportunity for the lawsuits to be submitted, meaning any sex abuse case involving clergy filed under that lookback window is not to be heard in court. Latest Posts For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com. Warm wishes flooded in to Catherine, Princess of Wales, after she announced her cancer diagnosis (Glyn KIRK) Warm wishes flooded in from around the world Friday after Catherine, Princess of Wales, revealed that she was being treated for cancer. The wife of Britain's heir to the throne, William, had been the topic of fevered speculation over her condition, fueled by silence from the palace and a botched family snap that the princess later admitted editing. But her bombshell video announcement appeared to have brought a halt to the gossip and evoked expressions of sympathy from family near and far, world leaders, and public figures. Here are some of the immediate responses to the announcement. - King Charles - Britain's head of state, who recently revealed his own battle with cancer, said he is "so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did." A statement from Buckingham Palace said he "remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks." - Harry and Meghan - "We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace," said the Duke and Dutchess of Sussex. The couple, who live in California, have had a strained relationship with the British royal family since leaving the UK, repeatedly lashing out at the institution. - Brother James - Kate's brother James Middleton took to social media to share a photograph of the siblings as children. "Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together," he wrote. "As a family, we will climb this one with you too." - Britain's PM - Rishi Sunak called for privacy for the princess so she can focus on her health. "She has shown tremendous bravery with her statement today. In recent weeks she has been subjected to intense scrutiny and has been unfairly treated by certain sections of the media around the world and on social media." - White House - "Jill and I join millions around the world in praying for your full recovery, Princess Kate," US President Joe Biden said on X, formerly Twitter. The US first lady had posted her own well-wishes earlier: "You are brave, and we love you." - Emmanuel Macron - France's president said he and his wife, Brigitte, "wish you a complete recovery." "Your strength and your resilience inspire us all." - Justin Trudeau - "My thoughts are with the Princess of Wales, her children, and the entire Royal Family following the news of her cancer so courageously shared," said Canada's prime minister, wishing her a "swift recovery" on behalf of all his countrymen. hg/acb (Bloomberg) -- CoreWeave, a cloud computing provider thats among the hottest startups in the artificial intelligence race, is in talks to raise equity capital in a transaction that would more than double its valuation to $16 billion, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Most Read from Bloomberg The Roseland, New Jersey-based company, led by CEO Michael Intrator, is discussing selling both new and existing shares, and employees may tender some of their holdings, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information. Terms havent been finalized and could still change, one of the people cautioned. A CoreWeave representative declined to comment. A $16 billion post-money valuation would eclipse CoreWeaves $7 billion mark in a transaction last year. The company said in December that it had closed a $642 million minority stake sale to an investor group comprising Fidelity Management & Research Co., Investment Management Corporation of Ontario, Jane Street and JPMorgan Asset Management, among others. Read More: Fidelity and Jane Street Back CoreWeave at $7 Billion Valuation This month, CoreWeave named Nitin Agrawal, a former Google executive, as chief financial officer. In a statement announcing Agrawals appointment, Intrator said CoreWeave was entering a phase of monumental growth. In 2023, the company increased its data center presence to 14 from three. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. The Princess of Wales shared she has been diagnosed with cancer - Reuters World leaders and celebrities have paid tribute to the Princess of Wales, commending her bravery in opening up about her cancer diagnosis in a video message. The Princess is undergoing a course of preventative chemotherapy after cancer was detected during tests following her abdominal surgery on Jan 16. Heres how world leaders, politicians and celebrities reacted to the news. United States Jill Biden, the First Lady of the United State, sent a personal message from her account on X, formerly known as Twitter. You are brave, and we love you, the First Lady wrote, signing off with Jill, to denote that she personally drafted the message. You are brave, and we love you. ~Jill https://t.co/xlt7CcsjPu Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) March 22, 2024 Joe Bidens spokeswoman also said the entire White Houses thoughts are with the Duchess of Cambridge and that the presidents team is incredibly sad to hear of the news of her cancer diagnosis. We just heard, obviously, all of us just heard the terrible news, Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at the White Houses daily press briefing. The New York Post called it "Kate's brave fight" An image of the Princess of Wales dominated the Wall Street Journal's front page Our thoughts are with the Duchess of Cambridge and her family members and friends during this incredibly difficult time, and certainly we wish her full recovery. I think its important that we respect their privacy, especially at this time, so Im not going to go further than that. I know folks are going to ask if the President has spoken to her or the family. I can just say right now that we dont have anything to share at this time, but obviously we wish the Duchess of Cambridge a full recovery and we are incredibly sad to hear of the news. On the other side of the country, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex wished the Wales family health and healing from their home in California, and expressed their hope they would be able to do so privately and in peace. News of the Princess's cancer diagnosis broadcast in Times Square - Reuters Fox News broadcasts about the Princess of Wales after she said she was undergoing preventive chemotherapy - Reuters/Reuters Canada Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said his thoughts are with the Princess of Wales following the news of her cancer, which was so courageously shared. Mr Trudeau wrote on X: My thoughts are with the Princess of Wales, her children, and the entire Royal Family following the news of her cancer so courageously shared. On behalf of Canadians, Im sending my support as she undergoes treatment. Were all wishing her a swift recovery. His opposition counterpart, Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Canadian Conservative Party, said he was saddened by the news. I join with all Canadians in wishing her a speedy recovery, and her family support in a difficult time, he said. Australia and New Zealand Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his thoughts were with the Princess and her family: My thoughts, and those of Australians, are with the Princess of Wales and her family following the news of her cancer diagnosis. The Princess of Wales has shown extraordinary courage with her public statement today, in which she expresses her concern for others. Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) March 22, 2024 New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said: New Zealands thoughts are this morning with the Princess of Wales following the news of her cancer diagnosis. I know Kiwis across the world will be wishing her well in her recovery. Europe Over in Europe, Emmanuel Macron, the French President said: Your Highness, in this difficult period you are going through, Brigitte and I wish you a full recovery. Your strength and resilience inspire us all. Bild, a German tabloid, reported the news with a breaking news flash on its website. Shocking news from the English royal family: Princess Kate is suffering from cancer! Kate announced this in a video message published on Friday evening, stated the German newspaper. Bild called the news "shocking" The story went on to note that the Princess of Wales has increased the popularity of the British monarchy worldwide more than any other royal since Princess Diana. There has been speculation about her health for a long time, noted the news website Spiegel, which also ran a breaking news story. Now Princess Kate has announced in a video message that she has cancer. There was no immediate response from the German government. Newspapers across the world splashed the news of the Princesss diagnosis on the front page. Spanish newspaper La Razon wrote on its front page: The truth about Kate Middleton: I have cancer and am undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Spanish newspaper La Razon writes: 'The truth about Kate Middleton: I have cancer and am undergoing chemotherapy treatment' Celebrities Giovanna Fletcher and Dr Alex George were among the celebrities who have met the Princess of Wales to send her well-wishes. Author and podcast host Fletcher, on whose parenting podcast the Princess appeared in 2020, said: Sending you and the family so much love from me and mine. In a later Instagram post, she added: Words fail me. The speculation. The conspiracies. The entitlement. So much going on in her world, in her heart. So much happening that she wants to navigate carefully to protect her young children. Yet shes forced to take time away from that because of the unnecessary noise from caring strangers. Meanwhile former Love Island contestant Dr Alex, now a TV doctor campaigning on mental health issues who hosted a panel discussion with the Waleses last year, wished her a speedy recovery. He said: The Princess of Wales left a real impression on me when we met for World Mental Health Day. I have met so many people who talk about mental health over the years, I have come to learn who talks the talk, and who walks the walk. The Princess is a stomper. A real good egg. As I am sure you all do, I wish the Princess a good and full recovery from her cancer and I hope when ready, HRH will be with us on the front line, fighting for mental health and our young people once again. Meanwhile Zara McDermott, who now fronts BBC Three documentaries, also worked alongside the Princess last year as part of the royals Shaping Us campaign - highlighting the importance of early years development. She said: What an incredible woman she is; I know how it feels to be one of those young children and having your parents try to explain to you what is wrong with mummy through cancer diagnosis and treatment. Your strength is inspiring. TV star and musician Myleene Klass, who has had encounters with different members of the royal family over the years through her music and campaigning efforts, also sent well-wishes to the Princess. What an incredibly brave statement to personally make at such a vulnerable, frightening time for her and her family. Wishing you all love, she said on Instagram stories. 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. BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) As meteorologists are becoming more concerned about what could be an active hurricane season this year, LSU is partnering with the Red Cross for a free disaster training camp. Here in Louisiana, we know that its not about if a storm will happen, but when a storm will happen. And the more hands we have on deck, the more people we have prepared, the more resilient our communities will be, said Micah Nicholas, Executive Director of Capital West Chapter for the Red Cross. La Nina watch is officially on: How will Louisiana weather be impacted in 2024? The first-ever three-day intensive Red Cross training camp kicked off in Baton Rouge Friday evening. Were doing a lot of training around, setting up shelters, logistics, feeding the type of things that people dont think about until they need it, said Nicholas. This event is part of a senior project for the Manship School of Communication students. Gabriel Guillory, a senior at LSU, says hes the captain for this PR campaign. Its amazing. Its great to see all your hard work pay off in the end. You know, when doing the work, its really hard and struggling, at some point, its hard to see the light in the tunnel, said Guillory. The purpose is to train at least 100 volunteers. The goal is to provide them with the knowledge, hands-on preparation and certifications needed to serve their communities after a natural disaster. This is a great partnership because the younger we can get people involved, the better, said Nicholas. Hurricane season starts on June 1. The Red Cross is always looking for volunteers. To learn more about the organizations initiatives visit their website. Latest News For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to BRProud.com. MARSHALL - Madison County's 911 radio system overhaul project received some more good news earlier this month in a continued trend that has seen the county revitalize a system one local fire chief once called "about the sorriest in the nation." In its March 12 meeting, the Madison County Board of Commissioners and County Manager Rod Honeycutt announced Sen. Chuck Edwards (R-11) planned to distribute $1.5 million to Madison for its 911 radio system overhaul project. Madison County 911 Director Chris Alquiza said the county completed Phase 1 of its overhaul in December. The first phase included four new Motorola MCC 7500E (IP) Dispatch consoles. In 2022, the county was awarded $224,148 by the 2023 PSAP Grant from the North Carolina 911 Board to address upgrades to its 911 radio network. What comes next in Phase 2 is what Alquiza referred to as "the big one." In Phase 2, the county will determine which of two vendors it will enter into an agreement with to serve the county's VHF simulcast network. In 2021, numerous emergency management officials voiced their concerns about what then-interim county manager Norris Gentry said was a "grossly inadequate" radio system network. In November 2021, officials with the county-contracted Mission Critical Partners, a public safety communications consulting firm, revealed the findings of the company's assessment of the county's public safety radio network. The county's next decision was to choose between Motorola and Zetron. According to Alquiza, a team of five 911 call center representatives are determining which of the two vendors is the best choice to enter into a contract. "That was a huge win for all of us," Honeycutt said in the March 12 meeting, while also thanking Edwards staff member Tommy Laughter. "It's a good news story for everybody." Honeycutt said county 911 officials will meet with engineers March 21 as part of the grant proposal. In a March 8 statement, Edwards said he was happy that lawmakers recognized the merit" in his earmarks that he said would "help make life better for Western North Carolinians," More: 'About the sorriest in the country': Madison earmarks $1M to fix public safety radio system More: County receives state funds Madison County one step closer to 911 radio overhaul after agreeing to receive state funds "Throughout my district work periods, I have heard from law enforcement, first responders and community leaders all across our mountains about critical needs in our communities, he said in the release. Commissioner Alan Wyatt worked with Honeycutt to secure the funding from Edwards, who has earmarked $19 million throughout the district, including $5 million in upgrades and renovation to Haywood Community College. "We thank the congressman's office for helping make that happen, and Commissioner Wyatt too," Wechtel said. "We appreciate everybody's efforts on that. Our 911 staff worked a lot on that. That was a big score for this county. We know that the radio thing is something that we've been discussing now for quite some time. That's going to be a huge burden off the county." Johnny Casey has covered Madison County for The Citizen Times and The News-Record & Sentinel for three years. He earned a first-place award in beat news reporting in the 2023 North Carolina Press Association awards. He can be reached at 828-210-6074 or jcasey@citizentimes.com. This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Madison County earmarked for $1.5 million in 911 radio system overhaul Sir Michael Fallon, Sir Gavin Williamson and Ben Wallace have all called for an increase in spending to 3 per cent GDP - FRED MARIE/ART IS ALL OF US/CORBIS NEWS A majority of Conservative voters would prefer an increase in defence spending to tax cuts, according to polling. A Savanta poll for The Telegraph found that 59 per cent of people who backed the Tories in 2019 say that the Government should increase levels of funding for defence, even if that means reducing its scope for tax cuts. The findings come after a series of senior Tories called for the party to raise its overall spending on defence to 3 per cent of GDP, in the face of a growing threat from Russia. Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt are gambling on tax cuts as their main election offering to win back disaffected voters who supported the party when it was led by Boris Johnson at the 2019 election. At the centre of this months budget was a 2p reduction in National Insurance, amid sustained pressure from senior Conservatives for more tax cuts. But the Chancellors statement contained no extra funds for the Ministry of Defence despite growing concerns about hostility from Russia and Iran. Only 27 per cent of 2019 Conservative supporters said the Government should cut taxes, even if that would result in less spending on defence. Some 700 people who voted Conservative at the last election were surveyed as part of a wider poll of more than 2,000 UK adults. An inquiry found Britain's 'increasingly overstretched' Armed Forces were not ready for war with Russia - CORPORAL REBECCA BROWN/ARMY Findings show voters also backed more health spending over tax cuts, by 65 per cent to 23 per cent. But more Tory voters thought that tax cuts should take priority over increases in the welfare budget than those who disagreed, with almost half (49 per cent) in favour of prioritising tax cuts and 37 per cent opting for higher welfare spending. Chris Hopkins, Savantas political research director, said: The Prime Minister is betting his and his partys political future on an improving economy that will allow him to dole out tax cuts to a grateful public. But our latest research suggests this might be misguided, with nearly two thirds of Conservative voters wanting him to increase defence spending, even if it means he cant cut taxes. Among all voters, including those who backed Labour and the Liberal Democrats in 2019, additional spending on defence, health and welfare was favoured over tax cuts. Currently, the UK spends around 2.2 per cent of GDP a year on defence, above the 2 per cent target for members of the Nato military alliance. Mr Sunak has said the Governments ambition is to raise that to 2.5 per cent but no specific time frame has been given on when or how that would be achieved. Many Tory MPs have been pressing for higher levels of defence spending following Russia invasion of Ukraine and the deployment of British warships to the Red Sea to protect vessels from Iranian-sponsored attacks. Earlier this month, Sir Michael Fallon, Sir Gavin Williamson and Ben Wallace, the former defence secretaries who together headed up the MoD for almost a decade, said that promising 3 per cent spending was essential for the Armed Forces. Their intervention came after the Commons defence committee warned, following a year-long inquiry, that Britains increasingly overstretched Armed Forces were not ready for a war with Russia. The committees report, published in February, found that the Government will never achieve warfighting or strategic readiness without urgent reforms to reverse a recruitment crisis and dramatically boost Britains stockpile of weapons and ammunition. The MPs said that the Armed Forces required more funding to engage in operations whilst also developing warfighting readiness or it would have to reduce the operational burden on the military. Amid increasing pressure on defence spending, the committee discovered that 1.95 billion of funding awarded in the Budget last spring may now be used to plug shortfalls in defence rather than to replenish and boost stockpiles. A government source insisted that ministers had already cut taxes and increased defence spending, stating: We have put 900 back in the pockets of 27 million workers because its the right thing to do to allow people to spend more of their own hard-earned cash. But were also spending a record amount on defence 50 billion each year making us the biggest defence spender in Europe and the second biggest in Nato after the US. The source added: We are committed to increase spending further to 2.5 per cent as soon as we responsibly can. 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. (KRON) A man accused of stealing a vehicle was found on the roof of a San Francisco resident attempting to flee officers, according to the Colma Police Department. Colma police officers were alerted of a stolen vehicle entering Colma from the polices Flock Safety Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) at 11:46 p.m. on Monday. 6 Bay Area men arrested for child exploitation crimes in sting operation The vehicle had been reported stolen to the San Francisco Police Department on March 17. Responding officers located the car on northbound Interstate 280 at the Serramonte Boulevard on-ramp and attempted to conduct a felony stop on the vehicle. A vehicle pursuit ensued after the driver declined to stop. Police said the driver exited I-280 at Ocean Avenue and Geneva Avenue exit. The driver continued eastbound on Geneva Avenue before fleeing on foot at the intersection of Geneva Avenue and Baywood Court in San Francisco. The Daly City Police Department, the South San Francisco Police Department, the Brisbane Police Department, the Broadmoor Police Department, the San Bruno Police Department and the San Francisco Police Department set a perimeter to catch the suspect. The driver was identified as 36-year-old San Francisco resident Orlin Granados. Granados was later located on the roof of a residence in the 100 block of Seneca Avenue in San Francisco. SFPD assisted Granados off the roof and subsequently took him into custody. Granados was arrested and booked into the San Mateo County Jail for possession of a stolen vehicle, taking a vehicle without the owners consent, evading a peace officer, and obstructing and resisting a peace officer. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A man is in custody after he was accused of firing shots at a Phillips County, Arkansas, deputy. The Phillips County Sheriffs Department says deputies responded to a disturbance involving a firearm at a business in Oneida at around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. According to the sheriffs department, a man identified as Willie Chairs exited the business and fired three rounds at a deputy. Child found dead, mother arrested in Southaven The sheriffs department says off-duty deputies were called to the scene and were able to establish a perimeter. Arkansas State Police also responded to the scene. Deputies reportedly found Chairs at his home on County Road 384. The sheriffs department says deputies tried to get Chairs to drop his weapon but he threatened law enforcement. Law enforcement was reportedly able to deploy a taser and take Chairs into custody without further incident. Chairs has been charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, possession of a firearm by certain persons, terrorist acts, and criminal mischief. Chairs reportedly went before a judge and was given a bond of $150,000. The sheriffs department says Chairs is currently being held in the Phillips County Detention Center. A mugshot of Chairs is currently not available. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. LEANDER, Texas - A man was arrested in connection to the fentanyl death of a 16-year-old, the Williamson County Sheriff's Office said. The sheriff's office said on Thursday, March 21, Kreli Haynes was arrested by US Marshals and the Cedar Park Police Department on a warrant for murder. Kreli Haynes The warrant was issued in connection with an incident that happened on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, when deputies WilCo deputies were dispatched to the 2500 block of Socorro Bend in Leander, regarding an alleged fentanyl overdose. MORE: Fentanyl crisis: Parents of Leander ISD teen who died from suspected poisoning warn others about drug When deputies arrived, they found a 16-year-old boy dead. During the investigation, authorities gathered evidence linking Kreli Haynes to the sale of fentanyl. This evidence eventually led to his arrest, which was accompanied by additional charges. Haynes is now facing additional charges of Man/Del PG1B 4-200g (fentanyl) and Unlawful Carry. DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) The Decatur Police Department (DPD), says that a man is facing drug charges after investigators purchased a trafficking amount of methamphetamine from him. The Decatur Police Departments Vice/ Narcotics Unit conducted an investigation in reference to Vernon Brinkley distributing methamphetamine throughout Decatur. Jail employee arrested on dangerous drug charges in Decatur According to DPD, Brinkley was arrested and booked into the Morgan County Jail on a $100,000 bond on Thursday. Due to Brinkley currently being out on parole with Alabama State Parole for previous charges, he was served with a parole violation to which he will be held with no bond. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. He had a knife in his hand and was saying: Im gonna stab yall in the face, Sanyia Spain said in an interview. He had a knife in his hand and was saying: Im gonna stab yall in the face, Sanyia Spain said in an interview. Photograph: JasonDoiy/Getty Images A 20-year-old man accused of stabbing teenage twin sisters one fatally outside a deli in Brooklyn turned himself in to police on Friday. A video posted to social media shows Veo Kelly being led into a police car to the sound of jeers and curse words from onlookers outraged by the crime. What if somebody did that to your sister? one woman yelled as Kelly was put in the back of a police car. Related: Teenage twin sisters stabbed, one fatally, at New York deli Kelly is charged with the murder of Samyia Spain, 19, and with three additional counts: one for assault and two for criminal possession of a weapon, NBC News reported. In the early morning of 17 March, Samyia and her twin sister, Sanyia, had walked to Slope Natural Plus, a store in the Park Slope neighborhood, with their brother after a family game night. While at the store, the attacker reportedly made advances toward both girls. After Samyia refused to give her phone number to the unknown man, who appeared drunk, he became irate, Sanyia told the New York Daily News. He argued with the sisters, she said, left and then returned to the store. He pushed little Samyia, and then I pushed him, Sanyia told the Post. And then everybody else started pushing him out the door. The employee working at the bodega allegedly kicked the man and his associates out and locked the door behind them. Later, when the Spain sisters group prepared to depart, the employee unlocked the door, let them out and locked the door behind them. The aggressor and his party, however, had not left the area. Sanyia said she saw the man and two of his group standing close by, with the attacker holding a knife. He had a knife in his hand and was saying: Im gonna stab yall in the face, Sanyia told the Post. Im telling everyone to back up. And he pushed little Samyia to the ground. The twins older brother allegedly punched the attacker in the face, causing him to fall to the ground. From there, the two groups began fighting. During the altercation, Sanyia was stabbed in the arm and Samyia was stabbed in the chest and neck, and later died from her injuries. "Say Her Name! Samiya Spain!" - Group marched from Stonewall Inn and overtook NYC Subway car to memorialize the slayed teen. The 19-year-old twin sisters were attacked, only one of them survived as they got stabbed in Park Slope, as twin desperately tried to protect sister after pic.twitter.com/95sEDhFMI9 Oliya Scootercaster (@ScooterCasterNY) March 22, 2024 The killing of Samyia, who was Black, prompted outcry and protest from local residents and drew attention to the risk of violence women face after rejecting the advances of men. Although the frequency of rejection killings is unknown, Black women in general face a higher risk of homicide than their white counterparts, according to Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health. A robbery suspect was killed after an officer-involved shooting by a SWAT Team officer in Reseda. Authorities say the incident occurred Friday at around 5:10 a.m. The Los Angeles Police Departments SWAT unit was at an apartment building located in the 7900 block of Reseda Boulevard in Reseda. Officers were there to serve a search and arrest warrant for a male suspect believed to be involved in a series of robberies. LAPD says they made contact with the suspect identified as Zeff Rocco by phone and instructed him to come outside and surrender. Instead of cooperating, Rocco reportedly climbed over the apartments third-floor balcony while armed with a rifle. He then jumped to the ground and lost control of his grip on the firearm. Authorities said the suspect immediately tried to retrieve the weapon, but officers opened fire and struck him. Emergency responders were at the scene and transported Rocco to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries. LAPD says Zeff Rocco was armed with this firearm when he had a standoff with authorities that resulted in an officer-involved shooting. The image was shared with KTLA on March 22, 2024. (LAPD) LAPD says Zeff Rocco was armed when he was shot by a SWAT officer in Reseda. The image was shared with KTLA on March 22, 2024. (LAPD) LAPD said the rifle Rocco was armed with was loaded with 39 rounds, and an additional loaded magazine was found secured to the weapon. No one else was injured during the incident. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. This couple was priced out of Seattles housing market, so they bought a farmhouse in Japan for $30K instead Leika and Brandon Hansen purchased a 100-year-old Kominka-style farmhouse with swathes of rice fields in Japans countryside last year. We have stable jobs and we're trying to do our best in the U.S., but the area that we want to live in Seattle we could easily get priced out pretty fast, said Leika. Don't miss 'It's not taxed at all': Warren Buffett shares the 'best investment' you can make when battling rising costs take advantage today Car insurance premiums in America are through the roof and only getting worse. But 5 minutes could have you paying as little as $29/month Suze Orman says Americans are poorer than they think but having a dream retirement is so much easier when you know these 3 simple money moves The couples new home in Okayama cost them just $30,000, compared to expensive Seattle, where the typical home is valued at around $847,000, according to Zillow. Leika whose mother grew up in Japan never would have imagined moving there permanently until Brandon shared his own experience in the quiet towns around the Okayama and Osaka area. Japan seemed like a slower pace of life, said Brandon in the couple's interview with Business Insider. It's easy to live here. The Hansens plan to move to Japan permanently this summer here are their three big reasons why. 1. Cheap real estate On the couples YouTube channel, Leika explains how she first heard of akiyas vacant or abandoned homes in Japan that were also incredibly cheap. The duo started browsing properties in January of 2023 before closing on their new home in June. While their farmhouse is just about 900 square feet, not very different from their Washington condo, it came with plenty of land a major incentive for the Hansens, who are interested in dabbling in some farm work. Between their mortgage and HOA fees, the couple say they shell out about $1,550 a month in Washington. In comparison, the farmhouse was worth about $2,500 or $3,000. The entire property, including the land, cost them $30,000 altogether. Story continues Real estate in Japan is a different vibe, Leika told Business Insider, recounting Seattles frenzied bidding wars. It has a first-come-first-served system, which we weren't used to. 2. Safety and walkability The Hansens also made sure that their new home was situated in an ideal location about 30 to 40 minutes outside the city of Okayama. We wanted to take advantage of Japan's public transportation and walkable lifestyle, said Brandon, noting they wanted to avoid relying so much on cars, like they do in Washington. The farmhouse is roughly a mile from the nearest train station, and its a five-minute walk to the nearest bus stop. Read more: Jeff Bezos convinced his siblings to invest $10K each in Amazon and now their stake is worth over $1B how to build your fortune without help from family The Hansens also had safety concerns while considering raising a family in Washington. As a woman and now having a kid I don't always feel safe in every situation in Washington, said Leika, recounting when her car got broken into a couple years ago. 3. Retirement dreams The couple also decided it was important for them to pursue their hobbies and interests and get a jumpstart on their retirement goals, like buying farmland. I really want honeybees. I'm super passionate about pizza and having an outdoor pizza oven, said Brandon. These are things that we think of as retirement dreams. He explained that if they stayed in Seattle, it might have taken them a decade before they were able to start their hobby farm. It was really about getting a head start on that timeline. There are other options to invest In the couples YouTube video, Leika noted the process of immigrating to Japan to live there full-time can be pretty tough and it might be easier to purchase a vacation home to visit temporarily instead. She said applicants have to demonstrate either a solid income or level of expertise in a high-demand job, get sponsored by an employer or have a spouse who is either a Japanese national or a permanent resident. If you dont have the funds, capacity or inclination to purchase foreign real estate or real estate here in the U.S., you can still invest in the sector without becoming a landlord. You can add real estate investment trusts (REITs) to your portfolio to diversify it. Some platforms also let investors pool their assets to buy properties. What to read next Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now use $100 to cash in on prime real estate without the headache of being a landlord. Here's how Rich young Americans have lost confidence in the stock market and are betting on these 3 assets instead. Get in now for strong long-term tailwinds 'We're looking at a downsized America': Kevin O'Leary warns any new house, car you enjoy will be significantly 'smaller' what he means and how to protect yourself in 2024 This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. (FOX40.COM) A man from Sacramento has died nearly one month after he was shot in the chest and stumbled into a Sacramento County Wingstop to call for help. According to the Sacramento County Coroners Office, Joseph Anthony Soto Jr, 38, died on Thursday. It has not been made clear what directly caused Soto Jr.s death. On Feb. 24, the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office said a man was the victim of a shooting in south Sacramento that occurred around 10:15 p.m. One person dead, two others hospitalized after shooting near SacRT light rail station, police say Following the shooting, deputies said Soto Jr. walked into a Wingstop at 5950 Florin Road to call for medical assistance. Deputies added that Soto Jr. was shot in the chest, but was coherent and able to walk around. At the time, officials said that Soto Jr. was taken to the hospital, in stable condition, and expected to survive his injuries. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) A man has been rushed into surgery after being found with an arrow sticking out of his chest on Friday in Fresno County, the Fresno County Sheriffs Office said. Sheriffs officials say a homeowner came across an injured man on Friday afternoon walking on Dudley Avenue, near Lafayette Avenue. The man had an arrow sticking out of his chest. Upon arrival at the scene, deputies say the man was not able to talk too much before he was taken away by the ambulance to a hospital. Officials say he is listed in critical condition. According to sheriffs officials, some people in the neighborhood reported hearing people arguing before the incident. As of Friday afternoon, sheriffs officials say they havent found anyone who might have been involved. This is an ongoing investigation. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. Sacramento County sheriffs deputies shot and killed a man Saturday morning during a mental health crisis call in Rio Linda. The shooting occurred about 8:30 a.m. at a home in the 6500 block of Campanile Street, said Sheriffs Office spokesman Sgt. Amar Gandhi. He said the mans family members and roommates had called 911 because the man was suicidal and had been cutting himself in a bathroom at the residence. When deputies arrived, they encountered the bloodied man in the garage of the home, holding a knife, Gandhi said. He said deputies who were on the sidewalk began negotiating with the man, identified by his sister as Christopher Gilmore, 38, to drop the weapon. The Sheriffs Office late Saturday confirmed Gilmore as the man involved. Within minutes the man exited through the garage still holding that knife (and) was actually hit multiple times with a less-lethal shotgun round, which were actually pretty ineffective, Gandhi said. He continued to advance, got within feet of a deputy and an officer-involved shooting ensued. From there, unfortunately, the suspect was hit several times and did die at the scene. No one else was injured, he said. According to the Sheriffs Office, Gilmore had a run-in with police officers in Folsom on St. Patricks Day when he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, possession of methamphetamine, resisting arrest and graffiti vandalism. He was released on his own recognizance following his court arraignment, according to deputies. A search of Sacramento Superior Court records also showed more than a dozen felony cases dating to 2003 involving Gilmore. But the quick timeline of events Saturday morning rattled the mans sister, who had called for a paramedic and said deputies could have done more to subdue the man without resorting to deadly force. Fire personnel had been called to the home minutes before, according to Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District dispatch logs, but Bobbie Gilmore said four deputies arrived first after she and her brothers roommates had coaxed him from the bathroom, where he had previously been unresponsive. Christopher Gilmore is seen in an undated photo. His sister identified the 36-year-old as the man shot and killed by Sacramento County sheriffs deputies during a mental health crisis call in Rio Linda on Saturday, March 23, 2024. Bobbie Gilmore She said deputies could have done more to help her brother. She said her brother had a history of mental health issues and was in a similar situation nearby a few months before, in which authorities had talked him off a bridge along Raley Boulevard. It was a cry for help, and I told the cops that. They didnt need to kill him, she said. Gilmore said her brother had been holding a small blade and not a knife, describing a weapon that was less than two inches long, and was trying to hurt nobody. He never brandished it to the cops and was slicing himself. Hes hurting himself. Nobody else. They murdered my brother. They murdered him. He wasnt even talking to them, she said, motioning to where deputies had been behind the crime scene tape and a tent that had been erected as homicide detectives took over the investigation. When he was falling (after having been hit with the less-lethal rounds), they couldve Tased him, she said of the her brother, who was naked and bloodied from self-inflicted wounds. They could have done anything. They could have pepper-sprayed him. ... They didnt have to kill him. Gandhi said that while the investigation remains ongoing, deputies are trained to de-escalate dangerous situations but unfortunately, this action was kind of brought to us. Our ultimate goal in this ... well stay as long as we need, he said. As long as the subject is willing to talk to us, is willing to engage in some sort of discussion, well talk and we dont want this to ever happen. Deputies and investigators work at the scene of an officer-involved shooting on Saturday, March 23, 2024, in Rio Linda. A 36-year-old man with a knife was shot and killed by deputies during a mental health crisis call. Daniel Hunt/dhunt@sacbee.com Youve got less-lethal rounds, youre talking within split-second decisions. ... We try every mitigating factor we can before having to go to lethal force, Gandhi added. This was the third officer-involved shooting for the Sheriffs Office this month. The Gilmore incident comes eight days after deputies fired upon an armed standoff subject in Fair Oaks. Eric Oneal Smith was ultimately taken into custody. He is accused of firing into an apartment complex before turning his gun on deputies during a standoff that lasted more than seven hours on March 15. Radio dispatches monitored by The Sacramento Bee indicated Smith might have been experiencing a mental health crisis at the time. The 36-year-old made his first appearance in court Tuesday to face multiple felony charges in connection with the incident. On March 5, an 18-year-old man was wounded by gang suppression unit detectives near the Fruitridge Community and Aquatics Center in south Sacramento after an attempt to conduct a traffic stop. The man, who survived the shooting, had tried to run from deputies while holding a gun, the Sheriffs Office said. Authorities have not yet identified that man. The Sheriffs Offices professional standards division will investigate the shooting, which is standard practice. The Sacramento County District Attorneys Office will conduct its own review of the shooting. The Sheriffs Office is expected to release a community briefing video that will include body camera video and other information, in compliance with state law. BASTROP COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) When Alejandro Anaya heard a loud bang outside his house he knew something was wrong. I ran out to see if it was an actual wreck and sure enough it was a school bus, said Anaya, who lives on State Highway 21 near the Bastrop County-Caldwell County line. RELATED: 2 dead, more than 50 people involved in school bus rollover crash, officials say Anaya said he didnt think twice about running to help everyone on the bus, especially when he saw kids inside. What I saw was all the kids, covered in blood, crying, trying to get out, Anaya said. Also an adult that was severely injured. I just started to help out. A Hays Consolidated Independent School District bus carrying Tom Green Elementary pre-K students was involved in the crash, resulting in at least two deaths, according to officials. One of the deaths was a child on the bus, and the other was a man from a vehicle traveling behind the bus, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. RELATED: Site of fatal school bus crash had prior accidents, safety concerns The crash happened between the bus and a concrete truck near Mustang Ridge, the Texas DPS told KXAN. Officials said it appeared the concrete truck veered into the lane of the school bus on SH 21 near Caldwell Road. My wife brought water. My sister-in-law brought towel, said Anaya. We have no towels now, we brought all the towels that we have to clean them up. We did what we could. Anaya said he thought of his small child while he was helping get people off the bus. I have a one year old and that hit home, Anaya said. RELATED: Abbott, local agencies express sympathies on deadly school bus crash He said hes seen accidents like this in the past and believes speeding is a problem on SH 21. He said he has also jumped in to help other accidents that happened near his home. Hopefully I never had to go through this again, Anaya said. ATCEMS said it evaluated a total of 53 people involved in the incident. Four of the people were in critical condition and transported by helicopter, six people were taken to the hospital in ambulances with potentially serious injuries. Others were transported by other agencies as well, medics said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KETK) A man has been sentenced to 60 years in prison after being found guilty on Wednesday to a July 2022 kidnapping. Nacogdoches man sentenced to life in prison for sexual assault of child According to a release from the Nacogdoches County district attorney, Jesse William Preston Hayes was found guilty of aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping on Wednesday. Hayes was found guilty of assaulting a Nacogdoches man, holding him at knife point and stealing his phone, wallet and keys. The district attorney said Hayes forced the victim into the passenger side of the victims vehicle, got into the drivers seat and drove the vehicle to Austin. He then reportedly held the victim against his will for about 16 hours before going back to Nacogdoches and exiting the vehicle, letting the victim to escape. The defendant will not be eligible for parole until he serves at least 30 years in prison. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. View the player above for previous coverage. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A man who pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in relation to the killing of a 21-year-old in Columbus was sentenced to prison on Monday. Nicholas Kesterson, 23, was sentenced to 10 to 13 years in prison in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas for a fatal shooting that occurred in February 2023. Bodycam shows officers finding Pammy Maye after boys death On Feb. 18, 2023, officers were called to the 1000 block of North Ninth Street just after 4:30 a.m., according to police. Authorities found James Shearer, 21, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at 4:50 a.m. at the scene. A vehicle then fled the scene and crashed into two parked cars and a fire hydrant at the 900 block of East 11th Avenue shortly after the shooting. Two people got out of the car and attempted to run away from police but were detained. Police on scene at the 900 block of East 11th Avenue after fatal shooting suspects crash their getaway car and cause a water main break. (NBC4/Drew Yaussy) Police on scene at the 900 block of East 11th Avenue after fatal shooting suspects crash their getaway car and cause a water main break. (NBC4/Drew Yaussy) The driver of the getaway car, Kesterson, was arrested and charged with murder. Columbus polices initial investigation revealed that Kesterson got into an argument with Shearer which led to the shooting. Kesterson pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter with a three year firearm specification. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) The Prince William County Police Department said a man was shot and killed in the early hours of Saturday in Dumfries. Police said they responded to Club Tempo located at 17650 Possum Point Road to investigate a shooting. Officers said a fight took place near where police found a man who had been shot. Man shot, killed wife in Prince William County, police say The man died at the hospital. He was identified as 38-year-old Carvell Jarmain Williams of Warrenton, Va. Two cars in the parking lot were also hit by gunfire. No other injuries were reported. Police continue to investigate but they dont believe the incident to be random. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact police at 703-792-6500 or submit a tip online at pwcva.gov/policetip. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara (MHA) Nation Chairman Mark Fox, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, and State Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus on Friday signed a historic alcohol tax revenue sharing agreement. The revenue-sharing agreement between the tribe and the state was made possible through Senate Bill 2377, signed into law by Burgum last year. The bill allows each of the five tribal nations in North Dakota to enter into an agreement with the state to impose a single tax on alcoholic beverages sold at the retail and wholesale levels within their respective reservations. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Tribal nations that adopt the alcohol tax will keep 80 percent of the tax revenue, while the states general fund will receive 20 percent. MHA Nation is the first tribe to execute an agreement with the state under the new law. The MHA Nation has been contending with the impacts of alcohol being sold on our reservation for a very long time. It has greatly burdened our judicial system with domestic violence, alcohol-related injuries and deaths from vehicle accidents, and various forms of crime, Fox said. This new tax revenue will help relieve the tremendous amount of money our government spends yearly to provide treatment services related to alcohol addiction, social and wellness services, and supplement enhancements to law enforcement. I would like to thank Governor Burgum, State Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus and the North Dakota State Legislature for working with us on this agreement that benefits our Nation and the State of North Dakota. The bill was approved unanimously in both the House and Senate. It improved upon an alcohol tax revenue-sharing bill that passed in 2019 but hadnt been utilized. "This agreement underscores the commitment of the state of North Dakota and MHA Nation to work together for the mutual benefit of their communities. It provides exactly the kind of fair and uniform framework for collecting alcohol taxes on reservations that we hoped to achieve when signing the legislation last year, Burgum said, noting the bulk of the revenue will go to the tribes to support addiction treatment and other programs. The Governors Office worked with tribal nations, legislators, and the Office of the State Tax Commissioner for several years to negotiate an acceptable framework for revenue-sharing agreements and avoid a double taxation situation in which both the state and tribe could levy separate alcohol taxes on reservations. About the Author: "Levi \"Calm Before the Storm\" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print\/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at levi@nativenewsonline.net." Contact: levi@nativenewsonline.net Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene unleashed on her Republican colleague Mike Gallagher on Saturday, calling his decision to resign from Congress next month an intentional betrayal. He should be expelled if he refuses to leave immediately in order to allow his district to hold a special election to elect a representative so that their district can have a voice for the remainder of the 118th Congress!, Greene said about the Wisconsin congressman on X. Leaving after the deadline is intentional betrayal! The rebuke comes just one day after Gallagher, who previously said he would not run for re-election, released a statement announcing that he would resign from Congress on April 19. Gallaghers decision to leave on that date also means that there will not be a special election to fill his seat. Under Wisconsin state law, seat vacancies that occur after the second Tuesday in April are voted on in the general election in November instead of a special election. That means Gallaghers seat will remain empty until January. Yes he should be expelled if he refuses to leave immediately in order to allow his district to hold a special election to elect a representative so that their district can have a voice for the remainder of the 118th Congress! Leaving after the deadline is intentional betrayal! https://t.co/5QR81wNgSp Marjorie Taylor Greene (@mtgreenee) March 23, 2024 Gallaghers announcement marks another blow to the shrinking Republican House majority. Colorado Rep. Ken Buck also announced Friday that he is resigning from Congress next week and not seeing re-election. After Gallagher leaves next month, the Republicans majority in the House will just be 217 seats to the Democrats 213. Forbes reported that Gallagher plans to work for defense contractor Palantir after he steps down. Four terms serving Northeast Wisconsin in Congress has been the honor of a lifetime and strengthened my conviction that America is the greatest country in the history of the world, Gallagher said in his Friday statement posted to X. A spokesperson for Gallagher did not immediately respond to a request for comment about MTGs tweet. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. The town of Marshall allows parking for up to two hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday in the downtown area. MARSHALL - The town of Marshall is increasing its downtown parking ticket fees in a move to bring fees closer to those of its neighboring town, Mars Hill. The town of Marshall stipulates a maximum of two hours parking from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday in the downtown area. The parking citation fees were $15, but the Marshall Town Board unanimously voted to raise the fees to $35 in its March 18 meeting. Town Administrator Forrest Gilliam said the fee rate was something of a timely matter. "The fee is the only thing that is kind of a timely matter to address, just because it's near time to order citation letters," Gilliam said. "It's not the end of the world to have to reorder them, but you can get them the right way, if you all want to do that, because I've heard several times before that it's not at the level compared to other towns." According to research from board member Aileen Payne, the town of Mars Hill's fee rate is $35. But Payne and other board members said they felt Marshall's parking situation was a bit more complicated, as the presence of a Marshall Housing Authority-owned unit and the downtown courthouse created increased traffic. "No businesses and no employees park on Mars Hill's (Main) Street," Payne said. "It needs to be moved down from two-hour parking, because the court's back down here, and there's a dentist office down there, there's Star Diner, there's Natural Foods that has a business there. So, that whole side down through there is parking on the street. "And we're not doing anything, but yet we're going to write a ticket for somebody that parks on the street that lives up here in these areas. So, you've got to go all the way or not at all." While the fee price was the most timely of the parking discussion topics, the number of town-reserved spaces, as well as the question of whether to extend two-hour zones anywhere and the issue of ADA parking spaces were also identified as talking points for the board. "Handicap parking statute in North Carolina is if someone has a placard, basically time won't apply to them," Gilliam said. "So, for that reason, there's not an ADA requirement that there be we have them but there's not a requirement that we have any extra spaces. We should try to preserve them where we have them and get ramps, and have them on both sides of the road if somebody has a lift that is on a different side of the vehicle. "This way, there could be someone with that placard who could park somewhere. Even if you made it a two-hour lot, they could park there." When asked by Mayor Aaron Haynie how many parking spots are rented by the town, Gilliam said the town reserves 12 spots monthly. Gilliam said the town will reassess its private lot, located adjacent to the town fire department, in its upcoming 2024-25 budget deliberations. Payne said she felt the town should enforce a two-hour parking maximum throughout its downtown area, including along Baileys Branch Road. "Joel's business (Zuma Coffee) is there. The (Old Marshall) Jail is there," Payne said. "As are his employees." According to Marshall Police Chief Mike Boone, the town issued 52 traffic/parking citations in 2023. Board member Christiaan Ramsey wondered what percentage of those citations were due to a violation of the two-hour parking maximum. "Most of them are for violating the two-hour parking," Boone said. Boone and Gilliam said the downtown parking can be "confusing," as there are spots where the two-hour maximum is enforced, and other zones where the two-hour maximum "skips." Payne motioned the town shore up those inconsistencies by extending the two-hour maximum along all street sides, except for ADA-accessible and loading zones. The motion was seconded by Ponder Smith and passed unanimously. "It's not fair that people have parking spaces on the street, and other people don't have parking places," Payne said. The parking/citation fee increase will be effective April 1. Marshall Town Board's next meeting is April 15 at Town Hall, 180 S. Main St. Johnny Casey has covered Madison County for The Citizen Times and The News-Record & Sentinel for three years. He earned a first-place award in beat news reporting in the 2023 North Carolina Press Association awards. He can be reached at 828-210-6074 or jcasey@citizentimes.com. This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Marshall Town Board increases parking citation fees to $35 Almosafer, a leading travel company in Saudi Arabia, has been named the official flight partner by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah as part of a new initiative to enhance services to pilgrims visiting the two holy cities during the Hajj season 1445 AH. The ministry has launched the Direct Hajj Initiative through the Nusuk Hajj platform, the official platform licensed by the ministry, to enhance services to pilgrims visiting Hajj and Umrah. The initiative covers 126 countries around the world, including in the continents of Europe, the Americas, Australia, and select countries in the continents of Asia and Africa. It involves packages designed specifically for pilgrims through a limited number of approved service providers, special flight services. Almosafer, a part of Seera Group, is the official flight partner of the Direct Hajj Initiative that will provide a set of travel services designed to provide a seamless booking experience for Hajj trips. The new partnership between Almosafer and Nusuk Hajj Platform promises to enhance the pilgrims experience in countries served by the platform, by providing reliable and comfortable travel options among the many additional services that Nusk Hajj platform will provide to enrich the experience of the pilgrims. Almosafer aviation services on the Nusuk Hajj platform will facilitate flight reservations, allowing pilgrims to book from a wide range of more than 450 airline companies, providing them flexibility while choosing the appropriate Hajj package. The services include issuing tickets and making amendments to reservations, in addition to technical support provided by the Nusuk Hajj call centre, powered by Almosafer's expertise. Abdullah Jadkarim, Executive Director of the Direct Hajj Initiative at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, said: The Ministry seeks, through this partnership, to facilitate the journey of pilgrims across 126 countries with Muslim minorities across Europe, the Americas, Australia, and select countries in Asia and Africa, as it empowers them to experience a seamless Hajj travel booking through Nusuk Hajj. Muzzammil Ahussain, CEO, Almosafer, said: This cooperation highlights our commitment to our effective role in achieving the kingdoms goals and providing easy access to modern and advanced travel technologies for the visitors of the Two Holy Mosques and the kingdom. Almosafer said that it will leverage decades of experience, knowledge and excellence in the travel industry in the Middle East and will work closely with the Nusuk Hajj Platform to deliver comprehensive and seamless travel packages, ensuring a memorable and hassle-free Hajj experience for pilgrims. TradeArabia News Service The main aim of stock picking is to find the market-beating stocks. But even the best stock picker will only win with some selections. At this point some shareholders may be questioning their investment in Cromwell European Real Estate Investment Trust (SGX:CWBU), since the last five years saw the share price fall 46%. With that in mind, it's worth seeing if the company's underlying fundamentals have been the driver of long term performance, or if there are some discrepancies. Check out our latest analysis for Cromwell European Real Estate Investment Trust While the efficient markets hypothesis continues to be taught by some, it has been proven that markets are over-reactive dynamic systems, and investors are not always rational. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time. During the five years over which the share price declined, Cromwell European Real Estate Investment Trust's earnings per share (EPS) dropped by 4.1% each year. Readers should note that the share price has fallen faster than the EPS, at a rate of 12% per year, over the period. This implies that the market is more cautious about the business these days. The low P/E ratio of 4.61 further reflects this reticence. The company's earnings per share (over time) is depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers). We know that Cromwell European Real Estate Investment Trust has improved its bottom line lately, but is it going to grow revenue? You could check out this free report showing analyst revenue forecasts. What About Dividends? It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. We note that for Cromwell European Real Estate Investment Trust the TSR over the last 5 years was -17%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence! Story continues A Different Perspective Cromwell European Real Estate Investment Trust shareholders are down 5.0% for the year (even including dividends), but the market itself is up 1.4%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 3% over the last half decade. Generally speaking long term share price weakness can be a bad sign, though contrarian investors might want to research the stock in hope of a turnaround. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Cromwell European Real Estate Investment Trust better, we need to consider many other factors. To that end, you should learn about the 4 warning signs we've spotted with Cromwell European Real Estate Investment Trust (including 2 which are a bit concerning) . But note: Cromwell European Real Estate Investment Trust may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with past earnings growth (and further growth forecast). Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Singaporean exchanges. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Mayor Eric Adams is heading to the southern border this weekend just two days after dozens of migrants rushed a border wall in El Paso, Texas. The jaunt south, his second such trip to the Lone Star State since the start of the migrant crisis, marks City Halls latest attempt to draw national attention to the financial burden the migrant influx has put on the Big Apple and pressure the Biden administration to step up. Weve spent over $4 billion thus far, the federal government has only allocated a little over $100 million that is no way nowhere near what they should be providing, Hizzoner railed on Reset Talk Show Friday morning, before dropping news of his weekend plans. Mayor Eric Adams is set to head to Texas this weekend. Robert Miller Adams last headed south in October to Central and South America. Jose Jacome/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock A City Hall rep told The Post Friday that the mayor was invited by Sister Norma Pimentel, who serves as executive director of the Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley in San Juan but did not immediately have any other details about the trip. Calls to the group were not immediately returned. Finding solutions to national issues requires national collaboration, and I am eager to meet with Sister Norma Pimentel, her team, and other leaders to discuss our work in New York City and explore new ways to collaborate with leaders in cities across the country, Adams said in a statement. Last October, Adams headed to Central and South America to speak with local and national leaders about the crisis. Since spring 2022, the Big Apple has seen nearly 185,000 asylum seekers arrive at its door, costing taxpayers billions to house, clothe and feed them. More than 64,500 migrants remain in the citys care. For its part, the federal government has only provided around $150 million to help offset the cost, which is expected to come in at just over $10 billion through the next fiscal year. Those funds took months for the Adams administration to make available. It wasnt until FEMA staffers came to the Big Apple to help the admin with the paperwork that the more than $106 million in aid was accessible for reimbursement. WASHINGTON Jana Pender is no fan of Donald Trump. "All his lies. He's despicable," said the 67-year-old retired casino housekeeper from Detroit. Yet despite voting for President Joe Biden in the 2020 election, Pender is not backing him in 2024. She said Biden has "blood on his hands" for supporting Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. "If nothing changes, I know I won't vote for Trump and I know I won't vote for Biden," Pender said. "I just know I can't vote for either of these people." Pender falls squarely within a group of voters known as the "double haters" those who dislike Biden, the incumbent Democratic president, and Trump, the former president and presumptive Republican nominee. This year, this group of skeptics is large and powerful. Double haters make up about 15% of the electorate, according to a poll this month by USA TODAY/Suffolk University, giving them significant sway in deciding the outcome of the November election. Other polls have found double haters make up as much as one-fifth of likely voters. President Joe Biden walks across the South Lawn upon return to the White House in Washington, DC on March 21, 2023. Biden returned from a three-day campaign trip in Nevada, Arizona and Texas. They pose a challenge for Biden as his campaign looks to keep the Democratic coalition united amid signs of splintering and not jump ship to one of the third-party candidates or sit the election out altogether. But double haters are also a wild card for Trump, whose divisiveness turns many of them off. The USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll, taken March 8-11, found Trump leading Biden 40%-38% among registered voters, followed by independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, 9%. Twenty-five percent of the double haters supported Trump in the survey, compared to 18% for Biden. About 44% of the double haters currently back various third-party candidates. Kennedy drew more of these voters, 21%, than Biden did. Green Party candidate Jill Stein had the backing of 7% of double haters, while independent Cornel West was supported by 6%. "He would be top on my list of people to vote for," Sally Power, 73, of Pittsburgh, Pa., said of Kennedy. Power, who runs a nonprofit women's retail shop, doesn't approve of Trump's "statements and interactions with others," but has concerns about Biden's age and capacity to effectively serve another term until he's 86 years old. "I don't want to vote for either one of them, honestly. That's the problem. And I think I'm not alone in saying that," said Power, who voted for Trump in 2016 but Biden in 2020. "I find both of them not representative of my views. And I don't see them as being representative of the country." VANDALIA, OHIO - MARCH 16: Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a rally at the Dayton International Airport on March 16, 2024 in Vandalia, Ohio. The rally was hosted by the Buckeye Values PAC. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776119694 ORIG FILE ID: 2089688852 Who are the double haters? In the 2016 election, Trump performed 17 percentage points better than Hillary Clinton among the double-hater voters who made up about 20% of the vote steering him to victory. In 2020, Biden enjoyed higher favorability marks than Trump 49% to Trump's 45% in October of that year, according to Gallup producing fewer double haters. They accounted for only 3% of voters in 2020. But this year, 55% of registered voters have an unfavorable opinion of Biden, according to the USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll, while 55% also have an unfavorable opinion of Trump. "I think they will end up being the key swing vote because they're the ones that could go third-party," said Celinda Lake, a Democratic pollster who conducted polling for Biden's 2020 campaign. "They are the ones that could decide to stay home. They are the ones that swing back and forth because they're not anchored by affection, they're anchored by disaffection. These are the voters who decided 2016." Double haters are composed of an equal number of Democrats and Republicans. Many consider themselves independents. They skew younger. Most are white but Latino voters also make up a sizable share. Double haters are among those voters who have lingering concerns about the state of the economy despite a robust jobs market, low unemployment and a booming stock market. Forty-percent of double haters in the USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll said the economy is the most important issue that will determine their vote, followed by immigration, 21%. Many double hates are wary of Biden's age even though Trump, 78, isn't significantly younger and convinced Biden has been weak and ineffective in office. But they have a fear factor with Trump what they perceive as self-centeredness, the constant drama with his court cases, his controversial statements that echo dictators, and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. "I think Biden's been an abject failure," said Robert Brown, a 35-year-old from Minneapolis, who works in marketing and advertising. "Trump's a piece of s---, too. Just to be real." Brown said he's leaning toward voting for Kennedy. "He's a third option. How many times do we have to pick the lesser of two evils, right?" Peter O'Connor, a 26-year-old student studying strategic communications at The Ohio State University, voted for Biden in 2020 and doesn't like Trump. He is considering a vote for Kennedy this year. "I've heard a little bit about this Robert Kennedy guy. He sounds interesting to me," O'Connor said. Jim Meikle, 80, from Albrightsville, Pa., called Trump "an egotistical maniac" who cares about himself, not the country. Still, he said he will likely vote for Trump again, like he did in 2016 and 2020, over Biden, who he criticized over migration at the southern border, pushing the expansion of electric vehicles and his administration's rocky military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. "You know, it's really a shame. We've got a population of over 300 million people in this country, and this is the best that we can offer to be our president?" said Meikle, an 80-year-old retired manager at a sheet metal plant. President Joe Biden speaks at the Washoe Democratic Party Office in Reno, Nev., Tuesday March 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) ORG XMIT: NVJM326 Can Biden win the double haters back? In a troubling sign for Biden, 87% of the double-hater voters in the USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll said they believe the country is on the wrong track. Only 11% said they approve of Biden's job performance, compared to 41% who said they approved of the job Trump did as president from 2017 to 2021. "If you're Biden, you have to say, 'Hey, your memory is wrong, his presidency was awful compared to mine,'" said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center. "Or if you're Trump, you have to say, 'All of this boogeyman stuff against me, is unfounded. I was president for four years, the world didn't fall apart and people have pretty good impressions of what I did.'" This week, Biden started to embrace an age-old election question that Trump has posed: "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" I hope everyone in the country takes a moment to think back what it was like in March of 2020 - COVID had come to America and Trump was president," Biden told supporters Wednesday at a fundraiser in Dallas. He described a period in which hospitals were overcrowded, nurses wore garbage bags for protection, unemployment soared to 14% and the stock market crashed. Independent Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a campaign rally at Legends Event Center on December 20, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. Paleologos said double-haters' fixation on the economy presents an opportunity for Biden, pointing to growing optimism among Americans that the economy has recovered from the pandemic. Thirty-three percent of registered voters now believe an economic recovery is underway, compared to a low of 9% in July 2022. "To me, there's an opportunity for Biden to do something that Hillary Clinton was not able to do in 2016, which is to either make Trump more unfavorable," Paleologos said, or make inroads among double haters over the economy. "The fact of the matter is if the economy continues to rebound, that's Joe Biden's economy." Lake, who regularly conducts focus groups with likely voters, said the Biden campaign must first crystalize the choice before voters when it comes to Biden and Trump. "Do you want someone who you think may be a little old or do you want someone who you think may be a little crazy? And God knows where he would take the country," Lake said of Trump. Yet that contrast alone might not be enough. "Right now, they're headed to third party," she said, arguing it puts the onus on Democrats for voters to understand that the third-party candidates "are not viable, and they may not be who you think they are." Data suggests the popularity of third-party candidates is often inflated when voters are given their names in a poll. It's also unclear how many states they will make it on the ballot. Yet even if Kennedy, Stein and West don't match their current polling in November, they could be major factors in battleground states potentially decided by a few thousand votes or less. Ultimately, whether Biden can win over double haters mulling a third-party vote could come down to their perceptions of the economy. Lake said they must connect how the president's policies have improved their outlook. "These are downscale voters who need steady progress," Lake said. "They need six months of good news. So the most important thing for them is going to be what's the economy in May and June. You tell me what their perceptions of the economy are in May and June, and I'll tell you where they're headed." Reach Joey Garrison on X, formerly Twitter, @joeygarrison. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Double haters' could decide whether Biden or Trump wins in 2024 A controversial British royal commentator is under fire for a disgusting tweet ahead of Kate Middletons Friday announcement that she has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy. An hour before the Princess of Wales released the video announcement of her diagnosis, Omid Scobie posted a photo on X, formally known as Twitter, of his alarm clock being set to 6 p.m. GMT. Scobie told The Daily Beast that hearing there would be an announcement of some kind from the Palace at that time, he tweeted the visual of the time so followers could keep an eye out, something I have often done in the past. In the video message, Middleton revealed that she underwent abdominal surgery in January for a condition she believed was non-cancerous. Tests after the successful surgery, however, revealed that cancer had been present and has since been in preventative chemotherapy since late February. The message came after weeks of speculation about Middletons whereabouts after her surgery for an unspecified medical condition. The speculation then turned into an internet frenzy after Middleton and Prince William published a Photoshopped picture of her and their children on U.K. Mothers Day. She has since issued an apology for doctoring the image. After the announcement was made, and I learned of the seriousness of the news, I removed the post to stop any speculation taking place underneath it and because the tweet no longer felt appropriate, Scobie told The Daily Beast. But the deleted tweet did not stop people from critiquing the Endgame author. Disgusting man. Literal shame on you, one X user wrote on Scobies post. What a scumbag Omid Scobie is!!!!, another user wrote. Kate Middleton Reveals She Has Cancer: Huge Shock, Focused on Full Recovery Amid the backlash, Scobie posted an explanation for his deleted alarm clock tweet, stating that he removed it to stop any speculation taking place underneath it. He added that it was disturbing to see the post being portrayed as some sort of sick countdown by media outlets. I try to shrug off the lies like this, but this one was too disgusting to ignore, he added. Scobie also told The Daily Beast that while he was not surprised to see certain outlets suggest there is a more sinister story behind his tweet, it was still upsetting. The journalist is close with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and published the biography Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family in 2020. This is not the first time Scobie has faced backlash for his coverage of the U.K. royal family. Last year, a Dutch translation of his book named Kate Middleton and King Charles as the alleged royal racists who questioned Prince Harry about his unborn childs skin color. The name drop sparked outrage, but Scobie insisted that the princess and the king were identified in error. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Eighteen years ago, Prof Ahmed Hankir was homeless and in the grip of a mental health crisis. Today he is an award-winning psychiatrist working in Ontario, Canada. His prestigious roles in the UK include honorary visiting professor at Cardiff Medical School. By sharing his personal experience of living with a mental health condition and professional viewpoint, he now has thousands of social media followers. "There's a solace in shared experience," he said. "If you share, you can make other people feel less alone and less disconnected and less ashamed." This article contains references to suicide. Prof Hankir was born in Belfast, raised in Dublin and England, and moved to Lebanon at the age of 12. "It was during the aftermath of the brutal and bloody civil war... the walls of the buildings would have bullet holes on them," he said. He was in Lebanon during the 1996 siege of Qana where more than 100 were killed and another 100 injured - one traumatic incident he experienced at that time would never leave him. He recalled seeing a father returning home to see the building reduced to rubble and all his family killed. "He was holding the dead body of his child in his arms," recalled Prof Hankir. "I remember him crying inconsolably which kind of penetrated my soul. These memories continue to haunt me." When he was 17, he and his twin brother left their parents and returned to the UK. Prof Hankir's dreams of going to medical school were dashed when he realised his qualifications gained in Lebanon would not get him into a UK university. He also found he was considered an international student, so the cost of university tuition fees was prohibitive. He began working in a kebab van where he experienced another traumatic event - a group of men beat a young man to death. "They were about 20m away from the van... it was harrowing," he said. "Nobody intervened, nobody did anything, everybody just watched it happen until we could hear the sirens." At this point, the life he had hoped to create for himself felt completely out of reach. "It was my dream to become a doctor and here I am serving kebabs on minimum wage, witnessing a homicide and people are asking me 'can you speak English?'," he said. Next he worked as a janitor in the morning and stacked shelves at night, working up to 70 hours a week on minimum wage. The following year he enrolled in sixth form college but continued to work full time. On telling a member of college staff he wanted to become a doctor, he said she laughed in his face. "She made me feel like I was this dirty little immigrant with delusions of grandeur," he said. "She literally laughed and she said, to quote her verbatim, 'you can't get into medical school, it's too competitive, choose another course'." He made it to medical school in Manchester but was badly missing his parents and struggling to balance working around his studies. At this point, he began experiencing flashbacks and eventually reached breaking point. "It was a major depressive disorder," he said. "Pervasively low mood, thoughts and feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness and guilt, the ruminations, the inability to concentrate, having no energy, you can't even get out of bed, you've got no motivation and yeah, you feel suicidal. "I was in a really bad state but I was just terrified of being sectioned and I was terrified of being admitted into a psychiatric ward." He felt unable to get help. "My perceptions of mental health and mental illness were influenced by my cultural background - we don't talk about mental health in the Middle East and North Africa, it's a taboo, heavily stigmatised," he added. In 2006, he quit medical school. "I was impoverished, I had nowhere to stay, I'm sleeping rough," he said. He was sometimes able to sleep on a friend's sofa and for a short time stayed in a squat where one day he found a flatmate dead from a drug overdose. "It was like one trauma after the other," he said. He eventually sought help, was under a psychiatrist and gradually became strong enough to return to university. "It was horrific and it was a slow, gradual and painful process to recovery," he said. These days he considers himself someone who lives with a mental health condition but who has learnt resilience. Last year he was awarded a World Health Organization Director-General's Health Leaders Award. The same year he was awarded the Caroline Flack Mental Health Hero Award in The Sun's Who Cares Wins Awards for sharing his own struggles with mental health. "I'm mindful that if I don't take the necessary measures to protect my mental health and to prevent relapse it can happen," he said. He said exercise, his Muslim faith and working on creative projects aimed at combating mental health stigma all helped him stay well. In April his book, Breakthrough: A Story of Hope, Resilience and Mental Health Recovery, will be published. He believes the only way to end mental health stigma is to speak up. "Just saying this with conviction: 'I live with a mental health condition, and I am not ashamed', that's how we could prevent suicide," he said. He hopes to encourage other psychiatrists to share their personal experiences with mental health. "Psychiatrists living with a mental health condition should not feel ashamed, they should feel empowered to talk to be honest, open, and transparent about their mental health experiences... I know it's a generalisation but maybe the British they tend to be more reserved and I respect that, but there's a lot of people who do want to share," he said. "By revealing, by sharing, it lets other people know that they are not alone." If you have been affected by any issues raised in this article, help and support can be found at the BBC Action Line. Susan Hall has gone further than the PM by explicitly calling for more arrests at pro-Palestine demos - Bloomberg/ The Metropolitan Police must make more arrests at pro-Palestinian protests because thugs are getting away with utterly unacceptable behaviour, the Conservative candidate for London mayor has said. Susan Hall said she was concerned that officers are failing to enforce the law because they do not feel emboldened enough to go and do their job properly. Laying blame for the issue at the feet of Sadiq Khan, she claimed that the mayor of London sets the tone for policing but was soft on crime. She said that if elected, the Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley would be left in absolutely no doubt as to where I stood. Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have become a regular fixture in London since the Oct 7 attack by Hamas and Israels subsequent invasion of Gaza. There has been significant criticism of the Mets handling of the events. Placards bearing anti-Semitic slogans and imagery are often spotted on the marches, while protesters have also used controversial chants such as from the river to the sea, which some people interpret as a call for the destruction of Israel as a state. Use the powers In recent weeks, Rishi Sunak has urged officers to use the powers they have to maintain public confidence and not merely manage these protests, but police them. However, Ms Hall has gone further than the Prime Minister by explicitly calling for more arrests. Asked whether the Met should be more willing to apprehend protesters who cross the line, she said: 100 per cent. She added: Im far more stick than carrot, and we have got to be robust, because members of the Jewish community just dont feel safe coming into London. Highlighting an incident in February when protesters projected from the river to the sea onto Parliament while police stood by, Ms Hall said that if she had been present she would have absolutely intervened to tell officers to stop the display. Freedom of speech is obviously something I will always support, she said. But when protests become intimidation, the police have got to step in. Had it been me to be honest, I would have backed the police and made sure that they knew that theyve got my support as mayor, and that they moved in there. She went on: There are times that Im very concerned about the lack of officers going in to deal with things that you and I both know are totally and utterly unacceptable. Very slippery slope Ms Hall said this included cases of protesters wielding anti-Semitic signs, which was a huge concern. If we step back, officers arent feeling emboldened enough to go and do their job properly. And we must absolutely support them to do that because if not its a very slippery slope. Asked why the police felt this way, she pointed the finger at Mr Khan. I dont think hes hearing loud and clear just how frightened the Jewish community are, she said. I dont think he understands just how much the general public want things policed properly I think hes soft on crime. She claimed rank-and-file officers had been let down by the mayor, who sets the tone. My tone would be completely different, she said. My tone is go out there, boys and girls, do your job properly, enforce the law. [Khan] needs to sort this out. Weve never had a situation on our streets that has gone on and on and on like this in the manner it has. Ms Halls claim that officers are not currently using all their powers conflicts with comments from Sir Mark. Earlier this month, he said: To suggest that we are not where the law permits, as the law allows policing robustly, is inaccurate. Intimidation is a crime Ms Hall refrained from directly criticising him, but said: Sir Mark, were I to be the mayor, would be left in absolutely no doubt as to where I stood and the support he would get to police properly in a determined way to stop crimes happening, and intimidation is a crime. Sir Mark has also taken aim at armchair commentators, who critique how police officers deal with incidents that are increasingly caught on camera by members of the public. In one recent case, the police were criticised for arresting a counter-protester at a Gaza march who was carrying a sign saying Hamas is terrorist. The Met said that they had intervened to prevent a breach of the peace after Niyak Ghorbani was involved in a altercation with a pro-Palestine protester, and that he was later de-arrested. They said the arrest was not made in relation to his placard. Ms Hall said that even if the police had removed Mr Ghorbani for his own safety it underlined that the intimidation by some of these people that are in these demonstrations is an absolute joke. I think to get him out of the situation was probably the right thing to do. But what a disgrace. We allow their free speech. And yet somebody is saying Hamas is a terrorist group, which is 100 per cent correct wheres his free speech? I will never support these thugs She said a small number of protesters were responsible for criminal behaviour on the marches. Most people want to exercise their right to demonstrate and to have free speech, and I will always support that, she said. I will never support these thugs that go along to some of these demonstrations and scream from the river to the sea, its just totally and utterly unacceptable. I will concentrate on getting them out because we cannot have an entire Jewish community, the majority of whom it seems to me are frightened of going into London. Asked whether Sir Mark had struck the right tone with his reference to armchair commentators, she said he was standing up for his officers but that she could understand why members of the public were flagging concerns. No wonder people think theres two-tier policing, she said. The fact is that some people are getting away with things that they should not be getting away with. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A metro Atlanta school bus driver is facing multiple child sex crime charges, according to the school district. Cartersville City Schools confirmed to Channel 2 Action News that they began investigating earlier this month after being alerted to potentially inappropriate behavior from a school bus driver to a student. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] They did not comment on the specifics of what led to the investigation, but said it was outside the scope of school operations. David Ignacio Rodriguez, 64, is charged with two counts of child molestation, two counts of child cruelty and sexual battery, according to jail records. TRENDING STORIES: School officials say Rodriguez is no longer an employee of Cartersville City Schools. He is currently being held in the Bartow County Jail. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Friday rebuked the calls of U.S. officials to crack down on the illegal drug trade, saying the U.S. opioid crisis caused by drugs funneled through Mexican cartels wasnt Mexicos problem to deal with. At his daily news briefing, the Mexican leader located his inaction to combat cartel violence within a Mexico First policy that doesnt answer to anyone elsenamely the U.S., Mexicos northern neighbor. While explaining why he wouldnt directly crack down on the illegal drug trade, Lopez Obrador said, We are not going to act as policemen for any foreign government. Mexico First. Our home comes first, he said. NYT Slams Mexican President For Sharing Journalists Contact Info The reasoning goes against the explanations Lopez Obrador has offered in the past, when he claimed you cannot fight violence with violence as a reason for his inaction. Hes offered the solution to cartel violence lies in curing social inequalities, like providing better access to economic opportunities. His view isnt new or necessarily different from his predecessors. For decades, past administrations in Mexico have thought the war against drug cartels was basically a U.S. problem, security analyst David Saucedo told the Associated Press. Drug usage levels in Mexico are still relatively low. On the other hand, the drug cartels provide jobs in regions where the Mexican government cant provide economic development, they encourage social mobility, and generate revenue through drug sales to balance trade and investment deficits, Saucedo added. In the U.S., tens of thousands of people die each year from overdoses on synthetic opioids like fentanyl, usually from drugs manufactured in Mexico from chemicals originating in China. According to the CDC, more than 100,000 people died from synthetic opioid-related overdoses in 2021 and 2022a number that has climbed every year. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. MIAMI, Okla. A Miami animal ordinance geared toward reducing the communitys feral cat population is gaining nationwide attention. Were already seeing a difference in the overall feral cat population, said Maycee Goza, Animal Control manager, referring to the Trap/Neuter/Return program. Maycee Goza Our cat intake is almost nonexistent; we went from an average of 200 to 300 cats a year to only 25 to 30 this year. Goza said the citys animal ordinance is constantly reviewed for effectiveness as new practices are implemented. I enjoy helping people and assisting other communities, sharing ideas and finding something that works, Goza said, I get asked for our ordinances all the time. They really like what were doing in Miami. I know the city is catching a lot of momentum, and our shelter has a lot of momentum as well. Were definitely on the right path. Gozas work garnished the attention of the Best Friends Animal Society, one of the nations largest non-profit sanctuary organizations for homeless animals. The goal is to engage shelters across Oklahoma to work together to evaluate needs, find solutions, share ideas, and bring every shelter to a No Kill status by the end of 2025, said Melinda Stotts, city spokeswoman. The organization provides pet services such as spay/neuter clinics, and educational programs. Goza was selected as a district captain because of her impactful work as a mentor, problem solver and ability to create connections, said Melinda Stotts, city spokeswoman. Her duties will be strengthening relationships with shelters in northeast Oklahoma and establishing networking alliances, she said. The group awarded a $6,500 grant to the Miami shelter. Stotts said $5,000 of the grant is earmarked for lifesaving efforts in the community and the remainder for project support. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. Michael B Jordan and Ryan Coogler's new vampire film has confirmed its release date, with the mystery project set to hit screens next year. The duo, who have collaborated before with Fruitvale Station, Creed, Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, will team up once more for the currently untitled project. Though the film currently has no title or concrete plot details, Deadline has reported that the film will hit the big screen on March 7, 2025. Leon Bennett - Getty Images Related: Black Panther's Angela Bassett teams up with Robert De Niro for new Netflix series Details for the project are currently scarce, though Coogler is said to have written a script from an original idea, with the story said to contain a period element. The pairs most recent collaboration saw Jordan make a surprise cameo in Wakanda Forever, the star reprising his role as Killmonger a fact the actor managed to keep secret from everybody including his own family. It's tough, I think this time around, because we lost our brother Chadwick [Boseman], it was so much weight to power through, he told The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Arnold Turner - Getty Images Related: Black Panther 2's Michaela Coel lands next lead movie role Ryan had such a tremendous task in front of him to evolve the script and the story in a way that still honoured Chadwick but moved the franchise forward as well. So for me to be able to come back and I really had to keep it under wraps, I had to grow my hair out. You know, I got the locks back in and stuff like that. "And Im traveling to a lot of places, so Ive got to wear a hat, a hoodie, fly private, which isnt too bad of a thing. But being able to keep it under wraps was really a tough thing. The currently untitled vampire film is scheduled for release on March 7, 2025. Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever are streaming on Disney+. You Might Also Like Open-door project has delivered declining wages and living standards, according to Jacob Rees-Mogg - Oli Scarff/Getty The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has been accused of exaggerating the tax contribution of future migrants to the tune of 6 billion. The Centre for Migration Control think tank claimed that the watchdog had vastly overstated the tax take by overestimating how much skilled migrants earn. Set up by George Osborne in 2010, the OBR provides independent forecasts to accompany the Governments major fiscal events. It has assumed a central role in British politics because its projections influence how much the Treasury has at its disposal for extra spending or tax cuts. Recently, a number of Conservative MPs have accused it of giving excess weight to the economic benefit of liberal immigration policies, with net migration hitting a record of 745,000 in 2022. In its forecast produced for the Budget at the start of this month, the OBR said that it has assumed that new migrants have the same employment, consumption, and residential patterns as residents, and as such pay similar levels of wider taxation. However, the CMC disputes this assumption. Using data from the Office for National Statistics, the think tank said that in 2023 the average occupation salary for a resident skilled worker was 37,614, whereas the average salary for a skilled migrant worker was 31,431. It said this reflected the fact that a higher proportion of skilled worker migrants are in lower paid professions such as care worker and home care worker roles. The CMC said that the difference between the average salaries of resident and skilled migrant workers meant that the OBR had overstated the average amount of income tax and national insurance paid by migrants by 1,855. Projecting forward their analysis over the OBRs forecast to 2028-29, the CMC estimated that the watchdog had overstated salaries for migrants on skilled work visas by 20.5 billion and their tax contribution by 6 billion. Forecasts by the Office for Budget Responsibilty are pseudo, says Jacob Rees-Mogg - Paul Grover for the Telegraph Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, the former business secretary, said: The OBR is an unelected quango with far too much control over government policy. It believes that mass migration has been an untrammelled boon for the economy. Yet if you look at the recent decline in GDP per capita it shows that the open-door project has failed to deliver anything but declining wages and living standards. He added: Now is the time that the pseudo forecasts of the OBR were treated with the circumspection they deserve, rather than treating them as Holy Writ. Myth that economy needs mass immigration Marco Longhi, the Tory MP for Dudley North, said: The fact that the OBR continues to over-inflate the value of open borders, believing that theyre a huge benefit to the economy, is a sad indictment of its forecasting capabilities. I hope that todays findings go some way to dispelling the myth that the British economy cannot cope without net migration of hundreds of thousands each year. The OBR declined to comment on the CMCs analysis. Writing for The Telegraph last month, David Miles, an executive member of the OBR, said that getting more people back to work was a surer way of boosting GDP. It is much less clear that persistently high levels of net immigration to boost the labour force can generate sustained fiscal improvements, he said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands welcomes China's President Xi Jinping on the second day of his state visit, at The Hague By Toby Sterling AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Chinese President Xi Jinping will next week discuss whether ASML can continue to service billions of euros worth of computer chip equipment it has sold to Chinese customers, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The Dutch government said in a statement Rutte's visit is to discuss "bilateral and economic ties, and the situation in the Middle East". But also on the table at their meeting will be licencing policy for ASML, the biggest supplier of equipment to semiconductor manufacturers, whose tools have become a flashpoint in the U.S.-China "chip wars". ASML dominates the global market for lithography systems, multi-million dollar tools essential in helping to create the circuitry of computer chips. One of Xi's top policy goals has been to help China build up its domestic chipmaking industry, spending billions on subsidies. Meanwhile the U.S. government is seeking to undermine China's ability to make its own chips, and has enlisted aid from the Dutch and Japanese governments. ASML has said that as of Jan. 1, it no longer expects to receive licences from the Dutch government to ship its advanced "DUV" tool lines to Chinese customers. But it remains unclear how much of the equipment ASML has already sold to Chinese customers - more than 6 billion euros ($6.5 billion) worth last year alone - it will be able to continue to service. Sooner or later the company must seek licences for equipment already in China that now falls under Dutch or U.S. export rules. If licences are denied, or revoked, ASML's tools would become impossible to operate within weeks - potentially devastating for its customers, which include China's largest contract chipmaker SMIC. ASML, which complies with all export regulations, declined comment on Friday. "ASML has export licenses in place to service the majority of its Chinese customers until Dec. 31, 2024," it said in an emailed answer to Reuters questions about machines that fall under the export restrictions earlier this week. It will then have to seek annual renewal licenses. Story continues For some of its most advanced product lines "ASML has not received an export license to continue servicing of these systems at some specific advanced logic fabs (in China) as of 1st November 2023," the company added. China was ASML's second-largest market in 2023 behind Taiwan and ahead of South Korea, and it has said it expects to continue to have significant sales in China this year of product lines used to make relatively older chips, which do not fall under the current restrictions. During the March 26-27 visit, Rutte is expected to meet with Xi and premier Li Qiang. Dutch Trade Minister Geoffrey van Leeuwen is also attending and expected to meet with Chinese Trade Minister Wang Wentao. "They will discuss economic cooperation opportunities, the importance of a level playing field, and the importance of equal market access," the Dutch government said in a statement. ($1 = 0.9244 euros) (Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Hugh Lawson, Barbara Lewis and Angus MacSwan) Spokesperson of Ukraine's military intelligence agency, Andriy Yusov, said that "an incident" took place at the Kuibyshev oil refinery in Russia's Samara Oblast overnight on March 23. Local Russian officials claimed that a fire that broke out at the oil refinery had been caused by a drone attack. No casualties were reported. In the past weeks, Ukrainian forces have launched a series of drone strikes aimed at damaging Russia's oil industry. Ukraine has hit oil refineries in multiple regions deep inside Russian territory. Yusov did not comment on Ukraine's possible involvement in the recent attack. Read also: Russias war effort may not be as formidable as it looks "We can only state that there was an incident there and that it is a facility used for military purposes," HUR's spokesperson said on national television when asked about the fire at the Kuibyshev oil refinery. Ukrainian forces previously struck the Kuibyshev oil refinery on March 16 in a drone strike that also targeted the region's Syzran refinery. Only the Syzran facility caught fire following the attack, Russian officials claimed. Both refineries are owned by Rosneft, Russia's largest oil company. Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna said on March 22 that Russia's oil refineries are "absolutely legitimate targets" for the Ukrainian military. Her statement followed media reports that the U.S. had asked Ukraine to stop attacking the Russian oil industry. President's Office adviser Mykhailo Podolyak denied the reports, saying Kyiv did not receive such calls from Washington. Ukraine's recent drone attacks knocked out about 600,000 barrels of Russia's daily oil-refining capacity, as estimated by Torbjorn Tornqvist, the director of the international energy commodities trading company Gunvor Group, Bloomberg reported on March 18. Read also: Ukrainian drones hit one Russian oil refinery after another Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russia may launch new attacks against Zaporizhzhia's Dnipro Dam if it aims to destroy the dam itself, not only its power plant, Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said on air on March 23. The Dnipro Hydroelectric power plant, Ukraine's largest hydroelectric station, was hit with eight Russian missiles on March 22 during the biggest attack on the country's energy infrastructure since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The Hydroelectric Power Station-2 (HPS-2), one of the two stations of Zaporizhzhia's Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant, is in critical condition following the attack. The dam itself suffered damage as well, but officials said there is no danger of a breach. "It is necessary to understand whether it was a deliberate strike against the dam or whether it simply... (aimed at) the hydroelectric station," Halushchenko said. "If it was a deliberate attack targeting the dam itself, these attacks will repeat." Situated on the Dnipro River just north of the Kakhovka Reservoir, the Dnipro Dam is 800 meters long and holds up a water reservoir of approximately 3.3 cubic kilometers. Last year, Russian forces destroyed the Kahkovka Dam and the adjacent hydroelectric station located downstream of the Dnipro Dam, causing a humanitarian and ecological catastrophe across southern Ukraine. The minister noted that the mass attack against Ukranie's power grid with over 150 missiles and drones was meant to cause a total blackout in the country. Halushchenko reiterated that it was the largest attack against the country's power grid "in history," noting that the most extensive attack during the autumn and winter of 2022-2023 employed around 100 projectiles. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Russia hits Ukraines largest Hydroelectric Power Plant, kills civilians Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The situation at Zaporizhzhia's Dnipro Dam is under control, and there is no danger of a breach following a Russian missile attack, the Environment Ministry said on March 23. The Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant, Ukraine's largest hydroelectric station, was hit with eight Russian missiles on March 22 during the biggest attack on the country's energy infrastructure since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The Hydroelectric Power Station-2 (HPS-2), one of the two stations of Zaporizhzhia's Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant, is in critical condition following the attack. The dam itself suffered damage as well, but officials said already on March 22 that there was no risk of a breach. Representatives of state and regional authorities held a coordination meeting regarding the potential environmental impacts of the attack on March 23. According to the State Environmental Inspectorate's conclusions, the concentration of petroleum products in the water has decreased. Water intake has been suspended in the Bilenke community, the only area that draws water from the lower reaches of the Dnipro River. The Inspectorate estimated the cost of damages to water resources at Hr 159,305 ($4,100). Damages caused by soil and air pollution are still being calculated. Last year, Russian forces destroyed the Kahkovka Dam and the adjacent hydroelectric station located downstream of the Dnipro Dam, causing a humanitarian and ecological catastrophe across southern Ukraine. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Russia hits Ukraines largest Hydroelectric Power Plant, kills civilians Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesotas marijuana law is changing to give businesses a head start on next year, but a license lottery has some people green with envy. The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) laid out its proposed changes to the law Friday in the House and Senate. Theyre trying to speed up the licensing process, reduce financial risks for applicants, and prevent phantom businesses. So theyre planning to give out some temporary licenses, including 50 for retailers. Those licenses would go to business owners who were negatively impacted by previous marijuana laws or who live in low income zip codes. But the new bill makes it, so those people need to own 65% of the business instead of 100%. "With this new proposal, the OCM has created a path for multi-state operators to come in and expand their footprint in Minnesota," said Calandra Revering of the Minnesota Association of Black Cannabis Professionals. The concern is that out-of-town businesses will come to Minnesota and recruit people who qualify as social equity applicants to act as straw owners. "I want to make very clear: This is not play-to-play," said Charlene Briner, interim director of the OCM. "This is not an opportunity to flood the system." Leaders at the OCM say they want the changes to make sure social equity businesses have access to cash. Theyll be vetted for viability, then entered into a lottery for the temporary licenses. Temporary licenses will convert to permanent licenses when the state makes those available. They're hoping to do that sometime in the first three months of 2025. But as it stands, even temporary license holders would not be allowed to sell marijuana or grow any more plants than a single person can. The new cannabis bill is still a work in progress and a more polished bill is expected next Wednesday. UPDATE @ 7:40 P.M. 12-year-old Joel Thomas Lee has been found safe, OKCPD says. ORIGINAL STORY OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Oklahoma City Police are asking for assistance with locating 12-year-old Joel Thomas Lee, who was last seen in southwest Oklahoma City on Friday afternoon. Police say Joel is 510 with a short buzz cut and a mustache, and was wearing a dark gray hoodie with black pants. He also has autism and is non-verbal. Joel Thomas Lee. Image courtesy Oklahoma City Police Department. Joel was reportedly last seen near 29 SW 43rd St. at 4:45 p.m. Anyone who sees Joel or has any information regarding his whereabouts should contact police or call 911. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. An MIT professor envisioned a defensive strategy in 1994 for Ukraine to survive a Russian attack. Barry Posen anticipated Ukraine's challenges even though the world looked different 30 years ago. He foresaw the primacy of airpower and that Russia's foremost weapon was ground firepower. In 1994, an American professor came up with a plan for Ukraine to defend against Russian invasion. Should Russia attack, Ukrainian forces would create a "fortress Ukraine," by ceding the eastern half of the country to Russia and turning the western half into a fortified bastion while awaiting aid from NATO. And while the plan didn't foresee everything that happened during the actual Russian invasion in 2022, a surprising number of its assumptions turned out to be accurate. The essay by MIT political scientist Barry Posen was originally published in the Russian-language journal Ukraine: Issues of Security in 1994, the year the US pledged to assure Ukraine's security, and then republished when the war began in 2022. Posen's goal was to "argue that Ukraine can address most of its plausible threat scenarios, with modest effectiveness, through a military strategy that could be termed a 'strategic defense in depth.'" This meant that Ukrainian mechanized forces would fight a delaying action in eastern Ukraine, while the infantry would construct layers of fortified lines behind the Dnipro River, shielding the western half of the country. "My point was to create a mobile force to deter small land grabs, and a bigger infantry, positional defense force exploiting the [Dnipro] river to create that redoubt in the west," Posen told Business Insider. "This extended resistance would put some pressure on the West to help." How well did Posen's analysis foresee the course of the actual war? By the current map of the war, not so well. Instead of retreating behind the western bank of the Dnipro, Ukrainian troops remain on the eastern side of the river in the north and center of the country, while fighting to retain bridgeheads in the south. That's both a function of the landscape and Ukraine's strategy to fight for every inch of territory. Rather than seizing all of eastern Ukraine, Russia currently occupies about 18 percent of Ukrainian territory, mainly in the southeast and along the Black Sea coast. "Anchoring a defense line somewhere east of the Dnipro in some places is more plausible than I had originally thought," Posen admitted. "The micro terrain is a bit better is some spots." Indeed, while the terrain is fairly good tank country, Ukrainian defenders have exploited features such as towns and rivers. On the other hand, Posen correctly predicted that Ukrainian anti-aircraft missiles, backed by a small force of fighters, would "make it difficult for Russia to employ its air force." More important, he also foresaw that for Russia, "artillery will likely prove its most dangerous asset," and that "it will be difficult, if not impossible, for Ukraine to muster sufficient artillery to silence Russian artillery in counter-battery duels." What's especially interesting is how well Posen anticipated Ukraine's strategic challenges, given that the world was very different 30 years ago. In 1994, the demise of the Soviet Union was fresh, the new Russian republic was in disarray, and Vladimir Putin was no more than an ex-KGB agent with political aspirations. Newly independent Ukraine still controlled the Crimean peninsula and eastern Ukraine as well as a huge arsenal of ex-Soviet nuclear weapons that it soon handed back to Moscow in return for security assurances from America, Britain and Russia. But if Ukraine were to give up its nukes, how could it defend itself against the far larger military of its former imperial master to the East? A member of 120th Independent Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine takes part in training exercises on March 16. Gian Marco Benedetto/Getty Images Posen's plan assumed that Russia's armed forces would be 1.5 million-strong (the current estimate is 1.1 million active personnel), that could mobilize 100 divisions. About 40 to 50 divisions would be sent to Ukraine, sufficient to give Russia a 2 to 1 or greater superiority in tanks and artillery. In fact, Russian forces in Ukraine today are estimated to be at 470,000 troops, mostly organized in brigade-sized formations that would probably add up to 40-plus divisions. Meanwhile, Posen estimated that Ukraine could mobilize 900,000 soldiers: in December 2023, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine's armed forces were fielding almost 600,000 personnel. Under the circumstances, Posen foresaw three potential strategies for Ukraine. A forward defense, which would have tried to hold onto all of eastern Ukraine, would have been doomed, Posen said. "The Ukrainian force can cover about 60 percent of the front with no reserves. This leaves it vulnerable to large-scale flanking maneuvers. Or, Ukraine could cover the whole front at one division/60 km [37 miles], with no reserves. This thin defense is vulnerable to catastrophic punctures followed by envelopments." In other words, Ukraine's army didn't have the force size to effectively hold all of its 1,200-mile border with the numerically superior Russia. This also suggests that even if Ukraine hadn't lost control of Crimea and the Donetsk region to Russian troops and pro-Russian secessionists in 2014, it couldn't have defended those territories during the 2022 invasion. A second option would be a mobile defense in which mechanized reserves counterattacked and destroyed Russian penetrations, as Nazi Germany did in Ukraine in 1943-1944. "Aside from losing the border areas without a fight, the strategy is quite vulnerable to catastrophic failure," Posen concluded. Instead, Posen argued that Ukraine's best option was a "strategic defense in depth," Posen wrote. "Mechanized mobile forces would be necessary to mount a very large-scale 'covering force' operation in eastern and northeastern Ukraine. They would buy time for reserve, mainly infantry, forces in western Ukraine to mobilize and prepare defenses in depth. They would also attempt to erode the combat power of advancing Russian formations." Airpower would also be crucial for Ukraine, Posen wrote. Ukraine would need sufficient aircraft for air defense and to conduct battlefield interdiction operations against Russian troops and logistics. All of which might deter Russia from attacking, Posen hoped. And if it didn't, then the longer that Ukraine fought on, the greater the chance of Western intervention. "Some would argue that the bastion really cannot be held. Ultimately, if Ukraine is utterly abandoned by the West, this is true. Nevertheless, even without Western help, the defenses there could impose very high costs on the Russians." George Barros, a Russia expert at the Institute for the Study of War in Washington, D.C, said Posen's 1994 plan got some things right and others wrong. It correctly forecast that Russia would commit the bulk of its combat power to a Ukraine campaign, and that forward cities such as Kharkiv, Luhansk, and Donetsk would be difficult to defend. It also predicted the importance of airpower, which is "100 percent crucial for Ukrainian success in defense and in conducting combined arms on the offensive," Barros told Business Insider. However, the idea that Ukraine could successfully anchor its defense behind the Dnipro River is "a little optimistic," Barros said. "In order to credibly defend the Dnipro, Ukraine must actually hold a buffer east of the Dnipro, so Ukrainian forces have space to defend and cede and fall back to." Posen said that while his plan neglected some vital aspects of today's conflict, such as the importance of urban warfare, it did capture the essential factors. "You might say that I foreshadowed that the Russians could take a lot of Ukraine if they wanted to do so, and they have," Posen said. Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn. Read the original article on Business Insider The state pension age is going to have to rise sharply, in Britain as elsewhere. It is simply not sustainable to carry on paying people to quit work in their 60s as life expectancy rises into the mid-80s. Asking whether someone deserves this or that payment is meaningless when there is no money. Our national debt stands at over 2.6 trillion and is rising at 100 billion a year despite taxes being at a 70-year high. Pensions are the single biggest driver of increased government spending. When Lloyd George introduced the first state pension, life expectancy was 51, and the retirement age was 70. Now, life expectancy has risen to 81. Had the same actuarial formula been applied, we would be getting our royal telegrams before our first pension payments. Instead, the age of eligibility has fallen to 66. The question of whether women born in the 1950s are entitled to extra money is, Im afraid, beside the point. For reasons I shall come to, I believe there are strong moral arguments against the Waspi campaign. But those arguments are irrelevant. There just isnt the cash. The world over, birth rates are crashing as longevity increases. According to a study published in The Lancet this week, three quarters of countries will have below-replacement fertility rates by 2050, and 97 per cent by 2100. For the first time since the Black Death, the worlds population will decline. As it does, the ratio of retirees to workers will become unsustainable. We are going to have to get used to retiring much later. As a biological proposition, that prospect is straightforward enough. Not only have there been near-miraculous medical advances since our grandparents time but, by and large, jobs have become less physically demanding. As a political proposition, however, it is almost impossible. Even Vladimir Putin had to back away from an attempt to raise the pension age in 2018. Murdering journalists, imprisoning dissidents, hurling young Russians into the Ukrainian meat-grinder nothing else the old monster has done has hurt his popularity as much as trying to persuade women to wait until 63 before they started receiving government cheques. What chance, then, of getting such a change agreed in a pluralist democracy? Which, of course, brings us to the Waspi campaign, now jubilant at what it portrays as an endorsement by the Parliamentary Ombudsman. Lets review the story. In 1995, partly in response to increasingly expansive judicial interpretations of equalities laws, John Majors government legislated to equalise men and womens pensions. Both sexes would retire at 65 (there were two sexes in those days). Precisely to give the affected women time to adjust, the change was to be phased in, beginning in 2010. The legislation elicited a good deal of coverage at the time, and most of those in the relevant age cohort ordered their finances accordingly. But, inevitably, some did not. I say inevitably quite deliberately. In any social security system, there will be hard marginal cases. It happens wherever we draw the line, and is not an argument against any given system. Move the line, and a different set of people will be hard done by. Anyway, in 2006, a survey revealed that some women were unaware of the change, and the DWP decided to send out letters. Our administrative state being inefficient, those letters were delayed by 28 months. That is the fault that the Ombudsman identified. For the Waspi leaders, the finding is a godsend, allowing them to revive a campaign that had been finished off both legally (a court ruling in 2020 found that governments could set whatever pension age they pleased) and politically (Jeremy Corbyns wastrel promise to make good the shortfall was the final nail in Labours coffin in 2019, and the pledge was dropped by his successors). In order to stir up the issue again, though, the Waspis must blur the distinction between what the Ombudsman recommends limited compensation for delayed letters and their original demand for the money they would have got had the state let them retire earlier. The tactic is working. Most Waspi supporters and, as far as I can tell, most of the country, seem to think that the government has been told to make restitution, and that the sums being discussed by the Ombudsman less than 3,000 per claimant are therefore inadequate. You have to hand it to the Waspis, they are a hell of a campaign group. Their very name is a marketing triumph. They are not, in any meaningful sense, Women Against State Pension Inequality, since their whole shtick is that pensions for men and women, at least based on their age, should remain unequal. Aware that our public discourse is more excited by feminist and progressive causes than by strict equality, the Waspis wave suffragette flags and portray themselves as victims. I cant help wondering whether a group of men in the same situation would have as much support. Still, there are a few hard truths that need stating. First, and most important, we are responsible for our own finances. The onus is on us to find out what we can expect from the Government and to arrange our affairs accordingly. When the state bails people out for failing to do this, it makes the rest of us less likely to look out for ourselves. There is an element of moral hazard here. Why should the women who did the right thing and deferred their retirement now be penalised relative to those who did not? And how can we know that not one of those claiming to have been blindsided by the change is jumping on a bandwagon? Most of the women complaining on the airwaves about being owed money seem to have retired early from state employment as teachers, local government workers and the like. They come across as, in general, very aware of their rights. It seems odd that they all missed this one major change. Incidentally, since 1995, there have been massive increases in the state pension especially during and immediately after lockdown, when the triple lock ensured that pensioners escaped the fall in income that hit the rest of the country. Those rises were unforeseen, but I dont hear any Waspis complaining about them. And what about taxpayers? Were they given 15 years notice to prepare for having to pay compensation to a group that, though some of its supporters are deserving, has mainly distinguished itself by effective lobbying? Still, all this is, as I say, beside the point. There is no purpose in arguing over who is entitled to money that does not exist. The cost of meeting the Waspi demands in full would be 58 billion. To put that sum in context, the Treasury could come up with only 10 billion in tax cuts through the National Insurance reduction. Why do so many commentators go along with so obviously unaffordable a demand? Why have 43 MPs, representing every party, demanded payouts of 10,000 per case? A combination, I suspect, of cowardice and cynicism. With an election coming, the concentrated gain of backing one pressure groups demand outweighs the dispersed loss of charging the country at large. And, of course, being generous feels so much nicer than being frugal; especially when you are being generous with other peoples cash. On Thursday, the Waspi campaign called on MPs to put their money where their mouth is. But its not their money. If they truly wanted to be unselfish, MPs would be much readier to say no to spending demands, thereby looking after the interests of those yet unborn and unbegot who will never thank them. But, sadly, the country is not in the mood for financial realism. As far as most media and most voters are concerned, spending someone elses money is compassionate, and refusing to do so is mean. Except that, for the last time, there is no money. Sooner rather than later, the country will find this out in the hardest imaginable way. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. More than 130 dead after Moscow concert attack: What we know More than 130 people were killed Friday in an attack at a concert hall near Moscow, according to officials. Russian authorities have detained 11 people related to the incident, including four who were directly involved in the deadliest act of terrorism in Russias capital city for over a decade. A branch of the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the bombings Friday. U.S. officials have pinned the attack on ISIS-K, a branch active in Afghanistan. Here is what we know so far: Gunmen storm Moscow concert hall Gunmen armed with firearms and explosives stormed the Crocus City complex right before concert hall, with capacity of 6,000 seats, was set to host an event. At least four of the suspects were shooting at attendees indiscriminately. At least three of gunmen were also wearing camouflage, according to the video footage from the scene. The building was filled with smoke, eventually leading to civilians dying from poisoning. Part of the buildings roof also collapsed due to the spread of the fire. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene and were able to contain the fire early Saturday morning. From the attack and ensuing fire, seats at the Crocus City Hall music venue were burned. The building also sustained structural damage. Russias emergency service released pictures and video showing firefighters working through the debris. Death toll Russian authorities updated the death count Saturday, now saying more than 133 people were found dead. At least 140 were also injured in the Friday attack. Officials said the number will likely keep rising as emergency responders continue to work through the scene. Most of the victims identified thus far have been in their 40s, The New York Times reported. Many had traveled to Moscow to see Russian rock band Piknik, who was slated to perform Friday evening. Islamic State claims responsibility The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in a post shared Friday on social media. Islamic State-Khorasan, also known as ISIS-K, is a branch of the group based in Afghanistan. They have been planning an attack on Moscow, according to the Times, citing one U.S. official. U.S. authorities privately told Russian officials about the possibility of an attack in the country, the outlet reported. ISIS also claimed responsibility for the attack that killed 84 people in Kerman, Iran, in January. Russian authorities said Saturday that at least four of the suspected gunmen were foreign nationals. Debate over Ukraine involvement Speculation in Russia arose about Ukraines potential involvement in the attack as war continues to rage between the two countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin added to some of the rhetoric in his first public address after the incident. They were trying to hide and were moving toward Ukraine, Putin said Saturday, according to The Times. He was referencing the four gunmen who were captured, per the Kremlin. Based on preliminary information, a window for crossing the border was prepared for them by the Ukrainian side. Ukraines officials have denied any involvement. Mykhailo Podolyak, An adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said his country had nothing to do with the attack and that terrorist assaults do not solve problems. Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia), Podolyak said in a Friday post on X, formerly known as Twitter. It makes no sense whatsoever. First of all, Ukraine has been fighting with the Russian army for more than two years. And everything in this war will be decided only on the battlefield, he continued. Only by the quantity of weapons and qualitative military decisions. Terrorist attacks do not solve any problems White House national security adviser John Kirby also denied the speculation of Ukraines involvement in the attack. The images are just horrible. Just hard to watch, and our thoughts obviously are going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack, Kirby said Friday. No indication at this time that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved in the shooting. Response to the attack Putin attempted to connect the attackers to Ukraine, and said the gunmen would be penalized. During his Saturday address, he did not address the Islamic group claiming responsibility for the attack or U.S. officials stating the same. Putin accused Ukraine of preparing the border so that attackers could cross there as they were detained in the Bryansk region, according to Russian authorities. The region borders Ukraine. All perpetrators, organizers and commissioners of this crime will receive a just and inevitable punishment, Putin said in his speech. No matter who they are, no matter who directed them, I repeat, we will identify and punish everyone who stood behind the terrorists. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the attack Saturday in a post to X, calling it a horrific event. The United States strongly condemns the March 22 terrorist attack in Moscow. We stand in solidarity with the people of Russia in grieving the loss of life after this horrific event, Blinken said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. There are always questions after any attack as to why it was not stopped or detected. But the Moscow attack raises particularly difficult issues for Vladimir Putin at a time of international tension and mistrust. And much of that comes because of a warning from Washington. The 7 March warning from the US to its own citizens was unusually specific. It talked of reports that "extremists" had "imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow" and specifically mentioned concerts. It advised Americans in the city to avoid large gatherings over the coming 48 hours. The timing may not quite match, but other details do tally closely with events on 22 March. It seems clear Washington had some kind of intelligence and that it related to Islamic State (IS) - the group that has issued a statement saying it was behind the Moscow attack. As well as the public warning to its own citizens, the US also said it had communicated with the Russian government directly. "The US government also shared this information with Russian authorities in accordance with its long-standing 'duty to warn' policy," a US official said in a statement after the attack. There are channels through which intelligence is shared between countries - even those that are not allies - especially when it relates to possible attacks on civilians. But the problem is that Moscow dismissed the warnings. Three days before the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the board of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), whose job is to defend the country. The top priority, he told the assembled leaders of the security service, was to support what he called the special military operation - the official phrase for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He claimed that Ukraine had switched to what he called "terrorist tactics". He also spoke directly to what he said were "provocative statements" from the West about potential attacks within Russia. He said the warnings "resemble outright blackmail and the intention to intimidate and destabilise our society". President Vladimir Putin addressed Russian citizens following a terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue That suggests that the mistrust between the US and Russia meant Moscow may not have wanted to listen and instead saw the warnings as part of an attempt to threaten Russia, linked to the Ukraine conflict. We do not yet know the exact nature of the information the US possessed or passed or how clear it was. Intelligence can often be vague and hard to act on. But the US has a vast intelligence-gathering machine and watches IS closely. The branch suspected of the Moscow attack was also linked to one on US forces and civilians at Kabul airport in August 2021, as well as more recent deadly bombings in Iraq. But if the intelligence that was shared with Russia was credible and specific about IS, then the FSB and Mr Putin might appear to be on the back foot about why they did not take it more seriously. And if so, it may be easier for Moscow to relate the attack in some way to Ukraine in order to deflect blame and also build support for Russia's actions there, rather than acknowledge what they might have missed. Russia is observing a day of mourning after at least 137 people were killed in an attack on Friday evening at a packed concert venue in Moscow. Flags are flying at half mast, many events have been cancelled and TV channels have updated their schedules. More than 140 people were also injured when gunmen entered the Crocus City Hall, firing indiscriminately before setting it on fire. The Islamic State (IS) group says it was behind the attack. On Saturday Amaq, the IS media outlet, posted an image of the four masked men they claimed were involved in the assault. Russia has not commented on the IS claim. The group later released highly graphic footage from the attack. The video, which has been verified by the BBC as genuine, shows one of the gunmen opening fire on several people. The BBC will not be broadcasting this video. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said all four gunmen who carried out the attack have been arrested. On Sunday, Russia's Investigative Committee showed the detainees being taken from a van into a building, handcuffed and blindfolded. In his televised address on Saturday, Mr Putin condemned the massacre - the deadliest in Russia for nearly 20 years - as a "barbaric terrorist act" and repeated earlier suggestions by Russian security services that the attackers had tried to escape to Ukraine. Kyiv dismissed the claim that it was in some way involved in the attack as "absurd". "To suggest the suspects were heading to Ukraine, would suggest they were stupid or suicidal," Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian military intelligence directorate, told the BBC. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Mr Putin of seeking to "blame" Ukraine for the attack. "This worthless Putin, instead of dealing with his citizens of Russia, addressing them, remained silent for a day - thinking how to bring this to Ukraine," he said in his nightly address. BBC Verify has been able to match details of two of the alleged attackers who appear in the IS video and an IS-released still image to videos of the arrested suspects posted on pro-Kremlin Telegram channels. The US National Security Council said it warned Russia of a potential IS attack on "large gatherings", including concerts, in Moscow earlier this month. The Kremlin at the time dismissed that as "propaganda" and an attempt by Washington to meddle in the recent Russian election. On Saturday, the White House said it condemned the "heinous" attack and described IS as "a common terrorist enemy that must be defeated everywhere". Reports of a serious attack inside the Crocus City Hall, in Moscow's Krasnogorsk suburb, began arriving at around 20:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on Friday. Up to 6,200 people were gathered there for a Friday night rock concert by veteran band Picnic when the shooting started. One video posted online showed several men striding across the concourse, where they opened fire at members of the public, before rearming and entering the hall. Crowds of people were filmed screaming and running in panic as the men burst in. Others were seen taking cover behind their seats as the men fired into the auditorium. Smoke from fire rises above the burning Crocus City Hall concert venue Some of those who tried to escape from the gunmen were thought to have fled to the basement, and others to the roof. "They were just walking and gunning down everyone methodically in silence. Sound was echoing and we could not understand what was where," concertgoer Anastasia Rodionova recalled. Vitaly, another visitor, saw the attack unfolding from a balcony. "They threw some petrol bombs, everything started burning," he said. Outside the hall, huge plumes of smoke filled the sky. A fire was later seen engulfing the hall's roof and facade. Tass state news agency reported that around a third of the building had been set alight. Other reports spoke of explosions, the force of which shattered the glass on the top two floors of the structure. A number of special forces units stormed the venue, while medical personnel, and dozens of ambulances were sent to the scene. Helicopters, circling overhead, tried to douse the fire. The Russian Investigative Committee said that the attackers used flammable liquid to set fire to sections of the concert hall and that the deaths of the victims were caused by gunshot wounds and poisoning by combustion products. On Saturday, a makeshift memorial was set up outside the concert hall where Muscovites lit candles and laid flowers. Others queued to donate blood for the victims of the massacre. In Moscow and other towns and cities, electronic billboards displayed the image of a single burning candle and the word "Skorbim" - "we mourn." Under the billboard that says, "We mourn", people have been queuing to lay flowers The same day in 2007 that founder Steve Jobs of Apple Computer presented the companys fancy new mobile telephone, the iPhone, he dropped the word computer from the corporations name. On this, like many things, Jobs was a visionary. While Apple makes all kinds of excellent equipment (designed by Apple in California, assembled in China) it is the iPhone, not the laptops or desktops or iPads, that has driven the company to earn billions of dollars and rise and rise and rise to a valuation worth trillions of dollars on the sale of billions of iPhones. There is nothing as important to Apple as the iPhone and it is very tightly controlled by the company. Now that tight control of the iPhone (the priciest smartphone on the market) has led the Department of Justice and 16 states plus the District of Columbia to launch an antitrust suit Thursday against Apple. While the case is filed in Newark and New Jersey is the lead state, the list of plaintiffs includes home state California, as well as New York. Said Attorney General Merrick Garland, the United States only goes to court when there is sufficient evidence and the United States usually wins. We dont know if the allegations of the government are enough to prove their case and win, but that is the DOJs burden to prove. Garland used his announcement to cite something directly from the complaint (paragraph 92 on page 39): In 2022, Apples CEO was asked whether Apple would fix iPhone-to-Android messaging. The questioner added: not to make it personal but I cant send my mom certain videos. Apples CEO responded, Buy your mom an iPhone. While Garland didnt say the name, the complaint fingers Tim Cook. We had the same problem with Moms Android. Her Android smartphone worked just fine for her phone calls and emails and texts, but not so well with texts to and from iPhones used by the kids and grandkids. So we paid the extra money and got her an iPhone. It is the good blue bubble (iPhone to iPhone) versus the not good green bubble (iPhone to Android) scenario and the reason Apple set it up that way. Apple intentionally meant to downgrade the experience of using an Android, with the incentive to buy an iPhone. Story continues Imagine if they did the same with the audio quality of phone calls, having iPhone to iPhone calls sound clear to the ear with iPhone to Android calls sounding scratchy or tinny (we are not trying to give Apple any ideas). There is nothing wrong with Apple making a superior product and charging a premium price for it. But what the feds and the states claim is that Apple went too far to make it hard or even impossible for consumers using a competitors equipment. For example, an Apple Watch only works with an iPhone. Again, that was Apples choice to lock out other machines. Apple has plenty of high powered lawyers to make its defense, as does Google which is also being sued for allegedly illegal monopoly behavior (the same for another tech giant, Amazon). Big is not necessarily bad. But using a firms dominant size to impose anti-competitive roadblocks in the marketplace is not allowed. ___ The four men behind a deadly attack on a concert hall in Moscow were being helped by Ukraine, Vladimir Putin claimed on Saturday. Islamist terror group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the brutal assault on Friday evening, which saw gunmen rampage through Crocus City Hall with automatic weapons and bombs, killing at least 133 people. Islamic State released a video of what it claimed was the attack on the concert hall. The one-minute, 31-second video showed a close-up view of one of the gunmen opening fire on several people as he entered what appeared to be the venue. The United States has also attributed the attack to IS. But Putin ignored these statements and instead likened the attackers to Nazis, Kremlin propaganda code for its Ukrainian enemies. In a televised speech on Saturday announcing that the alleged perpetrators had been caught, the Russian president sought to tie Kyiv to the deadliest terrorist attack in Russia for years. All four perpetrators were found and detained. They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, previously, a window had been prepared for them to cross the border, Putin said in a five-minute video address. Vladimir Putin said the attackers were Nazis, by which he meant Ukrainians - MIKHAIL METZEL/AFP We are faced not just with a cynically planned terrorist attack, but with a prepared mass murder of defenceless people, he said. Like the Nazis once did, they planned to stage a show execution. We will identify and punish everyone who stands behind the terrorists, he added. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday in his nightly video address that Putin was seeking ways to divert blame for a massacre at a concert hall near Moscow on Friday. Its obvious that Putin and other thugs are just trying to blame someone else, Mr Zelensky said. Their methods are always the same. Weve seen it all before, destroyed buildings and shootings and explosions. And they always find someone else to blame. He added: They have brought hundreds of thousands of their own terrorists here, on Ukrainian land, to fight against us, and they dont care about what is happening inside their own country, he said. Yesterday, as all this happened, instead of dealing with his fellow Russian citizens, addressing them, the wimp Putin was silent for a full 24 hours, thinking about how to tie this to Ukraine. Its all absolutely predictable. A Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Mr Zelensky was the only head of state crazy enough to blame Russia for the terrorist attack. Ukraine and its Western allies were quick to deny any links to the attack on Friday, but the fear in Kyiv is that Russia will use the attack to escalate its aggression against Ukraine and to recruit more soldiers for its depleted army. The US said Ukraine had absolutely nothing to do with these events, while Kyiv went further and accused Russian special forces of staging the attack as a provocation. The Russian regime has a long history of bloody provocations by its special services, the Ukrainian foreign ministry said in a statement. There are no red lines for Putins dictatorship. It is ready to kill its own citizens for political purposes. Russian citizens grieve at Crocus City Hall for the more than 133 victims - MAXIM SHIPENKOV/Shutterstock Monday has been declared a day of mourning in Moscow and officials appealed for people to give blood for the dozens of badly injured survivors of the attack, aimed at a concert by the Soviet-era rock group Picnic. Electronic billboards around Russia showed a flickering candle against a black background telling people to mourn. But in Moscows corridors of power, the wheels of Russias propaganda machine were busily turning. Margarita Simonyan, the boss of one of the Kremlins biggest TV stations, accused Western intelligence agencies of spreading disinformation to deflect attention from Kyivs involvement. This is not Islamic State. This is khokhol, she said, using a derogatory Russian slur for Ukrainians. Even before the arrests, even before the names of the perpetrators, Western intelligence services began to try to convince the population that it was Islamic State. The head of the Russian parliaments defence committee described Ukraine as the attacks main stakeholder, while the Federal Security Service (FSB) said earlier that the assailants had contacts in Ukraine, without providing further details. Other officials pledged fierce retaliation if a link between Ukraine and the terrorist attack could be proved. Konstantin Malofeev, the Russian billionaire owner of a pro-war media group linked to the Russian Orthodox Church, said a nuclear strike should be launched against Ukraine. Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russias National Security Council, said: Terrorists understand only retaliatory terror. Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, accused Ukraine and its Western allies of sponsoring attacks in Russia. Now we know in which country these bloody bastards planned to hide from persecution, Ukraine, the same country which for 10 years has been turned via Western liberal regimes into a centre of terrorism, she said. The Kommersant newspaper also quoted FSB sources as saying that they were looking for fighters linked to the pro-Ukraine Russian Volunteer Corps who they accused of dressing up possibly with fake beards to mount the attack. The Russian Volunteer Corps has attacked southern Russia from Ukraine regularly over the past year. Photos and footage that appeared online on Saturday about the alleged attackers did not carry any direct evidence that Ukraine was involved, however. Telegram channels linked to the Russian security services released videos of four suspects captured by police after a car chase reportedly ended in a shootout at a checkpoint south-west of Moscow in Bryansk. The city is close to Ukraines north-eastern border and Belarus. In one of the videos, one of the captives shivers as he is held in a stress position and surrounded by Russian security agents. Attacker paid by a preacher Speaking in poor Russian, he confesses to attacking the concert hall because he had been paid by a preacher. Money. I did it for money, he said, gasping for breath. Ive only received half of it. Russian media reported that the suspects were from Tajikistan, a Muslim Central Asian country formerly part of the Soviet Union that borders Afghanistan, where IS is active. In another video, a second suspect is shown speaking via a Tajik translator. Passports from Tajikistan were also reportedly found in the getaway car, according to a Russian lawmaker. Kremlin deflecting security failings The interior ministry said all four of the alleged gunmen were foreign nationals but did not specify from where. Russias security services have said that they have arrested 11 suspects in total over the attack. Western analysts said the attack was likely to have been a genuine Islamic terrorist attack and that the Kremlin was now trying to score propaganda points by deflecting from its security failings. The attack in Moscow was an act of terrorism, full stop, said Samuel Greene, a professor of Russian Politics at Kings College London. Having failed to prevent it, the Kremlin will likely look for a way to use it, which may well mean blaming Ukraine. Other analysts said that the attack had undermined one of the Kremlins consistent core messages that ordinary Russians can depend on it for their security, embarrassing Putin who now wanted to shift the blame onto his most sophisticated enemies Ukraine and its Western allies. Hanna Notte, a senior associate at the Center for Strategic Studies think tank in Washington, said that Kremlin propaganda already portrays IS as a US-backed project and that conflating it with Ukrainian security operations was straightforward. Russia has claimed for two years that the US is sending Islamic State fighters from Syria to join Ukraines army, she said. With Islamic State claiming the attack, Russian attempts to establish some Ukraine connection might not end. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The attack on a Moscow concert hall on Friday was the worst in Russia for years. More than 130 people were killed as gunmen stormed the complex, days after President Vladimir Putin began his fifth term of office. The Islamic State group (IS) has said four of its members carried out the attack. This is what is known so far. How did the attack unfold? Crocus City Hall, on the outskirts of Moscow - 20km (12 miles) from the Kremlin - was about to host a concert by the rock group Picnic when gunmen burst into the foyer just after 20:00 (17:00 GMT) on Friday evening. Video showed at least four people shooting randomly before proceeding into the concert hall itself and opening fire there. Inside the auditorium, a woman said she and other visitors rushed towards the stage as soon as they realised shots were being fired. "I saw a person in the stalls with a sidearm and there were cracks [of gunfire] going off, I was trying to crawl behind a loudspeaker," she told Russian TV. At some point, fire can be seen inside the hall. Flames later engulfed the facade, while glass on the top two floors of the seven-storey building blew out. "The terrorists used a flammable liquid to set fire to the concert hall's premises, where spectators were located, including wounded," Russia's Investigative Committee said. Helicopters were brought in to drop about 160 tonnes of water, but it took some 10 hours for the fire to be contained. By the time the suspects escaped - according to some accounts, the attack lasted about 20 minutes - hundreds had been killed and injured. Many died from bullet wounds, some as a result of smoke inhalation. Picnic's band members themselves were unharmed. Who are the Crocus City Hall victims? More than 6,000 Russians had flocked to the retail and concert complex for the event. The number of those who were killed has been rising steadily. By Sunday afternoon, at least 137 had been confirmed dead. The first official list of casualties suggested the oldest victim was in her 70s, with three children among the dead. In addition to those killed, at least 60 remain in a serious condition and authorities have warned more could die. Many of those killed and wounded came from Krasnogorsk, Khimki and other nearby towns on Moscow's north-western fringe. Who are the attackers? It appears that those who carried out the attack managed to escape the inferno and mayhem they left behind and a manhunt began. Russian MP Alexander Khinshtein said the attackers fled in a white Renault car. According to him, police tried to stop the vehicle in the Bryansk region, about 340km (210 miles) from Moscow, managing to arrest two people as the others fled. Some 14 hours after the first reports of shooting, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) announced 11 people had been arrested, including four "directly involved". Four suspects were dragged into a court in Moscow on Sunday and named as Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Saidakrami Murodali Rachabalizoda, Shamsidin Fariduni and Muhammadsobir Fayzov. All were charged with an act of terrorism and probably face life in prison. Russia's state news agency Tass said all four were from Tajikistan. Who was behind the attack? In a brief statement on Friday, IS said it was behind the attack. On Saturday, it released a photograph of what it said were the four attackers - all masked. The group later released highly graphic footage from the attack. The video, which has been verified by the BBC as genuine, shows one of the gunmen opening fire on several people. The BBC will not be broadcasting this video. Russian authorities have not commented on the IS claim, which comes two weeks after the US warned of a potential attack targeting "large gatherings" in Moscow. Russian officials have complained the US intelligence lacked specific detail. And last week, President Vladimir Putin said: "Recent provocative statements by a number of official Westerns structures about the possibility of terrorist attacks in Russia... resembles outright blackmail and an intention to intimidate and destabilise our society." The US had singled out Islamic State-Khorasanor IS-K, an offshoot which seeks to establish a Muslim caliphate across Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Iran. Colin Clarke, a counterterrorism analyst based in New York, was quoted by the New York Times as saying IS-K had been "fixated" on Russia for the past two years. He said it "accuses the Kremlin of having Muslim blood in its hands, referencing Moscow's interventions in Afghanistan, Chechnya and Syria". While the Russian authorities have not commented on the IS claim, Mr Putin said the assailants were caught as they were trying to flee to Ukraine. "Based on preliminary information, a window for crossing the border was prepared for them by the Ukrainian side," Mr Putin said. Ukraine swiftly dismissed the Russian claims as "absolutely untenable and absurd". BBC Verify has been able to match details of two of the alleged attackers who appear in an IS video and an IS-released still image to videos of the arrested suspects posted on pro-Kremlin Telegram channels. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Two out of four suspects of the terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall Russian media claims to have allegedly identified four people who opened fire at Crocus City Hall shopping center in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, with their names were published by Russian Telegram channel Baza on March 23. According to channel, all four are citizens of Tajikistan: Mahmadrasul Nasridinov, 37 years old Rivojidin Ismonov, 51 years old Shohinjonn Safolzoda, 21 years old Rustam Nazarov, 29 years old They were registered in Yaroslavl, Ivanovo and Samara oblasts. In addition, propagandists claim that two suspects in the shooting have already been detained in Bryansk Oblast. Tajikistan's Foreign Ministry has not confirmed the involvement of Tajik nationals in the shooting at the Crocus City Hall. Read also: 60 dead, over 100 injured in mass shooting near Moscow updated The ministry said in a Facebook post that Dushanbe had not received confirmation from Russia regarding "the fake information currently circulating about the involvement of Tajik citizens" in the shooting. The country's Foreign Ministry asked not to disseminate unverified information. Meanwhile, the Islamic fundamentalist group ISIS has reportedly claimed responsibility for the mass shooting at Crocus City Hall, according to independent Russian TV channel Dozdh (Rain). Dozdh notes that the announcement used a template that ISIS no longer uses, raising concerns about the authenticity of the ISIS claim. CNN also reported that ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack in a short statement published by the group's affiliated Amaq news agency. The group has not provided evidence to confirm its involvement in the shooting. Read also: Five dead and five injured in mass shooting in Georgia According to U.S. newspaper The Washington Post, two U.S. officials told the publication that, according to U.S. data, ISIS, which operates in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran, is also active in Russia. Shooting in Crocus City Hall on March 22 On evening of March 22, several people in camouflage opened fire with assault rifles at people who had come to see the band Picnic play at the Crocus City Hall concert hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast. According to eyewitnesses, the shooters also threw a Molotov cocktail, and a fire broke out. All tickets to the concert were sold out, and according to media reports, up to 7,200 people could have been in the building. At time of publication, the death toll stands at 93 killed, and over 100 injured. Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) representative Andriy Yusov blamed the shooting at the Crocus City Hall concert hall on the Kremlin's special services. Read also: FSB recruiting former ISIS militants and attempting to infiltrate Ukrainian battalions media reports On March 8, the US Embassy warned its citizens in Russia about the threat of a terrorist attack in Moscow. American diplomats stated that the attack could be carried out in crowded places, such as a concert. Putin is said to have reportedly denied the U.S. warning, instead blaming the "West" for attempting to "intimidate" Russia. 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 University of Mount Union physical therapy students will offer free assessments in April events in Alliance. The University of Mount Unions physical therapy program plans two community events in April. The Doctor of Physical Therapy program plans events open to members of the Greater Alliance communities on April 16 and April 19. On April 16, a free Neuro Consult Day will run 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 1725 S. Arch Ave. in Alliance. Community members affected by neurological or neuromuscular challenges can volunteer to receive a free consultation from PT students overseen by expert faculty. Examinations might include assessment of walking, balance, muscle strength and general mobility. On April 19, the PT program will offer free community balance screenings for older adults at Alliance Commons, 405 S. Linden Ave. Each screening by PT students with faculty oversight will take about 30 minutes. Light refreshments and accessible parking will be available at each event. Questions can be directed to Dr. Megan Salvatore, associate professor of physical therapy at Mount Union, at 330-829-4164 or mountunion.edu/pt. This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Mount Union physical therapy students to offer free sessions WASHINGTON (DC News Now) The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is looking for a man who is suspected of shooting a person in Southeast D.C. Surveillance photo of the suspect. (Metropolitan Police Department) Police said that on Friday at about 4:30 p.m., the victim was inside a business in the 2900 block of Minnesota Ave. when a man confronted the victim and a physical altercation started. The altercation continued outside the business where the man then pulled out a gun and shot the victim. Man shot, killed in Prince William County identified The victim left and sought medical help from the police. The suspect fled the scene. MPD is offering a reward of up to $10,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for a violent crime. Anyone who can identify this suspect or who has knowledge of this incident should call police at (202) 727-9099. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. MUKWONAGO, Wis. - On April 2, there will be 91 school referendums in Wisconsin, totaling $1.45 billion. Milwaukee hosts the most expensive, New Richmond's is second, and number three is Mukwonago. The Mukwonago Area School District last went to referendum in 2016 when voters approved $49.5 million for high school renovations, new auditorium, and a new gym, among other things. This year, they'll be asked to approve $102 million. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Mukwonago 2024 referendum plan "At some points, Im against it, at some points Im for it," said Maria Carrillo, who lives in the village. "I always look at the students, the children. The children are our future. And if you dont think about the future, these children ar going to be lost in this society." Shes struggling on whether she should vote yes or no on the referendum. "An investment in your schools is an investment in your community," said Mukwonago Area School District Superintendent Joe Koch, PhD. The $102 million would tear down the current Park View Middle School, which is now 70 years old. The district would then build a replacement, adding 6th graders to the current 7th and 8th. Park View Middle School "To enhance the educational opportunities for our students, and then to replace an aging building that is going to require a lot of investment in order to keep it running, added Koch. The district shared photos of crowded hallways, full classrooms, and corroded pipes. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android. A crowded school hallway "The cost to renovate and add sixth grade and get the building up to standard was about $85 million, which was 88% the cost of building the new building," noted Koch. The new building would add space for science, tech, gym and music, and add space when the district expects to add roughly 350 more students in the next decade. "The current Park View Middle School, the music rooms are converted classrooms, low ceilings, they don't really accommodate the number of kids that we have or are interested in music," Koch said. He said moving the 6th graders out of the elementary schools would then free up room for more four-year-olds. 4K right now has a waiting list of about 75 kids. "We opened [4K enrollment] up at 8 a.m. For our full day seats, they were filled by 8:12 a.m.," added Koch. Mukwonago April 2, 2024 referendum But Carrillo, a former teacher, isn't sure what to do. "Ive been living here for 24 years and my taxes have gone up and up and up. And theres no break," she said. "Im smack in the middle. I think its because Im not rich, and Im not poor. Im in the middle." For a $100,000 home, the school property tax would go up $69 a year. For a $300,000 home, taxes would go up $207 a year. Superintendent Koch says that even with the referendum added on, it would still be a lower tax rate than it had in 2021. For more information on the referendum, click here. In February, there were 10 referendums, but only four of them passed. Failed votes included two in Waterford, totaling $91 million. Authorities are warning drivers to avoid a part of a major interstate after officials say there was a shootout involving law enforcement. Haralson County sheriff officials said on Saturday, just before 4 a.m., deputies received reports of a chase on Interstate 20 EB. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] According to the investigation, the chase began near Birmingham, AL, before crossing the state line. Officials have not said what began the chase. When the chase entered Haralson County, officials said the suspect vehicle spun out at mile marker two. While spinning out, the driver opened fire on deputies and other officers in the area, who returned fire, officials said. TRENDING STORIES: Officials confirmed to Channel 2 Action News that the suspect was hurt and taken to the hospital in Atlanta. The suspects condition and identity have not been released. No deputies were hurt in the pursuit. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been called to investigate. It is unclear how long the interstate will be shut down. IN OTHER NEWS: PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Multiple people were arrested in Vancouver during a stolen vehicle operation (SVO) which also recovered two cars, firearms and fentanyl, authorities say. Friday evening, the Vancouver Police Department began the SVO with a stolen Jeep Cherokee. The driver was arrested and found to be wanted on another stolen vehicle case out of the Clark County Sheriffs Office, officials say. While Portland police were conducting their own SVO at the same time, a Honda eluded the PPB officers, eventually making its way into Vancouver. Vancouver Officers eventually found the Honda and arrested the driver, who had also violated a No Contact Domestic Violence Order with the passenger in the car, authorities say. Medical examiner declares womans death homicide, husband faces murder charge Both the driver of the Jeep and the driver of the Honda were booked into the Clark County Jail. In a separate incident that night, a vehicle eluded PPB officers into Vancouver. Officers say they found the van, which had driven recklessly throughout the city. They were eventually able to arrest and book the driver, who was also wanted on a parole violation, authorities say. A short time later, officers say they found a suspect wanted on firearms charges driving a stolen Mercedes. While attempting to flee from police across the Glenn Jackson Bridge, PPB officers were able to intervene, arresting the suspect on Clark County felony warrants and new charges added in Multnomah County, officials say. One dead after serious assault on the Eastbank Esplanade At the end of the SVO, Vancouver officers found another stolen car and detained its occupants, later finding two firearms and fentanyl inside. No arrests have been made in this case, as is is still being investigated, authorities say. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. If you value essential, local journalism, please reserve time for Virginia Bridges eye-opening investigative report on police abuse cases settled by Raleigh. You can search for Police Payouts on newsobserver.com or look for In the Spotlight, our new, subscriber-focused series of independent, revelatory stories from News & Observer journalists on ongoing, high-interest topics of importance to the Triangle and North Carolina. So far, were spotlighting the governors race, the UNC-Chapel Hill chancellor search, online gamblings impact on North Carolina and police abuse cases. Virginias reporting in this exclusive N&O investigation shows the City of Raleigh has paid nearly $4.3 million in settlements over allegations of excessive force and other unconstitutional acts since 2012. The settlements, many never publicly reported before, represent a small number of encounters police have with the public. But the similarities in the situations point to a bigger issue of problematic police behavior, civil rights lawyers and others say. Virginia is a tenacious, well-respected reporter and remarkable human being. She started requesting documents that led to this report more than three years ago. North Carolina Investigations Editor Cathy Clabby has filled the roles of coach, editor, mentor and journalistic saint in supporting Virginia through this complicated and unfinished investigation. (Yes, there will be more to come.) I admire the persistence and ethics that Virginia poured into producing this public service journalism. She took pains to be accurate and fair in her description of what documents, sworn depositions and interviews revealed to her about complaints of police misconduct, Cathy says. The N&O had this investigation ready to publish before a federal civil rights lawsuit was filed Monday that contends Raleigh officers unnecessarily killed Darryl Tyree Williams a year ago. The polices confrontation with Williams is chronicled, based upon documents, in The N&O investigation. The report includes multiple stories (which you can find in links), including a breakdown of other settlement cases. What follows is an edited Q&A with Virginia on the behind-the-scenes effort that went into her reporting. What led you to focus on this investigation? When I first made the request for settlement documents in August 2020, two men with disabilities, Keith Collins and Soheil Mojarrad, had been killed by police in so many years. Protests followed. The family of one of those men filed a lawsuit accusing the police of a pattern of abuse. I started to think about how I could gather more information on these concerns, outside of the typical news-coverage pattern of relying on autopsy, police and prosecutor reports. So thats pretty much why I made my initial request for settlements in August 2020. Candles are placed at a memorial for Darryl Williams outside Supreme Sweepstakes in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday evening, Jan. 19, 2023. City officials responded to that request in March 2023, but it only included settlements through 2019. I continued looking at court documents and police related lawsuits, as well as compiling RPD use-of-force stats and looking at professional standards reports. With so many levels of information, the challenge was choosing what story to tell. But when I requested and received settlement agreements in the Mojarrad case ($1.25 million) in November 2023, and then the Fredrick Hall settlement ($60,000) a few days later, the patterns started to materialize and support some of the accusations outlined in some of the lawsuits. It was at that point when the focus became more clear. What were some of the pivotal challenges? The pivotal challenges were the citys delay in providing the records, and then the lack of response to questions like, this settlement isnt signed I just want to make sure its a settlement? Or it looks like city attorneys wrote that Jeffrey Sadler was tased 11 times in this court document, am I reading that right? I am not clear why there was so much of a delay in getting the agreements also a question they didnt answer. What should be the takeaways for subscribers and the public? I feel like often people want to categorize police interactions as either right or wrong. They were committing a crime or they werent committing a crime. Police felt threatened or they didnt. But the settlements show that its not that simple. Just like in any complex situation, the devil is in the details. And in 17 cases, the city weighed those details and decided to pay those families and individuals. But what does that mean? What does it mean when the city denies wrongdoing to the public, but then pays a family $1.25 million. How should the public interpret that conflict? In the Mojarrad case, the city admitted to the officer not turning on his body-camera. Is that worth $1.25 million? I dont know. Because thats another question city officials didnt answer. Bill Church is executive editor of The News & Observer. NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KETK) A 51-year-old man was sentenced to life without parole for continuous sexual assault of a child. Police: Man arrested for fatal convenience store shooting in Longview Mugshot of Patrick Williams, 51 of Nacogdoches. Courtesy of Nacogdoches County Sheriffs Office. According to the Nacogdoches County District Attorneys Office, Patrick Williams, of Nacogdoches, was sentenced for abusing a child spanning more than three years. In 2018, family of the victim was made aware of Williams sexual abuse through photographs that were on a phone. The abuse was reported to law enforcement and Williams was taken into custody, a release said. During trial, Judge Klein heard evidence that this sexual assault was not the defendants first sexual assault against a juvenile. The State presented evidence from a Shelby County incident that occurred roughly 20 years prior where the defendant sexually assaulted a Center, Texas juvenile, the DA said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. The staff at Kernel, a vegan takeout joint in Manhattan, have it better than many fast-food workers. They make a starting wage of $25 per hour and have paid days off and sick leave. They are slated to become employee-owners in a stock-option plan in the works. But there is a catch to the perks of the job. Like most other workplaces, Kernel employees have a quirky, larger-than-life coworker: a six-axis robot arm that can reach over 3 feet and lift over 11 pounds at the wrist. Its nickname is El Capitan. The arm, created by the German manufacturer Kuka, is the focal point of the store. As orders come in online, the Kuka robot plucks food items off a holding tray, places them in an oven, and passes them onto its human coworker on the assembly line. Its carefully calibrated movements help Kernelwhich serves a small menu of plant-based sandwiches and sidesliterally run like a well-oiled machine. Kernels human workers dont seem to mind the robot stealing the spotlight. The store has a 100% employee retention rate, a rarity in the industrythough it only has three staff members in the store at a given time and has been open about a month. Chipotle founder Steve Ells launched Kernel with $36 million in backing. Team members are enjoying the experience and automation is creating a better working environment for them and not a worse one, Stephen Goldstein, Kernels president, told Fortune. The revolution will be roboticized Kernel is on the cutting edge of the robot-retail movement, a growing trend of stores and fast-food restaurants increasingly relying on automated technologies and customer-interfacing bots. Retail has been incorporating automation into its systems for years nowthink Dominos mesmerizing Pizza Tracker introduced in 2008but introducing physical, large-scale robots into retail spaces is relatively new. To some extent, the restaurant industry is a microcosm, Bank of America analyst Sara Senatore told Fortune. Software has become pretty pervasive: relying on computers to predict things, to plan things, to certainly aggregate and quantify and analyze data. But the bigger challenge, then, is actually integrating them or incorporating them from a physical process. Story continues All of this technologyfrom online ordering to robots making foodstreamlines service and increases volume and sales. For fast-casual restaurants, investments in automation are coming to fruition: Sweetgreen implemented the Infinite Kitchen, an automation service that assembles salads and bowls, in its first store last spring and opened a second location with the technology in December. In its fourth-quarter earnings report, Sweetgreenwhich has struggled for years with profitabilityreported the two suburban locations with Infinite Kitchen have 10% higher tickets on average than those of surrounding markets. The Infinite Kitchen continues to deliver many benefits to our operating model, such as higher throughput, better order accuracy, portioning consistency and substantially lower team member turnover, CFO Mitch Reback said in the earnings call. Development and installation for Infinity Kitchen is expensiveabout half a million dollarsbut Sweetgreen expects to see a seven-point benefit to margins for restaurants with the system. Leaning into automation isnt always successful. Robot-powered grain-bowl restaurant Eatsa shuttered both of its New York locations in 2017, admitting it expanded its concept too fast without nailing down a menu. Kernel employees in the kitchen Human-robot harmony The expansion of automation in restaurants is growing in part because of savings on labor costs, which make up about 36% of an average restaurants costs, according to a BofA note by Senatore. These changes dont mean robots are coming for workers jobsits actually the opposite. It's more of a reallocation of labor or hours towards more value added, Senatore said. In many cases, this reallocation benefits the customers, but it also benefits the employee. In the restaurant industry, where turnover rates are high and costly to companies, keeping employees happy is crucial. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the food and accommodations sector has a 5.1% quit rate. A 2022 McKinsey & Company report found quit rates in retail are 70% higher than in other sectors. At Kernel, the Kuka robot, as well as its other automated systems, have helped make employees more efficient and increase their agency on the job, Goldstein said. One employee talked with the software engineering team about re-coding the Kuka arm to remove a burger patty from the oven at the same time as its bun finished toasting. Another tweak changed the order of the ingredients on the assembly line to minimize workers bending over and straining their backs. This is the first restaurant job Ive had that doesnt leave me broken or beaten at the end of the day, Kernel staff member Carlos De La Concha told Fortune over email. Fewer instances of human-error-related food waste helps the restaurant keep prices lower$7 for a veggie burger, compared to Shake Shacks $8.29 for the Veggie Shack. Kernel did not provide Fortune with any sales data, but Goldstein said the restaurant has plans to scale and open 10 restaurants, give or take, over the next two years. But growing a restaurant concept that is new and still developing will have its hiccups. Senatore warns scaling and adapting automated technologies in restaurant spaces will be the biggest challenge in the models success. In the broader industry, restaurants trying to retrofit new technology in their space and culture will have difficulty figuring out how to best outsource tasks to automation and create a synergetic relationship between technology and employees. Kernel may have its robotic features at the core of its business, but Goldstein still expects to have to make some tweaks, just like any growth would require. It's going to be the business model adaptation and how we think about, What do you want to serve customers? How do you want to change the menu? So how does this look differently? he said. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) Three NASA astronauts visited Rolling Terrace Elementary School to tell students about their adventures in space. Hundreds visit Bethesda neighborhood to view cherry blossoms Frank Rubio, a physician and flight surgeon, Sultan Al Neyadi, first United Arab Emirates astronaut to serve a 6-month mission on the International Space Station, and Stephen Bowen, the only astronaut to fly on consecutive space shuttle missions to the International Space Station, shared their experiences and space studies, according to Montgomery County Public Schools. (Photo courtesy of Montgomery County Public Schools) (Photo courtesy of Montgomery County Public Schools) (Photo courtesy of Montgomery County Public Schools) (Photo courtesy of Montgomery County Public Schools) The trio told students what it felt like to float in space, answered any questions and told the students to never give up on their dreams. At the end, the astronauts presented the principal with framed photos of their missions along with an American flag that was in space, which were displayed inside the school as a reminder for the students to follow their dreams. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. NASAs Artemis II crewmates, from left: Victor Glover, who will be the first Black person to travel around the moon; Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and Reid Wiseman, commander. (NASA via The New York Times) NEW YORK Do you dream of leaving the planet? NASA is looking for its next group of astronauts, and you have until April 2 to make a pitch for yourself. Typically, its a very popular application, said April Jordan, NASAs astronaut selection manager. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times The odds that you will be chosen are slim. The last time NASA put out a call for applications, in 2020, more than 12,000 people applied. It took the agency a year and a half to go through the applications. NASA selected just 10 of the hopefuls, or 0.083%. That makes Harvard Universitys 3.5% acceptance rate among high school applicants appear bountiful. So when I say popular, Jordan said, its probably an understatement. Jordan is on a media tour to spread the word that the right stuff for being an astronaut in 2024 is not the same as it was in the 1960s, when astronauts were all white men, almost all from the military. Joining her on this tour, which included a stop at The New York Times, was Victor Glover, a nine-year veteran of the astronaut corps who offered a glimpse into how he made it through the rigorous selection process. To become a NASA astronaut today, you have to be a U.S. citizen and you must pass the astronaut physical exam. NASA does set a fairly high bar for education a masters degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics, followed by at least three years of related professional experience. Beyond that, the agency tries to keep an open mind. (There is no age limit, for example, or a requirement for 20/20 vision.) We want the group of astronaut candidates that we select to be reflective of the nation that theyre representing, Jordan said. Take Glover, for example. In some aspects, he fits the historical archetype. Before NASA, he was a Navy aviator and trained as a test pilot. He is also breaking historical barriers. In 2020, he became the first Black astronaut to serve as a crew member on the International Space Station after 20 years of astronauts living there. In 2025, he will become the first Black astronaut to fly around the moon for the Artemis II mission. To stand out in NASAs competitive application process, Glover knew he would need more than a strong resume. He was particularly set on landing a good joke. The night before one of Glovers interviews at NASA for the 2013 class, he was asked to write an essay. The title: Girls Like Astronauts. Theyre sitting in this room all day listening to all these dry answers, he recalled thinking. Im going to try to make them laugh. The essay pivoted from a punchline to poignancy, reflecting on the ways he has tried to inspire his four daughters. He also decided to be vulnerable during the interview, sharing a boneheaded moment when he risked nearly hitting the water during an air show demonstration. You have to be able to share that information with the interview panel when you come in, because youre inevitably going to fail at something, Jordan said. And so theres a humbleness that you have to bring in even if youve achieved great things. As part of the application process, Glover wrote a limerick that concluded: This is all dizzying to me, because I gave so much blood and pee. Glover set his sights on going to outer space as a child, when he saw his classmates moved to tears by the Challenger disaster. His space ambition deepened years later when he heard a speech from Pam Melroy, a former space shuttle commander. Melroy, now NASAs deputy administrator, recounted how her crew had scrambled to fix a damaged solar array on the International Space Station. I thought, Wow, she just talked about something really technical, really logistically challenging, Glover said. But the emotion in it was about the people. He realized, then, that just as astronauts need technical ability, they also need something more difficult to teach: social skills. Youre going to live in this tin can with somebody for six months, he said of a stay on the space station. Were almost picking family members. Glover proudly points to the diversity of backgrounds among current astronauts. If you compare our office to the countrys demographics, we match the country very well, he said. Indeed, the diversity within NASA outpaces that of the private sector in some aspects. The percentage of Black astronauts is higher than the percentage of Black people in the broader science and technology workforce, Glover said. That is the direct result of NASAs sustained efforts over a couple of decades to recruit astronauts beyond the traditional archetype, he said. Our office looks the way it looks because of this intentionality, and thinking about our biases and how it may affect who we hire, he said. I think thats a huge victory. But Glover acknowledged that diversity as a hiring goal was becoming increasingly fraught. Critics include Elon Musk, the billionaire who runs SpaceX, the rocket company that NASA relies on to transport cargo and astronauts like Glover to the International Space Station. NASA has also hired SpaceX to land astronauts on the moon. His perspective on some things is a little disturbing, Glover said of Musk. SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment by Musk. Musk has repeatedly called for the end of programs that focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI. D.E.I. is just another word for racism, he posted in January on X, the social media network he owns. Glover said he had just listened to a contentious interview that Don Lemon, a former CNN anchor, recently conducted with Musk. My mom sent it to me and she goes, Does he remember you rode in his spaceship? he said. Im like, Ma, he probably remembers very vividly. Hes a great intellect, but he probably just doesnt care. People ask him how he feels about becoming the first Black person to go on a lunar mission next year when Artemis II will swing around the moon without landing. Actually, Im sad, Glover said. Its 2025, and Im going to be the first? Come on. He recounted the story of Ed Dwight, the only Black Air Force pilot in the 1960s who met the restrictive requirements that NASA had for astronauts then. But Dwight was never selected. Ed Dwight could have done this in the 60s, Glover said. How much better would our country be if he actually got the chance? Society wasnt ready. Its not him. He was ready. While Glover has heard some of the pushback to DEI initiatives, he feels firmly that seeking diversity is not about lowering standards and accepting less qualified candidates. I think it should just be excellence, he said. As long as you dont equate whiteness or maleness with excellence, then were good. Were speaking the same language. Many applicants are drawn by the potential glory of being the first astronauts to walk on Mars, an accomplishment that NASA is aiming for in the 2030s. But Glover said they should also contemplate the sacrifices that they and their families might have to make along the way. The trip to Mars is six to nine months, he said. Youre going to be away from familiar for more than a year, one to three years. Are you really ready for that? c.2024 The New York Times Company LAS VEGAS (KLAS) The National Hispanic Institute has worked with more than 1,000 students since the nonprofit started in 1979. With the help of Las Vegas Sands, it will be able to offer scholarships to students across the Valley for its Great Debate Program. The organization provides opportunities for young people to develop their leadership skills while having a strong support system. Its Executive Vice President Nicole Nieto says the nonprofit is expanding their work in local-based student clubs. Nieto said the organization started with its mission to serve a growing Latino community, but it caters to all students. She said at the end of the program, students feel confident to work together. Scholarships for freshman students range from $250 to $500 a person to attend its Great Debate Program this summer in San Diego for six days. The scholarships go towards the program. Sophomores and junior spots have been finalized, says Nieto. There are still spots available for high school freshmen. Current member and student Madi Messner has been with the nonprofit for three years. She said it changed her life, and now she helps find members for the Great Debate Program. Messner currently attends West Career & Technical Academy in Summerlin. She told 8 News Now she was very shy when she started with no experience in speech or debate. Messner was one of the founding members of the Las Vegas chapter. It started with just three students, and now there are 80. Its really about growing yourself and having the confidence and your ability to speak and share your ideas with others, Messner said. It really teaches you the basis of communication skills, you are kind of thrown into this new environment, youre on this college campus. She added that the best thing about the program is how it teaches students to think outside the box, make change in the community, focus on the positive, and become a leader. Its a labor a love, she said. Messner added that students meet people from all over the world including Mexico, Puerto Rico, and even Dominican Republic. You learn to immerse yourself in different cultures, she said Nieto said 98% of the groups student members attend college right after high school. These students get involved in student life in college, she added. She said if freshmen are interested in applying for the scholarships, they must have a 3.0 GPA or higher and be a first-time NIH participant There is a $25 application fee. All scholarship amounts depend on each students circumstances, says Nieto. The final date to apply is April 15. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. In a demonstration of two sovereign nations coming together and a significant step toward cultural collaboration, the Honorable Crystalyne Curley, Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council, and His Excellency Baktybek Amanbaev, Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United States and Canada, met at the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic, a landlocked mountainous country in Central Asia, on Wednesday in Washington, D.C. They met to discuss avenues for strengthening cultural relations and mutual understanding between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Navajo Nation. Also joining the discussion was the Executive Director of the Navajo Nation Washington Office, Justin Ahasteen. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. The meeting was held at the invitation of Ambassador Amanbaev, who is interested in pursuing a cultural exchange to explore similarities between the Navajo people and the Kyrgyz. Though the two nations seem distant and foreign at a first glance, a shared history of colonization, economic and geographic similarities, and cultural traditions such as weaving suggest there may be more in common than one might expect. The Ambassador recommended an initial cultural exchange to be organized in the coming months, with potential for the establishment of permanent exchanges, including sister city agreements, if all goes well. Im grateful to Ambassador Amanbaev for welcoming the Navajo Nation to their embassy to discuss ways of enriching our knowledge and understanding of their culture. Any opportunity for people to learn more about other cultures increases our appreciation for diversity and humanity. We look forward to continuing our dialogue and hopefully to welcome the Ambassador to the Navajo Nation at some point, Speaker Curley said. Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren was unable to attend the meeting but sent his regards: "While I regret not being able to join today's historic dialogue in person, I am proud that the Navajo Nation was represented by our esteemed Speaker Crystalyne Curley. The Navajo and Kyrgyz peoples have beautiful cultures, rich in history and tradition, and much to teach one another. This meeting marks the beginning of what I hope will be a long-lasting friendship between our two nations." As a symbol of goodwill and friendship, Ambassador Amanbaev presented Speaker Curley with a traditional Kyrgyz wall tapestry and a jar of Kyrgyz honey. These gifts reflect the rich cultural heritage and culinary delights of Kyrgyzstan, showcasing the country's vibrant traditions and hospitality. In return, the Executive Director of the Navajo Nation Washington Office presented Ambassador Amanbaev with a turquoise necklace, a cherished symbol of Navajo culture and spirituality. The exchange of gifts further exemplifies the spirit of friendship and cooperation between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Navajo Nation. The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both parties expressing their commitment to furthering dialogue and cooperation between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Navajo Nation. About the Author: "Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at editor@nativenewsonline.net. " Contact: news@nativenewsonline.net A Nazi hunter with ties to Israeli intelligence was given access to some of the IRA's most sensitive secrets just when the group believed it was about to drive Britain out of Northern Ireland. An upcoming BBC documentary follows the story of Zwy Aldouby, who was monitored by the CIA and was once jailed for attempting to kidnap a Nazi in Spain. He then turned up as the unlikely director of an American documentary about the IRA that, once completed, disappeared for almost 50 years. Former IRA members who have spoken to the BBC say it was a huge mistake to allow Aldouby to meet most of the group's leadership at the time. Making an IRA documentary Zwy Aldouby appeared in Ireland in March 1972 as the director of an US crew making a film about the IRA called "The Secret Army" - despite having no apparent track record as a filmmaker. The team had unprecedented access to the IRA at a time when it was carrying out daily attacks and many in the organisation believed Britain could be forced to withdraw. Zwy Aldouby (right) was the unlikely director of the US documentary The 1972 film recorded IRA members planning and carrying out attacks while unmasked. The subsequent disappearance of the potentially incriminating footage is the subject of a feature-length BBC documentary, also called "The Secret Army", which is appearing on the BBC iPlayer on 27 March. While filming between March and June 1972, Aldouby met and filmed the majority of the IRA's secret leadership, known as the Army Council. Also among those filmed handling guns and bombs was Martin McGuinness, then a rising young IRA leader. Decades later, as a Sinn Fein politician he became the deputy first minister of Northern Ireland and, in that capacity, met Queen Elizabeth on several occasions. He died in 2017. Martin McGuinness met the Queen for the first time in June 2012 Former IRA members who took part in the film and spoke to the BBC said they were unaware of Aldouby's intelligence connections. "I find myself wishing that I really knew more about my own father," his son, Ilan Aldouby told the BBC. "He's really - I'm tempted to say, like Austin Powers, the international man of mystery." Who was Zwy Aldouby? Born Herbert Dubinsky in Romania in 1931, Aldouby lost family members to the Nazis but escaped to Palestine after the Second World War. There he joined the Haganah, the paramilitary organisation fighting the British to set up the state of Israel. "He was in the Palmach," Israeli historian Prof Michael Bar-Zohar told the BBC. "The Palmach were the shock, the elite troops of the Haganah, and he was commander of a small unit, as far as I know. "He was one of these guys who were taken out of high school at the age of 17 and recruited to the army in order to fight in the War of Independence, and he was very proud of that." According to declassified American files, after Israel gained independence, Aldouby joined Shin Bet, the country's internal intelligence agency. Aldouby is named in several declassified US government documents A source later told the CIA that Aldouby was hunting former Nazis as part of a Jewish group based in Vienna "under the guidance of Israeli intelligence". Nazi war criminals were tried in Germany and Israel after the war. Aldouby later became a journalist and moved to the US in the 1950s. In 1961, he came up with an audacious plan - to kidnap a Belgian Nazi Leon Degrelle. Degrelle had been sentenced to death in his own country but was living openly in Spain, under the protection of the dictatorship there. "Degrelle was called the Quisling of Belgium," said Prof Bar-Zohar. "He was the top Nazi official in Belgium. "And according to the information which was published, Hitler said that `if I had a son I would have loved him to be like you'." Leon Degrelle (left) pictured with Adolf Hitler The plot failed when Aldouby and an accomplice were captured with guns by Spanish police. Aldouby spent the next three years in jail, with Israel denying being behind the plot. The whole affair was monitored by US intelligence. Long-time Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director J Edgar Hoover even sent a memo about Aldouby to his counterpart in the CIA, famed spy James Jesus Angleton. Ireland and the IRA Aldouby surfaced in Ireland at a key moment - just as Israel's enemy in Libya, Colonel Muammar Gadaffi announced his support for the IRA. Within a short time Libya was supplying weapons to men filmed by Aldouby. "At that point Gaddafi was selling or giving arms to terrorists that were attacking Israel and Gaddafi was also giving arms to the IRA, and Israel at this point was in a very precarious state," Ilan Aldouby said. "So my father, if he worked with or collaborated with the Mossad, or Israeli intelligence, it would be a clear fit." Ilan Aldouby said he wished he knew more about his father's life Prof Bar-Zorhar said that, from what he knew of Aldouby, Mossad wouldn't have relied on him. For their part, Mossad denied that he was a member of their organisation. But Richard Kerr, a retired deputy director of the CIA, told the BBC team that Aldouby was "almost certainly" feeding intelligence to his former comrades. "Mossad, they have long ties and connections," Mr Kerr said. "They maintain those. I don't think many of them have left it totally. "They're still involved, supporting Israel." BBC IPlayer The Secret Army will be available on the BBC iPlayer on Wednesday, 27 March, and will be shown on BBC Two Northern Ireland. It will also be shown on BBC Four on 02 April. Line The city of Greenvilles public utility apologized Saturday for a widespread outage whose cause remained a mystery hours after power was restored. Most homes and businesses in the city, which has a population of about 90,800, lost electricity Saturday morning, police said in a series of alerts Saturday morning on X, formerly known as Twitter. Power was restored within about two hours, police said. Major power outage in the NC33/264 corridor of the city. @GUC_Info is aware. Officers are being directed to numerous intersections to direct traffic. A reminder, all unattended intersections without power should be treated as a four-way stop. pic.twitter.com/5Srr9q9Ff4 Greenville Police (@GreenvillePD) March 23, 2024 Lights out, police direct traffic Greenville is roughly about 85 miles southeast of Raleigh and home to East Carolina University, a 1,600 acre public institution. Police first reported the outage at 10 a.m. Major power outage in the N.C. 33/264 corridor of the city, police initially said on X. Officers are being directed to numerous intersections to direct traffic, the alert by police continued. A reminder, all unattended intersections without power should be treated as a four-way stop. Eight minutes later, police said the outage extended beyond the N.C. 33/264 corridor. Much of city impacted, police posted on X at 10:08 a.m. Please continue to treat all intersections as a four way stop. At 11:15 a.m., police said utility crews estimated restoration could take 30 minutes to several hours. Already restored in some areas, police said on X. An hour later, Greenville Utilities said all residential customers had power back. OUTAGE ALERT: Crews are assessing a widespread power outage and we will post an update very soon. pic.twitter.com/z3YfBIh8Xk Greenville Utilities (@GUC_Info) March 23, 2024 No update on cause Crews are now focused on industrial customers, the utility posted on X. At 2:30 p.m. Saturday, crews continued to investigate the cause, the utility posted on X. And we have no update on the cause at this time, the utility posted. We apologize for any inconvenience our customers may have experienced due to this outage. 168,000 customer connections Greenville Utilities is owned by the residents of the city but operates under a separate charter issued by the North Carolina General Assembly, according to the Greenville Utilities Commission website. The utility provides electricity, water, sewer and natural gas to the city and 75% of Pitt County, with a combined total of nearly 168,000 customer connections. The utility did not say how many homes and businesses lost power and did not immediately return a message on Saturday from The Charlotte Observer. This embedded content is not available in your region. A new drug regimen for certain types of pancreatic cancer recently received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the first new medication in nearly a decade. Onivyde (irinotecan liposome), an injectable medication made by Ipsen, has been approved for use along with oxaliplatin, fluorouracil and leucovorin as a regimen for patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (mPDAC). This type of cancer is an aggressive malignancy with an average life expectancy of between eight and 11 months, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, MARCH 6, 2019, ALEX TREBEK SHARES CANCER DIAGNOSIS WITH THE WORLD The approval was based on a randomized, controlled trial that included 770 patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma who had not previously received chemotherapy, according to an FDA press release. The group of patients who received the new regimen via IV infusion showed "significant improvements" in survival rates and response rates compared to the control group. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP A new drug regimen for certain types of pancreatic cancer recently received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The drug regimen is administered via IV for 90-minute sessions every two weeks. "I am hopeful that this regimen represents a new reference meaning we will add to this in the future," Dr. Zev Wainberg, professor of medicine and co-director of the UCLA GI Oncology Program in Los Angeles, told Fox News Digital. AI SHOWN TO PREDICT RISK OF PANCREATIC CANCER WELL BEFORE SYMPTOMS APPEAR "We needed clarity on the data before proceeding, which the Phase 3 trial provides." Metastatic pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to treat, Wainberg noted, as it doesnt respond as well to new drugs that work in other types of the disease. "Patients are unfortunately often quite sick, and many cancers move too fast for a drug to work as they might in other cancers," he noted. Metastatic pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to treat, a doctor noted, as it doesnt respond as well to new drugs that work in other types of the disease. Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, said the drug is "a useful new tool, but not a game-changer." "It works well in conjunction with other chemotherapies that have been used for widespread pancreatic cancer," Siegel told Fox News Digital. "It works by interfering with DNA replication in the cancer and by damaging the tumors DNA repair." COULD A URINE TEST DETECT PANCREATIC AND PROSTATE CANCER? STUDY SHOWS 99% SUCCESS RATE Dr. Peter Hosein, M.D., associate director of clinical research at the University of Miamis Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Centers Pancreatic Cancer Research Institute, also commented on the new approval. "Pancreatic cancer is a deadly disease where meaningful progress is sorely needed in prevention, early detection and treatment to improve outcomes," he told Fox News Digital. The group of patients who received the new regimen via IV infusion showed "significant improvements" in survival rates and response rates compared to the control group. Onivyde is a new formulation of an old drug that is "almost identical," Hosein said. "So, although this is a new approval, it does not really represent meaningful progress," he told Fox News Digital. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER Onivyde is also "substantially more expensive" than Irinotecan, the existing standard medication , Hosein pointed out. "There are many doctors and scientists working around the clock on this disease and the survival rates are slowly improving," he said. "We need to continue focusing on breakthrough therapies that will truly move the needle to help our patients." "There are many doctors and scientists working around the clock on this disease and the survival rates are slowly improving," a doctor said of pancreatic cancer. The most commonly reported side effects of Onivyde are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, mucosal inflammation, constipation and weight loss, the FDA stated. "All drugs have a safety profile that needs to be taken seriously," Wainberg said. "Here, most of the combination produced GI upset diarrhea and sometimes dehydration so prophylactic (preventative) management is critical." Fox News Digital reached out to Ipsen, a French biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Paris, France, for additional comment. For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health . Original article source: Newly approved cancer drug targets aggressive form of deadly disease Pennsylvania State Police learned that Rebekah A. Byler's 2-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son were home with her when someone entered the Amish family's eastern Crawford County residence on the morning of Feb. 26 and fatally shot and cut the 23-year-old Byler, who was nearly six months pregnant. The 3-year-old told state police that a green truck pulled into their driveway on Fish Flats Road in Sparta Township, and a man wearing sneakers entered the house and killed his mother, according to newly unsealed search warrants that state police obtained in their investigation into Byler's death. Investigators also learned from Byler's husband that, two weeks before Byler was killed, a man made an unexpected visit to their house at night and inquired about buying their house. The husband, Andy Byler, believed the man's vehicle might have been red, but he was unsure as it was dark outside, according to information in the affidavits filed with the unsealed search warrants. State police developed more information about a red vehicle seen at and around the Bylers' home on the day Rebekah Byler's body was discovered. Among the information was that a man who at one time had driven for an Amish family in the area was seen driving a red Jeep on one occasion, according to information in the affidavits and information presented at a recent court hearing. The focus would turn to a red Jeep. Additional information and evidence, including surveillance video and vehicle GPS data, led the state police to charge Corry resident Shawn C. Cranston, who with his wife owns a red Jeep, of killing Rebekah Byler and her unborn baby. Investigators have charged Cranston, 52, with criminal homicide, criminal homicide of an unborn child, burglary and criminal trespass. Titusville District Judge Amy Nicols held Cranston for court on all charges following a lengthy preliminary hearing at the Crawford County Judicial Center in Meadville on March 15. Cranston, who remains in the Crawford County Correctional Facility without bond, now awaits formal arraignment as his case proceeds to trial. A motive in the killing remains unknown. State police search for information outlined in warrants Four search warrants that state police investigators served on Cranston and his home and Jeep were obtained in Erie County, where Cranston resides, and were sealed until late Thursday afternoon. Much of the information outlined in their affidavits was presented during Cranston's March 15 preliminary hearing, in which Crawford County District Attorney Paula DiGiacomo presented testimony from 15 witnesses and entered nearly 40 exhibits into evidence. State police troopers outlined at the hearing how several witnesses reported seeing a red Jeep at and near the Bylers' Fish Flats Road home on the morning of Feb. 26; how cell phone data from Cranston's phone and GPS data from his Jeep placed Cranston and the vehicle around the Byler residence that morning; and how video showed the Jeep's movements from Cranston's home at 428 E. Main St. in Corry to the Fish Flats Road area and then back to Corry that day. Authorities believe Rebekah Byler, who was estimated to be 21 to 25 weeks pregnant, was killed between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Feb. 26. An autopsy determined she died of multiple sharp force injuries to her neck and a gunshot wound to the head, according to testimony at the March 15 hearing. Newly unsealed search warrants in the criminal case against Corry resident Shawn C. Cranston shed more light on the information the Pennsylvania State Police received and the evidence they collected in the killing of pregnant Amish woman Rebekah A. Byler at her Sparta Township home on Feb. 26. One witness who testified at the March 15 hearing was an Amish woman who said her family had gotten a ride at one time from a man named Shawn, whom state police said they determined was Cranston. She also recounted how, on one occasion after the family was given a ride, the man she knew as Shawn came to their home wearing black clothing and with a gun on his side and inquired about going to church. According to information in the unsealed search warrants, the family member of the woman who had first accepted a ride from Shawn immediately got an uneasy feeling about him. From that first encounter in December through mid-February, family members said they had "very odd experiences" with Shawn, who would randomly show up at their residence, according to information in the affidavits. On the day the witness said Shawn came to the residence and inquired about going to church, family members told state police, Shawn was acting unusual, walking around their property looking aimlessly into their fields, and his speech made no sense, state police wrote in the affidavits. Investigators obtained contact information for Cranston. They drove by his Corry residence and noticed a red Jeep there, according to the affidavits and testimony at the March 15 hearing. Troopers talked to neighbors of Cranston, who said Cranston's nickname is "Rumble," and they said he was associated with a motorcycle club, according to information in the affidavits. Video, other evidence collected in focus on Cranston Among the surveillance video that state police collected in the investigation and played during the March 15 preliminary hearing was footage from a business located across from the Cranston residence. Troopers wrote in the unsealed affidavits that the footage showed a red Jeep Patriot returning to the Cranston residence between 1:55 p.m. and 2:02 p.m. on Feb. 26. From 2:02 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., according to the affidavits, a man is seen opening the doors and hatch of the vehicle and going in and out with items in his hands and carrying things to the side of a camper in the yard. "It was apparent that this white male started a fire beside the camper because the camera depicted visible smoke rolling into the air," troopers wrote in the affidavits. Additional evidence collected by state police in the investigation, according to the affidavits and testimony at the March 15 hearing, included a piece of a dark-colored disposable glove found at the Byler residence and a similar glove found in the trash at Cranston's home; and shoe prints from sneakers found in the Byler home. A trooper who testified at the preliminary hearing said a pair of Nike shoes with a tread pattern similar to the pattern found at the Byler home were found under a mattress and a plywood door in the camper at Cranston's home. In addition to the Nike shoes and the glove, items state police seized from Cranston's home during a search there on the evening of March 1 included a number of firearms, ammunition, a partial box of black nitrile gloves and clothing, according to the inventory list of seized property. State police also collected DNA swabs and fingerprints from Cranston, according to case documents. Fight for the release of the search warrants The sealed search warrants for Cranston, his home and the Jeep were unsealed on Thursday following a challenge by the Erie Times-News through its parent company, Gannett. Erie County Judge David Ridge granted the Times-News' petition to have the warrants unsealed after Crawford County District Attorney Paula DiGiacomo, in an email sent to Ridge's office on Monday, stated she was not taking a position on the motion to have the search warrants unsealed, Ridge said at a hearing on the matter Thursday morning. The Erie County District Attorney's Office, which handled the warrants because they involved the search of Cranston's house in Corry, deferred to DiGiacomo, who was not present at the hearing. Cranston's lawyer, Crawford County Assistant Public Defender Gary Kern, said in court Thursday that he had no objection to unsealing the search warrants. Erie lawyer Craig Markham represented the Times-News. The search warrants were among six known to have been obtained by the state police in the homicide investigation. Investigators also obtained two search warrants for the Fish Flats Road home where Rebekah Byler was killed. Those warrants were signed by District Judge Nicols on Feb. 26 and were served shortly after Rebekah Byler's body was found. Those search warrants were not sealed. Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNhahn. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Amish woman's murder: Unsealed warrants reveal more in Crawford case (NerdWallet) President Joe Biden, in his ongoing crusade against hidden junk fees, has so far cracked down on event ticketing, airlines, financial companies and rental housing. The next target: junk fees at colleges and in student lending. On Friday, the Biden administration announced several new actions to alleviate the burden of these superfluous fees. The most significant would be the elimination of origination fees for federal student loans if it passes muster with Congress. We feel strongly that there are times where the American consumer is kind of played for a sucker, says Neera Tanden, domestic policy advisor to Biden. Theres a hidden fee or theres some way in which a company or an entity is basically using its market power to make you pay a fee that you shouldnt have to. Junk fees are the label given to the irksome and often surprise surcharges to what youre already paying for. This includes things like credit card late fees, overdraft fees at banks, amenity and resort fees at hotels, service fees for event ticketing or food delivery, as well as seat selection fees on airlines. For over a year, the Biden administration has taken several actions to curb junk fees and surface hidden fees. End student loan origination fees On the student lending side, Biden would eliminate the student loan origination fee as part of his 2025 budget proposal. Origination fees are the percentage of the loan amount thats considered a processing fee. The fee ends up being tacked on to loan balances, which means borrowers would pay interest on the fee over the life of the loan. Origination fee rates range from 1% for undergraduate loans to 4% for graduate and parent PLUS loans. Tanden, who spoke with NerdWallet in an exclusive interview, calls origination fees a relic of the past when private lenders originated student loans backed by the government, which hasnt been the case since 2010 when the federal government began exclusively lending directly rather than guaranteeing loans made by private financial institutions. She adds that theres no current rationale for it in federal student lending. Borrowers collectively spend more than $1 billion annually on origination fees, according to a release by the administration. However, Biden cant get rid of origination fees unless Congress approves it as part of the nations 2025 budget. Tanden says she hopes the proposal will be treated as a nonpartisan issue. We know that Republicans have welcomed ways to cut back on taxes for people, she says. This is really just a tax on student borrowing. If origination fees are eliminated, it would impact future student loans only, not existing debt. Eliminate junk fees with student banking products The college-related fees Biden is targeting include high and unusual fees associated with student financial products. Colleges and universities often offer bank accounts and credit cards as part of affiliations with financial institutions. These fees include insufficient funds fees, maintenance fees and closure fees. Biden wants to block financial companies that partner with colleges to disburse Title IV funds (such as student loans) from charging fees to students. The administration says these junk fees are out of step since banks have largely phased them out. The measure to end junk fees for college banking and student credit cards is currently in the formal process known as negotiated rulemaking. Though it doesnt require approval by Congress, dont expect a change anytime soon. Empower students to authorize tuition charges for textbooks Many colleges and universities have long included textbooks as part of students tuition bills. That means that the charge is automatically included and students have to pay for course materials regardless of the actual costs available on the market. Students might be able to find textbooks cheaper somewhere else, but colleges still bundle those anticipated costs as part of tuition. Biden is proposing that students be required to authorize a charge on their tuition bill for textbooks and other required materials for their courses. The administration says these changes would provide students with the opportunity to do a cost comparison to find the cheapest options or eliminate the cost altogether by accessing free open-source textbooks. The college has a lot of power and sway and these are ways that, you know, essentially consumers your students are forced to pay for things that they should be able to look at cheaper costs, says Tanden. These changes are also in the negotiated rulemaking process and dont require congressional approval. Require colleges to return unused flex dollars and meal plans Students are often required to purchase meal plans with their college or university, which are used for dining hall meals or as flex dollars to pay for food elsewhere on campus. But at the end of each semester, schools can rescind any remaining funds. That means students must spend the money before the semester ends or forfeit what theyve already paid for often with student loans. Students are often taking on debt in their college years to pay for the cost of living, as well as their tuition, and because of interest that could grow in cost, says Tanden. The Biden administration would halt colleges from taking leftover funds and instead require them to return the remaining dollars to students. The administration announced it is now formally considering this regulation. It would need to move through the negotiated rulemaking process and wouldnt need approval by Congress. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Frustrated faculty at New Mexico State University will soon have bargaining power with their employer as approval for unionization moves forward with the New Mexico Public Employee Labor Relations Board in Albuquerque. As first reported by local and state media outlets, nearly 400 union cards out of a potential bargaining unit of nearly 800 system faculty, had been collected and taken to the Labor Board for approval on March 8. Per the Labor Board the cards must be verified for authenticity by the Board in a process that usually takes less than 10 days. That process is followed by an official public notice which must allow another 10 days for counter representatives to come forward who wish to represent the faculty group which will be known as NMSU-NEA. In the latest update, Thomas Griego, executive director of the Labor Board, provided the Sun-News with a copy of the public notice expected to be published March 22, but did not provide further details. Efforts to start a faculty union are not new and come as faculty at NMSUs main and branches campuses unite for enhanced classroom resources, competitive pay and greater influence among the university's top leaders. Professor Jamie Bronstein said that all New Mexico State University employees are extremely productive and hardworking and wants to know the criteria that higher administration will use to judge department productivity when budget cuts are made later this fall. While the upper administration at NMSU is often in flux, faculty in the NMSU system demonstrate their commitment to the mission of the university by working there for decades, said long-term history professor Jamie Bronstein in a news release. If we really want to build a robust university system, we must strengthen the collective voice of the faculty who support student success. Our working conditions are their learning conditions. At NMSU's community colleges, the same sentiment goes. Tanya Allred, an English professor at NMSU-Alamogordo, said in the same release that a union would provide an avenue to influence any NMSU system-wide changes, especially restructuring. In recent years, those decisions have solely been made by executive leadership and the Board of Regents. An example of this was seen in 2020 with the decision to eliminate branch campus president positions and decision to hire two top leaders for the NMSU system rather than one to replace President Gary Carruthers. Unionizing will help ensure that faculty at the community colleges have a voice in how we restructure with consideration for how each restructuring option may impact students, faculty, and staff at our various colleges, Allred said in the release. When the union gets approval, NMSU faculty are likely to experience bargaining challenges of their own like NMSU graduate students and faculty and staff at the University of New Mexico. Last month, NMSU graduate students took a complaint to the labor Board who ruled NMSU must comply with union requests in a timely manner. And on March 20, UNM graduate students reopened negotiations for the spring semester to call on UNM administration for higher wages that are equal or above the federal poverty line. Graduate workers said in a news release, the average annual income is $17,500, with 85% going toward living expenses. In the last bargaining session, we expressed interest in working with the university to request increased funding from the state government, earmarked for graduate worker wages. They declined, said UNM UGW Chief Steward Dominic Oddo. Instead, we took our case directly to lawmakers in Santa Fe and won approximately $2 million in state funding ourselves. About half of these funds will be routed to UNM, the other half going to institutions around the state. Despite the ongoing wage and tuition reimbursement battles at both universities, NMSU-NEA told the Sun-News they were confident in their case when asked if unionization would realistically address their concerns. In light of the numerous legal battles that NMSU has lost and the fruitlessness of its efforts to challenge the formation of the graduate student union, we trust that upper administration will waste neither time nor taxpayer dollars contesting the authorization of the faculty union and will instead move forward into recognition," NMSU-NEA said. As for whats motivating faulty to support union efforts in comparison to past years, NMSU-NEA explained that now is the time to work alongside the university especially during a period where it has no permanent president, and a five-year strategic plan is set to expire next year. The frequent turnover in central administration has hindered the development of a cohesive long-term vision for NMSU. We believe that our experienced faculty members are uniquely positioned to collaborate with upper administration in shaping policies that benefit our academic community as a whole. This belief serves as the driving force behind our campaign, NMSU-NEA said. Union organizers plan to celebrate the official launch of NMSU-NEA at noon March 28 on NMSUs main campus at the Corbett Center Student Union outdoor stage. Ernesto Cisneros is a reporting fellow with the UNM/NM Local News Fund program. He covers education for the Sun-News and can be reached at ECisneros@lcsun-news.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter at @_ernestcisneros. This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: New Mexico State University faculty unionize If you want to know what Lisa Vanderzee Ford and her family talk about at the dinner table when they get together, youd be spot on if you answered: Ford and the auto industry. Well, at least part of the time. Its understandable given her husband, Bill Ford, is executive chair of the company started by Henry Ford, his great-grandfather in 1903. Two of the couples four children are involved in the family business (William Clay Will Ford III is now general manager of Ford Performance and Alexandra Ford English is on the companys board). Their eldest daughter, Ellie Ford, is a therapist and their youngest son, Nick Ford, is finishing his MBA at Harvard in May. Bill Ford, executive chairman, Ford Motor Co., with his wife Lisa and their sons Will and Nick and Ciaran McMahon, chairman and managing director, Henry Ford & Son Ltd., on the replica of the Ford Model T in 2017 at Ballinascarthy, County Cork, Ireland. Lisa Ford has never worked for Ford, though shes heard talk of it her entire life as her dad, John Vanderzee, was a Ford executive who went on to become CEO of the J. Walter Thompson ad agency one of the largest in America and which once had Ford as its signature client; JWT was acquired by WWP Group in 1987. Id talked to John Vanderzee more than a few times in the 1980s and 1990s about autos and the advertising industry as he always had a riveting view of things. Ive also been around Lisa Ford at events like the Detroit Auto Show Charity Preview AutoGlow at Ford Field, which she and her husband and other leaders got involved with to raise money for childrens charities. But wed never really talked much beyond exchanging pleasantries. That changed this week when we had a conversation about something near and dear to her and her husband as they, along with the Detroit-based Children's Foundation, announced plans to raise at least $10 million to set up permanent endowments for 10 nonprofits geared to helping young people in metro Detroit. That effort is tied to Ford's multimillion-dollar investment in a 30-acre tech hub in Corktown, including the refurbishing of the Michigan Central Station, which had been shuttered 30 years. Its roaring back to life with innovation and mobility as part of its new mission and officially opens on June 6. Story continues The much-anticipated date for the train station to reopen is June 6, more than 30 years after it closed. The 15-story Corktown fixture opened in 1913 and was originally built for office space, but fell into ruin after closing in 1988, becoming a symbol for the Detroit's decline. Bill Ford has been the driver behind its epic return as he decided to take the shuttered building and work with others to transform it and the area. I first talked to Bill Ford at the reopening of the Rouge factory tours in Dearborn in 2004 (they had ended in the 1980s as a cost-saving move). Weve talked numerous times since and he will headline the Detroit Free Press' upcoming Breakfast Club speakers forum on April 17 before a sold-out audience at the Daxton Hotel in Birmingham as he shares thoughts about Detroit, EVs, the family business and more. Ill serve as emcee. If autos is in Bill and Lisa Ford's DNA, so, too, is helping the community, particularly young people. Its been an integral part of their lives. Though both grew up in Grosse Pointe, they didnt meet until they were college students at Princeton and married after graduation (she is three years his junior). The Ford family in Ireland on April 20, 2017. From left: Nick Ford, Will Ford, Bill Ford and Lisa Ford. The station is all about the future and so, too, this new endowment program, she said. We decided to focus on organizations helping children." She said it was critical to provide the endowment to organizations and let them decide where it was most needed. Thats unlike many endowments that provide funds with the understanding of where specifically the money will be used. Andrew Stein, executive director of the Childrens Foundation, has worked closely with Lisa and Bill Ford as they assembled a steering committee of 15 business leaders and a cabinet of 40 others to offer help and ideas in creating the program and also finding dollars. Its like a little army, said Lisa Ford. When we talk about equity and trust-based philanthropy and what it looks like, we are creating these endowments that will belong to the organization. Stein explained endowments are the lifeline of many larger institutions, universities and hospitals but rarely do smaller community organizations have any endowment. He said many smaller groups helping young people are existing year to year and need to continually raise money to keep up. These endowments are intended to help these 10 nonprofits have a stronger future. The Fords, with Stein, are expected to announce the total amount raised and the process for interested youth groups to apply for them on June 6. Theyll have a new website up by then with information. As we wound down our conversation, Lisa Ford reinforced that the couples focus is and has been on Detroit and providing a stronger backdrop to organizations helping young people. And that, too, is fodder at the Ford family dinner table as the upcoming generation is watching their parents and learning about the importance of making a difference. More: Henry Ford III on Model T plant: 'I still gets goosebumps every time I walk in the door' More: Tax lawyer goes full-time on creating bras for cancer patients Contact Carol Cain: 248-355-7126 or clcain@cbs.com. She is senior producer/host of Michigan Matters, which airs 5:30 a.m. Sundays on CBS Detroit and noon Sundays on Detroit 50 WKBD. See See Denise Ilitch, Rocky Raczkowski, Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett, Matt Grossmann, Tonya Schuitmaker and Rudy Hobbs on this Sundays show. Michigan Matters can also be found on those stations listings on FUBO, Pluto TV, Youtube.com. It is streamed 9 p.m. weeknights. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Children's Foundation remains close to Ford family's heart The Dnipro HPP after a Russian attack on 22 March. Photo: Denys Shmyhal on Telegram The situation at the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant is currently under control and there is no threat of the dam collapsing. Source: Mykhailo Fedorov, Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram Details: Fedorov held a meeting to discuss the aftermath of the recent Russian attacks with Deputy Environment and Natural Resources Minister Olena Kramarenko and Head of State Environmental Inspectorate Ihor Zubovych. Quote from Fedorov: "One of the topics on the agenda was operational information regarding localising the aftermath of the attack on the Dnipro HPP and the current situation [there]. And, of course, to analyse future environmental effects. Data from Ukrhydroenerho (Ukraines Hydro Energy, a state-run firm that operates Ukraines hydro power plants ed.) suggests that the situation at the dam is under control: There is no threat of a dam collapse; There was no oil leak. The State Environmental Inspectorate said that there was a decrease in the concentration of oil products in the water." Background: Ukraine's largest hydroelectric power plant Dnipro HPP in Zaporizhzhia was hit as a result of a missile attack on 22 March. There is no threat of a dam breach, and the situation at the dam is under control. Ukrhydroenergo, Ukraine's largest hydropower generating company, reported two direct hits to the Dnipro HPP in Zaporizhzhia, HPP-1 and HPP-2. It is not yet known whether it will be possible to rebuild the latter because it was seriously damaged. Early assessments said that it would take about three days to fully assess and examine the damage caused by Russian missiles to the Dnipro HPP. Meanwhile, Ukrhydroenergo is not ruling out that the Russians may have intended to destroy the power station completely. Support UP or become our patron! A Norfolk-based sailor serving aboard a destroyer died after he was lost overboard while deployed to the Red Sea, officials announced Saturday. Oriola Michael Aregbesola, 34, an aviation machinists mate aboard the USS Mason, went overboard Wednesday. The Department of Defense identified the death as a casualty of a non-combat related incident. It is under investigation. The Navy statement did not specify if the sailor jumped or fell. When asked if the death is a suspected suicide, a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command referred only to the Navys statement. Related Articles Aregbesola was assigned to the Swamp Foxes of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 74, which is deployed with the USS Mason. The USS Mason is part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group. The group deployed from Naval Station Norfolk in mid-October and are postured in and around the Red Sea to deter aggression from Iranian proxy forces. Aregbesola, a Florida native, joined the Navy in July 2020. He reported to the helicopter squadron in December 2020. Petty Officer Aregbesola fully embodied the selfless character and thoughtful warrior spirit of the United States Navy Sailor, said Cmdr. Eric Kohut, commanding officer of the squadron. His outstanding performance prior to and during deployment went well beyond aircraft maintenance; he truly saw and valued every member of the ship/air team. He will continue on in the heart of every Swamp Fox and our brothers and sisters in the IKE Carrier Strike Group. Our deepest thoughts and prayers are with his family. Caitlyn Burchett, caitlyn.burchett@virginiamedia.com SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a message of sympathy to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the massacre at a Moscow concert hall and said nothing can justify "heinous terrorism" against human lives, KCNA state news agency said on Sunday. Kim "expressed deep condolences and sympathy" to Putin and to the Russian people, the victims and their families on the news of heavy casualties caused by "a large-scale terrorist attack in (the) Moscow region," KCNA said. The message, which KCNA said was sent on Saturday, said "consistent is the stand of the DPRK government opposing all sorts of terrorism and nothing can justify the heinous terrorism threatening human life." DPRK is short for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim and Putin have shown blossoming personal friendship as the ties between their countries grew in recent months following the North Korean leader's visit to Russia's far east last year and Pyongyang's weapons aid for Moscow in its war with Ukraine. Russia said it had arrested all four gunmen suspected of carrying out the shooting on Friday which militant Islamist group Islamic State claimed responsibility for. Russia's state Investigative Committee said 133 people had been killed. (Reporting by Jack Kim; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Alistair Bell) Several students from Edward Waters University are calling for more security after their cars were broken into early this morning. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< You should have been here at four oclock in the morning when somebody was busting in windows, the student who called 911 said. You should have been here at four oclock in the morning when I was by myself when I had to run. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The student didnt want to show her face on camera or share her name out of fear for her safety. She, along with several other students say they are pretty shaken up about it. The student said the parking lot on Steele Street is a designated lot for one of the womens dorms on campus. And she said this is where she saw the suspect breaking into the vehicles. At first I didnt know whether it was a gunshot or whether it was anything, the student said. I know it was a bang. So simply I just walked off. Im not gonna look, Im not gonna see you. Im not a witness to nothing. Early Friday morning around 4 a.m., she says she was heading to work, when she saw a suspicious man wearing a long-sleeved black hoodie. READ: Trying to find answers: Family hopes video of home-invasion robbery turned murder helps solve case I called the cops because Im outside by myself, no one else is here, she said. No security, no nothing, just me. The student says JSO arrived within 10 minutes and an officer drove her back to the parking lot to find broken glass and several vehicles burglarized. The JSO incident report says there were eight victims, and only one of them had property taken from them. They rummaged through my stuff, the student said. Somebody was in my vehicle. Thats somewhere I should be safe at. I sleep here. This is supposed to be home when youre not home. While Action News Jax Annette Gutierrez was interviewing the student, the campus security told the student to stop talking to the news. The security man told her the student needed to meet him at the public safety area on campus. READ: Deputies in Flagler County arrest three for stealing car from Jacksonville, narcotics seized And she responded saying, Were tired of it. People are tired of their cars, people are tired of yall not being there. Where were you this morning, but you want to come now that somebody is talking. Where were you all at 4 am when I was by myself? The student said she feels so unsafe that she doesnt want to be at EWU campus right now, so she left for the weekend. In response to the car break-ins, the Student Government Association and the universitys Vice President of Student Success and Engagement put out messages to students. SGA said they are working with campus security to explore possible solutions to assist affected students and help prevent further incidents. VP Dr. Jamel Hodges said this was a senseless act and the university is working to add more safety on campus. The letter says there is more exterior lighting and over the next few weeks, students will see the current fencing enclosed, nine new solar-powered emergency towers with sirens, lights and speakers. Plus, they plan to have enhanced surveillance cameras completed by May 1st. Last year in August, after the racially motivated mass shooting that happened in Jacksonville, the state donated a million dollars to the school to help enhance campus safety. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] As for the suspect involved in this incident, JSO said they found him, but he got away. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. If state Attorney General Letitia James seizes Donald Trumps 40 Wall Street his largest real estate asset by far the worse damage would be to New York City. The troubled but functional landmark office building would become an empty white elephant in Lower Manhattan, which is already reeling from a hemorrhage of tenants to uptown. If 40 Wall ends up in limbo, nobody in their right minds tenants or buyers would go near it, said a real estate broker who has done business there. It needs a fortune in work and the uncertainties would be just too great. Its important to recall that a previous government takeover plunged the cursed tower into a decade of chaos. The stakes are higher now as downtown struggles with a 30% vacancy rate, the highest in its history. The Feds grabbed the building in 1986 when it was discovered to be secretly owned by Ferdinand Marcos, the corrupt dictator of the Philippines. The action launched a succession of failed auctions, foreclosures, lawsuits and decay that cast a long, dark shadow over the Financial District for a decade. The Art Deco tower 40 Wall Street is Trumps biggest real estate asset. AP Tenants left one after another until the building was 80% empty in the mid-1990s. The turnaround began when Trump bought the leasehold for a lowball price exactly how much is disputed in 1995. He restored it and attracted new tenants. But his real estate company later neglected it when his interests turned to television and politics. New York Attorney General Letitia James (right) could seize some of Trumps properties if he cant come up with the cash to pay his $454 million bond. Trump bought 40 Wall Street in 1995 and restored it and attracted new tenants. But his real estate company later neglected it when his interests turned to television and politics Trump/ Instagram At one point, 40 Wall Street was secretly owned by Ferdinand Marcos, the corrupt dictator of the Philippines, but the Feds took control of it in 1986. Bettmann Archive Duane Reade, the largest store tenant with over 20,000 square feet, moved out last fall a devastating blow to the dwindling rent roll. The once-proud tower today is worth perhaps $200 million, brokers say less than half of its estimated value ten years ago. Of course, James and her Albany cohorts surely know how to fix it! Duane Reade moved out of 40 Wall Street last fall a devastating blow to the dwindling rent roll. William Farrington It needs a fortune in work and the uncertainties would be just too great, a real estate source says of 40 Wall Street. William Farrington Seizing buildings is the way they do things in China, where the Xi government grabs real estate businesses whose owners either ticked off the bosses in Beijing or made too much money for their own good. God save 40 Wall Street and the city from our home-grown commissars. Strung-out junkies are turning the area near an East Harlem firehouse into their own disturbing playground, where they use the space between firefighters' parked cars as private stalls for pooping and shooting up drugs, The Post has learned. Strung-out junkies are turning the area near an East Harlem firehouse into a nightmarish playground, where they use the space between firefighters parked cars as private stalls for pooping and shooting up. The addicts break into the cars, they defecate on them, they leave trash . . . You see needles everywhere, all over the ground, all the time, Battalion Chief Edward Burgess told The Post outside of Engine 35, Ladder 14 firehouse on Third Avenue near East 124th Street. These people are so far gone in their addiction that its hard not to feel bad for them, but you feel that rage when theyve defecated on your car, like what happened to mine last week, the chief griped. Drug addicts use the space between firefighters parked cars as private stalls for pooping and shooting up drugs, firemen told The Post this week. instagram @ontodaysnewyorkshitty Such issues occur every day, multiple times a day, he said. A firefighter said that the junkies sometimes get aggressive when the smoke-eaters plead with them to move so they can get into their cars diagonally parked on Third Avenue. Sometimes theyll get up and move peacefully and other times theyll get up swinging we never know, said the firefighter. We say, Hey, come on, really? . . . We cant really do anything else. We just deal with it, he continued. Smoke-eaters have to plead with the junkies to move so they can get into their cars parked on Third Avenue near East 124th Street. J.C. Rice A startling March 17 Instagram video captioned Fire Stations Parking Lot Turned Drug Den shows three apparent addicts sitting on the curb between firefighters cars. Crack? This guy doing heroin? the person filming can be heard saying as he strolls behind each man, two of whom appear to be handling needles. The firehouse is only a few blocks from OnPoint NYC, a so-called safe injection site that critics say enables addicts and lures them to the neighborhood. A startling March 17 Instagram video titles the scene Fire Stations Parking Lot Turned Drug Den in the caption. instagram @ontodaysnewyorkshitty We tell [OnPoint], Hey, you know, [the drug users] come over here, but it doesnt stop, a firefighter lamented. EMTs are picking up unconscious druggies off the block all the time, said a firefighter. Its out of control around here. Andrew Ansbro, the president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, called the situation a disgrace. The firehouse is supposed to be a place of rest and respite for the firefighters, and now they have to be on edge [and worry] that, while theyre not on runs, their cars are going to be broken into, or that, when theyre going to their cars, theyre going to be stepping on needles or human feces, he fumed. The firehouse is supposed to be a place of rest and respite for the firefighters, said Andrew Ansbro, the president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York. J.C. Rice Our FDNY shouldnt have to deal with this, echoed Xavier Santiago, the chairman of Community Board 11, which encompasses East Harlem. We should be able to have teams out there who can get these people into recovery, Santiago said. An FDNY spokesperson told The Post in a statement that the departments leadership recently became aware of complaints from East Harlem firefighters related to the area outside of the firehouse, and we immediately alerted our partners in law enforcement and will cooperate as they look into these concerns. NEW YORK - Theft of service, such as not paying the subway fare, and other quality-of-life crimes in the transit system can lead to bigger and more violent crimes underground, according to the NYPD. After last weeks subway shooting in Brooklyn where the perpetrator did not pay his fare, the police department says its determined to stop subway crime where it begins the turnstile. FOX 5 NY's camera tagged along with the NYPD's Transit Response Team for a second time, but this operation exclusively involved plainclothes officers. The goal remained the same: target transit recidivists those who repeatedly commit crimes in the transit system after not paying to get in. RELATED: Inside the NYPD crackdown on subway fare evaders in search of violent criminals To many, jumping the turnstile looks like a minor offense, and it is, but police say someone not paying their share to ride the subway can lead to a violent or deadly outcome for commuters. Police hold up last Thursday's shooting aboard an A train in downtown Brooklyn as evidence. Surveillance video showed the instigator of the incident, who brought a gun onboard, skipping the $2.90 fare by walking right through the emergency exit before the chaos began. The accused gunman in a shooting aboard a NYC subway train on March 15. "If you want to keep the system safe, the first thing you got to do is keep bad people out the system who don't pay," said DCPI Deputy Commissioner Tarik Sheppard. This most recent operation was in Times Square with about 10 plainclothes officers spread throughout the station. So far this year, the NYPD says 17 guns have been removed from the subway system thanks to operations just like these by catching fare evaders in the act with the plan to stop any further crimes from playing out. After a brief search of the person's name, the person who did not pay may either qualify for a summons and be on their way. Or depending on their criminal history, they could get arrested on the spot. The team issued 10 summonses and made three arrests on Tuesday afternoon in Times Square and all three people arrested had warrants. After the first arrest of the night, police recovered a stolen diamond watch from a man who entered the subway through the emergency exit. He was also found with a MacBook. Police linked these items to Facebook Marketplace transactions gone bad. On top of the theft of service arrest, police were able to close out one open case for robbery and another case for possession of stolen property. Sgt. Fernando Cordero of the NYPD Transit Response Team says plainclothes officers can also uncover knives, firearms, and drugs. On the same night in the Bronx, officers found a man smoking in the Fordham Road subway station which led them to an illegal firearm. When they confronted him, they realized he was wanted for domestic assault and was carrying the gun. Although he wasn't caught beating the fare, he was still committing a quality-of-life crime. "It's been a practice of the NYPD for decades that by interrupting minor offenses whether it's fare beating or smoking in a subway or any other illegal acts, especially in public transportation, we will have the opportunity to stop people, correct their behavior, run them for warrants, [and] run them for any other open issues," said NYPD Inspector Jonathan Bobin. Then, if the circumstances call for it, the suspect will be taken in for processing. Police say it's a small group of the same criminals who are committing crimes underground. RELATED: Inside the NYPD crackdown on subway fare evaders in search of violent criminals The NYPD says 38 people were arrested last year for assaulting MTA employees. All of those 38 people had a combined 1,126 career arrests. But many times after someone hasn't paid, the officers use discretion after hearing the person's story. Some may get a warning and others may be stopped right at the gate or walked back to the gate and redirected to pay. They say it's about changing their behavior and educating them on what's not allowed because it's not always about locking people up. "We're from the city," Sgt. Cordero added. "We're people just like everybody else and the main goal is to make sure that everybody's safe, they feel safe when they come to the subway station, and we're out here 24/7 to guarantee that safety." Their goal isnt to punish those who can't afford the fare but to use judgment to stop lawlessness at the turnstile. NEW YORK (PIX11) Nellie is showing us some of the many issues she is dealing with inside her Washington Heights apartment. From rodent infestations to broken walls, mold, bad plumbing, and heating problems the list goes on; a snapshot of the 700 violations racked up by the owner of 705 and 709 West 170th Street. City in New Jersey preps for possible coastal flooding Theyre really just doing the bare minimum, said Nellie. The buildings are owned by Daniel Ohebshalom, he is on the City Public Advocates Worst Landlord for the second year running. After flying from his home in California Friday to answer an arrest warrant, he turned himself in to the authorities. He is now sitting in Rikers Jail for the start of what could be a 60-day sentence for failing to address those violations. We are really happy because I think that we are setting an example moving forward. And this is gonna send a message to other landlords that do the same thing, said Nellie. The City Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Adolfo Carrion, Jr. says the citys tough approach, leading to jail time is designed as both a deterrent and a pressure point for bad actor landlords. The clock is ticking now for him, and he has to do the work in these buildings. Every day that he corrects the situation in those buildings is a shorter time for him being jailed. If we get to the end of the 60 days, and he has not done the work, or some of the work, we are going to go back to the judge and ask for an extension of his jail time, said Commissioner Carrion. Ohebshaloms filed a notice of motion early Friday morning to vacate his arrest warrant. Calls to the landlords attorney were not returned in time for this report. City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams takes issue with Ohebshalom has so far been able to partly conceal his identity. We have never been able to see his face. We do not know what he looks like. Because we have seen a lot of folks who look different get paraded in front of cameras when they get arrested, said Williams. William Lenis, who has lived in this building for more than four decades says Ohebshalom got off easy. That is not enough. We suffer here for over ten years, said Lenis. The city already levied some $3 million in fines against Ohebshalom last year for violations at another property. For what is happening here in Washington Heights he is sitting in jail while the city waits to see if his contractors take care of this punch list of 700 violations. Ohebshaloms lawyers are due back in court on April 15th. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. NEW YORK Up to 10 young people in juvenile detention centers every night sleep on plastic beds in common areas, as New York City is locking up more children than it has the space to accommodate, officials disclosed Friday. About seven in 10 youth detainees are there for reasons related to gun violence, Administration for Childrens Services Commissioner Jess Dannhauser said during a budget hearing. Dannhauser said the agency, which operates two youth facilities in Brooklyn and the Bronx, has state approval for up to 30 temporary beds while it increases capacity, but has not used all of them. Typically, its about five to 10 young people a night that are in that situation, Dannhauser told the Committee on Children and Youth of the City Council. Its not a situation that we are pleased with. An average of 260 young people are detained each day, a 31% increase since last year, the New York Daily News previously reported. There are young people who are facing very serious charges, Dannhauser said. Their trial is going to take some time, and so they are staying with us much longer periods. Advocates last year sounded the alarm about teens sleeping on the ground in classrooms and hallways, after a state waiver through at least next month permitted ACS to house youth detainees in communal spaces. Dannhauser characterized media reports of kids on the floor as not true. Young people sleep on mattresses in plastic bed frames with pillows, sheets and blankets, according to the agency. Youth are now sleeping in the common areas of their halls, instead of classrooms that had to be vacated during the day, the commissioner said. In the long-term, ACS plans to build an annex at the Horizon Juvenile Center in the Bronx to add dozens of new beds. But council members and advocates said the priority should be keeping teens out of jail. We dont want kids sleeping in the hallway, said committee chair Councilwoman Althea Stevens, a Bronx Democrat. We dont want them sleeping in classrooms. But I also dont want the facility built out. How do we just do more work to prevent young people from these being in these facilities? While the population in detention grows, the average number of days young people spent detained also surged by 59%. ACS attributed the increase to state reforms that raised the age of detainees in juvenile detention. The phenomenal increase in the number of kids getting sent to jail is the single most disturbing statistic of the Adams administration, said Councilman Lincoln Restler, a Brooklyn Democrat. _____ Technology company's software could help detect firearms faster in the subway. Cameras outfitted with Artificial Intelligence could alert authorities when a gun is pulled on the citys subways and the NYPD is eyeing the technology, officials said. NYPD Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry told NY1 that the tech might be one way to stop weapons in the wake of the shooting on an A train in Brooklyn last week. Im looking at technology where we can use our current cameras in the actual subway system and integrate that with technology where we can detect weapons, he said. Software could help authorities detect guns in the subway system. zeroeyes.com Rendering of a gun detection system that uses artificial intelligence to actively find drawn firearms. zeroeyes.com When asked by The Post about the AI cameras technology, the NYPD said it continues to look into what technology is available. The NYPD does not currently have a timeline. Gun-detection AI seeks to send an alert to authorities before that first shot is fired, said Sam Alaimo, one of the co-founders of ZeroEyes, a company that runs the software in public places across the country. ZeroEyes, located in the Philadelphia area, trains an algorithm to spot firearms once they are drawn. It cant see them stuffed in bags or tucked in waistbands. The company ZeroEyes uses artificial intelligence to determine when guns are carried in public places. A man sits on a subway bench with a gun in his hand in a rendering. The software is meshed with existing digital cameras at schools, government agencies, transit systems and other entities. Company analysts then monitor blank screens that only go live once guns are detected, company officials said. If the analyst believes the item is a weapon, they alert authorities directly. The software can be used with existing digital cameras. Chad Rachman/New York Post From the moment that gun is seen in front of a security camera within about three to five seconds, the end user, the school, subway, the military base, the shopping mall, the grocery store, will get that alert, Alaimo said. They will also get a picture of the shooter, the exact location of the shooter and the exact time the shooter was there. The notifications should also make it easier for law enforcement to manage the scene once they arrive, he said. A surveillance camera in a subway corridor. Bloomberg A rendering shows a public place where an image of a person is carrying a gun. zeroeyes.com One high-ranking police source said the technology would be helpful, but he believes criminals will find a way to foil it. The reality is once the information is dispersed out to the general public, you can rest assured that criminals will find a way around it, the source said. Another source said the city was planning to test the technology in 2023 but that the subway cameras were extremely sub par. Noah McClain, a professor at Santa Clara University in California who has studied the citys underground, said he believes there are very few occasions in which you can actually get a visual on a singular entity exempted from sleepy stations during sleepy hours. And so maybe you can get cameras in that kind of environment to detect what may look like a handgun, he said, but youre going to have an enormous number of false negatives, false positives. Fresenius Medical Care AG (ETR:FME) will increase its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 21st of May to 1.19. The payment will take the dividend yield to 3.4%, which is in line with the average for the industry. See our latest analysis for Fresenius Medical Care Fresenius Medical Care's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings While it is always good to see a solid dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is feasible. Based on the last payment, Fresenius Medical Care was quite comfortably earning enough to cover the dividend. This indicates that a lot of the earnings are being reinvested into the business, with the aim of fueling growth. Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 130.1% over the next year. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 32% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range. Fresenius Medical Care Has A Solid Track Record The company has been paying a dividend for a long time, and it has been quite stable which gives us confidence in the future dividend potential. Since 2014, the annual payment back then was 0.77, compared to the most recent full-year payment of 1.19. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 4.4% a year over that time. Although we can't deny that the dividend has been remarkably stable in the past, the growth has been pretty muted. Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. However, things aren't all that rosy. Over the past five years, it looks as though Fresenius Medical Care's EPS has declined at around 23% a year. A sharp decline in earnings per share is not great from from a dividend perspective. Even conservative payout ratios can come under pressure if earnings fall far enough. Over the next year, however, earnings are actually predicted to rise, but we would still be cautious until a track record of earnings growth can be built. Story continues Our Thoughts On Fresenius Medical Care's Dividend Overall, this is a reasonable dividend, and it being raised is an added bonus. The earnings coverage is acceptable for now, but with earnings on the decline we would definitely keep an eye on the payout ratio. Taking all of this into consideration, the dividend looks viable moving forward, but investors should be mindful that the company has pushed the boundaries of sustainability in the past and may do so again. Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. For example, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Fresenius Medical Care that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. Is Fresenius Medical Care not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. OGDEN, Utah (ABC4) The Offices beloved assistant (to the) regional manager is set to headline the 2024 commencement address at Weber State University. Rainn Wilson is an Emmy-nominated actor and comedian known for playing the character Dwight Schrute on the popular sitcom The Office. In addition to his acting career, Wilson is a writer, producer and director whos published several books, including Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution released in 2023. Photo courtesy Weber State University Wilson will speak to graduates and families at the universitys commencement ceremony this April, WSU announced in a press release. If youre a fan of the show and feeling jealous, theres good news. WSU President Brad Mortensen said the public is welcome to attend. This year, we want to forge a new tradition where commencement serves as both a celebration of our students achievements and an engaging community event, Mortensen said. An acclaimed actor and creative thinker like Rainn Wilson can offer unique and inspiring insights to our graduates and will make the day even more memorable for them. The university expects that nearly 3,700 students will graduate from its seven academic colleges. General commencement is set for 7 p.m. Friday, April 26 and individual college convocation ceremonies will be held both that Friday and Saturday, April 27. Wilson, who has a Master of Fine Arts from New York University, will be given an honorary degree from Weber State, along with three other individuals the university said have made an impact in the community and state. While commencement is free and open to the public, priority seating is available for graduates, university faculty and staff. There will not be opportunities for autographs or meet and greets with the star. More details on commencement can be found here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. An Oklahoma City nonprofit has received a $2 million grant from billionaire MacKenzie Scott. RestoreOKC was recently chosen as one of 361 grant recipients by Scott's philanthropy Yield Giving. Scott is widely known as a philanthropist, author and ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, founder and executive chairman of Amazon. "To say we're blown away is the understatement of the century," Caylee Dodson, RestoreOKC executive director, said. RestoreOKC, along with other grant recipients, was chosen from a pool of 6,000 applicants and required to participate in a multifaceted evaluation process, according to Scott's statement posted on the Yield Giving website. The philanthropy distributed a total of $640 million in grants, in increments of between $1 million and $2 million, according to its website. The community-led nonprofits were selected to receive the funding "for their outstanding work advancing the voices and opportunities of individuals and families of meager or modest means, and groups who have met with discrimination and other systemic obstacles," Scott said in her statement. "They are vital agents of change." Oklahoma Woman of the Year. Caylee Dodson, executive director of RestoreOKC, the nonprofit that put the successful plan together to open a 6,800-square-foot community grocery store on NE 23, to help stand in the gap until a full size Homeland grocery store could be opened in northeast OKC. Wednesday, January 26, 2022. Dodson, who was named 2022 Oklahoma Woman of the Year by the USA Today Network, has described RestoreOKC as a community development ministry in northeast Oklahoma City. Its mission is to bridge relationships of reconciliation for restorative justice, with a focus on addressing the physical, social, emotional, educational and economic needs of residents of Oklahoma City's northeast community, which is a predominantly Black part of the city. More: Even though they're teens, students have already built a legacy with Market at Eastpoint The nonprofit, 2222 NE 27, is particularly known for opening an organic grocer called The Market at EastPoint, 1708 NE 23, with help from community partners. At the time of its grand opening in April 2021, it was seen as an answer to "food desert" status that the northeast Oklahoma City community had at the time. The store, found and run by RestoreOKC, and partnered with Homeland offers a variety of fresh produce much of which comes from RestoreOKC's Urban Farm plus discounted dairy, subsidized meats and canned goods that were hard to come by in that area of the city at that time. In addition to the store and urban farm, the organization has assisted residents with home repair, helped improve homes for rentals and rent-to-own opportunities, come alongside local schools and parents to improve the lives of students and helped employ residents in need of jobs. Dodson said she appreciated the "incredible" grant application process because those making assessments explored the agency's impact on the community but "also how we do what we do that we don't do that by helicoptering in and trying to fix a community that we don't understand but we actually live in and belong to the community, we have leadership from the community, and that everything is an outflow of relationship." More: Market at EastPoint battling rising food costs in northeast OKC with help from others How will RestoreOKC spend the money? Dodson said she knew the "$2 million question" was how the nonprofit would use the huge grant. She said the organization's leaders have always tried to go to the people they serve to get ideas about what they would like to see happen in their community and the influx of $2 million won't change that process. "In some ways, I think it would be far sexier to say we're gonna dump $2 million into education or any of those things, but I think what we've seen over and over again in our communities is that money alone doesn't solve the problem," Dodson said. "So we're going to continue to innovate holistically with our community and neighbors. We're going to use the $2 million in a lot of ways to shore up processes and infrastructure around the things that we grew in so substantially during COVID, to make sure we have the right experts and the right community leaders in the right spaces to ensure that things like food security and affordable housing and educational equity, can continue on and have the longevity that it needs to be sustainable and truly cause community flourishing." Contributing: Jessie Christopher Smith More: 'I'm very thankful for it': Christian nonprofit works to fill a need in NE OKC food desert This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: MacKenzie Scott donates $2M to Oklahoma nonprofit RestoreOKC Ask Oklahoma reps to support border bill co-authored by Lankford House Bill 3071 by Sen. David Bullard (R-Durant) prohibits state revenue being used to provide benefits to illegal immigrants unless costs are related to educating, jailing or transporting illegal immigrants to an out-of-state destination, according to his press release dated March 14, 2024. This bill has passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives and is going to the Senate. Does this mean providing food to hungry immigrant children is illegal if this bad bill passes? Its not their fault their parents are undocumented. Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, speaks with reporters Jan. 16 after meeting with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Would HB 3071 force doctors to let immigrants die in medical emergencies? That doesnt seem very Christian. After all, our ancestors were all immigrants unless we are 100% Native American. My Bible says this in Leviticus 19:34: The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. Here's a link to 22 other bible verses about welcoming immigrants: https://sojo.net/22-bible-verses-welcoming-immigrants. Instead of attacking immigrants who want a better life just like our ancestors did, why not encourage the Oklahoma congressional delegation and the rest of Congress to support the new immigration bill called the National Security Agreement the one co-authored by Sen. James Lankford? I doubt its perfect, but it seems better to me than legislation that punishes refugees who are already residing among us in Oklahoma. That federal bill includes a provision that would let the president and secretary of Homeland Security stop people from seeking asylum when the border is overwhelmed. That seems like a good start, unless were really trying to punish immigrants rather than looking for real solutions. Fellow Christians, please ask your Oklahoma senators and representatives to do unto others as you would have them do unto you and vote no on HB 3071. Find out who your legislators are at http://www.oklegislature.gov/findmylegislature.aspx. Phyllis Bryant, Yukon Oklahoma has been ranked worst for women. Is that the Oklahoma Standard? Its Womens History Month, and Oklahoma has been ranked as the worst state in the country for women. We have the lowest score for womens health care and safety and second lowest for womens economic and social well-being. Oklahoma also ranks as the state with the most reported instances of domestic violence against women, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. WalletHub, the personal finance website, recently released its findings on which states offer women the most and least opportunities. The report considered factors like median earnings for female workers, unemployment rates, access to health care, and abortion policies and access. Southern red states tended to rank lower on the list, with Oklahoma at the bottom. I frequently hear Oklahomas male politicians bragging about the Oklahoma Standard. I never fully understood what that meant. Is being the worst state in the country for women the Oklahoma Standard they are invoking? Delores Jackson, Oklahoma City I paid into Social Security, Medicare. I deserve my money back Social security, Medicare and Medicaid. You can call them Entitlement Programs if you want. I do not care what you call them. I do care that the U.S. government contracted with me that if I paid in a certain amount of money each year, the government would furnish me a living income and medical coverage for that money I paid in if I would work for a certain amount of time before I reached a certain age. I did that. Did it in several ways and, because of the date I was born, I now have three retirement incomes, plus a small disability income for hearing loss from flying C-130 aircraft for 11 years. I earned every dime of that income. And now they say that, because of the Congress delving into the SSI fund, it is going to be insolvent in a few years. Well, I got only one thing to say about that. Put the money you stole out of that income fund back where you got it, Congress. Quit pandering to the Big Pharmaceuticals and make it possible to get prescription drugs at a reasonable cost. You are the ones who broke those contracts between me and the government. We the people, who did what you said, have the right to call all those paper and electronic IOUs you made due. And you need to be careful on how you do it. You still have to provide for the defense of our country and well-being, along with our right to education and the freedom to pursue life, liberty and happiness. Pay attention, Congress; the way you govern will determine if you can still govern when election time comes around. Andre Snodgrass, Norman The Save Our Sequoias Act is opposite of what it implies The Oklahoma congressional delegation should oppose the Save Our Sequoias Act, which is the opposite of what its name falsely implies. This act would undermine existing environmental laws to fast-track clearcutting of sequoia groves. The act would unnecessarily grow the federal government at taxpayer expense by creating a new government organization, the Giant Sequoia Lands Project. This organizations is unnecessary because the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service already have the authority to complete actions in this act if they were good ideas. Finally, the legislation intentionally excludes the public by exempting the Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition from open government laws, such as the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Apparently, there is something to hide if taxpayers cant know about it. The climate crisis is exactly that a crisis. Its time for Congress to address excess carbon emissions and protect ecosystems that benefit people and the environment not cut them down. Public policy should prioritize firesafe buildings and protect forested areas, especially sequoias which take hundreds of years to mature. Jody Harlan, Yukon This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahome legislation seeks to punish immigrants, not solve woes The Bradford pear tree is particularly eye-catching as spring kicks off and its blooms pop. But get close and a whiff of its blossoms may send you running. An ornamental tree found across the U.S. from New York to California, the Bradford pear tree became a favorite for landscaping in the 1960s because it grew quickly, had bountiful blooms and aged with a nicely shaped canopy full of bright green foliage. But it eventually became infamous because of its odor. "It smells like a rotting corpse when it blooms," said Shannon Powers, press secretary at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. "Some people claim they can't smell it, which fascinates me, but I find it quite pungent," said David Coyle, an assistant professor of forest health and invasive species at Clemson University. "Some of the neighborhoods where they're planted widely are just so hard to be around in the spring. It's just, ugh." Ohio banned the sale and planting of Callery pear trees in 2023, and Pennsylvania banned the trees in February. South Carolina will ban new Bradford pear sales as of Oct. 1. Other states are encouraging their removal and replacement with native trees. Cicadas 2024: This year's broods will make for rare event not seen in over 200 years When Bradford pear trees bloom? Why do they smell like fish? Bradford trees in bloom on March 20, 2024 in Irmo, South Carolina. Bradford pear trees bloom early in the spring and thanks to a pre-spring heat wave in much of the East and South they are already in bloom, just as are the famous cherry blossom trees in the nation's capital. Yes, the trees can smell like fish, according to the Oklahoma State Extension Service. Others have described the smell as not just fishy but more like rotting fish, as well as urine and baby poop. Over the last few weeks, many have been bemoaning the Bradford pear tree's smelly side on TikTok. "This time of the year when they bloom these trees smell terrible, like just straight fish," east North Carolina resident Kimberly Hogge recently said on the app. How did we get Bradford pear trees? Bradford pear trees belong to the Pyrus calleryana (Callery pear) species. Callery pear tree seeds were brought to the U.S. from China in 1916 to help breeders create fruit-bearing pear trees more resistant to fire blight, a disease that destroys leaves and fruit, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service. "By doing that grafting they were able to make fruiting pear trees that were very resistant to fire blight," Coyle said. Continued experimentation with Callery pears led to the discovery of a tree that was "super flowery and kind of looks like a lollipop in its shape," he said. That became the Bradford pear tree, named for Frederick Charles Bradford, who was the director of the USDA's Plant Introduction Station in Glenn Dale, Maryland, according to the Ohio State University Extension Service. The tree became known as the "perfect neighborhood tree," notes the Virginia Department of Forestry. But that's not the whole story on Bradford pear trees. There's something worse than their smell. Why are Bradford pear trees bad? It's not necessarily the Bradford pear tree that is bad, although the trees did tend to have a weak branch structure and were prone to splitting or cracking. The initial Bradford pear trees planted were sterile meaning the trees could not pollinate themselves to produce viable fruit. But over the years, other kinds of Callery pear trees arose, some created by plant breeders and others by nature itself. Cross-pollination of Bradford pear trees and other Callery trees started happening. Because the Bradford tree shoots were grafted onto other types of Callery pear rootstock, occasionally those trees might crack and split and blossoms from the newly sprouted branches off the rootstock can cross-pollinate the rest of the tree. Bradford trees in bloom on March 20, 2024 in Irmo, South Carolina. All these actions led to a proliferation of Callery pear trees in the wild and the trees began to produce fruit. Birds and other animals ate the fruit and their droppings spread the seeds. That has led to rapid growth and spread of wild Callery trees, which pose "a major threat to native grasslands and their wildlife," says the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. "It can quickly fill in gaps in open spaces, which leads to native plants being crowded out as they cannot compete for resources." The trees also don't make a good home for native insects, a minus for local birds, says the Nashville Tree Conservation Corps. And the trees' early blooming also takes sun away from other plants. "These things will also really quickly take over pastures and old fields," Coyle said. "Some of the main calls we get is 'How to get rid of these things?'" Callery pear trees in the landscape in Irmo, South Carolina, on March, 20, 2024. Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider. What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bradford pear tree smell and are invasive. But how to get rid of them? TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) The President of the Hillsborough County chapter of the NAACP has called for the resignation of the CEO of the Tampa areas largest veterans homeless shelter following claims he made racial and homophobic slurs. Tom Atchison said he will not resign his position, and denies he has ever used slurs of any kind. Were going to be doing what weve been doing for 30 years, Atchison said. Which is helping the disenfranchised, the blacks, whites, the purples, the pinks, the gays, the transexuals. We are here to help them people. Tampa pastor accused of using racist, homophobic slurs at New Beginnings veterans shelter But Hillsborough County NAACP President Yvette Lewis said the witnesses statements about the slurs are believable and should be investigated by the James Haley VA. As a leader thats over this organization, I would have to call for him to resign. Step down, Lewis said. Accountability is the key. James Haley spokesman Roderick Cunningham said the VA looked into the alleged concerns from former employees about the slurs and shelter finances. But Cunningham said the agency did not conduct a formal investigation. 8 On Your Side asked multiple times why the claims were not investigated, but Cunningham would not discuss any specifics. We have no additional comment, Cunningham said in an email. Another lien not disclosed to buyers in Tampa home construction dispute Thats unacceptable, Lewis said. The federal government, the VA, needs to investigate this. Lewis pointed out while Atchison denies the allegations, there are several witnesses who claim otherwise. Its one against many, she said. Atchison said he has nothing to hide and the VA has nothing to investigate. My congregation is over 50 percent black. My assistant pastor is black, Atchison said. My director of our mission is black. If I was a racist, wed really be in trouble with all the black staff I have. Veteran not offered civilian care after VA appointment wait that took forever Lewis disagreed that the makeup of Atchisons congregation and staff is an indicator of whether or not he made racist comments. New Beginnings receives about $70,000 a month in taxpayer money from the VA to house homeless veterans. New referrals were halted after a turnover of staff last month involving 11 employees who said they were fired. Atchison said he fired two of them and the rest left on their own after the group threatened to take over the program. He said he expects referrals to resume soom. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror State lawmakers on Thursday rejected a bill to crack down on sober living homes that had already unanimously passed the Senate, opting instead to back a different proposal that is opposed by Democrats. Following hours of testimony and debate, the House Health and Human Services Committee advanced Senate Bill 1361 on a party-line 6-4 vote. On a 3-7 vote, the panel defeated Senate Bill 1655. Both bills were introduced to address the sober living home scandal that was laid bare almost a year ago when state prosecutors and health agency officials announced a sprawling Medicaid fraud scheme that targeted Indigenous Arizonans. The fraudulent healthcare facilities have remained unchecked for years across the Phoenix area, targeting Indigenous people who are enrolled in Arizonas Medicaid program, resulting in many becoming displaced within the city or losing their lives. State officials have called the scheme a humanitarian crisis and a stunning failure of government since the issues were identified years ago and nothing was done to stop the predatory behavior. SB1361, sponsored by Republican Sen. Frank Carroll, aims to modify the licensing, oversight, and regulations of sober living homes, increase the civil penalty cap from $500 to $1,000 for violations and define sober living home in state law. Rep. Matt Gress, a Phoenix Republican with a similar bill that the Senate is considering, explained that the legislation is a bipartisan effort to address the crisis of unlicensed sober living homes. He said it includes a provision to implement criminal penalties for licensed health care institutions that do business with unlicensed sober living providers. If youre going to be working with unlicensed facilities in any way, well have greater enforcement to come after you, Gress said. A handful of people came forward to testify in support of Senate Bill 1361, noting that it provides a way to address the issues associated with sober living homes across the state. Meanwhile, health care organizations and providers marshaled their efforts to oppose SB1655, which was sponsored by Sen. Theresa Hatathlie, D-Coal Mine Mesa. Most of the testimony opposed the bill, and much of the criticism was aimed at the language used to define behavioral health entities, which was too broad and would inflict unnecessary measures on health facilities and professionals. Hatathlie, who is Navajo, told the committee that change is needed even if its scary. Change is what people are afraid of, Hatahlie said. Committee Chairman Steve Montenegro was among those who voted against the bill. He said the testimony made it clear that the legislation was not ready in its current form, and he could not, in good faith, recommend it pass. I agree that there is no question that this is a huge problem in this state, he said, adding that he understands how much it has affected people and their lives. But I also understand that we have a legislative responsibility. He said it was clear to him that Hatathlie was unwilling to amend her measure to address the complaints raised by health care providers. But Hatathlie rejected that argument and said the Senate extensively amended the bill to do just that. She said the language many of those who testified said they wanted relates to portions of the bill that she has been asking stakeholders for bill language on for weeks. Its at the (eleventh) hour when, all of a sudden, they came out of the woodwork, she said of the criticisms they lodged against the bill. Hatathlie said she was surprised that the four Democrats on the committee all voted against her bill and was frustrated that the committee sided with the health care providers that, in her estimation, are culpable for what happened. The people who are doing the grifting are licensed individuals, Hatathlie said. They fed that monster of unlicensed sober living homes, and todays vote just shows that thats who theyre protecting. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post One bill to regulate sober living homes advances, while another is rejected appeared first on Arizona Mirror. One man died at a hospital after a shooting early Saturday morning. Officers responded around 1:45 a.m. to 28th Terrace and Cleveland Avenue on a shooting call. They found a man with an apparent gunshot wound in a wooded area next to a parking lot. Police rendered aid to the victim and Emergency Medical Services transported him to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The killing is Kansas Citys 30th homicide of 2024, according to data maintained by The Star. The city experienced its deadliest year on record in 2023, when there were 185 killings in the city. Jacob Becchina, a spokesman with Kansas City Police Department, said they believe Saturdays shooting began with an interaction between an unknown suspect and the victim that led to the suspect opening fire. Police were processing the scene and canvassing the area for witnesses. If anyone has information, they are asked to contact homicide detectives at 816-234-5043 or the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. Bloomington Police outside the Nordstrom department store at the Mall of America on Friday night after a shooting left a teenage dead. (FOX 9) BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (FOX 9) - A man pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the fatal Mall of America shooting that happened inside the Nordstrom store two days before Christmas in 2022. TaeShawn Adams-Wright, 19, from Daytona Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and second-degree assault on Thursday for the shooting that took the life of 19-year-old Johntae Hudson. He is one of the two people believed to have shot Hudson while he was on the ground after being tackled. The other accused shooter, Lavon Longstreet, is set to go to trial for second-degree murder and second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon on the morning of April 15 after pleading not guilty to both charges. RELATED: MOA gunman plea deal rejected, will head to trial on murder charges Court documents show Adams-Wright pleaded guilty without any deal to drop other charges and that the prosecution is seeking the statutory maximum sentencing, which is set for May 30. The maximum sentence for second-degree murder in Minnesota is 40 years. The shooting happened when two groups started fighting around 7:50 p.m. on Dec. 23, 2022. Responding officers then found Hudson on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds, where he died despite life-saving efforts. The mall went into lockdown after the shooting but reopened the next day, with the Nordstrom store remaining closed. Others involved in the fight, including minor teens, were charged with second-degree riot, aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree assault. RELATED: Teen connected to deadly Mall of America shooting takes witness stand Photo illustration by Getty Images. In a little more than two years as CEO of a small hospital in Wyoming, Dave Ryerse has witnessed firsthand the worsening financial problems eroding rural hospitals nationwide. In 2022, Ryerses South Lincoln Medical Center was forced to shutter its operating room because it didnt have the staff to run it 24 hours a day. Soon after, the obstetrics unit closed. Ryerse said the publicly owned facilitys revenue from providing care has fallen short of operating expenses for at least the past eight years, driving tough decisions to cut services in hopes of keeping the facility open in Kemmerer, a town of about 2,400 in southwestern Wyoming. South Lincolns financial woes arent unique, and the risk of hospital closures is an immediate threat to many small communities. Those cities dry out, Ryerse said. Theres a huge sense of urgency to make sure that we can maintain and really eventually thrive in this area. A recently released report from the health analytics and consulting firm Chartis paints a clear picture of the grim reality Ryerse and other small-hospital managers face. In its financial analysis, the firm concluded that half of rural hospitals lost money in the past year, up from 43% the previous year. It also identified 418 rural hospitals across the U.S. that are vulnerable to closure. Mark Holmes, director of the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina, said the reports findings werent a surprise, since the financial nosedive it depicted has been a concern of researchers and rural health advocates for decades. The report noted that small-town hospitals in states that expanded Medicaid eligibility have fared better financially than those in states that didnt. Leaders in Montana, whose population is nearly half rural, credit Medicaid expansion as the reason their hospitals have largely avoided the financial crisis depicted by the report despite escalating costs, workforce shortages, and growing administrative burden. Montanas expansion of Medicaid coverage to low-income adults nearly 10 years ago has cut in half the percentage of Montanans without insurance, increased access to care and preserved services in rural communities, and reduced the burden of uncompensated care shouldered by hospitals by nearly 50%, said Katy Mack, vice president of communications for the Montana Hospital Association. Not one hospital has closed in the state since 2015, she added. Hospitals elsewhere havent fared so well. Michael Topchik, national leader for the Chartis Center for Rural Health and an author of the study, said he expects next years update on the report will show rural hospital finances continuing to deteriorate. In health care and in many industries, we say, No margin, no mission, he said, referring to the difference between income and expenses. Rural hospitals are all mission-driven organizations that simply dont have the margin to reinvest in themselves or their communities because of deteriorating margins. Im very, very concerned for their future. People living in rural America are older, sicker, and poorer than their urban and suburban counterparts. Yet, they often live in places where many health care services arent available, including primary care. The shorter life expectancies in these communities are connected to the lack of success of their health facilities, said Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association, a nonprofit advocacy group. Were really talking about the future of rural here, Morgan said. Like South Lincoln, other hospitals still operating are likely cutting services. According to Chartis, nearly a quarter of rural hospitals have closed their obstetrics units and 382 have stopped providing chemotherapy. Halting services has far-reaching effects on the health of the communities the hospitals and their providers serve. While people in rural America are more likely to die of cancer than people in urban areas, providing specialty cancer treatment also helps ensure that older adults can stay in their communities. Similarly, obstetrics care helps attract and keep young families. Whittling services because of financial and staffing problems is causing death by a thousand cuts, said Topchik, adding that hospital leaders face choices between keeping the lights on, paying their staff, and serving their communities. The Chartis report noted that the financial problems are driving hospitals to sell to or otherwise join larger health systems; it said nearly 60% of rural hospitals are now affiliated with large systems. South Lincoln in Wyoming, for example, has a clinical affiliation with Utah-based Intermountain Health, which lets the facility offer access to providers outside the state. In recent years, rural hospitals have faced many added financial pressures, according to Chartis and other researchers. The rapid growth of rural enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans, which do not reimburse hospitals at the same rate as traditional Medicare, has had a particularly profound effect. Topchik predicted sustainability for rural health facilities will ultimately require greater investment from Congress. In 1997, Congress responded to a rural hospital crisis by creating the Critical Access Hospital designation, meant to alleviate financial burdens rural hospitals face and help keep health services available by giving facilities cost-based reimbursement rates from Medicare and in some states Medicaid. But these critical access hospitals are still struggling, including South Lincoln. In 2021, Congress established a new designation, Rural Emergency Hospital, which allows hospitals to cut most inpatient services but continue running outpatient care. The newer designation, with its accompanying financial incentives, has kept some smaller rural hospitals from closing, but Morgan said those conversions still mean a loss of services. Its a good thing that now we keep the emergency room care, but I think it masks the fact that 28 communities lost inpatient care just last year alone, he said. Im afraid that this hospital closure crisis is now going to run under the radar. It ends up costing local and state governments more, ultimately, and costs the federal government more, in dollars for health care treatment, Morgan said. Its just bad public policy. And bad policy for the local communities. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFFan independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. The post Operating in the red: Half of rural hospitals lose money and many are cutting services appeared first on Daily Montanan. Israel says its army is continuing attacks on Hamas targets in Gaza and more than 70 Palestinians were killed in the embattled coastal area in the past 24 hours. The Israeli air force on Friday struck some 35 targets on Friday, including operational command centres, military posts and "the infrastructure of terrorist organizations," the military said on Saturday, claiming that dozens of enemy fighters had been killed in ground battle and airstrikes in the Gaza Strip over the past day. The information could not initially be independently verified. Amid the ongoing fighting, 72 Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours, and 144 more injured, according to the health authority in Gaza. This brings the total number of Palestinian fatalities in the latest Gaza war to 32,142, plus 74,412 injured, according to the Hamas-controlled agency. The numbers are currently impossible to verify though many more people are believed to be buried under the rubble, with rescue services unable to access them due to the ongoing fighting. Israeli forces are also continuing their operation in Gaza City's a-Shifa hospital, according to the army, where they have so far killed more than 170 fighters, questioned 800 suspects and found numerous weapons as well as terrorism infrastructure. It also wasn't possible to verify this claim. The Israeli army entered Gaza's largest hospital, now largely non-operational, on Monday for a second time since the beginning of the war to target suspected Hamas fighters. The quarterly results for KB Home (NYSE:KBH) were released last week, making it a good time to revisit its performance. It looks like a credible result overall - although revenues of US$1.5b were in line with what the analysts predicted, KB Home surprised by delivering a statutory profit of US$1.76 per share, a notable 12% above expectations. This is an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance in its report, look at what experts are forecasting for next year, and see if there has been any change to expectations for the business. We thought readers would find it interesting to see the analysts latest (statutory) post-earnings forecasts for next year. View our latest analysis for KB Home Taking into account the latest results, the most recent consensus for KB Home from ten analysts is for revenues of US$6.74b in 2024. If met, it would imply a reasonable 3.8% increase on its revenue over the past 12 months. Statutory per-share earnings are expected to be US$7.88, roughly flat on the last 12 months. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of US$6.62b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$7.52 in 2024. So the consensus seems to have become somewhat more optimistic on KB Home's earnings potential following these results. There's been no major changes to the consensus price target of US$69.27, suggesting that the improved earnings per share outlook is not enough to have a long-term positive impact on the stock's valuation. Fixating on a single price target can be unwise though, since the consensus target is effectively the average of analyst price targets. As a result, some investors like to look at the range of estimates to see if there are any diverging opinions on the company's valuation. There are some variant perceptions on KB Home, with the most bullish analyst valuing it at US$87.00 and the most bearish at US$50.00 per share. This shows there is still a bit of diversity in estimates, but analysts don't appear to be totally split on the stock as though it might be a success or failure situation. Story continues Looking at the bigger picture now, one of the ways we can make sense of these forecasts is to see how they measure up against both past performance and industry growth estimates. We would highlight that KB Home's revenue growth is expected to slow, with the forecast 5.0% annualised growth rate until the end of 2024 being well below the historical 11% p.a. growth over the last five years. Compare this to the 93 other companies in this industry with analyst coverage, which are forecast to grow their revenue at 5.5% per year. So it's pretty clear that, while KB Home's revenue growth is expected to slow, it's expected to grow roughly in line with the industry. The Bottom Line The most important thing here is that the analysts upgraded their earnings per share estimates, suggesting that there has been a clear increase in optimism towards KB Home following these results. Happily, there were no real changes to revenue forecasts, with the business still expected to grow in line with the overall industry. The consensus price target held steady at US$69.27, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets. With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. We have estimates - from multiple KB Home analysts - going out to 2026, and you can see them free on our platform here. However, before you get too enthused, we've discovered 1 warning sign for KB Home that you should be aware of. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Douglas County sheriffs deputies have unsuccessfully scoured Clinton State Park, outside Lawrence, this week, in attempts to find a missing Overland Park man. Deputies concluded an extensive search at the park on Friday afternoon, the sheriffs office said in a social media post. Deputies have been searching locations throughout the state park since Wednesday evening after a vehicle associated with David Kyle Kempker, 53, was found there, the Douglas County Sheriffs Office said in the post. Kempker had been reported missing to Overland Park police late on Tuesday, and a deputy found the vehicle 24 hours later at the park. The sheriffs office said the nature of the initial report was to check his welfare and located him safely. Anyone with information about Kempkers location is asked to contact law enforcement at 785-841-0007. Kansas Search and Rescue provided K9 teams for the search, and the Lawrence Police Department, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks game wardens and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff also assisted in the search. Emily Cook, 26, acting director of elections, prepares to print ballots in her office in the Luzerne county elections office in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday. Emily Cook, 26, acting director of elections, prepares to print ballots in her office in the Luzerne county elections office in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday. Photograph: Hannah Yoon/The Guardian Emily Cook remembers that she never ate her blueberry muffin. It was election day in November 2022, and Cook was the deputy director in the election office in Luzerne county, an industrial swath of north-east Pennsylvania. Soon after voting started, Cook started to hear piecemeal reports of a problem at the polls: some locations didnt have enough paper. When she got to her office, multiple phones were thrust into her hands, each with a crisis. By the time election day was over, she had forgotten about the muffin. Related: Will a perfect election in Fulton county make a difference to Republicans? Then came the harassment. In the following weeks, people started showing up at meetings, furious about the incident, believing the mishap had been an intentional effort to suppress the vote (an investigation attributed the problem to human error). Cook and other people in the election office received vile threats. Cook, who is 26 and grew up in Luzerne county, recognized many of the people making them. You get very numb, she said. It would be lying if I said I didnt take it personally. I know exactly who made those comments and I will carry that with me for the rest of my life. Walter Griffith, the county controller whose office is down the hall from Cooks, was blunter. Shes been through some shit, he said. Some serious shit. The problems that plague Luzerne county are a crystallization of a significant problem in election offices across the country. Since 2020, when Donald Trump and his allies began to question and overturn the results of the election, a flood of election officials have left the profession, facing threats and harassment. In Pennsylvania, top officials in 40 of the states 67 counties had left between the 2020 election and late 2023, according to the states top election official. That means people like Cook are thrust into even higher-pressure roles during an even higher-stakes election year. About a month ago, the director of the election bureau abruptly resigned after roughly a year. Cook, who has also served as an administrative assistant and operations manager, took over the job and was named the acting election director with a little over two months before the states primary election. *** On a Thursday morning in early March, Cooks phone rang nearly constantly as she sat in her office. She was waiting for pollbooks to be delivered, and the deadline to send out ballots to overseas and military voters was just two days away, but she still didnt have a final list of candidates because of pending court challenges. My word of the week has been triage, she said. We are triaging the tasks at hand. Cooks office is decorated with signs of someone who doesnt really have time for, well, bullshit. Sorry, the time for complaints was yesterday, says one sign taped above her desk. Outside her office, a quote from her mother is written on a whiteboard: You dont have to be crazy to work here well train you! She also has a folded piece of notebook paper tucked away at her desk with all the names of people who have had her job in recent years. On her first day there, in 2021, the election director told her he was resigning. She is the seventh person since the fall of 2019. Steve Hahn, the acting deputy director, started at the elections bureau last fall. High turnover in the election office has become the norm in Luzerne county. It has become the expectation that if somebody walks into this office, theyre not going to be here long term, Cook said. You kind of just document everything that you can, prepare as best as you can, at least in my opinion. Learn as much from whoevers sitting here while theyre here. And we can keep moving forward. But the high turnover has also led to some high-profile mistakes. In 2020, the county made national news after nine military ballots were found in the trash (an investigation later attributed the error to an inexperienced temporary employee). In 2021, an oversight led to the wrong header showing up on ballots telling some Republican primary voters they were voting on a Democratic ballot. And in 2022, 16 of the countys 143 polling locations ran out of paper. That led to the county nearly not certifying the election and a congressional hearing. Election officials become the clear target for the errors. Theyre leaving the field because in many cases theyre practically being driven from it. Because of the environment in their communities. Or because of the environment in their offices that they serve in. That is new. That is different from what Ive been seeing in the last 20 years, said Tammy Patrick, the CEO of the National Association of Election Officials. You do have that loss of institutional knowledge. Elections are incredibly complex. Theyre complicated. The devil is in the details and there are many details. Cook saw that first-hand. There would just be a general sense of not knowing exactly what to do, she said. Or not knowing what someone in the past had done for equipment or supplies. Or why did we sign this contract for this vendor? Sometimes, new election officials can administer smaller municipal or county-wide elections to learn the ropes and get their sea legs, Patrick said. But when they come into a position in a presidential election year, its a lot to learn and a very short runway. New election officials today also face a highly charged environment. As Trump and allies continue to push the narrative that American elections are rigged, any mistake can be weaponized. When or if a mistake occurs in this environment it is never just recognized that: You know what, this person has been on the job for a few months, this is complex, they made a mistake, Patrick said. Any error, whether its a proofing error or a printing error or a cut-and-paste problem, that gets turned into challenging whether or not that person was trying to steal the election or rig the election. *** There was shock when Trump flipped Luzerne county, long a Democratic stronghold in 2016, said John Kennedy, a political science professor at West Chester University in south-eastern Pennsylvania. While Trump won it again in 2020, Biden was able to claw back some of the voters he lost in 2020, something hell try to do more of this year as he seeks to win Pennsylvania, a critical battleground state in the US presidential election. The political uncertainty only makes running an election more fraught. But its hard to pinpoint a singular cause for all of the turnover in the elections bureau. Some of it may be structural in Luzerne county the bureau is overseen by two heads. There is a volunteer board thats responsible for setting policy and a county manager, appointed by the county council, who is responsible for executing policy. Only the county manager has the authority to hire and fire. Eryn Harvey, the Luzerne county elections director who resigned in February, did not respond to an interview request. County officials did not offer more details on why she left. I think there was more people fighting with Eryn than actually doing the work, said Griffith, the county comptroller, who led protests criticizing the election bureau after the ballot fiasco in 2020. She came in, she wasnt knowledgable she wasnt strong-willed. When youre in charge of something and people are undermining you, it makes it really hard to run the department, especially in elections. There may be a cyclical element. Having an inexperienced person leading the election bureau can lead to mistakes, which ramps up harassment, and then leads to that person leaving and a new person starting. Beth Gilbert, who served as the acting director from the fall of 2022 to early 2023, said that the county needed to cast a wider net in hiring for the job. Luzerne countys election director recently has been paid about $65,000 one of the lowest rates for a county of its size, according a 2023 survey of local elected officials by the elections and voting information center at Reed College My suggestion would be to search for a qualified elections director, said Gilbert, who now works as the voting engagement organizer for Action Together NEPA, a progressive group. Do a national survey, increase the pay, make it appealing to want to work in Luzerne county elections bureau so youre not just getting local candidates. *** Whether she chose to or not, Cook is taking the reins at a critical moment for the county and hoping to stabilize things. Officials are working to standardize election office procedures that had not been written down. Theyre also trying to rebuild public trust and confidence in the countys elections and be more transparent recently posting draft versions of the county ballot on the website for public feedback. A key partner in managing the chaos is Romilda Crocamo, the county manager. Over the objections of her friends and family, she applied for the job last year in part because she wanted to fix the dysfunction around elections. In 2020, she had been a lawyer for Luzerne county as it dealt with the fallout from the discarded ballots. She said shell never forget dealing with the Department of Justice to figure out the issue. Well always be the county that tore military ballots, she said. Some time after the election, she became the acting county manager, and began trying to reform the election bureau to improve processes. And on election day in 2022, she was simply a private citizen when the county ran out of paper, and she still became embroiled in the issue. Crocamo said she was at a physical therapy appointment at 7am when she started getting text messages about the shortage. A bureau staffer called her later that morning asking if she knew where extra paper might be, she said. After the paper shortage and other errors, Crocamo decided to step up because she believes that the key to rebuilding trust with the public is transparency. Thats why shes pushed to have the ballots posted on the county website early for public review, and to send out regular updates with what election tasks staff are working on. I think that theres a certain portion of the population that wants elections to fail, Crocamo said during an interview in a conference room in the county building, which she was using to work while a leak was fixed in her office. But my job is to make sure that the public, whether they want the election to fail or they want county government to fail, or whether they want it to work, they need to have all the information that they can possibly have. Shes also hired an outside consultant who is meeting regularly with bureau staff and completing a written set of standard operating procedures. For want of a better term, we need to have a bible, she said. And while it isnt ideal to have turnover in the election director role so close to an election, Crocamo said Cook was well-suited to step into the role. Were fortunate because Emily does have experience and she has experience in various different jobs in the election bureau, she said. We had someone that was ready to step in and has the skills to do it. Cook, for her part, seems to have made peace with the idea that she cant explain all of the previous errors made in the bureau. I cant speak to what has been done in the past. I can speak to where were at right now, she said. Asked why she would want to step up into a role with even more responsibility in the heart of a heated presidential election, Cook took a long pause. Do I want to? she asked. I am still here and I dont intend to go anywhere at this point. I dont want somebody else to have to live through that, she added. And as a voter in this county, I dont want to have to see the county fail. Oxford is holding its first election for chancellor since 2003 - GETTY IMAGES CONTRIBUTOR Oxford University has been accused of a stitch-up after changing the rules for the election of a new chancellor. Dons and alumni have criticised the university over its new rules for the election of a successor to Lord Patten of Barnes, the former Conservative Party chairman, who will retire at the end of this academic year. The chancellor is the largely ceremonial head of the university, who is usually an eminent public figure elected for life. Previous chancellors have included Harold Macmillan, the former prime minister, and Edward Wood, the 1st Earl of Halifax, who was viceroy of India. Lord Patten is stepping down from his role after 21 years - CARL COURT/GETTY IMAGES EUROPE At the time of the last election in 2003, anyone could stand for election if they were nominated by 50 members of Convocation, which includes all Oxford graduates and academics. However, in the latest edition of the Oxford University Gazette, it has been announced that under new rules for the coming election, a small committee of academics and university administrators, including the vice-chancellor, will be able to choose who will go forward for election. The committee will consider the principles of equality and diversity and the approved role specification, before deciding which candidates are eligible to progress to the next stage of the election process, according to the Gazette. Neil OBrien, Conservative MP for Harborough, and an alumnus of Christ Church, Oxford, branded the changes a stitch-up. He wrote on Twitter: A stitch-up in Oxford: with no public discussion the University has decided to move away from democracy when choosing its next Chancellor. https://t.co/hlFgBOGxTc Neil O'Brien MP (@NeilDotObrien) March 22, 2024 A serving don, who did not want to be named, told The Telegraph that the university was adopting an undemocratic, Politburo-style election approach. Theres been a lot of shock and surprise and outrage, he said. He said he expected dons to force a vote on the policy at Congregation, the governing body of the university, which consists of all academic staff. Dr Yuan Zi Zhu, a politics lecturer at Oxford, said the changing of the rules was incredibly petty and illustrates the control freak tendencies of modern academic managers. Writing on Twitter, the Rev Marcus Walker, an Oxford alumnus, said: One of the joys of the university is that anyone with enough nominations can stand, and anyone qualified can vote. This is appalling. A spokesman for the university said: The University of Oxfords next chancellor will be elected by Convocation using an online platform. Eligibility for the role will first be checked by the chancellors election committee against criteria agreed by council. The committee will be made up of representatives from across the collegiate university and its council. Announcements about applications for the post and registering to vote will be made in due course. 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. (COLORADO SPRINGS) Amidst sadness, something beautiful blossomed: Fionas Cozy Little Library. Its cheerful yellow exterior and heart-shaped arrangement of rocks may initially catch the eye, but the true significance comes in the hope and love put into the creation by 9-year-old Fiona Turner. This is my little library that I made in memory of my dear friends Ellie and Aden, said Fiona Turner. In December, Fiona Turner, along with countless others, experienced deep sorrow when learning of the tragic loss of Ellie and Aden Wentz, who were allegedly killed by their mother. Father identifies child victims, mother accused of double murder in Colorado Springs In response to her close friends tragic loss, Turner began working on several projects to navigate her grief while also offering support to others in the community who were similarly affected. We made bracelets for lots of people, Jasmin Guthrie, the mother of Fiona, said. We bought lots of books to give to the affected classrooms in the library at school, and we made memory boxes, and it was just kind of like, what do we do next? That helps her mostly, but also her classmates and the other students at school who were impacted. Fiona Turner opens her little library, looking at all the books inside. When it comes to reading, Turner is a bookworm, her passion for books was shared with Ellie, as they both were in a book club together, making the creation of the library a testament to their bond. I knew that Ellie liked to read books and I thought that Aden might like books as well, Turner said. So, I decided to make a little library in memory of them. The rainbow-painted rock, that Fiona Turner shared was the most special, reminded her of her dear friend Ellie Wentz. The little library is decorated with flowers along with the names of Aden and Ellie, serving as a special tribute to the profound impact these two individuals had on so many Its so bright, and its you really cant miss it when you drive by, Guthrie said. Its really noticeable, but yeah, I mean Ellie was a big part of our lives before, and I think she always will be. Fiona looks out on the rocks painted by community members with different designs and messages to remember Ellie and Aden. Nestled beside the library is a comforting bench, inviting visitors to a spot to read their special book. There also sits, in the shape of a heart, dozens of vibrant rocks, each inscribed with messages and designs crafted by members of the community. I would go into each individual classroom and paint rocks with classes, and I would bring them home and seal them up and collect them for Fiona so we could organize them to decorate the library, Guthrie said. In a way, the library is like Fionas piece, and then the rocks are Odysseys piece. Fiona and Jasmin embrace in a hug, helping support each other during this challenging time. At a young age, Turners actions reveal the deep resilience she holds in navigating this traumatic experience and her ability to extend compassion to others who are suffering. She is only nine years old and she is doing things for this community that even adults cant do, Guthrie said. The impact is going to be so profound. The grand opening of Fionas Cozy Little Library is set for March 23 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. to remember Ellie and Aden. For those who wish to stop by, the grand opening of Fionas Cozy Little Library is set to take place on March 23 at 5034 Sweetgrass Lane in Colorado Springs. Were having a little ceremony from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., Guthrie said. Fiona is going to cut a little ribbon and officially open it. Then were planning on having bookmarks to color, rocks for people to paint so they can add their own rocks to the collection, some coloring sheets, and then, of course, were accepting book donations, if anyone would like to bring some. In this next chapter of life, Fionas Cozy Little Library stands as a true testament to friendship, showcasing the enduring love that continues, even in the unimaginable. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. Holy Week kicks off this weekend and Christians are preparing for Palm Sunday, which honors the last days of Jesus, his trial and crucifixion. Palm Sunday is celebrated on the first day of Holy Week, the Sunday before Easter. This year, the Palm Sunday falls on March 24. Christians celebrate the holiday by distributing blessed palm leaves among the congregation of the church. Traditionally, churches will keep some of the blessed palms, burn them to ash and use the ashes for Ash Wednesday the next year and churchgoers will keep the leaves of the palms and fold them into crosses. But palm leaves are always involved in the celebration. Christians around the world celebrate Palm Sunday to mark the beginning of the journey that ends with Jesus' death and resurrection, said Mark Jobe, president of the Moody Bible Institute and founding pastor of the New Life Community Church in Chicago. According to the gospels, Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem and people welcomed him as their king with palm branches, said Jobe. People thought he'd release them from Roman oppression, but Roman soldiers crucified him days later. Border of cross made from dried palm leaf laying on a palm branch. What do palm branches symbolize on Palm Sunday? The large, long palm branches were common in the Holy Land, Jobe said. During ancient times, they symbolized goodness and victory. "It wasn't something unique to Jesus," he previously told USA TODAY. "When kings would come to town or when conquering warriors would come in, they would welcome them with palm branches, which they would throw on the ground in front of them." And during Grecian Games, winners would be welcomed with the branches, too, he said. Why do Christians celebrate Palm Sunday? According to Jobe, the book of Luke states that as Jesus approached the cheering crowd that welcomed him, he saw that his people wanted political peace but were in desperate need of "spiritual peace." "Palm Sunday makes no sense unless you understand that shortly after, Jesus would die and pay the price for anybody, no matter prostitute or religious person, to forgive their sins and to give them an entrance into a new kingdom called the kingdom of Heaven," Jobe said. Jesus entered the city knowing he'd be crucified, Bishop Vashti McKenzie, interim president and general secretary of the National Council of Churches, told USA TODAY. "The first chapter in Genesis talks about how God created the world," said McKenzie. "Palm Sunday begins the journey of how God saved the world through the death and resurrection of Jesus." When was the first Palm Sunday? After the first celebration in the gospels, the first recorded Palm Sunday dates back to the 4th century in Jerusalem, Jobe said. The ceremony wasn't introduced to Western Christianity until about the 9th century. What does the donkey symbolize? According to Jobe, Conquering kings typically rode in chariots or on the back of stallions, so Jesus riding a donkey went against the norm. The donkey, he said, was a symbol of peace but it also represented the fulfillment of a prophecy from Zechariah 9:9. "Your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey," the chapter reads. The donkey is also a symbol of humility, said McKenzie, from the National Council of Churches. What do modern Palm Sunday celebrations look like? Today, Palm Sunday celebrations vary according to the denomination. Some people wear red or purple that day, Jobe said. Churchgoers sing praise songs and lift palm branches of various sizes at the "very celebratory worship service," said McKenzie. The branches are blessed and some families take them home, placing them on desks or shelves to remember the event. "Traditionally, some of the branches are saved," she said. "They're not given out to people. They are saved and when you get to Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of Lent, the ashes come from those burnt palm branches." She stressed a true understanding of why Christians celebrate Palm Sunday. "It is a time of celebration," she said. "Jesus died on the cross and when he died on the cross, he died for all of us, not for some of us, not for a few chosen few, but all of us." Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz. Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia the 757 and loves all things horror, witches, Christmas, and food. Follow her on Twitter at @Saleen_Martin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is Palm Sunday? What it means for Christians, why it's celebrated (KRON) Authorities are searching for an armed suspect who robbed a 7-Eleven store overnight on Friday, the Palo Alto Police Department announced in a press release. The robbery happened around 12:28 a.m. at the 7-Eleven at 708 Colorado Ave. The suspect was holding a knife at the time of the robbery, police said. The suspect is described as a man of unknown race between 25 and 30 years old. He was wearing a gray sweatshirt with a hood on and a face mask. PAPD released a photo of the suspect (below). 2 arrested for organized retail theft at Walgreens, Safeway in Los Gatos Authorities are searching for this suspect who robbed a 7-Eleven overnight on Friday, March 22 (Palo Alto Police Department). Upon investigation, the suspect approached the cashier, pointed a knife at him and demanded cash from the register, the release said. The cashier complied and gave the suspect an unknown amount of cash. The suspect then reached across the counter and took an open box of cigars worth about $45, according to PAPD. Officers arrived at the store shortly after receiving the call but could not locate the suspect. Police said the suspect fled westbound through the 7-Eleven parking lot. PAPD says anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be emailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text or voicemail at 650-383-8984. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Former voting and human rights activist, Pamela Moses, officially announced her candidacy for the United States Senate. Moses requested an Independent and Republican petition, which means the former Democrat executive committee member plans to run as a Republican. As a seasoned advocate for social justice and community empowerment, Pamela Moses brings a wealth of experience and dedication to her potential candidacy. Her decision to seek Republican acceptance for the US Senate demonstrates her commitment to representing the diverse voices and interests of Tennessee on a national level, said Moses team in a press release. In 2021, Moses was convicted of illegally registering to vote. She was sentenced to six years in prison, but the conviction was later reversed. In April of 2015, Moses pled guilty to felony counts of tampering with evidence and forgery. The District Attorneys office says she also pled guilty to misdemeanor counts of perjury, stalking, theft of under $500 property, and escape. Local activist arrested, charged with illegally voting The tampering with evidence conviction caused Moses to lose her right to vote and register to vote in Tennessee. She was permanently deemed ineligible, according to the DAs office. Moses admitted that she registered to vote while she was permanently barred due to a felony conviction, but she claimed that probation officials told her she was eligible to be reinstated. Pamela Moses illegal voting trial dropped by DA The illegal registration case was dismissed before she was given a second trial. In the state of Tennessee, having a felony conviction does not hinder a Tennessee resident from running for the US Senate. Moses plans to formally initiate her candidacy in Nashville on March 25, the anniversary of when marchers arrived at the Alabama State Capitol building and presented a petition to Governor George Wallace. An event that took place just months before the Voting Rights Act was passed into law in 1965. Moses is best known as an activist in the Memphis community. She founded the Memphis chapter of Black Lives Matter and has led initiatives for equality. She also works in politics, serving as North Memphis Ambassador for Change. I am honored to take this step towards representing all of the people of Tennessee in the United States Senate regardless of political affiliation, said Moses. Our country is facing significant challenges, and I believe that by working together across party lines, we can create a brighter future for all Americans. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. A suspect wearing body armor who was accused of firing a gun near a North Texas apartment complex was taken into custody after Pantego police issued a shelter in place order for residents during a standoff Friday night. The standoff began following a short police chase in which the suspect crashed his vehicle, according to police and witnesses. The Pantego Police Department received a 911 call about 5:50 p.m. about a man shooting a gun in the area of Shady Valley Apartments, in the 3500 block of Shady Valley Drive, police said in a news release. When officers arrived, the suspect had fled the scene in a vehicle. The man led officers on a short pursuit before he returned to his residence on Shady Valley Drive, police said. He was wearing body armor and carrying a gun when he got out of his car and ran to his front door, according to the release. Pantego police, with help from officers from the Dalworthington Gardens and Arlington police departments, established a perimeter around the apartment and started to negotiate with the armed suspect, who was barricaded inside, police said. Neighboring homes were evacuated as a safety precaution. Additionally, all residents along Shady Valley Drive, Green Tee Drive and surrounding courts, and Country Club Road along a nearby creek in Pantego were asked to stay indoors, police announced at around 7 p.m. in a Facebook post. Today's top stories: Arlington firefighter shot in chest during welfare check identified Tarrant Appraisal District says it's victim of ransomware attack following website crash Fort Worth Zoo prepares to say goodbye to baby gorilla moving to new home Get free alerts when news breaks. An Arlington SWAT team was called to the scene to assist. About 8 p..m., the man surrendered and was taken into custody without incident, police said. He was taken to the Pantego Police Department and booked. Police have not released his name or what charges he is expected to face. No one was injured in the incident, police said. Two Pantego residents told the Star-Telegram that they saw three police cars chasing a vehicle when the suspect hit a curb and hit two cars as he was traveling down the 3900 block of West Pioneer Parkway. They said the police presence quickly grew as the suspect then made a left turn into the Shady Valley Square Apartments. The residents said they were told that the suspect was carrying a weapon and there was a passenger in the vehicle with him during the chase. Police have not released information about a passenger in the suspect vehicle. This is a developing story. For the latest updates, sign up for breaking news alerts. At the still blood-stained site of the worst school shooting in Florida history, Vice President Kamala Harris announced a new measure on Saturday to curb gun violence. Walking alongside the families of victims, Harris toured the hallways where Nikolas Cruz shot and killed 14 students and three faculty members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. The building set to be demolished this summer is still preserved from previous criminal and civil trials related to the shooting. Vice President Kamala Harris departs after speaking to the media at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on Saturday, March 23, 2024. The VP and the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention met with families whose loved ones were murdered during the 2018 mass shooting that took the lives of 14 students and three staff members. During the visit, Harris, who is the leader of the White Houses Office of Gun Violence Prevention, announced the launch of the National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center. This National Resource Center will be a place where we will provide training for local leaders on how to use red flag laws and keep communities safe. So these are just some of the ways that we can learn from what happened here and of course I will continue to advocate for what we must do in terms of universal background checks and assault weapons ban, said Harris during her speech in the gymnasium of Stoneman Douglas. Red flag laws allow family members or law enforcement officials to get court orders that temporarily take away access to guns if they feel a gun owner may harm themselves or others. Passed just three weeks after the 2018 Parkland massacre, Floridas red flag law continues to be viewed as a potential blueprint by some other states. The families of students who were killed during the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School six years ago react as Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a visit to the school in Parkland on Saturday, March 23, 2024. From left are Tony and Jennifer Montalto, parents of Gina; Anne Ramsay, mother of Helena; and Fred and Jennifer Guttenberg, parents of Jaime. READ MORE: Why the vice presidents Parkland visit still matters 6 years after school shooting For the first time in Florida, the law tied the right to possess or own a weapon to mental health and spelled out the legal steps to take guns away under certain circumstances. But there are no guarantees, as seen in a recent police-involved shooting in Fort Lauderdale. The man who shot and wounded the police officer in a Fort Lauderdale hotel room on Thursday had a history of arrests and mental health problems severe enough that police invoked Floridas touted red flag law to take his guns away two years ago. But that was only temporary. Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, who was Floridas governor at the time of the shooting, released a statement on Saturday ahead of Harris visit calling some of the Biden administrations efforts on gun safety unacceptable. Shortly after the shooting, Scott signed into law the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, which raised the age to purchase a rifle to 21 and created the states red flag law and a program to arm trained school faculty, among other aspects. In his statement, Scott said that the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act stands in stark contrast to the Biden-Harris administrations push for nationwide implementation of radical policies, like Californias red flag law, which abandons due process to more quickly and easily take constitutional rights away from law-abiding Americans. He then urged Harris to join him in the passage of violence prevention legislation that he supports. The Florida Democratic Party also released a statement early Saturday saying that Harris visit shows her and Bidens commitment to Florida and also called out Florida Republicans that attempted to roll back one of the components of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act by trying and failing to bring the age to purchase a rifle back down to 18 in the two previous legislative sessions. During the event, Harris urged states that havent passed red flag laws to do so. For those that already have red flag laws in place, Harris encouraged them to use federal funding under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to help bolster their programs. Every one of the states that have passed red flag laws, approximately 21, only six have taken up the offer that we have made through our administration of federal resources to help them with the training and the implementation of these red flag laws, Harris said. The Biden administration pushed forward the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022, which strengthened background checks for gun buyers under 21, provided funds for mental health services, school safety programming and state crisis intervention programming which include red flag programs. Before Harris concluded her speech and walked out of the building, she shook the hands of various Parkland families and pointed to their advocacy efforts as motivation and inspiration to do more to push forward school and gun safety measures. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) Parole has been granted to a Kern County woman who stabbed a friend to death in 1997 and also stabbed her father and two children, ages 8 and 9. Tammy Lynnette Gessel admitted to the stabbings, telling authorities she used methamphetamine the morning of the attack and thought she was saving her family from demonic possession, according to prosecutors. Her father and children survived. Video appears to show person carrying severed body part of train collision victim Gessel pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder, and was sentenced to 13 years plus 15 years to life in state prison. The state Board of Parole Hearings granted parole to Gessel this week, according to inmate records, after a hearing prosecutors say focused on her insight into violence and her substance abuse and mental health history. The District Attorneys Office opposed her release. Its upsetting that Gessel will have a chance at freedom while one life has been taken, and three others were damaged forever, District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer said in a news release. Gessel, 51, was in custody Friday, according to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation records. Gov. Gavin Newsom could refer the case to the full Board of Parole Hearings for review. On June 4, 1997, authorities responded to a 911 call from a home in Taft and arrived to find Gessels father outside, covered in blood with two stab wounds to his back and a slashed cheek, according to prosecutors. He said his daughter stabbed him. Never miss a story Make KGET.com your homepage Gessels then-8-year-old son was found on a couch with stab wounds and a cut eyelid. Her daughter, then 9, was located behind the home, also stabbed and covered in blood. It appeared she had tried to crawl away, prosecutors said. Billy Enos, a friend of Gessel, was found dead a short distance away, according to the release. Inside the home, Gessel, sitting near the front door, had two self-inflicted stab wounds, according to the release. Court records show she has prior convictions on misdemeanor offenses including assault on a peace officer and vandalizing a cemetery. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17. One of the largest ways in which institutions interact with financial markets is through foreign exchange. LMAX Group provides electronic trading opportunities for institutions as well as cryptocurrency trading. CEO David Mercer discussed his views on the future of crypto on CNBC. Mercer said that Bitcoin reaching new highs is "inevitable" because of institutional investment, which outweighs selling pressures. He noted that about 900 Bitcoin are mined per day, which is worth between $60 million and $70 million, as opposed to inflows into the exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which reached nearly $700 million in a single day in early March. According to Mercer, this huge imbalance of supply and demand is driving the price of Bitcoin up. Don't Miss: If you invested $100 in DOGE when Elon Musk first tweeted about it in 2019, heres how much youd have today . About 22% of the adult population in the U.S. owns a share of Bitcoin how much would $10 get you today? Additionally, Mercer also discussed the upcoming Bitcoin halving, expected in mid-April. This would lower the amount of Bitcoin mined per day by half to around 450, which could further decrease selling pressures and cause Bitcoin to continue going up. However, some, including Mercer, believe that this is already priced into the market. He also made a statement regarding the total size of the crypto market, saying that if "3% of the world's assets go to crypto, that would be a $6 trillion asset class." For reference, the entire crypto market is estimated to be worth around $2.5 trillion. "You should expect most crypto prices to go north from here, and I think that Ethereum and Solana will follow," Mercer said. Looking beyond crypto, Mercer sees tokenization as "the fourth or fifth industrial revolution" and he predicts that "the token economy will be $20 trillion by 2030." He thinks that tokenization is the true underlying benefit of crypto, and he sees Bitcoin as just a "signpost" and a "proof of concept" for tokenization to take off, "which we will be lucky to live through and enjoy." Story continues "Based purely on supply and demand ... you should see the price of Bitcoin being multiples of what it is today," Mercer said. Though Mercer noted that he is not in the business of predicting, he is basing his idea of Bitcoin going up on the assumption that it will continue to be allocated into standard investment portfolios. This could happen sooner than some expected; the largest pension fund, Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF), recently submitted a request to explore the viability of incorporating Bitcoin into its investment strategy. In terms of the potential for spot Ethereum ETFs, Mercer said that "Bitcoin is the store of value ... the gold of the crypto market. Ethereum is the utility. The oil of the crypto market." He predicted that the Ethereum ETF would happen and be great for Ethereum and the decentralized economy. Mercer discussed nearly all of the pressing issues relating to crypto, bringing every point back to his bullish stance on the asset class. It will be interesting to see how his predictions play out, particularly his idea that crypto could reach a total market size of $6 trillion. Read Next: "ACTIVE INVESTORS' SECRET WEAPON" Supercharge Your Stock Market Game with the #1 "news & everything else" trading tool: Benzinga Pro - Click here to start Your 14-Day Trial Now! Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article LMAX Group CEO Forecasts Bullish Trend: Anticipates Crypto Prices To Surge, Citing Potential $6 Trillion Asset Class originally appeared on Benzinga.com 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. PATERSON Fourth Ward resident Victoria Oquendo liked what she saw recently near her home: a police car parked for hours with its lights flashing at a street corner notorious for crime. I dont have to be ashamed of where I live anymore, she said. I can sleep at night without hearing gunshots. Oquendo attributed the improvements in her neighborhood to changes made since the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office seized control of the Paterson Police Department. March 27 marks the first anniversary of that takeover, an intervention that came with an initial infusion of more than $10 million in state funding, along with a significant reduction in violent crime last year, an increase in disciplinary action against city police officers and a surge in law enforcement overtime spending. For the first time ever, city police officials provide weekly updates of Patersons crime statistics on their website. The department uses its Facebook page to highlight rank-and-file officers, such as a series of posts about African American cops during Black History Month. Police brass have begun using artificial intelligence to analyze body-camera recordings of cops interactions with citizens. I like to say were going from the Stone Age to the Space Age, said Isa Abbassi, the retired New York City chief appointed by the state as officer in charge of the Paterson department. At right, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin introduces Isa M. Abbassi as he assumes the position of Officer in Charge of the Paterson Police Department in Paterson, NJ on Tuesday May 9, 2023. But not everyone is pleased with how things have gone at police headquarters. Critics include Mayor Andre Sayegh, who is fighting in court to try to nullify the attorney general's intervention, and social justice activists, who question the substance of the states efforts and argue that community members should be given a bigger role in crafting public safety initiatives. What theyve done is superficial at best, said Zellie Thomas, leader of Black Lives Matter in Paterson. Its really been just a rebranding of the Police Department. They say its the next generation of policing; were getting the same old type of police officers. Trenton continues to invest, for now As the curtain rises on the second year of state control, major challenges loom. How long will officials in Trenton sustain the extra funding for the municipal police department? Can the city stop the exodus of Paterson cops taking better-paying jobs in the suburbs? Can the Attorney General's Office alter the negative perceptions many residents have toward police officers? This is a major experiment by the Attorney General's Office, and theyre not going to let it fail, said Richard Rivera, a South Jersey police director and retired West New York cop who provides expert testimony in law enforcement litigation. They are going to make sure this succeeds. Gov. Phil Murphys proposed budget for the fiscal year 2025 provides evidence to support Riveras prediction: Theres a line item on page 294 recommending another $10 million for the Paterson Police Department. Whenever you have an extra $10 million, it definitely helps, said the Rev. John Algera, a retired 4th Ward pastor who has served in the Paterson Cease-Fire anti-violence group for many years. Its one thing to have the ideas about what needs to be done, but its another thing to have the money to be able to implement what needs to be done. Isa M. Abbassi, at a press conference, as he assumes the position of Officer in Charge of the Paterson Police Department in Paterson, NJ on Tuesday May 9, 2023. Officials have not provided a detailed accounting of how they are spending the first $10 million. Among the ways they said the money is being used is for overtime for neighborhood stabilization programs, technology, new equipment and training. Abbassi said the extra state money has helped improve the Police Department, but he also asserted that management controls, including increased supervision and accountability, have yielded significant progress without spending a penny. Abbassi cautioned against placing too much emphasis on the decrease in shootings in Paterson. We dont conflate progress with crime reduction, he said. Thats a mistake that amateurs make. We want to see a reduction in disorder. Abbassi said recent crackdowns on illegal parking have been one manifestation of his efforts to reduce disorder. This is not an anything goes town anymore, Abbassi said, citing a much-repeated adage about Patersons permissiveness. If you come from the outside and you think this is an anything goes town, youre going to be disappointed. If you park illegally, whether you live here or not, youre going to be ticketed. Questions about some Paterson police tactics Sep 26, 2023; Paterson, NJ, USA; NJ Attorney General Matthew Platkin looks on as Paterson PD officer in charge Isa Abbassi greets attendees after he unveiled his strategic plan for city law enforcement at the Paterson Public Library. Mandatory Credit: Michael Karas-The Record Oquendo, the 4th Ward resident encouraged by the increased police presence in her neighborhood, learned the hard way about the end of the anything goes approach. She said she got a parking ticket recently for leaving her car across the driveway in front of her home something she said she has been doing for years. Its definitely a double-edged sword, Oquendo said, adding that the ticket was written by a cop patrolling her block. Be careful what you ask for. Councilman Michael Jackson, whose vehicle was towed recently for being too close to a stop sign, condemned the parking crackdowns. Instead of doing real police work, we have officers towing cars, the councilman said. Jackson represents the citys 1st Ward, one of its worst areas for crime. He questioned the accuracy of the crime statistics showing a reduction in shootings, saying he knows of instances when guns were fired and no one was injured by the bullets. The shootings are just as prevalent, but people havent been getting hit, Jackson said, arguing that the state intervention has been ineffective. Councilman Luis Velez, who represents the 5th Ward, where shootings have been on the rise in recent years, said Abbassi has done a great job curbing crime in Paterson. I see the results, he said. Lawyer Patrick Caserta, who has represented Paterson police officers in civil and criminal cases for decades, also praised Abbassi. Caserta said he thought the attorney generals initial announcement of the state takeover was mishandled, and he questioned the treatment of the citys ousted chief, Engelbert Ribeiro, who had been in the job for three weeks at the time of the intervention. Caserta said his outlook changed after he met Abbassi. I find him to be a straight shooter, an honest man, and I believe he is fully committed to his task, Caserta said. He has the background, the experience and the talent to accomplish a lot here. More from Paterson Press: A year after Najee Seabrooks shooting at the hands of police, Paterson seeks answers 'Trust is a very difficult thing to rebuild' Isa Abbassi (second from left), officer in charge of the Paterson Police Department, attends a press conference on a new anti-crime initiative with Mayor Andre Sayegh (third from left) at Paterson City Hall on Monday, June 26, 2023. Some rank-and-file city cops offered a less glowing assessment of the departments leader in private conversations with a reporter. Several expressed their hopes that a lawsuit ending state control would succeed. That litigation was filed by public safety Assistant Director Mark Bulur, Ribeiro and Sayegh. The mayors chief of staff said Sayegh was too busy to do an interview about the first anniversary of the state takeover. Instead, the mayor issued a statement that called the takeover illegal and criticized Attorney General Matthew Platkin. It is quite clear that he is not here to collaborate but to propel his own political career, the statement said. Sayegh said Platkin exiled Ribeiro and has launched mental health and Municipal Court programs that duplicate things the city already was working on. Platkins actions showcase that it was never about rebuilding confidence in law enforcement but rather to position himself for higher office, the mayor said. As a twice duly elected mayor of Paterson, I believe in constructive cooperation, not an outsider using Paterson as a steppingstone to advance his political agenda." Platkin dismissed Sayeghs attack. It is regrettable that some public officials can only view bold actions through the lens of ambition, the attorney general said. Here, we took bold action simply because it was the right thing to do. One year later we are seeing significant progress in many areas including police accountability, transparency, communication and a significant drop in violent crime, Platkin added. Trust is a very difficult thing to rebuild, and this will not happen overnight. Platkin has not said exactly how long the state takeover will last. Abbassi last September issued a two-year strategic plan. The New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police has submitted a brief in the Ribeiro lawsuit criticizing the Attorney General's Office for setting criteria that could be used to determine when the intervention would end. The state takeover happened 24 days after the police shooting death of Najee Seabrooks, who lunged at officers while wielding a knife after a standoff of nearly five hours. Seabrooks had called 911 for help in mental distress that family members attributed to his smoking something. The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice had called for the United States Attorneys Office to intervene in Paterson. The institutes criminal justice reform director, Yannick Wood, said assessing the effectiveness of the attorney general's takeover is complicated. Wood said the state has not yet held anyone accountable for Seabrooks killing. He said some changes implemented under the attorney general reflect what he called traditional police department management, such as training. But he also said he was encouraged by some next generation initiatives, like the AI analysis of body-camera video. Wood questioned why the Attorney General's Office had not intervened sooner in Paterson, considering the legacy of misconduct epitomized by the infamous robbery squad of six rogue cops convicted of federal crimes. Were not looking for a police-led approach to working with the community, Wood said. Were looking for a community-led response. Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. Email: editor@patersonpress.com This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson police: NJ attorney general faces new challenges in takeover HORSEHEADS, N.Y. (WETM) For the 10th year, a Paws for Laws fundraiser will be held this summer to support the New York State Police K-9 Unit at Troop E in Horseheads. The event on May 18th will run from noon to 6 p.m. at the Horseheads Elks Lodge on 6 Prospect Hill Road. The fundraiser will include K-9 demonstrations, live auctions, raffles and a chicken barbecue. The band Blue Eyed Soul will be playing from 2-6 p.m. Admission to the event is $15, or $10 with a bag of dog or cat food. Renee Chalk says an idea in her backyard a decade ago has grown into an event that raises thousands of dollars every year. This actually started in my backyard. I just invited friends over and I did an auction. I hired a DJ. People had to pay $5 to get in. We had a bidding stick which was made out of tongue depressors and paper. At that year, I just bought a bulletproof vest for the dog. Now Ive upgraded obviously, and we purchase dogs for them. Chalk says New York State pays for most of the cost of buying a new K-9. The price can range from $9,000 to $15,000 depending on the breed and level of training. So, New York State allocates X number of dollars each year for dogs, said Chalk. New York State will pay for all of the dogs food, medical bills, and will provide collar and leashes. But its up to the officer to provide toys, bedding, bulletproof vests, and all of that stuff. If the officer chooses to have a better trained, more qualified dog, the difference from what New York State has set aside comes out of the officers pocket. Chalk says a bulletproof can cost several thousand dollars and is not meant to last for the dogs lifetime. Queen City Elks Lodge celebrates 100th birthday of Floyd Winston Coleman Jr. The vest itself can range anywhere from 3200 and up, but each vast has to be form-fitted per dog, and that cant be passed down to another dog if the older dog retires or anything like that, Chalk added. And the filling inside the vest only lasts up to three years. Because when the dog moves, everything inside moves in that vest, so eventually the vest has to be replaced as well. Chalk says her live auctions are known for featuring big ticket items that are donated. She also involves local businesses who want to participate. This year. Ive actually incorporated bronze, silver and gold tables for businesses where they can purchase the table to attend will get free admissions. Theyll get free raffle tickets and stuff like that depending upon which level that they purchase. What drives you to do this? Why is it important for people to get involved in this fundraiser? asked reporter Nick Dubina. My own thought is, if men and women are willing to put on a uniform every day and go out and risk their lives to protect strangers like you and I, the least I can do is give back to them, Chalk said. If you would like to donate or get involved, you can reach out to Renee Chalk at 607-426-7221. You can also email: reneechalk@icloud.com Checks can also be mailed to: Renee Chalk 1218 W Water St Elmira, NY 14905. Please make checks payable to NYS POLICE K9 DIV TROOP E. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. Richard C. Dick Higgins, a 102-year-old survivor of the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, died Tuesday at his home in Bend, Oregon. My grandfather was a very kind and humble man, said Angela Norton. His granddaughter said he would always tell jokes or make funny comments around the house to make his family smile. The thing that made him so unique and so lovable is that he just wanted to share his story to anyone and to everyone who would listen, Norton said. Whether it was a trip to local high schools or a grocery run to Trader Joes, Higgins never missed an opportunity to share his survival account, Norton said. He would just love to sit and chat with random people just to tell them about his story, Norton told CNN. Higgins would often call his recollection living history. Higgins joined the Navy in 1939 and served as a radioman at Pearl Harbor, a Hawaii naval base on Oahu island, assigned to a patrol squadron of seaplanes. It was 7:55 a.m. on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese began dropping multiple bombs and torpedoes on the base. Richard C. Dick Higgins is pictured in the mid-1940s visiting his in-laws in Philadelphia, Mississippi. - Courtesy Angela Norton On that morning, Higgins remembers laying on his bunk in a screened-in lanai, similar to an enclosed porch which he said would help protect the servicemen from the relentless mosquitos on the island. And suddenly, sounds of explosions blared throughout the base, Higgins recounted in a 2008 interview with the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas. They were very close, and so I jumped out of my bunk and I ran over to the edge of the lanai, he said in the oral report. And just as I got there, a plane went right over the barracks. Higgins estimated the plane flew approximately 100 feet above. The Japanese aircraft had red circle emblems painted on the wings, which Higgins described as resembling big red meatballs. There was no doubt what was happening in my mind, he said. The attack lasted an hour and 15 minutes, killing nearly 2,500 US servicemen and citizens, along with injuring more than 1,000 people, according to a National WWII Museum facts report. And so after it was all over, of course, we started cleaning up and belting ammunition, so wed be ready for anything else, Higgins said in the report. During World War II, Higgins continued as a radioman and served in the Dutch East Indies and the Aleutian Islands. Despite his major role in the attacks aftermath, Higgins didnt seek recognition for his service. Instead, his main focus in sharing his testimony was to ensure the world knew the bigger picture. My grandpa would always say, Im not the hero, Norton told CNN. The heroes were those who didnt come back. There are 22 known survivors still alive today, according to Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors, an organization dedicated to the family members and citizens of the military personnel affected by the attack. There is a possibility that there are more living survivors who have not joined the association, according to Kathleen Farley, a director at the organization. Richard C. "Dick" Higgins celebrates his 102nd birthday. - Courtesy Angela Norton Higgins was born on July 24, 1921, on a farm near Mangum, Oklahoma. After serving for 20 years in the Navy, he retired and worked as an aeronautics engineer for Northrop Corporation. He obtained his pilot license and spent his free time in the clouds, or traveling the country with his wife, Winnie Ruth. The two were married for 60 years before she died of Alzheimers in 2004 at 82. As he was getting older and his body was declining he just kept saying, Im ready to go home to be with Jesus and Winnie Ruth, Norton said. Higgins died at home of natural causes, according to his family. His granddaughter said he lived a full life and is proud of everything he overcame during his century of living. Growing up, Norton remembers her grandfather supporting her at sporting games and having sleepovers at his house. Not only did Higgins share his account of the attack on Pearl Harbor, but also other major historical events like the Great Depression and the Oklahoma Dust Bowl which he attributed to his exceptionally long life. He would always say, That good old Oklahoma dust kept me fertile, Norton said. Higgins legacy is carried on by his two children, two grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. My focus is to tell my kids and to tell anyone else about his story, Norton told CNN. So that it is always there and that we dont forget it. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A New Paris, Pennsylvania man is facing animal cruelty charges after his dog was found extremely emaciated with no access to any food or water. NBC affiliate WJAC reports that state troopers were called to a home in West Saint Clair Township in late February. The homeowner claimed that Thad Knisely, 38, had been repeatedly leaving the house for days at a time. Knisely allegedly left his German Shepherd, Nero, locked in the basement when he left. The homeowner told police that the basement was in disarray and the dog was given little to no food or water, WJAC reports. Troopers searched the basement and reported it was littered with broken glass, garbage and dog feces. State troopers said Neros ribs were showing and he only weighed 65 pounds. While he was under observation, officials discovered evidence that Nero had been eating Styrofoam and other unnatural materials. Humane Society officials said his teeth had been ground down as if he had been eating rocks, WJAC reports, as well as showing signs of physical abuse. Nero has been adopted from the shelter. Knisely is charged with cruelty to animals and animal neglect. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Photos: Ex-Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett selling his Cranberry Township home Ex-Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett selling his Cranberry Township home Photos: 19-year-old motorcyclist in ICU after being hit by truck in North Strabane Township VIDEO: Duquesne stuns 6-seed BYU in opening round of NCAA Tournament DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) An Escambia County Grand Jury has indicted a man on two counts of first-degree premeditated murder. Orange Beach Invasion coming to town, police plan to target illegal vehicle modifications Jordon Dominique King, 24, is accused of killing his grandparents, Claiborne M. King Jr., and Andrea Hutchins King, on Feb. 22, 2024. They were found dead inside their home on Greenbrier Boulevard. A mugshot of Jordon King (ECSO) According to previous reporting, the couples son called the sheriffs office asking for a welfare check on the home. Deputies met the son at the home and went inside the home together, where they found his parents dead in two separate rooms of the home. Pensacola man accused of indecent exposure, masturbating at business Deputies could not give a specific cause of death but did say it involved blunt force trauma. Jordon allegedly lived at the home off and on. Deputies found him walking around Blue Angel Parkway and arrested him without incident. Jordons arraignment is scheduled for March 28. Until then, he is being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) The Louisiana State University Police is looking for tips after a person reported an aggravated assault on campus. Police said they received a report about an incident that happened early in the morning on March 18 near Canal Hall. The victim told police a suspect threatened them with a firearm. LSUPD said the victim was not harmed and that the suspects also committed vehicle burglaries in the area. Some important safety tips to remember are to be vigilant at all times, lock your vehicle, walk or travel in groups, tell a friend where you are going and when you expect to arrive, and immediately report all crimes, emergencies, or suspicious activity by calling 911, police said. Denham Springs High School robotics team heads to championship, need help with travel expenses Anyone with information is asked to contact LSU police through the LSU Shield App, call 225-578-3231 or make an anonymous tip online. Latest News For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to BRProud.com. My first camp experience was Camp Winnataska, near Pell City. We made s'mores, had screened-in cabins, shaving cream battles and dressed up like American Indians for the big bonfire night. There were always older guys there who served as camp counselors. They stayed in our cabins, led us in Bible studies, sprayed us with mosquito repellant and they straightened us out when we got out of line. Sometimes they were pranksters. I spent a week at Camp Winnataska when I was 11 years old. I slept like a rock on one of the top bunks after full days of hiking, swimming, horseback riding and dodgeball. But one morning as the bugle sounded, I awoke with confusion to find my bunk in the middle of the floor with all of my cabin-mates staring at me. I had no idea how I had gotten there. Phil Williams My counselors thought that it would be a hoot to carry me outside while I was sleeping, bunk bed and all, but the bed was too big to get out the door. I got over my initial shock and we all had a good laugh about it. I wasnt mad. Why? Because I trusted my counselors and never thought for a second there was any harm in it. They had already earned our trust. You see, just days earlier one of the counselors had gotten out of line. He was a high school kid working with elementary age boys who thought that being the cool counselor gave him the right to be a bully. Anytime he felt like it, he would shove a kid, call him demeaning names or rub shaving cream in the kid's face. What do you do when youre just a knot-head 11-year-old boy and this guy is in charge? Wasnt he supposed to be the boss? Didnt the adults who ran the camp pick him because they thought he was good for us? Then the older counselors caught wind of it. We all listened wide-eyed as the older counselors wore the bully out in the next room. One of my peers looked around at our shocked faces saying, I dont feel bad for him. He deserves it. The bully was gone the next day. Those older guys were our heroes. They could have hung me up by my toes and fed me worms and I would have laughed because they had already proven themselves to us. The point is this: Adults need to be keenly aware of who is working with their kids. We cannot simply take for granted that anyone with the name and title of camp counselor is automatically OK. Likewise, those adults who select others to serve as counselors in their organizations bear a great responsibility. Anyone who works with children should be required to go through some measure of scrutiny, background checks and criteria-based interviewing. Anyone in charge of programs that work with minor children should ask themselves: Am I putting people in charge of kids that I wouldnt allow to baby-sit my children? Which brings me to Space Camp, hosted by the US Space and Rocket Center, (USSRC) and the counselors themselves, or in Space Camp parlance, the Space Camp Trainers. Space Camp and the USSRC are amazing assets to our state. My daughter attended Space Camp and I have fond memories of visiting the USSRC myself. Movies have been made about Space Camp and parents spend thousands of dollars to send their kids from all over the world. The Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission (ASSEC) oversees the USSRC and Space Camp and lists some amazing people as appointed members. They receive millions of dollars in state appropriations and local tax dollars to support Space Camp, and they all have some explaining to do. Apparently the USSRC now hires those who take their personal agendas into the lives of our kids. Its wrong, and it will not go unspoken. Somehow, Space Camp forgot that its mission is its audience. Word broke recently of one Space Camp Trainer who proudly posted on his social media that he identifies as a Butch coded space queer while wearing a rainbow flag on his Space Camp uniform. In a separate post, this same individual displayed a gender is a universe sticker on his clipboard in hopes that Space Camp attendees would see it. He was not a solo act. Parents now relate their shock at discovering male trainers who identify as female sleep on the girls floor, and walk into the girls changing areas while they dress. Parents were not advised that a state-run world-class facility in good ol red state Alabama was of the mind that men can pretend to be women and then work with little girls. This is escalating at an enormous rate, with parents expressing their outrage and future attendees already dropping out. Local, state and federal officials have all engaged, and rightfully so. Constituents need to know their elected leaders are not OK with children being exposed to agendas that put them in awkward and insecure positions. State legislation is being proposed to address the issue. The pronoun police have also swooped in to denounce anyone who would dare question the well-meaning butch coded space queer. As per usual, they made the issue about the adults and their agenda rather than the security of kids and the sanctity of parents' rights. Parents have every right to speak out, and anyone who tells them to mind their own business and go stand quietly in the corner is simply wrong. This is a parental rights issue, a religious liberty issue, a civil rights issue. No child should be made to feel insecure or threatened just so that an adult with identity issues can feel better about themselves. Lets get camp back to being about the kids, and not about the adults. Put camp, education, and experiential learning, back to a place where there is a deep and meaningful intent to make kids lives better without trying to foist adult lifestyles on them. Phil Williams is a former state senator from District 10 (which includes Etowah County), retired Army colonel and combat veteran, and a practicing attorney. He previously served with the leadership of the Alabama Policy Institute in Birmingham. He currently hosts the conservative news/talk show Rightside Radio on multiple channels throughout north Alabama. The opinions expressed are his own. This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Phil Williams on Space Camp and the controversy over counselors Gregory Knauss, an engineer with the Phoenix Fire Department, is facing charges after Peoria police say he vandalized a townhome and made threats. But he has a history of legal run-ins, including a DUI. A Phoenix firefighter, who had been previously arrested by Peoria police on suspicion of spraying foam into the plumbing system of a Peoria man's home, was re-arrested Thursday morning. This time, it was prompted by a former neighbor in Phoenix reporting a similar incident at his own home four years ago. In 2020, one of Greg Knauss' neighbors filed for a protective order against him, making similar accusations of Knauss spraying foam into his home sewage pipes, sealing them shut, poisoning his lemon tree, and tampering with the air conditioning unit. According to court records, when the neighbor confronted Knauss, he responded by stating that he had both the time and resources, asserting he wasn't a naive firefighter. Knauss also mentioned holding grudges and suggested that the neighbor hadn't witnessed the extent of his actions yet. The Phoenix neighbor filed a police report in 2020 and also submitted an injunction against harassment against Knauss, similar to a protective order, at the Encanto Justice Court on Sep. 11 of that year. The order was rescinded after the court determined insufficient evidence of Knauss' guilt. But that changed Thursday when Peoria police arrested Knauss in Phoenix at around 11 a.m. Court documents state that authorities found "stark and distinct match" between the Phoenix and Peoria incidents such as the use of threats and using spray foam to block drainage pipes. Peoria police first apprehended Knauss in late February following allegations that he had sliced into the roof of a townhome near 51st and Sweetwater Avenues. Officers reported vandalism to the HVAC system, as well as the spraying of foam into the drainage and sewage pipes, which were subsequently sealed shut. The sink, shower and toilet flooded, and the damage was so extensive, the foam reached into the city's sewer system, police said in court documents. Knauss, who has worked at the Phoenix Fire Department since 2006, has had a lengthy string of legal problems over the years. He was arrested on suspicion of extreme DUI, theft, forgery, public sexual indecency and urinating in public. He pleaded guilty to the extreme DUI in 2008. He entered a plea agreement to attempted theft and possession of a forgery device in 2012. On Feb. 29, Maricopa County prosecutors filed charges against Knauss in Maricopa County Superior Court. The charges included second-degree burglary, classified as a Class Four felony; two counts of criminal damage, designated as Class Three felonies; and threatening or intimidating another person, categorized as a Class One misdemeanor. On top of those charges, Knauss now also faces one count of third degree burglary and three counts of criminal damage for the 2020 incident. He has since been released on his own recognizance with electronic monitoring installed. His next scheduled court appearance for the Phoenix case is on April 5 in Maricopa County Superior Court. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix firefighter re-arrested on additional criminal damage and burglary charges Police are asking for the publics help in solving a 2020 hit-and-run that killed a Dayton woman. On Aug. 10, 2020 around 8:30 p.m., Tamara Jackson was hit and killed by a car in the area of West Third Street near Lorenz Avenue, according to Dayton Police Sgt. Gordon Cairns. This is a cold case for us so we are constantly working and still trying to find out who was driving the vehicle that struck here, Cairns said. >> Police searching for teen accused of killing 2 in Dayton The suspect vehicle is described as a white Chrysler 300 with possible Illinois tags. Anyone with information should call Dayton police at 937-333-COPS (2677) or contact Miami Valley Crime Stoppers at 937-222-STOP (7867) or www.miamivalleycrimestoppers.com. UPDATE: Longview PD released an update that Tykiron Mumphreys charge has been updated to murder. LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK) A man has been arrested following a shooting at a convenience store in Longview that resulted in one death. 1-year-old dies after being struck while playing in apartment parking lot, police say The Longview Police Department said at approximately 3:40 a.m. they responded to a reported shooting at the EZ Mart at 700 Gilmer Rd. Officials said that upon arrival they discovered that an adult male had sustained a gunshot wound with life-threatening injuries and was being taken to the hospital by a private vehicle. The police said that the victim later passed away from their injuries. Detectives reportedly identified Tykiron Mumphrey, 20 of Gladewater, as their suspect and he has been taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault. Tykiron Mumphrey, 20 of Gladewater, courtesy of the Gregg County Jail UPDATE: Sheriff says Smith County kidnapping directly related to cartel Longview PD is asking that anyone with any additional information about the incident contact them at 903-237-1110 or to contact Gregg County Crime Stoppers at 903-236-7867. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. Ferrovial has agreed to sell its 25pc stake in a 2.4bn deal that values Heathrow at just under 10bn - ANDY RAIN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock The former owner of Thames Water is weighing the purchase of a multi-billion pound stake in Heathrow Airport in a move that could trigger a fierce tussle for control of Britains pre-eminent travel hub. Australian investment house Macquarie is assembling the firepower to buy out several of Heathrows existing backers who are scrambling for an exit. The potential change of ownership has been triggered by the decision of Spanish construction outfit Ferrovial to offload its shares in Heathrow after 17 years as its largest investor. Under the terms of a complex agreement, Ferrovials planned departure provides an opportunity for other shareholders to make their escape too. With as much as 60pc of Heathrows shares likely to change hands, some of the worlds wealthiest investment houses, including Macquarie, are circling the airport. A source involved in the talks said: Heathrow is a great asset. It must be one of the blue-riband assets in infrastructure and in airports. Ferrovial has agreed to sell its 25pc stake to Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund and Ardian, one of Europes biggest private equity houses, in a 2.4bn deal that values Heathrow at just shy of 10bn. Ardian is also understood to be trying to raise the capital to purchase the stakes of three other shareholders that are looking to exit. They are Canadian pension fund CDPQ; Singapores sovereign wealth fund GIC; and the UKs Universities Superannuation Scheme. Tag-along rights allow them to find a buyer for their pieces of Heathrow at the same price. This could see Macquarie leapfrog Ardian and become the linchpin in the discussions. The investment bank is expected to buy the remaining 35pc that is up for grabs, allowing Ardian and Saudi Arabias state-backed Public Investment Fund to go ahead with purchasing 25pc. The talks are in danger of collapsing unless all the shareholders are able to sell out. Alternatively, City sources said Macquarie possessed the firepower to mount a competing bid for the entire 60pc stake that is on the block. It manages nearly half a trillion pounds worth of assets around the world. Story continues Macquaries interest may be part of ongoing attempts to move on from its controversial ownership of another strategically important piece of UK infrastructure. Critics lay much of the blame for the current predicament of Thames Water at the door of Macquarie, which owned the company for more than a decade from 2006 to 2017. Britains biggest water supplier is facing the prospect of a government-engineered rescue as it buckles under the weight of nearly 19bn of borrowings, roughly three quarters of which is a hangover from Macquaries time in charge. Heathrow has been dogged by similar concerns about its finances. Since Ferrovials initial investment in 2006, the airports borrowings have ballooned to nearly 17bn, forcing it to fork out 1.5bn in interest payments alone last year. A shake-up of Heathrows shareholder base comes as the Government attempts to secure new powers to influence the independent allocation of slots at Britains airports. The shift was revealed in a recent consultation document from the Department for Transport, which said it was proposing to create new powers allowing the Secretary of State to intervene and overrule them. It is understood that proposed changes to slot allocation rules have inflamed tensions with airlines. An industry source said the changes would risk adding extra cost and complexity to their operations. Chris Bosworth, an aviation consultant, said the changes could mean slots were handed out in response to diplomatic pressure from governments around the world seeking an advantage for their flag carriers in exchange for trade deals or other favours. Macquarie declined to comment. Recommended Inside the revolution at 'incompetent' Heathrow Read more Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A man has been hospitalized after officials say he was shot on an interstate exit ramp in Atlanta. Atlanta police said on Friday at 12:53 p.m., officers received reports of a person shot in the area of Interstate 20 Westbound Ramp SW and Pryor Street SW. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] When officers arrived, they found a man who had been shot in the groin. He was taken to the hospital, where his condition was not released. The victims identity has not been released. According to the investigation, the suspect ran from the scene after the shooting. TRENDING STORIES: No one is in custody. The shooting remains under investigation. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland, makes a press statement in the German Chancellery. Tusk joined numerous world leaders in condemning the mass shooting at a Moscow concert. "We hope that this terrible tragedy will not become a pretext for anyone to escalate violence and aggression." Tusk wrote on X. Christoph Soeder/dpa Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk joined numerous world leaders in condemning the mass shooting at a Moscow concert in which at least 133 people were killed, urging calm amid the horrific attack. "Poland strongly condemns the brutal attack at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow," Tusk wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday evening. "We all grieve for the families of the victims. We hope that this terrible tragedy will not become a pretext for anyone to escalate violence and aggression." Poland's Defence Minister Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said all of the country's security agencies were analysing and monitoring the situation, announcing a reinforcement of troops on the EU and NATO country's eastern border in light of the attack. Poland has been one of Ukraine's most steadfast backers ever since the beginning of the all-out Russian invasion of the neighbouring country in February 2022. Unidentified perpetrators fired indiscriminately at concert-goers at the Crocus City Hall venue in the outskirts of northwestern Moscow on Friday evening. Explosions were heard and a large blaze later led to the collapse of the building's roof. The death toll from the attack rose to at least 133 on Saturday, with emergency workers continuing to search for survivors among the rubble. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Russian authorities have so far not commented on that, instead suggesting Ukraine might have been involved, accusations Kiev swiftly denied. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The disappearance of Missouri student Riley Strain in Nashville captured the hearts of people across the country. Many volunteers focused their efforts on Gay Street, the last place Strain was seen on surveillance video. One group of volunteers placed more than a thousand missing person flyers of Strain with hopes of bringing him home. They get to bring him home and thats, if you can read my shirt, why we didnt put missing we just want to bring him home, volunteer Jennifer Ward told News 2. Riley Strains body found in Cumberland River Ward has volunteered every day over the last two weeks saying, as a mother, she felt personally invested. Friday night she worked to hold a prayer vigil in Strains honor at 7:30 p.m. under the bridge near where he was last seen. You know prayer isnt the least we can do, its the most we can do. Today starts day one in their journeyI couldnt imagine what they feel today, volunteer Brandi Maige said. Hug your babies tight tonight, please for me: Riley Strains mother speaks for first time after sons body was found Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell posted on social media Friday that he cant imagine the familys heartbreak, saying he will continue working on improvements in safety in a variety of ways. District 19 Metro Councilman Jacob Kupin told News 2 that he has been looking at ways to ensure the riverfront is a safe area while preserving the look of the river. Since Rileys disappearance, Ive been down here a number of times looking at the scene, looking at what might have happened, what can we as a city do to make sure nothing ever happened again. Of course, we dont know exactly what happened to him, but weve been in conversations with multiple departments looking at potential barriers or barricades to this space making sure people understand there is a cliff, there is a drop off in this area and to be safe and cognizant of that, said Kupin. Riley Strain Continuing Coverage | The latest in the search for the missing Missouri student Metro police say the preliminary investigation shows there was no foul play in Strains case. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are sending "healing" wishes to Catherine, Princess of Wales, following her announcement on March 22 that she is being treated for cancer. We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace," Prince Harry and Meghan Markle said in a statement obtained by NBC News. The couple's statement came just hours after the former Kate Middleton announced news of her cancer diagnosis in a rare video posted posted March 22 on her and husband Prince Williams's official social media accounts. The 42-year-old royal was hospitalized for nearly two weeks in January following what she now called "major" abdominal surgery. She was not expected to appear in public again until after Easter, Kensington Palace announced on Jan. 17. In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was noncancerous, Kate said in Friday's video. The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present, she continued. The princess explained that she was currently undergoing a course of preventative chemotherapy. She told viewers the cancer diagnosis came as a "huge shock" to her and Prince William, whose aim was to manage this privately for the sake of our young family." As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment, Kate told viewers. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK. She concluded her video saying she was well and getting stronger every day," and expected to make a "full recovery." Kate's health update comes less than two months after Buckingham Palace announced Feb. 5 that her father-in-law, King Charles III, had been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer. The palace said at the time that during the kings recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer. Following his daughter-in-law's announcement on Friday, the British monarch shared that he is "so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did," according to a Buckingham Palace spokesperson. The statement went on to say that the two were in the hospital together earlier this year and that the king has remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks. King Charles and his wife, Camilla, Queen Consort, will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time," the statement concluded. This article was originally published on TODAY.com (The Hill) Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are sending a message of health and healing to Kate, the Princess of Wales, following her cancer diagnosis. We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, Harry and Meghan said in a statement Friday obtained by ITK. The pair said their hope was that Kate, whos married to Harrys brother, Prince William, is able to recover privately and in peace. The statement came hours after 42-year-old Kate announced in a video posted on social media that she had been diagnosed with cancer following abdominal surgery in January. Republicans lash out at Greene over threat to oust Speaker Johnson Its been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, Kate said. The medical update followed weeks of intense press coverage and speculation about Kates health and extended absence from public appearances following the surgery, which had been announced by Kensington Palace. Harry and Meghans relationship with much of the British royal family has appeared strained following last years release of his tell-all memoir Spare. The couple stepped down as full-time working members of the royal family and moved to California in 2020, later saying that racism played a role in their decision to step back from their senior positions. King Charles III, who Buckingham Palace said last month had also been diagnosed with cancer following a procedure for an enlarged prostate, shared a message for Kate, saying he was so proud of his daughter-in-law for her courage in speaking as she did. Both Their Majesties will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time, a statement from Buckingham Palace said, according to multiple news reports. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. The Prince and Princess of Wales with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex watching an RAF flypast in 2018 - Chris Jackson Prince Harry has put the acrimonious rift with his brother behind him to reach out privately after being told the Princess of Wales was undergoing treatment for cancer. The Duke of Sussex made contact with both Prince William and the Princess on learning she had started a course of preventive chemotherapy, the Telegraph understands. The Duchess of Sussex has also been in touch with the Prince and Princess amid reports the Sussexes were blindsided by the Princesss announcement, which they learned of on Friday. An insider told the New York Post: They had no idea, and only learned of the news around the same time the rest of the world found out. This goes to show the irreparable damage they have caused. The trust has been broken and the royal family is OK distancing themselves from them. Sources close to the Sussexes declined to elaborate on when, or how, the couple found out about the diagnosis. It is unlikely the Prince and Princess would have trusted the couple with the devastating news, which they kept within their very tight inner circle for several weeks to protect their three children. Prince William and Prince Harry at the unveiling on a statute of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 2021 - Yui Mok Senior members of the Royal family lost all faith in the Duke and Duchess in the wake of their many television interviews and became wary of talking to the couple in case their words were repeated in public. The Prince and Princess were said to have been devastated by the many intimate family revelations, text messages and conversations the Duke of Sussex shared in his memoir, Spare. The Prince of Wales in particular, was angry about how his wife had been portrayed and was mortified his brother had betrayed them for commercial gain. The two couples are not thought to have been in contact for many months. The messages of support from California might therefore be considered an olive branch that could mark the beginning of a thawing in relations. The Sussexes released a public statement conveying their good wishes to the Prince and Princess two and a half hours after their news became public knowledge. We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace, they said in a statement released shortly before 8.30pm on Friday. When King Charles received his own cancer diagnosis, the Duke of Sussex was shaken enough to make a transatlantic dash to see his father. The King had called the Duke personally to tell him the news, setting in motion their first proper face-to-face meeting after at least 17 months. The Duke, who was at home in Montecito, wasted no time in booking a commercial flight to the UK and flew to London for a 30-minute meeting with the King at Clarence House on Feb 6. However, the specific details of the meeting changed several times, as plans for the Duke to fly to Sandringham with the King and Queen were vetoed at the last minute. Instead, he was forced to stay in a hotel rather than a royal residence and was not given police protection for the remainder of his short stay. His next visit to the UK is scheduled for May, when the Duke hopes to attend a service at St Pauls Cathedral to mark the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games. Opportune moment for reconciliation Having recently lost a legal battle with the Government over his right to automatic police protection, the Duke is unlikely to travel with the Duchess or their children, Prince Archie, four, and Princess Lilibet, two, because of fears for their safety. The solo visit could therefore prove an opportune moment to reconcile with his brother and sister-in-law. Following the publication of Spare in January 2023, the Duke indicated he wanted to sit down with his family and make amends. He said he wanted to have his father and brother back as a a family, not an institution. The Duke is understood to have dropped his demands for an apology for himself and the Duchess, recognising that such attempts to force a reaction had failed. Warm wishes likely sent via text from California in the wake of the health scare might open a channel of communication. But any meaningful reconciliation between the two couples will rely heavily on a willingness to forgive and forget from the Prince of Wales. The Princess, who is a known peacemaker, might do her bit to heal the brotherly rift. But with so much currently resting on his shoulders, it would take a giant leap of faith from the Prince to risk creating any further upset for his family. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The Princess of Wales will remain in hospital for 10 to 14 days Public support has been pouring in for the Princess of Wales after she announced her treatment for cancer. In a video statement released on Friday evening, Catherine described her diagnosis as a "huge shock". She said she has been undergoing preventative chemotherapy, after tests revealed the cancer following abdominal surgery in January. Across Berkshire, where the princess lives with her family, people have expressed sympathy for the royal. Catherine lives with her husband Prince William and their three children in the Berkshire town On the Long Walk, in Windsor Jean Hood said: "I think it is incredibly sad and my heart goes out to her and the family." Ms Hood has lived in the historic town for 40 years and told the BBC the story resonated with her because her mother had cancer. "My mother passed away when I was 12," she explained, adding: "Hopefully for Kate she will be absolutely fine and she will recover well and go on to live a long and happy life with her family. "I just think of the children at this time and my heart goes out to them." The Princess of Wales has faced intense public speculation and a social media frenzy about her health since she underwent major surgery in January. "Social media has a lot to answer for," said Ms Hood. Windsor resident Edward Bailey called online conspiracy theories surrounding the Princess sad Edward Bailey said he follows the Royal Family on Instagram and saw Catherine's video statement there. He said he thought it was "very sad in that situation that she had to come out and say it so soon", adding: "When really she just wanted to keep it private for a longer period." He added that he had been "fortunate" to meet Catherine last summer at King Charles' coronation party, when she came down to the Long Walk. The Windsor resident said he thought "conspiracy theories that have been going around" were "quite sad" and "brought an extra layer of empathy for her - and the family". Rachel Vallencourt, arrived in Windsor on Saturday morning after travelling to the UK from Boston, in the US. Describing herself as an "avid royal watcher", she said: "[It's] very surreal and very sad for Kate and the whole family. "I can only imagine what they're all going through and, having two young kids myself, I don't know how she's able to have those conversations." She added that it was "lovely" to hear the Princess of Wales sounding positive in her video statement. Sharon, who also lives in the Berkshire town, said she "just felt very sad for her because she is going through all of this in the glare of the public", adding: "It must be very, very difficult for her. "When you've got somebody in your family that is going through cancer, you've got to think about how you're going to tell everybody else. "It's nothing to do with any of the public, her children are the number one priority and she had to think of them before she thought about what anybody else needs to know." Kaya Waters believes Catherine's positive attitude and support from family will help her with her recovery In Bucklebury, where the Princess of Wales grew up and where her parents still live, residents expressed admiration for the strength she showed in her video message. "I think she's very brave to do what she did. It's not easy to talk about it," said John Dugdale, who referred to Catherine as "a local girl". Kaya Waters believes Catherine's positive attitude and support from family will help her with her recovery. Ms Waters' husband Aiden died from cancer last year. He was 30 years old. "Having a positive mental attitude helps with those situations massively," she said. Follow BBC South on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2240. A Super PAC supporting former President Donald Trump, MAGA Inc., released a new ad hitting President Biden on immigration, a key issue for voters heading into the general election, Friday. NobodyNobody is going to be deported, Biden said in the 15-second ad, while footage plays of immigrants rushing the border fence. There will not be another foot of wall constructed in my administration. Trump shared the ad Friday on Truth Social with the caption BIDENS INVASION. The move came hours after the Biden campaign released a Latino-focused ad, calling out the former president on his controversial rhetoric toward immigrants, while praising the diversity they bring to the U.S. This election is an election between me and a guy named Trump, Biden said in the ad, first reported by The Hill. This is a guy who calls Latinos criminals, drug dealers, and rapists. Now he says immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country, Biden said. What the hell is he talking about? he continued. The reason were as good as we are is because we are the most diverse country in the world. The 30-second ad entitled Change, will air on digital platforms both in Spanish and English. It will be played in Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Florida. The ad is part of a $30 million ad buy following Bidens State of the Union address. This was Biden campaigns second Latino-focused ad this week. The first, released Tuesday, outlined different policy positions between Biden and Trump for Latino voters. The candidates have battled over immigration issues before, with both Trump and Biden visiting the southern border last month, though being in different locations. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (DENVER, Colo.) The Pueblo City flag was hoisted over the Colorado State Capitol for the first time on Friday, March 22, during the inaugural Pueblo Flag Day. Governor Polis and legislators from the Pueblo area were in attendance to commemorate the occasion. Courtesy: The Office of Colorado Governor, Jared Polis Since 1872, Pueblo has been the host city for the Colorado State Fair, showcasing a variety of community activities distinct to Colorado. The fair highlights the famous Pueblo Chile and includes events that commemorate Pueblos rich agricultural history. Courtesy: The Office of Colorado Governor, Jared Polis We recognize Pueblos many important contributions to our state. Today, as the Pueblo flag flies over the State Capitol for the first time we are celebrating all things Pueblo, said Governor Jared Polis. In honor of Pueblo Flag Day, the City of Pueblo also raised the flag during a ceremony on Friday at the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce. Nearly 70 people gathered to hear statements from the Mayor of Pueblo, Heather Graham, and other members of city leadership. The Pueblo Flag was raised along with the American Flag, as community members recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Courtesy: City of Pueblo, Colorado The Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce Leadership Pueblo Class of 2023 initiated the day to encourage people and businesses to demonstrate their pride in Pueblo and Colorado by flying the flag. The City of Pueblo was incorporated on March 22 of 1870, inspiring the Leadership Pueblo Class to choose this day as the Pueblo Flag Day. Businesses, organizations and community members were encouraged to hang the city flags on buildings and display flag bumper stickers to honor their city. Im extremely proud to have this Pueblo Flag Day initiative started by our own citizens and supported by so many of our community members, said Mayor of Pueblo Heather Graham. This is an opportunity for us to reflect on why we love our city so muchfor the diversity, culture, traditions, art, rich history, food, and long generational ties. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. Purim, a Jewish holiday commemorating the salvation of Jewish people from a genocide in the ancient Persian empire, is Saturday. The holiday celebrates Esther, a biblical queen who saved the Jewish people from extermination at the hands of the antisemitic prime minister of Persia. Nowadays, the holiday is celebrated by giving gifts, helping the poor and having a feast. Jewish children dress up in costumes, often representing characters from the story of Esther. Here's what to know about the Jewish holiday, including how it is celebrated, what it commemorates and its special hamantaschen cookies. Hebrew words are seen on the Megillah during Purim at the Chabad Lubavitch of Arizona in Phoenix on March 9, 2020. When is Purim in 2024? Purim is celebrated on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar in late winter or early spring. This year's celebration will start on Saturday, March 23, and continue through Sunday, March 24. What does the holiday celebrate? The holiday originated from the story of Esther, which is in the Hebrew bible. The story tells of Haman, an antisemitic prime minister in Persia, who convinced the king to issue a decree to exterminate all the Jews. Mordechai, a leader of the Jews, defied Haman and told the Jews to repent, fast, pray and come together to defend themselves. The king's wife, Esther, was Jewish but hadn't told the king. When she revealed her identity to the king at a feast, he had Haman hung. Mordechai became the next prime minister and led his Jewish army to kill many of their enemies after the king issued a decree to grant Jews the right to defend themselves from foes. They rested on the 14th day of Adar. Rabbi Mendy Barth and four students play bean bag toss at the Phoenix Hebrew Academy's Purim carnival Feb. 24, 2021. What does Purim mean? Purim translates to "lots" in Persian. The holiday is named after this because Haman held lotteries to determine what day he would carry out his genocidal plot. How is the holiday celebrated? One of the holiday traditions is to read the book of Esther and the story of Haman's failed plot on the eve and day of the holiday. Children are encouraged to "boo" every time Haban's name is mentioned in the telling of the story. According to chabad.org, other traditions include giving money to at least two poor people, sending gifts of two kinds of food to someone and a festive feast. Children are encouraged to dress up in costumes usually representing characters in the story to synergize with the jolly ambiance of the holiday. While some might compare the holiday to Halloween, it can be considered offensive to some due to the holiday's significance. "Purim is a deeply selfless celebration one where gifts are given not only to friends but to those most in need," Rabbi Mordechai Lightstone, told USA TODAY. "Its a celebration of life and finding the holy in even the moments of greatest concealment." What is eaten at the feast of Purim? Hamantaschen cookies are regularly eaten on Purim. The three-cornered cookie represents Haban's three-cornered hat, according to USA TODAY. It usually includes a fruit, but savory and sweet options also are made. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What is Purim? What to know about Jewish holiday There are certain bad design decisions that seem to persist for no good reason. Like when you buy a pair of scissors but cant get to them because theyre trapped inside a hard plastic shell that requires scissors to open. Or the Apple mouse, with its port on the underside, rendering it unusable while charging. These frustrations dont make a product bad, per se; theyre just irksome. The kind of little frictions that make you think, Whyd they do that? No standard spoon can fit inside the narrow openings of the typical glass caper jar. Dumping them out risks loss of essential brine. Even if you do have a supremely tiny utensil to fish them out, theres no single-dip solution: At best you can capture three or four in one go, and any piccata recipe or lox spread worth its salt calls for, like, at least a dozen capers. Why, dear God, why do they do that? This is a story about one of modern lifes least consequential but most acutely annoying experiences: getting a sufficient number of capers out of those dollhouse-size jars theyre sold in. The short, unsatisfying answer? Capers are expensive, so producers sell them in smaller jars to make each unit more affordable. But the reason for tall jars instead of squat ones is a longer story. The skinny on capers For the uninitiated, capers are the unripened, pea-sized buds of the prickly caper bush, or Capparis spinosa. Let them ripen, and you get caper berries, which are sort of like olives. The caper bush is a hardy shrub, happiest when rooted on a rocky cliff under a hot Mediterranean sun. Capers are typically picked by hand, then dried out in salt or pickled in a vinegar solution. - iStockphoto/Getty Images Straight off the vine, capers are terribly bitter. But someone, somewhere (likely hundreds of years ago), got it in their heads to take those practically inedible buds, dry them out in a boatload of sea salt and then rehydrate them. Once theyre cured and pickled, capers become perfect little salt bombs to drop into a nicoise salad or a chicken piccata. Its not illegal to order a lox bagel in New York City without capers, but it should be. Story continues Why such narrow jars? A definitive explanation for the svelte glass jar that they come in is hard to come by. Major caper purveyors Cento and Goya did not respond to requests for comment. Reddit threads on the subject tend to upvote the theory that the tall, skinny glass jars keep the capers fresh by ensuring they stay submerged in their brine. Russell Zwanka, the director of the food marketing program at Western Michigan University, echoed that as a plausible theory. I do understand the frustration of a spoon not fitting, and I dont have an answer for that, Zwanka said. I dont know why you cant make it just another half an inch bigger. A standard spoon is no match for a skinny, 3.5-ounce caper jar. A narrow measuring spoon, if you have one, works well. - Rebecca Wright/CNN There is another, more profit-focused theory. Its courtesy of Jeff Mezzetta, the president of the privately owned California food label Mezzetta (which sells its capers in a variety of jar sizes, all with enough clearance for a regular teaspoon). Skinny jars just look nicer, Mezzetta says. After all, theres little practical value to the skinny jar. In fact, its far less practical, from the producers standpoint. The taller and the thinner the jar, the more difficult it is to package because theyre tippy on the production lines, and with the smaller opening, theyre harder to get into the jar, said Mezzetta, a connoisseur so passionate about the garnish that he even named his dog, a black Labrador, Caper. His take: Its primarily because some marketer feels that theyre going to look more elegant on the shelf. There are sound economics behind that theory. Supermarket psychology Food packaging does a lot of different things, Zwanka says. It of course keeps food fresh, prevents waste and makes sure the product can be shipped efficiently. But we also want to make sure that products are affordable, he said. Because capers are expensive and not exactly a staple of the American refrigerator, although sales are rising, according to Mezzetta food companies opt for smaller jars to keep down the per-unit cost for consumers. Zwanka notes a similar packaging dilemma with saffron, one of the worlds most expensive spices. When you buy it at the grocery store, its perhaps disheartening to see a few tiny strings packed into the jar for $18. Popular ways to extract capers, according to Reddit: Use an old-fashioned potato peeler, chefs tweezers, a tiny melon baller or a wide-mouth boba straw. - CNN You need the jar so itll fit in the in the spice rack, he says. But you also couldnt fill that jar, or it would be $200. If youre only using a few capers a year, a tiny jar that can live unobtrusively in the fridge makes sense for most people. Prices vary, but a 3-ounce jar runs you about $4 at the grocery store. Still, you might wonder: Why is it a that jar so tall and narrow you need a nail file to stab at the tiny green orbs? Blame the success of Skinny Can Chic. Strolling down the soda aisle lately, youll notice that beverage cans have slimmed down, squeezing the same 12 ounces of fluid into a more slender package. Consumers see slim cans as more sophisticated, which makes them feel more sophisticated, Duane Stanford, the editor of industry trade publication Beverage Digest, told CNN last year. The same thing is happening in the beer aisle, Zwanka notes. Theyve all adapted what you would consider the Red Bull can, because Red Bull kind of started it. But now anybody who wants to signify that it is thinner, lighter, less calories, maybe healthier they put it thinner cans. Kitchen hacks Labor costs are the main reason capers cost more than you might expect from what is essentially a pickled weed. The vast majority of the capers at the grocery store are grown in the wild in places like Morocco, Tunisia, Greece and Turkey, and they are picked by hand. It takes you an hour to pick a kilo, if youre very fast, says Brian Noone, who runs a wholesale caper plant nursery in Adelaide, South Australia. The other problem is, people tend to think the smaller ones taste betterBut its a lot more work to get the smaller ones, which are called non-pareils. Capparis spinosa, growing on a high cliff in Malta. - domeniko/iStockphoto/Getty Images Once they get to your kitchen, there are a number of hacks for getting them out of the jar. A Reddit page on the universally frustrating process is titled: getting capers out of those stupid f*cking narrow jars. Among the tips and tricks offered by Redditors: Try a a long metal bar spoon or a half-teaspoon measuring spoon. Other common utensil suggestions: An old fashioned potato peeler, chefs tweezers, a tiny melon baller, a wide-mouth boba straw. I use a tiny fork. Like the kind for shrimp cocktail or crab, offers one user. Korean dessert fork for me! Its a tiny fork head on a long chopstick-shaped handle, says another. But perhaps theres no solution quite as simple as going all in and dumping them all out. As one Redditor said: Ive never been in a situation where I dont decide to just use the entire tiny jar for what Im making. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Purim, a Jewish holiday celebrating joy and salvation, begins Saturday evening and ends Sunday evening. Among the celebrations: many Jewish children will dress up and feast on triangular sweets on Saturday evening. Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion President Andrew Rehfeld said Purim (pronounced like "poor-ihm") surrounds a story about how Persian King Achashverosh wanted to kill all Jewish people, but the plan was thwarted when his wife Esther convinced him otherwise and executed his advisor Haman during a feast. Hebrew studies professor at the University of Florida Yaniv Feller said most Jews in the U.S. celebrate by reading the megillah, or the book of Esther, on Saturday evening. Feller said a tradition is growing for children to wear costumes typically of figures in the story. He added they often go to a Saturday service and use noisemakers whenever Haman's name is said. Some people celebrate with excessive drinking, Feller said. He and Rehfeld equated the atmosphere to the Mardi Gras celebration ahead of Lent. Rehfeld added charity is big during the holiday, for both loved ones and those in need. "It's often care packages of food for friends or people in need," he said. "Usually in the form of charity and support of one another." What is the religious significance of Purim? Feller said there are different views of the holiday. He said it is always up to interpretation each year, but each center on Jews being saved from mass murder. "The celebration is the way Jews protected themselves through Esther, who was a queen who married the king and figured out how to stop the slaughtering," Rehfeld said. He added Mordechai, a Jewish leader and cousin of Esther, organized Jews at the time to fast, pray to God and repent their sins ahead of the expected slaughtering. Tzedek Chicago Rabbi Brant Rosen offered a different explanation for the holiday's origins. He said the holiday is based on a historically inaccurate fable meant to explain Jewish life and the disenfranchisement some faced under Persian rule. When is Purim? Rehfeld said Purim begins Saturday evening and lasts until Sunday evening. He added in Judaism, holidays are celebrated from evening to evening. In the Hebrew calendar, the holiday falls on the 14th of Adar. A child dressed in a costume celebrates Purim in the Mea Shearim ultra-Orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem in 2023. Treats, dressing up are often part of the celebration for children "When I was growing up, we would have a Purim carnival at my synagogue and we'd eat the hamantasch cookies," Rosen said. Jewish bakeries and communities across the U.S., such as in Palm Beach, Florida, host hamantaschen events where children bake the triangular treat commonly filled with poppy seeds or fruit. Rabbis previously told USA TODAY Purim can feel like a Jewish Halloween, but that categorization might offend some. Purim different with Israel-Hamas War Rehfeld drew parallels between the holiday ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. The war started on Oct. 7 after Hamas attacked Israel. Israel has since launched intense bombing campaigns in Gaza and the West Bank. Many Jewish people, he said, are looking at the war in hopes the fighting ends, hostages are released and, "Hamas goes somewhere else." Rosen fears for Palestinians' safety in the West Bank and Jerusalem. He recalled the 1994 Hebron massacre during Purim where Baruch Goldstein killed 29 Muslims worshipping in a mosque for Ramadan, according to Israel State Archives. Contributing: David Oliver, USA TODAY. Contact reporter Krystal Nurse at knurse@USATODAY.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, @KrystalRNurse. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is Purim? What to know about the Jewish holiday Russian President Vladimir Putin tried to link the gunmen who attacked and killed at least 130 people in a Moscow concert hall to Ukraine in remarks following the deadliest attack on the capital city in a decade. Allegations of Ukraines involvement surfaced following the attack, and Putin perpetuated the claims in his speech, saying the attackers were moving towards the embattled country and a passage was prepped for them so they could cross state lines. All four direct perpetrators of the terrorist attack, all those who shot and killed people, were found and detained, Putin said in his address Saturday. They tried to hide and were moving towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a passage was prepared for them on the Ukrainian side to cross the state border. Russian authorities have detained 11 people related to the incident, including four who were directly involved in the deadliest act of terrorism in Russias capital city for over a decade. Ukraine and U.S. officials have denied any involvement in the Friday attack near Russias capital city, Moscow. The gunmen fired at people in the Crocus City complex right before Russian rock band Piknik was set to perform. At least 140 people were also injured. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, denied the countrys involvement in the attack. Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia), Podolyak said on Friday. It makes no sense whatsoever. John Kirby, White House national security adviser, also denied the speculation of Ukraines involvement in one of the deadliest incidents Moscow had in the last two decades. The images are just horrible. Just hard to watch, and our thoughts obviously are going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack, Kirby said Friday. No indication at this time that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved in the shooting. Putin did not address the Islamic State specifically in his speech, despite the groups claims it was responsible for the attack Friday. The Islamic State has been planning an attack in Russia, one U.S. official told The New York Times. U.S. officials also told their Russian counterparts about the possibility of an attack in the country, the outlet reported. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A video of Russian dictator Vladimir Putins address to Russia, following a mass shooting at a Moscow area mall, has been published by Russian media outlets on March 23. In his address, the Russian dictator called the events in Crocus City Hall a "bloody and barbaric terrorist attack. He then claimed that those involved in the shooting allegedly intended to travel to Ukraine, where, according to him, a window" to exit the country had been prepared for them. Read also: Putin's address on mass shooting in Moscow changed 3 times overnight "All four perpetrators of the attack - all those who shot and killed people - have been found and detained, Russian dictator said. They were trying to hide and were moving towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them to cross the border. A total of 11 people were detained." Putin further alleged that the attack was ordered by a third party, and that Russian security forces "working to expose the entire terrorist support base." "It is already obvious that we are faced not just with a carefully planned terrorist attack, but with a prepared mass murder of peaceful and defenseless people," Putin said. Read also: FSB alleges Ukraine connection in Moscow mass shooting following arrest of 11 suspects He also compared the murderers in Moscow to "Nazis who carried out demonstrative massacres in the occupied territories." Putin added that "all the perpetrators, organizers and instigators of this crime will be punished fairly and inevitably, whoever they are." "We will identify and punish everyone who stands behind the terrorists, who prepared this crime, this attack on Russia," he said. At the end of the address, Putin added threats: "Terrorists, murderers, non-humans, who have no nationality and cannot have any, will face only one fate - revenge and oblivion. They have no future." He also declared March 24 a day of national mourning. The address is Putin's first public statement regarding the mass shooting, though he reportedly spoke to both Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev regarding the attack. March 22 mass shooting in Moscow Read also: Moscow mass shooters claimed to be Tajik nationals and ISIS fighters On evening of March 22, several people in camouflage opened fire with assault rifles at people who had come to see the band Picnic play at the Crocus City Hall concert hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast. According to eyewitnesses, the shooters also threw a Molotov cocktail, and a fire broke out. All tickets to the concert were sold out, and according to media reports, up to 7,200 people could have been in the building. At time of publication, the death toll stands at at least 115 people. On March 8, the U.S. Embassy warned its citizens in Russia about the threat of a terrorist attack in Moscow. American diplomats stated that the attack could be carried out in crowded places, such as a concert. Putin is said to have reportedly denied the U.S. warning, instead blaming the "West" for attempting to "intimidate" Russia. Read also: Center for Countering Disinformation pushes back against Russian allegations of involvement in mass shooting 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 Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the detained suspected perpetrators of the Moscow shooting allegedly planned to flee to Ukraine, without providing any evidence. Putin's address was published on March 23 almost 20 hours after the shooting, which Putin called "a bloody, barbaric terrorist act." Several gunmen opened fire at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, northwest of Moscow, on the evening of March 22, killing 133 people and injuring at least 140, according to the latest updates by the Russian authorities. According to Putin, a total of 11 people involved in the shooting have been detained, four of whom he called "the perpetrators." Read also: Russia claims it detained suspected perpetrators of Moscow shooting that killed over 100 people "They tried to escape and were moving towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window for them to cross the state border was prepared on the Ukrainian side," Putin claimed. Other Russian officials previously alleged Ukraine's involvement in the attack without providing any evidence and citing it as a reason to intensify Russian attacks against Ukraine. Kyiv has dismissed the allegations of its involvement in the mass shooting. The White House said there was no indication that Ukraine was behind the Moscow attack. Andriy Yusov, spokesperson of Ukraine's military intelligence agency, denied Russia's claims that seek to accuse Ukraine of involvement in the shooting. "The version that the perpetrators of the terrorist attack were fleeing toward Ukraine does not withstand any criticism," he said on the national television. In his address, the Russian president did not mention the fact that the terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the shooting, nor the warnings of Western countries about a possible terrorist attack in Moscow. Ahead of the attack, the U.S. Embassy in Russia issued a warning on March 7 that "extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow" and urged American citizens to stay away from crowded areas and venues over the next 48 hours. The U.K., Canada, Germany, and several other countries published similar statements soon after. Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) called the shooting a "deliberate provocation by Putin's special services." HUR claimed the attack was intended to justify "even tougher" strikes on Ukraine and total mobilization in Russia. In 1999, shortly before Vladimir Putin became president, a series of apartment bombings, including on the Kashirskoye highway in Moscow, rocked Russia, which were blamed on Chechen separatists, lighting the fuse for the second Chechen war. Since then, speculation has continued that Putin and the FSB orchestrated the bombings to boost his popularity and legitimize the war. Read also: Russias descent into totalitarianism: How it happened Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks over the phone during his address, the day after a terror attack on the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk. -/Kremlin/dpa Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken of alleged Ukrainian involvement in the Moscow concert hall attack on Friday evening that killed more than 100 people. Referring to four of the eleven men arrested in connection with the concert hall attack, Putin said in an address to the nation broadcast on Russian state television on Saturday afternoon that there was a clear "Ukrainian trail." "They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where a window had been prepared for them to cross the border," Putin said. Russia's FSB domestic intelligence service had previously reported arrests in the southern Bryansk region, which borders on Ukraine. More than two years into its defence against a full-scale Russian invasion, Ukraine emphatically rejected rumours of its involvement in the attack on the outskirts of Moscow. The Islamic State terrorist militia also issued a message claiming responsibility for the attack, which some experts consider to be genuine. Russian propagandists were quick to claim that Ukraine was behind the bloodshed, but did not provide any proof of this. According to the authorities, more than 100 people were killed in the assault with small arms and explosives on Friday evening at the Crocus City Hall concert and event venue. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his address, the day after a terror attack on the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk. -/Kremlin/dpa (Bloomberg) -- President Vladimir Putin had a choice: blame Ukraine directly for the deadliest terrorist attack on Moscow in more than two decades, or for now just hint at it. Most Read from Bloomberg That the Russian president made the link either way, in spite of Islamic State claiming responsibility and the US warning Russia beforehand of the plotting by the Jihadist group, speaks volumes. It is the kind of thing Kremlinologists will pore over when it comes to deciphering Putins true intentions about where his war against Russias neighbor is headed in its third and potentially decisive year. The obvious route for the Kremlin to spin this is that its something to do with the war in Ukraine, said Charles Lichfield, deputy director of the Atlantic Councils GeoEconomics Center in Washington. History shows that Putins modus operandi is a firm response. He did so when one-time acolyte Yevgeny Prigozhin led a mutiny with his mercenary group last summer that threatened to become the biggest threat to Putins quarter-century rule. It happened also more than two decades ago when a Muslim insurgency spilled over at his door in the form of Chechen gunmen seizing around 1,000 hostages in a theater, one traumatic moment that everyday Russians will compare to what Americans felt on Sept. 11 and a narrative that will surely be re-activated now. The takeaway from both episodes is clear, according to Western officials speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss their interpretation of events. Prigozhin died in somewhat mysterious circumstances in a plane crash two months after his insurrection. And Putins reputation as a leader bringing order and stability to chaos was in part built over his tough-guy reaction to the theater hostage crisis. That would have come rushing back into the collective consciousness when reports broke Friday night about gunmen with automatic weapons raiding the Crocus City concert hall around 8:15 p.m. local time. The death toll was at least 133 people by the time Putin gave his first public remarks less than 24 hours later. The Russian leader laid the groundwork carefully. A window, he said, had been prepared for four suspects to cross the border into Ukraine. The four were arrested by Russian security services. Thats even as officials in Kyiv preemptively denied any role and called the attack a false-flag operation by the Kremlin. Islamic State posted a photograph of the men the group said carried out the assault. US and European officials indicated Saturday they had no reason to doubt the militant outfits claim. All this foreshadows potentially ominous decisions about the Kremlins plans to step up attacks on Ukraine, after Putin claimed an unprecedented 87% support in last weeks presidential election and as rumors swirl about another large-scale mobilization of troops to try to seize more Ukrainian territory. In the aftermath of the concert hall attack Putin leaned into the political messaging for a domestic audience, one that is increasingly cut off from the rest of the world. Russia has been heavily sanctioned by Ukraines allies for its invasion, while Putin has denuded the remaining political opposition and stifled the media. They were trying to hide and were moving toward Ukraine, Putin said in his five-minute televised address. He was referring to the suspects he said were attempting to flee. Based on preliminary information, a window for crossing the border was prepared for them by the Ukrainian side. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in response that the Russian leader was seeking to condemn others for the Moscow shooting. What happened yesterday in Moscow is obvious: Putin and the other scum are just trying to blame it on someone else, he said on his Telegram channel. The tragedy was a throwback to an earlier time in Putins reign when suicide bombings, most of them blamed on Islamists from within Russia or its neighbors, killed scores of people. It shattered the illusion of security in Moscow that Putin has sought to cultivate since he invaded Ukraine. Islamist groups have targeted Russia in the past citing what they call the anti-Muslim policies of the Kremlin. The seizure of a school in Beslan in the south of the country led to more than 330 fatalities, many of them children, in 2004. In 2010, twin suicide attacks in Moscow subway stations killed at least 40, while a suicide bomber killed 15 in the St. Petersburg subway in 2017. Putins comments so far likely reflect his effort to control the narrative in Russia about his decision to invade Ukraine. The ground offensive has come at an economic cost even as his bet to try and outlast what he calls the the West is taking form, and has probably defied the doom sayers about what sanctions could do to stop him. The US Congress has withheld funds, Europe has fallen short of its commitments to send weapons and Ukraine is repeatedly warning it is running low on ammunition. So what comes next? Russia has said it doesnt plan another mobilization after a 2022 draft of 300,000 reservists provoked an exodus of people from the country and triggered a spike in public anxiety about the war. But Putin needs more people on the front lines. His defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, was shown last week touring a munitions plant that was expanding production of large bombs and artillery. He unveiled plans to create two new armies and 14 divisions by the end of the year, without indicating where Russia would find the nearly half a million troops to serve in them. That is where current events and Putins careful messaging come into play rallying his troops and focusing Russians on a common enemy. Putin declared Sunday a national day of mourning and vowed to pursue anyone responsible for ordering and organizing the incursion. The death toll is set to keep rising. Russian state media will keep playing horrifying images and reminding the public that it is the biggest single loss of life since the Nord-Ost theater disaster. At least 170 people including dozens of attackers died during that botched rescue mission. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that the four men who attacked a concert near Moscow were heading towards Ukraine when they were detained, and that they hoped to cross the border. Putin, addressing the nation, said that some people on the Ukrainian side had prepared to let them cross the border from Russia. Ukraine has denied any involvement in the attack. "They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them from the Ukrainian side to cross the state border," Putin said. Putin cast the enemy as "international terrorism" and said that he was ready to work with any state which wanted to defeat it. "All the perpetrators, organisers and those who ordered this crime will be justly and inevitably punished. Whoever they are, whoever is guiding them," Putin said. "We will identify and punish everyone who stands behind the terrorists, who prepared this atrocity, this strike against Russia, against our people." He said March 24 would be a day of mourning. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Mark Potter and Alex Richardson) At least 133 people have been killed in a terror attack in Moscow (AP) Vladimir Putin has vowed revenge after Moscow was hit by a devastating terror attack, promising that anyone involved in the assault will be justly and inevitably punished. However, his claims that the terrorists, who opened fire at a concert hall and killed at least 133 people, had been heading towards Ukraine have been dismissed as absurd. The extremist group Isis have claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred on Friday evening at Crocus City Hall when a group of gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons. It comes as: The death toll has risen to at least 133 people, with more than 140 injured. A large fire also engulfed the roof of the complex after a grenade or an incendiary bomb was thrown Russian authorities said 11 people have been arrested, including all four suspects directly involved in the attack Islamic State released an image of the alleged attackers standing beneath a flag, shortly after claiming responsibility The US says Isiss claim is credible after Washingtons embassy warned Americans on 7 March that extremists had imminent plans for an attack in Moscow Follow our live blog for all the latest updates Ukrainian officials have emphatically denied any involvement in the incident after the Russian leader and the FSB security service claimed the gunmen had contacts there. Rescuers moving the rubble after the roof of Crocus City Hall burnt down (RUSSIAN EMERGENCY MINISTRY/AFP v) Andriy Yusov, of the Ukrainian defence ministrys Main Directorate of Intelligence, said: Ukraine was of course not involved in this terror attack. Ukraine is defending its sovereignty from Russian invaders, liberating its own territory and is fighting with the occupiers army and military targets, not civilians. He added that claims the terrorists were travelling to Ukraine, which has been at war with Putins Russia since 2022, have nothing in common with reality. In his first public statement since Fridays attack, Putin said: All four perpetrators were found and detained. They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, previously, a window had been prepared for them to cross the border. Describing it as a barbaric terrorist attack, he added that additional security measures have been imposed throughout the country and announced a national day of mourning on Sunday. Gunmen shown moving through the foyer of the concert hall (UGC/AFP via Getty) Meanwhile, an offshoot of Isis claimed responsibility through the militant groups Amaq News Agency. The attack comes within the context of a raging war between the Islamic State and countries fighting Islam, Amaq posted on encrypted social media site Telegram. Established in Afghanistan, Islamic State Khorasan (Isis-K) emerged 2015 and quickly developed a reputation for extreme brutality and terror tactics. The US embassy on 7 March repeatedly urged all American citizens to leave Russia immediately, giving no further details about the nature of the threat, but said people should avoid concerts and crowds and be aware of their surroundings. The embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and US citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours, the embassy said on its website at that time. A massive blaze over the venue after an incendiary device was thrown (AP) Friday evenings attack unfolded as hundreds of concertgoers had gathered at the venue in northwestern suburb, awaiting a performance from progressive rock band Picnic. At around 7.40pm, a white Renault car pulled up outside the 6,200-capacity concert hall with four gunmen entering the foyer and opening fire. Harrowing video footage shows the gunmen, dressed in military clothing, shooting at point-blank range and targeting groups of people who were attempting to flee. Bodies can be seen strewn across the floor with panic and chaos erupting as terrified members of the public scrambled to safety, smashing through reinforced windows and locked doors in a bid to escape. Some thought it was a kind of special effect of some sort, one witness, Anastasia Rodionova, said. Then I saw with my own eyes how people were dropping and the automatic gunfire began. Your instinct for self-preservation kicks in, your eyes widen, [and you think] Where can I run? Then someone shouted to us: Get up dont lie down or they will shoot us all right now. A Kalashnikov assault rifle lies on the ground after the attack (AP) An incendiary device was used to set fire to the building, with explosions heard in the background of several witness videos. Flames soon engulfed the building with hundreds of firefighters tackling the blaze, which caused the roof of the venue to eventually collapse. The Baza Telegram channel, which is known for its close contacts with Russian special services, said 14 bodies were found on evacuation staircases, and 28 bodies had been found in one of the toilets. They included mothers and children, while a further 100 people were successfully evacuated after taking shelter in the basement. According to Russian lawmaker Alexander Khinshtein, the attackers were spotted by police in a Renault vehicle in the Bryansk region and were arrested after a short pursuit. The attack came just days after Putin cemented his grip on power in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide, which will see him continue in his role as President for the next six years. After months of speculation about her recent health challenges, Catherine, Princess of Wales, revealed Friday that she has cancer. The video announcement was short on specifics, prompting a new set of questions about her condition. She said she was initially told her "condition was non-cancerous." Learning otherwise after medical tests had been conducted "came as a huge shock," the former Kate Middleton said. She said she told the public the same thing she told her young children, Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte: "I am well and getting stronger every day." Here's a look at what is known about the princess' condition: What kind of cancer does Catherine have? She didn't say. In Friday's video statement, she explained that she had "major abdominal surgery" in January and didn't suspect she had cancer at the time. Only later was it discovered that "cancer had been present," she said. Read more: Kate Middleton's cancer announcement brings messages of concern, support With so little information to go on, it's impossible to know exactly what the princess is up against, experts said. The fact that she had abdominal surgery would seem to rule out breast cancer, which is the most commonly diagnosed cancer for women in the United Kingdom, according to the World Cancer Research Fund. Other than that, "it can be anything in the abdominal cavity ovary, colon, appendix, stomach," said Dr. Beth Karlan, a gynecologic oncologist at UCLAs Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. "Any of the organs you think of in your tummy could have a malignancy." Among women in Britain, the most common types of cancers that affect the abdominal area are those of the bowel, uterus, ovaries, pancreas and kidney, the World Cancer Research Fund says. If she was initially told she didn't have cancer, why did her diagnosis change? Sometimes a cancer patient's initial symptoms look like something else. For instance, doctors may think a blockage in the ducts of a patient's gallbladder is caused by a gallstone, but when they perform surgery to remove it, they find cancer, said Dr. Syma Iqbal, gastrointestinal oncologist at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. Read more: Don't blame the public for failing Kate Middleton. Blame the palace During surgery, pieces of tissue are removed and sent to a pathology lab, where they are sliced up and examined under a microscope. That close inspection reveals features that are too small to be seen in an operating room. Discovering that a patient has cancer only after surgical treatment is "not common, but it's not rare," Karlan said. What is Catherine's prognosis? Experts said it's probably good, based on the fact that she said she was now undergoing "preventative chemotherapy." What is 'preventative chemotherapy'? It's chemotherapy treatment given after the primary treatment in Catherine's case, surgery that's intended to reduce the risk that the cancer will come back. Surgery can remove the bulk of a tumor, and if surgeons know they are operating on a malignancy, they will remove some surrounding tissue and lymph nodes to increase their odds of capturing breakaway cancer cells, Iqbal said. But if there's a risk that some cells may remain, chemotherapy is a way to kill them off, thus reducing the risk of a recurrence. It can improve the chance of long-term cure and survival, said Dr. Edward Kim, physician-in-chief for City of Hope Orange County in Irvine. Read more: As with Diana and Meghan, palace missteps in Kate Middleton saga spark a royal crisis In the United States, this kind of secondary treatment is called adjuvant chemotherapy. Radiation treatment and hormone therapy are other examples of adjuvant therapies for cancer patients. The fact that they think all of the cancer was removed and preventative or adjuvant chemotherapy was given gives us some cause for optimism, said Dr. Bill Dahut, chief scientific officer with the American Cancer Society. If you had found a lot more cancer than you expected, youd have to go in for another operation. Or if the cancer had already spread, it would be treatment for metastatic or advanced cancer," Dahut said. "This is chemotherapy given for whats presumed to be microscopic spread. Catherine is 42. Isn't that kind of young to get cancer? Generally speaking, the risk of cancer increases with age. But several kinds of cancer have been increasingly seen in younger adults, experts said. At 42, the princess is on the younger side of cancer patients. But the incidence of cancer has been rising among people under 50, Kim said. We are absolutely seeing younger people being diagnosed with cancer," he said. In the United States, colorectal cancer is largely to blame. It is now the leading cause of cancer death in men under 50 and is second only to breast cancer among women in that age group, according to the most recent annual report from the American Cancer Society. Both Dahut and Iqbal said the trend is probably similar in the U.K. Read more: What the frenzy over Kate Middletons disappearance says about the royals and us This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. QC man testifies he had visions of violence after girlfriends slaying A court appearance for a 30-year-old Park View man accused of killing his girlfriend revealed more about the crime Friday in Scott County Court. Christopher Behal is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 31-year-old Taylor Escontrias-McKee. Christopher Behal (Scott County Jail) Our Quad Cities News was in the courtroom when a Scott County Sheriffs Detective assigned to the case testified. He said on March 14, deputies responded to a crash in Mt. Joy. They found Behal unconscious behind the wheel, and they say he smelled of alcohol. They also found a bloody knife, bloody cell phone and blood all over the interior of the car. Behal was sent to the hospital. The detective said that while Behal was at the hospital, he requested a welfare check of his girlfriend, saying he had visions of violence. At a residence, deputies found a body, a bloody bat and screwdriver, and an empty vodka bottle. The detective said Behal initially claimed the victim came at him with a knife and he used the bat for self defense. But he later admitted to hitting her with the bat then stabbing her in the neck to put her out of her misery. The detective said Behal stabbed her 31 times. During testimony, a man with tears in his eyes hugged Behal and left the courtroom. The judge ruled there was enough evidence to proceed with the case. Behals arraignment is set for April 11 in Scott County Court. According to Scott County Court records, Behal faces these charges: a felony charge of first-degree murder a felony charge of assault while participating in a felony serious injury a felony charge of going armed with intent an aggravated misdemeanor charge of domestic abuse assault display or a use of a weapon first offense an aggravated misdemeanor charge of operating while under the influence second offense a serious misdemeanor of driving while his license was denied or revoked. A crash leads to a tragic discovery According to a news release, the Scott County Sheriffs Office responded to a crash with injury near the intersection of 90th street (210th street) and Harrison Street in Mt. Joy on Thursday near the entrance to Mt. Joy Airport. The driver of the 2013 silver Chevrolet Impala was identified as Behal. The car appeared to have crashed into a light pole, deputies allege in arrest affidavits. Behal and the victim were in a domestic relationship living together at the time of the murder, according to arrest affidavits. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. Hilton has announced the opening of The Hotel Galleria Jeddah, Curio Collection by Hilton in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, marking the debut of Curio Collection in Saudi Arabia, following an agreement with Sedco Holding company. The launch brings the brands distinctive architecture and one-of-a-kind guest experiences to the kingdom. The Hotel Galleria Jeddah, Curio Collection by Hilton is situated in a prime location overlooking Tahlia Street. Lined with upscale department stores and boutiques, Tahlia Street stands out as one of the best places to shop and dine in Jeddah, promising guests a unique retail and lifestyle experience. The hotel is only a 15-minute drive from King Abdulaziz International Airport, with easy access to Jeddahs corniche, as well as King Abdulaziz Road and Madinah Road two of the most important commercial roads in the city. Inspired by the Galleria Vittorio Emanuale II in Milan, The Hotel Galleria Jeddah, Curio Collection by Hilton pays homage to the malls distinctive architecture and design. The 363-guest room hotel houses 99 suites, as well as The Kitchens, an all-day dining restaurant, Vaquero, a speciality steakhouse serving succulent cuts, Aqua Lounge, a rooftop pool outlet, Cafe Milano, an all-day lobby lounge, and Bird Cage, a chocolatier and coffee boutique. Rayyan Nagadi, CEO of Sedco Holding, said: "Saudi Arabia's Vision is transforming the country into a diverse tourism hub, and we at Sedco Holding welcome The Hotel Galleria Jeddah, Curio Collection by Hilton to Jeddahs hospitality landscape. Our strategy to deliver premier hospitality aligns with the Kingdom's goals, and we are excited to contribute to the country's vibrant future. We look forward to fostering world-class partnerships and providing enriching experiences for both residents and visitors." Fawaz Moumina, country manager and senior director operations, KSA said: The opening of The Hotel Galleria Jeddah, Curio Collection by Hilton marks a significant milestone in Hiltons continuous expansion in Saudi Arabia. The kingdom presents tremendous growth opportunities with Jeddah being one of the countrys key business and leisure hubs for residents and tourists alike. The Hotel Galleria Jeddah sits in bustling Tahlia Street, offering guests a premier lifestyle experience. We look forward to bringing more of our award-winning brands to the kingdom as we plan to open more than 50 hotels in the country over the coming years. With individual spa facilities for men and women and 3,000 sqm of third-party retail space, the hotel aims to elevate the guest experience with a renewed focus on leisure and recreation. One sizeable ballroom and 13 conference rooms complete the hotels offerings, with world-class facilities available to support domestic businesses or corporate travellers as they visit the city. The Hotel Galleria Jeddah, Curio Collection by Hilton is part of Hilton Honors, Hiltons award-winning internationally renowned rewards and loyalty program. Hilton Honors Members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits including a free standard Wi-Fi, an exclusive member discount that can't be found anywhere else, and a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay. Members who use the industry-leading Hilton Honors application are able to enjoy popular digital tools, where they can choose their room, check-in, and open doors using a Digital Key. TradeArabia News Service WASHINGTON, March 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Three crew members including NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson successfully launched at 8:36 a.m. EDT Saturday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station. The Soyuz rocket launches to the International Space Station with Expedition 71 NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarus spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya, onboard, Saturday, March 23, 2024, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Dyson, along with her crewmates Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus, will dock to the space station's Prichal module about 11:09 a.m. on Monday, March 25, on the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft. Docking coverage will begin at 10:15 a.m. on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency's website. NASA also will air coverage, starting at 1:15 p.m., of the crew welcome ceremony on NASA+ once they are aboard the orbital outpost. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media. When the hatches between the station and the Soyuz open about 1:40 p.m., the new crew members will join NASA astronauts Loral O'Hara, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Alexander Grebenkin, already living and working aboard the space station. Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya will be aboard the station for 12 days, before providing the ride home for O'Hara on Saturday, April 6, aboard Soyuz MS-24 for a parachute-assisted landing on steppe of Kazakhstan. Dyson will spend six months aboard the station as an Expedition 70 and 71 flight engineer, returning to Earth in September with Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub of Roscosmos, who will complete a year-long mission on the laboratory. This will be the third spaceflight for Dyson, the fourth for Novitskiy, and the first for Vasilevskaya. Learn more about space station activities at: https://www.nasa.gov/station NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA) (PRNewsFoto/) (PRNewsfoto/NASA) Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-astronaut-tracy-dyson-crewmates-safely-en-route-to-space-station-302097647.html SOURCE NASA Tonight features increasing shower chances, which will be steady at times after midnight. We could use the rain! Temperatures will fall back to around 40 degrees if you plan to drive tonight or into the morning hours, expect wet roadways! Roads will be a little greasy where weve been dry for a few days the dirt and oils seeped down into pavement will be lifted back up by the rain. Saturday keeps rain showers likely through the morning in what will begin as a dreary, gloomy and cold day with a northwest breeze in place. Rain shower chances will become more isolated in the afternoon, though a sprinkle or two cant still be ruled out. High temperatures will be in the upper 40s in the lowlands and low 40s in the mountains but with a north to northwest breeze that could gust to 25 mph, wind chill values in the 30s will make for a chilly afternoon. Between Friday night and Saturday, most of us will see around a half inch of rain. Sunday brings mostly sunny skies into the region with high pressure overhead shifting to our east by the afternoon, which will warm us up as a return flow shapes with a southwest breeze. With high pressure once again up to our northeast, our mountain counties will be much cooler than the lowlands. High temperatures into the upper 50s in the lowlands are a good bet with 40s being stubborn to in the mountains. Well have hardly a cloud in the sky. At least the wind will relax! Monday provides mostly sunny skies once again and high temperatures pushing into the 60s its going to feel great outside! Our next system will begin to approach late in the day, with clouds on the increase and showers will then be likely heading into the next day. Tuesday sees mostly cloudy skies and a few showers likely by the afternoon as a low pressure system moves up into the Great Lakes and a new area of low pressure develops in the lower Mississippi River Valley. That latter low will move north into the Ohio River Valley by the evening, increasing our rain chances. Rain chances will be greatest overnight into Wednesday, with high temperatures warm once again with a stout southerly breeze around 60 degrees. A tick removal kit should be a staple in your house this spring Wednesday continues the mild but unsettled pattern, with a few showers continuing early. Well see some afternoon clearing but behind a cold front, its a little cooler but still above average with highs in the mid 50s. Thursday features plenty of sunshine with high pressure moving into the region from the west. That will give us a cooler air flow and hold high temperatures down into the low 50s. Vegetables to plant in spring Good Friday sees a nice warming trend and its dry to start with temperatures warming up to around 60 degrees with high pressure in control. By the late afternoon, clouds will be on the increase as our next storm system approaches. Looking ahead in your extended forecast, better chances for rain look likely for Saturday with another area of low pressure scooting through with highs in the 50s. Sunday could provide a morning shower or two with afternoon clearing. Its cooler with highs near 50. Help us with our growing community of weather photos with #weathertogether. Head to our website and search for the Weather together tab and upload your photos of weather going on around our region. Sunday sees a return of the sunshine and the warmth with highs near 60. We are in spring forest fire season in West Virginia this means dont burn between 7 AM and 5 PM through May 31st. Low humidity values during the daytime, along with breezier and warmer conditions will at times increase the fire threat, hence the burn ban during most of the daytime. Follow all regulations or be faced with potential consequences, such as fines! In Virginia, the spring fire season continues through April 30th dont burn before 4 PM. TONIGHT Showers likely, especially after midnight. Lows around 40. SATURDAY Gloomy start with showers likely. Afternoon clearing. Highs in the upper 40s. SUNDAY Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 50s. MONDAY Mostly sunny. Highs in the low to mid 60s. TUESDAY Rain showers likely, especially for the afternoon. Highs near 60. WEDNESDAY Showers likely once again. Highs in the mid 50s. THURSDAY Morning sprinkles. Afternoon clearing. Highs in the low 50s. GOOD FRIDAY Sunny. Increasing clouds late. Highs near 60. SATURDAY Rain chances return. Highs in the 50s. SUNDAY Lingering showers. Highs in the 50s. MONDAY Mostly sunny. Highs in the 50s. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS. There are, in fact, many anecdotes in the 541-page antidote to the embarrassment occasioned by the realization that the War and its post-hoc, Lost Cause rationalizations represented a 100 year-long betrayal of America, one that used to be reflected in Alabama history books used in our public schools and in the exhibition space devoted to the war in the Alabama Department of Archives and History, the first and the most biased one in the United States. Howell Raines with his new book "Silent Cavalry: How Union Soldiers Helped Sherman Burn Atlanta and Then Got Written Out of History," during a visit to NewSouth Bookstore in Montgomery on February 4, 2024. A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist from Birmingham who worked for Southern newspapers, after he was graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in the early '60s, Raines learned early in life that he was descended from [Southern] soldiers who fought to preserve the Union rather than to defend slavery (43). The book is about how he came to such a realization and what he has done to lift the First Alabama Cavalry from the lost pages of history and thereby to recall in detail the story of the North Alabamians who seceded from the fourth state to join the CSA and fought at great personal sacrifice for the Union during the War that generated three amendments to the U.S. Constitution, effecting a second American Revolution. Growing up in Montgomery in the '40s and '50s, I came to be aware of the free state of Winston County, Alabama, whence came my friend-to-be Judge Frank M. Johnson. However, I had no idea how widespread was the refusal of Alabamians in at least eight other counties to support the unlawful rebellion. Not only did they refuse to fight to preserve slavery; many of them joined the Union Army and resisted with arms. Shockingly to many in the South, more than 2,000 of them constituted the First Alabama Cavalry, joining Shermans burning of Atlanta in 1864 and his marching through Georgia and the Carolinas shortly thereafter before they were literally written out of history. The latter story constitutes the major revelation of the book, for Id long been taught that free states had little effect on the outcome of the War. In fact, as Raines reports, the First Alabama was selected for [a] signal honor for its contributions to the Union war effort, after Sherman took Savannah in December, 1864, presenting it as a Christmas present for President Lincoln. It was given the place of honor in the parade down the main street of town that culminated the March [from Atlanta] to the Sea (292). But, its been left out of mainstream histories, local and national. Once he learned of his own familys connection to it all, he had to tell the story. But the book isnt just about the Unionists in the authors family tree. Its a memoir of a great journalist and his running commentary on the sad, serious racial history of Alabama, from North to South. Its also a literary dissection of the Lost Cause Movement that poisoned Southern history from Reconstruction in the 1860s to the 1970s. Key figures in the reign of error, as the author labels it, included Shelby Foote, the Southern historian whom Ken Burns Civil War series for PBS made a rich cultural hero; Confederate officer Jubal Early, perhaps the most influential figure in nineteenth century Civil War writing ; and author and profligate journalist, Edward Alfred Pollard, peddler of soft-core racism; and prime-mover in Lost Cause mythology in the decades after the War. Whey they died, historiography passed to William A. Dunning at Columbia University, and his followers. As Raines sums it up, while Lost Cause was a Virginia invention, named by Pollard and forged into a publicity instrument by Early, it was transformed into a national cultural and academic movement by Ivy Leaguers and a colorful set of enablers in Alabama and adjoining states (349). Encompassed in the latter were Thomas and Marie Bankhead Owen, the first and second directors of the ADAH, the former of whom colluded with Dunning to help southernize the American Historical Association and made state archives in the South the physical embodiment of the Lost Cause Movement. They accomplished it all too well (353-54). Thereafter, Raines praises the corrective work of ADAH Exec. Directors Ed Bridges and Steve Murray, before narrating the story of how Dunning et al. arranged to neutralize the impact of a speech at a NYC AHA conference of Black historian and political scientist Dr. W.E.D. DuBois. He was one of the few men in the country able and willing to take on the Lost Cause scholars effectively. DuBois came, he spoke, he saw his speech printed in the AHA journal, and then he saw nothing further about it, for the establishment had conspired not to respond to it, thereby leaving it in the bound journals of libraries across the land. I had not heard of DuBois address until I read Raines book. In concluding, the Birmingham journalist-author with a national reputation observes that he would not have been able to write his expose without the growing school of Civil War scholars who are younger than I by a generation or more. I stand on the[ir shoulders as well. Their work shows that truth can eventually leak out of the seams of accepted history. It also shows the long reach of omissions, distortions, and subterfuges like those nurtured in the Alabama Department of Archives and History. We are still not out of the long shadow of the Dunning School and Gone with the Wind, as the wannabe neo-Confederate from New York City showed us while he was president (466-67; hes referring to 45). Alabama and Southern public school textbooks still too often reflect Lost Causism, and white legislators seem to want to keep it way; to have it otherwise is to introduce divisive concepts into the curriculum. You can let your Civil War memories lie, Dear Reader, or you can shake them up by sprinkling over them the pleasure of reading Silent Cavalry. But, beware: In this case when it Raines, it pours. Jim Vickrey, a native Montgomerian, is a retired lawyer, university president and professor emeritus of Troy University Jim Vickrey, a native Montgomerian, is a retired lawyer, university president and professor emeritus of Troy University, who spent most of his career in higher education. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: When it Raines, it pours: Civil War scholarship and Alabama Unionists Shahed Amanullah and Arman Khwaja, founder and owner of Zabihah, the world's largest guide to halal eateries and markets for Muslims, breaking their fast in a Halal restaurant on March 18, 2024 in Manhattan. Ahmed Gaber for HuffPost Rosy Islam, a 35-year-old mom of three girls, has been planning playdates for the last seven years for over 60 Muslim families. The participating moms met once a month at various locations including parks, restaurants, and coffee shops around Queens and Long Island. After the Israeli bombardment of Gaza that began last October, which was fueled by a Hamas terror attack and which has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians, anti-Muslim hate crimes began to rise. Islam felt an urge to be surrounded by fellow Muslims. Her children were struggling to process the war and what felt to them like rising Islamophobia everywhere. Just a few days after the war began, another student ripped her daughters hijab off at school. Islam noticed her daughters bubbly personality shut down. During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food and water in order to achieve a greater understanding of God, learn self-discipline and empathy. After fasting, many join friends and family over iftar, or meal at the breaking of the fast usually a spread that is lavish and filling. But with the threat of starvation and famine looming over Gazans, some Muslim Americans say those reports have been weighing on them heavily. Some said they swapped out large iftar dinners for smaller, more intimate gatherings. Others said theyve been seeking solace in the faith through increased prayer and through scripture. Many in the community said theyve been more intentional about seeking one another in attempts to find solace within each others presence and businesses. In New York, Islam decided to change the location of her kids group playdates to Muslim and Palestinian-owned businesses, as a way of supporting them and surrounding her children with Muslim peers. With Ramadan in full swing, Islam said theres never been a better time to break fast and perform night prayers with family and friends. Through tragedy, people come together, she said. Arman Khwaja and Shahed Amanullah, the owners of Zabihah, a halal food guide and delivery app, said they have seen an increase in Muslims across the country flocking to Muslim businesses, particularly restaurants. Shahed Amanullah and Arman Khwaja, founder and owner of Zabihah, the world's largest guide to halal eateries and markets for Muslims, pose for a portrait on Monday March 18th, 2024. In Manhattan,New York City. Ahmed Gaber for HuffPost While Muslims make up 1% of the population of America, in urban areas, Muslim Americans make up 5% of workers in the restaurant industry, said Amanullah, noting those numbers are even higher in places like New York City, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. We punch way over our weight, said Amanullah. We are overrepresented as restaurant owners, we are overrepresented as restaurant delivery drivers, we are overrepresented in terms of the food economy so its time that we take charge of that. It is one thing we need to control in an uncontrollable world. Its our food autonomy, he added. Amanullah launched Zabihah more than 25 years ago as a webpage that listed a handful of halal restaurants he knew. Over the years, Muslims across the country began to add more local halal restaurants, and the website expanded. There are now more than 14,000 halal cafes, grocers, and restaurants listed in the U.S. alone, and more than 45,000 listings globally. Food is so central to the American experience. Its central to where we came from. And its also central to our place in America, he added. In 2020, when Khwaja was a broke hungry college student, in Columbus, Ohio, he would use the Zabihah website to try to locate halal food, but it was hard to use and outdated. With the experience of helping to run run his fathers Papa Johns franchise, and after having worked for several food delivery companies, Khwaja acquired Zabihah last May. Since he came on, the duo has brought in $800,000 from investors, which they say is a clear indication of the increasing popularity of halal food spaces, especially at a time when people are looking for community and diversity. Mainstream search engines like GrubHub or Yelp only recognized halal food as chicken over rice, said Khwaja, instead of an array of dishes and cuisines Afghan burritos, hot chicken sandwiches, and more. Since the war in Gaza began, Muslims have been craving spaces where people look, worship, and eat like them, but there have been darker developments as well. In New York City, Palestinian restaurants have been bombarded with negative reviews, and at least one had to disconnect their phone after receiving nonstop threatening voicemails. Theres got to be a safe space that stands up for that, you know, in that defense. Again, this is a contribution to humanity. Its not just our food, its everyones food. And were not going to let were not going to let people abuse it, said Amanullah. Amanullah and Khwaja speak to a halal restaurant manager on March 18, 2024 in Manhattan. Ahmed Gaber for HuffPost In return, scores of people, both Muslim and non-Muslim, have shown up at their doors in solidarity. Everyone always ends up falling back to the community when things go wrong, said Khwaja. Jana Hamdy, a realtor in Silicon Valley, said shes also been more intentional about where she spends her time and money, prioritizing Muslim and Arab-owned businesses and shops, even if it means driving further away from her home. People want to feel a sense of trying to do anything we can to support one another, especially Palestinians, said Hamdy. Shes traded Costco and Safeway for the local halal markets. Family dinners now mean exploring the new Muslim and Arab restaurants in town. Last weekend her family drove over 30 minutes away to try an Afghan Muslim restaurant. We feel a closeness that we all are in this together, she added. Everything were doing every single day is somehow related to the community at large, not just our Muslim community right here. Hamza Khan, a graduate student at Georgetown, said this Ramadan he has found himself trading his private lifestyle for a more public one. In previous Ramadans, Khan said, he often opted to spend time with his family at home. But following the events in Gaza, Khan said hes found himself yearning for community with other Muslim students, who may be feeling the same challenges trying to observe the holy month. That very internal Islam of mine became very public, said Khan. I really did feel at home building these relationships with my fellow Muslims and belonging to a greater Muslim community. He was on campus all day, some days past iftar time. After he connected with the Muslim community on campus, he organized an iftar on the first day of Ramadan where he and other students discussed social justice activism. We were striving together to highlight the importance of Islam as a faith that fights for those who are marginalized or forgotten in society, he said. It makes sense to me that at this time when we finally have a sense of communal agency and self-agency that we need to be around people who are like-minded. Related... A medieval wall painting uncovered in a Wiltshire church is of "national and international significance". Peter Martindale, the conservator who revealed the work in St Mary's Church, Alton Barnes, said the oldest layer could date as far back as Saxon times. "Saxon wall painting is rare, so if the lower level of paint is Saxon, the importance is further heightened." The discovery has given church members "tantalising glimpses" of the original picture. Speaking to BBC Wiltshire, David Carson, a member of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) said, "Peter has uncovered areas of what looks like a border around a painting, like a painted frame, in red and orange ochres. "There are some tiny little fishes at the bottom of the wall and it leads him to believe that potentially there might be a figure of St Christopher," he said. The fragments of painting have revealed a border in red and orange ochres The painting is believed to have been covered up during the Reformation, when Henry VIII broke from Rome. "He wanted to get rid of all the 'Popish adornments', as he referred to them, and everything was whitewashed. "So those paintings haven't seen the light of day for over 500 years. "Unfortunately in the intervening years, generations of people have used the church and have put up their family memorials, some of which are from the Georgian period. "These covered up great chunks of the painting," added Mr Carson. St Mary's Church in Alton Barnes is of Saxon origin and has been a place of worship for over 1,000 years St Mary's is thought to be one of the oldest and smallest churches in England, of Saxon origin, and has been a place of worship for over 1,000 years. Mr Martindale, who gave a talk to local residents on the discovery, explained why he was called in to look at the decoration. "Internally, as a result of a need to redecorate, two layers of wall painting were revealed. "The upper is medieval, possibly from the 15th Century, but the lower could be Saxon as the plaster upon which that paint lies could be original to the nave." Peter Martindale is a conservator, who was called in to examine the medieval wall painting Mr Martindale said further areas of wall painting still remain hidden under later plain paint. "It is important that this is kept in mind to prevent damage or loss in the future." The PCC now hopes to raise money to enable work to restore the paintings and expose more of them. "There is no time limit," said Mr Carson, "but this is something we'd love to do. It's very exciting - it's the beginning, not the end." Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Reading police are investigating a bomb threat made to the public library and town hall on Saturday. According to authorities, around 9:46 a.m. a bomb threat was made to the Reading Public Library at 64 Middlesex Ave. and Reading Town Hall at 16 Lowell St. The threat was made via email directly to the library, Reading police and fire said. Reading police and fire responded to both locations and the Reading Public Library was immediately evacuated. Reading Town Hall is closed during the weekends. After careful investigation with the assistance of the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad, Salem Police and Endicott College Police, the threat was unfounded and there was no danger to the public. The library will reopen on Saturday afternoon. According to police, the threat was an attempt to disrupt a Pride event being held at the library, based on the email threat containing a thinly veiled reference to the event which was scheduled to begin minutes after the threat was received. A similar threat was received in another community earlier in the week, according to law enforcement. The incident left Reading with an opportunity for soul-searching -- and town leaders condemned the threat. I think its time for us to stand up and let them know that their words from yesterday arent going to define us, said Select Board member Chris Haley Patrick Burr, of the Drag Queen Story Hours Boston chapter, calls it ironic that those who protest LGBT people as dangerous to children would turn to something so traumatizing to kids as a bomb threat. I have seen protestors scream in the faces of families exiting a Drag Story Hour, Burr said. And it seems obvious to me that a bomb is far more dangerous a thing to have in a library than a drag queen. The Town of Reading condemns acts of violence, disruption, and hate within our community and against our citizens. Everyone deserves to feel safe in Reading, Town Manager Kraunelis said. Our community is built on and strives toward inclusivity for all, and instances such as these will not be tolerated. Reading Police are actively investigating this incident as biased motivated crime. 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 Most evangelical Christians even mildly involved or interested in politics will tell others to vote for Donald Trump. Theyll say that he is the best candidate because of his policies and, paraphrasing the Bible, say that God has appointed him to represent America for such a time as this. But mostly, theyll convince themselves that voting for Trump is the best way to win over the culture war, get prayer back in schools, and restore the United States to its theocratic roots. This is prominent in evangelical strains across the U.S., but especially in the South, in the Southern Baptist Convention save for former top official Russell Moore and, of course, Texas. Christians are told to be a light in a godless world, salt in a world thats rejected God and thus lives without purpose or hope. Evangelicals, particularly, lean on the call of Jesus to his own disciples to bring good news to all and tell them of the hope faith in Jesus Christs life, death and resurrection offers, to accept the gift of salvation, so they can spend eternity in heaven with Him and other believers. This is true and good. Its often the sincere belief among evangelicals that we are all called to different fields or disciplines in this world some tell others about Jesus in third-world countries, others foster children, while still others argue cases in front of the Supreme Court, the decisions of which they hope will help return the U.S, to a more conservative, God-honoring state. God has gifted every human being with different strengths and proclivities. Christian Nationalists take this a big step further and, as Christianity Today defines it, believe American identity is inextricable from Christianity and it is their duty to restore this via policy and politicians. Religious influence has always existed in American politics. Todays modern evangelical convergence into politics started with Ronald Reagan and heightened with George W. Bush. His candidacy galvanized millions of social conservatives, Christians who voted on just a handful or sometimes even one topic: abortion. Evangelicals found hope in a born-again Texans leadership, which seemed faith-based yet tangible, strong yet compassionate. But still the country has continued to shift away from any kind of faith-based values. While some continued to pour their lives into mission work, charitable organizations, or churches, more and more looked to politics to be their earthly religion, and Republican leaders to be their god. Enter 2016 Trump. After eight years of Barack Obama, Trump seemed to hold the leader to change Americas course. Even though almost nothing about his personal life demonstrated that he held true faith in God, or anything, but himself. Even though he didnt seem to even try to live in a way that demonstrated upward values, Trump was charismatic, promised conservative victories and courted Christians who were easily manipulated. 2024 Trump is doing the same thing with the same results. At the end of 2023, according to the Pew Research Center, 55% of white evangelical Republican voters said they would vote for Trump. Now that he has clinched the Republican nomination, that number has probably risen. At the grassroots level, this means that in churches across Texas, pastors will endorse Trump from the pulpit, and other Republican candidates down-ballot, violating tax law. Organizations such NEXUS Mountain Network, a Christian-based social network, will support Texas-based Mercy Culture, Candace Owens, and Dr. Lance Wallnau, promoting the idea that evangelicals have a right and a duty to be politically active and advocate for Christian Nationalism. The problem with all this isnt that evangelicals are involved in politics they should be. Heck, everyone, regardless of religion or creed, should show some interest in civics. It isnt that evangelicals encourage their friends to vote or are pro-life, or even that they think America would lose its identity and even freedom if we fail to preserve our cultural inheritance. The biggest problem, mostly, is that evangelical Christians have decided political power is the way to usher America back to its roots and that Donald Trump is not just the salve but the key, the leader through which to do this. Trumps candidacy has recognized and glorified Christian Nationalism: Now, its more vocal, determined, and ironically more hypocritical than ever. Trump rarely espouses Christian values in his personal life, though he did champion religious liberty and claimed to be pro-life while in office. He lured populist voters and attracted fringe extremists the kind of people who fly from Texas to the Capitol to participate in an insurrection, get arrested, and claim they were just restoring Christian values to their beloved democratic republic. God did not call Christians to follow Donald Trump or the American political system or even to preserve Americas heritage above all. Christian Nationalism a la Donald Trump makes Trump God and power the goal, rather than faith or even embracing the values Christ spoke of: loving him above all and our neighbors as we love ourselves. This isnt right. Do you have an opinion on this topic? Tell us! We love to hear from Texans with opinions on the news and to publish those views in the Opinion section. Letters should be no more than 150 words. Writers should submit letters only once every 30 days. Include your name, address (including city of residence), phone number and email address, so we can contact you if we have questions. You can submit a letter to the editor two ways: Email letters@star-telegram.com (preferred). Fill out this online form. Please note: Letters will be edited for style and clarity. Publication is not guaranteed. The best letters are focused on one topic. Rebel Wilson claims a Hollywood asshole she exposes in her forthcoming memoir has threatened her to stop the presses. The Australian actress has previously revealed that she has dedicated a whole chapter of her upcoming book, Rebel Rising, to a massive asshole she once worked with. She revealed on Instagram Friday that that same person has now hired a team to try to stop her from releasing her book on April 2. I wrote about an asshole in my book. Now, said asshole is trying to threaten me, Wilson wrote in an Instagram story. Hes hired a crisis PR manager and lawyers. Hes trying to stop press from coming out about my book. But the book WILL come out and you will all know the truth, she added. Rebel xoxo. While the Pitch Perfect star has never publicly named the individual she calls out in her book, Wilson has previously discussed the incident with the Australian media that led her to adopt a no assholes policy when taking a role stateside. When I first came to Hollywood, people were like, Yeah, I have a no-assholes policy that means, like, I dont work with assholes. I was like, Yeah, I mean, that sounds sensible and logical, Wilson said in an Instagram story. But then it really sunk in what they were meaning by that, older people in the industry. Because I worked with a massive asshole, and, yeah, now I definitely have an assholes policy. Chapter on said assholeit is chapter 23, that guy was a massive asshole. According to her publishers, Wilsons memoir is set to discuss her unconventional journey to Hollywood success and loving herself with some of her iconic roles in comedy films. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A Laughlin casino agreed to pay a record $500,000 fine over two incidents in 2022 when security guards used force once against a customer and once against an employee. Officials from the Riverside Resort & Casino appeared before the Nevada Gaming Commission on Thursday to answer questions about the incidents and what the company has done to correct the problem. According to John Michela of the Nevada Attorney Generals Office, a Riverside employee was detained and held without reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing in the first incident. A Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigation determined four guards should be arrested on charges of coercion with physical force and false imprisonment. The charges were reduced to battery and false imprisonment, and eventually dismissed when officers stayed out of trouble and completed impulse control counseling. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported the unidentified employee was accused of smoking marijuana on the job. In the second incident, Michela said a Riverside guard used excessive force in escorting a patron off premises. The Riverside, represented by gaming attorney Greg Giordano and Matt Laughlin, grandson of the towns founder and Riversides chief operating officer, admitted the companys wrongdoing. They said four of the five guards were fired. The fifth guard was reassigned. Officials said they have now have a review committee and applicants are carefully screened. Giordano said the $500,000 fine represented a record fine for incidents between a gaming establishment security guard acting inappropriately. Previously, the Fremont Hotel & Casino was fined $300,000 after a 2019 incident when a slot player was handcuffed to keep her in a room for 90 minutes when she was accused of stealing another players credits. The allegations of the complaint are serious. However, Riverside has put into place significant measures to hopefully ensure something like this does not happen again, Michela told commissioners. Commissioner Ogonna Brown was not happy that the incidents were not immediately reported to the state. I believe the business judgment of the company should have been to report when an employee is falsely accused and knocked out for 18 minutes. That to me seems pretty egregious and something that should voluntarily be disclosed, Brown said. Having a patron thats supposed to be moved out of a certain area and then hospitalized because he was shoved down to the ground on his face, thats something that should have been disclosed I think out of your own volition. Because its not something that we expect and when I read it I was a little bit disturbed by it, Brown said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Red flag laws can result in guns being removed from people found to be at risk of harming themselves or someone else. Red flag laws can result in guns being removed from people found to be at risk of harming themselves or someone else. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Its become a common refrain after high-profile mass shootings: could red flag laws have prevented this? On the books in less than half of US states, red flag laws vary from place to place but generally require that people who are deemed a threat to themselves or others turn over their guns for a certain period of time. While research shows they lead to significant drops in firearm suicides, and may also have prevented dozens of mass shootings, the concept is frequently rebuffed by Republican politicians, who say they infringe on due process rights. On Saturday, the vice-president, Kamala Harris, announced that the White House has created a new national office to help states implement red flag laws, an initiative funded by the justice department. The announcement comes after Joe Bidens establishment in September of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which Harris is leading. In announcing the office, Harris called on the states without red flag laws to enact them, citing their ability to prevent mass shootings. Heres a look at how red flag laws actually work, their potential to prevent gun violence and the rights efforts to undo them. What are red flag laws? A red flag law refers to a civil proceeding that allows people usually police officers and family members to petition a judge for an emergency order that would temporarily remove firearms from a person found to be at risk of harming themselves or someone else. Depending on the state, these are also called extreme risk protection orders (Erpos), extreme risk laws or gun violence restraining orders. Though names vary, they broadly operate in the same ways and are modeled after domestic violence restraining orders (DVROs) that are meant to protect victims of household or intimate partner violence. The first Erpo law was established in Connecticut in 1999, one year after a 35-year-old accountant at the state lottery killed four of his bosses before turning his firearm on himself. The second law was put in place five years later in Indiana. Since the mid- to late 2010s, following several high-profile mass shootings on school campuses and other public spaces, the number of states with some type of red flag law grew, mainly across blue states like Oregon, New York, Connecticut and Minnesota, but also in Florida and Nevada. In all 21 states where Erpos exist, law enforcement is eligible to petition a judge for an order and in some states, such as New Mexico and Florida, theyre the only ones eligible to do so. In other states, such as California, Colorado and Hawaii, eligible petitioners include family members, teachers and medical professionals. Though routinely invoked by news media, officials and commentators in the wake of a high-profile mass shooting, Erpos are also used as suicide-prevention tools. How do Erpos go from petition to firearm removal? Upon learning that someone is threatening to harm themselves or another person, and they know or believe that person has access to a firearm, a petition can be submitted to a judge. The judge will evaluate whether the situation warrants an immediate order based on the specificity of the threats and access to a firearm. If the judge finds that the risk of violence is high, they can issue an emergency ex parte order, which will go into immediate effect without the subject of the order being present or notified in advance. In this case, the subject of the petition can request their guns back from law enforcement, which then conducts a background check before returning the firearms. The emergency order requires an immediate surrender of firearms for two weeks until an evidentiary hearing is held, during which the subject can present evidence that they are not a threat. The judge can uphold the order, in which case the persons guns continue to be withheld, usually for a year, and then returned. If the judge accepts the subjects defense, they can get their guns back immediately. What does due process mean in this context? Due process is established by the 14th amendment of the US constitution and guarantees that someone whose constitutional rights will be affected has a right to be notified and able to participate in legal proceedings. In the context of gun seizures based on extreme and immediate risk, this right is weighed against public and private interest, which in the case of Erpos is the physical safety of the gun owner and the community. Erpos arent the only arena in which someone can be subject to a court action before they have their day in court. A similar process is used with restraining orders, in which someone is barred from being in the same space as another person, under threat of arrest and jail time. And while the initial emergency ruling to take someones guns happens without a hearing, a long-term order isnt put into place until a hearing is held. Usually it is set for one to three weeks after the ex parte order. During these hearings, people have the opportunity to appear before a judge to present evidence that refutes the original petition. They can hire representation or speak for themselves, but people subject to these orders are not offered a public defender since Erpos are civil, not criminal, matters. Have these orders been effective? While there is no centralized data on the use of Erpos, state-level research suggests these laws have an impact on suicide and mass-shooting prevention. According to research on extreme risk laws in Indiana and Connecticut, two of the first states to establish Erpo laws, these orders were credited with 13% and 7% decreases in firearm suicides between 1981 and 2015, respectively. In California, which established its gun violence restraining order law in 2016, the orders were used 58 times when mass shootings were threatened. Six of these cases involved minors who had planned to target schools, according to the violence prevention research center at the University of California, Davis. Its difficult to get a picture of the universal effectiveness of Erpos because most of the state statutes are less than a decade old and can take years to implement through education among the public and law enforcement. What have the challenges to implementation been? Experts say that Erpos are only as effective as their implementation, which requires education campaigns to let people know these laws exist and how to file for an order. This effort has to reach all of the systems and individuals involved in the process. This includes judges, administrative staff, law enforcement officers and advocates who walk petitioners through the Erpo process. In February 2023 the US Department of Justice doled out $231m to support states Erpo and other crisis response programs. Since 2010, 1,200 US counties across 42 states have declared themselves second amendment sanctuaries, where law enforcement wont adhere to any gun policy that it believes violates the second amendment. As red flag laws expand throughout the country, starting in the late 2010s, questions about their constitutionality have consistently come up from gun rights advocates and right-leaning officials. These debates have only grown since the US supreme courts 2022 ruling in the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v Bruen case, which established a new standard to determine the constitutionality of a gun law based on whether its consistent with the nations historical tradition. However, the United States v Rahimi case may put the future of red flag laws at stake. The case centers on whether the second amendment rights of Zackey Rahimi, who was subject to a domestic violence restraining order for assaulting his then girlfriend, were violated. The future of DVROs and Erpos can be thrown into question if the supreme court rules that they are not in line with the historical test created by the Bruen decision. WASHINGTON (KFOR) On Friday, U.S. Representative Tom Cole (R-OK) announced his candidacy for Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. I have served on the Appropriations Committee for quite some time, beginning in January of 2009, Cole said. During that time, I chaired the largest domestic spending Subcommittee, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, where I was able to safeguard the right to life through protecting the Hyde Amendment. Additionally, I have served as Chairman of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, as well as Vice Chair of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. Finally, I have served as a senior member on the powerful Defense Subcommittee, which has the largest budget of any of the twelve subcommittees and over half of discretionary spending in the U.S. It is safe to say I know the Appropriations Committee very well. I have served on the Committee for the majority of my career, in a variety of different positions, and I firmly believe that those experiences will aid me going forward to do a respectable job as Chairman. Sources: OSDE Chief of Staff joining growing list of high-level resignations Coles announcement comes shortly after current House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-TX) sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) asking the GOP Steering Committee and Conference to select a new Chair of the Appropriations Committee. As I reflect on my time in the House of Representatives and more than 5 years as Ranking Member and now Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, I realize I have accomplished more than I ever could have imagined, Granger said. Earlier this year I announced that I will not seek re-election. As I said at the time, I will fulfill my commitment and serve through the end of this Congress. Recognizing that and election year often results in final appropriations bills not getting enacted until well into the next fiscal year, it is important I do everything in my power to ensure a seamless transition before the FY25 bill development begins in earnest. I, therefore, respectfully request that as soon as possible, the GOP Steering Committee and Conference select a new Chair of the Appropriations Committee to serve out the remainder of the 118th Congress. As of Saturday afternoon, no other members of the Appropriations Committee have publicly thrown their hat in the ring for Committee Chair candidacy. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. Looking at LSL Pharma Group Inc.'s (CVE:LSL ) insider transactions over the last year, we can see that insiders were net buyers. That is, there were more number of shares purchased by insiders than there were sold. Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. See our latest analysis for LSL Pharma Group LSL Pharma Group Insider Transactions Over The Last Year In fact, the recent purchase by Luc Mainville was the biggest purchase of LSL Pharma Group shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. That implies that an insider found the current price of CA$0.40 per share to be enticing. That means they have been optimistic about the company in the past, though they may have changed their mind. While we always like to see insider buying, it's less meaningful if the purchases were made at much lower prices, as the opportunity they saw may have passed. Happily, the LSL Pharma Group insider decided to buy shares at close to current prices. Luc Mainville was the only individual insider to buy during the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction! There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). Insider Ownership Of LSL Pharma Group Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. LSL Pharma Group insiders own about CA$10m worth of shares. That equates to 26% of the company. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders. Story continues What Might The Insider Transactions At LSL Pharma Group Tell Us? The recent insider purchase is heartening. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. But on the other hand, the company made a loss during the last year, which makes us a little cautious. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest LSL Pharma Group insiders are well aligned, and that they may think the share price is too low. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. To assist with this, we've discovered 2 warning signs that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of LSL Pharma Group. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Consequences of the Russian attack on the Kharkiv Oblast, March 22, 2024 Repairs are underway in every oblast affected by Russias March 22 mass strike against Ukrainian energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Telegram on March 23. Read also: Russian forces launch missile attack on Kharkiv's energy infrastructure using S-300 & X-22 missiles The President reported that the Interior Ministry, the Energy Ministry, and local authorities had all provided updates on their efforts to the presidents office. According to their information, Kharkiv is still facing the most difficult situation, as the city continues to endure a complete blackout following numerous Russian strikes on their power facilities. In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, electricity has been restored throughout the region, except for part of Nikopol, and work is ongoing. In Sumy, Poltava, Odesa, Vinnytsia, Frankivsk, Khmelnytskyi, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhya oblasts, the technical ability to supply electricity has been restored almost everywhere. Some municipalities have introduced rolling blackouts to ensure that the grid remains stable. Read also: Ukrenergo implements blackouts in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast following Russian attack Zelenskyy then relayed information from the front lines, saying that "the situation at the front is stable". On the morning of March 23, the head of the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, Oleh Synehubov, said that up to 275,000 subscribers in Kharkiv and the region are still disconnected from the power grid. Russias March 22 mass attack Russia conducted a mass attack against Ukraine with Shahed drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles on March 22. Read also: UN and EU condemn Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, call for accountability 151 aerial targets in total were detected during the attack, of which air defense forces were able to down 92: 55 Shahed-136/131 UAVs and 37 missiles. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that 20 substations and power plants, including the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant (DHPP), had been damaged. It was the most massive attack by Russia in the fall and winter, and one of the largest attacks on Ukraines power grid for the duration of the war. Russians launched 12 missile strikes on Zaporizhzhya. Over 40 households were damaged and destroyed. Three people were killed and 25 injured. Traffic on the DHPP dam was temporarily suspended. The Prosecutor General's Office reported that the Russian military had hit the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant with eight missiles enough to shut down operations, though Ukrhydroenergo, Ukraines hydropower operator, stated that were was no threat of a dam breach. Engineers have managed to restart some of the plant's equipment. Critical infrastructure facilities were damaged in Kryvyi Rih, and blackout schedules were introduced in the city. Two people also died in Khmelnytskyi. Read also: Stock up on water & charge your gadgets Russian attack causes emergency shutdowns in Kryvyi Rih 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 Representative Jim Comer speaks during the House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing on March 20 - Jose Luis Magana Republicans have quietly signalled they may drop plans to impeach Joe Biden, admitting it may not be the best path to challenge the US president. The months-long effort to investigate Mr Biden and his familys lucrative foreign business dealings have so far failed to produce substantive evidence of wrongdoing by the president. With the GOPs slim majority in the House of Representatives further narrowed by early retirements this week, the party likely does not have enough appetite within its ranks to pursue articles of impeachment against the president. Jim Comer, the Republican chairman of the house oversight and accountability committee, which has been leading the probe, admitted the impeachment inquiry was likely to end without a vote on the proceedings. I would vote to impeach Joe Biden right now, Mr Comer told NewsMax, but went on to explain the obstacles such a vote would face in Congress. Hunter Biden leaving a closed deposition in Washington DC on Feb 28 - Evelyn Hockstein Mr Comer signalled the best path to accountability was now criminal referrals to the Department of Justice, a largely symbolic move. The oversight committee has claimed the Biden family, including the presidents son Hunter, traded on the family name in an alleged influence-peddling scheme by attempting to link a handful of phone calls or dinner meetings between the elder Mr Biden, his son and his business associates. However, Mr Comers investigation was mired in controversy after it emerged it had relied largely on unverified claims from an FBI informant, who was later arrested on charges that he fabricated the allegations and said he was in touch with Russian intelligence. Complicit or incompetent While it appears to have all but fizzled out, Mr Comer has continued to defend the impeachment inquiry and claimed to have given Republicans in Congress more tools to be able to gather more information to be able to win in court. It is unclear who would exactly be charged, and over what offences. Mr Comer made a last-ditch push this week to seek testimony from Mr Biden, 81, saying he was either complicit or incompetent in his son Hunter Bidens business dealings. It is highly unlikely the president would appear before Congress to discuss the issue. Ian Sams, a White House spokesman, told Republicans to move on and focus on real issues Americans want addressed. This is a sad stunt at the end of a dead impeachment, he said. Call it a day, pal. 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. BOONES CREEK, Tenn. (WJHL) Leaders of the new Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Boones Creek Extension held an official ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday, and the campus, which started hosting classes in September 2023, has more to offer. The classes use the same curriculum as other TCAT Elizabethton campuses. Students learn by using state-of-the-art equipment, as each classroom and lab is equipped with the technology needed to learn the trade. On Friday, David Hicks, President of Tennessee College of Applied Technology Elizabethton, announced there are more opportunities coming to the Boones Creek campus. Weve already started cosmetology, industrial electricity, building construction and nursing, Hicks said. Those were the four programs we started in September, and then building two, which will be ready next February, they will be for diesel and equipment operator. PREVIOUS: TCAT Elizabethton opens Boones Creek Extension for first day of class The campus teaches a mix of dual enrollment and high school students who might have had a longer commute to class before. Now, there is a closer option for them in Boones Creek. Accessibility is a big thing. Youre right, Elizabethton isnt terribly far, but if you are limited in resources and gas, it can be a difference maker, Hicks told News Channel 11. The programs can benefit students post-graduation by giving them a head start in their field. Its all about accessibility, giving them exposure to pathways that they may be interested in. That is one reason we work closely with high schools. Some of the students who attend this location come from the area high schools in Washington County, so were exposing them to programs early. Once all the programs are up and running, the campus expects about 300 students. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. (KRON) On Saturday, many Richmond residents will gather in solidarity to protest a potential project to repurpose a large part of Richmonds Craneway Pavilion, a venue known for hosting large-scale events, into a pickleball court. Fairfield shelter closes due to massive bed bug infestation, mold This isnt about pickleball. Its about preserving our public space, Jamin Pursell, co-chair of the Richmond Shoreline Alliance, said. We want to ensure that the pavilion remains accessible to everyone, not just those interested in a special sport. The dispute is between Orten Development, the developers behind the pickleball court proposal, and many Richmond residents. The proposal for the courts was rejected last year, but the second proposal is currently under review by the city and state lands commissions. Despite the city attorneys advisories to halt construction until the review process is complete, developers have proceeded with plans to host a pickleball tournament this weekend, claiming it is a standalone event separate from the proposed permanent installation. As a reply to the tournament, opponents like Pursell are gathering this weekend to stand against the pickleball tournament. Richmond residents dont want to lose access to our city-owned treasure. We are asking you to be a good neighbor and support a better plan for the Craneway. Until this is settled, play pickleball somewhere else, a flyer for the protest reads in part. Over the years, the Craneway Pavilion has hosted events, including the Craneway Craft Fair, Richmonds 4th of July fireworks, and a roller derby. Before being a public venue, the Craneway was originally a Ford assembly plant in 1931 before being a tank assembly plant during World War II. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Missing Missouri student Riley Strains family held a press conference Friday afternoon, speaking for the first time since his body was discovered in the Cumberland River. Officials confirmed Strains body was found in the Cumberland River on Friday, March 22 after receiving a call from a worker who spotted the 22-year-old in the water near the Nations neighborhood of West Nashville. Officials confirm Riley Strains body found in Cumberland River Businesses in the area had reportedly been routinely checking the water for signs of Strain since his disappearance. Police said they were able to identify the body based on multiple factors including his shirt and watch. I want to say to the family my heart and prayers go out to you all for this very unfortunate and tragic incident, Nashville Police Chief John Drake said in a press conference following the discovery. Strains father, stepfather and mother all showed up to police headquarters wearing green as they prepared to speak Friday afternoon. All three thanked law enforcement, the community and their loved ones back home for their support and efforts to find Strain. His father, Ryan Gilbert, said those efforts, including lots of sleepless nights on behalf of the police department, have finally helped bring them some closure. Strains stepfather, Chris Whiteid, took a deep breath as he explained that the last few weeks have been an emotional roller coaster. However, he said the support shown by others has given them faith in people that sometimes gets clouded. You dont understand how much that meant to us in some of our darkest hours. The hugs, the prayers, the offers. I cant say it enough, thank you, Chris Whiteid said. Strains mother, Michelle Whiteid, spoke through tears as she also expressed her gratitude for those involved in the search for her son. I just want to reiterate how thankful we are for everyone and how much we appreciate everyones support and love and prayers because we feel them. Weve felt every one of them, she said. I just ask that you mamas out there hug your babies tight tonight, please. Please for me. Strain disappeared while on a fraternity trip in Nashville on March 8. One of his friends called 911 the next morning after saying he went to the Central Police Precinct and called the sheriffs office to file a missing persons report. In addition to law enforcement, several volunteers and Strains family members were heavily involved in a search that stretched nearly two weeks. It was two TikTokers who reportedly found Strains bank card on the riverbank days after he disappeared. Strains family drove down to Nashville immediately after his friends alerted them to his disappearance on March 9. In an interview on March 15, Strains cousin, Jake Bradley, told News 2 there was much more to him than this picture of a college kid having fun. Riley Strain: Reactions after body of missing Mizzou student found Thats not if you saw him outside of that, his love and his care and his kindness were of a five-year-old boy that loved every toy he ever had, you know? Bradley said. During the investigation into his disappearance, investigators analyzed several bits of surveillance video from different bars and businesses showing his path through downtown Nashville. Strain could be seen stumbling around and falling over in the footage. One of the final pieces of footage of Strain that night was bodycam video from a Metro Nashville officer who interacted with him on Gay Street just south of the Woodland Street Bridge. However, police said he did not appear distressed at the time. Strains last phone ping was near James Robertson Parkway and Gay Street, where the search was focused for several days. Then, on Wednesday, March 20, officials began focusing efforts at the Cheatham Lock and Dam near Ashland City. The spot where Strains body was found near 61st Avenue North was about eight miles from where he was last seen. According to officials, no foul play-related trauma was observed. An autopsy is being conducted on Saturday and more information is expected to be released at a later date. The Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) has also been conducting a separate investigation to determine whether Strain was overserved the night he disappeared. In a statement released last week, TC Restaurant Group, which owns and operates Lukes 32 Bridge, said records show Strain purchased and was served one alcoholic drink and two waters before he was kicked out of the bar. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. The road along the dam at the Dnipro hydroelectric power plant (HPP) reopened for passenger cars on the evening of 22 March, having been closed following a Russian attack on the night of 21-22 March. Source: Ivan Fedorov, Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration Quote: "As I promised, we have just resumed passenger car traffic across the HPP dam. The oblast and city authorities, utilities, emergency services, employees of the HPP and industrial facilities, and patrol police all services have been working non-stop to reopen the connection between the two banks of Zaporizhzhia as soon as possible." Details: During a broadcast of Ukrainska Pravda.Summary, Fedorov said the connection would only be partially restored, as part of the roadbed has been completely destroyed. The road along the HPP dam connects the left bank of the city of Zaporizhzhia to the right bank. Background: Ukraine's largest hydroelectric power plant Dnipro HPP in Zaporizhzhia was hit in a missile attack on 22 March. There is no threat of a dam breach, and the situation at the dam is under control. Later, it became known that Russian missiles hit Dnipro HPP eight times. Meanwhile, Ukrhydroenergo is not ruling out that the Russians may have intended to destroy the power station completely. Some equipment at the Dnipro HPP has been restarted, but the plant is not yet generating electricity. A full assessment and examination of the damage caused to the Dnipro HPP by the Russian missile strikes will take about three days. Support UP or become our patron! The booster from the Falcon 9 rocket launched to the International Space Station Thursday flies past the sail of a kite surfer as the booster prepares to land at Landing Zone 1 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It's a Photo of the Week that soars, bringing to mind the song "Let's Go Fly a Kite" from "Mary Poppins." In this case, though, the kite is the sail attached to a kite surfer's apparatus. Oh, and it just happens to be soaring "up where the air is clear" as the booster from a Falcon 9 rocket prepares to land at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Landing Zone 1. FLORIDA TODAY photojournalist Malcolm Denemark was shooting the March 21 launch of SpaceX's CRS-30 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station from the beach in Cape Canaveral. He was hoping for photos for another project, along with launch coverage. He landed both. "I was hoping to get tourists and spring-breakers watching the launch and landing for a future story on spring break," Denemark said. "I shot some families watching the launch. Then, about eight minutes later, the booster returned. I was trying to line up people in the foreground with the booster when I realized the sail from the kiteboarder and the booster were going to be close. It was serendipitous that the two aerial objects appeared to almost intersect mid-air." Serendipitous, for sure. And as Mary Poppins herself might put it, a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious shot. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Look! Up in the sky! Photo of the Week, March 17-23, 2024 WASHINGTON Ronna McDaniel, who resigned from her role as chair of the Republican National Committee earlier this month, will join NBC News as a political analyst. The former head of the RNC will make her debut on NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday and she is expected to contribute to both NBC News and MSNBC. RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel delivers remarks before the NBC News Republican Presidential Primary Debate at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County on November 8, 2023 in Miami, Florida. It couldnt be a more important moment to have a voice like Ronnas on the team, Carrie Budoff Brown, senior vice president of NBCs political coverage, said in a memo shared with the New York Times on Friday. McDaniel stepped down from the RNC after facing criticism from former President Donald Trump and his allies for holding presidential primary debates and the organizations spending decisions. During her tenure as head of the RNC, McDaniel frequently criticized the press as "fake news," echoing Trump's regular attacks on the media. Following McDaniels resignation, Trump endorsed Michael Whatley, chair of the North Carolina state Republican party and his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to succeed McDaniel as co-chairs. Earlier this month, the RNC elected both to lead the party, tightening Trumps grip on the GOP. McDaniel will join Marc Short, who was chief of staff to former Vice President Mike Pence and Brendan Buck, a former top House leadership aide in NBCs lineup of Republican commentators. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ronna McDaniel, former RNC head, joins NBC News as political analyst Elder James W. McConkie III, General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaks with Ross Douthat, opinion columnist with The New York Times, at the Eccles Conference Center in Logan, Utah, on Thursday March 21, 2024. Were going to talk about religion, politics, and the media in other words, all the things you really dont want to talk about with your uncle at Thanksgiving, said Patrick Mason, professor of religious studies and history at Utah State University, as he began a conversation with New York Times columnist Ross Douthat on Thursday. Douthat has written for the worlds largest newspaper since 2009 and is regarded as their most religious conservative voice. He is the author of numerous books, including Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics (2013) and The Decadent Society: How We Became the Victims of Our Own Success (2020). The columnist spoke before a mixed audience of students, faculty and community members at the USU Eccles Conference Center in Logan. While introducing the guest speaker, philosophy professor Harrison Kleiner cited one of Douthats former professors who described him as having a way of arguing important points in an attractive and provocative way without trying to shock people. USU Poster Prior to the event, Douthat told the Deseret News that the trend he is most concerned about in America today is the widespread social and personal unhappiness and alienation, especially among young people. Before the event started, Douthat took time to call his wife in Connecticut to see how their four children were before it got too late. The goal of a newspaper columnist is not just to offer opinion, he said, admitting that its easy on a bad day to sort of just default to heres what Im feeling about the news of the day and whats making me angry. The aspiration of a good writer is to elevate discussion above that level, and not just express what you yourself think, but marshal reasons why someone should agree with you, to make a case, consider opposing views, and to rebut them. Whence the media distrust? Mason cited 2023 Gallup statistics that only 32% of Americans trust the mass media substantially to report the news in a fair way. Why is this the case and what would it take to change it? Douthat suggested that the long-standing conservative critique of the news media was basically correct. Despite the aspiration of most news organizations to capture the world as it actually exists without fear or favor and without partisan bias, the challenge is that almost everyone who works for those institutions is a political liberal. Everyone comes into the world with their own set of biases and assumptions, he acknowledged. Yet when any industry is dominated by people who tend to share a certain set of biases its going to easily alienate the people who have different assumptions. This has been true for decades. In addition to the general disenchantment that Americans feel with almost every institution, Douthat noted a newfound class division between the media and the rest of America. Compared to journalism 75 years ago, which was more of a kind of blue collar profession, news media today has become more of an upper middle class intelligencia, postgraduate degree kind of profession. Douthat also highlighted the struggles of the local daily newspaper in the midsize American city, which had been a key civic institution throughout the second half of the 20th century and the main way that people interacted with the news. Those local papers had to be fairly politically neutral to sell ads across the state, he said. Even if you thought it was too liberal, or you disagreed with it, it was your city newspaper and you had some connection to it. When the internet began threatening the economic basis of that model of journalism, it undercut the form of journalism that was actually closest to peoples most peoples lives. In its place, he said, the public was left with partisan and national media filling the vaccuum, along with new forms of media on YouTube. That local and midsized city connection was really important to journalisms health and the publics trust of journalism and we dont really have a substitute for that in our current ecosystem. Religious vs. political identities Douthat went on to speak of the value of belonging to a religious tradition that has a well-developed set of teachings that do not map perfectly onto American partisan divisions. The teachings of his Catholic faith, for instance, were roughly speaking more economically liberal than republican, and more socially conservative than the democrats. Partisan identification has basically replaced religious identification in recent decades, he said, citing how comfortable people used to be 50-60 years ago with their children marrying someone from a different political party (if not from another faith). That trend is exactly the opposite today, with 38% of Democrats and Republicans in a 2020 Economist/YouGov Poll saying they would feel upset at the prospect of their child marrying someone from the opposite party. For many people, this political identification is now more primary in their lives, even if they are practicing a religion. That continues a trend, Douthat said, where people are looking for salvation through politics both from the left and right and investing messianic hopes in various political leaders. Compared to the era where there were many liberal republicans and conservative democrats, Douthat suggested the tighter sorting of parties creates a stronger partisan pull. And as religion gets weaker and partisan polarization gets stronger, it becomes harder for people to think Im Catholic first, and Democrat or Republican second. As a corrective, Douthat suggested identifying one issue where you think your party is seriously wrong for religious reasons and being willing to say something like, Im a Democrat, but because Im a Catholic, I think Democrats are wrong about this. I think thats a healthy discipline for people. New York Times columnist Ross Douthat speaks with professor Patrick Mason at Utah State University on Thursday, March 21, 2023. | Jasmine Lowe, MA student in History, Utah State University Conservative fear The right of center coalition in 2024 is essentially a negative force, Douthat stated united by a desire not to be governed by Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, the faculty of Harvard University, the editorial board of The New York Times and any other elites of social, culture liberalism. The Republican coalition is comprised of people who dont want to be ruled by the liberals and who fear a consolidated progressivism in which universities, Hollywood, the media, the legal system, become increasingly militant ideological forces trying to impose a strongly left wing vision of the country. Douthat suggested theres no sort of affirmative agenda on the right, outside of some sporadic attempts with the main glue being we dont like wokeness, we dont like where liberalism is, and we fear its consolidated power enough to vote against it. Social conservative Americans today, he said, represent the fragmented remains of American Christianity, many of whom feel an urgency to build something new out of the places where religious faith is still potent and influential. But in his view, conservatism is very much a rebuilding project as opposed to a preservation project at this point. The rise of post-Christian ideology Mason cited a passage from Bad Religion, where Douthat argued that Americas problem isnt too much religion, or too little of it. Its bad religion: the slow-motion collapse of traditional Christianity and the rise of a variety of destructive pseudo-Christianities in its place. The elite that was once at least sympathetic to Christian ideas has become hostile or indifferent, the passage continues. And the culture as a whole has turned its back on many of the faiths precepts and demands. Remarking on how all these trends seem to have gotten worse over the last decade, Mason asked, How would you assess the state of faith in America these days? Douthat described a slight change of emphasis in how he sees things today, compared with a decade ago. Whereas in the past, he expressed concern with the seeming drift towards Christian heresies like narcissistic individualism, today, hes seeing more impassioned embrace of unapologetically post-Christian ideologies. In the recent past, we lived in a society that wanted to move beyond traditional Christianity, but really wants to hold on to Jesus with, for instance, social liberals arguing that Jesus was awesome and he was a modern 21st-century liberal connected with a whole industry of people reinterpreting the New Testament. By contrast, many people today are not even really trying to speak in a religious language or appeal to churchgoers. Rather, he said, we are seeing popularized a new sort of revolutionary, radical form of ethics alongside particular kinds of utopianism and different forms of deep pessimism. At a certain point, people stop. They stop wanting to recruit Jesus, saying instead, Why do I care? It doesnt matter to me if Jesus was a liberal or conservative, because Im not a Christian anymore. Weve gone from a world where it was really important for people to hold on to Jesus in some form, to a world where people are pretty comfortable just sort of letting that part of their inheritance go. Helping despairing young people Mason cited figures from Ryan Burge demonstrating plummeting religiosity among high school seniors in general surveys. If Pope Francis or President Nelson from my faith called you in tomorrow, put these numbers in front of you, and asked, Whats going on and what should we do about it?, what would you say? The reason those teenagers arent in church, Douthat suggested, is that parents arent committed to their faith. Kids go to church when their parents model that kind of devotion, he said. We overestimate how much faith is lost in college, and underestimate how much its lost in high school. Amidst the deepening sorrow of our times, Douthat encouraged believers to better articulate the religious answer to this unhappiness and to help young people see their faith as a vibrant response to a crisis of meaningless and despair. We are handing on meaning, and outside of this [religious] group, people are in despair. Were handing you the antidote to cultural despair. Advice for non-believing parents Its really hard to present religion effectively to a child, if you cannot even consider the possibility that its true, Douthat said in response to a student asking how to pass along to children the benefits of a religious heritage if that tradition isnt believed by the parents. To those who recognize the sizable benefits of religion, Douthats advice is fairly direct. No, actually atheism is incorrect. God exists, and you need to get over that hump and seriously consider the strong possibility that religion is describing something true. Its not intellectually crazy to think God might exist. Your atheism is not this brilliant penetration into the mysteries of the universe that makes you smarter than everybody else. In fact, youre probably wrong about your atheism. Join millennia of human beings in recognizing that the universe looks like it was made for a reason. We look like we have some privileged place in it. And we should be looking upward to God. Admitting that secular audiences arent always so receptive to this argument, Douthat reiterated a caution against religion becoming approached by anyone as simply a means to an end. You have to have some openness to the idea that it is getting at something that is real and true in order to start getting those practical benefits. And for those trying to help children grasp the value of faith, he said you cant explain you are dragging them to church because studies say that your mental health will be incrementally improved. Parents need to be able to say, This is really important and connects to the meaning of the universe and human life thereby giving children in a faith community assurance that they are doing something of ultimate importance on Sunday morning. Fairy tales would have us believe that true love can overcome any obstacle. That is, unless the obstacle is the airport security line. Then, it's every traveler for themselves. In a post published on March 20, a Reddit user asked the popular advice subreddit "Am I the A**hole" whether he was in the wrong for leaving his girlfriend to wait in the regular security line while he went through the TSA PreCheck line. The post quickly gained traction, with over 5,000 upvotes and nearly 1,500 comments. Of course, relationships are much more complex than one single issue, but this particular predicament sparked a variety of reactions. Like the orange peel test, this seemingly simple dilemma has the potential to be a relationship litmus test: Would you sacrifice your own comfort in order to keep your partner company, or would you rather enjoy your rightful amenities? To wait, or not to wait? The original poster wrote that he and his girlfriend recently embarked on a trip from New York City to Paris. Before their vacation, the poster encouraged his girlfriend to enroll in Global Entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol program that gives travelers access to expedited travel services, including TSA PreCheck. "I thought this would be a great way for us both to avoid long lines at TSA," he wrote in the post. "I even started the application for her, and all she had to do was finish it." However, his girlfriend didn't complete the application before they embarked on their trip. "When the day of travel arrived, I went through the TSA Precheck line, and she had to go through the regular line. For the beginning part of our trip, she was mad at me for this," he wrote. In light of the conflict, the original poster asked others on the Reddit forum to determine whether he was in the wrong. Commenters backed his decision Despite his girlfriend's reaction, many Reddit users agreed with the original poster's choice. "What happened was a result of her own decision," one commenter wrote. "If shes happy to go through the regular TSA line, thats fine. Theres no need for you to suffer because of her bad decision. This was entirely foreseeable when she declined to complete the Global Entry process. Theres no way she should hold her own lack of planning against you. Other commenters could relate to his dilemma. Feeling so vindicated by these responses. Im too biased to weigh in one way or another but for years my husband did not have precheck (he didnt travel as often as me, and didnt ever want to make the effort to get it) and I would absolutely go through the pre-check line alone, and then relax and wait for him at the other side of security lol. Zero guilt," another Reddit user wrote. While the majority of Reddit users on the forum voted that the original poster was correct, a few commenters had mixed feelings. "I dont think you did anything wrong by going in the precheck line, but I can see why she would be annoyed about it, as splitting up on the first part of your holiday is a bit of a shame," a commenter wrote. Some Reddit users questioned the original poster's priorities. You could make a point and teach her a lesson, or you could have a happy start to your trip. You picked the former but I dont see how you could [have] expected her to be anything but unhappy about it. Others wondered why the situation caused so much friction in the first place. My spouse has global entry and I dont. We always split up for security check. This is a nonissue," a commenter wrote. In the end, a majority of Reddit users voted that the user was not in the wrong on the post's poll. What do you think? Would you leave your partner behind and cruise through the expedited lane, or would you accompany them in the regular security line? This article was originally published on TODAY.com Heritage Tractor has partnered with OTC for its Diesel Technology Program, making the school a John Deere Partner School. Local John Deere dealership Heritage Tractor has partnered with Ozarks Technical Community College to aid in the education of diesel mechanics in the area, according to a press release. Heritage Tractor's five-year commitment to OTC's Diesel Technology Program includes financial support for programs and scholarships. The press release notes that the global population is on track to hit 9 billion by 2050, demanding extensive urban development and a surge in agricultural production. This means that there is a crucial need to maintain and repair both agricultural and construction equipment to meet those demands. "Heritage Tractor's investment in our diesel technology program helps the college update our equipment so our graduates are familiar with the latest tools they will use in the workplace," said Dr. Hal Higdon, OTC chancellor, in the press release. Heritage Tractor also worked with the OTC team to help the school earn the John Deere Partner School designation. This will provide OTC with additional John Deere-specific tools and training to students within the diesel technology pathway. These additional resources are especially important with the rise of new technologies and the potential for remote machine diagnosis and repair. The partnership is also expected to help make students' transitions into the workforce more seamless. A portion of the John Deere donation will fund scholarships as well as the student emergency fund. Derick McGhee, Heritage Tractor's director of business development, said the college's proximity to their locations makes the partnership a no-brainer. More: OTC considers tuition increase for next year to fund raises, cover increased expenses "It's important to us to provide highly capable technicians who keep our customers running, but we also have a desire to provide fulfilling, well-paid career opportunities for our communities," McGhee said. About Heritage Tractor Heritage Tractor is a John Deere dealership that provides agricultural and outdoor equipment as well as OEM parts and certified service. Heritage Tractor employs nearly 600 employees across 21 locations in Kansas, Missouri, and Arkansas. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: OTC partners with John Deere, Heritage Tractor on diesel tech program Russian forces attacked Sumy Oblast 115 times in 31 separate attacks throughout the day, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported on March 23. The communities of Khotin, Yunakivka, Bilopillia, Krasnopillia, Velyka Pysarivka, Seredyna-Buda, Shalyhyne, Novoslobidske were targeted. Throughout the day, Russia assailed the border communities with mortar, artillery, rocket, drone, and missile attacks. Explosives were also dropped by drones onto three of the communities. The towns of Krasnopillia and Velyka Pysarivka experienced the bulk of the attacks. The town of Krasnopillia, with a pre-war population of about 7,700 residents, was targeted with the most attacks, with 50 explosions recorded in the area. A total of 37 explosions were also recorded in Velyka Pysarivka. Russian attacks on Sumy Oblast have become increasingly destructive in recent weeks. The town of Velyka Pysarivka, located directly on the Russia-Ukraine border, has become a main target of attack for Russia. Earlier this week, a Russian aerial bomb Velyka Pysarivka killed one and injured one more, while also causing damage to multiple homes, a hospital, and a kindergarten. An attack on March 19 also killed one civilian in the town. Amid an up-tick in Russian attacks, authorities have been working to increase evacuation efforts in the town Velyka Pysarivka with nearly 300 residents being evacuated this week. According to a spokesperson for Sumy Oblast's 117th Territorial Defense Brigade, approximately 250 resident remain in Velyka Pysarivka. The community had a pre-war population of about 4,000 residents. 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. On March 12, a number of anti-Kremlin militia units consisting of Russian fighters had taken control of the bordering village of Tyotkino in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Tyotkino is located just a few kilometers across the border from many of the Sumy Oblast communities targeted by Russia. Read also: Putin seeking to blame Ukraine for Moscow shooting, despite ISIS taking responsibility Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russia's security services detained 11 people allegedly involved in the March 22 mass shooting at a concert venue near Moscow, including four perpetrators, the Kremlin's press service reported on March 23. Several gunmen opened fire at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, northwest of Moscow, on the evening of March 22, killing 133 people and injuring over 120, according to the latest updates by the Russian authorities. Ahead of the attack, the U.S. Embassy in Russia issued a warning on March 7 that "extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow" and urged American citizens to stay away from crowded areas and venues over the next 48 hours. The U.K., Canada, Germany, and several other countries published similar statements soon after. Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly dismissed these warnings as a Western provocation. Alexander Bortnikov, the head of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), informed Putin of the alleged detention on March 23 and told him the FSB was working to identify accomplices, the Kremlin's press service said. The Investigative Committee of Russia confirmed the arrest of four people suspected of committing the shooting via its Telegram channel on March 23. The committee claimed its officers detained the suspects in Russia's Bryansk region, "not far from the border with Ukraine." The FSB claimed, as cited by Russian state media, that the detained suspects had planned to cross the border into Ukraine and "had relevant contacts on the Ukrainian side." Other Russian officials previously alleged Ukraine's involvement in the attack without providing any evidence and citing it as a reason to intensify Russian attacks against Ukraine. Kyiv has dismissed the allegations of its involvement in the mass shooting. The White House said there was no indication that Ukraine was behind the Moscow attack. The Kyiv Independent is unable to verify the claims made by the Russian authorities. Read also: Putin wins rigged Russian election; Ukrainians in occupied territories vote at gunpoint The terrorist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility in a Telegram post shortly after the attack, and U.S. officials confirmed the claim. Just hours after the Moscow attack began, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned of retaliation against Ukraine if "terrorists of the Kyiv regime" were found to be behind them. Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) called the shooting a "deliberate provocation by Putin's special services." HUR claimed the attack was intended to justify "even tougher" strikes on Ukraine and total mobilization in Russia. In a statement on March 22, Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Ministry denied Russian allegations of Ukrainian involvement in the shooting and urged the international community to reject false narratives. "We consider such accusations to be a planned provocation by the Kremlin with the aim of further fueling anti-Ukrainian hysteria in Russian society, creating conditions for increased mobilization of Russian citizens to participate in criminal aggression against our state and discrediting Ukraine in the eyes of the international community," the ministry said. Read also: Destroy, in Whole or in Part | Is Russia committing genocide in Ukraine? "The Russian regime has a long history of bloody provocations by special services, similar to the terrorist attack on the Kashirskoye highway in 1999. There are no red lines for Putin's dictatorship," added the statement. "[Putin's regime] is ready to kill its own citizens for political purposes, just as it has killed thousands of Ukrainian civilians during the war against Ukraine as a result of missile strikes, artillery shelling, and torture." In 1999, shortly after Vladimir Putin became president, a series of apartment bombings, including on the Kashirskoye highway in Moscow, rocked Russia, which were blamed on Chechen separatists, lighting the fuse for the second Chechen war. Since then, speculation has continued that Putin and the FSB orchestrated the bombings to boost his popularity and legitimize the war. Read also: Russias descent into totalitarianism: How it happened Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The Russian proxy leader in Sevastopol in occupied Crimea, Mikhail Razvozhayev, claimed on the evening of March 23 that "10 missiles were shot down" over the city during an ongoing attack. The announcement came amid claims on Telegram channels about explosions and rising smoke in Sevastopol. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims. Ukrainian officials usually do not comment on alleged attacks in occupied Crimea. Razvozhayev said at 10:40 p.m. Kyiv time that the attack was still ongoing and urged residents to stay in shelters. He claimed that a small boy and a woman suffered shrapnel wounds as a result of the attack. "Debris also fell on Industrialna Street (in the Leninsky district). A car and grass caught on fire," the city's proxy head said on his Telegram channel. Razvozhayev alleged that an office building, a five-story building, gas pipes, a roadway, and houses were damaged in the city. The Crimean Wind Telegram channel published multiple videos and photos capturing projectiles, explosions, and smoke rising above the city. Razvozhayev claimed that the smoke is Russia's military "standard means of camouflage." According to Crimean Wind, explosions were heard also in the Balaklava district, and a fire was reported near an airport in Simferopol. The channel said that the supposed attack in Sevastopol is ongoing as of 10:45 p.m. In recent months, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on occupied Crimea, targeting Russian military assets in and around the Black Sea. Russia has illegally occupied the peninsula since 2014 after the EuroMaidan Revolution ousted pro-Kremlin President Viktor Yanukovych. Read also: Evidence shows recent presidential elections most rigged in Russias modern history Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russia says it has taken another Ukrainian village, but drone strikes on Russia's Belgorod left at least two dead (Handout) Russia on Saturday claimed a new territorial victory over Ukrainian forces struggling to find weapons and troops while the two sides staged deadly aerial attacks on each other. As a militant attack on a Moscow concert hall became a new flashpoint dispute between the arch-rivals, Russia's armed forces said they had seized the Ukrainian village of Ivanivske, just west of Bakhmut, the devastated city seized 10 months ago. Russian forces have taken control of a string of frontline settlements in recent weeks, as Ukrainian forces suffer troop and ammunition shortages. The capture last month of Adviivka, near the Russian-held stronghold of Donetsk, was the first major territorial gain made by Russia since Bakhmut and was hailed by President Vladimir Putin as a sign that Russian forces are back on the offensive. Russia's defence ministry said in a statement that the army had "liberated" Ivanivske, which is also close to the town of Chasiv Yar that could become the next target. If Russia took Chasiv Yar, it could step up attacks on the strategic city of Kramatorsk that is already facing growing bombardment. The Russian claim came amid mounting tensions over an attack on a Moscow concert hall on Friday that authorities said left at least 133 dead. President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech on Saturday that the four detained "perpetrators" were "travelling towards Ukraine where, according to preliminary information, they had a window to cross the border". Russia's FSB security service said earlier that the assailants had been "in contact" with people in Ukraine as they tried to flee the country. Kyiv has strongly denied any involvement, saying that Russia was looking for excuses to step up the war. The United States has said it has seen no sign of Ukrainian involvement in the Crocus City Hall attack. - 'A difficult morning' - While Ukraine has struggled to find weapons and soldiers for its war, it has kept up drone attacks on Russia, which has also launched increasing air assaults. Multiple air attacks on the Russian border region of Belgorod adjoining Ukraine killed two people and injured at least seven, the regional governor said. Further east, a drone attack on the Samara region caused a fire at a major oil refinery, the latest in a series of strikes against Russia's energy industry. Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram that two districts in his region as well as the regional capital, Belgorod, had been hit in drone and air attacks. "It's shaping up to be a difficult morning," Gladkov said. "As a result of an air attack by Ukrainian armed forces on Belgorod, three balconies collapsed in an apartment building. One of these apartments was occupied by a married couple. To much grief, the man died from his injuries on the spot," he said. Russia said later Saturday that it had repulsed a barrage of Ukrainian missiles fired at the city of Sevastopol in Crimea, which it annexed in 2014. But Sevastopol's governor Mikhail Razvozhayev later announced that rocket fragments had killed a 65-year-old resident and four other people had been injured. "It was the biggest attack in recent times," he said. - European tensions - Ukraine said 34 Russian drone strikes had targeted its territory, but 31 had been shot down. In the major city of Kharkiv, near the war frontlines, four people were hit by a Shahed drone. Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city, was plunged into darkness on Friday after mass attacks on Ukraine's electricity supply and some 275,000 people in the city were still without power on Saturday, according to its governor Oleg Synegubov. Meanwhile disagreements between European partners over the possibility of ground operations have threatened to undermine crucial cooperation. Last month French President Emmanuel Macron refused to rule out putting troops on the ground in Ukraine -- a position he has not recanted from, despite a stern response from Berlin and other European partners. On Saturday, Italy's deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini, said Macron was endangering Europe, calling him a "warmonger". "I think that President Macron, with his words, represents a danger for our country and our continent," Salvini told a gathering in Rome of right-wing and nationalist European leaders. bur/rox/jj/aph Two days after a rare last-second launch abort, a Russian Soyuz spacecraft blasted off Saturday on a flight to the International Space Station, carrying two short-duration crew members and a NASA astronaut bound for a six-month tour of duty. Soyuz MS-25/71S commander Oleg Novitskiy, Belarus guest cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya and NASA veteran Tracy Dyson thundered away from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 8:36 a.m. EDT (5:36 p.m. local time) and slipped into orbit eight minutes and 45 seconds later. The Soyuz MS-25/71S spacecraft thunders away from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan carrying a cosmonaut commander, a veteran NASA astronaut and the first citizen of Belarus to fly in space. / Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls Launch originally was planned for last Thursday, but the countdown was aborted inside 20 seconds to launch when computers detected low voltage readings in the Soyuz 2.1a rocket's first stage electrical system. It was the first ever such abort for a Soyuz rocket, and it took Russian engineers a day to review telemetry, pinpoint the problem and replace suspect batteries. Subsequent testing showed all systems were go for a second launch attempt Saturday. As the Soyuz countdown ticked toward a late afternoon launch in Kazakhstan, a SpaceX Dragon cargo ship launched Thursday from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station caught up with the space station and moved in for docking at 7:19 a.m. local time, bringing 6,200 pounds of science gear, spare parts and crew supplies to the lab complex, including fresh food and coffee kits. The Soyuz is expected to catch up with the space station Monday, moving in for docking at a port on the station's Earth-facing Prichal module at 11:09 a.m. local time. The Soyuz MS-25/71S crew - commander Oleg Novitskiy (bottom), NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson (middle) and Belarus guest cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya (top) - waves to well wishers at the launch pad before strapping into their spacecraft for launch. / Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls Standing by to welcome them aboard will be station commander Oleg Kononenko, cosmonauts Nikolai Chub and Alexander Grebenkin and NASA astronauts Loral O'Hara, Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt and Jeanette Epps. Vasilevskaya, an accomplished ballroom dancer and flight attendant with Belavia Airlines, is the first citizen of Belarus, a staunch ally of Russia, to fly in space since the breakup of the Soviet Union. She was selected as a "spaceflight participant" in a nationwide competition and will conduct research for scientists in Belarus as part of a program known as the Belarusan Woman in Space. Dyson is making her third spaceflight and her second aboard a Soyuz. Despite the political tension between the United States and Russia, the crew appears to get along well together. "It's actually been a real delight working with Marina," Dyson said. "She's got a fantastic attitude, and that goes a long way when you're working together with emergency masks on your face in awful conditions trying to get through (emergency training) procedures. She's been a real delight to work with." The Soyuz MS-25/71S crew. / Credit: NASA Kononenko, Chub and O'Hara were launched to the station last Sept. 15 aboard the Soyuz MS-24/70S spacecraft. Dominick, Barratt, Epps and Grebenkin were launched on March 3 aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon ferry ship. Known as Crew 8, they replaced four other Crew Dragon fliers -- Crew 7 -- who returned to Earth March 12 after a short handover. Novitskiy and Vasilevskaya plan to spend 12 days aboard the space station. O'Hara will replace Dyson for the trip home and the trio will return to Earth April 6 aboard the Soyuz MS-24/70S spacecraft that carried O'Hara, Kononenko and Chub into orbit last September. Kononenko and Chub are midway through a planned yearlong stay aboard the station. If all goes well, they will return to Earth next September, along with Dyson, using the Soyuz MS-25/71S ferry ship delivered by Novitskiy's crew. With O'Hara's return, five of the station's seven full-time crew members will have been replaced, completing the latest crew rotation sequence. Dyson first flew aboard the space shuttle Endeavour for a 13-day space station visit in 2007. Three years later, she blasted off aboard a Soyuz spacecraft as a long-duration station crew member, logging 176 days aboard the outpost between April and the end of September 2010. During that flight, a now-famous picture of Dyson captured her gazing down at the blue-and-white Earth suspended in the darkness of space as seen from the lab's multi-window Cupola compartment. A little more than an hour before the Soyuz launch, a SpaceX Cargo Dragon launched Thursday from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station docked at the space station, delivering 6,200 pounds of science gear / Credit: NASA In an interview with CBS News, she said she now knows what to expect and "this time, I'm going to just see how I can help the others." "Part of the beauty of living on board is being part of a crew and a team and helping each other out," she said. "So if I've got any spare time and the rest of my compadres are working, then I'm certainly going to try to lend a hand where I could. But if we're all experiencing some free time, I'm really looking forward to that view out the window. "I have such a great memory (of the experience) and that cupola shot certainly captures that, of viewing the Earth. And that just never gets old." The training it takes to get there is another matter, she said. "That's the toughest part about what we do, the training, which requires us to be away from home for long periods of time," she said. "When I did this on my first two flights, it was not as bad because it was really just me at home. I had a dog that others were willing to take care of. My husband was deployed on a ship." "But now it's a little different, and I have a lot of support from my family, who's reminded me over and over that I'm that I'm doing this for them as much as I'm doing it for myself." Dyson takes in a spectacular view of Earth from the space station's multi-window cupola compartment during a stay aboard the lab complex in 2010. / Credit: NASA She will face a very busy six months in space. Boeing's Starliner ferry ship, a NASA-sponsored alternative to SpaceX's already proven Crew Dragon, is expected to take off on its first piloted test flight in early May, carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams to the space station on a shakedown flight. If the flight goes well, the Starliner will be certified for use in future ISS crew rotation missions, alternating with SpaceX's Crew Dragon and providing NASA with redundancy when it comes to launching astronauts to and from the space station. "Today, all of our Crew Dragons are launching on (SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets)," said space station Program Manager Dana Weigel. "If there was a problem with F9, for example, and we had to stand down for a while ... if we had another vehicle we could continue flying." And that would help make sure one or more American astronauts is always on board the space station. "So that's the reason, when we talk about having multiple providers, why it's so important for us to have that continual capability," Weigel said. In June, NASA plans three spacewalks, or EVAs, to carry out a variety of tasks, including work to prepare for the addition of a final set of roll-out solar array blankets. Astronauts have not yet been assigned to the excursions, but Dyson is a spacewalk veteran and her experience may prompt NASA to send her back outside. "We've got three EVAs planned for our increment, and I am one of the spacewalkers trained to do those EVAs," she said. "We'll see how they all work out and who goes out and who stays inside to get them all suited up." Princess Kate cancer diagnosis comes after weeks of speculation about her health Watch: Princess Kate reveals cancer diagnosis in video statement Princess Kate diagnosed with cancer, receiving preventative chemotherapy Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day killed two people and wounded another 15, including a police officer and a rescuer, Ukrainian authorities reported on March 23. Russia targeted a total of nine Ukrainian oblasts Mykolaiv, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Chernihiv, Kherson, Kharkiv, and Donetsk. Casualties were reported in the latter six regions. One civilian was killed, and another one was injured in attacks on Donetsk Oblasts village of Ocheretyne, some 15 kilometers northwest of the recently captured Avdiivka, Vadym Filashkin, the regional governor, said on Facebook. Another person was wounded in a Russian strike on the city of Myrnohrad, immediately east of Pokrovsk and around 50 kilometers northwest of the regional capital, Donetsk, which has been occupied by Russia since 2014, according to Filashkin. Russian forces launced a total of 16 strikes against Donetsk Oblast settlements, destroying or damaging 15 apartment buildings, almost 30 houses, an infrastructure facility, an administrative building, a store, and and industrial facility, added Filashkin. Russia hit the city of Kherson and around 20 other settlements in the region overnight and on March 22, killing one person and wounding another three, according to Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin. The strikes against Kherson Oblast reportedly damaged an apartment building, 14 houses, an agricultural facility, and cars. Read also: Dutch defense minister: You dont start negotiations with gun pointed at your head Russian forces struck the city of Kharkiv with drones at around midnight, damaging a utility facility, Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported. A secondary attack wounded a 19-year-old man as well as a rescuer and a police officer who arrived at the scene after the first strike, according to Syniehubov and the State Emergency Service. The aggressor country continues to deliberately destroy those who stand in defense of the safety of peaceful people, the State Emergency Service said. Russias military dropped three guided aerial bombs at the village of Semenivka in Chernihiv Oblast just 10 kilometers from the Russo-Ukrainian border, injuring two civilians as well as damaging administrative buildings and civilian infrastructure, the Ukrainian military's Northern Operational Command reported. In the nearby smaller village of Prohres, a Russian drone hit a bus carrying civilians, injuring three people, the Northern Operational Command said. The Nikopol district in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast was targeted multiple times in the past day with artillery and drones, Serhii Lysak, the regional governor, said on Telegram. A 57-year-old man suffered injuries while houses, outbuildings, two apartment buildings, an energy facility, a college, and power lines were damaged, according to Lysak. Russian troops launched 60 attacks at border settlements in Sumy Oblast on March 22, causing 280 explosions in the area and injuring one civilian, the regional military administration reported. Ukraines northeastern Sumy Oblast borders Russia and suffers from regular Russian attacks, resulting in civilian casualties and large-scale destruction. Read also: Destroy, in Whole or in Part | Is Russia committing genocide in Ukraine? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Consequences of the Russian attack on Kharkiv Russia attacked Kharkiv with Shahed suicide drones overnight, the State Emergency Service reported on Telegram on March 23. While rescuers and law enforcement officers were working at the scene, the enemy struck again with another UAV, resulting in injuries among emergency workers. The rescuers had been heading towards the scene of a fire that had spread over 150 square meters in a three-story building. Read also: Casualties in Russias biggest attack of 2024: hydro, thermal, and nuclear stations in 8 regions hit Two SES vehicles were also damaged as a result of the strike. /Telegram /Telegram /Telegram /Telegram /Telegram "The aggressor state continues to deliberately destroy those who protect the safety of civilians," the service said in a statement. March 23 Russian drone attack Overnight on March 22-23, Russia attacked Ukraine with drones. Read also: UN and EU condemn Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, call for accountability A series of explosions were heard in Kharkiv during the assault. Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said that the Russian military had launched 34 Shaheds and four S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles at Ukraine. Air defense forces shot down 31 enemy drones. 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 Experts at the Institute for the Study of War have suggested that Russia's new attacks on Ukraine's energy system are intended to undermine the country's defence and industrial potential. Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW) Details: Russian forces carried out the largest series of combined missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure since the start of the full-scale invasion on the night of 21-22 March. ISW analysts said that the Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities might be aimed at undermining Ukraine's defence and industrial potential, and the Russians were likely trying to exploit the shortage of Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile systems in a new attempt to destroy the Ukrainian energy system. ISW experts added that Russian forces had failed to destroy Ukraine's energy system on 22 March, but might aim to continue intensive attacks on energy infrastructure in the next series of strikes, especially to take advantage of the ongoing delays in Western security assistance that severely limit the capabilities of Ukraine's air defence system. To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 22 March: Russian forces conducted the largest series of combined drone and missile strikes targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure since the start of the full-scale invasion during the night of 21-22 March. Russian strikes against Ukrainian energy facilities may aim to degrade Ukrainian defence industrial capacity, and Russian forces are likely trying to exploit Ukrainian air defence missile shortages in a renewed attempt to collapse Ukraines energy grid. Russian forces will likely continue offensive operations through the spring of 2024 while preparing for an expected offensive effort in the summer of 2024, although Russian forces will likely struggle to launch a concerted large-scale offensive operation in multiple operational fronts in Ukraine at the same time. Russian forces likely seek to exploit current Ukrainian materiel shortages while preparing for efforts that will force Ukraine to expend a sizeable portion of the Western security assistance it may receive in the coming months. The Ukrainian military command appears to be prioritising rotations for frontline units but will have to address additional manpower challenges if Ukrainian forces are to seize the initiative even on a localized basis in 2024 as Ukrainian senior military officers say they hope to do. Russian authorities reportedly intend to significantly expand crypto-mobilisation efforts starting in the spring of 2024 amid reports about significant decreases in the number of voluntary recruits. Russian forces recently made confirmed advances near Kreminna, Avdiivka, Donetsk City, and the Donetsk-Zaporizhzhia Oblast border area amid continued positional engagements along the entire line of contact. Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported on 22 March that Ukrainian authorities helped return another nine Ukrainian children to Ukrainian-controlled territory from occupied Ukraine and Russia. The Moscow military registration and enlistment office has reportedly begun to issue electronic summonses for the Spring 2024 Russian conscription cycle. Support UP or become our patron! A fire that broke out at the Kuibyshev oil refinery in Russia's Samara region overnight on March 23 had been caused by a drone attack, the regional government told Russian state-controlled news agency Interfax, citing Governor Dmitry Azarov. In the past weeks, Ukrainian forces have launched a series of drone strikes aimed at damaging Russia's oil industry. Ukraine has hit oil refineries in multiple regions deep inside Russian territory. Drones attacked oil refineries in the Samara region at night, followed by a primary oil refining column at the Kuibyshev facility catching fire, said Azarov. There were no casualties, he added. The fire was extinguished in the morning, the regional authorities told Interfax. Local residents previously reported explosions at the refinery and said the facility was on fire, according to Russian Telegram news channels. Ukrainian forces previously struck the Kuibyshev oil refinery on March 16 in a drone strike that also targeted the region's Syzran refinery. Only the Syzran facility caught fire following the attack, Russian officials claimed. Both refineries are owned by Rosneft, Russia's largest oil company. Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna said on March 22 that Russia's oil refineries are "absolutely legitimate targets" for the Ukrainian military. Her statement followed media reports that the U.S. had asked Ukraine to stop attacking the Russian oil industry. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak denied the reports, saying Kyiv did not receive any such calls from Washington. Ukraine's recent drone attacks knocked out about 600,000 barrels of Russia's daily oil-refining capacity, as estimated by Torbjorn Tornqvist, the director of the international energy commodities trading company Gunvor Group, Bloomberg reported on March 18. Read also: Ukrainian drones hit one Russian oil refinery after another Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The US ramped up its sanctions against a wide range of tankers carrying Russian oil in October 2023. Dozens of sanctioned tankers have been idle since then. Source: Bloomberg Details: Bloomberg said that the Russian oil industry "is finally getting snarled by sanctions". All Indian refiners have been rejecting state-run Sovkomflot tankers, it reported, with dozens of sanctioned vessels unable to load cargos. As a result, the Russian oil exporting machine, which has so far funded the war in Ukraine, is finally suffering losses. Though a sharp decrease in supplies is not expected at this stage, the question is how far Western regulators will go in tightening their squeeze on Russia while oil prices are approaching US$90 per barrel. Meanwhile, delivery costs for Russian oil are large. It costs about US$14.50 a barrel to deliver a cargo from the Baltic Sea to China, Argus Media found, with over half that amount attributable to sanctions. Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries are further undermining Russias profits. Earlier reports suggested that Russian oil refining capacity has diminished by about 600,000 barrels per day as a result of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries. Read more: "The burning shall continue": What lies behind Ukraine's attacks on Russia's oil refineries, and how have they impacted the Kremlin? Background: Russian Telegram channels reported explosions and a fire at the Kuibyshev oil refinery in Russias Samara Oblast on the night of 22-23 March. UK Defence Intelligence has analysed Russia's attempts to protect its oil refining facilities from Ukrainian strikes, saying it is unlikely that Russia will be able to protect all vulnerable facilities, given the size and scale of its energy industry. Support UP or become our patron! Some investors look at Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) as a has-been. That's understandable in some ways. Sales for the company's once-formidable COVID-19 franchise have tanked. So have Pfizer's overall revenue, profits, and share price. However, there's an argument that Pfizer is more of a "will-be" than a has-been. Could the drugmaker even be a trillion-dollar stock by 2035? How it could happen The math is straightforward for how Pfizer could reach a market cap of $1 trillion over the next 11 or so years. Pfizer's market cap currently stands at close to $156 billion. To reach $1 trillion by the end of 2035, the stock would need to deliver an average compound annual growth rate of roughly 17.2%. How Pfizer could pull off such strong growth isn't so straightforward. However, let's walk through a hypothetical scenario where it could happen. First, the hemorrhaging from Pfizer's COVID-19 sales would need to stop. This could be the easiest box to check off. I expect that 2024 will be a trough year for Pfizer's COVID-19 sales. The company hopes to win approval for a combination COVID-flu vaccine next year that just might turn things around. Second, Pfizer would need its new products to blow past expectations. The good news on this front is that the drugmaker notched a record number of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals in 2023. It already has several rising stars in its lineup, notably including RSV vaccine Abrysvo and migraine therapy Nurtec. What the company would really need, though, is a game-changing new therapy targeting a massive market. Two such markets that come to mind are obesity and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is also known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Pfizer has a handful of pipeline candidates that could be big winners in these indications. It could also potentially make a strategic acquisition or two that adds best-of-breed therapies to its portfolio. Story continues What could get in the way I intentionally left out a major obstacle in discussing a rosy scenario where Pfizer's market cap hits $1 trillion by 2035. The company faces a patent cliff for several of its top-selling drugs over the next few years. Cancer drug Inlyta and autoimmune disease drug Xeljanz lose key U.S. patents in 2025. Patents for two other cancer drugs, Ibrance and Xtandi, expire in 2027. Blood thinner Eliquis will compete against generic rivals beginning in 2028. Several other products also lose exclusivity before 2035. Granted, Pfizer thinks that its launches of new products and new indications for existing products will more than offset its anticipated revenue loss from the patent cliff. However, sales projections aren't always met. Pfizer could experience significant pipeline setbacks. Programs that it's counting on as future growth drivers could flop. Gaining a big advantage in a huge market like obesity or NASH/MASH won't be easy, either. Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk already have a big lead in the obesity market. Madrigal Pharmaceuticals has the NASH/MASH market to itself for now. Other companies could be on track to launch weight loss and NASH/MASH drugs in the next few years. Why Pfizer is a good pick regardless Some things are possible but not probable. The goal of Pfizer attaining a market cap of $1 trillion by 2035 belongs in this category. However, I think that the big pharma stock is a good pick for long-term investors regardless of whether or not it hits the trillion-dollar mark. For one thing, Pfizer offers a fantastic dividend yield of more than 6%. The money the drugmaker uses to fund its dividend program won't help its market cap grow, but it will help shareholders make money. I'm cautiously optimistic that Pfizer will be able to deliver solid (although not spectacular) share price growth over the next decade and beyond. The company certainly faces challenges, but it has a good strategy to address them with new product launches and strategic business development deals. No one can know for sure exactly what Pfizer's future holds. My hunch, though, is that the company will be much bigger in 2035 than it is now -- even if its market cap isn't anywhere close to $1 trillion. Should you invest $1,000 in Pfizer right now? Before you buy stock in Pfizer, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Pfizer wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than tripled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of March 21, 2024 Keith Speights has positions in Pfizer. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Pfizer. The Motley Fool recommends Novo Nordisk. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Will Pfizer Be a Trillion-Dollar Stock by 2035? was originally published by The Motley Fool Paul Kagame, Rwanda's president, is seeking to extend his 24-year-old hold on the post - FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images Rwandas presidential elections are threatening to delay deportation flights to the country until July, the Telegraph understands. Paul Kagame, Rwandas president, is seeking to extend his 24-year-old hold on the post in an election campaign due to start on June 15 with the votes cast on July 15. Rishi Sunak has expressed his ambition to get the first flights off to Rwanda this spring but saw the Rwanda Bill defeated and amended for a second time in the Lords last week, potentially delaying them until June. Just like purdah in Whitehall when announcements that might influence the election are not allowed, you should not expect Rwanda to operate any differently with respect to an event during the election campaign like the first flight to the country, said a Whitehall source. Although Rwanda said its airport and migrant accommodation would remain operational during the election campaign period, sources said it would be politically difficult for the first flights to come in during the election period. A Rwandan government spokesman added: Rwanda remains committed to making sure the Partnership is a success. The 500 million Migration and Economic Partnership under which illegal migrants to the UK are deported to Rwanda to claim asylum there has won the backing of the public in the central African state because of the financial benefits to the country. But it is opposed by Frank Habineza, the Rwandan opposition leader, who is standing against Mr Kagame for the presidency. He has said it is not right for a country like the UK to run away from its obligations and pass responsibility to a country like Rwanda. The window for getting the flights off before June 15 has narrowed after the Lords defeated the Government with seven amendments to the Rwanda Bill on Wednesday, delaying its passage until after the Easter recess. MPs are not due to return until April 15 for the second round of ping pong when the Government is expected to seek to overturn the Lords amendments and return the Bill for a second time to the upper house. The three-and-a-half-week delay means that the deportation flights are likely to be pushed back from May to June because of the required legal appeal process for migrants and logistical preparations for their detention and removal to Rwanda. The Home Office is expected to issue Rwanda deportation notices to the first 150 migrants earmarked for the first two flights within days of the Bill gaining Royal Assent. But, after being notified of their removal to Rwanda, each migrant will have a right to appeal which Home Office insiders say could take as long as 10 weeks. The Judiciary has agreed to provide up to 5,000 additional sitting days by judges to try to fast-track the process in an attempt to ensure the first flights get off as quickly as possible. But internal Home Office documents show that officials have identified several critical risks that could delay the first deportation flights. Our spring timeline has not changed One risk would be officials failing to locate and detain sufficient numbers of migrants - some of whom might abscond - combined with significant attrition through the legal process that could mean there were few/none migrants available for a flight to Rwanda. The second risk was identified as the logistics of removing migrants from immigration removal centres to the airfield, through protests by asylum campaigners, terrible weather or commercial airlines or escort providers being unwilling to deliver their contracted services. The third risk was Rwanda not being ready for arrivals including not having the out-of-country judicial review facilities for legal aid, leading to legal challenges that could see migrants having to be returned to the UK. A Home Office source said the Government was working with Rwanda to get the flights off as quickly as possible. Number 10 said the Lords votes would not affect the timetable for the flights with the aim remaining to get them off by the spring. A Home Office spokesman said: Our spring timeline has not changed and once the Safety of Rwanda Bill and Treaty are in place, we will get flights off the ground as soon as possible. We have a strong relationship with Rwanda and we continue to work closely with them to operationalise the policy. 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. Related story lead image About the Writer Brianna Taylor covers affordability on The Bees service journalism team. Tucked on a quiet residential block near Southside Park, a deli is whipping up authentic dim sum and American-style Chinese food at an affordable price. Besides the more than 350 reviews and 4.3 stars on Yelp, little information is available on the internet about Lam Kwong Deli & Market at 2031 12th St. in Sacramento. Owners Jenny and Yao Li let their food speak for itself. Sacramento Bee reader Susie Hansen asked me to visit the deli and try the baked cha siu bao, baked barbecue pork buns, as part of my monthly affordability series where I embark on reader-suggested Sacramento activities while on a $25 budget. I have been going (to Lam Kwong Deli & Market) for well over 10 years, ever since a fellow teacher brought (the baked barbecue pork buns) to school as a treat. I love them and have tried a lot of different ones from around town. For me, these are the best, hands down the school teacher told me. Susie plans to retire in June after working more than 20 years for Elk Grove Unified School District. If youve been following this series for a while, you may know that some of my favorite experiences have come from eating food I wouldnt have discovered without the help of Bee readers who know this city best. Susie didnt have to do much convincing for me to check out Lam Kwong Deli & Market. My time at Lam Kwong Deli & Market in Sacramento In this series, service journalism reporter Brianna Taylor discovers Sacramento through one of your favorite affordable activities every month all on a $25 budget. This embedded content is not available in your region. Location: 2031 12th St., Sacramento In January 2012, Jenny and Yao sold their longtime Chinese restaurant in Rancho Cordova and purchased Lam Kwong Deli & Market. The cash-only business and its food remain the same, said daughter Anna Lee, who spoke with The Sacramento Bee on a sunny March Friday afternoon on behalf of her parents, whose first language is not English. She and her brother, James Lee, alternate Saturday shifts at the deli. A customer walks out of the Lam Kwong Deli & Market on March 20. Before the couple from China took over the business in Richmond Grove, Yao stopped in before his restaurant in Rancho Cordova opened to learn the recipes. He did this for six months. (My parents) are very hardworking and humble at what they do, she told me while Jenny and Yao, longtime residents of Sacramento, serviced a revolving door of hungry customers. No days off she added. Yao makes all of the dim sum dishes by hand including customer-favorite, baked barbecue pork buns. He makes dough daily, cranking out 60 dozen buns throughout the week and 80 dozen on weekends. Anna Lee stands with her parents, Yao and Jenny Li, earlier this month at Lam Kwong Deli & Market, which serves dim sum and other items. Owner Yao Li fills a warming bin with freshly baked cha sui bao, his most popular item at Lam Kwong Deli & Market, on March 20, 2024. They make more than 700 a day on weekdays and nearly 1,000 on Saturday. Another cook handles the American-style Chinese dishes including orange chicken, shrimp fried rice and chow mein. The deli is closed on Sundays, but Yao can be found hard at work in the kitchen prepping dough for early next week. How I spent my $25 budget at Lam Kwong Deli & Market By noon, several dim sum dishes were sold out including sesame balls, custard tarts, pork turnovers and coconut ball lo bao, custard buns with coconut flakes. After a few suggestions from Anna, I settled on a couple of the delis most popular dim sum dishes: Three pieces of ha gao - $1.30 each (steamed shrimp and bamboo dumplings) Three pieces of siu mai - $1.30 each (steamed pork, shrimp and mushroom dumplings) Two baked cha siu bao - $2 each (baked barbecue pork buns) One egg roll - $2 (pork, cabbage, carrots, celery and onions) My total came to $13.80. It took less than two minutes for Jenny to plate and bag my order. What is dim sum? Dim sum is a traditional Cantonese meal of dumplings and other bite-sized dishes. Typically, dim sum is eaten family-style during brunch hours and accompanied by tea. Guests at traditional dim sum restaurants are given menus to mark their selections. At other eateries, carts filled with food are pushed from table to table so customers can choose their dishes on the spot. At Lam Kwong Deli & Market, dim sum is served all day without the roving carts or hot tea service. Owner Yao Li and his staff make dim sum filled with chives, chicken and shrimp at Lam Kwong Deli & Market on March 20. Anna Lee and her father Yao Li serve dim sum at Lam Kwong Deli & Market on March 20. Anna told me the sesame balls, egg tarts and pork turnovers typically sell out fast and wont be made again until the following day. On weekday mornings and all day on Saturdays, the deli serves two types of dumplings that arent listed on the menu. One dumpling is packed with chives, shrimp and chicken. The other is loaded with pork, shrimp, peas, carrots and mushrooms. Owner Yao Li, left, and his staff make dim sum filled with chives, chicken and shrimp at Lam Kwong Deli & Market on March 20. Is Lam Kwong Deli & Market affordable? I got a dim sum meal for less than $14 and if you stick around, Ill tell you how everything tasted. The 10-minute bike ride back home couldnt end fast enough. I was excited to tear into my meal. Once I got home, I took Annas advice and tossed my six pieces of dumplings ($7.80 total) in a frying pan with olive oil. She was right, the extra step elevated the dish. Siu mai, made with pork and shrimp, is a traditional Cantonese dumpling served as dim sum at Lam Kwong Deli & Market on March 20. They make 30 dozen a day. The next item down the hatchet was the massive $2 egg roll. It was crispy on the outside, and warm and flavorful on the inside, making me second-guess all of the other egg rolls I tried before that one. Egg rolls are served as dim sum at Lam Kwong Deli & Market on March 20. The $2 barbecue pork buns stole the show with their semi-sweet dough and tender pork. If you are on a stricter budget or trying to get as much bang for your buck, you can still do it at Lam Kwong Deli & Market. Skip the dim sum, sold per piece or by the dozen, and order one of the several lunch deals. The eight different lunch specials, available between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekdays, range from $10.95 to $11.95. Plates include a combination of meat, noodles, rice, egg rolls and pot stickers. Owner Yao Li picks out a cha siu bao for a customer, Jo-Ann Lin, at Lam Kwong Deli & Market on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, in Sacramento. Also available are ginger beef over rice ($11.25), tofu and barbecue pork over rice ($10.95), and shrimp chow mein ($12.50). Party trays range from $38 to $72 with noodle, rice and meat options. Lam Kwong Deli & Market doesnt go unnoticed by the community it serves. If you havent been in, I hope my experience encourages you to give it a try. Thank you for the suggestion, Susie, and happy retirement! Hours: Lam Kwong Deli & Market is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday; and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. The deli is closed to customers on Sundays. (FOX40.COM) A woman from Sacramento died early Friday morning after crashing into a tree on Marconi Avenue, according to California Highway Patrol. The woman was identified as 38-year-old Dora Yvonne Correa. CHP said Correa was driving west on Marconi Avenue near Eastern Avenue when her SUV traveled off the road and hit a tree. The SUV continued west and crashed into three nearby unoccupied vehicles. Barricaded stabbing suspect surrenders, sheriff says California Highway Patrol, American Medical Response, and Sacramento Metro Fire Department personnel arrived on the scene and discovered the driver of the vehicle was deceased from this collision, CHP said. The vehicle Correa was driving in the crash was a 1998 Isuzu Rodeo, CHP added. CHP did not state if alcohol or drugs played a role in the crash. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. Thousands will be moved in the coming week before Easter by the hymn My song is love unknown. What makes the hymn so touching? And why did it lie disregarded, as a sleeper for two and half centuries. The next three lines set the context: My Saviours love to me. / Love to the loveless shown, / That they might lovely be. The author speaks of a personal love for Christ: This is my Friend. The verse reads like that of George Herbert, but it was the work of Samuel Crossman (1623-1683), 30 years younger than Herbert, who died when he was 10. Crossman did not write his poem as a hymn. It appeared in 1664 in a tiny book, The Young Mans Meditation, of 16mo (sextodecimo) format, with 17 pages of text. The title page quoted Herbert by name, from his collection The Temple, A Verse may find him whom a Sermon flies, /And turn delight into a Sacrifice. The line Never was grief like thine adapted the refrain from The Sacrifice, one of Herberts poems in The Temple: Was ever grief like mine? This in turn was taken from the biblical Book of Lamentations: Is any suffering like my suffering? There is much blundering misinformation online about Crossman and his work. It is said that the poem was published as a hymn in The Anglican Hymn Book in 1686. It wasnt. The year 1686 is an error for 1868. No book could have been called The Anglican Hymn Book in 1686, when they didnt have hymn books. The Church of England had just scraped through the Reformation and Cromwells Commonwealth with music being revived in cathedrals at the Restoration. In churches the Psalms were recited or sung in metrical paraphrases. When My song is love unknown (or rather the first, fourth, sixth and seventh of the seven stanzas) was published in The Anglican Hymn Book of 1868, edited by Robert Corbet Singleton and Edward George Monk, the suggested setting was the tune given by Henry Lawes to Psalm 47. This was in the metrical version devised by George Sandys. The Psalm, which in the Book of Common Prayer begins O clap your hands together, all ye people, begins in Sandyss paraphrase Let all in sweet accord clap hands. The music of Lawes, a contemporary of Herbert, suits Crossmans poem, in metre (syllabically 666688) and in feel. Crossman was happy as a Presbyterian under the Protectorate, having been made minister in 1647 by the seventh London classis or assembly. He also ministered to a Congregationalist church. Crossman attended the Savoy conference in 1658, which sought a Prayer Book acceptable to Presbyterians and Episcopalians. Everything changed at the Restoration, with the re-establishment of the Church of England. Like many others, Crossman was ejected from his living. But by 1665 he was episcopally ordained at Norwich as deacon and priest and two years later was appointed a chaplain to the King. He died as Dean of Bristol. As for My song is love unknown, it acquired a new life after it was set to a tune written by John Ireland. It was the only hymn tune he wrote. The story is that the organist and composer Geoffrey Shaw took him out for lunch and presented him with the text, which Ireland set in 15 minutes, on the back of the menu. It was published in The Public School Hymn Book of 1919. (A letter in The Telegraph in 1950 from Donald Ford, recalling an anecdote by Shaw, mistakenly puts the meeting as in preparation for Song of Praise, published in 1925.) From there it was picked up by other hymn books. Many who hear it now assume it was always sung like this. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. NEW JERSEY (PIX11) PIX11s very own Arrianee LeBeau was at one event where it is all about supporting the mission of Saint Jude Childrens Hospital. Saint Jude Childrens Hospital is dedicated to finding cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. No child is denied treatment based on race, religion, or a familys ability to pay. The event featured dinner, cocktails, and much more and took place in Rockleigh, NJ. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Two weeks after a teen was shot and killed near a Salem high school, the district is now considering weapon detectors in schools. Parents and students got their first look at the safety measure in a demonstration at Stephens Middle School on Friday that allowed families to ask questions about how the new system could potentially protect their students. Medical examiner declares womans death homicide, husband faces murder charge Inside the middle school, the district set up two vendors with their own detection systems to show how they work and what happens when something sets them off. The focus was on applicable uses, such as daily entrances into the school or other major school events including games. The move to equip schools with detectors comes about two weeks after 16-year-old Jose Vasquez-Valenzuela was shot and killed near South Salem High School and two others were injured. One dead after serious assault on the Eastbank Esplanade Superintendent Andrea Castaneda said the conversations around weapons detectors have gone on for a while, though outside violence has sped up conversations to bring them in sooner. Community-based violence is not a schools problem. Schools are just part of a community, and so when things go on outside the walls of schools, they often seep in the walls of schools, Castaneda said. As for cost, thats still up in the air. The district hasnt decided on a company or just how many they will have set up, but theyre estimating itll cost around $800,000 to put them in middle and high schools. Superintendent Castaneda says that will come out of a restricted fund theyre unable to use on other district needs. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. SAN DIEGO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) From unpermitted marches to Gay-Ins, the road to the very first San Diego Pride parade was paved by LGBTQ+ activists with a vision of solidarity and acceptance. This summers event will mark the 50th anniversary of the first Gay Pride Day and permitted parade in the city, which occurred in 1975. Thats according to San Diego Pride Executive Director, Fernando Lopez. In my office hangs a copy of the oldest known San Diego Pride budget. We had a deficit of one dollar. Ninety percent of our income came from button sales. The year was 1975, the first year to have a permitted Pride parade, but not the first year of Pride in San Diego, Lopez stated. Toxic dust and abandonment: Irondad treks around the Salton Sea amid ecological crisis He pointed to the pioneers of the pride movement, praising their successes in the community despite the many struggles faced. From legal oppression to disrupting societal norms, the LGBTQ+ community banded together over the years to create San Diego Pride. Stonewall rebellion In 1970, students at San Diego State University then called San Diego State College founded the San Diego Chapter of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF). This came shortly after the Stonewall Uprising, a series of events between police and LGBTQ+ protesters which stretched over six days in June of 1969. The Stonewall riots came in response to a police raid on a gay bar called The Stonewall Inn in New York Citys Lower Manhattan. Patrons of the bar, along with LGBTQ+ activists and unhoused individuals, fought back against police. The riots are widely considered the watershed event that transformed the Gay Liberation Movement. Surprisingly, in a world before email, the internet and text messaging, word traveled fast and within months local students at San Diego State College began to organize to make the GLF one of the on-campus clubs, the San Diego Pride organization explained. The local GLF held early protests and Gay-Ins in solidarity with the national movement. The first Gay-In was held in Presidio Park with about 100 people in attendance, some of which held signs with slogans such as Im gay and thats okay. Those events continued for the next several years. 9 experiences in San Diego that are a must, according to National Geographic Conferences and marches begin According to Lopez, regional LGBTQ+ activists and organizers saw the opportunity to do something more than a day in the park. In 1972, the local GLF joined forces with over 20 other emerging LGBTQ+ organizations in Southern California to produce the San Diego Southwestern Gay Conference. This initiative was used as a time to coordinate and strategize. With this came the Gay Information Center hotline in 1973, which grew into San Diegos LGBTQ+ Community Center. Lopez said a Stonewall anniversary yard sale and potluck was held in 1973 to raise funds for the growing center. There were conflicting accounts of an impromptu unpermitted march on the sidewalk that followed the potluck that some credit as the first San Diego Pride, but I find it important to honor that our movement did not yet have shared language to call these events Pride,' Lopez explained. The following year, he said there were possibly two other unpermitted marches in San Diego, along with the conferences and continued Gay-Ins. Then in 1975, the first Gay Pride Day and march was officially held. Later in 1994, the San Diego Pride organization became its own nonprofit. That year also marked the beginning of the parade route and festival location that most people are familiar with today. The roughly 1.5 mile route stretches from the Hillcrest Pride Flag at University Avenue and Normal Street to Balboa Drive, ending at Quince Drive. San Diego woman competing on Season 46 of Survivor Our organization and movement werent built by one person, one group, one nonprofit, or one leader, said Lopez. We have been manifested through the intentional will and labor of countless people across generations. 2024 Pride Festival and Parade In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first LGBTQ+ Pride march and festival in San Diego, event organizers announced this years event theme is Making History Now. The festival will be held July 20-21, with the parade slated for that Saturday. The festival, held annually at Balboa Park, will include over 300 musical acts on four stages, featuring emerging local and international LGBTQ+ artists. On Thursday, the headliners for the Pride festival were announced, with big names like Todrick Hall, Rico Nasty and Sheila E. Tickets to the event are on sale now. According to San Diego Pride, proceeds will benefit their year-round programs and events, including their Pride Community Grants program that has distributed over $3.5 million to LGBTQ+ serving organizations locally, nationally and globally since 1994. Today, San Diego Pride is the most philanthropic Pride organization in the world, with robust year-round education and advocacy programs predominantly led by community volunteers and supported by our volunteer board of directors and paid staff, said Lopez. This years event is sure to be one for the history books. See you there, San Diego. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. (KRON) Authorities are searching for a man who robbed a Chase Bank on Thursday, the Santa Rosa Police Department announced on social media. Police are offering up to $2,500 for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect(s) involved in the robbery. The suspect (pictured below) is described as a white man between 40 and 50 years old, between 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-10 tall and weighs approximately 200 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black jacket, dark pants and a Cali beanie. The alleged robbery happened at the Chase Bank on 2300 Sonoma Ave. The suspect presented a note to the bank teller, demanding cash, according to police. He did not threaten the teller with a weapon but still walked away with an undisclosed amount of cash. Authorities seek help in identifying this suspect who robbed a Chase Bank on Thursday, March 21 (Santa Rosa Police Department). SRPD officers arrived at the bank but were too late as the suspect had already fled the scene. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information can call 707-543-3690 and reference case number 24-3353. SRPD says it would like to speak with anyone who has information potentially related to this incident. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Juan Salazar-Diaz listens to testimony on the first day of his trail. Salazar-Diaz is acting as his own attorney in his trial for the September 2018 murder of Tyren Kinard in North Port. Ill will. Hatred. Spite. Evil intent. "It takes those attributes to fire a gun into Tyren Kinard's right eye," Assistant State Attorney Karen Fraivillig said during her closing arguments Friday during the trial of a Punta Gorda man accused of murdering a 21-year-old Black gay man in September 2018 in North Port. Sitting a few feet away at the defendant's table, Juan Jose Salazar-Diaz stared at Fraivillig as she concluded her arguments. The 26-year-old opted to represent himself during the trial. "Hold him accountable for killing that other 20-year-old," Fraivillig said. After approximately two hours of deliberation, a jury of six came back with a guilty verdict for both second-degree murder and grand theft auto. Just before Fraivillig's conclusion, Salazar-Diaz's closing focused on discrediting the lead detective's investigation, the fact that experts couldn't say when his DNA and fingerprint were placed in the victim's car and on a pack of Newport cigarettes collected near Kinard's body, the fact that one witness said Kinard was going to see someone named "Quan," and that his parents placed him at their home during the time of the killing. In case you missed it: Zieglers sue to stop release of records from rape, voyeurism investigation In Manatee County news: Bradenton man sentenced to 30 years in prison in connection to 68-year-old father's murder Fraivillig urged the jury to not only consider the witnesses who spoke from the stand the ones who can be rattled, get confused, and lie but to also focus on the "silent witnesses," the evidence like DNA, fingerprints and photographs that don't forget and do not have a stake in the outcome of the trial. The case presented to a six-person jury to deliberate hinged on circumstantial evidence collected from the crime scene where Kinard's body was found lying face down on Sawyers Circle near Red Oak Road in North Port. Kinard, 21, had been shot several times and his car, a silver Chrysler 200 sedan, was found abandoned a day later on Explorer Road with two apparent gunshot holes in the drivers side window. Salazar-Diaz was arrested in December 2018 in connection to the shooting death following a four-month investigation by North Port police and charged with murder in the second degree, grand theft auto and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Salazar-Diaz became a suspect after police identified him through a fingerprint which investigators found on a plastic sleeve of a Newport pack of cigarettes collected at the scene where Kinards body was found. The third count, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, was severed from the case and Fraivillig has decided not to prosecute that charge. Fraivillig said the decision to not prosecute stems from Salazar-Diaz being in jail for five and a half years already, which is longer than what the mandatory minimum would be for the charge, and to not waste the judicial system's time since he will most likely receive a severe sentence in this case. "This case was compromised of only circumstantial evidence, but the circumstantial evidence, in and of itself, ... was overwhelming that the defendant was the one that committed the crime," Fraivillig said. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled sometime within the next 30 days, at which point Kinard's family will be able to share a statement. Since Salazar-Diaz has six prior felony convictions and had only been released from prison about seven to eight months before the crime was committed, he is eligible to be sentenced to mandatory life under the prison releasee re-offender law. For the family, the last five and a half years have been a lot of anguish and anxiety due to a suppression issue by a previous judge and lengthy pre-trial motions after the defendant decided to represent himself, Fraivillig said. "But their faith in the system paid off," Fraivillig said. "Although we always say, and it's a cliche, we always say that nothing can bring their son back. Of course, that's very true. But at least they know somewhere that the system works and there is justice in the world, that it's not just chaos out here ... justice can be had. Like my colleague Mr. (Steven) Westphal says, 'The wheels of justice grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine.'" Assistant State Attorney Karen Fraivillig looks at evidence collected from the vehicle of Tyren Kinard. Juan Salazar-Diaz is on trial for the September 2018 murder of Kinard in North Port. Defendant takes stand, calls parents as alibis Salazar-Diaz took the stand as a final witness in his defense Thursday afternoon, following his mother and father who had been called as alibis for his whereabouts on the night of Sept. 7 into Sept. 8, 2018. Salazar-Diaz told the jury that he had previously lied to detectives in the case when he denied knowing Kinard, but that he had written to a judge to apologize for lying. The defendant admitted he recalled Kinard calling and texting him the night of the crime, but the two hadn't had plans to meet as Salazar-Diaz said he wasn't a gay man and never had sexual relations with men. He added that he'd known Kinard previously and had even been in Kinard's car before, explaining that's how the glove with his DNA ended up in the car. Before resting the States case, Fraivillig called on Florida Department of Law Enforcement crime laboratory analyst Maureen Meehan, who was able to exclude another suspect in the case and confirm that Salazar-Diazs DNA was found on one item of evidence. While Meehan was able to confirm that Salazar-Diazs and Kinards DNAs were both present on the latex glove found within Kinards car, when questioned by Salazar-Diaz during cross about if his DNA was found on the steering wheel or gear shift of the car, Meehan said only Kinards DNA was found in those two places. Salazar-Diaz called on his father, Juan Ricardo Salazar, to testify about speaking with North Port police in November and December 2018. Testifying through an interpreter, Ricardo Salazar told the jury he was asked three questions, including if he knew the victim and where his son worked. In response to Salazar-Diaz asking his father if detectives questioned him as to where his son was the night of the murder, Ricardo Salazar said they hadnt. Appeals court: No new trial in Venice discrimination case levied by Black officer More court news: Sarasota litigation attorney appointed to County Court position in 12th Judicial Circuit During questioning by the prosecution, Ricardo Salazar testified that he hadnt been home the night of Sept. 7, 2018, but that his wife had been with Salazar-Diaz. He added that he had been on a video call with his son and wife between 11:30 p.m. and midnight that night and that he had proof that his son was home. When Fraivillig pushed why he hadn't come forward to detectives with the proof he claimed he had in defense of his son, Ricardo Salazar said the detectives didn't leave a number for him to call, that he had provided the proof to his son's first attorney and that he wasn't the one being accused. Ricardo Salazar also testified that he did not allow guns in his home as he had a young daughter. In response, Fraivillig pulled up photographs taken on Dec. 19, 2018, when investigators executed a search warrant on the home, and photos pulled from Salazar-Diaz's Google photos. The first set of photos depicted a living room in the family's apartment which included a distinctly patterned chair and photos of what was identified as Salazar-Diaz's bedroom which included bedding that had a distinct blue and white pattern. The two photos from the Google folder showed an individual holding a gun in front of both the distinct bedding and the chair. I dont know anything about the gun," Ricardo Salazar said through the interpreter, adding, I never saw a gun in my house. Juan Salazar-Diaz confers with defense attorney Jennifer Strouf, left, who is providing legal assistance to Salazar-Diaz. Salazar-Diaz is acting as his own attorney in his trial for the September 2018 murder of Tyren Kinard in North Port. When Fraivillig pressed about him seeing the photo of the gun in front of the distinctive bedding that matched the bedding on his son's bed in their home, Ricardo Salazar held firm that while he saw the gun in the photo, he wasn't sure if it's real or not. Salazar Diazs mother, Olideinis Gonzalez Diazs testimony echoed that of her husband with the exception that she said she was home with her son the night of the shooting when the supposed video call with family happened. Gonzalez Dias, through an interpreter, also denied speaking with police in December 2018 when they came to search her home, stating that she doesnt speak English so she couldnt have talked with police. As was previously done with her husband, a recorded interview between a North Port police officer and Gonzalez Diaz was played outside the presence of the jury to refresh the witnesss recollection that she did speak with police through another officer who translated between English and Spanish. In the audio, Gonzalez Diaz told police her son moved in with them after he got out of jail previously. Gonzalez Diaz testified that her son was home the night of the murder, that no one knocked on their door and that the two had video called with Salazar-Diaz's father and their family in Miami. Similar to her husband, when asked why they hadn't given the video or log to the police, Gonzalez Diaz couldn't give a straight answer, saying police never asked for it and that they had given it to their son's first attorney. Fraivillig pointed out in closing arguments how it was convenient that the video disappeared and how despite saying he had it on his phone in his car, Salazar-Diaz's father didn't produce the evidence during the trial. Circuit Court Judge Thomas Krug denied both of Salazar Diazs motions for judgment of acquittal following the State resting their case Thursday and his second motion Friday morning. Gabriela Szymanowska covers the legal system for the Herald-Tribune in partnership with Report for America. You can support her work with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America. Contact Gabriela Szymanowska at gszymanowska@gannett.com, or on X: @GabrielaSzyman3. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Punta Gorda man found guilty of murder, vehicle theft in 2018 murder Durham School Services (DSS), a contractor for Duval County Public Schools, donated two school buses to the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office this week. JSO will use the buses for training exercises. They were donated as part of the companys community outreach program. I have one of the most phenomenal teams. It makes me proud to say I am part of this kindhearted team whose generosity knows no bounds, DSS General Manager Ed Pearl said in a news release. We know that these bus donations serve a significant purpose for the Sheriffs Office and contribute to improving the communitys safety while also supporting our Companys sustainability efforts. It was our pleasure to give them a second home and purpose in life. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Read: Glynn County offers database of special needs residents for first responders Lt. Edward Rogers with the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office said, The buses offer a great deal of assistance in training our teams in various assault and rescue training. We are grateful for this partnership with Durham School Services and cant thank them enough for the donation of these two extremely vital training assets that will allow us to further advance and develop our safety tactics and experience. DSS said that it donated retired, non-electric buses as it transitions to alternative fuel-powered and zero-emission buses. It plans to deploy electric school buses in Jacksonville later this year, using money awarded from the 2023 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean School Bus Grant Program. Durham School Services has been running buses in Jacksonville since 2009, primarily serving the Southside of the city. In August, it will expand to Arlington and the beaches, with a total of 390 routes. Read: CHEERS Act would give tax breaks to businesses using draft beer systems [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Some investors rely on dividends for growing their wealth, and if you're one of those dividend sleuths, you might be intrigued to know that Lennox International Inc. (NYSE:LII) is about to go ex-dividend in just 3 days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before a company's record date, which is the date on which the company determines which shareholders are entitled to receive a dividend. It is important to be aware of the ex-dividend date because any trade on the stock needs to have been settled on or before the record date. Therefore, if you purchase Lennox International's shares on or after the 27th of March, you won't be eligible to receive the dividend, when it is paid on the 15th of April. The company's next dividend payment will be US$1.10 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed US$4.40 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Lennox International stock has a trailing yield of around 0.9% on the current share price of US$493.85. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. As a result, readers should always check whether Lennox International has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut. See our latest analysis for Lennox International Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. That's why it's good to see Lennox International paying out a modest 26% of its earnings. A useful secondary check can be to evaluate whether Lennox International generated enough free cash flow to afford its dividend. Thankfully its dividend payments took up just 32% of the free cash flow it generated, which is a comfortable payout ratio. It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously. Story continues Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends. Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing? Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. For this reason, we're glad to see Lennox International's earnings per share have risen 13% per annum over the last five years. Earnings per share have been growing rapidly and the company is retaining a majority of its earnings within the business. Fast-growing businesses that are reinvesting heavily are enticing from a dividend perspective, especially since they can often increase the payout ratio later. Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. Lennox International has delivered an average of 16% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past 10 years of dividend payments. It's great to see earnings per share growing rapidly over several years, and dividends per share growing right along with it. The Bottom Line Is Lennox International worth buying for its dividend? Lennox International has been growing earnings at a rapid rate, and has a conservatively low payout ratio, implying that it is reinvesting heavily in its business; a sterling combination. It's a promising combination that should mark this company worthy of closer attention. On that note, you'll want to research what risks Lennox International is facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Lennox International you should know about. A common investing mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a full list of high-yield dividend stocks. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. PETOSKEY On Friday, the Honorable Jennifer E. Deegan, 57th Circuit Court Judge, announced the appointment of Michael Schuitema as prosecuting attorney for Emmet County. The appointment was made following the retirement of James Linderman on Feb. 29. The appointment is for the balance of the current term, which ends on Dec. 31, 2024. Schuitema is the current chief assistant prosecuting attorney. I am pleased to appoint Michael Schuitema as the prosecuting attorney, said Deegan in a statement. He is well respected both in the legal community and within Emmet County. He is a dedicated prosecutor and will bring his years of experience to his new position. I am confident that he will serve our citizens well. More: Emmet County prosecuting attorney retires after 40 years of service Subscribe: Check out our latest offers and get unlimited access to news about your community Schuitema graduated from Calvin University in 2004 with degrees in business and political science. He attended law school at the University of Virginia. After graduation, he spent two years as an assistant prosecuting attorney in the Lakeland, Florida area. After returning to Michigan, Schuitema worked as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Huron County and Kent County. He then worked at the State Inspector Generals Office of the Department of Health and Human Services as a Medicaid fraud investigator. Schuitema moved to Petoskey in 2016 to work in the Emmet County Prosecutors office. He held the position of chief assistant prosecuting attorney from October 2019 to December 2021. He took an 18-month sabbatical in Guatemala while his wife worked for a Christian ministry serving juvenile prison inmates. Upon his return in June 2023, he was re-appointed as chief assistant. Im humbled by the opportunity to serve the people of Emmet County as prosecutor, said Schuitema in a press release. I feel fortunate to live and raise a family in such a wonderful community and beautiful area. With the help of all the talented and committed people working at the Prosecutors Office, I will work hard to keep our county the safe and welcoming place we all love to call home. Schuitema lives in Petoskey with his wife, Andrea, and their 10-year-old daughter, Dylan, and 7-year-old son, Arlo. He is set to be sworn in to office on April 5. This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Schuitema appointed to interim term as Emmet County prosecuting attorney Rescue teams found the body of missing hiker Caroline Meister Friday after a four-day search. Photo by Monterey County Sheriff's Office/Facebook March 23 (UPI) -- Authorities in California said Saturday the body of a missing hiker has been found near the base of a waterfall in the state's Big Sur region. The Monterey County Sheriff's Office in a statement said search and rescue personnel found the body of missing hiker Caroline Meister within the Ventana Wilderness area of the Los Padres National Forest. Sheriff Tina Nieto told reporters Meister's injuries indicated she had fallen from the cliff. There was no evidence of foul play. The sheriff's office received a report on March 18 that Meister went missing after she left the Tassajara Zen Center that morning for what was supposed to be a day-long hike. Meister reportedly mentioned hiking the Windcave Trail and left with snacks for the day and the clothes she was wearing. She was not prepared for an overnight hike. Staff and friends at the Zen Center began a search for her when she did not return that evening. They then contacted the sheriff's office. More than 100 people from 13 different agencies joined the four-day search for Meister. Her family flew out to California from Chicago to join the search on Wednesday. The search team found her Friday morning, after investigating a waterfall area along the trail and rappelling down to the base of the waterfall, Nieto said. The team confirmed her death at the scene. Meister lived and worked at the Zen Center. Her family said she was an avid hiker and was familiar with the area, having lived there for two years. A tourist is believed to be dead after falling from a cruise ship in the North Sea. Liam Jones, 23, disappeared after setting sail on the MSC Euribia from Southampton to Amsterdam for seven days for his mothers birthday. He was last seen onboard by his sister on March 16 after texting wife Sophia Mcphee at home after he complained he was feeling seasick. MSC confirmed a passenger had gone missing during the cruise and Hampshire Constabulary also started its investigation on the return of the vessel to the UK. Liam Jones and Sophia Mcphee on their wedding day Sophia, 20, said she was trying to come to terms with what had happened to the social work student, from Dundee, and told the Daily Record: I feel so lost. Hes just gone. Im never going to see him again. Im devastated. I have so many questions, and Im not getting any answers to whats happened. Sophia last saw Liam on Thursday March 14 when he travelled from their home in Dundee to Glasgow to meet his family. The next day they boarded the cruise ship in Southampton. Sophia added: I was first contacted by his sister on Sunday. She said there had been an accident and Liam wasnt coming back. She then said she had seen CCTV and hed gone overboard. Ive not had any contact from anyone since. Liam Jones and Sophia Mcphee had only recently married A spokesman from MSC Cruises said: A passenger on board MSC Euribia went overboard on March 16 as the ship was sailing to Hamburg. This was reported to the authorities. The police in Southampton boarded the vessel today and investigated on behalf of the coroner. We are deeply saddened by this news and our thoughts are with the family at this very difficult time. Out of respect for the familys privacy, we will refrain from disclosing any additional information. A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: Officers boarded the vessel today following a report that a man had gone overboard. The mans family are aware and police are investigating this on behalf of the coroner. 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. Second gentleman of the United States Doug Emhoff and Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall walk near the City Creek water treatment plant in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 22, 2024. Second gentleman of the United States Doug Emhoff seemed impressed looking around City Creek Canyon, still sprinkled with patches of snow, in Salt Lake City on Friday afternoon. The uninterrupted sound of a rippling stream swirled between the mountains. Not bad, not bad, he said with a wide smile. During his stop in the Beehive State, which comes during a presidential election year, Emhoff cheered the investments made in infrastructure across the country over the past few years that were championed by the Biden-Harris administration. Right here in Utah, the administration has announced $3.4 billion in public infrastructure and energy investments, he said, adding those projects funded 160,000 jobs. The purpose of Emhoffs visit was to unveil the Biden-Harris administrations $580 million investment in Utahs water infrastructure. His announcement appropriately fell on World Water Day What better time, Emhoff said. More than two million Americans lack access to clean drinking water, while 9.2 million drink water from lead pipes, according to federal statistics. All of this is unacceptable. And all of this must change. And it is changing under the Biden-Harris administration, Emhoff said. Out of the funding awarded to Utah, $36 million will go toward rebuilding and retrofitting the City Creek Canyon Water Treatment Plant on the trailhead where the press conference took place. This plant, which serves 365,000 residents, was built over half a century ago, and was the first municipal water treatment facility west of the Mississippi River, according to Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. She signaled that construction was already underway, and set to be completed in 2027. As the second driest state in the nation, our ability to call safe Salt Lake City home is inherently dependent upon good stewardship of our water resources, Mendenhall said. Emhoff also said Salt Lake City is receiving a $40 million low interest loan to replace its existing lead pipes with safer options, making Utah the first state to receive federal funds for such a project. He noted the Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities expects to replace anywhere between 9,000 to 14,000 lead pipes. Drinking water that comes from black pipes causes serious health problems, especially for young people. It stunts growth, causes brain damage, and affects learning. The young people in our families simply deserve better, and they will get better, the second gentleman said. Dustin White, the lead and copper control manager with the citys public utilities department, said his teams know of around 126 lead pipes and have successfully replaced them upon discovery. The department only has information on 75% of the 80,000 pipes, and outreach efforts continue. Since many of the lead pipes are under private ownership, city officials are encouraging residents, especially those who own homes built in the 1950s, to ask for free inspections, White said. Tom Perez, senior advisor to President Biden and director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson tour Utah Sheet Metal Apprenticeship Training Center in West Valley City on Friday, March 22, 2024. Tom Perez, senior advisor to President Biden and director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson tour Utah Sheet Metal Apprenticeship Training Center in West Valley City on Friday, March 22, 2024. Instructors Matt Brumbaugh and Gordon Hyde speak with them. Second gentleman of the United States Doug Emhoff, and Tom Perez, senior Advisor to President Biden and director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, stand outside the City Creek water treatment plant in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 22, 2024. The City Creek water treatment plant construction continues in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 22, 2024. Second gentleman of the United States Doug Emhoff, and Tom Perez, senior advisor to President Biden and director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson speak outside the City Creek water treatment plant in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 22, 2024. Water flows into the City Creek water treatment plant as construction continues in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 22, 2024. Homeowners can also conduct basic magnet and coin tests themselves. They should first find the emergency shut-off value. If the pipe is the color of a penny, its made of copper, which typically attracts a magnet, as does silver. Bright blue or black tubing is typically plastic. Meanwhile, lead is a soft metal, and can be easily scratched with a coin. The department is also deploying AI technology and conducting visual inspections to determine the pipings material, White said. Emhoff introduced his good friend and the director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Tom Perez, who admitted he was distracted by the remarkable beauty of the canyons. Perez joked that among the things he had in common with Emhoff was they both married up. This earned a laugh from Emhoff, who is married to Vice President Kamala Harris. Perez said the Biden-Harris administration is pouring money into infrastructure for water, high speed broadband service, roads and bridges across the U.S., including in Utah. This is a unique moment, he said. Those of you in elected office. ... You will look back in 20 years and say this was our Eisenhower moment in infrastructure. Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower was credited with the transformational highway system jumpstarted in the 1950s. Perez said he was inspired by those trying to rebuild the Great Salt Lake on the front lines. I grew up near Niagara Falls, one of the wonders of the world, and the Great Salt Lake is another wonder of the world, said Perez. He added it was a moral, economic and public health imperative to allow this body of water to remain a remarkable wonder. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A second man was taken into custody after a man was found severely beaten at an Economy Inn in Covington, Tennessee. Covington Police say Joshua Peete, 29, was arrested at the Economy Inn Thursday. Police say Peete had a small amount of marijuana on him when he was arrested. Police responded to the Economy Inn on Wednesday. Officers reportedly found a victim with severe injuries to his face and neck. He later went to the hospital in critical condition. Man charged after assault at Covington Economy Inn Peete has been charged with aggravated assault. Covington Police say he is being held on a $50,000 bond. He is scheduled to be in court on April 30. Steven Becton, 39, has also been charged with aggravated assault in this incident. Covington Police say Becton admitted to his role in the assault. Police say the victim has been released from the hospital. Covington Police Chief Donna Turner says the investigation continues. Police ask anyone with information to call the Criminal Investigations Division at (901) 475-1261 or send tips through the Covington Police Departments Facebook page or the City of Covingtons website. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. For most of his life, or at least since he was old enough to comprehend it, the Prince of Wales has been thoroughly aware of, and preparing for, the unique role written into his future. Yet little could have adequately prepared him for the position he now finds himself in: as a husband and father desperately trying to hold his family together while his wife undergoes treatment for cancer. It is a summons nobody ever hopes to face in life, but all too many do. Some people liken a cancer diagnosis in a family to a trauma, because after that one conversation it feels as if nothing will be the way it used to be, says Karin Sieger, a psychotherapist who specialises in supporting people affected by cancer, as well as their families and children. The particular challenges of being in Prince Williams position at the moment are vast and far-ranging. In the first instance, he is on-hand to offer immediate emotional and physical support to his wife, the Princess of Wales; he also will have helped her delicately explain the situation to their children, George, Charlotte and Louis, as well as field their questions in return; and he will also need to take on more domestic responsibilities at Adelaide Cottage, the familys home in Windsor, where the Waleses have no live-in staff. Outside the home, hell be the point of contact for friends and relatives seeking updates and trying not to disturb the Princess with a bombardment of well-wishes a task far greater than it first seems. All of this in addition to his day-to-day responsibilities as a working member of the Royal family. Sieger, who has personal experience with cancer, including twice being diagnosed herself, points out the loneliness of that multi-faceted pressure. What often happens is that you dont feel entitled to say youre struggling with it all, because the focus is so much on your partner, the patient. A diagnosis in the family can make people feel as if theyve lost control of their life, because its now all up to a medical team who are likely strangers. The patient starts to feel like a bystander in their own fate, but so does the spouse. One of the challenges is that treatment leaves the patient and their loved ones suspended in a state of uncertainty. So people could say, for example, Oh, shes not lost her hair in chemotherapy, it must be OK? but nobody knows that for certain and, for a partner, that constant uncertainty is what is so destabilising. One husband and father who cared for his wife during her leukaemia treatment still remembers that most: You wake up and you dont know what that day holds, he admits. Accept the limits of your power The charity Macmillan Cancer Support underlines the importance of not ignoring your own feelings at a time when the natural instinct is to focus everything on your partner. It is not good for you to ignore your feelings for a long time. You should try to take care of yourself during this stressful time. Paying attention to your feelings is an important part of this. It can help you support the person with cancer, the charity advises. An added challenge is that some men (and women) see themselves as fixers, or think they are experts at applying logic and process to problems in life, but an illness such as cancer throws a spanner into that. Prince William is both personally resourceful and has bountiful resources, but he cannot influence everything. Those sorts of people struggle most as they find themselves in a situation they cannot fix, which causes anxiety, Sieger says. The advice is to instead fix the way you look at it and try to accept the limits of your power. One woman who recovered from cancer said her husband felt almost jealous sometimes because the patient gets all this attention and sympathy and can just scream or cry or collapse or whatever, but the partner has to just keep everything together and not be grumpy. Men have traditionally been worse at discussing their mental health than women, but when stoicism is gilded by an extra sense of necessary selflessness, its easy to feel as if you must simply shut up and put up. Keep daily chores running The 11 feelings that people commonly feel when a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, according to Macmillan Cancer Support, include the following: shock, fear, anxiety and uncertainty, denial, grief and loss, sadness, anger, resentment, guilt, loneliness, and tiredness and exhaustion. People can get frightened, and frustrated, when their partner is going through this, Sieger says. In Prince Williams case, he might have a sense of Why me? given he also lost his mother at a young age, so he may fear loss and abandonment, and on top of that his father is also ill. The struggle to keep ordinary day-to-day chores running is often toughest. One man whose wife went through treatment for breast cancer while their two young children were at school recalls trepidation at heading to the school gates, where hed be surrounded by sympathy and well-meaning questions but felt the urge to get away as soon as possible. Another remedied this particular awkwardness by wearing large headphones on the school run, rather than come up with a response to the non-specific What can we do to help? Find space to recharge But Sieger says that rather than fending off all well-wishers, it can be useful to work out exactly how friends and family could help with the domestic load. Though, as that same husband points out, its not that helpful to have tearful relatives around. He adds that another challenge was having to learn how to cook pretty damn quick. His wife previously did the cooking but was unable to do so during her chemotherapy treatment. The calls for food would come at any time my wife wouldnt have eaten for days through sickness, then would suddenly fancy lamb cutlets and mashed potatoes. Ultimately, for any spouse shouldering this, the key, says Sieger, is not to put too much pressure on yourself. Slowing down is difficult for some people. There is pride, fear, and people like to use battle language: We cannot let this beat us. But you have to carry on with hobbies, or meeting friends, or finding space for yourself. You need to recharge mentally, however you can. Life shrinks a bit, adds one man who has been where Prince William is. But thats no bad thing. 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. (PORTLAND TRIBUNE) For Jeff Merkleys newest book Filibustered! he looks back at two events spanning more than four decades in the U.S. Senate. The first was in summer 1976, when he was a student at Stanford University, two years out of David Douglas High School. As a summer intern for U.S. Sen. Mark Hatfield, Merkley was assigned to monitor Senate debate on a tax bill with 125 pending amendments. Back then, Senate sessions were not televised C-SPAN began broadcasting them in 1986 and there was no internet, no instant messaging and no cell phones for someone to keep abreast of the debate if that person was not in the Senate chamber itself. So it fell to Merkley to keep Hatfield, a Republican from Oregon, informed on where the proceedings stood. Each amendment was subject to a time limit on debate but could be added or rejected by a simple majority vote. Donald Trump campaign declines to submit statement for Oregon voters pamphlet You would never have known that such a thing as the filibuster existed, Merkley said at a recent appearance at Powells City of Books in Portland. They were debating, considering every point of view and reaching conclusions. They were not wasting time. The second was on April 5, 2017, when Merkley a Democrat well into his second term in the Senate seat that Hatfield once occupied decided to speak against Republican President Donald Trumps nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. Like most Democrats, Merkley was angry with the 2016 decision of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, not to schedule a hearing or vote on Democratic President Baracks nominee for the seat vacated by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. (Merrick Garland did not get on the court, but Democratic President Joe Biden appointed him attorney general in 2021.) 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. The Senate passed a controversial six-bill government funding package on Saturday after a brief partial government shutdown. Senators voted in favor of passing the $1.2 trillion spending package by a vote of 74-24. The text for the group of bills was only unveiled in the early hours of Thursday morning, angering several Republicans in the upper chamber. The appropriations measures were considered in the House on Friday morning, ultimately passing by a vote of 286134, with a majority of Republicans, 112, voting against them. Senators voted to pass a package of funding bills that would complete the appropriations process for 2024 and avoid a government shutdown. Prior to the package's approval by the upper chamber, the outlook for avoiding a partial government shutdown looked bleak, as Republican senators claimed Democrats were unwilling to take up their requested amendment votes. It was only in the last hour that senators appeared to have reached an agreement, returning to the chamber floor and exchanging papers prior to beginning the voting process. HOUSE PASSES $1.2 TRILLION GOVERNMENT SPENDING BILL TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP A $460 billion funding package that included six of the twelve appropriations bills passed in both chambers earlier this month, despite vocal Republican opposition to the amount being spent, what the money is being put toward, and what they described as breaches of procedure. The two-pronged appropriations process was outlined in a continuing resolution (CR) last month, which designated March 8 as the deadline for the first half of spending bills and March 22 for the last half. The stopgap measure was the fourth of its kind since the initial appropriations deadline of Sept. 30, 2023. TERM LIMITS, PREVENTING LEADER MONARCHY BECOME TOP CONCERNS IN POST-MCCONNELL GOP Several Republican senators slammed the last-minute release of the bill text on Thursday, criticizing plans to vote on Friday and being given only a day to read through the 1,012-page package. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, told Fox News Digital it was an "utterly absurd, insulting and lawless suggestion that that is an appropriate legislative process." "This is a crazy way to run the country," added Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. RUBIO SAYS BEING TRUMP RUNNING MATE WOULD BE 'INCREDIBLE HONOR' With the Senate's passage, the spending package now heads to President Biden's desk to be signed. Lee and Scott criticized the procedure for passing the spending bills in such a short period of time. After several stopgap bills to push spending bill deadlines, the government is set to be fully funded until the Sept. 30, 2024 deadline for fiscal year 2025 appropriations bills. It's unclear whether Congress will be able to avoid the same funding disagreements it faced in the fiscal year 2024 spending negotiations, given the divide between parties will remain just as narrow. Some Republican lawmakers have noted that the drawn out appropriations process has already started interfering with discussions for next year's spending. Original article source: Senate passes mammoth $1.2T spending package after brief partial government shutdown The Senate in the early hours of Saturday passed a sprawling $1.2 trillion package to fund large swaths of the government, capping off a dramatic negotiation in the upper chamber and an intense months-long spending fight. The chamber approved the mammoth package, which spans more than a thousand pages, in a 74-24 vote, sending the bill to President Bidens desk for his signature. The final vote came around 2 a.m., two hours after the shutdown deadline. The House passed the legislation in a bipartisan, 286-134 vote earlier on Friday. The package is the second and final batch of annual government funding bills to clear Congress, about six months after the initial deadline for lawmakers to finish their spending work for fiscal year 2024, which ends in late September. The package which combines half of the 12 annual funding bills covers spending for the departments of Defense, Homeland Security (DHS), Labor, Health and Human Services, and State, as well as general government, financial services and foreign operations. Negotiations to expedite its passage in the Senate dragged on for hours Friday, as conservatives pressed for votes on amendments to the plan. At one point, many senators were pessimistic about the possibility of passing the bill before Sunday. Any amendment added to the bill would have required it to go back to the House, which has already left Washington for a two-week recess and risked putting vulnerable Democrats in the position of taking difficult votes. The amendments Republicans have been pushing for include border measures like the Laken Riley Act, which would require detention of undocumented immigrants charged with theft-related crimes, senators say. Another amendment, pushed by Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), targets a Biden administration tailpipe emissions rule. Republicans accused Democratic leadership of trying to shield vulnerable members from potentially tough votes in a critical election year. Taking a handful of votes on proposals that are related to this massive spending bill is not too much to ask, Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican, wrote on X on late Friday. So make no mistake, if the government shuts down, it will be because of one thing and one thing only: Democrat leaders protecting vulnerable incumbents from taking hard votes. Meanwhile, Democrats accused Republicans of being unreasonable. Everybody knows the truth, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) said. If we amend this bill in any way, theres going to be a shutdown because the House is gone. The only option we have is to pass it as is, and so theres a game being played. In the end, none of the amendments passed. The Office of Management and Budget ceased shutdown preparations on late Friday, the White House said, after it became apparent the Senate would imminently pass the funding package. The president is expected to sign the bill later on Saturday. Because obligations of federal funds are incurred and tracked on a daily basis, agencies will not shut down and may continue their normal operations, the White House said. Conservatives all week have railed against the package for its funding levels and the Democratic-backed investments in the bill since it was unveiled in the wee hours of Thursday, after a last-minute fight over DHS funding delayed rollout of the package for several days. In addition to the packages size, conservatives have criticized funding secured by Democrats for certain community projects due to concerns related to abortion and immigration, dollars for construction of a new FBI headquarters and not going far enough to secure the border. Conservatives in the House also objected to the process by which the bill moved to the floor. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) earlier Friday filed a motion to vacate the Speakers chair in protest of the bill. Its the same move that was used to oust his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), when he put a bill on the floor to avert a shutdown despite opposition from the right flank and has already been met with fierce criticism from her GOP colleagues in both chambers. I mean, quite honestly, if she feels very strongly about it, she knows that she could assert a privilege and get a vote. Instead its just sitting out there, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said. So, just seems like, to me, a needless distraction. I dont see how its helpful to Speaker Johnson, he added, while also comparing the move to when his teenage children would act up. The package passed this week is largely in line with a deal brokered by President Biden and House GOP leadership last year to limit federal spending, with a bump of more than 3 percent in defense funding. Nondefense funding is roughly flat, however, when compared to the previous fiscal year. Despite opposition from conservatives, Republicans have touted investments on the border that they say allow for a greater focus on enforcement, including funding for more Border Patrol agents and detention beds, as well as boosts for border security technology. The bills dont make the drastic cuts House Republicans sought in their partisan funding proposals from last year, but the party has also boasted what it calls a break from previous years when both sides would haggle over parity between defense and nondefense funding increases. Republicans have also lauded a concession secured from Democrats that blocks dollars to UNRWA, a key United Nations agency that provides relief for Palestinian refugees a move thats drawn anger from progressives in both chambers. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), one of only two non-Republicans who voted against the package on early Saturday, cited the cut as the main reason for his opposition. The main was this cut funding for UNRWA, which means that hundreds of thousands of starving children are not going to be able to get the food that they need, and I think thats simply outrageous, he told The Hill. Democrats, meanwhile, have cheered fending off the steep funding cuts pushed by Republicans, as well as a string of so-called poison pill riders, including measures targeting abortion access and diversity initiatives. The party has leaned in on funding boosts secured in early childhood education and health programs, including Head Start, Child Care and Development Fund block grants and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The package also increases funding for the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. U.S. Senators are demanding the Director of National Intelligence to declassify information on TikTok and its parent company ByteDance, citing "significant risks" to U.S. national security. Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, shared a letter on X Friday that he co-wrote with Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, urging Director Avril Haines to declassify a report about TikTok "in order to better inform the American people about the significant risks the social media platforms Chinese ownership poses to our national security." In the tweets, the Democrat said he was "demanding declassification of TikTok facts because the American people deserve and need to know the chilling truth about TikTok its a clear & present threat to national security & privacy." He added: "Its a weapon pointed at Americans that all should see clearly." TRUMP WARNS LAWMAKERS THAT IF THEY BAN TIKTOK, USERS WILL FLOCK TO WORSE PLATFORM FACEBOOK US Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, said he was "demanding declassification of TikTok facts because the American people deserve and need to know the chilling truth about TikTok its a clear & present threat to national security & privacy." The lawmakers request comes as the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a resolution forcing the Chinese-owned ByteDance to divest from China. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "American intelligence and law enforcement officials on a bipartisan basis have repeatedly raised alarms that the Chinese government can use its direct and absolute control over ByteDance to exert malign influence over what users see on TikTok & spy on their private information," Blumenthal wrote. "As we consider steps to separate TikTok from the Chinese govt, the American people must understand the national security issues at stake," he continued. "Im urging the declassification of information about TikTok/ByteDance.", BIPARTISAN SENATORS SHARE TIKTOK CONCERN FOLLOWING 'POWERFUL' NATIONAL SECURITY BRIEFING The comments come just days after a bipartisan group of senators raised alarm over TikTok and its influence over its users. The US House of Representatives has passed a landmark bill that could potentially see TikTok banned in the US if the social media Chinese parent company, doesn't sell its controlling stake. The group of lawmakers left a national security briefing regarding TikTok on Wednesday with "deep concern" ahead of a Senate vote on the House-passed bill. "We had a full hearing room in the classified briefing and there was deep concern about the threat from TikTok on both sides of the aisle," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas described. "The threats that are posed are significant," he stressed. Chairman of the Intelligence Committee Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., similarly exited the "very powerful briefing" urging to quickly declassify the material. "I think there was a reason why, when this brief was given on the House side to the Energy and Commerce Committee, afterwards they voted 50 to nothing to move the legislation forward," Warner said. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, is calling for information about TikTok to be declassified. Warner previously criticized the voluminous data that TikTok could access from its users was a "national security concern." How soon the U.S. Senate could take up the House-passed bill is not immediately clear as bill was referred last week to the committee. Fox News Julia Johnson contributed to this report. Original article source: Senator calls TikTok 'a weapon,' says the American people 'need to know the chilling truth' about it (Bloomberg) -- Former president Donald Trump is set to get a big payday on paper at least after investors voted to approve a blank-check deal that would bring his nascent media startup public as soon as next week. Most Read from Bloomberg The approval, announced in a press release Friday after an earlier vote, clears a near-final hurdle for Trump Media & Technology Group to go public in a deal with Digital World Acquisition Corp. after more than two years of snags as the company burned through its cash. The merger could potentially hand Trump nearly $4 billion worth of shares, though they would be subject to lock-up agreements and performance requirements that may temporarily hinder his ability to monetize the stock and ease his present cash crunch. Read More: Trump Eyes $4 Billion Stock Windfall as His Legal Bills Pile Up Completing the merger would give Trump billions of dollars worth of stock based on his more than 58% stake in the company, and be a boon for Devin Nunes, a former California Representative who left Congress to become CEO of Trump Media, and other insiders. Trump and other company insiders could earn millions in additional shares depending on the stocks ability to perform, however there are a number of caveats to the windfall. Trump and other stakeholders will have to wait months to cash out because members of Trump Medias management team are subject to a lock-up period of roughly six months during which they cannot sell or transfer shares, unless the company files to expedite that timing. Despite those restrictions, the windfall may come at a critical time for Trump who earlier this month became the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. Hes paying millions of dollars a month to fund his ongoing legal troubles, which include four criminal indictments. Story continues Trump posted Friday on Truth Social, the platform operated by Trump Media, that he has almost $500 million in cash on hand. Thats a hefty sum, yet it would still fall short of covering the appeal bond due in three days in New York states civil fraud suit. And Trumps fundraising efforts trail those of his rival President Joe Biden by a wide margin, as many traditional GOP donors are hesitant to publicly back Trumps reelection bid. Read More: NY Gears Up to Seize Trump Westchester Assets If Bond Unpaid Gains Erased DWAC shares fell 14% in the biggest drop since January, erasing a 12% gain on Friday, after the approval went through as expected. Warrants tied to the SPAC dropped 6.3% to $18.37. The special-purpose acquisition vehicle has more than doubled this year as investors use it as a way to bet on Trumps push for re-election. The stock has been a favorite among the retail-trading crowd since the deal was announced in 2021 with posts across Stocktwits and Reddit Inc.s WallStreetBets forum encouraging people to buy shares. The infusion of more than $275 million will be much-needed for Trump Media which has been vocal about its ambitions to compete with the likes of Meta Platforms Inc.s Facebook. The startups success broadly hinges on growth for Truth Social, a product that offers a user experience similar to X yet whose growth has underwhelmed since its debut. So far, investors have continued to view the company as a meme stock with the retail trading crowds loyalty standing in stark contrast with Trump Medias financial struggles. Trump Media lost $49 million in the nine months through September while generating just $3.4 million in revenue, according to regulatory filings. The firm warned earlier that it could go bankrupt without the SPAC deal being completed. The company has been active in recent weeks, courting to vote for the merger a group of retail traders who historically have missed out on similar events. The companies will likely push to complete the merger in the coming days with Trump Media making its trading debut as soon as next week under the ticker DJT. --With assistance from Erik Larson. (Updates with confirmation of vote in second paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. While much attention was focused on the Senate working into the wee hours of the morning to pass a spending bill in a last-minute bid to avert a partial government shutdown on Friday, a group of senators found a little bipartisan comity around rebuking the Iranian government. A resolution introduced this week by Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, is the latest effort by members of Congress to extend political recognition to members of the Mojahedin-e-Khalq, or MEK a group of dissident Iranian refugees living in Europe and primarily centred in Ashraf-3, a political enclave in Albania. The group, led by President-elect Maryam Rajavi, brands itself as a democratic resistance movement against the authoritarian Iranian government. Previously involved in violent resistance against the Iranian regime, it was designated as a terrorist group by the US government until 2012 (a position Irans leaders supported). The MEK, with its political arm the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), has pushed Congress for such political recognition for many years. The latter group frequently hosts events and political briefings with members of Congress, and retains a number of allies among hawkish wings of both major parties. Mr Tilliss resolution was joined by Democrats including Cory Booker and Bob Menendez of New Jersey, as well as Sens Chris Coons and Jeanne Shaheen; a number of his fellow Republicans also signed on. It recognises Ms Rajavi and her much-touted Ten Point Plan for the Future of Iran, which calls for a secular and non-nuclear democratic government in the country. Its the latest and most direct, in recent memory bipartisan show in support for the MEK and NCRI by lawmakers that will once again put them at odds with the views of the State Department, which has an adversarial relationship with the dissidents. Since the MEKs un-designation as a terrorist group by the US government in 2012, the State Department has steadily maintained that it does not view the MEK and NCRI as viable opposition" groups in Iran and have questioned their commitment to democratic values. As a result, the resolutions call for the US government as a whole to continue close and regular cooperation with the Government of Albania and the residents of Ashraf-3 may be received with less than enthusiasm by State officials. The Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC) issued a statement to The Independent on the resolution, calling it a critical step toward holding the Iranian regime accountable for its terrorism and human rights abuses and applauded its call for closer ties with Ashraf-3. While the State Department has never publicly wavered from its political opposition to the MEK and NCRI, the relationship is not that simple. The groups growing alliances with Republicans and conservative Democrats (with some exceptions, such as Mr Booker) have watered down the perceived seriousness of that viewpoint. Case in point: The previous secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, remains an active supporter of the NCRI and as recently as earlier this month headlined an event held by the group in Washington. Former Vice President Mike Pence also spoke at a rally held by the dissident groups in Paris last year, as he sought the 2024 Republican nomination. Under the presidency of Joe Biden, the State Department was for some time reportedly involved in talks concerning the 2015 nuclear deal inked during Mr Bidens previous time in the White House. But the president indicated in December of 2022 that the agreement was not to be revived, and the subsequent outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip has come with renewed tensions between the US and Iran regarding the actions of militant groups supported by the Iranian government throughout the Middle East. One of those groups, Houthi rebels based in Yemen, has resorted to attacking commercial traffic in the Red Sea as the militants seek to deny ships safe passage to Israel. LITTLE ROCK, Ark.- Bryan Malinowskis family is mourning his loss after what their attorney calls a senseless tragedy. Malinowski was shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents Tuesday morning as they attempted to serve a search warrant. The attorney representing the family, Bud Cummins, said the fallout of the raid has been particularly difficult for the family. The loss of a loved one is always difficult, but the suddenness and the lack of explanation for why this had to happen has made this so much harder on the family, Cummins said. It would be difficult to convince me that there was any basis to come at 6 a.m., 45 minutes before first light, over an hour before sunrise, to a private home under these facts and circumstances. Family of Bryan Malinowski releases statement after his death However, he said the ATF can determine their approach and discretion regarding how to execute search warrants. Especially in light of the nature of the investigation they were conducting they suspected that this individual had crossed a line between being a private citizen, entitled to buy and sell guns into a position where he legally shouldve gotten a federal firearms license, Cummins said. He added that he believes the ATF could have handled the response to the alleged crimes differently. If they really felt that strongly that he had violated it, they couldve sent him a stern letter and told him he was in violation and told him to get a license, Cummins said. They couldve called him on the phone or called his attorney and had him come in. Cummins said he believes the tactics that they chose were outrageous. Something stinks to high hell; Brother of LIT director shot by ATF agent speaks out on shooting The tactics that ATF chose to execute this search warrant are outrageous for this level of accusation, this level of alleged violation with all the other facts and circumstances about the knowledge they had of this individual and his patterns, and his employment. Theres really no excuse for this, he said. According to Cummins, the government must be held accountable for what they do. You know, I dont know whats going to happen in the future, but the family deserves to know all the facts, and I dont think any citizen in this country would expect or tolerate this kind of conduct if it happened to them, Cummins said. The investigation is still ongoing by the Arkansas State Police, so Cummins said he and the family are still determining the route to justice. Theres a number of possibilities, including criminal prosecution and civil litigation, but until all the facts are in it, its really too early to say whats appropriate, Cummins said. Released search warrant affidavit shows details of ATF case against Little Rock airport executive Bryan Malinowski Cummins noted that his job for the family is currently to help navigate the media and allow the family to have their private time to mourn. He said he will also provide future legal information once the investigation ends. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLRT - FOX16.com. A liberal San Francisco legislator believes that a key to urban revival in the post-COVID era is to suspend for a decade Californias premiere environmental law, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). State Sen. Scott Wieners bold proposal, however, isnt for Sacramento, Los Angeles, Fresno or San Jose. Wieners Senate Bill 1227 would only remove this environmental regulation for a single downtown, which happens to be his: Downtown San Francisco. Opinion I think a CEQA exemption makes a lot of sense to facilitate and accelerate the reimagining of downtown, Wiener said. Downtown San Francisco should have never been overwhelmingly office. Wiener isnt looking to pick a statewide fight with environmental groups and like-minded legislators over the sanctity of a 54-year-old law. He is looking to help his city. But the very rationale behind his bill, that a last-century approach to environmental protection can cause more harm than good in a downtown, should serve as a five-alarm bell for all of California. The Democrat-controlled California Legislature simply does not have the political capacity nor the will to update CEQA. In the place of real reform, there are increasing instances of surgical strikes to accelerate the acts lawsuit process or exempt the act altogether. Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom sought a degree of CEQA relief for a range of infrastructure projects as part of Junes budget package. Now, Wiener is back to make Downtown San Francisco a CEQA-free zone. CEQA is the reason why major projects must conduct environmental impact reports. The act requires a review of potential alternatives, an identification of impacts and ways to lessen those impacts when feasible. For a project with any controversy, the environmental review triggers the next process: litigation. Thats what worries Wiener in San Francisco, where any attempt to convert a tired office building into a residential high-rise is likely to trigger yet another city debate. Anyone who doesnt like (a project) and has enough money to hire a lawyer can appeal and sue, he said. It could really get gummed up. SB 1227 would create a decade-long exemption for many of San Franciscos famous districts such as Union Square, Civic Center, the Financial District and South of Market Avenue. Projects would still need city/county approval, but once supervisors make a decision, it would be time to build. Wiener argues that CEQA was intended to protect natural resources that are simply not part of Downtown San Franciscos urban landscape. We are talking about the concrete jungle of downtown San Francisco, a completely dense urbanized area, he said. No natural resources. But the same could be said for downtown Sacramento. Or San Jose. Or Modesto. The list goes on and on. Why just San Francisco? I represent San Francisco, Wiener said. There can always be a conversation if other cities are interested in pursuing this. The problem is not confined just to San Francisco. Take, as an example, Californias housing crisis, a function of a state that has built too few homes, leading to skyrocketing rents and mortgages and an unprecedented exodus from the state. The respected Holland & Knight law firm, in a statewide analysis of CEQA litigation, found that about half of all housing construction in California in 2020 faced lawsuits via CEQA. Previous work had found that multi-family projects faced the highest rate of legal challenges. SB 1227 should apply to all California downtowns for a decade. Every legislator representing a downtown could copycat the Wiener bill. Yes, it sounds silly, but so is the Democrat-controlled Legislatures inability to agree on how to modernize environmental regulations in California. So far, in Sacramento, there has been an unwillingness of the Legislature and the governor and the advocacy community to agree on structural reform of CEQA, Wiener said. There has been talk of years and years and years of the benefits of reimagining CEQA, to make sure it is truly protecting the environment, that it is advancing climate action and that it is not being used to obstruct environmentally sustainable projects. It hasnt happened. Its smart politics for Wiener to advance SB 1227 as what is known inside the Capitol as a district bill, one that doesnt have statewide implications that is intended to address a unique local matter. But this is no district issue. CEQA is a statewide problem. Solving it solely for San Francisco would smack of an elitism that the Democrats would be wise to avoid. In a state that isnt building enough housing and has urban cores that have yet to fully rebound from the COVID era, the least the government should do is to remove barriers to getting more housing built within existing downtown footprints. Suspending CEQA for downtowns statewide for a decade makes all the sense in the world. Whats good for Wieners San Francisco is good for California. (KRON) A woman was sentenced to two years in prison after stealing over $40,000 worth of products from several San Francisco retail stores, the citys District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said on Friday. Savannah Church, 25, was allegedly part of an organized group that committed a series of snatch-and-grab thefts from Walgreens, Sephora, and Bath & Body Works stores in San Francisco from April 23 to September 15 in 2023, Jenkins said. According to Jenkins, Church and others entered the store as a group, rapidly grabbed and concealed merchandise and quickly exited the store without paying for any of the merchandise. Prosecutors also allege that Church assaulted a person who attempted to stop her from robbing someone on the street. According to Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Zudekoff, the San Francisco Police Department investigated and reviewed over a dozen incidents, most of which involved the theft of thousands of dollars in merchandise, including the assault. Almost every day, citizens of San Francisco, as well as store employees across the city, have to bear witness to these brazen thefts, said Zudekoff. This prosecution was successful because of the cooperation of victims, witnesses, store employees, and the fantastic investigation work of the San Francisco Police Department. Church has been in custody since her arrest on September 15, 2023. She is also ordered to pay a total of $43,170.84 in restitution to the victims. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. In order to combat an increase in fraudulent and scam activity, the Cheboygan County Sheriffs Department will host a public forum on April 4 at the Cheboygan Senior Center. CHEBOYGAN COUNTY In order to combat an increase in fraudulent and scam activity, the Cheboygan County Sheriffs Department will be holding a public forum on April 4. The forum is set to take place at 12:30 p.m at the Cheboygan Senior Center on Sand Road. According to Undersheriff Josh Ginop, scams and fraudulent activity is on the rise due to technology advancements. We are seeing an uptick in scams in the area because consumers are using the internet more and more to complete their business activity assuming the company they are doing business with is legit, said Ginop in a press release. Subscribe: Check out our latest offers and read the local news that matters to you The sheriffs department offered several tips for people to keep in mind to avoid frauds or scams: Never give your personal information to anyone unless you initiate the contact and know the company you are dealing with. Use secure methods of payment. Never pay in gift cards. Do your research if a deposit is requested to hold a purchase. Verify the business, verify phone numbers other than on the website you are using, verify names and ensure the name of the business. Use Google Maps to see if the business address is a real address and the company is actually there. Check your credit report from one of the credit bureaus. Notify your banking institutions if you suspect fraudulent activity. Unfortunately, if you are a victim of a scam, especially money scams, it is very hard to ever recover those funds as many of them are from oversees, said Ginop. This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Cheboygan County Sheriffs Department to host public forum on frauds and scams Officer Randall McMurray is awarded with Officer of the Year at the annual South Bend Police Awards on March 20, 2024 at the Four Winds Casino, 3000 Prairie Ave, South Bend. SOUTH BEND Randall McMurray wears many hats in the South Bend Police Department, serving on the honor guard, pension board, peer support team, critical incidents stress management team, FACT team, rapid response team and as an emergency vehicle operations instructor. McMurray, a first class patrolman currently serving as a crime scene technician, was shocked to receive a new role Wednesday night: South Bend's Officer of the Year. Im very honored, he said during the ceremony at the Four Winds Casino ballroom. Ive been here for 10 years, so it feels good to get recognized and know that my work is being seen by others. McMurray has "teched" 80 scenes while completing 202 reports, treating each one with equal regard, South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski said in his speech announcing McMurray's honor. McMurray, who sat at a table near the front, said he had no idea he would be receiving Officer of the Year. In fact, his family picked the spot, he said. Theres a lot of people in the department who deserve this award just as much, he said. For him, the awards are an opportunity to come together and see the work everyone has done over the year and get recognized for it, McMurray said. This award wont change McMurray's work ethic. Im going to continue to do what I do, working to the best of my ability and try to make citizens, my family and everyone proud, he said. Department presents Community Problem Solving Award and more WNDU Morning News Anchor Christine Karsten is awarded with the Community Problem Solving Award for her segment Michiana Unsolved at the annual South Bend Police Awards on March 20, 2024 at the Four Winds Casino, 3000 Prairie Ave, South Bend. The department honored officers, police department personnel and community members throughout the evening, including the Community Problem Solving Award to Christine Karsten and Officer Brian Meador. The award is given to anyone who shows an exemplary effort to identify, analyze and successfully respond to causes, conditions and problems that may lead to crime and neighborhood disorder. Chief Scott Ruszkowski called recipient WNDU Morning News Anchor Christine Karsten the voice and hope to the victims of unsolved crimes. She is a true ambassador of the message of See something, say something, so we can do something,'" he said. In Karstens segment, Michiana Unsolved, she brings awareness to the unsolved cases in a way the community can empathize with and offers another way to make a difference, Ruszkowski said. Officer honored for saving baby's life Community Resource Officer Brian Meador also received the Community Problem Solving Award, but before he could take his seat, Ruszkowski called state legislators to the stage. In a surprise to Meador, Rep. Maureen Bauer, D-South Bend and state Sen. David Niezgodski, D-South Bend took the podium to announce the passing of House Concurrent Resolution 8, in recognition of Meadors heroic efforts on Dec. 12 in the police departments lobby. Rep. Maureen Bauer, D-South Bend recognizes Officer Brian Meador with House Resolution 8, which she wrote in recognition for his heroism at the annual South Bend Police Awards on March 20, 2024 at the Four Winds Casino, 3000 Prairie Ave, South Bend. On the evening of Dec. 12, a couple was taking their child to the hospital when their child became unresponsive in the car. They entered the police station for help. Officer Meador, upon hearing the commotion, began performing chest compressions until medics arrived. Niezgodski and Bauer credited Meadors quick thinking, composure and training to save the childs life, and it wasnt the first time hed done so. Meador said he and two other officers previously saved a baby with special needs, winning a life-saving award previously. He recalled the events leading up to the Dec. 12 incident. I thought it was a fight at first, he said. After hearing the words, Hes not breathing, Meador said he started running. Community Resource Officer Brian Meador is awarded with Community Problem Solving Award and a House Resolution for his heroism at the annual South Bend Police Awards on March 20, 2024 at the Four Winds Casino, 3000 Prairie Ave, South Bend. I didnt know it was a baby (at first) either. All the training kicked in, he said. He said he thinks all officers have a versatile training equipped to assist in any situation. If I hadnt been there any of the other officers would have jumped in, he said. I just happened to be the guy that was there. Niezgodski and Bauer both presented House Concurrent Resolution 8 in their respective chambers, but Niezgodski credited Bauer for reaching out to him and beginning the resolution in the House. This is a way for us as legislators to recognize Officer Meador for his heroic actions, Bauer told The Tribune. Having the entire Indiana General Assembly come together and recognize his efforts, so many of my colleagues in the House were impressed by his actions. Its one of the most special things we can do as legislators to honor those back home, Niezgodski said. Charlie Eakins (left) and Lacie Klosinski (right) with the SBPD Crime Lab is awarded with the Unit Meritorious Performance Award at the annual South Bend Police Awards on March 20, 2024 at the Four Winds Casino, 3000 Prairie Ave, South Bend. The department distributed 10 other awards, including: Chiefs Award of Merit Bri Fenton Commanders Award Jose Aguilar, Tyler Donlon, Rodolfo Espraza, Sgt. Kevin Gibbons, Jen Jozwiak, Detective Chris Kozora, Officer Aaron Omanson and Officer Bradley Sadilek. Department Commendation Detective Kyle Bilinski, Officer Chris Brady, Detective Bruno Martinsky, Officer Hunter Miller, Rose Thompson, Chris Rajski, Officer Antonio Rodriguez, Detective Tim Taylor Crime Prevention Special Commendation Jarveair Bourn Unit Meritorious Performance Award SBPD Crime Lab: Charlie Eakins, Sierra Halstead, Ronald Kaszas, Lacie Klosinski, Aaron McCray, Ronald Wilson and Ray Wolfenbarger Life Saving Award Devonte Spratt, Jeffrey Veal, Zachery Wells, Brian Meador, Bradley Sadilek, Joseph Slabach, Jerrid Arnold, Maranda Baker and John Bies Community Oriented Policing Special Partnership Award Lynn Coleman, Tina Thompson, Charlotte Williams Business Appreciation Award Palmer Funeral Home and South Bend Cubs Dortha Paxton Award Tony Salazar Patty Derue Nemeth Humanitarian Award Crystal Hutchens In a special recognition, Chief Dan Skibins recognized the efforts of field training officers who trained over 70 new recruits in 2022 and 2023 combined. "Without the dedication of our field training officers, we would not have been successful in building back our department to full staffing," he said in his speech. The department recognized Anne Hayes, Jeffery Vance, Travis Kukla, Tyler Donlon, Trent Mamazza, Timmy Buckingham, Sean Ryan, Joseph Carey, Reid Spitaels, Tony Dawson, Michael Stuk, Brandon Martin, Mollie Anton, Robert Anton and Tyler Jackey. Email Tribune staff writer Camille Sarabia at csarabia@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Officers and community recognized in 12 awards by South Bend Police EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The Socorro Independent School District (SISD) has partnered with El Paso Community College (EPCC) and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) to host the Operation College Bound event starting Monday, March 25. The purpose of the event, which will start at 8:30 a.m., is to provide enrollment services for high school seniors, offering information about the opportunities at both EPCC and UTEP, from courses offered to student life, according to SISD. SISD says that during the event, seniors interested in EPCC will be able to meet with an admission counselor and register for fall courses. Students interested in UTEP will be able to register for New Student Orientation and possibly an anchor course. Additionally, the event will take place at six high schools in the district, and EPCC and UTEP staff will guide the students through the enrollment process and answer any questions they may have, according to SISD. The Operation College Bound days will be: March 25 at Americas High School. The school will host Options High School seniors. March 27 at Pebble Hills High School April 2 at El Dorado High School April 3 at Socorro High School April 4 at Eastlake High School April 8 at Montwood High School For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Steve Stivers is president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. Ohio will be one of the few states to experience a total solar eclipse on April 8. With a 124-mile-wide path of totality, Ohio is expecting an influx of tourism as people travel from all over the country to come witness this rare phenomenon. Your safety: Do eclipse glasses expire? Are my eclipse glasses safe? Ohio doctors offer tips A solar eclipse is a celestial event that occurs when the moon casts its shadow across the Earth as it travels between the Earth and the Sun. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon appears to totally obscure the Sun, blanketing the sky in complete darkness. The last appearance of a total solar eclipse in Ohio was in 1806, and the next total solar eclipse is not expected to visit the state until 2099. What time is the total eclipse of the sun in Ohio? The sun is photographed through a solar filter, Thursday, March 21, from Lawrence Township, Ohio, in preparation for the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8. Tuscarawas County is just outside the path of totality, but its effects will still be seen as 99 percent of the phenomenon will take place within the county itself. This year, the total solar eclipse will be visible in Ohio from 3:08 p.m. to 3:19 p.m., with a partial solar eclipse beginning at 1:59 p.m. Much of the state is expected to witness totality, with many cities preparing for a major tourism boom. Cleveland, Dayton, Toledo, Bowling Green and Akron are just a few cities inside the path of totality that have already began to witness the economic impacts of the total solar eclipse. According to a Columbus Dispatch article from last June, experts say this eclipses economic impact on Ohio could exceed $100 million. When it was in the path of totality in 2017, South Carolina saw millions of new visitors, resulting in an estimated impact of $269 million. Spectacular and dangerous. How to safely enjoy 2024 solar eclipse. Solar eclipse 2024: How to watch the April 8 event and protect your eyes, kids and nerves With travelers expected to spend money on hotels, food and dining, transportation, retail services and more, many businesses across northwest Ohio are preparing for a surplus of new customers. The state is anticipating a boom in tourism that will have substantial economic impacts across Ohio. This spectacular event is a once-in-a-generation experience, so it is crucial to find the most optimal viewing location for this remarkable sensation. Many places within the path of totality are expecting large crowds, so make time to enjoy all that Ohio has to offer before, during and after the eclipse. Great places to watch the solar eclipse in Ohio? As cities prepare for the new tourists traveling to witness the total solar eclipse, many businesses are hosting events to allow for their customers to have the best viewing experience. See the list below to learn more some of the exciting events happening throughout the state for the eclipse. Columbus The Solar Eclipse Solar-Bration at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium will provide eclipse viewing glasses and invites guests to enjoy the eclipse while learning about the science behind wildlife research. Toledo The Toledo Zoo is hosting a Total Eclipse at the Zoo from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. where guests can enjoy fun activities and learn about animal behaviors during an eclipse. Sandusky Cedar Point is opening for the earliest time ever for their Total Eclipse of The Point from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Cleveland The Cleveland Museum of Art will be showcasing the new exhibit Barba Bosworth: Sun Light Moon Shadow. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Solar Fest from April 5 to 8 will include live music and activities for all visitors to enjoy. Akron The Total Eclipse of the Zoo at the Akron Zoo welcomes guests to visit the animals while enjoying fun crafts and learning about the eclipse. Dayton The National Museum of the United States Air Force will have food trucks and educational activities for visitors to enjoy the day of the eclipse. Cincinnati IKEA in West Chester is hosting a Solarbration Pre-eclipse party with limited-edition IKEA Solar eclipse glasses available each day while supplies last. Steve Stivers is president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: April 8 Solar ellipse in Ohio: Best places to be dazzled by the sun Mexican presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio Murrieta at a political rally before his murder in 1994 (FILES) Three decades after his father was assassinated while running for president, Luis Donaldo Colosio Riojas is himself a rising Mexican political star -- and he wants a pardon for the convicted killer. The budding politician was just eight when his father, Luis Donaldo Colosio Murrieta, was shot in the head during a chaotic electoral rally in Tijuana, near the US border, in an attack that stunned the nation. Once touted as a possible presidential candidate like his father, the 38-year-old ruled himself out of that race -- at least this time -- and is instead running for Senate in June elections. Colosio Murrieta's murder on March 23, 1994 is seen as a pivotal moment in Mexican political history. Little more than a fortnight earlier, he had delivered a speech that was interpreted as criticism of the corrupt old guard of his then-hegemonic Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). "The origin of many of our evils lies in an excessive concentration of power... I see a Mexico that is hungry and thirsty for justice," he said. As with the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy, Colosio Murrieta's murder unleashed a storm of conspiracy theories about who was behind it. The attack was the focus of the 2019 Netflix television series "Crime Diaries: The Candidate." Mario Aburto, now 53, is the only person imprisoned for the killing of Colosio Murrieta, who was seen as a shoo-in for president. According to investigators, Aburto admitted to the crime and said that he acted alone. A working class resident of Tijuana who was not known as a political activist, he was sentenced to 45 years in prison, where he remains today. In a double tragedy, Colosio Riojas's mother died of pancreatic cancer months after the assassination. He and his sister were adopted by their maternal aunt, who this month also lost a battle with cancer. In a video posted on Instagram, Colosio Riojas paid an emotional tribute to the woman he called his "second mother" and who "in the worst moment of my life, saved my life." Along with an uprising by Zapatista rebels that year, the murder shook international confidence in Mexico's stability, coming months after a landmark free trade agreement with the United States and Canada took effect. The PRI scrambled to choose another candidate, Ernesto Zedillo, who won the presidency in 1994. But the following election six years later brought a stunning end to seven decades of rule by a party once described by Nobel laureate Mario Vargas Llosa as a "perfect dictatorship." - 'Name recognition' - Colosio Riojas has enjoyed a rising political profile since 2021 when he was elected mayor of the industrial city of Monterrey, capital of the northeastern state of Nuevo Leon. He is now seeking a seat in the Senate -- not as a representative of the PRI but for the Citizens' Movement, a center-left minority party created by former PRI members. "Because of Colosio Jr.'s name recognition and the party's standing in Nuevo Leon, he is likely to be elected to the Senate and remain a visible figure in local and national politics," political risk advisory firm EMPRA wrote in a research note. Colosio Riojas made headlines in January when he asked for a pardon for Aburto from President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who rejected the idea. Addressing the issue again this month, Colosio Riojas said: "I forgive that person, may God bless him, may he be free and leave Mexico, and may he allow us to heal as a nation." Colosio Murrieta's assassination has long been considered one of Mexico's greatest mysteries. The original lead investigator, Judge Miguel Montes, initially said that it was the result of a conspiracy. He then reversed himself, finding that Aburto acted alone. Decades later, the plot continues to take twists and turns. In January, a judge threw out evidence presented by the attorney general's office against an alleged second gunman suspected of having acted with the complicity of a now-defunct government intelligence service. These days, attacks on politicians -- particularly at the local level -- are common in Mexico due to violence linked to corruption and the multibillion-dollar narcotics trade. Explaining his decision not to run for president, Colosio Jr. said that "the most selfish reason of all but perhaps the most important" was his children. "They are my whole world, and they need a dad." In 2030, when Mexico will hold another presidential election, Colosio Riojas will be 44 years old -- the same age as his father when he was killed. dr-st/acb Search teams in southeastern Brazil rescued a girl buried for more than 16 hours in the rubble of a collapsed house following a powerful storm that has claimed at least a dozen lives. Authorities have deployed teams to the mountainous areas of Rio de Janeiro state, describing the situation caused by the deluge there as "critical". Four of the deaths in Rio state occurred when the storm caused a house to collapse in the city of Petropolis, 70 kilometers (45 miles) inland from the capital. The girl's father, who was found dead next to her on Saturday morning, had "heroically protected the girl with his body," a neighbor told AFP. "We are in pain, but grateful for this miracle," said Luis Claudio de Souza, 63. The deluge came as Brazil, South America's largest country, suffers through a recent string of extreme weather events, which experts say are more likely to occur due to climate change. At least eight people have been killed in the state of Rio de Janeiro, officials said, while the neighboring state of Espirito Santo has confirmed at least four dead and seven missing. Such environmental tragedies "are intensifying with climate change," President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, adding that thousands had been left homeless by the storm. He expressed sympathy for the victims, and said his government was working with state and local authorities to "protect, prevent and repair flood damage." Espirito Santo's governor Renato Casagrande said the situation in the town of Mimoso do Sul was "chaotic," with the number of fatalities there yet to be determined. And in Sao Paolo state, two children were hospitalized for injuries sustained during the storm on Friday. Rio Governor Claudio Castro on Friday said the situation in Petropolis was "critical" due to "intense rains and the overflowing of the Quitandinha River." - Heatwave - Dozens of soldiers with dogs were deployed to the scene in Rio state, while schools opened their doors to the displaced, Castro said. Around 90 people have been rescued since Friday, according to a bulletin from an emergency committee comprising Rio government and civil defense officials. Images on local media showed rivers of water, mud and debris rushing down slopes in picturesque Petropolis, which in February 2022 saw at least 241 deaths from another catastrophic storm. In Mimoso do Sul, a fire truck was seen being dragged down a street by currents, while images released Saturday by the state fire department showed entire neighborhoods under water, with only the roofs of houses visible. Forecasts predicted heavy rainfall continuing Saturday in the mountains and north of Rio. Petropolis has already recorded 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) in 24 hours, while other cities, such as Teresopolis and Mage, added more than 22 cm, according to official estimates. The National Institute of Meteorology had predicted a severe storm, particularly in Rio, with rainfall of 20 cm a day from Friday through Sunday. Normally, the area receives 14 cm of rain in all of March. Rio authorities had declared an administrative holiday on Friday as the storm approached and urged people to stay home. The storm follows a record heat wave, when humidity helped send the heat index soaring above 62 degrees Celsius (143 degrees Fahrenheit). mls/mel/bbk/des/acb/dhw/aha (Bloomberg) -- Digital marketing software firm Ibotta Inc. filed for an initial public offering on the heels of this weeks successful debuts by Reddit Inc. and Astera Labs Inc. Most Read from Bloomberg The Denver-based company, which helps brands to deliver mobile promotions through rewards and rebates, said in a filing Friday that it turned a profit last year, reversing earlier losses. Ibotta, whose investors include Walmart Inc., will disclose proposed terms for its IPO in a later filing. Bloomberg News reported in November that Ibotta was working with advisers and could seek to be valued in a listing at $2 billion or more. The filing follows offerings by social media platform Reddit and semiconductor connectivity company Astera, which met or exceeded their IPO goals, respectively, and then delivered gains in their trading debuts. So far this year, 44 companies have raised $9.1 billion via IPOs on US exchanges, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That compares with about $3.5 billion raised by 36 companies at this point last year, the data show. Ibotta handles promotions for more than 2,400 brands, such as Coca-Cola, Whirlpool and Hallmark, according to its filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The company had net income of $38 million on revenue of $320 million for last year, compared with a net loss of $55 million on revenue of $211 million the previous year, according to the filing. In 2019, Ibotta was valued at $1 billion in a Series D funding round led by Koch Disruptive Technologies, an investment arm of Koch Industries Inc. Other investors in the company have included Kleiner Perkins and GGV Capital U.S., according to data provider PitchBook. Koch entities remain one of Ibottas largest investors, with about 21% of the companys Class A shares before the offering, according to the filing. The Clark Jermoluk Founders Fund 1 LLC owns 25% of the Class A shares. Walmart, which has the right to buy more than 3.5 million shares, is also listed among stockholders with a 5% or greater stake. Story continues Ibotta founder and Chief Executive Officer Bryan Leach owns all of the companys Class B shares, which gives him almost 79% of the voting power before the offering. Digital promotions now make up the majority of consumer promotions, with 87% of consumers grocery purchases being influenced by offers, discounts, and promotions, Leach said in a letter to investors included in the filing. The Ibotta experiment began 12 years ago in the windowless basement of an old fire station in downtown Denver, Leach said. So far, we have given approximately $1.8 billion in cash back to US consumers on their everyday purchases. Ibottas board includes as a member Larry Sonsini, whose law firm, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, is advising the company. Sonsini owns about 1.3% of the companys Class A shares currently. The offering is being led by Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Citigroup Inc. and Bank of America Corp. Ibotta plans for its shares to trade on the the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol IBTA. --With assistance from Ryan Gould. (Updates with IPO totals in fifth paragraph. The name of Koch Disruptive Technologies was corrected in an earlier version of this story.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. FILE PHOTO: Launch of Russian Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft canceled at last minute MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying a Russian, a Belarusian and an American en route to the International Space Station (ISS) was launched on Saturday from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, live footage showed. The original planned launch was aborted seconds before takeoff on Thursday because of a problem with a chemical power source. The Soyuz, carrying Russian Oleg Novitsky, Belarusian Marina Vasilevskaya and American Tracy Dyson, is due to dock with the ISS at 1510 GMT on Monday. Space is one of the last remaining areas where the United States and Russia continue to collaborate despite the dire state of their relations as a consequence of the war in Ukraine. Novitsky and Vasilevskaya will return to Earth on April 6 with Loral O'Hara, a U.S. astronaut currently aboard the orbital station. (Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Mark Potter) For the second time in a mere month, SpaceX has tied its rocket-reuse record. A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 of SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites launched on Saturday night (March 23) from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:09 p.m. EDT (0309 GMT on March 24). It was the 19th liftoff for this Falcon 9's first stage, according to a SpaceX mission description. That tied a mark set by a different booster this past December and matched by another rocket on Feb. 22. Related: Starlink satellite train: How to see and track it in the night sky a black-and-white spacex falcon 9 rocket launches into the night sky To plan, the Falcon 9's first stage came back to Earth for the 19th time on Saturday. It made a vertical landing about 8.5 minutes after liftoff on the drone ship Just Read the Instructions, which was stationed off the Florida coast in the Atlantic Ocean. The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, was set to deploy the 23 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) about 65 minutes after liftoff. The first stage from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lands on the droneship RELATED STORIES: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket ties 19 flight-record with launch from California (video) 8 ways that SpaceX has transformed spaceflight SpaceX launches Crew-8 astronaut mission to International Space Station for NASA (video) Saturday's launch was the 28th Falcon 9 mission of 2024 for SpaceX. It came just two days after the company launched a robotic cargo mission toward the International Space Station for NASA. Seventeen of the 27 Falcon 9 missions already in the books this year have been dedicated to building out Starlink, SpaceX's huge and ever-growing broadband constellation in LEO. Starlink currently consists of more than 5,550 operational spacecraft, according to astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell. Gibraltar's airport is situated on the isthmus connecting the Rock to mainland Spain - Freya Ingrid Morales/Bloomberg A Spanish demand to co-manage Gibraltars airport threatens to scupper a free movement deal for the Rock as part of post-Brexit talks, The Telegraph understands. After lengthy negotiations, Spain and Britain have agreed on a broad outline for an agreement that would create a common travel area by including the British territory within the Schengen borderless space, with joint security controls organised by Gibraltar police and the European Unions Frontex border agency at Gibraltars airport and ports. The 18th round of negotiations between EU and UK officials started last week in Brussels. Negotiators are trying to finalise a deal by June, ahead of European elections that month and British elections later in the year, amid fears talks could founder long-term if that deadline is missed. But Madrids insistence on having joint control of the airport, which is also home to an RAF base, has become a major roadblock due to the extra logistics and security implications, The Telegraph understands. What sense would it make for us to leave out such an advantageous element for the local population as the airport? said Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, who broached the issue with his UK counterpart David Cameron at a Nato meeting last November. Not legally British Spain claims the land where the airport is situated is not legally British territory. Gibraltars airport is situated on the isthmus connecting the Rock to mainland Spain, and was not included in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht in which Spain ceded the area. Sir Bill Cash, the Conservative MP who chairs the European scrutiny committee, said concerns over sovereignty had been laid out to him in a letter from Gibraltars chief minister, Fabian Picardo. The staunchly pro-Brexit MP said he was disturbed by possible concessions to Spain and the EU, including joint UK-Spanish management of Gibraltars airport and, therefore, defence issues. In reply, David Rutley, the Foreign Office minister for the Americas, Caribbean and Overseas Territories, said: We are prepared to explore practical and technical options to facilitate flights between Gibraltar and the EU. The UK will not agree to anything that compromises sovereignty, he added. The agreement is needed to prevent a hard post-Brexit border between Spain and Gibraltar, with Spanish authorities so far showing flexibility in allowing the flow of people into and out of the Rock, including around 15,000 Spain-based workers who are essential to the Gibraltarian economy. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Two Republicans will battle it out in a May runoff to claim former Speaker Kevin McCarthys (R-Calif.) House seat, which has been open since December. County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux will face off against state legislator Vince Fong in the May 21 special election in Californias 20th District. Boudreaux has touted his background in law enforcement and largely campaigned on working to help secure the U.S.-Mexico border. Fong, who emerged in first place for both the March primary for the 2024 election and the special election, has raked in big-name endorsements, ranging from former President Trump to McCarthy, his former boss. The district, grasping parts of Fresno and Bakersfield, is a solidly Republican seat in a blue-seat California. The news comes more than five months after McCarthy was ousted from his leadership role following a historic motion to vacate. Not long after he was removed from the Speakership, he announced he would depart from Congress at the end of 2023. California voters will head to the polls on May 21, set by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, to decide who will finish the term. The winner will have an advantage as a de facto incumbent for some time. Fong had initially been determined ineligible for the seat, as he was running a reelection bid for his assembly seat and state law barred a candidate from running two campaigns. A California judge later reversed the ruling, claiming it applied only to independent candidates. Trump called Fong a true Republican when he threw his support behind him last month. The state lawmaker has also collected endorsements from his GOP colleagues in the state chamber. Boudreaux has also had some Trump-world backing, getting support from former Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell, but has also scooped up local endorsements. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. I spent 2 nights at the Fontainebleau, the hottest new hotel in Las Vegas, and was blown away by its luxury food court The Fontainebleau Las Vegas hotel is ushering in a new era of luxury in Sin City. It even offers a luxury food court with eight different restaurants. I tried nearly all of them and was blown away by the elevated bagels, pizza, and sandwiches. From the 55,000-square-foot spa to the $5,000-a-night VIP suites, luxury is everywhere at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas even the food court. I recently spent two nights at the hottest new hotel in Sin City and was blown away by the Fontainebleau's elevated spin on quick and casual dining. From sushi by Michelin-starred chefs to one of the best pizzas I've ever had, here's everything I ate. Fontainebleau Las Vegas is the buzziest new resort in Sin City. The main floor at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Bryan Steffy/Getty Images for Fontainebleau Las Vegas Fontainebleau Las Vegas was packed with A-list celebrities when I stayed at the hotel during Super Bowl weekend, attracting everyone from Beyonce and Jay-Z to Leonardo DiCaprio and Lady Gaga. The 67-story hotel has 3,644 rooms, with rates starting at $300 a night, unless you're staying in one of the exclusive Fleur de Lis suites. There's also a 150,000-square-foot casino, a 14-000-square-foot gym, and LIV, the brand-new nightclub. And we haven't even gotten to the food. The hotel has 36 restaurants, many of which offer extravagant dishes. The $1,000 Beef Case from Papi Steak at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider Fontainebleau Las Vegas features a wide variety of dining options, paying homage to the hotel's Miami roots by bringing in hot spots like Papi Steak, KYU, and Komodo. It's also smartly nabbed the second location for super buzzy names like Mother Wolf and Contramar. You can get a $1,000 55-ounce Wagyu tomahawk steak, a $400-per-person omakase experience, or a $265 golden chicken covered in black truffles and foie gras. But fine dining isn't the only kind that Fontainebleau offers. Promenade is the Fontainebleau's luxury food court. The Promenade food fall at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider Described on the Fontainebleau's website as a "vibrant gourmet adventure," Promenade offers six different restaurants. There's everything from pizza and bagels to sandwiches and tacos, plus Michelin-starred sushi and celebrity-chef burgers. I visited Promenade three times with my boyfriend during our Fontainebleau stay, and we tried nearly every restaurant. We even bumped into DJ John Summit, who has a residency at LIV and told us the Promenade is his favorite place to eat at the resort. Now I understand why. Since we'd had an early flight, we started our luxury food court experience with some gourmet bagels. El Bagel, one of several restaurants at Fontainebleau Las Vegas' food hall. David Becker/Getty Promenade is home to El Bagel, a popular Miami-based spot specializing in hand-rolled bagels. The menu features five different egg sandwiches, including a classic bacon, egg, and cheese, and options with smoked pastrami or a maple sausage patty. They range in price from $10 to $15. There are also nine different sandwiches, including the Lox Supreme, King Guava which features a fried egg with guava marmalade and a BLT with bacon, tomato paste, and pickled mustard seeds. Prices range from $6 to $18, but there's also the $130 "Baller Bagel" with an ounce of Osetra caviar if you're feeling really fancy. First up was the Pastrami Classico on a sesame bagel. The $18 Pastrami Classic from El Bagel. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider The $18 Pastrami Classico is made with 18-hour smoked pastrami, swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Thousand Island dressing. I've been on the hunt for a phenomenal pastrami bagel ever since I tried the Reubenstein sandwich at Yeastie Boys (if you live in LA, do yourself a favor and get this immediately). El Bagel's Pastrami Classico comes close to the Reubenstein's greatness with its deliciously tender and smoky pastrami, which was nicely balanced by the fluffy sesame bagel, bright coleslaw, and tangy Thousand Island dressing. This tasted like a luxury bagel no caviar required. Next up was the Las Tardes, which we ordered on an everything bagel. The $14 Las Tardes from El Bagel. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider The $14 Las Tardes bagel features thin-sliced turkey, plain cream cheese, tomato jam, and sprouts. The everything bagel was perfectly seasoned, with a fantastic salty crunch that paired well with the delicious turkey and tomato jam. But there was a bit too much cream cheese, which made for some cloying bites combined with the turkey. I think the sandwich would've worked better with scallion cream cheese instead, which could add some more depth to the overall flavor. But I was impressed by El Bagel overall. It delivers a fun and elevated twist on the breakfast classic, and I plan to visit again next time I'm in Miami or Vegas. For lunch, we decided to try Miami Slice. The Fontainebleau Las Vegas is Miami Slice's second location. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider Promenade at the Fontainebleau is the second location for Miami Slice, which serves artisan NY-style slices in downtown Miami. The menu features five flavors Margherita De La Casa, Pepperoni Proper, La Salsera, Leeks on Bacon, and Mushroom Truffle ranging in price from $8 to $10 a slice. There are also extras on offer, including hot honey, stracciatella, and a three-cheese dip. It ended up being one of the best places we ate at during our trip. La Salsera and Pepperoni Proper slices from Miami Slice. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider Our dinners in Sin City included gourmet steak, Peking duck, and golden chicken, but the place we still talk about most was Miami Slice. And that's not to say all of the above wasn't extremely delicious we just couldn't get enough of this pizza. Nothing fills the heart faster than a sublime slice. The $9 Pepperoni Proper which features red sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and hot honey had a crispy, flaky crust that was light as air and tasted incredible. It also had the perfect ratio of sauce to cheese, ensuring the mozzarella didn't overpower the luscious red sauce. It's hard to beat the power-couple combo of sweet and spicy hot honey with salty pepperoni, but the $9 La Salsera slice was even better. The slice which features a trio of red sauce, vodka sauce, and pesto blew me away with its dance of flavors. "The vodka with pesto is a dream," I wrote in my notes after a few bites. "Everything is perfect about it." My boyfriend and I agreed it was one of the best slices of pizza we've had period. When we needed a quick dinner, we stopped by Bar Ito. Spicy tuna, toro, and salmon handrolls from Bar Ito. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider Bar Ito is a sister concept to ITO, the NYC omakase restaurant by Michelin-starred chefs Kevin Kim and Masa Ito. There's also a second new ITO location in Poodle Room, the Fontainebleau Las Vegas' exclusive members-only club on the top floor of the resort. While a night at ITO's 12-seat omakase counter costs $400 a person, Bar Ito offers handrolls and sashimi at a much cheaper price tag. Bowls range from $10 to $22, with options including salmon, eggplant, and wagyu. There are also eight different temaki flavors including lobster, spicy scallop, hamachi, and roast shiitake with the option to purchase either three handrolls for $33 or five for $50. We got the three-for-$33 deal, opting for spicy tuna, salmon, and toro. The rolls which came packaged in a cute box with wasabi, ginger, and soy sauce were kept simple. The spicy tuna was paired with cucumber, the salmon with avocado, and the toro with scallions. It allowed the high-quality fish in each temaki to shine and was the perfect fresh dinner we were craving after a day at Gronk Beach, Rob Gronkowski's annual Super Bowl pool party. The $8 miso mushroom soup is also a must. Our last meal at Promenade was sandwiches from Nona. Nona's at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas' Promenade. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider Nona had caught my eye when we first walked through Promenade, so I made sure to grab us some sandwiches before our trip back to LA. The menu features seven sandwiches ranging in price from $15 to $18, with flavors including spicy chicken, hot salami, tri-tip dip, turkey, meatball, Italian, and vegetarian. Our massive sandwiches were packed to the brim with fresh ingredients. The Bird sandwich from Nona features roasted turkey, brie cheese, bacon, and guacamole. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider We first tried The Bird, a $16 sandwich with roasted turkey, mayonnaise, brie, bacon, guacamole, pickled red onions, and escarole, all on a toasted roll. The sandwich was bursting with so much delicious and unexpected flavor. Turkey and brie is a classic pair, but the pickled red onions and guacamole infused them with a creamy and tangy brightness. I loved the crispy bite of the bacon and the excellent crust on the fluffy roll. We ate this sandwich on a very grim bus ride back to LA after deciding to stay an extra night in Vegas for Super Bowl Sunday, and it's truly the only thing that kept us sane. After getting home at 1 a.m., we dug into The Italian. The $18 sandwich, also on a toasted roll, features Italian ham, Calabrese salami, baby Swiss, roasted peppers, olive relish, Parmigiano Reggiano, arugula, and basil. I thought it'd be impossible to beat The Bird, yet The Italian does so easily. It stays true to its name with an intoxicating combination of high-quality meats and cheeses, while the mixture of roasted peppers, arugula, and basil peppered each bite with a sweet and herby freshness. If The Bird kept us sane, The Italian brought us back to life. Who knew a food court could be so powerful? Read the original article on Business Insider SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) A man from Springfield is under arrest on suspicion of manufacturing and delivering drugs, police said. Officials with the Springfield Police Department said the Proactive Crime Unit has been investigating 44-year-old William Blair; as part of that investigation, they obtained a search warrant for a home on Drawbridge Road near Deer Head Lane. Blair was stopped in a car before the warrant was served, officials added. Through the search warrant, officers found over a pound of cocaine, over half of a pound, of fentanyl, a gun, digital scales and packaging indicative of drug sales and almost $7,000. Officials estimate the street value of the drugs is $53,800. $45k in cocaine seized after Springfield traffic stop: police Blair was taken into custody on preliminary charges of being an armed habitual criminal, armed violence, manufacture and delivery of cocaine, manufacture delivery of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon. He was transported to the Sangamon County Jail, where he awaits charges by the Sangamon County States Attorneys Office. Officials ask anyone with information with this incident is asked to call the Springfield Police Department at 217-788-8311 and/or Sangamon/Menard County Crime Stoppers at 217-788-8427. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. NEW YORK ([IX11) Authorities arrested two squatters who allegedly killed a woman and stuffed her body in a duffel bag after she walked in on them in her dead mothers Manhattan apartment last week, according to law enforcement sources. The man and woman were arrested by a Fugitive Task Force in Pennsylvania Friday morning, sources said. Police found Nadia Vitels, 52, in the closet with her foot hanging out of the bag in an apartment on the 19th floor of 206 East 31st St. in Kips Bay at around 4:30 p.m. on March 14, according to NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. The woman had several facial fractures, a brain bleed, and two broken ribs. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Vitels may have been dead for a few days before the family urged the building superintendent to check on her, police said. Her son made the initial gruesome discovery after sweeping the space. The (victims) son opens up the closet door near the front door and discovers a duffel bag, Kenny said on Thursday. The apartment had been vacant for a few months since the victims mother passed away. Vitels was in town from Spain to set it up for a family friend before she was brutally killed, police said. We believe that some squatters took the apartment over and this woman came home to get this apartment set up and walked in on the squatters that were there, Kenny said. The squatters, a man and a woman, were seen going in and out of the building, and neighbors heard the garbage chute opening and closing on the day of the murder, Kenny said. Authorities found Vitels belongings in the garbage in the basement. It was unclear how the squatters gained access to the luxury building, where the elevator acts as the apartments front door, Kenny said. After the attack, the suspects allegedly stole the victims Lexus and fled to Pennsylvania, where they crashed the car, according to the NYPD. But local police did not run the plates until finding the abandoned car the following day, police said. Before they were arrested, the squatters were last seen on surveillance video trying to buy a new car for $1,000 at several Pennsylvania dealerships, according to Kenny. This is a developing story. Refresh the page for updates. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay said it felt like "coming home" to St Andrews when they visited in 2011 Residents of St Andrews have spoken of their shock at learning Catherine, Duchess of Rothesay, has been diagnosed with cancer. The town has been synonymous with the Royal couple who met there while studying at St Andrews university. The first minister has also expressed his well wishes to the Royal Family during this "very difficult time". On a visit for the university's 600th anniversary in 2011, Prince William said visiting the town felt "like coming home". Student's Roslyn Bates (left) and Rowan Payne (right) said online comments about the duchess' health prior to the announcement were "quite insensitive". Student Roslyn Bates said: "She is so connected here, everyone has been talking about it. "It was just this big mystery and all of this horrible stuff online and to find out it's this horrible, horrible thing and people have been so mean about it and really quite insensitive. "I think it's a very private matter and there was so much public pressure for her to talk about it and I don't think it's right." Social media speculation regarding the duchess' health had increased following the release of a Mother's Day image which was later found to have been edited. Additional theories circulated after a video published of her at a farm shop was claimed by some social media users to be a "body-double". Student, Rowan Payne said she found the duchess' video statement "quite raw". She said: "I think it's a shame it came to that because it must have been so, so hard." First Minister Humza Yousaf said he was "deeply saddened" to hear the news. He said: "I think for anybody having to go through cancer treatment and to get that diagnosis, it must be a really difficult moment let alone having to address that publicly in the way she has had to do. "My thoughts are very much with the Princess of Wales, the Duchess of Rothesay, of course her husband the Prince of Wales and their children but also with the Royal Family as a whole. "We know of course its a very difficult time with King Charles diagnosis as well so I hope that Princess Catherines pleas for privacy are listened to and heeded by all." Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar echoed the first ministers well wishes. Mr Sarwar said the video was "courageous" with Mr Ross adding: "So many people will be able to relate to this situation because of their own experience with cancer or that of a loved one." Mother and daughter Jean Gordon and Laura Bailey said the Duchess of Rothesay had been "very brave" in sharing her diagnosis In her televised statement on Friday, the Duchess of Rothesay as she is known on official engagments in Scotland said the past couple of months had been "incredibly tough" for the family who are also facing King Charles' cancer diagnosis. She explained it had taken time for her to heal from surgery and to explain her diagnosis to her children in a way that is "appropriate for them" and to "reassure them that I am going to be okay". Mother and daughter Jean Gordon and Laura Bailey said it was "very brave" for the duchess to share the information. Ms Gordon said: "We really feel for her. I think she's very brave and the fact she said giving hope to other people with cancer when she's in so much pain herself, it says a lot for her. We send our love to her." Simon Mortlock said the duchess is a "wonderful woman" and "a good advert for St Andrews". Kensington Palace has not disclosed the type of cancer she has been diagnosed with but said they are confident she will make a full recovery. King Charles, who was diagnosed with cancer himself this year, said he was "so proud of Catherine for her courage". St Andrews local Simon Mortlock,said: "Ive had bowel cancer myself a couple of years ago. Its a tough thing for yourself and for your family. "I think shes a wonderful woman and I wish her all the best and I think shes a good advert for St Andrews and so is Prince William. Good wishes to all of them including King Charles I hope they all get well soon." Students and alcohol are an issue as old as time. My late father told the story of being required to pour out a trunk full of rule-breaking beverages at a camp retreat. The added variable of roving alcohol fueled crowds in San Luis Obispo is a more recent wrinkle. A group of youths gathers at Campus Bottle Shoppe, where police were called after violence erupted on the first night of Poly Royal in 1990. Cal Poly has had an intermittent series of episodes involving crowds and alcohol, spanning from Poly Royal in 1990, Mardi Gras in 2004, Cesar Chavez Day in 2012 and now St. Patricks Day, AKA St. Frattys Day. The phenomena predates social media influencers, but the experience-seeking, hold my beer crowd has always been a part of the landscape. And the large number of students who flock to these events from outside the county can contribute to a sense of anonymity. Former Cal Poly President Robert E. Kennedy understood this phenomena and did groundwork with anti-war protest organizations during the turbulent 1960s to keep lines of communication open, set expectations and keep a sense of shared community responsibility alive. As he wrote in his biography, many psychologists are of the opinion that the single most pervasive cause of crowds becoming uncontrolled mobs is the feeling of anonymity that permeates a crowd and gives individuals a feeling that no one they know or care about will know what they have done should they decide to pick up a rock and throw it through a window. Peter Doctors, 24, a design engineer from Ventura and a Cal Poly alumnus, ices his face with a bag of frozen corn. Doctors said he was punched by a man after he suggested it was inappropriate for him to throw bottles at cars during Poly Royal in 1990. The hurlers friends then jumped Doctors, but he said he was able to get away. These sort of events have had major impacts on campus and student life when they happen and potentially few more so than the infamous Poly Royal riot in 1990. The two evenings of rioting eventually led to a re-branding of the campus Open House and a change in event planning. Smashed windows, tear gas, fire hoses and injuries from thrown beer bottles were all part of the chaotic Thursday night to early Sunday morning events. Law enforcement took a more aggressive approach in 1990 than in 2024, and tear gas, riot gear and fire hoses were all deployed. During the weekend of Poly Royal in April 1990, an alcohol-fueled weekend spun out of control resulting in 127 arrests and at least 100 injured. A contributing factor was the nighttime incidents had a darker edge. Partiers threw bottles at police and paramedics responding to a bike vs. auto accident in a Fredericks Street neighborhood. An early attempt to break up the crowd only compressed it, and with chants of free beer, free beer! the windows were smashed at the Campus Bottle Shoppe. Employees guarded the store swinging heavy bottles of wine to keep looters from storming the store. It was an ugly and sometimes violent scene speaking as an eyewitness who was photographing it. There were moments where roving groups would either randomly throw beer bottles at partiers or pose for photos. There were ultimately 127 arrests and at least 100 were injured. Arrest information was written on the arms of those taken into custody. Reporter John Lynch who documented this years St. Frattys street gathering saw similarities, calling it a chaotic and claustrophobic scene with revelers jammed into a compact area and the mood wavering between a party atmosphere and an unfocused anger. San Luis Obispo Police Chief Rick Scott has since warned St. Patricks Day party goers not to come next year. Jan Greene wrote this story among several published April 30, 1990, focusing specifically on mob psychology. Members of the crowd surround a motorcycle set ablaze by rioters just off Foothill and California boulevards before midnight Saturday April 28, 1990. Drinking, mob rule took over: Lost inhibition prompted riots, experts say Alcohol, crowds and warm weather. Those were the three inhibition-loosening factors cited by trained observers of melees like the ones that hit San Luis Obispo on Friday and Saturday. Based on what he had read about the incidents in the newspaper, there were two issues that worked to loosen inhibition, said Cal Poly psychology Professor Daniel Hawthorne. One was alcohol, and the other was people were in an anonymous condition. A CHP helicopter lights up the crowd Saturday night April 28, 1990 at California and Foothill boulevards before riot-equipped officers moved in. In other words, they were in a crowd of people and could do what they wanted without anyone knowing, he said. The fact that warm weather had brought hundreds of partiers out of their houses and onto the streets also helped heat up the situation. Without knowing exactly what event finally sparked the violence, Hawthorne said, it is clear that special contagion took over once the first bottle was thrown. That freed everyone else in the crowd to do things they wouldnt normally do because of the anonymity of the mob, he said. Sgt. Tom Barton of the Palm Springs Police Department agreed that mob behavior is probably the best explanation for the Poly Royal violence. As things heat up around midnight Saturday, the crowd makes a hasty retreat from a police line advancing on the corner of California and Foothill boulevards. What you have is a mob without leadership. A mob has no thinking ability, said Barton, who has led his departments efforts to control 100,000 Easter Week revelers for the past five years. Palm Springs has had increasing problems with young drunken people at spring break. Last month, the citys police arrested 1,800 people and issued 7,000 tickets during a 10-day period. When youre dealing with a mob, its just spontaneous, Barton said. Thats why we keep our fingers crossed. They could destroy the city. Bartons philosophy is to manage the atmosphere by issuing a lot of tickets during the day for jaywalking and throwing bottles and arresting people drinking in public. Arrested people are photographed and loaded into a sheriffs van about 2:30 a.m. Sunday during the Poly Royal riots of 1990. But the appearance of the police themselves can have an antagonizing effect on a crowd. You dont have to be a psychologist to know when (the police) come in to try to control the situation, things escalate, Cal Polys Hawthorne said. Hawthorne has seen his share of riots, having spent 1958 to 1970 working on his masters degree at University of California at Berkeley. The difference between the politically motivated riots at Berkeley and the Poly Royal fracas is obvious. Besides hostility to the police and cries for Free beer! there was no goal to the Cal Poly riots. Where you have a political kind of thing, you have leaders and some stated goals or objectives, Hawthorne said. This didnt seem to have either. Hawthorne, who has taught at Cal Poly for 17 years, rejected the idea that the riots were precipitated by some underlying anger students have about conditions at the school. Early Sunday morning, sheriffs deputies patrol California Boulevard near a smoldering dumpster that was set ablaze by rioters during the 1990 Poly Royal riots. Bill Roalman, a San Luis Obispo city councilman, said he saw a lot of anger in some of the rioters, and it puzzled him. I was struck by the anger in some of the people, Roalman said. Why? Why were these people so pissed off? Linden Nelson, a social psychologist who teaches at Cal Poly, believes that a kind of adolescent ritual of challenging authority also contributed. The young people had an expectation that they would be treated unfairly because they were partying, said Nelson. That made it easier to act in a hostile way toward police and authorities. Another Cal Poly educator blamed cultural attitudes. Our society condones drinking by young men, said Laura Lehmann, a part-time psychology instructor. Map and timeline of Poly Royal riot events. Officers make an arrest Friday night April 27, 1990. Cal Poly student David Ames wears one of the Poly Riot T-shirts that were on sale after the riots at Hathway and California. Later those charged had court hearings at the San Luis Obispo County Courthouse. Staten Island pols and union heads on Friday welcomed the local chapter of the NAACP to the congestion pricing opposition arguing the looming $15 toll to drive on some of Manhattans busiest streets will harm minority communities. The bipartisan contingent of elected officials and local leaders rallied against the states congestion tolling plan, claiming the resulting shifting air pollution patterns will disproportionately impact Staten Islands low-income minority neighborhoods. If someone wanted to deliberately create a plan with the goals that wealthy, white residents would breathe cleaner air while low-income, minority residents would breathe in more toxic air pollution, then this congestion pricing program would meet those goals, Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said. At a press conference Friday, Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella decried the MTAs impending congestion pricing plan with other local leaders. Brigitte Stelzer Fossella was joined at Staten Island Borough Hall by teachers union president Michael Mulgrew and other officials, who hailed the Staten Island branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for lending their voice to the fight. Simply stated: if the MTAs congestion pricing program is implemented, more will get sick, more Staten Islanders will die from the increases in the resulting hazardous air pollution, Fossella charged. That sickness and those deaths will occur among the residents of Staten Islands most diverse and low-income neighborhoods. New Yorks controversial congestion pricing plan is expected to take effect as early as mid-June after a barrage of delays and lawsuits has held it up for years. Under the plan, passenger vehicles will be charged a $15 toll to enter Midtown Manhattan below 60th Street. The MTA argues the new surcharge will raise $1 billion per year, which would be used to fund upgrades to the citys public transit system. The MTA has long maintained that the $15 toll hike, set to begin in mid-June, will unclog city streets and lead to less pollution, assertions the group are challenging. AP Transit officials have long said the new pricing scheme will ease traffic on some of the Big Apples busiest roadways and reduce pollution in Manhattan. Mulgrew, head of the United Federation of Teachers which is suing over the congestion plan took the transit agency to task for its assertions, which he claimed fly in the face of reality. The research is there. What they are doing is wrong. Plain and simple, its wrong, Mulgrew said, accusing the MTA of being willing to say, promise, or do anything, no matter the consequences in order to get [their] billion dollars. Minority City Council Leader Joseph Borelli (R-Staten Island) derided MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber as a snob and an elitist. Come and find working-class people who live in some of the poorest zip codes in our borough, and tell us, John Lieber, tell us how this is benefiting our lives, Borelli challenged the MTA chief during the Friday press conference. United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew joined Fossella in welcoming the Staten Island branch of the NAACP to lend their voices to the fight. Brigitte Stelzer For Jasmine Robinson, acting president of the Staten Island branch of the NAACP, the congestion pricing plan hits close to home. What is the meaning of congestion? It means to block, to clog, and this plan is going to block and clog so much traffic, and this is going to impact our communities negatively, she said Friday. We talked about people that are always in these areas. This is me. This is where I live. She implored the MTA to reconsider what she called an injustice against hardworking folks who have no choice but to commute by car from Staten Island, which she called a transportation desert. Neighborhoods on Staten Islands North Shore stretching from St. George to Mariners Harbor are already designated by the Mayors Office of Climate and Environmental Justice as Environmental Justice Areas. These areas suffer from poor air quality and high asthma and asthma-related hospitalization rates. According to the offices latest analysis, those disparities in health outcomes that already exist between Manhattan and Staten Islands North Shore will only worsen if the congestion pricing plan is implemented. Demetrius Crichlow, chief of the MTAs subway operations who once ran the Staten Island Railway, defended the agencys imminent congestion toll rollout. Staten Islanders want good transportation, they support transportation. They want great bus service, they want Staten Island Rail to operate as frequently as possible, he told reporters Friday. Congestion pricing is a means to get there. We all know the infrastructure has to be replaced, we know that we need new trains, we know that we need new signal systems. We know that we need those things, and we need funding. Additional reporting by Nolan Hicks Investors are cheering Chipotle Mexican Grill's (NYSE: CMG) stock following the announcement of its 50-for-1 stock split. The stock rose 4% in the following trading session, a possible sign of further interest in the stock. However, the likelihood of this split fundamentally helping Chipotle shareholders is low due to the actual effects of such a move. Instead, investors should look to the core business factors that drove Chipotle higher over the last 18 years rather than this latest milestone. Chipotle and the stock split Admittedly, the stock split sounds impressive on the surface. The fact that it plans this split in the first place is a testament to the fast-casual restaurant chain's long-term growth. Nonetheless, stock splits do not change the value of your position. If you own 100 shares of Chipotle, it may feel rewarding to see that turn into 5,000 shares. Still, the total value of your holdings will remain the same. Where the stock split may help is it likely improves Chipotle in the eyes of small investors. With the stock at $58 per share instead of $2,900, small investors may feel they can better afford whole shares, increasing the likelihood they would invest in the stock. Liquidity is another issue. While the average volume of about 220,000 shares per day makes the stock relatively liquid, not splitting the shares would eventually lower average share volume to the point that it becomes more challenging to buy or sell the stock at the prevailing price. The case for Chipotle However, even if such factors help Chipotle's stock, its real catalyst is the business itself. It has built a successful formula offering low-cost Mexican cuisine made with healthy ingredients at low prices. Despite the need to periodically raise those prices amid rising food and labor costs, its business continues to grow. In 2023, its revenue grew 14% over the prior year to $9.9 billion. This included comparable restaurant sales growth of 8%. During that time, the company also added 271 locations, bringing its total restaurant count to 3,437 as of the end of 2023. Story continues Those increases helped take its yearly profit to more than $1.2 billion, rising 37% from the net income of $899 million reported in 2022. Amid those improvements, the stock has risen 80% over the last year. Admittedly, that increase may have taken the stock price ahead of the company's growth. Its P/E ratio now stands at 65. While Chipotle's earnings multiple rarely falls below 50, such a P/E ratio makes it expensive despite the company's impressive earnings growth. Still, investors should not count Chipotle out before or after the stock split. The company plans between 285 and 315 store openings in 2024. Moreover, it believes it can grow to 7,000 locations in North America. Considering that this does not include Europe, where it currently operates 25 locations, its expansion will likely continue for years into the future. Making sense of Chipotle stock Chipotle probably remains a buy for investors, but not because of the stock split. Indeed, the stock split announcement puts Chipotle back in the news and generates short-term excitement. Nonetheless, the split will not directly add to shareholder returns. What will help investors is for the company to continue executing well and staying the course with its expansion. Such successes have taken the P/E ratio to an elevated level, and prospective investors may want to consider buying shares more cautiously for that reason. However, Chipotle has a proven formula for success and plenty of room to expand in the U.S. and internationally. Such conditions will serve Chipotle well regardless of its nominal stock price. Should you invest $1,000 in Chipotle Mexican Grill right now? Before you buy stock in Chipotle Mexican Grill, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Chipotle Mexican Grill wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than tripled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of March 21, 2024 Will Healy has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Chipotle Mexican Grill. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Why a 50-for-1 Stock Split Is Not Game Changing for Chipotle Stock was originally published by The Motley Fool ALLENDALE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) Hundreds of people headed to Grand Valley State Universitys campus on Saturday for two big STEM events. The West Michigan First Robotics District competitions were held in the universitys fieldhouse. More than 40 high school teams from across the state put their robots to the test with different challenges. It went from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Region 12 Michigan Science Olympiad was on GVSUs campus as well, where middle and high school teams competed in nearly two dozen different events. It went from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nicki Bonczyk, the event and volunteer coordinator for the West Michigan First Robotics District event, said competitions like these help give students a look at what STEM can do and could potentially lead them to STEM-based careers. This is a great way to engage kids in science, technology, engineering and math. So first was set up to inspire the next heroes of technology to show them that science can be fun, engineering can be fun, and were hiding the hard work in the math by building a robot to compete here today, Bonczyk said. She encourages any student who is interested in robotics to give it a try. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. The dismembered woman found in Cincinnati in November has been identified. The woman was identified as Makalia Luckey, according to Hamilton County Coroner Lakshmi Sammarco. Luckey is from the Cincinnati area and estranged from her family, according to our news partners at WCPO. Sammarco said someone saw a Cincinnati police Facebook post in February asking for information about the woman. That person then forwarded it to a family member of Luckey who helped identify her. Sammarco said that person was Luckeys sister and they used Facebook photos for further identification. >> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: More body parts recovered during FBI search of area where dismembered woman was found Luckey was last seen getting on a bus in the Lincoln Heights area, Sammarco said. This is still a homicide, she said. ... We would still like to hold someone accountable for this heinous crime. Luckeys torso was found on Nov. 5 and months later officials discovered more remains. There was no attempt to hide the head, Sammarco previously said. As far as the body, I think the body was visible to the person that actually found the body. Sammarco said she believed Luckey had been killed on either Nov. 3 or 4. What we really want is some justice for her and her family, she said. Authorities have charged a 77-year-old Sun City man with suffocating his wife in an attempted murder-suicide, according to the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office. Shortly after responding to a Penny Creek Drive home Saturday morning, Beaufort County deputies found John K. Rounds suffering from several minor lacerations and the body of his 77-year-old wife, according to a sheriffs office release. Rounds had called 911 at 7:28 a.m. to report he and his wife were planning to kill themselves. Rounds was treated at the scene by Beaufort County EMS teams and taken to Coastal Carolina Hospital in Hardeeville. Following his discharge, he was booked at the Beaufort County jail and charged with murder. The couples home is in the Deer Haven neighborhood on the western end of Sun City. Its a 55-plus planned community of about 10,000 residents in the Okatie area. Saturday mornings incident comes just over a year after John and Marcella Caravello, another elderly couple from Sun City, were found dead in their home after a murder-suicide in early March 2023. The Beaufort County Coroners Office ruled Marcella, 69, was shot three times in the head, while Robert, 71, suffered a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to his chest. The Caravellos former home on Sundance Lane is less than two miles from Penny Creek Drive, where Rounds wife was found dead Saturday morning. Court records indicated the Caravellos had a history of financial issues. Little information was available on Rounds and his wife that could point to a potential motive. Under South Carolina law, bond hearings for offenses that carry the potential of a life sentence must be held before a circuit court judge. Rounds bond hearing likely will be scheduled for the second week of April, when Beaufort County General Sessions Court enters its next session. Congress narrowly avoided a government shutdown Saturday, sending the $1.2 trillion government funding bill to President Biden after a frantic week of negotiations, which will likely be the focus of this weeks Sunday talk shows. The House passed the legislation Friday with a bipartisan 286-134 vote. The legislation, which includes six funding bills, was sent to the Senate hours before various agencies and programs were set to run out of funding. In the early hours of Saturday, the Senate passed the package in a 74-24 vote. The successful vote bookends the fiscal 2024 appropriations process, which dragged on for months after extensions, the historic ousting of a Speaker and bitter battles in the GOP. But Fridays vote didnt come without its own drama. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) filed a motion to oust Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) as the House voted to pass the package and called it a warning. Greene will appear on Foxs Sunday Morning Futures this week, where she will likely discuss her frustrations about the legislation and Johnsons leadership. Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who was booted from his leadership position in October after hard-line conservatives filed a motion to vacate him, will appear on CBSs Face the Nation, where he will likely talk about his endorsement of the trillion-dollar spending package and whats in store for his successor. Ahead of the vote Friday, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said Republicans who vote for the spending package are putting the GOP majority at risk. Roy will join CNNs State of the Union where he will likely talk about the conservative effort to stop the bill from passing. The House GOP-related theatrics dont stop there. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) announced Friday that he would resign from Congress before his term is up, further shrinking the already thin Republican majority in the lower chamber. Last week, Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), who already announced his retirement, said he would leave Washington before the end of his term. Bucks last day was Friday. He is set to appear on ABCs This Week, where he will likely talk about the Republican Party and his decision to depart Congress ahead of the election. On Monday, former President Trump faces a deadline to secure a bond or pay the massive sum due in his New York civil fraud case. He was ordered to pay nearly $355 million in penalties plus interest after a judge found he, his adult sons and others in the Trump Organization conspired to lie about his net worth to receive favorable treatment from banks and insurers. His total sum is now worth more than $454 million, with $112,000 in interest added each day. Earlier this week, Trumps lawyers indicted that it would be impossible for them to secure the bond. Critics have questioned if the former president will secure the funds from a foreign source if hes unable to secure a bond before Monday. New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) said she may seize some of his assets if Trump fails to meet the deadline. Trumps adult son, Eric Trump, is set to join Foxs Fox News Sunday, where he may talk about his fathers campaign and mounting legal fees. Heres the full list of guests schedule to appear on this weeks Sunday talk shows: ABCs This Week Vice President Kamala Harris; Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.). NBCs Meet the Press Former Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel; retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer; civil rights activist Ruby Bridges. CBS Face the Nation Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas); former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). CNNs State of the Union Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Nanette Barragan (D-Calif.). Fox News Sunday Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.). NewsNations The Hill Sunday with Chris Stirewalt Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.). Fox News Sunday Morning Futures Gov. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.); Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R-Texas); Senate candidate Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio); Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Call it wishful thinking or strategic amnesia, but just two years removed from its controversial decision ending a constitutional right to abortion, the Supreme Court is poised to decide another high-stakes appeal over nationwide access to the procedure. At issue is the federal government's approval process of the drug mifepristone, a medication used to terminate pregnancies. Oral arguments are scheduled for Tuesday with a ruling expected about three months later, with the race for the next president in full swing. MAJOR DRUG STORES START SELLING ABORTION PILL SOME SAY IS DANGEROUS FOR WOMEN AHEAD OF LANDMARK SCOTUS CASE While the case hinges on complex federal regulatory procedures, reproductive rights will again be the key question. It's an appeal with enormous legal, social and political implications, and a high-stakes case following the court's landmark ruling that struck down Roe v. Wade. New data from the Guttmacher Institute research group indicates nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the U.S. in 2023 rely on mifepristone. Abortion rights groups say the drug has been proven safe and that the court's decision could negatively impact 40 million women nationwide. Anti-abortion organizations counter that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for two decades has unlawfully promoted a nationwide regime of on-demand abortion, in defiance of several state health and safety laws. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP For now, the Supreme Court is allowing the FDA to continue regulating the drug while the appeals process plays out. That includes continued telemedicine prescriptions and retail pharmacy dispensing. FORMER SUPREME COURT JUSTICE STEPHEN BREYER SOUNDS OFF ON DOBBS DECISION: TOO MANY QUESTIONS "I think it probably was a little premature to say that the court was going to be getting out of the abortion business entirely," Thomas Dupree, a former top official in the justice department of former President George W. Bush. "I think the justices are aware of the fact, obviously, that we're in an election year, but I don't think the fact that we're in an election year is going to be driving the outcomes of any of these decisions." Members of the Supreme Court (L-R) associate justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil M. Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor and Clarence Thomas; Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.; and associate justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Elena Kagan and Brett M. Kavanaugh. The issues presented come nearly two years after the Supreme Court overturned the nationwide, constitutional right to abortion, giving states individual discretion to regulate the procedure. At the time, the court's 5-4 conservative majority declared "unelected members of this Court" would not be intervening in the future to "override the democratic process" of legislators and mandate national abortion policy. But recent legal challenges from anti-abortion groups questioned the FDA's original 2000 nationwide approval process including recent revisions for the drug used to terminate early pregnancies. Mifepristone is taken along with misoprostol, and the two-drug combination is known as medication abortion or the "abortion pill." Lower courts concluded the federal agency did not fully consider the potential health risks to women when revising regulations for mifepristone beginning in 2016. Those revisions last updated in 2023 include reducing the recommended dose, allowing use of the drug up to 10 weeks of pregnancy (from seven weeks), approving a generic version and permitting it to be mailed (eliminating in-person doctor visits), among other measures. Major pharmacy chains Walgreens and CVS announced this month they were certified to dispense the abortion drugs under the new rules. Thirty-six states allow some form of access to mifepristone 21 states allow full access and 15 allow restricted access, according to Fox News research. Fourteen states ban abortion completely, including medication abortion, except for a few exceptions. Danco Laboratories, the drug's manufacturer, had appealed to the Supreme Court seeking final review on the merits. Dozens of advocacy groups, members of Congress and coalitions of states on both sides of the issue have filed legal briefs in recent weeks. The plaintiffs are led by four national medical associations of anti-abortion doctors linked to the conservative advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom. They sued the FDA shortly after the Dobbs ruling, which ADF also spearheaded, hoping to build momentum on further abortion restrictions through litigation. "The FDA recklessly removed its original safeguards like in-person doctor visits, leaving women to suffer serious complications alone," said ADF Senior Counsel Erin Hawley, who will argue the case before the court. "Its appalling that the FDA would eliminate even the initial in-person visit to check for life-threatening conditions like ectopic pregnancy based on studies it said were not adequate. Women deserve better." KEY STUDY IN FDA ABORTION PILL CASE AT THE SUPREME COURT WAS RETRACTED IN PARTISAN ASSAULT AUTHORS SAY Lower courts agreed with anti-abortion groups, concluding the FDA did not fully consider the potential health risks to women when amending guidelines for mifepristone eight years ago. People take part in a march for abortion rights from Pershing Square to City Hall in Los Angeles April 15, 2023. The Supreme Court will debate those questions and may revisit whether the original 24-year-old approval process for the drugs was similarly flawed under the federal Administrative Procedures Act. Another key issue is whether those challenging the FDA authority have "standing" or capacity to sue, since those doctors allegedly have never actually prescribed mifepristone. They'll also weigh whether they would suffer actual "harm" from the drug's use since those plaintiffs are doctors, not patients. "The stakes could not be higher for women across America," said President Biden this month. "In the face of relentless attacks on reproductive freedom by Republican elected officials, Vice President Harris and I will continue to fight to ensure that women can get the health care they need, to defend the Food and Drug Administration's independent and evidence-based approval and regulation of mifepristone and to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law." The Biden administration and abortion rights groups say continued access to mifepristone is vital. And they say a ruling limiting the FDA's authority could have sweeping health care implications. "If the logic of the lower court decision were allowed to stand, it would threaten to severely disrupt the pharmaceutical industry much more broadly, and it could prevent the FDA from doing the job that it's supposed to be doing on behalf of the American people," said Brianne Gorod, chief counsel at the progressive Constitutional Accountability Center. "It would be a seismic shift in the way drugs are tested and brought to market, and so could really prevent individuals from getting life-saving medicines that they need." And this will not be the only abortion issue the Supreme Court is confronting. The justices next month will hold oral arguments on a challenge to Idaho's restrictions and whether they violate federal laws requiring hospitals to treat patients in life-threatening crises. A federal court blocked enforcement of Idahos Defense of Life Act, which prohibits abortions unless necessary to save the life of the mother, on the grounds that the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act preempts it. The state's near-total abortion ban establishes criminal penalties for doctors who perform the procedure, except in narrow circumstances. But the Biden administration counters that federal law requires emergency rooms to provide "stabilizing care," including abortions, for a broader range of circumstances than a mother's life, such as when a patient's health is in "serious jeopardy." Other pending court challenges that may eventually reach the justices include whether the federal Title X family planning program can refer patients for abortions and whether those whose religious faith supports abortion access can file First Amendment constitutional challenges to state bans. However, if the court rules on these disputes, the political impact could be immediate and seismic in the November election. Many progressives, while denouncing the 2022 Dobbs decision striking down the federal right to abortion, credited the controversy for energizing the base and swing voters. The midterm elections produced better-than-expected results for Democrats, while exposing a strategic vulnerability for Republicans and denying them an expected "red wave." What the Supreme Court decides in June when confronted with the abortion pill case could have a similar impact, with nine appointed women and men in robes poised to reignite a divisive referendum on arguably the most controversial social issue facing the nation. The mifepristone cases are FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (23-235) and Danco Laboratories, LLC v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (23-236). Original article source: Supreme Court dives back into abortion debate, will hear arguments on mifepristone regulation Suspect faces attempted murder charge after QCA shooting A 21-year-old man was in custody Friday after Galesburg Police responded to gunfire about 3 p.m. Thursday, according to a news release. Police say a victim was driving a vehicle at the time of the incident. Officers found the victim, who had a grazing gunshot wound to the left shoulder. The victim was treated at the scene, the release says. Tomas Rubio (Galesburg Police) The investigation led to a vehicle and possible suspect being identified. On Friday, an arrest warrant for Tomas A. Rubio was obtained with the assistance of the Knox County States Attorneys Office. Rubio subsequently turned himself in to the Galesburg Police Friday afternoon. Rubio was charged with attempted murder and booked into the Knox County Jail, where he remained in custody late Friday. The success of this investigation was made possible through the coordinated efforts of several agencies, according to the release. The Galesburg Police Department would like to extend our gratitude to the following agencies for their assistance: Knox County States Attorneys Office, Knox County Sheriffs Office, Galesburg Hospital Ambulance Service, Galesburg Fire Department, Kewanee Police Department and Henry County Sheriffs Office, the release says. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. COMANCHE COUNTY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) Two people in Comanche County were attacked by bees, sending one to the hospital. The Comanche Volunteer Fire Department reported that both individuals managed to flee from the swarm of bees by getting into a vehicle. However, both of them were stung multiple times, and one of them had to be taken to a medical facility because of the severity and location of the stings. Gustine VFD was requested for the use of their bee suits as the persons were clearing some property and attempted to push an old tree that unknowingly contained the hive. When the bees swarmed the open cab machine, the operator fled, leaving the machine running, Comanche VFD wrote. Courtesy of the Comanche Volunteer Fire Department A firefighter from Gustine, dressed in a bee suit, was transported to the scene and managed to relocate the machine and power it down. However, during the process, the machines arm and bucket struck the tree, which caused the bees to become agitated once again. Comanche Volunteer Fire Department advises caution when clearing land near hollow, rotten, or dead trees and brush piles. The status of those stung is unknown. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. An initial report of a person in distress was followed by the announcement of a death on the Western Washington University campus Friday afternoon. A swimmer appeared distressed on the side of the pool at the Wade King Student Recreation Center around noon. Lifeguards provided aid but the person soon became unresponsive. The swimmer, who has yet to be identified, is not a Western Washington University student, WWU Communications Director John Thompson told The Bellingham Herald. Authorities are withholding an identification pending notification of family members. An initial campus advisory incorrectly stated the swimmer was found underwater at the campus swimming pool, Thompson said. The death does not initially appear to be a drowning. Lifeguards and staff began to perform CPR, and responding EMTs could not revive the swimmer, according to the initial campus advisory sent out at 1:30 p.m. The pool was closed for the rest of the day. Protections for in vitro fertilization arent expected to be among the list of accomplished laws this legislative session in Idaho, Democrats said Friday. Idaho Democrats held an angry news conference Friday afternoon after the Legislature has not passed new legislation on two of their primary priorities with days left in the session: health exceptions for abortions and protections for IVF. Democrats have pushed to defend IVF over concerns that lawmakers could jeopardize fertility treatments in the future. Lawmakers have passed dozens of bills this year but left in place laws passed two years ago that ban abortions and allow exceptions only for a mothers life, incest or rape. The session is scheduled to end March 29, and Democratic leaders said Friday that talks with Republicans on these issues were unsuccessful. We wont see protection against future attacks against IVF in Idaho, said Rep. Brooke Green, D-Boise, who co-sponsored a bill to protect IVF. We owe it to the families, we owe it to our clinicians to put these protections in place. The Alabama Supreme Court startled many Americans in February when it ruled that embryos the earliest stages of development in a pregnancy are children. The decision threw women undergoing fertility treatments in Alabama into uncertainty and led to a wave of concern around the country about how laws granting rights to fetuses in other states could be interpreted. While some Republicans have argued that abortion and IVF are unrelated, abortion rights advocates have said Alabamas IVF decision was an inevitable result of the broad rights afforded before birth in many state laws. One of Idahos abortion laws says that the life of each human being begins at fertilization, and preborn children have interests in life, health and well-being that should be protected. A bill introduced this year would have inserted the term preborn child into many parts of Idaho code. The bill did not pass. Green, whose son was born through IVF, worked with Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa, to introduce legislation that would affirmatively protect the procedure. Though Vander Woude is chairman of the House Health and Welfare Committee, Green said they were stonewalled from moving the bill forward because of special interests. She instead introduced a personal bill protecting IVF on Friday. Personal bills are introduced without a legislative committees vetting and are unlikely to become law. She said she thinks a bill to protect IVF would pass if it got to the floor in both chambers, and that she worries about lawmakers passing a law similar to Louisianas, which allows IVF but forbids frozen embryos from being destroyed. That law, which has been in effect for decades, has led fertility clinics in the state to ship their embryos to other states, adding costs and complications. Green also said Republicans were circulating a letter of support for IVF. Republican leadership could not immediately be reached by the Idaho Statesman on Friday. Religious groups split on IVF The Alabama case has caused a range of reactions from Republicans and anti-abortion advocates, and some religious groups are split on the issue. While many elected Republicans in Congress have said they supported IVF since the Alabama decision,Republicans on the Hill quashed an effort by Democrats last month to pass federal protections for IVF. A representative for the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal firm that Attorney General Raul Labrador hired to represent Idaho in an abortion case before the U.S. Supreme Court, called the decision a tremendous victory for life. David Ripley, the director of Idaho Chooses Life, a prominent anti-abortion group, by phone said he advised legislators not to pass laws related to IVF this year because he thinks the current system works, and that the legal consequences for IVF under Alabamas wrongful death statute could never happen under Idahos current law. He said his organization has no position on the IVF process itself. My point to the people worried about this is that theyre worried about something thats just not a problem here, he said. But he said IVF raises profound moral questions about what happens to embryos that are not used and how embryos are selected for fertilization. I dont think the Alabama decision was revolutionary, I think the Alabama decision was an expression of self-evident truth, he said. Some people want to treat those embryos as though theyre not human beings, but if theyre not human beings, I dont know what they are. In a statement last month, the Idaho Center for Reproductive Medicine, which conducts IVF, said the Alabama decision was unfounded by medicine and scientific principles and deprives citizens of their fundamental right to build a family. Idaho abortion bans remain restrictive Democrats on Friday said theyre worried about the doctors leaving the state as a result of the strict abortion bans that could land doctors in jail. One report found that 22% of obstetricians in Idaho stopped practicing in the first 15 months after the bans became law, and three rural hospitals have closed labor and delivery centers. Of the nine maternal fetal medicine specialists who practiced in Idaho at the beginning of 2022, only four remained in the state a year later, the Idaho Medical Association previously told the Statesman. Last year Republicans passed a law to clarify what Idahos abortion exceptions are, to include the exception for non-viable pregnancies established by an Idaho Supreme Court ruling. The bill did not include a health exception. We cant wait another year to save womens lives, Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, said at the news conference, adding that the current exemptions are arbitrary, inadequate and difficult for providers to navigate. She said she heard fears from residents about what might happen if they get pregnant and whether they could be endangered. Im tired of hearing that from young people, she said. Thats why theyre leaving. SHEBOYGAN In honor of the launch of Bravos Top Chef: Wisconsin, Sheboygans Blue Harbor Resort is kicking off a call for local Sheboygan recipes to feature in an inaugural Taste of Sheboygan Cookbook to benefit the Sheboygan County Food Bank. Locals are encouraged to break out their culinary skills or crack open the family recipe box to submit original recipes for consideration in the release of the 2024 cookbook. In cooperation with Taste of Sheboygan being held at Blue Harbor Resort from 5 to 7 p.m. April 9, a portion of the proceeds from cookbook sales will benefit the Sheboygan County Food Bank. Blue Harbor said tickets for Taste of Sheboygan were already extremely limited and it is anticipated the event will be sold out in advance. For the cookbook, anyone older than 18 is encouraged to submit up to one recipe per category by 11:59 p.m. April 1. Submissions are accepted online only. Those who submit recipes chosen for inclusion in the cookbook will receive a complimentary digital copy of the cookbook. For more details or to submit a recipe, visit https://www.blueharborresort.com/cookbook-submissions. Chester's Drive-In: Chester's Drive-In is adding a spot in Sheboygan. Here's when, and where you'll be able to find it. Wade House announces authors for April Tap Room Talks The Wade House Tap Room Talks speaker series will feature two noted Wisconsin authors in April. Mary Elise Antoine will present her book Enslaved, Indentured, Free: Five Black Women on the Upper Mississippi 1800 to 1850 April 4 and Susan Apps-Bodilly, author of Old Farm Country Cookbook, will speak about her book April 20. The events, held in the Wade House Visitor Center at W7965 State 23, Greenbush, will include a Q&A and the chance to purchase a book signed by the author. Cost is $7 for adults and teens, $5 for seniors (65 and older) and $5 for children (5-12). Reservations are highly recommended. Go to wadehouse.org for further information or call 608-264-4848. Kohlers Grace United Church of Christ to hold 100th anniversary event Grace United Church of Christ, 500 School St. in Kohler, is sponsoring a program titled A Display of Grace in honor of its 100th anniversary. The program will include music by Lakeland Universitys Chamber Winds and a presentation describing the churchs art glass windows designed by world-renowned artist Conrad Pickel. Refreshments will follow with time to view the history items on display spanning 100 years of Grace Church. Admission is free. Call the church office at 920-452-6795 for more details. Hotel for sale: Plymouth's 52 Stafford Hotel up for sale. Here's what we know. Acuity expands to Maryland The exterior of Acuity Insurance as seen, Tuesday, November 16, 2021, in Sheboygan, Wis. Sheboygan-based Acuity Insurance announced it will begin writing business in Maryland. Commercial lines insurance is available now, and personal lines will be available later this year, it said. Acuity is proud to bring our unmatched strength and financial stability to agents and customers in our 32nd state, Acuity President Melissa Winter said in a news release. Acuity achieved the strongest growth in its history in 2023, and the companys financial strength has been confirmed both by leading industry organizations as well as by its historical performance. The company insures nearly 150,000 businesses, including nearly 350,000 commercial vehicles, and more than 550,000 homes and private passenger autos across 32 states. It employs 1,600 people. Brandon Reid is editor of the Sheboygan Press. He can be reached at 920-686-2984 or breid@gannett.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @breidHTRNews. This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Taste of Sheboygan Cookbook seeks recipe submissions What happens when others assume people with Down Syndrome cant hit hard, aim high or drink a darn margarita? Well, it can become a reality. A new Down syndrome awareness ad cuts right to the philosophical heart of this often-misunderstood condition, reminding us that the way we treat people with Down syndrome can help smash false limits or reinforce them. False limits like, say, someone of-age not being able to drink just because they have Down syndrome. If your assumptions become reality, then assume I can drink a margarita. So you serve me a margarita, so I drink a margarita, says actress Madison Tevlin in the now-viral ad. The same goes for things like living alone, having sex or any other achievement, both great and small. Assume that I can, so maybe I will, the spot concludes. The ad, created by an Italian Down Syndrome organization called Coor Down, was released in recognition of World Down Syndrome Awareness Day, March 21. Its tagline, #AssumeICan, is being used by people with Down syndrome to show that many of the assumptions about their drive and abilities are just that assumptions. Tevlin, the 22-year-old actress who starred in the ad, talked to CNN about tearing down stereotypes while also celebrating the differences people with Down syndrome bring to the table. When I was born, the doctor told my mom and dad that life would be really hard for me, saying that I cant talk, or walk, or dance, or model, or act or drinking or getting married any of this stuff thats part of normal life, she said. And its so much fun proving people wrong. Tevlin was connected to the Coor Down campaign through the National Down Syndrome Society, and says shes loving the reactions to the ad, which has 160,000 views on YouTube and has been burning up social media feeds. Im just so happy everyone looks up to me as a role model. Other Down syndrome activists and achievers are sharing their own ways they defy stereotypes, like 17-year-old triathlete Caleb Prewitt, or members of the Hijinx Theatre, an inclusive theatre company in Wales. Down syndrome is a condition caused by an extra partial or full chromosome. According to the National Down Syndrome Society, one in 772 babies in the U.S. is born with Down syndrome. Its not a disease or an affliction, its just the way some people are made. While Down syndrome results in slight cognitive delays, the NDSS says these issues are usually mild to moderate and dont affect peoples ability to vote, contribute to their communities or make decisions about their own lives. As an actress and advocate, Tevlin has taken control of her own life. She says getting past stereotypes about Down syndrome allows the whole person to shine through. I always say that I have Down syndrome, and its the least interesting thing about me, she said. The part of who I am, well its not all of me. We should all celebrate our differences in our own special and unique ways. CNNs Taylor Galgano and Krista Bo contributed to this report. 25 celebrities who you may not realize have learning disabilities 25 celebrities who you may not realize have learning disabilities Jennifer Aniston Chris Rock Channing Tatum Salma Hayek Jamie Oliver Tommy Hilfiger Whoopi Goldberg Brian Grazer Tom Cruise Florence Welch Octavia Spencer Rob McElhenney Cher Steven Spielberg Tim Tebow Mel B Richard Branson Anderson Cooper Keira Knightley Jay Leno Keanu Reeves Jewel Robbie Williams Tom Holland Maya Hawke PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Vancouver Police are investigating after a fight between teens led to an incident at gunpoint between two parents Friday evening. Just before 8 p.m., police responded to the Vancouver Mall on a report that several teens got into a fight in the food court. When one of the parents intervened, another parent pulled out and pointed a gun at them, authorities say. The parent with the gun then left the food court with his kids, although police say they found reason to believe he was still inside the mall, possibly in the bowling alley. Warm Springs man gets federal prison sentence for domestic abuse of girlfriend Officers set up a perimeter in the area and contacted mall security, who reported the suspect had left the mall before police arrived, officials say. There were no injuries reported. The investigation is ongoing and no other information is available at this time. Stay with KOIN 6 News for updates. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Catherine, Princess of Wales, shared with her children that she is undergoing treatment for cancer. It's one of the hardest conversations any parent can have with their children. "It has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that's appropriate for them and to reassure them that Im going to be OK," the former Kate Middleton said in a March 22 video statement about her health. The news abolished months of rumors over her absence from royal life. Follow TODAYs coverage of Kate Middletons diagnosis and live updates here. Prince William and Kate have three children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5. "As Ive said to them, I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal in my mind, body and spirits," Kate said about her children in the video. Here is advice for having this conversation at home, from a parenting expert. How to tell your children you have cancer Its really important to be as honest and reassuring as possible, Denver psychologist Sheryl Ziegler tells TODAY.com. According to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a large priority for parents with cancer is how the news will affect their families. "When you first get your diagnosis, you may worry about how to let your children know that you have cancer," states the organization. "While you have taught your kids about many other important things, talking to them about your illness probably takes you off guard." It's normal if you feel completely freaked out about this conversation or are unsure how much information to share, especially with small children. You might say, Im going to fight as hard as I can, Im healthy and I have the best doctors," Ziegler tells TODAY.com. If you get emotional, label it, Ziegler told TODAY.com in February, following King Charles cancer diagnosis. If you dont if you cover your face or leave the room kids might think youre not telling the truth or that its worse than they thought. Its OK to say, Im worried. How to answer children's questions about cancer Every conversation about illnesses looks different in families. Ziegler advises that parents map out a plan for what their life will look like in the coming months. "You can say, 'I might be on the phone a lot or at doctor's appointments and it will be weird for a bit' so kids understand the change in their natural rhythm," says Ziegler. "Otherwise they might think the worst." Ziegler suggests addressing questions your child might have, even if they haven't asked. "I want you to know cancer is contagious, for example." If the diagnosis is late-stage, says Ziegler, make sure children understand that while you don't know what will happen, you do know that they are loved and will be taken care of. When are kids too young to understand cancer? Ziegler says to consider these questions before sharing a diagnosis with young children: "Will my child notice if I'm ill, unavailable, stop working or be at medical appointments?" "A kindergartener may notice a disruption in their routine," she says, "whereas a toddler might not." This article was originally published on TODAY.com ISIS has called the terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall in Moscow Oblast their "most brutal attack in recent years" and posted photos of the terrorists. Their clothing matches that of the detainees whose photos were posted by the FSB. Source: Novaya Gazeta Europe, citing SITE and Telegram channels Details: ISIS issued a statement on the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall, where it described it as "the most brutal attack in recent years." This message was released by the pro-ISIS agency Amaq, according to the SITE group, which monitors terrorists' activities on social media. The statement reads that three militants opened fire on people in the audience hall, while the fourth set the building on fire. It is claimed that the terrorists were armed with machine guns, pistols, and containers with incendiary mixture. Before the attack, they had been observing the Crocus building for a long time. It is mentioned that ISIS militants were planning to attack a "large crowd of Christians." Members of the group emphasised that the terrorist attack was organised in response to the war declared by ISIS against countries fighting Islam. A photo of the attackers was also published. The Insider notes that the colour, cut, and print on the clothing of two of the militants in the picture match the clothing of the detainees reported by the FSB. Brief, a Telegram channel, posted photos of the detainees and compared them with the picture posted by Amaq. It is likely that the three attackers have been identified from the photo. The Russian Internal Affairs Ministry said that all four suspects involved in the terrorist attack were foreign nationals. Background: A shooting incident occurred at a concert by the band Piknik at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, on the evening of 22 March. Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) stated that the terrorist attack was a deliberate provocation by Putins regime that had been anticipated by the international community. Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to the Head of the Ukrainian Presidents Office, stated that Ukraine had nothing to do with the attack. The White House said it saw no evidence of any Ukrainian involvement in the attack, which has claimed the lives of dozens of people. Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed that a "back door" had been prepared for the suspects in the attack to cross the border with Ukraine. Ukraine's Defence Intelligence responded by saying that these claims are entirely devoid of truth. The United States has no doubt that ISIS was involved in the terrorist attack on a concert in the suburbs of Moscow on the evening of 22 March and had warned Russia in advance of the threat of such a terrorist attack. Support UP or become our patron! The death toll from the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall near Moscow has risen to 133. Meanwhile, Denis Pushilin, leader of the Russian-backed "Donetsk People's Republic", blames Ukraine for the terrorist attack. The Russians have raised the issue of introducing the death penalty for "perpetrators". Source: Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF); Kremlin-aligned Russian news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS; Latvia-based Russian media outlet Meduza Quote from ICRF: "The death toll from the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall has risen to 133 people during the rubble clearance. Search and rescue operations are underway." Details: Early reports indicated that a total of 93 people had been killed and 107 hospitalised due to the shooting incident. Meduza noted that the incident in Crocus City Hall was the largest terrorist attack in Russia in terms of death toll since the tragedy in Beslan. The hostage-taking at Beslan School No. 1 in September 2004 claimed the lives of 334 people. Meanwhile, Pushilin commented on the events in Crocus, claiming that it was "obvious to him who the mastermind and financier is". "We know the cynicism of the Ukrainian regime and those who lead it," he claimed. At the same time, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Russia-24 TV channel that Russia would do everything to make the Western community finally wake up from the "drug of permissiveness" for Kyiv. Moreover, in the wake of the terrorist attack in Moscow Oblast, the Russians have raised the issue of introducing the death penalty for supposed terrorists. Mikhail Sheremet, a member of the State Duma (lower chamber of the Russian parliament) from occupied Crimea, told RIA Novosti that he intended to initiate the issue of the death penalty for "terrorists". Vladimir Vasiliev, Head of Putin's United Russia faction in the State Duma, commented on the initiative to introduce the death penalty, stating that "a decision will be made that will meet society's expectations". Background: A shooting incident occurred at a concert by the band Piknik at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, on the evening of 22 March. Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) stated that the terrorist attack was a deliberate provocation by Putins regime that had been anticipated by the international community. Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to the Head of the Ukrainian Presidents Office, stated that Ukraine had nothing to do with the attack. The White House said it saw no evidence of any Ukrainian involvement in the attack, which has claimed the lives of dozens of people. Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed that a "back door" had been prepared for the suspects in the attack to cross the border with Ukraine. Ukraine's Defence Intelligence responded by saying that these claims are entirely devoid of truth. The United States has no doubt that ISIS was involved in the terrorist attack on a concert in the suburbs of Moscow on the evening of 22 March and had warned Russia in advance of the threat of such a terrorist attack. Support UP or become our patron! The head of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has reported to Vladimir Putin that 11 people have been arrested who supposedly took part in the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall near Moscow and were travelling towards Ukraine. It also became known that the United States had indeed warned Russia about the preparation of terrorist attacks in Moscow. Source: The Kremlin, quoted by RIA Novosti, a Kremlin-aligned Russian news outlet Details: It is noted that Alexander Bortnikov, the head of the FSB, reported to Putin that 11 people, including all four terrorists who supposedly directly participated in the attack in the Crocus, had been detained. Telegram channels posted a photo of one of the detainees. Early reports indicate that this is Muhammadzobir Faizov, a 19-year-old native of Dushanbe. He reportedly sustained a wound to his left eye during his arrest and is currently undergoing surgery. Four people were purportedly detained in Russias Bryansk Oblast "near the border with Ukraine". Meanwhile, 93 people are known to have been killed in the attack, and the death toll may increase. Early reports indicate that the causes of death were gunshot wounds and poisoning from the products of combustion. The media, citing the Russian secret services, confirmed that the US had received information about the preparation of terrorist attacks in Moscow. Updated: Later, the FSB said that after the attack, the perpetrators "intended to cross the Russian-Ukrainian border and had relevant contacts on the Ukrainian side". Background: A shooting incident occurred prior to a concert by the band Piknik at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, on the evening of 22 March. Early reports said at least 40 people were killed and 130 injured. Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) stated that the terrorist attack was a deliberate provocation by Putins regime that had been anticipated by the international community. The White House said it saw no evidence of any Ukrainian involvement in the attack, which has claimed the lives of dozens of people. Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to the Head of the Ukrainian Presidents Office, stated that Ukraine had nothing to do with the attack. Support UP or become our patron! Judicial whiplash over Texass controversial new immigration law has delayed its implementation, but potentially not its political effects. S.B. 4 is the latest in a string of local- and state-level immigration crackdowns that goes back at least to Californias Proposition 187, a 1994 ballot measure supported by then-Gov. Pete Wilson (R) that deputized individual Californians to report anyone suspected of being undocumented to immigration authorities. The backlash to Proposition 187 was immediate it prompted 70,000 opponents to march against it in Los Angeles and long-term: Fallout over Proposition 187 galvanized Californias Hispanics into political participation as stalwart Democrats, turning the countrys largest state solid blue. A similar shift happened in Arizona following the 2010 SB1070 show me your papers law that angered many Latinos in that state. S.B. 4 makes entering Texas outside a port of entry a state crime, giving local law enforcement authority to pursue potential immigration violations that had previously been a strictly federal purview. I think Texas is on the verge of becoming a purple state, especially if the Republicans keep practicing the politics of hate and fearmongering and division, said Domingo Garcia, president of the Texas-based League of United Latin American Citizens, the countrys oldest Latino civil rights organization. But Texas has been on the verge of becoming competitive for years, with Democrats falling just short in a series of hyped underdog runs that have scared off many left-leaning donors. Six years ago, former Rep. Beto ORourke (D-Texas) came close to unseating Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), coming within 2.5 percentage points. Cruz, along with Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), is the closest thing Senate Republicans have to a vulnerable incumbent, and both hold seats rated as likely Republican by the Cook Political Report. The Democrats say S.B. 4 is not a turning point, but another step toward an inevitable end. The Latino change in Texas has already been happening. Lets remember that Texas is a single-digit state. Lets remember that in 2020, Donald Trump won by just six points. That Ted Cruz barely survived by two-and-a-half points in 2018. Cycle after cycle after cycle, Texas Democrats have been getting closer and closer and closer, said Manny Garcia, an Austin-based political operative and former executive director of the state Democratic Party. As Texas elections have gotten closer, the state government has become more aggressive on immigration policy. S.B. 4 a law that was first blocked by an appeals court, reinstated by the Supreme Court, and within a matter of hours blocked again by a lower court is a next step in GOP Gov. Greg Abbotts efforts to wrestle border policy away from the federal government. Abbott has spearheaded Operation Lone Star, a program thats brought Texas National Guardsmen sometimes into direct contact with migrants at the border, while Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has gone after charity organizations that cater to migrants. Paxton in February opened an investigation into Annunciation House, a well-known Catholic migrant shelter in El Paso, for alleged human smuggling. I wasnt around in California back when 187 happened, but just seeing it here and feeling that even a shelter like Annunciation House, could be labeled a stash house, or could be labeled as part of a human smuggling ring, it feels like something so much more nefarious, said Mario Carrillo, campaigns manager for Americas Voice, a progressive immigration advocacy group. If implemented, S.B. 4 could fundamentally change how many Texas Latinos live, particularly those in mixed-status households, and could aggravate relations between the states Hispanics and local law enforcement officials. Two provisions are especially controversial: one allows all law enforcement officers in Texas to detain anyone on suspicion of being in the country illegally. The other would empower judges to order undocumented individuals to physically cross into Mexico or face stiff prison sentences. The law might not see the light of day its an unorthodox measure that many say is unconstitutional. That would blunt any political side effects among voters who never feel its implementation. Bexar County Sheriff Antonio Salazar earlier this week spoke out against the law on the grounds that it could encourage racial profiling on the part of deputies, according to a report by the San Antonio Express News. Yet many Texas Latinos are more conservative than their peers in California or Arizona, and immigration enforcement agencies such as the Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection are a major source of work for Hispanics along the border. Theres a subset of the Latino community, I would say 80 percent of all [Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)] agents, Border Patrol agents are Hispanic. So thats their livelihood. Thats what they depend on. So theyre going to be voting, maybe Republican, but theres also a lot of families on the border, theyre mixed so you know, grandma and grandpa might be undocumented but their children and grandchildren are U.S. citizens, said Domingo Garcia. And they dont want to know that they got arrested because they went to church or they went to the store and then they got picked and are being deported. And that the local police officer becomes an ICE agent. Thats where I think the fear and the resistance will come about, and thats what we saw in Arizona and we saw in California. In California, a state with a comparable Latino population to Texas, the 1994 election saw Proposition 187 adopted by popular vote, and Wilson was reelected to his second term in office. At the time, support for Proposition 187 was high, even among the states voting Latinos. The big shift in California politics came as Latinos who had never participated in politics began registering to vote amid fear of 187s effects on their lives. Texas Latinos are more politically active than their California counterparts of the early 1990s, but there is still a broad segment of the Hispanic electorate thats essentially been sitting on the sidelines. Theres always this running joke in the Rio Grande Valley that turnout is high in the May elections, not the November elections, because its school board races, said Manny Garcia. Redistricting after the 2020 Census favored Republicans generally, even netting them a first-in-a-century win in a Rio Grande Valley congressional seat now held by Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R). But that competitiveness has also fired up the Democratic political machinery in the region to get voters to the polls in November. And local Democrats believe the conservative family values common in the region dont translate to the national political definition of conservatism. A family in the Rio Grande Valley is not sitting around applauding [Reps.] Marjorie Taylor Greene [R-Ga.] and Lauren Boebert [R-Colo.]. They are not sitting around applauding every single thing Donald Trump does. Theyre not doing that, right. So Republicans are delusional if they believe that thats whats going on in the Rio Grande Valley, said Manny Garcia. And while the Texas Democratic Party has shown competitiveness in tough local races, its fighting for campaign money in a difficult cycle where most national attention will be on proven battleground states. The fact that Texas Democrats havent won a statewide election since 1994 haunts members of the party and scares away big money donors, including Texans who fund out-of-state races they deem winnable. Texas demographics are changing, however, not just becoming more Latino but younger. We have about 1.8 million new voters since [2018], a majority of them are Latino. And this could be the galvanizing force. Sort of that Rosa Parks moment that triggers Latinos to go out and vote and become more active, said Domingo Garcia. National Democrats have yet to commit serious money to Texas campaigns, but some party strategists are taking note of the opportunity. There is a huge opening for Democrats to take advantage, complete and total draconian overreach. S.B. 4 is clearly the spiritual descendant of those other failed anti-immigrant, anti-Latino laws, which are designed to terrorize Latinos and other communities of color, said Maria Cardona, a national Democratic political strategist. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Supporters of abortion rights expressed disappointment Friday after the Texas Medical Board laid out its proposal for emergency medical exceptions under the states strict abortion ban. File Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI March 23 (UPI) -- The Texas Medical Board has proposed a broad definition for what constitutes an emergency medical exception under the state's otherwise strict abortion ban, disappointing some abortion rights advocates. The board's proposal, issued during a meeting in Austin on Friday, follows pressure from the Texas Supreme Court -- in addition to doctors and patients across the state who have been calling for guidance in navigating the abortion ban as cases of Texans forced to carry to term nonviable pregnancies have emerged over the past year in the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The board's proposed rule defined "medical emergency" as "a life threatening condition aggravated by, caused by or arising from a pregnancy that is certified by a physician places the woman in danger of death or a serious impairment or a major bodily function unless an abortion is performed." Reproductive rights advocates hoped the board's draft rule could provide a shield for doctors at risk of being sued for performing abortions. However, the board said its process would be "separate and independent" from any in a criminal trial. "You got people that are scared, and they're facing death," said Steve Bresnen, one of the lobbyists who initially petitioned the board for guidance. "We think that you can do more than it seems that your proposed rule was. In that sense, we're disappointed." A statement released from Dr. Zafraan after the meeting said the Board "has a narrow lane to operate in" and "does not have authority to regulate or prohibit abortion." Defining the Law Multiple plaintiffs from Zurawski v. Texas, a challenge to the medical exception part of the law still in the courts, testified to the board after they announced the proposed language. One plaintiff, Kaitlyn Kash, said an abortion "saved her life." "I have yet to hear something in these rules that will address what happened to me and my family," Kash told the board. "I heard you say you don't make the law, but I'm here today because I tried to get the Legislature to act when I lobbied last session and couldn't even get an amendment on fetal anomaly out of committee. I tried to get the courts to help us...and they said we needed to wait for you." "And now you're saying it's not your responsibility either," Kash added. "So where else am I supposed to go?" The board listed several ways a doctor could document why an abortion was necessary, including using tools like "diagnostic imaging test results, medical literature, second opinions and or medical ethics committees that were used or consulted." The board also said they could not reference rape or incest, as they were "out of the board's jurisdiction." The Texas Legislature did not cite that as an exemption for a legal abortion in the law. These rules "create a burdensome documentation system" and fail to clarify what doctors can actually do, Molly Duane, senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, which filed the Zurawski lawsuit, said in a statement. For at least 30 days, there will be space for public comment before the board puts a final rule into place. The board most likely will address the rule again in June at the earliest, said Dr. Sherif Zaafran, president of the Texas Medical Board. Zaafran said Attorney General Ken Paxton's office was consulted and weighed in when making the rule. A Need For Guidance The choice to draft a rule proposal came after Bresnen and his wife Amy, both Texas attorneys and lobbyists, filed a petition in January asking the board to issue "clear guidance" for when the law would permit an abortion. Doctors reported 52 abortions performed in 2023 as a medical emergency or to preserve the health of the woman, according to a report from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. In a final memo from the Bresnens before the Friday meeting, they said they also knew from public reports that "women left the state to obtain abortions their Texas physicians were afraid to perform due to draconian statutory penalties." The Texas Supreme Court was the first to ask the Medical Board to issue guidance for doctors navigating the state's abortion laws in December, after the court shot down Kate Cox's bid to terminate her nonviable pregnancy. Some board members initially rejected the court's request, saying they would hold off until all judicial issues were resolved - including an ongoing challenge to the medical exception part of the law in Zurawski v. Texas. But the Bresnens' petition pulled the board back into the debate, asking them to qualify the language. This time, the board chose to act. Many advocates hoped the rule would address three main issues: at what point in a medical emergency can a doctor perform an abortion, how can doctors ensure their medical judgments meet the standard of "reasonable medical judgment," and what legally sufficient evidence must be present to show that an abortion was or wasn't necessary. The last one would have helped doctors faced with legal repercussions for performing an abortion -- something the medical board can't protect them from, said Bee Moorhead, executive director of Texas Impact, an interfaith organization that advocates on behalf of some of the state's largest religious groups. "It's not sufficient to fully protect doctors," Moorhead said. "There's nothing the board can do to fully protect doctors because of the way jeopardy for doctors is baked into the bill." But Moorhead has hope because the board seems open to public comment going forward, and is "obviously making a very deliberate effort to facilitate public participation in this rule making, which is exactly what we had hoped," she said. The board's 16 current members, appointed by the governor, normally examine complaints against physicians. The rule proposal follows a trend of medical boards across the country becoming a key force around abortion bans. But its step into making this rule, and clarifying abortion law, is a new "stretch" for the Texas agency, Moorhead said. "We've all been very aware of the lack of the medical board's response and guidance, so I think this is a small step," Dr. Andrea Palmer, an OB/GYN in Fort Worth, said. "It's going to be darn near impossible to outline every possible exception. I would argue - this is why we shouldn't legislate medical care." This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune. Read the original here. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans -- and engages with them -- about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues A man and child were killed Friday following a Texas school bus crash with a concrete truck, as the bus carrying more than 40 people was returning from a field trip to a zoo, officials said. A Hays Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) bus rolled over around 2:15 p.m. near Texas State Highway 21 and Caldwell Road in Bastrop County, FOX Austin reported. The cement truck veered onto the school bus' lane, which killed a child. The driver of a Dodge Charger crashed into the bus, killing a man inside, authorities said at a news conference. There were 44 students and 11 adults on the bus, the school district said. The bus was carrying Tom Green Elementary pre-K students as they were returning from a field trip to the Bastrop Zoo. "Parents of students on the bus have been notified directly from the campus. The district is in the process of conducting reunification. Hays CISD transportation staff, counselors, safety and security personnel, and other administrators have all joined first responders either at the accident scene or at the reunification location," Hays CISD said in a statement. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Texas Gov. Greg Abbott gave his condolences and praised first responders. "Cecilia and I are saddened to hear about this tragic incident, and we ask all Texans to join us in prayer for Tom Green Elementary students and families during this difficult time," he said in a statement. "I've spoken with Hyas CISD Superintendent Dr. Eric Wright and offered the state's full support as they help their community through this tragedy." Original article source: Texas school bus returning from field trip crashes, killing man and child Three suspects believed to be connected to an organized crime ring were arrested in Irvine. After a series of residential burglaries in the Turtle Rock and Shady Canyon neighborhoods, Irvine police officers conducted surveillance in the area. On Friday at around 6:50 p.m. near Bommer Canyon, an officer spotted a suspicious vehicle in a parking lot. The officer stopped the vehicle as it was pulling away from the lot. Police said the three men inside were not from the area and had no reason to be in Irvine. The officer found several items suspected to be burglary tools in the car including pet deterrent, shoe covers, gloves, and masks. From left: Ricardo Navarete-Loyola, Leopoldo Jara-Araya, and Julio Cordova-Martinez in booking photos from the Irvine Police Department. Suspects wanted in distraction thefts targeting shoppers in Orange County The men were arrested on charges of suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary, providing false information to a police officer and possession of burglary tools. They were identified as Ricardo Navarete-Loyola, 19, Julio Cordova-Martinez, 55, and Leopoldo Jara-Araya, 57. All three men are Chilean nationals, authorities said. Im proud of the men and women of the Irvine Police Department and all the work they do to keep our community safe, said Irvine Police Chief Michael Kent. This arrest is just one example of the great police work happening daily in our city and should serve as a warning to anyone looking to victimize our residents, businesses, and visitors: Dont commit crime in Irvine. Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact Detective Ryan Nigg at 949-724-7183 or email rnigg@cityofirvine.org. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. GENEVA, Ala. (WDHN) A scary scene Thursday night in Geneva, as multiple fire departments were called to a structure fire. Photo of the fire Thursday night in Geneva. Courtesy: RSN-Rickey Stokes News The call was to a home on North Martin Street, but when crews arrived they learned that the home was abandoned and the fire was a control burn. Officials say the homeowners bought the abandoned home and decided to clear the land they had bought. Crews were able to put out the blaze and on Friday morning neighbors were on the scene to help put air out of the remaining embers. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com. College of Saint Mary will host a month-long art show featuring the works of students from universities across Nebraska, including Midland University, in April at Hillmer Art Gallery on the CSM campus, 7000 Mercy Rd. The show, which will open on April 2, is sponsored by the Council of Independent Nebraska Colleges Foundation (CINCF). Students from CINCFs 13 member schools have been invited to submit entries to be judged by a team of outside jurors. Cash scholarship prizes and ribbons will be awarded to the top students at a wine and cheese reception from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 25. Its not only an honor to host this show but an amazing opportunity for our students to showcase their work with their peers from other universities, said Jeff Spencer, MFA, assistant professor of art and director of the Hillmer Art Gallery. The CINCFs membership includes Bellevue University, Bryan College of Health Sciences, Clarkson College, College of Saint Mary, Concordia University, Creighton University, Doane University, Hastings College, Midland University, Nebraska Methodist College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Union College, and York University. Editor's note: An early cloud forecast for the April 2024 total solar eclipse is in. Read the latest eclipse forecast and news as of Friday, March 29. On April 8 in Gatesville, Texas, members of Coryell Community Church will congregate at the campus hilltop site where a trio of 70-foot crosses tower over the city of 17,000, 38 miles west of Waco. The region lies in the center of the approaching solar eclipses path of totality, the last such event to affect the contiguous United States until 2044. Ancient cultures viewed the dusk-like darkness prompted by the passing of the moon between the Earth and sun, temporarily blocking the suns light, as a sign of the gods anger or even their impending departure. Instead, Coryells Eclipse of the Crosses family gathering will feature live music, games and worship an occasion to celebrate. Meanwhile, organizers at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo have bought a thousand eclipse glasses for a viewing event, complete with black-and-white half-moon cookies. Is the April 2024 eclipse safe for pets? Why experts want you to leave them at home. As the faithful convene in scattered Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities around the country, the gatherings reflect how celestial events once seen as ominous by some religious communities continue to wield spiritual significance today. An eclipse is yet another opportunity to witness the handiwork of God that exists in the universe, said Eric Moffett, Coryells lead pastor. We arent looking for any omens in the cosmos, but we are using this as an opportunity to, for a little over four minutes, be reminded that we live in world made by God and sustained by his love and goodness. April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse path over North America Eclipses have inspired fear and awe among civilizations throughout history, from the Aztecs to the ancient Hindus. They're also associated with some major religious events, including the darkness that accompanied Jesus crucifixion in Christianity and, in Islam, the passing of the Prophet Muhammads son, Ibrahim. As the Bible's Gospel of Mark 15:33 reads: "And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour." Such references often emphasize the power of God over the cosmos, said James Willis, an assistant professor of practice for religion at the University of Indianapolis. What we today see as an astronomical event, people previously interpreted as having life-and-death significance," Willis said. Earlier this month, in the Choctaw Nation newspaper Biskinik, a recurring column exploring Choctaw culture noted the sun was considered to bring life and good fortune; for some communities, when solar eclipses occurred, it was as if great black squirrels in the sky were devouring the sun. In response, all were called upon to make noise in an effort to frighten them away. Bradley Schaefer, a professor astronomy at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, said in most pre-modern cultures, the sun god was among the most powerful deities in the pantheon. An eclipse represented the destruction of that god or at least a dire sign. Where better to put signs from the gods but in the heavens? Schaefer said. If you see a sign in the heavens, its got to be from the gods. Theyre telling us something, and what was universal from culture to culture is that it was always bad. In Islam, eclipses offer an occasion to pray Fourteen centuries ago, as Islams Muhammad and his supporters grieved his deathly ill son, the prophet watched the toddler breathe his last as the skies darkened above them the beginning, it is believed, of a total eclipse. As the story goes, speculation spread among Muhammads followers that even the sun and moon were grieving his loss. In response, he summoned them to prayer and dispelled that notion, but added that such events, as signs of Gods power, should nonetheless inspire them to pray. Omid Safi, a professor of Islamic studies at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, said tradition holds that both solar and lunar eclipses are divine matters unfolding in nature while honoring the prophets steadfast refusal to use the fortuitous occasion of a solar eclipse at the passing of his son as a way of bolstering his own standing. While Islams eclipse prayer is not a mandatory one, many still take time to recite it. During last falls annular eclipse, Muslim Americans around the U.S. gathered in places such as the Muslim Community CenterEast Bay in Pleasanton, California; The Mecca Center in Willowbrook, Illinois; and at Commons Park in Fridley, Minnesota. Nadia Abuisnaineh, who volunteers as a NASA solar system ambassador in the Minneapolis area, organized the Minnesota event hoping not only to pique her communitys scientific curiosity, but their sense of identity as Muslims. Still, she had no idea the public gathering would come as Palestinians scrambled to evacuate northern Gaza in anticipation of a massive counteroffensive by Israeli forces, a week after the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel. The timing made the gathering all the more powerful, she said. My community was very hurt, and for them it was a time to reflect and ask God to alleviate the pain and suffering, Abuisnaineh said. I never imagined that five months later, with the second eclipse coming, that we would still have to think about this and be advocating for our brothers and sisters in Palestine. Those who witnessed the October eclipse were overcome by the event, she recalled, in particular, two older people moved to tears. Whether they were tears of grief because of what was happening in Gaza or just being overwhelmed by the eclipse and strengthening their relationship with God, its a privilege to allow people to do that, she said. People pray during a rare "ring of fire" solar eclipse in Indonesia's Riau province in December 2019. With the April 8 event coming during the most intense period of Ramadan, Abuisnaineh isnt planning to arrange another prayer gathering. Instead, she plans to remind community members to use the time to reflect. An avid stargazer who takes any opportunity to view the night sky, shes not about to miss a solar eclipse. If its sunny, Ill take out all my eclipse glasses and knock on every door in my neighborhood, Abuisnaineh said. Its just a bummer to live your life and not know these things happen. Where to get free eclipse glasses: Sonic, Jeni's, Warby Parker and more giving eclipse glasses away A warning of Gods imminent wrath? Perspectives on eclipses vary widely within the Jewish community, said Mark Horowitz, chief operating officer for the Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo. More conservative members, he said, still consider them warnings, especially for those in their path of totality. There are a lot of people who dont believe its a time for putting on glasses, getting together and drinking or whatever people are going to do, Horowitz said. Some people believe its a time for prayer and introspection. The Hebrew word for eclipse, he noted, translates to defect. Solar eclipse warnings pile up: Watch out for danger in the sky, on the ground on April 8 When the luminaries are stricken, it is an ill omen for the world, reads the Talmud, a central text of Judaism. The passage offers the example of a king who, after preparing a feast for his servants, becomes angry with them and orders the removal of the lantern illuminating their banquet. Even now, there are those who say celestial happenings warn of Gods imminent wrath; some have even claimed they bear political significance. In November 2022, some ultraconservative Christian pastors said the approaching blood moon lunar eclipse portended a surge of Republican midterm wins. God is warning America of impending disaster and destruction, Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of iconic evangelist Billy Graham and founder of AnGel Ministries, wrote on her blog as the solar eclipse of August 2017 approached. More recently, Lotz has seen speculation among some that the combined paths over the U.S. of this years eclipse and the previous two solar eclipses appear to mimic the shapes of the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet in other words, the beginning and the end. Maybe people are reading too much into it, she said. But when you look at the world, you dont need an eclipse to know that things are getting really dangerous. Maybe its telling us its time to get right with God and the people in our lives, so that we have no regrets. Eclipses offer a spiritual experience, even for nonbelievers Scahefer, of Louisiana State University, said as the science behind eclipses began to be understood, some used such knowledge to their advantage, among them Christopher Columbus, who in 1504 was shipwrecked with his crew in Jamaica and for months relied on local natives to provide food in exchange for trinkets. Seth McGowan of the Adirondack Sky Center in Tupper Lake, N.Y., shows a child how to look through a telescope. The center will host a community event for the April 8 solar eclipse. As those gifts started to wear thin, the natives refused to continue, Schaefer said. Columbus seized on the idea of using an approaching lunar eclipse to convince the locals he could commune with the gods and make the moon disappear. Thats the beauty of science, is when you make predictions they come true, Schaefer said. Columbus knew it was just a shadow. But the Jamaicans saw it as a death of a god. Once you understand what an eclipse is, its no longer the realm of the gods. Still, he said, even the way Americans view eclipses has changed over time. Accounts of New Yorkers witnessing a total eclipse in 1924 described silent crowds of people solemnly taking it in. Now its just raucous fun, Schaefer said. No one is fearful that Jupiter will come down and steal their soul. Witnessing a solar eclipse, however, can provide a spiritual experience, even for those who arent necessarily religious, he and others said. Former NASA engineers Jeff Stone and his wife, Susan, will be experiencing the eclipse from their hilltop home in Kerrville, Texas. Her priority was to have a nice view, Stone said. My priority was to be as close to the centerline of the eclipse as possible. We managed to do both. When they worked as flight controllers for the Space Shuttle program at Houstons Johnson Space Center, the couple traveled to Mexico in 1991 to experience nearly seven minutes of totality when a solar eclipse passed over the region. Theyve been eclipse-chasers ever since. The sun is eclipsed by the moon and the sun's corona can be seen during the August 2017 total solar eclipse. April 8, the Stones will host a dozen-plus visitors from as far away as Sweden to experience this years event. Its such an emotional event, Stone said. It touches your soul, it really does. Any time you realize theres something bigger than you, it gives you perspective. Surely that power has a purpose. In Buffalo, Horowitz said the eclipse, while an obvious reminder of natures beauty, offers a chance to reflect on natures fragility and to find hope amid worldly chaos and personal challenges. You can sometimes be clouded by all that darkness, he said. The natural world is trying to tell us that beyond the darkness, there is light. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How upcoming solar eclipse offers evidence of higher power to some FREMONT, Neb. Big-city mayors may be complaining about the economic impact of an influx of migrants, but the residents of a small city near Omaha cant decide how they feel. Fremont, Nebraska, population 27,000, has three massive meat-processing plants. As young locals leave in search of better jobs, Central American migrants have been taking their places in the slaughterhouses, especially after Costco opened a huge rotisserie chicken facility in 2019. We need these people, said Mark Jensen, president of the city council. We need this work done. This is what feeds the nation and the world. The meatpacking town of Fremont, Nebraska has seen an influx of Hispanic migrants in recent years. As a result, the town has seen several Hispanic businesses open up. (NBC News) But instead of a welcome mat, for more than a decade Fremont has had a controversial law on the books that tries to bar undocumented migrants from living within city limits. In 2010, residents voted 57% to 43% to require that all people renting property in Fremont must first sign a declaration that they are legally present in the U.S. The citys citizens asked the city council to do something because it was pretty obvious that we had just become a haven for illegals, said city council member Paul Von Behren. Brenda Ray, who has lived in the Fremont area for 40 years, said she noted the change in the citys population and voted for the ordinance back in 2010. She said she doesnt have a problem with the Central American arrivals if they are legal and they come in to speak American English. She wishes the rule, known as Ordinance 5165, accomplished more, but still supports it. Its something that we have in our toolbox, she said. If we have a big problem we can fall back on it. The factories need workers, however, and the migrants have kept coming. By 2022 a town that was once nearly all white had become 16% Latino, according to census data, and the number has risen since. Many of the most recent arrivals are from Guatemala. The Guatemalan consulate in Omaha says there are at least 2,020 Guatemalans in Fremont and the true figure could be 45% higher. Maria Hernandez and her husband, Vicente, pastors at one of the local Guatemalan churches, Dios es Amor #2, said their flock has grown from three congregants to 200 in seven years. They say many members work at the slaughterhouses, making it a frequent topic of prayer. Fremont residents Vicente (left) and Maria (right) Hernandez operate a Guatemalan church in town and says theyve seen their congregation grow with new migrant arrivals. (Courtesy of Maria Hernandez) I tell them that we have to give thanks because God has put in men who have companies, Maria said. If it werent for these companies we wouldnt have a job. Vicente also works at one of the local slaughterhouses, cleaning the kill floor on the overnight shift. He thinks the city and the migrants are a good match. With Hispanic migrants, although it is hard, although it is heavy, they endure, said Vicente. Between the church and the plant, he said, he gets three hours of sleep a night. Jensen worked in the meatpacking industry for 40 years and says hes seen how these jobs have become less attractive to native-born Americans. These are very physical jobs, Jensen said. And a lot of its hard work. And its not something that a lot of people can do. Some complain, however, that undocumented workers steal identities to get the jobs. In 2021, a fraudulent document ring was uncovered in Fremont. Federal investigators found hundreds of counterfeit federal and state identity cards, according to court filings. Just last month, four slaughterhouse workers were charged with using other peoples Social Security numbers. Glenn Elwell, who investigated the cases as head of Nebraskas Department of Motor Vehicles fraud unit, said he wasnt surprised they were in Fremont. A good majority of our cases are usually in and around cities and towns with meatpacking plants. A burden to the taxpayers Driving around Fremont, the Guatemalan presence is tangible, from local shops offering Latino foods to ads for remittance services. Many of the immigrant arrivals live in a mobile home neighborhood less than five minutes from the citys plants. Work is a blessing, said local store owner Gaspar Larios. Now there are Guatemalans who have houses, their own homes in the United States. Larios and his wife run a small shop where they sell a type of traditional, colorful Guatemalan clothing called trajes a piece of their home country that people still wear around town for special events. The arrival of migrants has transformed the community and kept the slaughterhouses humming, but many residents note that it has also created a strain on city services. Just the sheer pressure of bringing in numbers of people has resulted in a considerable burden to the taxpayers, said Von Behren, of the city council. In the past four years, the school system has added 600 kids who dont speak English as a first language. Of the most recent Guatemalan arrivals, 40% or more speak an Indigenous language called Kiche, according to community organizer Antonio Lopez. Councilman Paul Von Behren says he supports an ordinance requiring individuals to state whether they are legally in the U.S. to rent housing. (NBC News) But efforts have also been made to welcome newcomers. A Fremont schoolteacher has started to learn Kiche to connect with students and their parents. The local hospital has hired a Kiche translator. Jessica Kolterman, a director at Costcos local chicken plant, told the local paper last year that her team holds language classes for workers. And she said her company rewards hard work: If you come into this team and you want to work hard and grow, that opportunity is there in front of you. Costco did not respond to requests for comment. Meanwhile, migrants who need to rent housing keep showing up at city hall to sign declarations that they are in the U.S. legally and pay $5 for an occupancy license. The city clerks office said it gets three to five of the declarations a day from migrants and other applicants. The clerks office also said it was unaware of any cases that required further action, like finding that someone who signed a declaration was actually in the U.S. illegally, but referred NBC News to the police department for confirmation. The police did not immediately respond to a request for comment. One of the reasons there may be no cases is that the law doesnt actually require applicants for occupancy licenses to provide any proof of legal presence in the U.S. Aware that the measure could be a lightning rod for legal challenges when it was first passed in 2010, the city imposed a special short-term tax to raise a legal fund that now holds more than $1.3 million. For many years, it also paid a $10,000 annual retainer to lawyer Kris Kobach the same anti-immigration activist who helped write the law and others like it in towns across the nation. (Kobach, who is now attorney general of Kansas, no longer has a contract with Fremont.) As expected, the American Civil Liberties Union fought the law as soon as it was passed, but ultimately lost. The absence of language compelling renters to prove their right to be in the U.S. is part of the reason the ordinance survived legal challenge. Its also why it is legally toothless. Von Behren, who supports the rule, concedes it is unenforceable. Jensen, who opposes it, said that trying to enforce it against a particular migrant could invite more legal fights. He compared it to 19th-century laws that stay on the books long past their relevance. Basically, he said, its like the laws that are on the books for where you can hit your horse. Vicente Hernandez, however, said it still has an impact beyond the filing fee. When its something like this, its not like the people who [voted for it] left [Fremont], he said. Those people still live here. He and Maria said they still feel like theyve found their new hometown. Now I live the American dream, as they call it, said Maria. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Embattled Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is showing no signs of backing down from her election interference case against former President Donald Trump even after one investigator, Willis former romantic partner, was taken off the case. Speaking with CNN on Saturday, Willis said that while news outlets were focused on the public hearings in which details of her relationship were aired, her team was continuing to work on the substance of the case. All while that was going on, we were writing responses and briefs. I dont think that weve been slowed down at all, Willis said from an Easter egg hunt event. I do think there are efforts to slow down this train, but the train is coming, she added. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee gave Willis an ultimatum in a March 15 ruling: either Willis or attorney Nathan Wade had to remove themselves from the case. Wade was the special prosecutor Willis admitted to dating after hiring him to help pursue the sprawling list of charges. Trump and more than a dozen other defendants are accused of playing various roles in efforts to subvert the 2020 presidential election in the case. CNN reported earlier this week that Willis intends to put Trump on trial before the Nov. 5 presidential election, potentially as soon as this summer. Asked Saturday whether she felt the need to reclaim her reputation, Willis responded in the negative. Lets just say it for the record: Im not embarrassed by anything Ive done. I guess my greatest crime is I had a relationship with a man, but thats not something that I find embarrassing in any way, and I know that I have not done anything thats illegal, she told the outlet. McAfee weighed the corruption accusations in his 23-page ruling. He determined that the question of Willis relationship with Wade created a significant appearance of impropriety that infects the current structure of the prosecution team, but that the problem would be taken care of if one of the two prosecutors left. Unlike an actual conflict, the finding of an appearance of impropriety does not automatically demand disqualification, the judge wrote. He admonished her, however, for a speech at a church in which she implied that attacks on her prosecution team were motivated by race, calling the remarks legally improper for a person in her position. Related... A new air quality report found that Canada had the most polluted air of any North American country in 2023, as critics say the Trudeau government's scattered response to the disaster likely made matters worse. "2023 marks the first time in our reports history that Canada had such high levels of PM2.5," Natasha Ganes, Public Relations Manager for IQAir North America, told Fox News Digital. "Wildfires in the summer of 2023 devastated air quality throughout not only Canada, but also the United States as well due to transboundary haze and air pollution that drifted across borders." "During May of 2023, PM2.5 levels in Alberta surged almost ninefold compared to the same period in 2022," Ganes added. "In fact, most of the 10 most polluted cities in Canada in 2023 were in Alberta due to those fires." Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has continually sounded the alarm over climate change, even saying in 2021 that "climate action cant wait" and committing to "creating a green economy" while trying to "cut pollution and build a cleaner future for everyone." GOP LEADERS OPEN JOINT PROBE INTO GLOBAL ENERGY GROUP INFLUENCING NET-ZERO POLICIES IN US A spokesperson for Canadian Minister of Emergency Preparedness Harjit Sajjan told Fox News Digital, "The government of Canada believes in science. Climate change is real and knows no borders. Denial is no longer an option." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "That is why Canada has taken several steps to prepare for and adapt to climate change and its unrelenting impacts," the spokesperson said, noting that 90% of the countrys forests are owned and managed by respective provinces, and the federal government coordinates with them in response to fire crisis. An aerial view of a wildfire near Tatkin Lake in British Columbia on July 10, 2023. Despite his warnings, he has done little to actually prepare for the crisis. As the wildfires started, Trudeau dismissed concerns that his government had contributed to the crisis by failing to update its forest management policies and keep firefighting facilities upgraded, and resisting calls for a national firefighting service. The Frasier Institute, a libertarian-conservative think tank in Canada, acknowledged that while global warming is occurring, simply ascribing forest fires to environmental conditions, as Trudeau did early on in summer 2023, ignores ongoing issues with domestic policy and infrastructure. FISCAL SANITY: GOP HOUSE BUDGET PROPOSAL EMPHASIZES US ENERGY PRODUCTION Citing the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Frasier Institute in a write-up on Canadas increasing frequency and duration of "fire season" noted that climate officials have assigned "medium confidence" to climate change alone driving increased "fire weather." By the end of summer 2023, Trudeau started discussing issues with infrastructure funding, suggesting that his government should look at federal spending on such areas. "I think we need to start looking at that around emergencies, we certainly need to look at that around infrastructure investments," Trudeau replied during a conversation with local leaders in British Columbia. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has continually sounded the alarm over climate change. "This is something with which we are fully seized and our minister of infrastructure, among others, will be fully engaged with, and I look forward to continuing to work closely with provincial and municipal leaders in a collaborative way to respond to these challenges," Trudeau added. Minister Sajjans spokesperson insisted that "Canadas preparation is solid and continues to evolve as we learn from these events." VULNERABLE HOUSE DEM BUCKS PARTY ORTHODOXY, BLASTING HIS STATE'S PROPOSED EV MANDATE "In collaboration with provinces and territories, we have invested heavily in firefighting training and in the purchase of specialized firefighting equipment needed including for First Nations and are identifying barriers in training," the spokesperson said, noting the government is making a stronger push to invest in disaster preparedness and improve habitat redevelopment. "To reduce wildland fire risks, we are enhancing the FireSmart Canada program, and are creating a Centre of Excellence for Wildland Fire Innovation and Resilience," the spokesperson added. "We have also released the National Risk Profile to better understand risks across the country and increase our preparedness." Orange-tinged smog caused by Canada's wildfires shrouds New York City on June 7, 2023, obscuring its famous skyscrapers and causing residents to don face masks. The recent air quality report, published annually by Swiss tech firm IQAir, looks at PM2.5 air quality from 30,000 monitoring stations across 134 countries, territories and regions. PM2.5 particles are fine particulate matter that measure 2.5 microns or less in diameter commonly produced by combustion of gasoline, oil, diesel fuel or wood and measured in concentrations of micrograms per cubic meter air. Canada recorded a jump in concentration from 7.4 to 10.3, but a spokesperson for IQAir acknowledged the jump most probably occurred as a result of the extreme fire season that ravaged the country in 2023. A person wearing a face mask takes photos of the skyline as smoke from wildfires in Canada cause hazy conditions in New York City on June 7, 2023. An orange-tinged smog caused by Canada's wildfires shrouded New York on Wednesday, obscuring its famous skyscrapers and causing residents to don face masks, as cities along the US East Coast issued air quality alerts. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) CANADIAN GOVERNMENTS COMMIT MILLIONS TO LANDFILL SEARCH FOR REMAINS OF SLAIN INDIGENOUS WOMEN The wildfires claimed the lives of nine people (including eight firefighters and one child) and burned 45.7 million acres roughly twice the size of Portugal, according to The Guardian. The fires burned so intensely that smoke even polluted parts of the U.S., creating alien atmospheres as the skies turned orange or even red. Yellowknife, a city in a more remote part of Canada, had to evacuate 20,000 people as the fires raged. The IQAir report showed that Yellowknife experienced a massive leap from an average concentration of around 4.63 between 2017 and 2021 to 20.8 in 2023. India ranked as the country with the most polluted air, with all but eight of the top 50 most polluted cities within its borders, and the most polluted city, Begusarai, recording a concentration of 118.9. The most polluted city in the U.S. is Coraopolis in Pennsylvania, followed by Forest Park in Georgia and Cave Junction in Oregon. Coraopolis recorded a concentration of 19.3. The Canadian prime minister's office did not respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment by time of publication. Original article source: Trudeau's bungled wildfire response made Canada most polluted country on continent: critics Former President Trump signaled that the leadership in Cuba could be changed if hes reelected in November. I want to express my admiration and support for all of the brave people of Cuba, who are standing up against the vile communist regime, Trump said in a video posted Friday to Truth Social. Its not easy and we appreciate it and its gonna be changed. Under Cubas brutal and corrupt dictators, the Cuban people are suffering terrible food shortages, energy blackouts, poverty, political repression, and religious persecution, he added. Cuba has been facing an economic crisis that has also forced the Communist-run island to seek assistance from the World Food Programme (WFP). Cuba has asked for powdered milk and other items, as the country faces food, fuel and medicine shortages. The protests have been escalating in the country, while recently, officials have been attempting to hold talks with U.S. officials even on issues were previously rarely brought up. Havana has also accused the U.S. of interventionism with the ongoing human suffering developing on the island. Trump said he and his allies are closely monitoring the situation in Cuba and that he is fully supporting the Cuban people. The likely GOP presidential nominee also drew contrast with President Biden claiming the incumbent has been weak on the issue. I want the people of Cuba to know that we are watching what is happening in Santiago very closely watching it every single minute of the day, Trump said. We are with you. Under my administration, we will return to being very strong on the oppressors. Unlike Crooked Joe Biden, who has been very weak on the communists, I stand with the Cuban people. He does not stand with them, he continued. He doesnt care about them. He couldnt care less. I echo your call for the release of political prisoners in Cuba. The former president called on Cuba to have free and fair elections, but argued the U.S. also has some problems on that front hinting at his previous unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 U.S. election was stolen. You have to have free and fair elections, he said. Our country has some problems with that also, by the way, most of all, I share your vision for a Cuba that is safe, prosperous and free. God bless the Cuban people and God bless America. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. When hes not raising horses or working at a construction site, 28-year-old Nick Mirtschink says he spends a lot of time on Truth Social, the social media platform started by Donald Trump. So does Bree Duke, a retiree from northwest Georgia, who said she regularly checks in with Trumps frequent posts, called truths. I love it, Duke told CNN. I have it on my TV, and I have it on my phone. Mirtschink and Duke shared their glowing reviews of the app while attending Trumps recent rally in Rome, Georgia, where regular users of Truth Social were easy to come by. Outside of his MAGA movement, though, the social media site is struggling to find a wider audience. It is hemorrhaging users, and its traffic has plummeted. There were roughly 860,000 accounts active on the site as of November a tiny blip compared with more mainstream platforms. And yet, on Friday, Digital World Acquisition Corp. approved a lucrative merger with Trump Media & Technology Group, Truth Socials owner one that is expected to deliver a multibillion-dollar windfall for the former president just as mounting legal troubles and judgments have compromised his business empire, personal wealth and campaign finances. It wont bring immediate relief, though, as Trump is restricted from selling his shares for six months. Its a critical milestone for the social media site as well as for Trump, providing a path for the former real estate tycoons return to Wall Street. The company will trade under the ticker DJT, putting Trumps initials alongside some of the most iconic brands and corporations in the world just as Trump Tower once did. For Trump, whose animated and antagonistic Twitter presence helped him chart a path to the presidency, the social media site has also become a new megaphone for his unvarnished opinions. His most devoted followers, political reporters and even his own staff and advisers rely on the site for a window into his latest thinking, which he shares across dozens of posts a day. But as Trumps foray as a social media mogul enters its third year, the apps long-term viability and purpose remain unclear. Truth Social is not a serious threat to compete with, let alone eclipse, X, Facebook or YouTube its not among the 100 most downloaded social media applications in the Apple App store nor has it separated itself as their conservative alternative. Trump Medias management warned last year that the company was at risk of insolvency without a merger, and most analysts are skeptical of its current valuation above $6 billion. Its grossly overvalued, Jay Ritter, a finance professor at the University of Florida, told CNN this week. It qualifies as a meme stock for which the price is divorced from fundamental value. Instead, the sky-high appraisal appears closely tied to Trumps political comeback attempt. But Truth Social has not proved it can survive, let alone thrive, unless the nations gaze is affixed on the sites most famous user. Truth Socials clout is driven very much if not entirely by Donald Trumps popularity, said Josephine Lukito, who researches the intersection of politics and social media at the University of Texas at Austin. Without him, I dont think theres a viable path forward for it. Early optimism Truth Social launched in early 2022, a year after Twitter, now known as X, and Facebook had locked Trump out of his accounts over his incitement of the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack. Both platforms have since reinstated Trumps account, though he posts almost exclusively to Truth Social. Trump recently told a South Carolina audience he bought the name of his app for $2,100 from a guy. I wouldve paid millions, Trump claimed to the crowd. Some conservatives, looking for an alternative to mainstream social media sites seen as hostile to their point of view, initially seemed eager to embrace Truth Social. A 2021 survey found that 3 in 5 Republicans expected to use the new site. Get ready! Trump wrote in his first Truth Social post. Your favorite president will see you soon. But the hype for the app exceeded actual usage. Three months after it launched, only 2% of Americans reported regularly using Truth Social to get their news, Pew Research found, in line with other niche conservative social media alternatives such as Gettr and Rumble. Activity on the app has capsized since its early peaks. The sites monthly active users on iOS and Android devices are down 39% year-over-year, according to Similarweb data shared with CNN earlier this month. Visits to the site on mobile and desktop have plummeted as well by nearly 29% during that stretch. The app itself is somewhat clunky and not without technological problems. It appeared to go down during President Joe Bidens State of the Union address when Trump promised to provide live commentary. CNN attempted to reach Truth Social for comment through an email address on its website. The email bounced back. Trump Media CEO Devin Nunes, a former Republican congressman, said in a statement last month after US regulators allowed for the merger: Moving forward, we aim to accelerate our work to build a free speech highway outside the stifling stranglehold of Big Tech. Trump insists Truth Social is on fire, as he has put it. He regularly promotes the app at his rallies and during interviews. For example, Trump recently plugged Truth Social while recounting for an audience his post in support of in vitro fertilization treatments after an Alabama Supreme Court ruling led some clinics to halt access to some IVF services in the state. The ultimate joy in life is a beautiful, healthy, wonderful baby, Trump said, before adding: I put that message out on a thing called Truth Social. Has anybody been tuning in lately? Hot. Truth Socials hot. Many Republican politicians and conservative have not joined Truth Social or they post infrequently. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkins last post was in July 2022. Popular conservative podcast hosts Megyn Kelly, Ben Shapiro and Glenn Beck dont appear to have active accounts. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott only recently joined Truth Social just as his name surfaced as a potential running mate to Trump. Even those who have embraced Truth Social continue to be active on its competitor platforms including those in Trumps inner circle. His surrogates are very active on X. Theyre active on other platforms, said Matt Terrill, who was chief of staff for the 2016 presidential campaign of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, another prolific social media user. Its a recognition that is where a lot of people are getting their news. To his supporters, the venture is further evidence of Trumps business acumen, a reputation he built during a career working in real estate and as a reality television personality. Its brilliant because by the sheer virtue that were having this conversation right now, its impressive, Paul Leslie, a writer who attended Trumps Georgia rally told CNN. You create your own social media platform and then people even talk about the fact that, Oh, youre not on Twitter. Its just another source of press, and as anybody can clearly see, theres never been a more impressive public relations genius than Donald Trump. Trump Social On any given day, Trump will post dozens of times to Truth Social, providing a running stream of commentary on his legal troubles, sharing favorable poll numbers, responding to negative coverage and weighing in on the political disputes of the day. Its on Truth Social that Trump first commented on former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haleys exit from the race. On Friday alone, Trump attacked the judge and state attorney general in one of his legal cases, expressed support for Cuban protesters, endorsed an Arizona state Senate candidate, shared eight videos of him speaking straight to camera and suggested he has enough money to cover the $464 million civil fraud judgment in New York a potentially troubling admission for his legal team. The posts replicate Trumps past social media usage and style; he often posts in all-caps but with only a fraction of the reach. On X, the site formerly known as Twitter now owned by billionaire Elon Musk, Trump has 87 million followers 13 times his audience on Truth Social. Its safe to say that Truth Social has not broken into the mainstream, said Joshua Tucker, co-director of the New York University Center for Social Media and Politics. Its a place for smaller groups of conservatives to congregate and for Trump to speak to some of his supporters. To some of those supporters, thats a feature, and not a bug. I think thats definitely a good thing, him being off of Twitter, Mirtschink said at the Georgia rally. Because Twitter has a bunch of Democrats on there. Kurt Holtzclaw, a 20-year-old construction worker and Trump supporter, acknowledged having to sift through a fair amount of Truth Social content from conspiratorial accounts that may be blocked on other platforms. I like to get my information from a wide variety of sources, Holtzclaw said. But I like to get his point of view. Where Truth Social has succeeded has mostly benefited one person: Trump. As the former president reemerged as the front-runner for the Republican nomination, Truth Social gained considerably more mentions in news coverage from reporters mining the site for Trumps thoughts on the race, said Lukito, the University of Texas professor. That has only accelerated since Trump became the presumptive GOP nominee. One of the misconceptions is that whats important is how big is it going to get relative to Twitter or how much money its earning, Lukito said. The reality is hes winning because hes able to successfully leverage media coverage through Truth Social. Most people learn about it not because theyre on the platform but because they see it in the media. Trump recently acknowledged this phenomenon after Jimmy Kimmel made fun of the former presidents commentary of his performance hosting the Academy Awards. He ends up reading my truth. E (sic) said this guys even dumber than I thought, Trump wrote on Truth Social. The thing went viral. Its been all over the world now, and all he had to do was keep his mouth shut. Still, even some of his supporters long for the days when Trumps posts reached a broader audience. Trump would tweet and, oh boy, was everyone offended at that, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said at the recent Trump rally. I tell you what, Id give anything for some good old Trump tweets. Hey, you know, you can find him on Truth Social. You know where hes at. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Russell Arben Fox When my wife and I went to vote last Tuesday, the polling station was nearly empty. One of the election workers told me it was the least busy election shed ever seen, and as a political junkie, that did make me a little sad. Not sad enough to wish things had been entirely different, though. Not that the results of the first statewide presidential primary held in more than 30 years covered Kansas voters with glory. Overall, barely over 8% of all registered Democrats in the whole state participated, with the Republicans doing only slightly better, with not quite 11% turning out. Cleary, Kansas voters werent fired up by the choices available to them. But then, no one expected them to be. President Biden and former President Donald Trump had already secured more than enough delegates to win their parties presidential nominations. So what substantive reason was there to participate, anyway? Why did my wife and I, along with thousands of others? First, because the substantive results arent the whole story; sometimes, voters have symbolic goals in mind. Some Republicans wanted to run up Trumps totals as show of support in the midst of all his legal penalties and controversies. (He received 75% of the Republican vote, which wasnt a record.) And some Democrats cast protest votes as a way of communicating their disapproval of some of Bidens policy choices. (About 10% of Democrats chose None of these names. Biden won 84%.) But second, there is also the civic value of the procedure itself. True, the civic process of this primary election was pretty tame. Some, including Gov. Laura Kelly, have talked wistfully about how they prefer the energy and excitement of the caucus system of selecting presidential delegates, with voters and activists and party leaders crowding into rooms at an appointed date and time, arguing and yelling, sometimes literally pulling on one another as supporters of different candidates line up and get counted. I attended the Democratic presidential caucuses in Kansas in 2008 and 2016, and the Kansas Republican caucus in 2012, and I agree the level of engagement on display there is appealing. But with blocks of voters shouting down their opponents, making the halls that parties rent out to handle the crush of voters who show up confusing and cacophonous, the process is alienating as well and not good for those who are in the minority, yet still have a symbolic stand they wish to take. In truth, caucuses emerged in the context of a more rural and spatially intact political environment. For all the direct democracy caucuses supposedly provide, in our more divided and urban social contexts, allowing for simple voting in a statewide primary makes more sense. Except, of course, that if it comes down to just casting a ballot for a preferred candidate, youre only going to get a large turnout if the results are expected to have an impact. Moving the Kansas primary earlier in the election year calendar would make some difference; adding our state to the 16 others that vote on Super Tuesday, inching the country closer to an unofficial nationwide presidential primary, might make even more. Either way, though, I was glad for this primary, and I hope the Legislature will organize it again in four years time. True, a straight-up primary vote isnt an exciting, participatory democratic process, and this year was especially predictable. But giving citizens broadly the chance to democratically express themselves doesnt have to be exciting. Sometimes, it just needs to be. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Tuesday's Kansas presidential primary was important despite turnout A University of Utah student studies in the J. Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. Tuition and fees will go up at all degree-granting colleges and universities in the Utah System of Higher Education. Tuition and fees at Utahs state-supported colleges and universities are going up this fall. The Utah Board of Higher Education spent most of Friday meeting with presidents of Utahs degree-granting institutions, who made their cases for proposed increases in tuition and fees at their respective institutions. Across the system, tuition and fee adjustments ranged from a combined 2.61% increase at Weber State University to 3.98% at Salt Lake Community College. The board approved a 3.3% systemwide weighted average increase, with the board voting to amend tuition and fee increases proposed by some institutions. The Utah System of Higher Education released figures for tuition and fees combined. The Deseret News is seeking data reflecting only tuition changes. The board granted the percentage increases requested by the University of Utah, Weber State University, Snow College and Southern Utah University, the latter seeking its first tuition increase in five years. However, the board slightly reduced requests from Utah State University, Utah Valley University, Utah Tech University and Salt Lake Community College. Tuition rates for technical education offered at technical colleges and at degree-granting institutions will not increase this fall. utah-tuition 1 It was important for the Utah Board of Higher Education to see prudent tuition and fee requests from Utah System of Higher Education institutions, said Amanda Covington, chairwoman of the Utah Board of Higher Education in a statement. The board conducted a rigorous review of the proposals and is focused on ensuring college is affordable and accessible for Utah students. We meticulously reviewed the tuition and fee requests to uphold our commitment and charge. Higher education delivers a significant return on investment for Utah students, and we recognize the precious dollars students contribute toward their training and education as they work to achieve their goals, she said. The board-approved tuition and fee adjustments will go into effect for the 2024-25 academic year. Legislative appropriations generally cover 75% of the compensation increases extended to employees at state colleges and universities, leaving the system of higher education to fund the remaining 25%, primarily through tuition increases or efficiencies. Tuitions assessed by many USHE schools are lower than their national peers. Even with the increases approved by the board, they will remain lower or highly competitive. A year ago, there were no tuition increases after Utah Gov. Spencer Cox directed the state higher education system to freeze tuition over his concerns about rising college costs. To mitigate the impact, the Utah Legislature appropriated 12.5% in state tax funds half of the 25% match requirement. Degree-granting colleges and universities were expected to cover the other 12.5% internally. General student fees were also frozen but the system was allowed to adjust tuition for new graduate programs. Last year, the Utah Legislature passed legislation that replaced the 18-member higher education board with a 10-member board. Cox replaced every member of the previous board with his appointees, most of them leaders of industry. The governor wants Utahs colleges and universities to be more aligned with workforce needs and responsive to keeping tuition low, and he believes this board will do that, according to a statement from his office at the time. A legislative audit in 2018 criticized the then-Utah State Board of Regents for superficial review of proposed tuition increases. Covington said going forward, the Board of Higher Education has asked the Commissioner of Higher Educations office to work closely with the institutions to capture and evaluate cost reductions and additional efficiency measures as tuition and fee requests are made. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Two people have been taken into custody by police after a stolen vehicle ended up in a body water on the far southeast side of Columbus. According to a police dispatcher, a water rescue was called just before 12 p.m. at the intersection of Chatterton Road and Legion Lane. The dispatcher said a stolen grey Kia was in the water and that the two people inside the Kia swam out on their own. Ohio Amber Alert: 15-year-old girl from Grove City missing, suspect has multiple warrants The two people inside the reported stolen vehicle were taken into custody. This embedded content is not available in your region. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Meet Dimitri, 3, and Mikhail, 7, two new faces at the Hogle Zoo. These additions are Mongolian wild horses that recently moved into their habitat, which you can find next to the rhinos and zebras. If you want to go and greet them, heres how the zoo said you can tell them apart Dimitris coloring is darker, whereas Mikhails is lighter. Photo of Dimitri and Mikhail. (Utahs Hogle Zoo) Lindsey Stirling to perform at Maverik Center this July A video was posted earlier this week introducing these two. In the caption, the Hogle Zoo said that Dimitri and Mikhail are ambassadors for the amazing conservation story of Mongolian wild horses. According to the zoos post, Mongolian wild horses, also known as Przewalskis horses, are considered the only remaining truly wild horses. The Hogle Zoo wrote about how climate change and habitat destruction in the 1960s nearly led the species to extinction. They said that a small group of remaining horses were reintroduced into protected areas of Mongolia in an effort to revive their population. The post said that the conservation of Mongolian wild horses has been carried out almost exclusively by zoos in the past 40 years, adding that zoo breeding programs have led to the return of more than 2,000 horses to Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan. They wrote that this moved the Mongolian wild horses status from extinct to critically endangered, to endangered. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. N China produces world's longest wind turbine blades Xinhua) 10:41, March 23, 2024 An aerial drone photo taken on March 21, 2024 shows the first set of 131-meter-long onshore wind turbine blades, the longest in the world, at the Sany Renewable Energy in the Bayannur zero carbon smart industrial park in Bayannur, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.(Xinhua/Li Yunping) HOHHOT, March 22 (Xinhua) -- The first set of 131-meter-long onshore wind turbine blades, the longest in the world, have been successfully produced in Bayannur, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, according to local authorities. The blades rolled off assembly line on Thursday at the Sany Renewable Energy in the Bayannur zero carbon smart industrial park. They will be installed in large megawatt wind turbine units, thereby boosting wind power generation capacity and efficiency. The new blades exhibit excellent stability and durability, challenging the limits of manufacturing materials in terms of stiffness and strength and driving innovation in modern manufacturing technology. The wind turbine blades have already undergone component and full-size testing. Sany Renewable Energy has transitioned from traditional manufacturing to intelligent manufacturing, and enhanced product precision through digitalization technology, sources with the company said. Additionally, these blades use recyclable polyurethane structural components to improve recyclability while achieving mass production. The zero carbon smart industrial park covers an area of approximately 540 mu (36 hectares) with a total investment of about 1 billion yuan (about 138.3 million U.S. dollars). In 2023, the park produced over 400 wind turbine blades, achieving an output value of 260 million yuan. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liu Ning) Jumeirah Group has appointed Nader Neishabouri as General Manager of the Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa, Kuwait. Following a three-month tenure as hotel manager, Neishabouris continues to build on the success of the property while continuing to deliver exceptional experiences to guests in Kuwait, a statement said. With over 13 years of experience in luxury hospitality and hotel operations across key global markets, Neishabouri is well-equipped to drive operational excellence and innovative service at the Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa. His career spans flagship properties in London, where he excelled in both rooms and F&B operations before assuming the position of Director of Operations in 2017. Since joining Jumeirah Group in August 2022 as Hotel Manager at Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel, Neishabouri has made a significant impact on the F&B services, revenue, and operations. Thomas Meier, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Jumeirah Group, said: Naders promotion to General Manager at Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa is testament to our commitment to promoting talent from within the organisation. His extensive experience in luxury hospitality, combined with a proven track record of enhancing guest satisfaction and operational success, aligns with our Mission 2030 goals of elevating the luxury experience in key markets across the region. Naders role will be instrumental in driving the growth and reputation of Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa and we are confident in his ability to lead the team towards achieving these ambitions as we welcome him in this new chapter. Neishabouri said: I am honoured to step into the role of General Manager at Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa. This appointment represents an incredible opportunity to contribute to the legacy of one of Kuwaits remarkable luxury resorts. As the Jumeirah brand continues to evolve, I am committed to leveraging my experience to further our mission of delivering exceptional experiences to our guests. Neishabouri's leadership has already led to significant achievements at Jumeirahs Kuwait property, including the introduction of innovative concepts such as 'Dineamation' at Pepper restaurant, enhancing the dining experience with culinary art and technology, the hotel said. Under Nader's leadership, Talise Spa at Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa was also honoured with the Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Rating for 2024, placing the spa among the world's best. TradeArabia News Service Breakfast and lunch menus for the week of March 25-29 Archbishop Bergan Catholic Schools Monday: Popcorn chicken, breadstick, vegetable, fruit and milk. Tuesday: Hot dog or chili dog, fries, vegetable, fruit and milk. Wednesday: Macaroni and cheese, smokies, breadstick, vegetable, fruit and milk. Thursday: Stuffed crust pepperoni pizza, vegetable, fruit and milk. Friday: No school. Fremont Public Schools Monday: French toast sticks and sausage, syrup, oven tri taters, peaches, fruit juice box and milk. Tuesday: Garlic french bread pizza, green beans, carrots, mixed fruit and milk. Wednesday: Taco casserole with chips, corn, baby carrots, applesauce cup, pudding cup and milk. Thursday: Hot dog on a bun, peas, oven fries, diced pears, Doritos and milk. Friday: No school. Cedar Bluffs Public Schools Monday: Stuffed bagel, toast, fruit and juice; crunch burger, cheesy vegetables, salad bar, fruit and milk. Tuesday: Breakfast pizza, toast, fruit and juice; baked penne and garlic bread, salad bar, fruit and milk. Wednesday: French toast sticks, fruit and juice; turkey dinner, salad bar, fruit and milk. Thursday: Dutch waffle, toast, fruit and juice; hot dog, baked beans, salad bar, fruit and milk. Friday: No school. Logan View Public Schools Monday: Pancake on a stick; crispitos and breadsticks. Preschool cereal and fruit; crispitos, vegetables and fruit. Tuesday: Breakfast pizza; baked potato bar. Preschool yogurt and fruit; baked potato, vegetables and fruit. Wednesday: Eggs and toast; hamburgers and chips. Preschool bagel and fruit; hamburgers, vegetables and fruit. Thursday: Egg tornadoes; sub sandwich. Preschool cereal and fruit; sub sandwich, vegetables and fruit. Friday: No school. Mead Public Schools Monday: Nutri-grain bar; hamburger or cheeseburger, baked beans, sweet potato fries and Rice Krispie. Tuesday: Sausage biscuit; tacos, green beans, applesauce, and peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Wednesday: Scrambled eggs; cheese pizza, lettuce salad, tropical fruit and garlic bread. Thursday: Doughnuts; porkchop, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, frozen fruit cup and dinner roll. Friday: No school. North Bend Central Schools Monday: Waffle and sausage patty; breakfast for lunch. Tuesday: Combo bar; orange chicken, fried rice and fortune cookie. Wednesday: Cinnamon roll; mini corn dogs, potato smiles and green beans. Thursday: Chefs choice; fiestada and California vegetables. Friday: No school. Oakland-Craig Public Schools Monday: Dutch waffles, blueberry sauce, cereal bar, fruit, orange juice and milk; crispy chicken sandwich, corn, tater tots, grapes and milk. Tuesday: Cherry turnover, bagel, fruit, strawberry/kiwi juice and milk; chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, sliced pears and milk. Wednesday: Breakfast casserole, muffin, fruit, tropical juice and milk; tuna and noodles, peas, side salad, pudding, mandarin oranges and milk. Thursday: Pancakes, Pop Tarts, fruit, apple juice and milk; chicken fajitos, black beans, sweet rice, sliced peaches, cake and milk. Friday: No school. Scribner-Snyder Public Schools Monday: Combo bar; chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, California vegetables and pears. Tuesday: Pancake bites; Philly sandwich, tater tots, baked beans and peaches. Wednesday: Assorted danishes; sweet and sour chicken, rice, stir fry vegetables and pineapple. Thursday: Cereal and toast; ham, stuffing, scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, dinner roll and fruit fluff. Friday: No school. Two incumbents are seeking second terms on the Lake Wales City Commission, with each facing at least one challenger in the April 2 election. Daniel Williams, elected in 2021 in Seat 2, is contending with a pair of newcomers to politics, Brandon Alvarado and Crystal Higbee. Danny Krueger, who has held Seat 4 since 2022, is opposed by Carol Gillespie. Both seats have residency requirements, though voting is open to all city residents. Seat 2 encompasses the east portion of the city, while Seat 4 contains the northwest sections, including the Lake Ashton community. The winners of the nonpartisan elections will earn three-year terms. In the three-way race, the winner is not required to exceed 50% of the votes. Early walk-in voting is available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., through March 28 at the Polk County Election Headquarters in Bartow and the Election Operations Center in Winter Haven. The election occurs while Lake Wales experiences dramatic population growth and the promise of much more, as the City Commission has approved housing developments that will more than double the population. Debates have arisen about how best to implement Lake Wales Envisioned, a strategic guide for development standards. Brandon Alvarado Alvarado, 27, is a Lake Wales native and a former drum major for the Lake Wales High School marching band. He holds a bachelors degree in business administration from Florida Southern College. Alvarado previously worked as music department coordinator at Lake Wales High and as director of education for the Lake Wales Arts Council. He is now chief administrative officer for a construction company. In addition, Alvarado is president of the Lake Wales History Museum and serves on city boards. Brandon Alvarado is a candidate for the Lake Wales City Commission's Seat 2. He said he is making his first political run because of concerns that the City Commission is not managing growth well. He said he participated in the development of the Lake Wales Envisioned strategy and considers it the way for the city to achieve its potential. I didn't like the direction in which Lake Wales is currently going, he said. I think right now, we have a voting bloc on the City Commission that has tepid support for Lake Wales Envisioned. He included Williams in that four-person bloc. I think that it really boils down to we need three commissioners that are willing to stand up to large, private developers that are going to come in and they're trying to tell our town what it wants to be, Alvarado said. They're trying to sell us this vision of Lake Wales that is, quite frankly, ugly and unaffordable, and it's not sustainable. Alvarado said he is not opposed to all development but wants commissioners to foster responsible growth. He criticized the City Commission for waiving impact fees for some developers and questioned how the city will meet the increased water demands brought by the influx of new residents. Lake Wales is one of a few cities that have not committed to paying for and receiving water from deep-aquifer wells being constructed by the Polk Regional Water Cooperative. Alvarado said that a majority of city commissioners seem hostile toward citizens who challenge their actions. They label people that speak up at City Commission meetings or question their decisions as agitators, he said. Were not going to agree on everything. That's just basic facts. But when you labeled constituents as agitators, you're discouraging people from wanting to participate in the process. It feels like a punishment to speak to our City Commission because of how hostile they are to differing opinions. Crystal Higbee Higbee, 46, is a California native who has lived in Lake Wales since 2000. She has a background in medical office management and is pursuing a bachelors degree in psychology. A married mother of seven, Higbee is president and CEO of Circle of Friends, a nonprofit that serves adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She said her concerns about the citys failures to accommodate people with disabilities helped motivate her first run for office, despite an aversion to politics. Higbee said she also finds city commissioners unresponsive to residents. She cited the panels attempts in 2022 to limit speaker participation at meetings. Crystal Higbee is a candidate for the Lake Wales City Commission's Seat 2. I don't think they're a bad set of people; I just don't think they're listening, she said. They're definitely not proactively listening, which, I believe we should be sitting down with our city residents, doing these town halls at least quarterly. Take the temperature of the city, see what's going on, get their concerns, and then take it back to the workshops and work on things. Higbee said that the citys quest for downtown revitalization through the Lake Wales Connected plan has created financial burdens for business owners. She said city officials have directed business owners to buy outdoor furniture compatible with new streetscapes, adding to their expenses. Higbee criticized the City Commissions approval of so many housing developments, saying Lake Wales is putting the cart before the horse. She questioned whether the city has ensured it will have the water supply to serve all the future residents. If we are going to be running out of water in five years, why are we continuing to approve these developments without first thinking, again, Can we sustain this? And how will we sustain this if we do go ahead and approve all these developments? she said. You can't do things retroactively. Things don't work out well that way. Higbee said she has discouraged supporters from making financial donations to her campaign, suggesting they instead donate to nonprofits. She said she is not advertising on social media and only purchased 50 yard signs. Its just grassroots, word of mouth, she said of her campaign. People that know me know that I will fight and fight hard for them and will make decisions on the best for everybody. Daniel Williams Williams, 50, is a Lake Wales native and earned a bachelors degree from Austin Peay State University, according to his responses to a questionnaire from Citizen Support Lake Wales. (Williams did not respond to an interview request.) Williams, senior pastor of The Family Church in Lake Wales, previously worked as a juvenile probation officer, an independent living program manager and a middle school teacher, he reported. He has served with the Lake Wales Branch of the NAACP and other community organization boards. Lake Wales City City Commissioner Daniel Williams is running for a second term in Seat 2. In response to the questionnaire, Williams said that he is particularly focused on advocating for and amplifying the voices of the underrepresented population. He listed care and compassion as his chief attributes. If given a second term, Williams wrote that he would concentrate on promoting economic development and connecting community and cultures. He wrote that he embraces traditional neighborhood designs (TND), a priority of the Envisioned concept, while supporting superior housing standards. Williams wrote that he is doubtful that anything can be done to slow the areas population surge, noting that Polk County is among the nations fastest-growing counties. Given the data, the most prudent course of action is to adopt a proactive stance and prepare for the inevitable growth on the horizon, he wrote. Lake Wales police City manager rescinds planned firing of Chief Chris Velasquez In another survey response, Williams wrote: I have always had an open door policy, and I believe in addressing concerns directly so that even when we find ourselves in disagreement, our differences will be respected so that, as citizens of Lake Wales, we can move forward together, united in our shared commitment to the well-being of our community. Williams wrote that he would support designating a City Commission seat to represent residents who live outside the city but receive city services. Carol Gillespie Gillespie is a retired lawyer who practiced in three states, including Florida. She served as a vice president and general counsel for large, publicly traded companies before taking a job with the state of Florida, representing indigent parents in dependency court, she said. Gillespie, who declined to give her age, lives in the Lake Ashton community, and said she is running in part because she does not think Krueger is independent enough from Mayor Jack Hilligoss. Krueger is pretty much just a follower, she said. He rarely expresses opinions at commission meetings, and he just about always votes with the mayor. He's a member of the mayor's church, and he's pretty much just a follower of that. She added: I would be an independent voice. I am not a follower of Jack Hilligoss or of any of the other people on that commission. Carol Gillespie is a candidate for the Lake Wales City Commission's Seat 4. Gillespie praised longtime Commissioner Robin Gibson as the only voice of reason on the board. Another motivating issue for Gillespie is the City Commissions sanctioning of so many development proposals in recent years. I'm just amazed by the pace of development in this area, she said. And from what I can find out, the City Commission is just rubber-stamping everything that their staff proposes. All of these new developments get approved by the City Commission. Gillespie expressed concerns about BizLinc, a business incubator in the Northwest Neighborhood whose operators received a $1.2 million contract from the city. A recent report in the Lake Wales News raised questions about its effectiveness, and the City Commission has since ordered a performance audit. Though Gillespie said she supports the idea of a business incubator, she does not think that BizLincs director has provided enough detail to the city. In the two meetings after that article was published, there were no data presented, she said. All they had was satisfied clients of the business incubator. But that's a problem with the Lake Wales Commission. They're not very transparent. So, as a member of the public, it's hard to know what they know. Gillespie, who has never held an elected office, suggested that city leaders should take a more inclusive approach. She criticized Hilligoss for ending a tradition of allowing an annual city proclamation for LGBTQ Pride month after becoming mayor. I think that's a slap in the face of the LGBTQ community, she said. Danny Krueger Krueger, 77, is a retired sales manager from Wisconsin, he told Citizen Support Lake Wales. He is active with the Polk County Republican Executive Committee and the Winter Haven 9-12 Project, a conservative political group. Krueger, who did not respond to an interview request, narrowly defeated James Loydd in 2022 to fill a vacant seat. He briefly left the City Commission last year, after Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered that previously suspended Commissioner Kris Fitzgerald be reinstated. But the city attorney determined that Fitzgerald was ineligible to return because she had moved from the city. Krueger criticized Gillespie in his response to the Citizen Support Lake Wales questionnaire. It is clear that my opponent has a gay pride/LGBTQ, pro-abortion, pro-manmade global warming agenda, Krueger wrote. With all those questionable ideologies, its hard to imagine any good decisions coming out of them. I base my decisions on the truth of Gods word and real science. Lake Wales City City Commissioner Danny Krueger is running for a second term in Seat 4. Krueger has repeatedly devoted time in his open comments at commission meetings to dismiss the scientific consensus that climate change is a reality largely caused by emissions from human activities. The Lake Wales City Commission has no authority over abortion laws. When I am re-elected, my priorities will remain the same: do what I can to heal the racial divide, make sure growth continues to be managed so that it does not outstrip critical infrastructure (concurrency), he wrote. Krueger voted to adopt Lake Wales Envisioned as a guiding principle but has expressed concerns about placing too many strictures on development. There is always a tension between personal property rights and we dont want anything to change mentality, he wrote in a questionnaire response. Uncontrolled growth I think is a mischaracterization, almost like urban sprawl. Growth will happen. If we can predict it, we can mitigate some of the adverse effects of growth so that growth is not such a bad thing. Krueger has sometimes suggested at city meetings that residents who criticize the commissions actions are uninformed. When questions and concerns are voiced in good faith, I pass the concerns on to the city administration and follow up, he wrote in his survey response. Unfortunately, not all concerns raised are in good faith. There is a small faction in Lake Wales whose only goal it seems is to tear down and destroy. I try to deal with them as civilly as I can. Not always easy. Mailers sent to Lake Wales residents feature a photo of Krueger standing with Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. The cards say Danny Krueger, Law and Order for Lake Wales. A spokesperson for Judd said that the sheriff has not endorsed Krueger but does not object when candidates use his image in campaign advertising if they have expressed support for quality law enforcement. The mailer was paid for by Building a Brighter Future for Florida, a statewide political action committee formed in 2018 and registered in Jensen Beach. Its recent major donors include the Republican Party of Florida, as well as Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, Charter Communications and Swedish Match North America, a tobacco company. Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on X @garywhite13. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Two incumbents face challengers in Lake Wales City Commission election WEST BUFFALO TOWNSHIP, UNION COUNTY Two people were injured in a crash Friday night in Union County, according to Mifflinburg Hose Company. Officials say just after 7:00 p.m. crews were dispatched to the intersection of Sportsmen Club Road and Reber Road for an accident with injuries. On scene, officials arrived to find a vehicle off the road with two people inside. Authorities say units remained on scene for an extended period of time, and were assisted by state police from the Milton barracks. It is unclear the condition of the patients, or how the crash was caused, according to a post by by the hose company. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com. SPRING Hill, Kan. The cause of a house fire that left two people displaced in Spring Hill is currently under investigation. Fire fighters with Fire District #1 of Johnson County responded to a call for a house fire just before 2 p.m. Friday in the area of W. 199th Street and Apple Ridge Lane. The call indicated that the kitchen and back of the home were on fire. When crews arrived on scene they could see fire showing from the outside and inside of the home. Crews were able to contain and extinguish the fire shortly after arriving. Missing Overland Park mans vehicle located at Clinton State Park The fire department said one resident who was home at the time was checked out medically as a precaution but declined medical transport. The two residents along with their pets have been displaced and are in contact with the American Red Cross. The fire department said the home has extensive damage both inside and outside of the home along with an adjacent detached building that received damage from the heat of the fire. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android The home did have working smoke alarms at the time of the fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. By Guy Faulconbridge, Alexander Marrow and Mark Trevelyan MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia said on Saturday it had arrested all four gunmen suspected of carrying out a shooting massacre in a concert hall near Moscow, and President Vladimir Putin pledged to track down and punish those behind the attack. Militant Islamist group Islamic State claimed responsibility for Friday's rampage, but there were indications that Russia was pursuing a Ukrainian link, despite emphatic denials from Ukrainian officials that Kyiv had anything to do with it. Moscow regional Governor Andrei Vorobyov said 133 bodies had been recovered from the rubble in 24 hours and doctors were "fighting for the lives of 107 people". State TV editor Margarita Simonyan, without citing a source, had earlier given a toll of 143. In a televised address, Putin said 11 people had been detained, including the four gunmen. "They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them on the Ukrainian side to cross the state border," he said. Russia's FSB security service said the gunmen had contacts in Ukraine and were captured near the border. It said they were being transferred to Moscow. Neither Putin nor the FSB publicly presented any proof of a link with Ukraine, with which Russia has been waging war since Moscow invaded 25 months ago. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said it was typical of Putin and "other thugs" to seek to divert blame. Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson Andriy Yusov told Reuters: "Ukraine was of course not involved in this terror attack. Ukraine is defending its sovereignty from Russian invaders, liberating its own territory and is fighting with the occupiers army and military targets, not civilians." Islamic State has a strong motivation to strike Russia, which intervened against it in Syria's civil war in 2015, and security analysts said the IS claim seemed plausible as it fit the pattern of past attacks. PUTIN ADDRESS Putin cast the enemy as "international terrorism" and said he was ready to work with any state that wanted to defeat it. "All the perpetrators, organisers and those who ordered this crime will be justly and inevitably punished. Whoever they are, whoever is guiding them," Putin said. "We will identify and punish everyone who stands behind the terrorists, who prepared this atrocity, this strike against Russia, against our people." A senior Russian lawmaker, Andrei Kartapolov, said that if Ukraine was involved, then Russia must deliver a "worthy, clear and concrete" reply on the battlefield. Western nations, including the United States whose ties with Moscow have been fraught since its invasion of Ukraine, condemned the attack and expressed sympathy for the Russian people affected. Arab powers and many former Soviet republics also expressed shock and sent their condolences. The White House said the U.S. government shared information with Russia early this month about a planned attack in Moscow, and issued a public advisory to Americans in Russia on March 7. It said Islamic State bore sole responsibility for the attack. "There was no Ukrainian involvement whatsoever," U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said on Saturday. But Russia's ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, said early on Sunday the U.S. had not shared any specific information with the embassy before the shooting. "No specific information, nothing was given to us," Antonov said, according to Russia's TASS state news agency. He said there has also been no contact after the attack. Verified footage showed camouflage-clad gunmen opening fire with automatic weapons in the Crocus City Hall near Moscow. Video showed people taking their seats, then rushing for the exits as repeated gunfire echoed above screams. Investigators said some died from gunshot wounds and others in a huge fire that broke out in the complex. Reports said the gunmen lit the blaze using petrol from canisters they carried in rucksacks. People fled in panic. Baza, a news outlet with good contacts in Russian security and law enforcement, said 28 bodies were found in a toilet and 14 on a staircase. "Many mothers were found embracing their children," it said. Russian lawmaker Alexander Khinshtein said the attackers fled in a Renault vehicle that was spotted by police in Bryansk region, about 340 km (210 miles) southwest of Moscow on Friday night. He said a car chase ensued after they disobeyed orders to stop. Khinshtein said a pistol, a magazine for an assault rifle, and passports from Tajikistan were found in the car. Tajikistan is a mainly Muslim Central Asian state that used to be part of the Soviet Union. BBC News' Russian Service quoted an unnamed source familiar with the security response as saying one attacker was killed in the concert hall, and another in the car in Bryansk. The BBC said it had a copy of that dead man's passport, who it said was a 30-year-old citizen of Tajikistan. SUSPECT INTERROGATED TV editor Simonyan published a video showing one of the suspects, a young, bearded man, being interrogated aggressively by a roadside, replying in heavily accented Russian to a series of barked questions. He said he had flown from Turkey on March 4 and had received instructions from unknown people via Telegram to carry out the attack in exchange for money. The man was trembling throughout the questioning. He was initially shown lying on his stomach with his hands bound behind his back, his chin resting on the boot of a figure in camouflage uniform. Later he was hauled up onto his knees. Another man with cuts and bruises to his face was shown being questioned via an interpreter while sitting on a bench with bound hands and feet. The Kremlin said Putin had held conversations with the leaders of Belarus, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in which all sides affirmed their willingness to work together to fight terrorism. GUNFIRE AND SCREAMS Long lines formed in Moscow on Saturday for people to donate blood. Health officials said more than 120 people were wounded. Russia tightened security at airports, transport hubs and across the capital, and big public events were cancelled across the country. Islamic State, which once sought control over swathes of Iraq and Syria, claimed responsibility for the attack, the group's Amaq agency said on Telegram. Islamic State said its fighters attacked on the outskirts of Moscow, "killing and wounding hundreds and causing great destruction to the place before they withdrew to their bases safely". The statement gave no further detail. On Saturday it released a photograph of what it said were the four attackers, as well as what it said was footage of the attack. The roughly 90-second video showed a close-up view of one of the gunmen opening fire on several victims as he entered what appears to be the concert hall. A U.S. official said the United States had intelligence confirming Islamic State's claim of responsibility for the shooting. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity said Washington had warned Moscow "appropriately" in recent weeks of the possibility of an attack. Friday's attack, about 20 km (12 miles) from the Kremlin, happened two weeks after the U.S. embassy in Russia warned that "extremists" had imminent plans for an attack in Moscow. Hours before the embassy warning, the FSB said it had foiled an attack on a Moscow synagogue by Islamic State's affiliate in Afghanistan, known as ISIS-Khorasan or ISIS-K, which seeks a caliphate across Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Iran. Putin changed the course of the Syrian civil war by intervening in 2015, supporting President Bashar al-Assad against the opposition and Islamic State. "ISIS-K has been fixated on Russia for the past two years, frequently criticizing Putin in its propaganda," said Colin Clarke of the Soufan Center, a New York-based research group. The broader Islamic State group has claimed deadly attacks across the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Europe, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Reuters correspondents in Moscow, Alexander Marrow and Mark Trevelyan in London, Dan Peleschuk in Kyiv and Elaine Monaghan in Washington; Editing by Mark Potter, Frances Kerry, Alex Richardson, Daniel Wallis and William Mallard) The nations energy secretary defended a recent federal agreement on the lower Snake River dams after Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., said breaching the dams would be catastrophic. He questioned Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm earlier this week at a hearing of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water. The agreement made public in December lays the groundwork for the federal government to work with four Northwest tribes and the states of Oregon and Washington to protect and restore salmon, steelhead and other native fish to the Columbia River Basin, including the Snake River. It also requires studies on how the benefits of the four Snake River dams in Washington could be replaced. Benefits include electricity production, barging of farm products and other goods, irrigation and recreation. Commitments made to states and tribes in the agreement are estimated to cost the federal government more than $1 billion. An angler casts for smallmouth bass below the spillways at Ice Harbor Dam on the Walla Walla County shoreline of the Snake River. The agreement, worked out behind closed doors in federal litigation, has been called a roadmap toward breaching the dams from Ice Harbor near Pasco to Lower Granite near Lewiston, Idaho. The agreement makes commitments to develop energy replacement for the dams, as well as recommending spillage operations, Newhouse said. Spilling more water over the dams rather than using it to produce electricity can help juvenile salmon, but too much spill increases gases such as oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the water that can kill juvenile salmon. Adjusting spilling operations could make the dams functionally obsolete and useless, Newhouse said. Energy prices will skyrocket, people who depend on the river system will suffer, and I believe the salmon population will be harmed, as well. It is in fact a de-facto breaching of the dams. Congress has the sole authority to breach the dams, Granholm said during the Wednesday hearing. I think the agreement was a positive step to replenish salmon, to be able to address hatcheries, to work with the tribes on additional power, she said. But thats because there is not enough power being produced, rather than to replace hydropower, she said. Four hydroelectric dams on the Snake River in Eastern Washington are proposed to be removed or breached to improve salmon runs. The agreement calls for the federal government to assist the four lower Columbia River tribes the Yakama, Umatilla, Nez Perce and Warm Springs in developing tribally sponsored clean energy projects. Newhouse said it seems clear from the Biden administration that the plan is in fact breaching the dams. But Granholm said the agreement would prevent consideration of breaching the dams for 10 years. Although it includes a study of replacement benefits, There is no de facto or subterfuge here, she said. WA transportation issues Newhouse also has asked a Washington state official about the impacts of dam breaching. He and six other Republican Northwest congressional representatives, including Washingtons Cathy McMorris Rodgers, recently sent a letter to Roger Millar, Washington state secretary of transportation, asking how the state would handle increased truck and train traffic if the Snake River dams are breached. At a January hearing of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore., told Millar that about 39,200 rail cars and nearly 150,800 semi trucks a year would be needed to move cargo that currently is barged on the Snake and Columbia rivers. That would require three times the number of heavy and tractor-trailer drivers now employed in Washington, Oregon and Idaho at a time of worker shortages in both trucking and rail, the letter said. A loaded grain barge headed down the Snake River passes a tugboat headed upriver in Burbank near the confluence with the Columbia River. Now 60% of all U.S. wheat exports are barged through the lower Snake River dams, with a single four-barge tow carrying as much wheat as about 540 semi-trucks. It is the lowest cost shipping option, according to the lawmakers signing the letter. Without the dams to allow barging on the Snake River, the increased fuel costs, highway maintenance costs, terminal facility maintenance cost, driver pay and vehicle maintenance costs would come to $69 million a year, the letter said. Rail costs would likely be higher as well, it said. More than $1 billion would be needed for capital investments in highway, rail, grain elevators and other infrastructure, it said. Capacity on highways and railroads would be at all-time high, it said. The letter asked Millar for more information on how the Washington state Department of Transportation could continue to meet transportation needs if the lower Snake River dams are breached and how it would provide alternatives to continue to grow the Pacific Northwest economy. Signing the letter in addition to Newhouse, McMorris Rodgers and Chavez-DeRemer, were Reps. Cliff Bentz of Oregon, Russ Fulcher of Idaho, and Matt Rosendale and Ryan Zinke, both of Montana. Protest against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's government and call for the release of hostages kidnapped on October 7, in Tel Aviv Protest against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's government and call for the release of hostages kidnapped on October 7, in Tel Aviv By Dan Williams and Nidal al-Mughrabi JERUSALEM/CAIRO (Reuters) -The United States has made a "bridging proposal" for the number of jailed Palestinians to be released by Israel in exchange for every hostage freed by Hamas in any new Gaza truce, an Israeli official briefed on the Qatar-hosted talks said on Saturday. An Israeli delegation led by Mossad chief David Barnea has been in Doha for indirect negotiations with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which CIA director William Burns is helping Qatari and Egyptian officials to mediate. Hamas wants to parlay any deal into a permanent end to the fighting - short of a formal peace, as the Islamist group is sworn to Israel's destruction. Israel plans to pursue the war until Hamas's governing and military capacities are dismantled. "During the negotiations, significant gaps came to light on the question of the ratio" of prisoners to be released for each of the 40 hostages whose potential recovery is under discussion, said an Israeli official, who requested anonymity. "The United States put a bridging proposal on the table, to which Israel responded positively. Hamas' response is pending." The official provided no details on the U.S. proposal. The U.S. embassy in Israel did not immediately comment. Asked about the hostage-to-prisoner ratio, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri referred Reuters to a proposal made by the group this month under which Israel would free between 700 and 1,000 jailed Palestinians in return for female, minor, elderly and infirm captives. Israel called that "unrealistic". Abu Zuhri noted Israel's refusal to agree to call off its offensive, withdraw forces and allow displaced Palestinians to return to homes in the northern Gaza Strip: scenes of some of the most intense fighting in the almost six-month-old conflict. "What America and the Occupation (Israel) want is to regain the captives without a commitment to end the aggression, which means the resumption of war, killing and destruction, and we can't accept that," Abu Zuhri said. U.S. President Joe Biden, echoing Israel, has said Hamas must be eliminated. Israel has expressed openness to suspending its offensive for six weeks and allowing more humanitarian aid into Gaza in return for the 40 hostages. That would leave behind 90 hostages, out of 253 seized by Hamas in its Oct. 7 cross-border rampage that sparked the war. Under a previous truce, in late November, Israel released three jailed Palestinians, most of them young and accused of relatively light offences, for every hostage freed by Hamas, totalling 300 Palestinian prisoners for around 100 hostages. Israeli officials have said they will likely have to agree to the release of a larger number of more senior Palestinian militants this time around. Barnea flew back with other senior members of Israel's delegation on Saturday evening, the Israeli official said, adding that their teams remain in Doha. The principals were prepared to shuttle back if the negotiations gain momentum, the official added. The Hamas armed wing said on Saturday that an Israeli hostage had died due to "lack of medicine and food". Israeli officials have generally declined to respond to such announcements, accusing Hamas of psychological warfare. But Israel has itself declared 35 of the hostages dead in captivity. (Writing by Dan Williams and Nidal al-Mughrabi; Editing by Mike Harrison) A U.S. Senate vote in the wee hours on Saturday, March 23, 2024 wrapped up the government funding process for fiscal year 2024, six months late. Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom WASHINGTON The U.S. Senate took a broadly bipartisan vote early Saturday to approve a $1.2 trillion spending package, sending the measure to President Joe Biden for his signature with no time to spare after missing a midnight deadline. The 74-24 vote wraps up the government funding process for fiscal year 2024, which began back on Oct. 1, making lawmakers just about six months behind schedule. Congress passed the other six bills in mid-March after relying on short-term spending measures to bridge the gap. Senate approval came shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday, creating a minor funding lapse that was not expected to have any real effect. Biden was expected to sign the bill later Saturday. Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray, a Washington state Democrat, said Friday hours before the vote that the agreement shows Congress can still work, but only when we come to the negotiating table in good faith and leave politics at the door. This is not the package I would have written all on my own, Murray said. But by working together, we were finally able to hammer out an agreement on funding bills that protect and even strengthen critical investments in our families, in our economy and in our national security. Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins, ranking member on the spending panel, said the package supports Americas working families while providing funding to better secure our borders and combat the transnational criminal organizations that are flooding our communities with fentanyl. As part of the effort to address the crisis at the border and it is a crisis this package includes funding for additional detention beds, and more Border Patrol agents and port of entry officers, Collins said. Those are long-standing Republican priorities; priorities that are shared by many Democrats as well, Collins added. Amendments turned down The Senates vote to approve the 1,012-page spending package followed lawmakers rejecting numerous proposals that would have changed it from GOP lawmakers, including from Utahs Mike Lee, Kentuckys Rand Paul and Missouris Eric Schmitt. Had any been adopted, the huge bill would have had to return to the House for another vote, extending the funding lapse. The U.S. House of Representatives approved the legislation Friday morning following a 286-134 vote. Both chambers are now on a two-week recess from Capitol Hill. The package includes funding for significant federal programs including the departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Labor, State and Treasury. It also included spending for dozens of smaller entities, including Congress, the Executive Office of the President, the judiciary and the Social Security Administration. Three of the spending bills include earmarks, commonly called community project funding or congressionally directed spending, by members of Congress. The Financial Services and General Government bills 17 pages of earmarks can be found here, the Homeland Security bills 18 pages are here and the Labor-HHS-Education bills 103 pages of funded projects are here. Additional reporting from States Newsroom on these six government funding bills can be found here. Details on the other six spending bills released earlier this month can be found here with coverage of that House vote here and the previous Senate vote here. The post U.S. Senate in overnight vote sends $1.2 trillion government spending package to Biden appeared first on Georgia Recorder. A U.S. Senate vote in the wee hours on Saturday, March 23, 2024 wrapped up the government funding process for fiscal year 2024, six months late. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom) Quality Journalism for Critical Times WASHINGTON The U.S. Senate took a broadly bipartisan vote early Saturday to approve a $1.2 trillion spending package, sending the measure to President Joe Biden for his signature with no time to spare after missing a midnight deadline. The 74-24 vote wraps up the government funding process for fiscal year 2024, which began back on Oct. 1, making lawmakers just about six months behind schedule. Congress passed the other six bills in mid-March after relying on short-term spending measures to bridge the gap. Senate approval came shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday, creating a minor funding lapse that was not expected to have any real effect. Biden was expected to sign the bill later Saturday. Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray, a Washington state Democrat, said Friday hours before the vote that the agreement shows Congress can still work, but only when we come to the negotiating table in good faith and leave politics at the door. This is not the package I would have written all on my own, Murray said. But by working together, we were finally able to hammer out an agreement on funding bills that protect and even strengthen critical investments in our families, in our economy and in our national security. Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins, ranking member on the spending panel, said the package supports Americas working families while providing funding to better secure our borders and combat the transnational criminal organizations that are flooding our communities with fentanyl. As part of the effort to address the crisis at the border and it is a crisis this package includes funding for additional detention beds, and more Border Patrol agents and port of entry officers, Collins said. Those are long-standing Republican priorities; priorities that are shared by many Democrats as well, Collins added. Amendments turned down The Senates vote to approve the 1,012-page spending package followed lawmakers rejecting numerous proposals that would have changed it from GOP lawmakers, including from Utahs Mike Lee, Kentuckys Rand Paul and Missouris Eric Schmitt. Had any been adopted, the huge bill would have had to return to the House for another vote, extending the funding lapse. The U.S. House of Representatives approved the legislation Friday morning following a 286-134 vote. Both chambers are now on a two-week recess from Capitol Hill. The package includes funding for significant federal programs including the departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Labor, State and Treasury. It also included spending for dozens of smaller entities, including Congress, the Executive Office of the President, the judiciary and the Social Security Administration. Three of the spending bills include earmarks, commonly called community project funding or congressionally directed spending, by members of Congress. The Financial Services and General Government bills 17 pages of earmarks can be found here, the Homeland Security bills 18 pages are here and the Labor-HHS-Education bills 103 pages of funded projects are here. Additional reporting from States Newsroom on these six government funding bills can be found here. Details on the other six spending bills released earlier this month can be found here with coverage of that House vote here and the previous Senate vote here. The post U.S. Senate in overnight vote sends $1.2 trillion government spending package to Biden appeared first on Florida Phoenix. A U.S. Senate vote in the wee hours on Saturday, March 23, 2024 wrapped up the government funding process for fiscal year 2024, six months late. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom) WASHINGTON The U.S. Senate took a broadly bipartisan vote early Saturday to approve a $1.2 trillion spending package, sending the measure to President Joe Biden for his signature with no time to spare after missing a midnight deadline. The 74-24 vote wraps up the government funding process for fiscal year 2024, which began back on Oct. 1, making lawmakers just about six months behind schedule. Congress passed the other six bills in mid-March after relying on short-term spending measures to bridge the gap. Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado voted against the measure. Senate approval came shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday, creating a minor funding lapse that was not expected to have any real effect. Biden was expected to sign the bill later Saturday. Bennet in a statement said he opposed the spending package due to concerns about Ukraine. I voted against tonights appropriations legislation because it failed to include any financial support for Ukraine, Bennet said. Since (Russian President Vladimir) Putins invasion two years ago, the Ukrainian people have fought on the front lines for freedom and democracy. Tonight, they are running out of bullets and artillery. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) speaks to reporters outside of the Senate Chambers during a vote in the U.S. Capitol Building on March 14, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray, a Washington state Democrat, said Friday hours before the vote that the agreement shows Congress can still work, but only when we come to the negotiating table in good faith and leave politics at the door. This is not the package I would have written all on my own, Murray said. But by working together, we were finally able to hammer out an agreement on funding bills that protect and even strengthen critical investments in our families, in our economy and in our national security. Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins, ranking member on the spending panel, said the package supports Americas working families while providing funding to better secure our borders and combat the transnational criminal organizations that are flooding our communities with fentanyl. As part of the effort to address the crisis at the border and it is a crisis this package includes funding for additional detention beds, and more Border Patrol agents and port of entry officers, Collins said. Those are long-standing Republican priorities; priorities that are shared by many Democrats as well, Collins added. Amendments turned down The Senates vote to approve the 1,012-page spending package followed lawmakers rejecting numerous proposals that would have changed it from GOP lawmakers, including from Utahs Mike Lee, Kentuckys Rand Paul and Missouris Eric Schmitt. Had any been adopted, the huge bill would have had to return to the House for another vote, extending the funding lapse. The U.S. House of Representatives approved the legislation Friday morning following a 286-134 vote. Both chambers are now on a two-week recess from Capitol Hill. The package includes funding for significant federal programs including the departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Labor, State and Treasury. It also included spending for dozens of smaller entities, including Congress, the Executive Office of the President, the judiciary and the Social Security Administration. Three of the spending bills include earmarks, commonly called community project funding or congressionally directed spending, by members of Congress. The Financial Services and General Government bills 17 pages of earmarks can be found here, the Homeland Security bills 18 pages are here and the Labor-HHS-Education bills 103 pages of funded projects are here. Additional reporting from States Newsroom on these six government funding bills can be found here. Details on the other six spending bills released earlier this month can be found here with coverage of that House vote here and the previous Senate vote here. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post U.S. Senate in overnight vote sends $1.2 trillion government spending package to Biden appeared first on Colorado Newsline. A U.S. Senate vote in the wee hours on Saturday, March 23, 2024 wrapped up the government funding process for fiscal year 2024, six months late. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom) A U.S. Senate vote in the wee hours on Saturday, March 23, 2024 wrapped up the government funding process for fiscal year 2024, six months late. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom) WASHINGTON The U.S. Senate took a broadly bipartisan vote early Saturday to approve a $1.2 trillion spending package, sending the measure to President Joe Biden for his signature with no time to spare after missing a midnight deadline. The 74-24 vote wraps up the government funding process for fiscal year 2024, which began back on Oct. 1, making lawmakers just about six months behind schedule. Congress passed the other six bills in mid-March after relying on short-term spending measures to bridge the gap. Senate approval came shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday, creating a minor funding lapse that was not expected to have any real effect. Biden was expected to sign the bill later Saturday. Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray, a Washington state Democrat, said Friday hours before the vote that the agreement shows Congress can still work, but only when we come to the negotiating table in good faith and leave politics at the door. This is not the package I would have written all on my own, Murray said. But by working together, we were finally able to hammer out an agreement on funding bills that protect and even strengthen critical investments in our families, in our economy and in our national security. Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins, ranking member on the spending panel, said the package supports Americas working families while providing funding to better secure our borders and combat the transnational criminal organizations that are flooding our communities with fentanyl. As part of the effort to address the crisis at the border and it is a crisis this package includes funding for additional detention beds, and more Border Patrol agents and port of entry officers, Collins said. Those are long-standing Republican priorities; priorities that are shared by many Democrats as well, Collins added. Amendments turned down The Senates vote to approve the 1,012-page spending package followed lawmakers rejecting numerous proposals that would have changed it from GOP lawmakers, including from Utahs Mike Lee, Kentuckys Rand Paul and Missouris Eric Schmitt. Had any been adopted, the huge bill would have had to return to the House for another vote, extending the funding lapse. The U.S. House of Representatives approved the legislation Friday morning following a 286-134 vote. Both chambers are now on a two-week recess from Capitol Hill. The package includes funding for significant federal programs including the departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Labor, State and Treasury. It also included spending for dozens of smaller entities, including Congress, the Executive Office of the President, the judiciary and the Social Security Administration. Three of the spending bills include earmarks, commonly called community project funding or congressionally directed spending, by members of Congress. The Financial Services and General Government bills 17 pages of earmarks can be found here, the Homeland Security bills 18 pages are here and the Labor-HHS-Education bills 103 pages of funded projects are here. Additional reporting from States Newsroom on these six government funding bills can be found here. Details on the other six spending bills released earlier this month can be found here with coverage of that House vote here and the previous Senate vote here. The post U.S. Senate in overnight vote sends $1.2 trillion government spending package to Biden appeared first on Alaska Beacon. Fremont Area Nebraska Nurse Honor Guard members were honored with an appreciation coffee Saturday, March 16. Deb Zobel, Nebraska Nurse Honor Guard president, commended the nurses for their commitment and volunteerism. The coffee was hosted by Fremont Area co-leaders, Carol Bohling and Jan Ostransky, at First Lutheran Church. The Nebraska Nurse Honor Guard (NNHG), a non-affiliated, non-profit organization, was founded in 2019. To date, 217 nurses across the state have been inducted into the NNHG. Nineteen active and retired nurses have been inducted into the Fremont area group since it was organized in April 2021. The mission of the NNHG is to recognize and honor the everyday heroes who have dedicated their lives to the nursing profession. By request, Tribute Services are conducted at the time of the death of a nurse to honor their nursing legacy. The NNHG also conducts Living Tributes for nurses over the age of 90 or in hospice care to recognize their contributions to the nursing profession. Since the Fremont Area NNHG was organized it has conducted 25 Tribute Services and three Living Tributes. A U.S. Navy F-18 is prepared to launch off the USS Constellation on Jan. 1, 2003 in the Persian Gulf. The warplanes from the aircraft carrier had the mission to patrol the no-flight zone in southern Iraq. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Quality Journalism for Critical Times WASHINGTON U.S. House Republican leaders have spent the last year holding up a broadly bipartisan, Senate-approved bill that would repeal the authorizations for use of military force from the 1990s and early 2000s that were intended for the wars in Iraq. The Senate approved the legislation following a 66-30 vote last March, but it has remained stalled in the House ever since, despite broad support from conservative Republicans, centrist lawmakers, and left-leaning Democrats in that chamber. Authorizations for Use of Military Force, while not formal declarations of war, have become the more common way for Congress to authorize when and where the president as commander-in-chief can send U.S. troops into conflict. Leaving an AUMF on the books, especially decades after lawmakers originally approved it, could provide an avenue for the president to send troops into war or engage in attacks that havent been debated and approved by lawmakers on behalf of the public, analysts and lawmakers warn. In this case, however, emerging wars and armed conflicts in the Middle East have changed the tone of the debate about removing two Iraq AUMFs from the ledger. Oklahoma Republican Rep. Tom Cole, one of the bills original co-sponsors, said in a brief interview with States Newsroom in mid-March there hasnt been a lot of oxygen for the repeal bill to move through the House. Cole, chairman of the Rules Committee, said he hopes leadership will see that the bill warrants an up-or-down floor vote later this year. We ought to be looking for some things we can agree on on both sides, and this is certainly one of them, Cole said. I think itd get a good vote. So Ill probably bring it up once we get through this period of time with the speaker and majority leader and see if theyve got any interest in it. The House bill to repeal the Iraq war AUMFs, which is a companion to the Senate-passed bill, has 71 co-sponsors who span the political spectrum and represent 30 states, showing the legislation could have the support needed to pass on an up-or-down vote. Part of the slowdown, Cole said, is that the House Foreign Affairs Committee wants to take a different approach to whats in the Senate-passed bill. Repeal and replace House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said during a hearing in September that his preference would be for Congress to repeal and replace all the AUMFs with a new, more limited authorization scope to the terror threats that we face today. That process would include repealing the AUMF that Congress approved following the 9/11 terrorist attacks that has given several presidents broad authority to conduct military actions against terrorist organizations around the globe. An entirely new AUMF would not provide any authority for U.S. troops to occupy a country or for American taxpayers to reconstruct it, and it would include a sunset date so that Congress is required to review and reauthorize more regularly, McCaul said during that hearing. Doing this is hard and thats why we havent done it in 22 years, McCaul said at the time. To succeed, a new AUMF requires bipartisan, bicameral, and presidential support, and it will require us to answer tough questions, such as which terrorist organizations should be covered. New York Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks, ranking member on the committee, said during the hearing he believed both parties could agree that we need to have this debate and we need Congress to reassert its proper authority over the power to declare war under the Constitution. The time to pass repeal and replace of the 2001 AUMF legislation is now long overdue, Meeks added. The American people elected us to make tough decisions, not duck hard questions by ceding our constitutional authority over the executive branch. The House committee, however, hasnt released its own bill to address the AUMFs in the six months since the hearing. That leaves the Senate-approved bill and the identical House version as the most likely option to be enacted during an election year. Hostilities in Middle East Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, co-sponsor of the Senate version of the bill, said during a brief interview with State Newsroom that conflicts throughout the Middle East have complicated discussions about moving the measure through the House. My colleagues still want to do it, but I frankly think the increased pace of hostilities in the Middle East has complicated it even though theres nothing about Iraq that is related to these, Kaine said. The change in speaker of the House has also altered the original plan for debate and a vote in that chamber. The speaker had made a commitment that he would bring the bill up for a vote. They sacked the speaker, Kaine said, referring to former Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California. So its kind of back to square one with the new speaker. The current slate of House GOP leaders has so far shied away from moving the issue forward, possibly because the team all voted against a similar bill that was brought to the floor in June 2021. Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Republican Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, and Conference Chair Elise Stefanik of New York all voted against a bill to repeal the 2002 Iraq war authorization for use of military force, or AUMF, that passed that chamber on a 268-161 vote. Indianas Young says effort should be made Indiana Republican Sen. Todd Young, co-sponsor of the stalled Senate legislation, said during an interview with States Newsroom it would be challenging to move the bill forward in the House now, but said he believes lawmakers should absolutely make an effort to get a vote. Young said conflicts throughout that region have changed the dynamics around approving the AUMF repeal bill, though that should not lead lawmakers to step back from having complicated conversations about when and how the U.S. military uses force. Here we are with members of Congress, who are notoriously risk-averse, attempting to deal with a multi-front crisis Ukraine, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, southern border, and so forth, Young said. And there is an incentive to generously read long-standing but outdated legal authorities in such a way that is highly deferential to the president, Young added. Unfortunately, to do so would be a gross abdication of our responsibilities in Congress to not just oversee military activities, but to actually authorize them. Young said hes been asking questions about how the Biden administration is justifying using U.S. troops to counter attacks by Houthis on commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea. Im very, very concerned that if Congress doesnt specifically authorize the use of military force in a situation like this, were going to end up with another potential Iraq scenario, Young said. And none of my constituents want that. Virginia Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger said in a written statement to States Newsroom that last year she was proud to see my colleagues in the U.S. Senate vote to remove this outdated war authority from the books voting to pass a bill that I am proud to help lead in the U.S. House. This authorization is long overdue for repeal, which is why we have voted multiple times to repeal the 2002 AUMF with bipartisan support, Spanberger said. The responsibility is now on Speaker Johnson to bring our bipartisan legislation to the floor of the U.S. House and demonstrate that we are serious about reclaiming our fundamental and constitutional authority to make decisions of war and peace. Johnsons office did not return a request for comment on the AUMF repeal legislation. A debate more about the past Michael OHanlon, senior fellow and director of foreign policy research at the Brookings Institution, said in an interview with States Newsroom that trying to repeal old AUMFs is more of a theoretical than practical discussion right now, possibly slowing down the process. Its almost a debate more about the past than it is about the future, OHanlon said. The AUMFs for the Iraq wars are basically obsolete, though OHanlon said, there could be real value in updating (the 2001 AUMF) to extend it to the kind of groups that have actually been more involved in attacking U.S. forces in the region recently. There are also bigger, potentially more consequential debates that Congress should be preparing for, he said. The retracting of the Iraq resolutions strikes me as more political theater than anything else on balance, OHanlon said. The much more consequential issue to me is, what role would Congress play if China ever attacked Taiwan? Such a war would not be covered by any of the existing AUMFs that Congress has enacted in recent decades, likely setting off a frenzied debate about war powers between Congress and the president. And yet, the debate seems so hung up on the whole legacy of the forever wars in the Middle East that this giant elephant in the room is being ignored, OHanlon said. And President (Joe) Biden has said four times in the past that if China attacked Taiwan, that we would protect Taiwan. And hes never acknowledged a role for Congress. To me, that is the real story. The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the authority to declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water. But presidents have long used AUMFs or declarations of war to justify military operations that might not have been expected or intended when Congress approved the measures. The landmark legislation on this in some ways was the War Powers Act of 1973, which was out of frustration with Vietnam, where Congress had just passed one little resolution about a small exchange of gunfire in 1964 and it wound up being used to justify and authorize the entire Vietnam War, OHanlon said. And, you know, 56,000 American dead later, Congress tried to be more assertive. In the decades since the legislation was approved, OHanlon said, there has been a recurring tug-of-war between the president as commander-in-chief and legislative branch about when and how the U.S. military can use force. Theres a long history of Congress, trying to have some influence but not really always wanting to declare war, not always feeling its realistic to reach that standard, OHanlon said. And yet not wanting to let the president just do whatever he wants. The post The U.S. Senate repealed Iraq war authorizations a year ago. In the House, theyre frozen. appeared first on Florida Phoenix. A U.S. Navy F-18 is prepared to launch off the USS Constellation on Jan. 1, 2003 in the Persian Gulf. The warplanes from the aircraft carrier had the mission to patrol the no-flight zone in southern Iraq. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) WASHINGTON U.S. House Republican leaders have spent the last year holding up a broadly bipartisan, Senate-approved bill that would repeal the authorizations for use of military force from the 1990s and early 2000s that were intended for the wars in Iraq. The Senate approved the legislation following a 66-30 vote last March, but it has remained stalled in the House ever since, despite broad support from conservative Republicans, centrist lawmakers and left-leaning Democrats in that chamber. Authorizations for Use of Military Force, while not formal declarations of war, have become the more common way for Congress to authorize when and where the president as commander-in-chief can send U.S. troops into conflict. Leaving an AUMF on the books, especially decades after lawmakers originally approved it, could provide an avenue for the president to send troops into war or engage in attacks that havent been debated and approved by lawmakers on behalf of the public, analysts and lawmakers warn. In this case, however, emerging wars and armed conflicts in the Middle East have changed the tone of the debate about removing two Iraq AUMFs from the ledger. Oklahoma Republican Rep. Tom Cole, one of the bills original co-sponsors, said in a brief interview with States Newsroom in mid-March there hasnt been a lot of oxygen for the repeal bill to move through the House. Cole, chairman of the Rules Committee, said he hopes leadership will see the bill warrants an up-or-down floor vote later this year. We ought to be looking for some things we can agree on on both sides and this is certainly one of them, Cole said. I think itd get a good vote. So Ill probably bring it up once we get through this period of time with the speaker and majority leader, and see if theyve got any interest in it. The House bill to repeal the Iraq war AUMFs, which is a companion to the Senate-passed bill, has 71 co-sponsors that span the political spectrum and represent 30 states, showing the legislation could have the support needed to pass on an up-or-down vote. Part of the slowdown, Cole said, is that the House Foreign Affairs Committee wants to take a different approach than whats in the Senate-passed bill. Repeal and replace House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said during a hearing in September that his preference would be for Congress to repeal and replace all the AUMFs with a new, more limited authorization scope to the terror threats that we face today. That process would include repealing the AUMF that Congress approved following the 9/11 terrorist attacks that has given several presidents broad authority to conduct military actions against terrorist organizations around the globe. An entirely new AUMF would not provide any authority for U.S. troops to occupy a country or for American taxpayers to reconstruct it, and it would include a sunset date so that Congress is required to review and reauthorize more regularly, McCaul said during that hearing. Doing this is hard and thats why we havent done it in 22 years, McCaul said at the time. To succeed, a new AUMF requires bipartisan, bicameral and presidential support, and it will require us to answer tough questions, such as which terrorist organizations should be covered. New York Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks, ranking member on the committee, said during the hearing he believed both parties could agree that we need to have this debate and we need Congress to reassert its proper authority over the power to declare war under the Constitution. The time to pass repeal and replace of the 2001 AUMF legislation is now long overdue, Meeks added. The American people elected us to make tough decisions, not duck hard questions by ceding our constitutional authority over the executive branch. The House committee, however, hasnt released its own bill to address the AUMFs in the six months since the hearing. That leaves the Senate-approved bill and the identical House version as the most likely option to be enacted during an election year. Hostilities in Middle East Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, co-sponsor of the Senate version of the bill, said during a brief interview with State Newsroom that conflicts throughout the Middle East have complicated discussions about moving the measure through the House. My colleagues still want to do it, but I frankly think the increased pace of hostilities in the Middle East has complicated it even though theres nothing about Iraq that is related to these, Kaine said. The change in speaker of the House has also altered the original plan for debate and a vote in that chamber. The speaker had made a commitment that he would bring the bill up for a vote. They sacked the speaker, Kaine said, referring to former Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California. So its kind of back to square one with the new speaker. The current slate of House GOP leaders has so far shied away from moving the issue forward, possibly because the current team all voted against a similar bill that was brought to the floor in June 2021. Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Republican Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota and Conference Chair Elise Stefanik of New York all voted against a bill to repeal the 2002 Iraq war authorization for use of military force, or AUMF, that passed that chamber on a 268-161 vote. Indianas Young says effort should be made Indiana Republican Sen. Todd Young, co-sponsor of the stalled Senate legislation, said during an interview with States Newsroom it would be challenging to move the bill forward in the House now, but said he believes lawmakers should absolutely make an effort to get a vote. Young said conflicts throughout that region have changed the dynamics around approving the AUMF repeal bill, though that should not lead lawmakers to step back from having complicated conversations about when and how the U.S. military uses force. Here we are with members of Congress, who are notoriously risk-averse, attempting to deal with a multi-front crisis Ukraine, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, southern border and so forth, Young said. And there is an incentive to generously read long-standing, but outdated legal authorities in such a way that is highly deferential to the president, Young added. Unfortunately, to do so would be a gross abdication of our responsibilities in Congress to not just oversee military activities, but to actually authorize them. Young said hes been asking questions about how the Biden administration is justifying using U.S. troops to counter attacks by Houthis on commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea. Im very, very concerned that if Congress doesnt specifically authorize the use of military force in a situation like this, were going to end up with another potential Iraq scenario, Young said. And none of my constituents want that. Virginia Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger said in a written statement to States Newsroom that last year she was proud to see my colleagues in the U.S. Senate vote to remove this outdated war authority from the books voting to pass a bill that I am proud to help lead in the U.S. House. This authorization is long overdue for repeal, which is why we have voted multiple times to repeal the 2002 AUMF with bipartisan support, Spanberger said. The responsibility is now on Speaker Johnson to bring our bipartisan legislation to the floor of the U.S. House and demonstrate that we are serious about reclaiming our fundamental and constitutional authority to make decisions of war and peace. Johnsons office did not return a request for comment on the AUMF repeal legislation. A debate more about the past Michael OHanlon, senior fellow and director of foreign policy research at the Brookings Institution, said in an interview with States Newsroom that trying to repeal old AUMFs is more of a theoretical than practical discussion right now, possibly slowing down the process. Its almost a debate more about the past than it is about the future, OHanlon said. The AUMFs for the Iraq wars are basically obsolete, though OHanlon said, there could be real value in updating (the 2001 AUMF) to extend it to the kind of groups that have actually been more involved in attacking U.S. forces in the region recently. There are also bigger, potentially more consequential debates that Congress should be preparing for, he said. The retracting of the Iraq resolutions strikes me as more political theater than anything else on balance, OHanlon said. The much more consequential issue to me is, what role would Congress play if China ever attacked Taiwan? Such a war would not be covered by any of the existing AUMFs that Congress has enacted in recent decades, likely setting off a frenzied debate about war powers between Congress and the president. And yet, the debate seems so hung up on the whole legacy of the forever wars in the Middle East that this giant elephant in the room is being ignored, OHanlon said. And President (Joe) Biden has said four times in the past that if China attacked Taiwan, that we would protect Taiwan. And hes never acknowledged a role for Congress. To me, that is the real story. The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the authority to declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water. But presidents have long used AUMFs or declarations of war to justify military operations that might not have been expected or intended when Congress approved the measures. The landmark legislation on this in some ways was the War Powers Act of 1973, which was out of frustration with Vietnam, where Congress had just passed one little resolution about a small exchange of gunfire in 1964 and it wound up being used to justify and authorize the entire Vietnam War, OHanlon said. And, you know, 56,000 American dead later, Congress tried to be more assertive. In the decades since the legislation was approved, OHanlon said, there has been a recurring tug-of-war between the president as commander-in-chief and legislative branch about when and how the U.S. military can use force. Theres a long history of Congress, trying to have some influence but not really always wanting to declare war, not always feeling its realistic to reach that standard, OHanlon said. And yet not wanting to let the president just do whatever he wants. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post The U.S. Senate repealed Iraq war authorizations a year ago. In the House, theyre frozen. appeared first on Alabama Reflector. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) expressed some ill-timed frustration on Friday, after his segment got bumped in favor of covering Kate Middletons cancer diagnosis. Sen. Murphy reshared a post from journalist Yashar Ali announcing the royal reveal, adding his own complaint-laden verification to the freshly breaking story. Can confirm! I was supposed to be on @CNN at 2pm to talk about the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and the millions of lives it has saved, but my interview has been bumped by this much more important topic, he wrote. Murphy deleted the tweet shortly after, but X users still took aim at the lawmaker. Imagine learning a woman has cancer and thinking this is such an inconvenience because my talking points got bumped, one X user called Sunny wrote. Anyway, you can tell @ChrisMurphyCT definitely cares about peoples health care because he admits his cable news spots are more important than cancer diagnosis announcements, they added in another post. After weeks of wild speculation about why the Princess of Wales had stepped out of the public eye, X users have begun spinning out about anyone who disrespects her. NEW AD: Donald Trump wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act, ripping away health care from millions of Americans. And you could be one of them. pic.twitter.com/51oDG6J1HO Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) March 22, 2024 Sen. Murphys appearance wouldve been part of an effort from the Biden administration to use the 14-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, to push back on Trump for his plan to terminate the bill, which provides health care to millions of Americans. On Friday, the Biden campaign released a new ad bashing Trumps push to repeal the Affordable Care Act. If he succeeds 45 million Americans could lose their health insurance, the ad said. And you could be one of them. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. The nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court likely will not issue their opinion on the use of mifepristone until late spring. Oral arguments are set for Tuesday. (Photo by Jane Norman/States Newsroom) The nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court likely will not issue their opinion on the use of mifepristone until late spring. Oral arguments are set for Tuesday. (Photo by Jane Norman/States Newsroom) WASHINGTON The same U.S. Supreme Court that overturned the constitutional right to an abortion will hear oral arguments Tuesday over access to mifepristone, a pharmaceutical used in both medication abortion and miscarriage care. The nine justices will then decide whether to leave access to the drug intact or require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to revert prescribing instructions to what were in place before 2016. The court decision will affect the entire country, including states that have sought to shore up access to reproductive rights following the Dobbs ruling less than two years ago. The Supreme Court opinion, likely not to come until late spring, will land in the middle of a presidential campaign in which Democrats are elevating the question of reproductive rights. The debate is also likely to affect GOP efforts to grow their majority in the U.S. House and flip the Senate red. Trend toward medication abortion Medication abortion, a two-drug regimen that uses mifepristone and misoprostol, was used in 63% of abortions in the United States during 2023, according to a report released earlier this month by the Guttmacher Institute. The new data shows a continued trend away from procedural abortions and toward medication abortion, which is approved up to 10 weeks gestation, that has been steadily increasing since the FDA originally approved mifepristone in 2000. Medication abortions accounted for about 6% of pregnancy terminations in 2001, rising to 24% in 2011, before reaching 53% in 2020, according to Guttmacher. During the last calendar year, the report says there were 1,026,690 abortions throughout the country, with 642,700 of those being medication abortions. The numbers may not represent the full picture, however. The medication abortion counts for 2023 do not include self-managed medication abortions that take place outside of the formal health care system or abortion medication mailed to people in states with total abortion bans, the Guttmacher report states. While there are no comprehensive data on the number of self-managed medication abortions in the United States, evidence suggests they have been increasing in the past several years. Alliance Defending Freedom suit The case about to go in front of the Supreme Court, Food and Drug Administration v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, began in November 2022 when Alliance Defending Freedom sued the FDA on behalf of four anti-abortion medical organizations and four anti-abortion doctors. In the original lawsuit and numerous briefs since then, ADF argued that mifepristone leads to problematic situations for doctors who have to assist patients with complications from medication abortions. Theyve also made claims about safety, which have been repeatedly refuted by major medical organizations. The lawsuit had called for the judicial system to overturn the FDAs original 2000 approval of mifepristone, which U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas Judge Matthew Joseph Kacsmaryk essentially agreed with, in his April 2023 ruling. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, Louisiana, heard oral arguments in the federal governments appeal of that ruling in May 2023 before issuing its decision a few months later in August. That three-judge panel said mifepristone could stay on the market, but that when and how patients can access the drug should go back to what was in place before the FDA began making changes in 2016. Telehealth and prescriptions That would lower the maximum gestational age for using mifepristone from 10 weeks to seven weeks as well as remove the option for patients to get the prescription via telehealth and have it mailed to their homes. Only doctors would be able to prescribe mifepristone, not health care professionals authorized to prescribe pharmaceuticals, like physicians assistants or nurse practitioners. Patents would have to go back to attending three, in-person doctors appointments in order to complete the process. The dosage of mifepristone and the second pharmaceutical used in medication abortions, misoprostol, were different before the changes began to take effect. The lower courts rulings never took effect and the appeals courts ruling will remain on hold until the Supreme Court issues its opinion in the case, likely this summer. Briefs filed Dozens of organizations, attorneys general and lawmakers have filed briefs with the Supreme Court seeking to inform the justices thinking in the case ahead of Tuesdays oral arguments. More than 15 major medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association, sought to reinforce the FDAs determination that mifepristone is safe and effective in their brief. Restricting access to mifepristone will not only jeopardize health, but worsen racial and economic inequities and deprive women of the choices that are at the very core of individual autonomy and wellbeing, the medical organizations wrote. They noted that major adverse events occur in less than 0.32% of patients, and that the risk of death is almost non-existent. About 145 Members of Congress from 36 states urged the court to restrict access to mifepristone in a separate brief filed with the court. Since 2016, the FDA has only required adverse events reporting for deaths resulting from chemical abortion drugs; reporting is otherwise voluntary, the members of Congress wrote, making the argument that reports are not required for injuries or impairment. This action was not only arbitrary and capricious, but it also raised safety concerns for women seeking chemical abortion drugs. Heres a timeline of the case and States Newsrooms coverage of the major events: Original lawsuit and District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruling Federal judge could decide as soon as February to yank abortion pill nationwide https://bit.ly/41shPel Attorneys general from Democratic-led states urge judge to keep abortion pill legal https://bit.ly/41eyMsy Attorneys general from 23 GOP-led states back suit seeking to block abortion pill https://bit.ly/414ns2n How the judge who could ban the abortion pill won confirmation in the U.S. Senate https://bit.ly/3KSc9EX As future of abortion pill is weighed, Democrats in Congress see little they can do https://bit.ly/3msjt0y Biden administration appeals judges ruling ordering abortion pill off U.S. market https://bit.ly/3KwWw4g Biden after Texas ruling vows he will fight to ensure access to abortion pill https://bit.ly/3GA3GUi Democratic leaders warn abortion pill ruling could endanger other FDA-approved drugs https://bit.ly/43oIkmA 5th Circuit Court of Appeals stay of district court ruling U.S. Department of Justice asks appeals court to pause abortion pill ruling https://bit.ly/43tqqPQ Democratic attorneys general urge appeals court to keep abortion pill available https://bit.ly/3o6NGD1 Texas judges abortion pill ruling supported by 69 Republicans in Congress https://bit.ly/41qFWtV U.S. Justice Department to ask Supreme Court to reject limits on access to abortion pill https://bit.ly/3MHUAbZ U.S. Supreme Court stay of district court ruling DOJ warns Supreme Court of significant chaos in health care if abortion pill rulings stand https://bit.ly/3o5ObwS U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocks limits to abortion pill access https://bit.ly/3A5RTcE Anti-abortion organizations urge U.S. Supreme Court to keep limits on abortion pill https://bit.ly/3GSu7EV U.S. Supreme Court holds off on abortion pill ruling until midnight Friday https://bit.ly/3GZ5gzn U.S. Supreme Court preserves access to abortion pill as lawsuit continues https://bit.ly/3B50QDB 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Congressional Democrats urge reversal of district court ruling on mifepristone https://bit.ly/3M5UrOM Three-judge panel in U.S. appeals court hears arguments in abortion pill case https://tinyurl.com/285etkds Abortion pill to stay on the market until U.S. Supreme Court ruling after appeals court order https://tinyurl.com/h4whm3xw U.S. Supreme Court U.S. Justice Department asks Supreme Court to take up abortion pill case https://tinyurl.com/msfa5dc2 U.S. Supreme Court to decide fate of medication abortion access nationwide http://tinyurl.com/5f5yk4w5 U.S. Supreme Court schedules March 26 oral arguments in abortion pill access case http://tinyurl.com/mry6ttvm Dozens of friend of the court briefs backing abortion pill access arrive at Supreme Court https://tinyurl.com/299vsyrv Who wants the U.S. Supreme Court to limit abortion pill access? Heres the list. https://tinyurl.com/2z96n7nn More to know about the case Fear and confusion over abortion access persists as SCOTUS takes its first post-Dobbs case https://tinyurl.com/yckkjf6m Study cited by Texas judge in abortion pill case retracted https://tinyurl.com/397m2jxn Researchers call for more abortion studies to be retracted https://tinyurl.com/yjefc3c6 Medication abortion rates grew 10% over the last few years, report shows https://tinyurl.com/4kjj9c4 Study cited by Texas judge in abortion-pill case under investigation https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/study-cited-texas-judge-abortion-pill-case-under-investigation SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post U.S. Supreme Court to hear oral arguments Tuesday on abortion pill limits appeared first on Alaska Beacon. The nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court likely will not issue their opinion on the use of mifepristone until late spring. Oral arguments are set for Tuesday. (Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline)) WASHINGTON The same U.S. Supreme Court that overturned the constitutional right to an abortion will hear oral arguments Tuesday over access to mifepristone, a pharmaceutical used in both medication abortion and miscarriage care. The nine justices will then decide whether to leave access to the drug intact or require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to revert prescribing instructions to what were in place before 2016. The court decision will affect the entire country, including states that have sought to shore up access to reproductive rights following the Dobbs ruling less than two years ago. The Supreme Court opinion, likely not to come until late spring, will land in the middle of a presidential campaign in which Democrats are elevating the question of reproductive rights. The debate is also likely to affect GOP efforts to grow their majority in the U.S. House and flip the Senate red. Trend toward medication abortion Medication abortion, a two-drug regimen that uses mifepristone and misoprostol, was used in 63% of abortions in the United States during 2023, according to a report released earlier this month by the Guttmacher Institute. The new data shows a continued trend away from procedural abortions and toward medication abortion, which is approved up to 10 weeks gestation, that has been steadily increasing since the FDA originally approved mifepristone in 2000. Medication abortions accounted for about 6% of pregnancy terminations in 2001, rising to 24% in 2011, before reaching 53% in 2020, according to Guttmacher. During the last calendar year, the report says there were 1,026,690 abortions throughout the country, with 642,700 of those being medication abortions. The numbers may not represent the full picture, however. The medication abortion counts for 2023 do not include self-managed medication abortions that take place outside of the formal health care system or abortion medication mailed to people in states with total abortion bans, the Guttmacher report states. While there are no comprehensive data on the number of self-managed medication abortions in the United States, evidence suggests they have been increasing in the past several years. Alliance Defending Freedom suit The case about to go in front of the Supreme Court, Food and Drug Administration v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, began in November 2022 when Alliance Defending Freedom sued the FDA on behalf of four anti-abortion medical organizations and four anti-abortion doctors. In the original lawsuit and numerous briefs since then, ADF argued that mifepristone leads to problematic situations for doctors who have to assist patients with complications from medication abortions. Theyve also made claims about safety, which have been repeatedly refuted by major medical organizations. The lawsuit had called for the judicial system to overturn the FDAs original 2000 approval of mifepristone, which U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas Judge Matthew Joseph Kacsmaryk essentially agreed with, in his April 2023 ruling. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, Louisiana, heard oral arguments in the federal governments appeal of that ruling in May 2023 before issuing its decision a few months later in August. That three-judge panel said mifepristone could stay on the market, but that when and how patients can access the drug should go back to what was in place before the FDA began making changes in 2016. Judge Matthew Joseph Kacsmaryk during his Senate confirmation hearing in December 2017 answering questions from Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse. (Screenshot from Sen. Sheldon Whitehouses YouTube) Telehealth and prescriptions That would lower the maximum gestational age for using mifepristone from 10 weeks to seven weeks as well as remove the option for patients to get the prescription via telehealth and have it mailed to their homes. Only doctors would be able to prescribe mifepristone, not health care professionals authorized to prescribe pharmaceuticals, like physicians assistants or nurse practitioners. Patents would have to go back to attending three, in-person doctors appointments in order to complete the process. The dosage of mifepristone and the second pharmaceutical used in medication abortions, misoprostol, were different before the changes began to take effect. The lower courts rulings never took effect and the appeals courts ruling will remain on hold until the Supreme Court issues its opinion in the case, likely this summer. Briefs filed Dozens of organizations, attorneys general and lawmakers have filed briefs with the Supreme Court seeking to inform the justices thinking in the case ahead of Tuesdays oral arguments. More than 15 major medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association, sought to reinforce the FDAs determination that mifepristone is safe and effective in their brief. Restricting access to mifepristone will not only jeopardize health, but worsen racial and economic inequities and deprive women of the choices that are at the very core of individual autonomy and wellbeing, the medical organizations wrote. They noted that major adverse events occur in less than 0.32% of patients, and that the risk of death is almost non-existent. About 145 Members of Congress from 36 states urged the court to restrict access to mifepristone in a separate brief filed with the court. Since 2016, the FDA has only required adverse events reporting for deaths resulting from chemical abortion drugs; reporting is otherwise voluntary, the members of Congress wrote, making the argument that reports are not required for injuries or impairment. This action was not only arbitrary and capricious, but it also raised safety concerns for women seeking chemical abortion drugs. Heres a timeline of the case and States Newsrooms coverage of the major events: Original lawsuit and District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruling Federal judge could decide as soon as February to yank abortion pill nationwide https://bit.ly/41shPel Attorneys general from Democratic-led states urge judge to keep abortion pill legal https://bit.ly/41eyMsy Attorneys general from 23 GOP-led states back suit seeking to block abortion pill https://bit.ly/414ns2n How the judge who could ban the abortion pill won confirmation in the U.S. Senate https://bit.ly/3KSc9EX As future of abortion pill is weighed, Democrats in Congress see little they can do https://bit.ly/3msjt0y Biden administration appeals judges ruling ordering abortion pill off U.S. market https://bit.ly/3KwWw4g Biden after Texas ruling vows he will fight to ensure access to abortion pill https://bit.ly/3GA3GUi Democratic leaders warn abortion pill ruling could endanger other FDA-approved drugs https://bit.ly/43oIkmA 5th Circuit Court of Appeals stay of district court ruling U.S. Department of Justice asks appeals court to pause abortion pill ruling https://bit.ly/43tqqPQ Democratic attorneys general urge appeals court to keep abortion pill available https://bit.ly/3o6NGD1 Texas judges abortion pill ruling supported by 69 Republicans in Congress https://bit.ly/41qFWtV U.S. Justice Department to ask Supreme Court to reject limits on access to abortion pill https://bit.ly/3MHUAbZ U.S. Supreme Court stay of district court ruling DOJ warns Supreme Court of significant chaos in health care if abortion pill rulings stand https://bit.ly/3o5ObwS U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocks limits to abortion pill access https://bit.ly/3A5RTcE Anti-abortion organizations urge U.S. Supreme Court to keep limits on abortion pill https://bit.ly/3GSu7EV U.S. Supreme Court holds off on abortion pill ruling until midnight Friday https://bit.ly/3GZ5gzn U.S. Supreme Court preserves access to abortion pill as lawsuit continues https://bit.ly/3B50QDB 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Congressional Democrats urge reversal of district court ruling on mifepristone https://bit.ly/3M5UrOM Three-judge panel in U.S. appeals court hears arguments in abortion pill case https://tinyurl.com/285etkds Abortion pill to stay on the market until U.S. Supreme Court ruling after appeals court order https://tinyurl.com/h4whm3xw U.S. Supreme Court U.S. Justice Department asks Supreme Court to take up abortion pill case https://tinyurl.com/msfa5dc2 U.S. Supreme Court to decide fate of medication abortion access nationwide http://tinyurl.com/5f5yk4w5 U.S. Supreme Court schedules March 26 oral arguments in abortion pill access case http://tinyurl.com/mry6ttvm Dozens of friend of the court briefs backing abortion pill access arrive at Supreme Court https://tinyurl.com/299vsyrv Who wants the U.S. Supreme Court to limit abortion pill access? Heres the list. https://tinyurl.com/2z96n7nn More to know about the case Fear and confusion over abortion access persists as SCOTUS takes its first post-Dobbs case https://tinyurl.com/yckkjf6m Study cited by Texas judge in abortion pill case retracted https://tinyurl.com/397m2jxn Researchers call for more abortion studies to be retracted https://tinyurl.com/yjefc3c6 Medication abortion rates grew 10% over the last few years, report shows https://tinyurl.com/4kjj9c4 Study cited by Texas judge in abortion-pill case under investigation https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/study-cited-texas-judge-abortion-pill-case-under-investigation SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post U.S. Supreme Court to hear oral arguments Tuesday on abortion pill limits appeared first on Colorado Newsline. Drone attacks on Russia's oil refineries are likely to have disrupted at least 10% of the country's refinery capacity, the U.K. Defense Ministry said in its latest report on March 23. In the past weeks, Ukrainian forces have launched a series of drone strikes aimed at damaging Russia's oil industry. A total of 12 Russian oil refineries were successfully hit in multiple regions deep inside Russian territory as of March 17, Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing an unnamed source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). Depending on the extent of the damage, major repairs at Russian refineries could take "considerable time and cost," which can be increased due to sanctions, the report said. The U.K. Defense Ministry doubts that Moscow will be able to protect oil refineries after Russian officials announced plans to deploy Pantsir air defense systems. "However, given the size and scale of Russia's energy industry, it is unlikely that Russia will be able to protect all the vulnerable facilities," the report said. Ukraine's recent drone attacks knocked out about 600,000 barrels of Russia's daily oil-refining capacity, as estimated by Torbjorn Tornqvist, the director of the international energy commodities trading company Gunvor Group, Bloomberg reported on March 18. Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna said on March 22 that Russia's oil refineries are "absolutely legitimate targets" for the Ukrainian military. Her statement followed media reports that the U.S. had asked Ukraine to stop attacking the Russian oil industry. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak denied the reports, saying Kyiv did not receive any such calls from Washington. Read also: Ukrainian drones hit one Russian oil refinery after another Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine has lost about 20% of its power grids regulation capability as a result of Russian strikes on the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant (DHPP), Ukrhydroenerho CEO Ihor Sirota said on Ukrainian television on March 23. Read also: Fire at Dnipro HPP contained, Ukrhydroenergo reports significant losses and critical damage to equipment It is currently impossible to say exactly when the plant can resume normal operations, he clarified, adding that certain tests are being conducted at one of the plants power stations. However, non-repairable equipment will need to be replaced, which may take a long time due to the custom nature of those parts, he said. It will take at least three to four days to reach equipment buried under rubble, Syrota said, and reiterated that the dam itself was not damaged, and that there is no risk of a breach. The Energy Ministry said on March 22 that engineers had managed to restore some of the equipment damaged by the Russian attack on the dam, but noted that the plant was still non-functional. Read also: UN and EU condemn Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, call for accountability March 22 Russian mass strike on Ukraines power grid On March 22, Russia carried out the largest attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure since the start of the full-scale invasion. The DHPP was subjected to the most serious attack since February 2022. Official reports from Ukrenergo, Ukrhydroenergo, and Ukrainian authorities that Russian forces specifically targeted the dam. According to the Ukrainian government, the DHPP was struck at least eight times specifically, the power plants support and crane beams. A fire broke out at the plant afterward. In total, Russia fired at least 20 missiles at the city of Zaporizhzhya, where the dam is located. Read also: Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine There has been a depressing predictability about news from Ukraine since Russian president Vladimir Putin won a landslide re-election in a rigged poll earlier this week. Seemingly emboldened, the Kremlin has launched savage missile and drone attacks on multiple cities, including the countrys capital, Kyiv. In a break of convention, no longer did the Kremlin only speak of a special military operation, but declared Russia is in a state of war, justifying its offensives and the creation of new armies. This makes it all the more extraordinary that the United States has reportedly called on Kyiv to stop its own attacks on Russias energy infrastructure. Such strikes mark one of Kyivs few recent military successes, wiping out around 12 per cent of Moscows overall oil production. Yet the White House is said to be concerned that if Kyiv keeps hitting Russian facilities, global oil prices will increase sharply. Two years into the bloodiest conflict Europe has seen since the Second World War, surely the West should have realised by now that Ukraine is in an existential fight for its survival. For too long, Washington and other capitals assumed the war was in stalemate, withholding weapons and funding. Yet as Russia ramps up its efforts, time is running out to rectify the damage. Before the full-scale invasion, countries such as Germany became overly dependent on Russian oil and gas. With hundreds of thousands dead on European soil, it beggars belief that Western leaders still appear to think Russian energy production is a reason for Ukraine to stay its hand. 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. Members of the Russian Emergencies Ministry clear rubble at the Crocus City Hall concert venue after a deadly attack, outside Moscow KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine was not involved in Friday's shooting attack near Moscow and suggestions of a Ukrainian link "have nothing in common with reality," a spokesman for Kyiv's military spy agency said on Saturday. Russia's FSB security service said "all four terrorists" behind the attack at a concert hall near the capital had been arrested while heading to the Ukrainian border, and that they had contacts in Ukraine. "This is of course another lie from the Russian special services, which has nothing in common with reality and does not stand up against any criticism," Andriy Yusov, of the Defence Ministry's Main Directorate of Intelligence, told Reuters. He added: "Ukraine was of course not involved in this terror attack. Ukraine is defending its sovereignty from Russian invaders, liberating its own territory and is fighting with the occupiers' army and military targets, not civilians." His remarks echoed those of presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak, who denied any Ukrainian link in comments on Friday evening and again on Saturday. Podolyak wrote on X on Saturday that "any attempts to connect Ukraine to the terrorist attack are absolutely untenable". (Reporting by Dan Peleschuk; Editing by Frances Kerry) People who were previously recognized as "limited fit" will be able to serve in combat brigades People with limited capabilities for military service will undergo a second medical examination and may be declared fit or unfit for duty, MP Fedir Venislavsky said on national TV on March 23. On March 21, Ukraines parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, adopted a bill on ensuring the rights of military personnel and police officers are protected. The new law provides for repeated medical examination within nine months for citizens who had previously been registered as "partially fit for duty by military medical commission boards, and removes the concept of partially fit for duty from Ukrainian legislation entirely. Read also: Draft notices will not be served via Diia app Fedorov The new legislation also stipulates that in case of death of a serviceman, his family will receive a cash payment of UAH 15 million ($386,000). "When we put things in order and clearly define who can serve in the military and who cannot, [those that pass] can be drafted and fill vacant positions in combat units and brigades," said the MP. Earlier, Deputy Defense Minister Natalia Kalmykova said that servicemembers who were found to be "partially fit" for military service would have to undergo a second medical examination. According to her, both the military, and servicemember families, lobbied parliament to resolve this issue. Read also: Draft dodgers may lose drivers licenses under new mobilization bill 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 Customers who use the downtown Fremont branch of First Community Bank will soon be switching to a new location for in-person banking needs as of June 3. Ryan Steffensmeier, the president and CEO of Beemer-headquartered First Community Bank, said his companys new branch location on 23rd Street, just to the east of the intersection with Luther Road, will be open for business in the early morning hours on June 3. The new location has been under construction since the summer of 2023 and is in the final stages of work, Steffensmeier said. Construction should be done in April 1. Were planning to open June 3, Steffensmeier said in a phone interview. Were in the process of a little bit of siding to be put on the building on the outside. Sometime during May, well get the signage on the exterior. Then were doing trim, carpentry, painting, setting up cabinets and then flooring will go in. Then well move furniture in. The new branch office is much larger than the banks current lone branch in Fremont, on Main Street in the downtown area. That branch on Main Street will close permanently on May 31, followed by the opening of the new branch on Monday, June 3. Steffensmeier said the new location will have 15 full-time employees, eight of who will merely be shifted from the current branch to the new branch. The 23rd Street location will also have two drive-through lanes for customers as well as an ATM. Everyone who worked on the new building from the general contractor through all the subcontractors has been great to work with and, other than the amount of time it takes, its been a smooth, easy process to get here, Steffensmeier said. He also said the new branch office is fresh and offers more privacy for customers to do sensitive banking discussions. We will have a two-lane driver and an ATM machine that we did not have downtown. We will also have safety deposit boxes. And while downtown was a very nice office space, this will be fresher, brighter space to work in with more space and room for privacy reasons, he said. Bank officials are in discussions with officials from the Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce to plan an official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new branch, Steffensmeier said. When the longtime Nebraska community bank hits its 125th anniversary in September, more celebrations are planned. First Community bank turns 125 years old in September and were going do a the grand opening celebration with the chamber in September again, he said. Were meeting with the chamber (staff) on Tuesday to try to line up some dates. The banks first Fremont branch opened in 2017, and Steffensmeier said in a 2023 interview that we felt with the way the town has supported us, we needed to give back to the community. This office is that. The new facility on 23rd Street is a more than 7,000-square-foot building. In addition to banking services, there will also be two full-time staff at the new site from the banks sibling company, Steffensmeier Insurance. The bank will offer personal banking, home loans, business and commercial loans, agriculture loans as well as the insurance services. First Community Bank is based in Beemer and was founded in 1899, which Steffensmeier said will lead to a grandiose 125th anniversary celebration at all of the banks five branches, including the new Fremont offices. Ukraine targeted two Russian oil refineries on Friday night. The US had warned against such attacks due to potential oil price increases and Russian retaliation. Ukraine's drone strikes on have reduced Russia's oil processing by 10%, said UK military intel. Ukraine attacked Russia's oil infrastructure after US officials advised them against targeting Russian oil refineries, Bloomberg reports. Russia's oil infrastructure took another hit as drones targeted refineries in the Samara region. The Novokuibyshevsk refinery narrowly escaped damage, while the Kuibyshev refinery suffered a fire in one of its refining columns, Gov. Dmitry Azarov said. The US has urged Ukraine to halt these attacks, according to The Financial Times, due to concerns over potential oil price increases and retaliation from Russia. Responders managed to contain the blaze in Samara, averting a potential disaster at the facility, which boasts an annual oil processing capacity of 7 million tons, it was reported. The targeted refineries, both part of Rosneft PJSC's Samara region group, play a crucial role in Russia's oil production landscape. Footage distributed on social media claimed to show a Russian refinery ablaze in Samara last night. Business Insider was not able to verify its origins. So, given all the fuss over ongoing Ukrainian strikes on Russian petroleum refineries, the Kremlin is putting insane pressure upon the U.S. administration. I'm pretty sure that Russians, via their unofficial back channels, yelled the same old magic words like 'escalation', pic.twitter.com/k0UvBrcSaP Illia Ponomarenko (@IAPonomarenko) March 23, 2024 ' Absolutely legitimate targets from a military point of view' Ukraine's drone strikes on Russia's oil industry have inflicted significant damage, reducing processing capacity by 10%, said a British defense intelligence update on Saturday. "These strikes are imposing a financial cost on Russia, impacting the domestic fuel market. Depending on the extent of the damage, major repairs could take considerable time and expense. Sanctions are highly likely increasing the time and cost of sourcing replacement equipment," said the UK Ministry of Defence. The strikes have targeted refineries, storage depots, and other key sites, exacerbating economic pain and raising fears of further escalation. Another US concern at Ukraine's degrading of Russia's energy infrastructure, the FT said, is that Russia could retaliate by targeting energy infrastructure the West relies on, such as the CPC pipeline that transports oil from Kazakhstan to global markets. According to Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olga Stefanishyna, officials in Kyiv believe that the refineries are "absolutely legitimate targets from a military point of view." "We understand the calls of our American partners," she said. "At the same time, we are fighting with the capabilities, resources, and practices that we have." Firefighters extinguish oil tanks at a storage facility that local authorities say caught fire after the military brought down a Ukrainian drone, in the town of Klintsy in the Bryansk Region, Russia January 19, 2024. Russian Emergencies Ministry/Reuters It's not the first time the Biden administration has attempted to rein in Kyiv over its war strategy. It previously warned Ukraine against using US-supplied weapons to strike inside Russia. Ukraine got around this ban by developing its own weapons that could strike inside Russia. Indeed, the refineries targeted in the Samara oblast last night are over 800 miles from Kyiv. On Thursday, Russia retaliated against Ukraine's energy hubs, including the country's largest dam, with a wave of missiles and drones that left a million people without power. Ukraine's energy minister, German Galushchenko, said Russia wanted to provoke "a large-scale failure of the country's energy system," per BBC News. Read the original article on Business Insider Key developments on March 22: Zaporizhzhia's Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant hit amid Russian attack on energy infrastructure Air Force: Ukraine downs 92 of 151 Russian aerial targets overnight on March 22 Commander: Russia gathers 100,000-strong force, possibly for summer offensive Kremlin admits Russia 'de facto' at war, calls Ukraine 'occupying force' FT: US reportedly tells Ukraine to stop striking Russian oil refineries Russia launched another large-scale drone and missile attack against Ukrainian cities overnight on March 22, targeting Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kryvyi Rih, primarily aiming at the energy infrastructure. Attacks were also reported in Khmelnytskyi, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Vinnytsia, Kirovohrad, Lviv, Sumy, Poltava, and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts. Regional authorities said that there were at least five killed and 31 injured among the casualties reported so far. "The enemy launched one of the largest attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector in recent weeks," Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko wrote on Facebook. "The goal is not just to damage it, but, just like last year, to cause a large-scale disruption in the country's energy system." Russian forces launched a campaign of mass strikes against Ukraine's power grid in late 2022 and early 2023 but failed to put it out of action. Zaporizhzhia's Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant, Ukraine's largest hydroelectric station, was hit during the attack, Ukrhydroenergo announced on March 22. Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office reported that the dam was hit multiple times during the attack. Ukrhydroenergo, the country's state-owned hydropower monopoly, reported fire at the station but said there is no threat of a dam breach, adding that the situation is under control. Traffic across the Dnipro Dam was blocked following the Russian attack, the police in Zaporizhzhia Oblast said. A trolleybus was hit and caught fire when a Russian projectile targeted the dam, and its 62-year-old driver was killed, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. No passengers were on board. Two other civilians have been killed in Zaporizhzhia, including a 35-year-old man and his eight-year-old daughter, Fedorov said. At least 29 people have been reported as injured. Russian forces also struck the energy infrastructure in the city of Kharkiv, leading to a near-complete loss of power in the city. At least 15 explosions were reported. The State Emergency Service reported in the morning following the attack that 700,000 Kharkiv residents were left without power. Regional authorities also said that critical infrastructure was hit in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, namely in Kryvyi Rih, as well as in the Pavlohrad, Kamianske, and Dnipro districts. No casualties were reported. Read also: Lives are falling apart: Kyiv residents shook by another mass missile attack Air Force: Ukraine downs 92 of 151 Russian aerial targets overnight on March 22 Ukrainian air defenses downed 37 missiles and 55 Shahed-type drones overnight on March 22 during a mass Russian attack, Ukraine's Air Force reported. Russia launched 151 missiles and drones in total overnight, targeting the cities of Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih, and elsewhere, primarily aiming at the energy infrastructure. Zaporizhzhia's Dnipro Hydroelectric Station, Ukraine's largest hydroelectric power plant, was among the damaged facilities. According to the Air Force's report, 55 Shahed-type drones, 35 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles, and two Kh-59 guided cruise missiles were downed by Ukrainian forces. Russian troops used in total 63 Shahed-type drones, 12 Iskander-M ballistic missiles, 40 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles, five Kh-22 cruise missiles, seven Kh-47 M2 (Kinzhal) aeroballistic missiles, 22 S-300/S-400 anti-aircraft missiles, and two Kh-59 guided cruise missiles during the mass attack on Ukraine. The drones were reportedly launched from the direction of Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, while the missiles were carried out from Belgorod, Tambov, Kursk, Rostov oblasts, the Caspian Sea, and the occupied territories of Crimea and Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Ukraine's air defense is in an increasingly difficult situation as ammunition supplies from the U.S., a key military donor, remain blocked due to political disputes in Congress. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the Russian attack, adding that "Russian missiles do not have delays" and stressing Ukraine's need for additional air defense systems. Read also: UPDATE: 3 killed, 29 injured in Zaporizhzhia as rescue operations conclude Commander: Russia gathers 100,000-strong force, possibly for summer offensive Russia is creating a force of 100,000 soldiers, possibly to conduct a new offensive in early summer, Ukraine's Ground Forces Commander Oleksandr Pavliuk said on national television on March 22. The Armed Forces withdrew in February from several settlements in Donetsk Oblast, including the key front-line city of Avdiivka, due to severe ammunition shortages exacerbated by delays in U.S. aid. Heavy battles continue in Kherson, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhizhia oblasts as Russian troops try to continue their advance. Pavliuk noted that the new force Russia is mustering might also serve another purpose: "Maybe they (Russia) will use them to replenish units that are losing their combat capability." Russian troops continue their assault attempts in the Bakhmut, Lyman, and Avdiivka directions of the front, according to Pavliuk. In Sumy Oblast, Russian forces are not preparing any new military formations but target civilian infrastructure to threaten citizens, he added. "I think we will do everything we can to stop them (Russian attacks)," Pavliuk said. Read also: The Counteroffensive: Russias rising chemical weapons use in Ukraine Kremlin admits Russia 'de facto' at war, calls Ukraine 'occupying force' In an unexpected admission, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on March 22 that Russia is in a "state of war." Peskov also said that Russia's main goal was to protect the people living in the Ukrainian territories illegally annexed by Russia, going on to characterize Ukraine as an "occupying force." Peskov later clarified his words, saying that "de jure" it remained a "military operation," but "de facto" had become a war. Russia refuses to refer to its war against Ukraine as a war, referring to it instead as a "special military operation" for propaganda purposes and to downplay its actions for both domestic and international audiences. Russia's choice of wording plays a key part in the framing of its full-scale war. Under Russian law, it is forbidden to actually call it a war or an invasion, and violating these restrictions can lead to punishment, including a potential prison sentence. Elaborating on his presentation of Russia's war goals, Peskov said that Russia "cannot allow the existence of a state on its borders" that seeks to "take away Crimea," illigaly occupied by Russia since 2014. Crimea is internationally recognized as part of Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stated that Ukraine's ultimate goal is the liberation of all occupied areas of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, and that any other result of the war would "not be victory." Read also: Moscow shooting: Gunmen fire into crowd at concert hall, over 100 casualties reported FT: US reportedly tells Ukraine to stop striking Russian oil refineries The U.S. reportedly warned Ukraine to stop attacking Russian oil refineries, cautioning that strikes against the facilities could raise global oil prices and increase the risk of further retaliation, the Financial Times (FT) reported on March 22, citing unnamed sources in Ukraine's military intelligence and Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). In the past weeks, Ukrainian forces have launched a series of drone strikes aimed at damaging Russia's oil industry. Ukraine has hit oil refineries in multiple regions deep inside the Russian territory. As foreign military aid has decreased, especially due to the ongoing deadlock on funding from the U.S., Ukraine has turned to focus on its domestically produced attack capabilities. The sources told the FT that the U.S. is concerned Russia could potentially retaliate by striking energy infrastructure used by the West, which could result in higher energy prices globally. At the same time, Russia is highly reliant on revenue from its energy exports to fund its war machine, and the attacks on the refineries have already caused significant disruptions. While U.S. President Joe Biden has regularly repeated his support for Ukraine and willingness to prevent a Russian victory, he is also facing a reelection battle later this year. An analyst told the FT that the U.S.'s warnings could be primarily related to electoral politics. "Nothing terrifies a sitting American president more than a surge in pump prices during an election year," said Bob McNally, the president of the consultancy group Rapidan Energy and a former White House energy adviser. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian air defence forces destroyed 31 Russian Shahed drones on the night of 22-23 March. Source: Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of Ukraine's Air Force, on Telegram Details: Oleshchuk reported that the Russians had attacked Donetsk Oblast with four S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles. Russia also used 34 Shahed attack UAVs. The drones were launched from Russia's Kursk Oblast and Cape Chauda in temporarily occupied Crimea. Quote: "As a result of an anti-aircraft battle, mobile firing groups of the Defence Forces and Air Force anti-aircraft missile units and aircraft destroyed 31 Shahed drones within Poltava, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts." Support UP or become our patron! The damage to the Dnipro hydroelectric power plant (HPP) has caused the loss of 20% of the regulatory capacity of Ukrhydroenergo, Ukraines largest hydropower generating company. Damage assessments are underway. Source: Ukrhydroenergo CEO Ihor Syrota Details: Syrota reported that Dnipro HPP is not generating electricity, and the timeframe for resuming its operations is still unknown. He also noted that certain tests are being carried out. "The fact that there is equipment that will not be repaired but has to be replaced is obvious. We realise this is custom-made equipment, and its production time is lengthy. However, we can report on the equipment that can be replaced and overhauled later," said Syrota. Background: The missile attack on the Dnipro HPP became possible due to the lack of a proper response from the international community to the environmental disaster caused by Russia's blowing up of the Kakhovka HPP in June 2023. At the same time, Ukrhydroenergo does not rule out possible Russian intentions to completely destroy the Dnipro HPP. The full assessment and examination of the damage dealt to the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) by Russian missile strikes will take about three days. Ukrhydroenergo reported two direct hits to HPP-1 and HPP-2 generating stations of Dnipro HPP in Zaporizhzhia. The repairability of HPP-2 is still unknown, as it has suffered severe damage. Ukraine's largest hydroelectric power plant was hit during a Russian missile attack on 22 March. Support UP or become our patron! Andrii Yusov, spokesman for Ukraines Defence Intelligence emphasised that the version spread by Russia about the perpetrators of the terrorist attack in Moscow Oblast fleeing to Ukraine "does not withstand any criticism." Source: Interfax Ukraine, citing Yusov on air of the national joint 24/7 newscast Quote from Yusov: "You don't need to be a security expert for this. The full-scale war has been going on for over two years, and border territories are saturated with enemy troops, special agents, representatives of intelligence agencies, and law enforcement officers. The border line is mined, and surveillance is conducted by all means, including aerial reconnaissance, from both sides. Oblasts like Belgorod and Kursk are currently active combat zones after recent events. And, understandably, this version does not withstand criticism understood by everyone in the world except perhaps the Russian population, which may be indoctrinated. There are all signs that we are dealing precisely with such activities of Russian secret services. Furthermore, it is quite probable that there will be an escalation of hysteria, the tightening of screws, and even the elimination of even the formal remnants of civil rights and freedoms." Details: The intelligence is confident that Moscow's actions will not have a significant impact on the course of the war. Yusov also believes that Russia will try to use the terrorist attack to change the situation on the international stage. Background: Earlier, the FSB claimed that the terrorists were detained in the Bryansk region, not far from the border with Ukraine, and that they were heading to Ukraine because "they have connections there." Russian leader Vladimir Putin also stated that, allegedly, the suspects in the terrorist attack "had a window prepared" for crossing the border with Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! Ukrainian women tell of beatings and threats under Russian occupation after escaping to Kyiv Ukrainian women tell of beatings and threats under Russian occupation after escaping to Kyiv By Anna Voitenko KYIV (Reuters) - Alla Antonova says she suffered beatings, had a plastic bag thrust over her head and endured many other threats from Russian soldiers in occupied Ukraine who wanted to know where her son-in-law was serving in the Ukrainian army. Her mother Natalia Kucherova, 73, was made to sit in an adjacent room of their apartment, but says she was generally left alone - the soldiers were only interested in her daughter. Reuters could not independently verify their accounts. Moscow has denied accusations that its forces have committed atrocities or deliberately attacked civilians during their invasion, which it calls a "special military operation". Now in Kyiv, escaping from the ordeal meant fleeing their home in the port of Berdiansk, in the occupied part of the southern Zaporizhzhia region and taking a circuitous five-day journey. With the help of Ukrainian volunteer workers, the family and their dog travelled into southern Russia and then overland back over the border into Ukrainian-held territory in early February. Speaking to Reuters in a rented apartment in the Ukrainian capital, Antonova, 53, said the Russian soldiers visited their Berdiansk home three times in the last few months of 2023 and as recently as January this year. "They took me into the bedroom and mama into the kitchen," Antonova said. "Three of them. Interrogating me is the way I would put it. And they beat me. I had bruises on my legs, on my back." Antonova showed Reuters several photographs of severe bruises on her arm and legs. Another soldier, she said, pulled the plastic bag over her head and pressed down to stop her breathing. "I started to lose consciousness. They removed the bag and I felt ill," Antonova said. "I told them: 'Just kill me. It's the truth, I know nothing'." Russia's diplomatic mission in Geneva did not immediately reply to a request for comment about the women's account. A report on conditions in occupied areas released this week by the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine described a "climate of fear" in occupied areas more than two years after the Russian invasion. It reports the widespread use of such tactics that Antonova and her family describe. Speaking at the U.N. Human Rights Council on Wednesday after the report's publication, Russian senior diplomat Igor Sergeev accused U.N. human rights bodies of double standards and of turning a blind eye to violations committed by Kyiv. BEATEN SENSELESS Antonova said the soldiers beat her senseless during one of the "visits", in January this year. She showed Reuters a video she was made to record, sent to her own 29-year-old daughter, Anastasia, in which she says "good, polite people, soldiers" had come and asked the daughter to cooperate if she wanted to see her mother again. "My daughter understood straight away and deleted it. And they just said 'just think about it - we'll come to see you'." Kucherova made it plain what she thought of the soldiers. "'What is it you want?' I said, 'Are you going to throw my daughter in a cellar and rape her?'" she told Reuters of the experience, prompting a soldier to ask where she had heard such things. "I told him the whole town is talking about it. The whole town, about how you are abusing people there." Kucherova, who had lived all her life in Berdiansk, was tearful about leaving, but in the end needed little convincing. "They said 'we are here for a long time to come, in Berdiansk'. And that means 'we will be paying you frequent visits'," she said. "So, that's what happened. We quickly got our things together and left. We were told to go quickly." The escalating violence made the women fearful for their lives so the three generations of women readied themselves for a long journey - and no notion of leaving behind Sonia, the family dog. "We couldn't bear the thought leaving her tied up with no water, nothing," Kucherova said. "We all went together. No one was abandoned." (Writing by Ronald Popeski; Editing by Lucy Marks) Zaporizhzhia's Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant lost about a third of its generation capacity after a Russian missile strike, the head of Ukrainian state-owned energy company Ukrhydroenergo Ihor Syrota told the Associated Press. Ukraine's largest hydroelectric power plant was hit with eight Russian missiles on March 22 during the biggest attack on the country's energy infrastructure since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The Hydroelectric Power Station-2 (HPS-2), one of the two stations of Zaporizhzhia's Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant, is in "critical condition" as two Russian missiles hit it directly, damaging crane girders and a support pillar, Syrota said earlier. The adjacent dam also suffered damage, but there was no danger of a breach, according to Ukrhydroenergo's head. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Russia hits Ukraines largest Hydroelectric Power Plant, kills civilians Syrota said the loss of a part of Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant generation capacity led to significant loss for the Ukrainian energy system. The scale of damage to the plant remains unclear as its equipment has been buried under concrete and metal debris from the explosions, Syrota said, adding that the repairs will be a long process. Power engineers managed to restore some of the equipment at Dnipro hydroelectric power plant, but the plant is not generating electricity, the Energy Ministry's statement reads. The recent Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia reportedly killed three people, including a child. At least 29 people were wounded, including two children, according to State Emergency Service. Russian forces also targeted Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih, and other regions, primarily aiming at the energy infrastructure. Ukraine's defense systems reportedly downed 92 of 151 Russian aerial targets overnight. Read also: Zaporizhzhias Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant hit amid Russian attack on energy infrastructure Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) speaks with relatives and supporters of Israelis held hostage in Gaza since the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel (Evelyn Hockstein) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on a visit to the doorstep of war-ravaged Gaza, on Saturday said the world has seen enough of its horrors and appealed for a ceasefire to allow in more aid. He spoke at the crossing on the Egyptian side of Rafah, where most of Gaza's population has sought refuge but Israel vows to send in ground troops against Hamas militants, despite the fears of Guterres and other global leaders. "Palestinians in Gaza -- children, women, men -- remain stuck in a non-stop nightmare," Guterres said. "I carry the voices of the vast majority of the world who have seen enough". Despite warnings that a Rafah operation would cause mass civilian casualties and worsen the humanitarian crisis gripping Gaza after nearly six months of war between Israel and Hamas, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will press ahead with the attack. But his government is under growing international pressure to ease its bombardment and ground offensive, which the health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza says has killed at least 32,142 people. The war began on October 7 when an unprecedented attack from Gaza by Hamas militants resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures. Israel vowed to destroy the militants, who also seized about 250 hostages, of whom Israel believes around 130 remain in Gaza, including 33 presumed dead. Large parts of the territory have been reduced to rubble and the World Food Programme on Monday said Gazans are already "starving to death", with famine projected by May in northern Gaza without urgent intervention. Writing on social media platform X on Friday, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, said the aid "Israeli authorities are allowing in is still by far not enough". Currently, an average of 150 trucks a day enter Gaza, he said, compared with at least 500 before the war. In the face of limited ground access, several nations have begun aid airdrops, and a sea corridor from Cyprus delivered its first cargo of food. Israel has blamed shortages on the Palestinian side, namely a lack of capacity to distribute aid once it gets in. Israel's most staunch ally the United States, which provides it with billions of dollars in military aid, has repeatedly blocked Gaza ceasefire resolutions at the UN Security Council. But Washington has also become increasingly vocal about the war's impact on civilians. On Friday it tried to pass a text mentioning an "immediate ceasefire as part of a hostage deal", but China and Russia vetoed the US text. The Gaza health ministry, in its latest toll on Saturday, reported at least 72 people killed overnight. - 'Precise' - Israeli forces continued operations in and around Gaza's biggest hospital complex, Al-Shifa, for a sixth day on Saturday. The army said a total of more than 170 militants had been killed, more than 800 suspects questioned, and weapons found. The "precise" operation is being conducted without harm to civilians or medical personnel, the army said. The UN's humanitarian agency, OCHA, said "health workers have been among those reported arrested and detained." Mohammed, 59, who lives a short walk from the Al-Shifa complex in Gaza City, told AFP he had seen "many bodies" in the streets, buildings on fire and tanks blocking the roads. "I feel that Gaza has become worse than the fires of hell," he said, giving only his first name. - 'Up in flames' - Netanyahu on Friday reiterated his plan to send ground troops into the southern city of Rafah. "I hope to do that with the support of the United States, but if we need to, we will do it alone," Netanyahu told visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Netanyahu has said repeatedly that a ground invasion of Rafah is the only way to root out Hamas, but global leaders have warned that an incursion would worsen an already catastrophic situation. In Rafah on Saturday, Guterres said: "Any further onslaught will make things even worse." Blinken said he would continue discussions with Israeli officials to find an alternative to a ground incursion of Rafah. Even without ground troops, Rafah is suffering regular bombardments. Members of the Kawari family, who had taken refuge in Rafah after fleeing from Gaza City, told AFP a "huge explosion" killed four children and their grandmother during an air strike early Saturday. "The entire house is destroyed. It went up in flames," said Fawzy Kawari, a relative of those who died. To the north of Rafah, in Khan Yunis city on Friday, the Barbakh family mourned relatives killed in strikes -- and expressed anger at both Israel and Hamas. "We want to understand what's the purpose of this war?" said Samih Barbakh. He accused Israeli forces of "annihilating us," before addressing a complaint to Hamas's self-exiled leader Ismail Haniyeh over the shortage of basic foods. "Where are you Haniyeh?" Barbakh asked, saying a carton of eggs has risen tenfold in price "and it's not even available." Blinken toured the region to bolster truce talks in Qatar, where mediators are aiming to secure a deal likely to involve militants freeing hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody and the delivery of more relief supplies. The top US diplomat accused China and Russia of "cynically" blocking Washington's Security Council resolution, which linked a truce to the release of hostages. Russia and China, along with Arab nations, said the US text was too soft on Israel and diplomatic sources said a tougher resolution was expected to be put to a vote in New York on Monday. burs-jxb/it/dcp United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (C) speaks during a press conference at the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Gehad Hamdy/dpa UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Saturday called for an immediate ceasefire in the months-long war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement in Gaza during a visit to the Rafah border crossing. "Now more than ever, it is time for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire," he said in a statement after inspecting the crossing on the Egyptian side. "It is time to silence the guns. Palestinians in Gaza, children, women, men, remain stuck in a non-stop nightmare. Communities obliterated, homes demolished, entire families and generations wiped out," Guterres added. Rafah is the only border crossing into the Gaza Strip that is not controlled by Israel. Guterres earlier on Saturday met injured Palestinians at a hospital in the Egyptian Sinai city of al-Arish after they had been evacuated from the coastal strip. "I was extremely moved by their stories, experiences and the hardships they endured," he said. Guterres' visit is part of an annual trip during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. "This Ramadan I come to the Rafah crossing to spotlight the hardships and pain of Palestinians in Gaza," the UN chief said. The visit came a day after the UN Security Council failed to pass a US-backed resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza war after Russia and China vetoed it. Fears have grown that a planned Israeli military offensive in Gazas southernmost city of Rafah near Egypts border would further exacerbate the humanitarian situation in the impoverished strip. More than 1 million Palestinians have taken refuge in Rafah after fleeing fighting elsewhere in the coastal enclave. Guterres' visit to the Egyptian side of Rafah was his second since the Gaza war erupted in October last year. Israel has been pursuing its military campaign in the Gaza Strip following the unprecedented massacre by Hamas militants in Israel on October 7. The US, Qatar and Egypt have been mediating between Hamas and Israel for weeks to broker a ceasefire and facilitate the release of hostages still held in Gaza. Vehicle line up, near the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, in Rafah Vehicle line up, near the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, in Rafah By Ahmed Fahmy RAFAH CROSSING, Egypt (Reuters) -A long line of blocked relief trucks on Egypt's side of the border with the Gaza Strip where people face starvation is a moral outrage, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said during a visit to the Rafah crossing on Saturday. It was time for Israel to give an "ironclad commitment" for unfettered access to humanitarian goods throughout Gaza, said Guterres, who also called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. The U.N. would continue to work with Egypt to "streamline" the flow of aid into Gaza, he said in comments made in front of the gate of the Rafah crossing, an entry point for aid. "Here from this crossing, we see the heartbreak and heartlessness of it all. A long line of blocked relief trucks on one side of the gates, the long shadow of starvation on the other," he said. "That is more than tragic. It is a moral outrage." The visit by Guterres comes as Israel faces global pressure to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, which has been devastated by more than five months of war between Israel and Hamas. Israel, which has vowed to destroy Hamas and is worried that the Palestinian militant group will divert aid, has kept all but one of its land crossings into the enclave closed. It opened its Kerem Shalom crossing close to Rafah in late December and denies accusations by Egypt and U.N. aid agencies that it has delayed deliveries of humanitarian relief, saying the U.N. has failed to distribute aid within Gaza. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz criticised Guterres in a social media post for blaming Israel "without condemning in any way the Hamas-ISIS terrorists who plunder humanitarian aid". NO SAFETY In remarks made later to reporters, Guterres also reinforced international appeals against an Israeli ground operation in Rafah city on the Gazan side of the border, where a majority of Gaza's 2.3 million residents are sheltering. He questioned Israeli plans to relocate civilians ahead of an incursion. "It is extremely doubtful any successful programme to provide security and safety for the population of Rafah when that security and safety doesn't exist in the whole of the Gaza territory," he said. In Gaza, fighting raged on Saturday around the enclaves main hospital, where Israel says it has killed more than 170 gunmen in an extensive raid that the Palestinian Health Ministry said also resulted in the deaths of five patients. As hopes for a truce in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan have faded and the humanitarian situation has become more desperate, the United States and other countries have sought to use air drops and ships to deliver aid. But humanitarians say only about one-fifth of the required amount of supplies has been entering Gaza, and that the only way to meet needs is to rapidly accelerate deliveries by road. Before his stop at the border, where he met U.N. humanitarian workers, Guterres landed in Al Arish in Egypt's northern Sinai, where much of the international relief for Gaza is delivered and stockpiled. Receiving him, regional governor Mohamed Shousha said some 7,000 trucks were waiting in North Sinai to deliver aid to Gaza, but that inspection procedures demanded by Israel had held up the flow of relief. SPREADING HUNGER This week, a global food monitor warned that famine was imminent in northern Gaza and could spread to other parts of the territory if a ceasefire was not agreed. "It's time for an ironclad commitment by Israel for total, unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza," said Guterres. More than 32,000 people have been killed by Israel's military campaign in Gaza, many of them women and children, according to local health authorities. Israel launched the assault in response to an attack by Hamas in which some 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Guterres, who made one previous trip to Egypt's border with Gaza shortly after the war broke out, is visiting Egypt and Jordan as part of an annual "solidarity trip" to Muslim countries during Ramadan. While in the Egyptian capital Cairo, he is due to break the daily fast with refugees from Sudan, where war between rival military factions has displaced nearly 8.5 million people, driven parts of the population to extreme hunger, and led to waves of ethnically-driven killings in Darfur. (Additional reporting by Yusri Mohamed, Aidan Lewis, Adam Makary and Dan Williams; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Edwina, Mark Potter and Alex Richardson) An unusual horned comet notable for a series of recent outbursts will be visible in the night sky for the remainder of March and astronomers expect the so-called devil comet to make a rare appearance during the total solar eclipse on April 8. Exactly why the dynamic comet takes on a shape that has drawn comparisons to the Millennium Falcon spacecraft from the Star Wars films when explosively active is still an enigma to scientists. But the celestial object only completes one orbit around the sun about every 71 years, similar to Halleys Comet, which make the odds of observing it for close study a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Given that the comet wont pass by Earth again for decades, collective observations by astronomers could provide key insights into the true nature and behavior of Pons-Brooks. Officially known as Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, the celestial object will make its closest pass of the sun on April 21, coming within 74.4 million miles of our star. The comet will then make its closest pass of Earth on June 2, but it will be 139.4 million miles away from our planet and wont pose a risk. For those in the Northern Hemisphere, the last 10 days of March will offer the best view, according to Dr. Paul Chodas, manager of the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, and Davide Farnocchia, navigation engineer, at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The comet will brighten a bit as it gets closer to the sun, and it should be visible to the naked eye low in the west about an hour after sunset, according to a joint email from Chodas and Farnocchia. You should go to a location away from city lights and with an unobstructed view of the western horizon. It would be advisable to use a pair of binoculars, since the comet may be hard to locate without them. After April 2, the comet is on track to move into the daytime sky and wont be visible to skygazers at night but it will be visible when the moons shadow temporarily blocks the suns face from view on April 8. The comet would be located about 25 degrees away from the eclipsed sun, Chodas and Farnocchia said via email. The comet should be fairly easy to find during the total solar eclipse, as well as a number of planets, but the main focus during those 4 minutes should be on the eclipse itself! After the comets closest approach to the sun, known as perihelion, in late April the celestial body will shift to the southern night sky and only be visible to those in the Southern Hemisphere. Two prolific discoverers, Jean-Louis Pons and William Robert Brooks, independently observed the devil comet for the first time in 1812. But the comet has likely made many trips around the sun over thousands of years, long before astronomers thought of comets as anything other than something weird in the atmosphere, said Dr. Dave Schleicher, astronomer at Lowell Observatory in Arizona. Astronomers estimate the massive comet to be between 6.2 to 12.4 miles in diameter, said astronomer Dr. Teddy Kareta, a postdoctoral associate at Lowell Observatory. The rare visitor has a green appearance typical of most comets because they contain diatomic carbon molecules that absorb sunlight and emit a color that appears green from our perspective, Schleicher said. Pons-Brooks recently captured the attention of astronomers after exhibiting intriguing behavior that caused the comet to have a horned appearance and soar through our solar system. A series of cosmic outbursts The comet has experienced a number of outbursts during the past eight months, causing it to eject gas and dust. While such releases are not uncommon in comets and a crescent or Pac-Man shape has been observed in other ones, its difficult to tell what is normal for Pons-Brooks. I would say its somewhat unusual in the number of outbursts its been having, Schleicher said. On the other hand, its not like you have good records from the past to really let you know what is typical. And I suspect given the fairly large number of outbursts that have happened over the last eight months, that this is very clearly a usual occurrence for Pons-Brooks. Comets are chunks of dust, rock and ice, essentially frozen remnants from the formation of the solar system. They also contain frozen elements such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Comets heat up and brighten as they approach the sun, and some of the frozen gases stored in comets dont need to warm up much before they begin to turn into vapor, Schleicher said. We think the ultimate driver, of course, is heating from the sun, he said. The comet is coming in; its been sitting out in a deep freeze for years. The heat is going to be working its way from the surface down to wherever that carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide ice is located. Astronomers suspect Pons-Brooks outbursts have occurred over the course of repeated events as heat vaporizes material inside the comet, which causes pressure to build up and break through the surface. While an explosion of gas wouldnt be visible in telescopes, the dust it kicks up would create the kind of events observed from Pons-Brooks, Schleicher said. Scientists have traced the jets of material observed releasing from the comet during its outburst to two source regions on its surface. Astronomers are puzzled as to why the whole surface isnt going off like mad, Schleicher said. The observations imply that ice has crusted over the majority of the surface, or the ice has been vaporized away, leaving only dirt behind, but astronomers are not quite sure which of those mechanisms runs the show, he said. What we can learn from comets An overlapping series of events likely has contributed to Pons-Brooks distinctive look, but it could also be due to our perspective of the comet, Kareta said. These are three-dimensional objects, Kareta said. When we take images of the night sky, were taking them in a limited range of colors all flattened down in two dimensions. This will make things that might make perfect sense to you, if youre able to go up and walk around and see it in a couple of different perspectives, look much more complicated than they really are. Astronomers are observing Pons-Brooks in the hopes of uncovering more details about its rotation rate, or the rate at which comets spin as they move through space. Pons-Brooks has a rotation period of 57 hours, which is longer than expected, and astronomers want to know if the jets of material releasing from the comet are speeding it up or slowing it down. But Schleicher recommends keeping an eye out for the comet now rather than during the eclipse. In all my years, Ive seen a lot of comets. Ive only seen two total eclipses, and this will be No. 3. The first one I saw was back in 1991, from Baja. And that was just extraordinary. I remember realizing, no wonder this is considered the most magnificent sight in the heavens that any person on Earth can see. Get onto the path and see it in totality. You dont understand it until youve seen one. Meteorological events to look for in 2024and where best to see them Meteorological events to look for in 2024and where best to see them Feb. 22, 2024: Venus and Mars conjunction Feb. 26, 2024: Zodiacal light April 8, 2024: Total solar eclipse April 12, 2024: 'Devil comet' crosses the sky Aug. 12, 2024: Perseids meteor shower Aug. 19, 2024: Supermoon September-October 2024: Will Comet C/2023 A3 shine bright? Oct. 2, 2024: Another solar eclipse Dec. 13, 2024: Geminid meteor shower All year: Increased aurora activity A general view of the UN Security Council meeting. The Security Council will vote today on a draft resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza. Michael Kappeler/dpa A planned UN Security Council vote on a resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza war during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan has been postponed until Monday. A vote had originally been scheduled for Saturday, but was delayed at the last minute, with diplomats continuing negotiations behind closed doors to make an adoption of the draft resolution more likely, dpa understands. On Friday, Russia and China vetoed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas. The latest draft resolution calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire for Ramadan "leading to a permanent sustainable ceasefire." Ramadan began on March 10 in many countries and ends on April 9. The draft also calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and emphasizes the need to deliver humanitarian aid throughout the Gaza Strip. If the resolution is approved, it would be the first time since the start of the Israeli military operation against the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas at the beginning of October that the most powerful UN body speaks out in favour of a sustained ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. To pass, a resolution in the UN Security Council requires at least nine of the 15 votes, and there can be no veto from one of the permanent five powers. Security Council resolutions are binding under international law. If an affected state ignores them, the body can impose sanctions. Its unbelievable: Seized car contained checks, hundreds of personal documents belonging to victims TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A Better Call Behnken investigation into an alleged check cooking scheme in Temple Terrace has been connected to an arrest in another crime in Pinellas County. It involves hundreds of personal documents for individuals and business in 19 Florida municipalities and four other states. A printer, blank check paper and writing utensils were also found, according to Largo police records. NO M3RCY license plate came with previous owners unpaid tolls This complicated tale started last month when Phyllis Faber called Better Call Behnken for help. The salon owner said she dropped off a check to pay a bill at a nearby Pinch A Penny in Temple Terrace and later discovered it had been stolen, altered and cashed by someone else. The owner of the Pinch A Penny told Consumer Investigator Shannon Behnken that multiple customer checks were missing and two had been altered and cashed. In both cases, the name of the payee had been changed to a woman named Keelee. Temple Terrace police said they have surveillance video of Keelee cashing the check but they have closed their case and are trying to transfer the case to a law enforcement agency in Pinellas County. No agency has claimed the investigation yet, though. Better Call Behnken has discovered the same Keelee popped up on the radar of Largo police on Jan. 30. During an arrest involving a man who allegedly used a fraudulent ID to rent a property, police records show that man was found in car registered to the same Keelee. Its total devastation: Another Carvana customer discovers they bought car that was reported stolen Inside that car, records show, officers found hundreds of financial documents belonging to individuals and businesses. Also found, according to the report: check paper, a printer, erasers, various writing utensils, a drivers license and bank cards belonging to numerous people. also found, a metal grinder with a green leafy reside and a Bentley car key. Also confiscated was a loaded handgun and ammunition. Documents trace back to victims in 19 Florida counties or cities, including 15 in the Tampa Bay area, touching Pinellas, Polk, Hillsborough and Pasco counties. In addition, documents for four other states, were included in the report, including California, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia. Here are some of the highlights of hundreds of personal and business documents seized. 30 pieces of unopened personal mail 21 financial documents for a dentist office in temple terrace 27 personal checks 57 banking statements 10 checks for a wound care facility in Tampa 55 business checks for various citizens Some victims are named in the report, including the chiropractic business of Dr. Pavloa Santamaria. Nearly two months after the documents were found, Better Call Behnken is the first to tell her. I am completely blindsided, Santamaria said. I have no idea what these documents could be and honestly, Im very, very worried. She added she is disappointed that law enforcement didnt notify her or return the stolen financial documents from her business that were found in this car. Clearwater homeowner asked to pay final payment on project that failed city inspection And heres the kicker: Temple Terrace and Largo police have closed their investigations. I think that its a complete mess and I think that nobody really wants to get involved with it and everybody is just kind of passing the baton, like its not my problem, Santamaria said. And its very disheartening. According to public records, the personal documents are from 19 Florida counties or cities and four other states, including California, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia. The Largo Police Department says they issued whats known as a Bolo report, alerting other law enforcement of the evidence seized. But at this time, no agency appears to be investigating the larger check cooking scheme. That makes no sense to me, Santamaria said. Its unbelievable. Better Call Behnken reached another doctor whose records were also found in the car and she also said she had not been notified of this theft and had no idea how her documents were obtained. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The United Cajun Navy held a Saturday afternoon briefing to discuss the search efforts for 22-year-old Riley Strain, whose body was discovered Friday, and 15-year-old Sebastian Rogers. This all-volunteer organization helps respond to natural disasters across the country. David Flagg, the national director of operations for the United Cajun Navy, said the organization also gets involved in missing person cases and does search and rescue missions. Riley Strain Continuing Coverage | The latest in the search for the missing Missouri student One of those missing person cases the United Cajun Navy helped with was the University of Missouri senior who was reported missing by his friends on March 9 after a night out in Nashville. Were nobody special. Were just people trying to help people who need help, and thats what we do, whether its a missing persons investigation or a disaster response or whatever the case is, Flagg said. Sometimes its just taking supplies to folks who dont have it, whether its clothes or food or medical needs or whatever the case might be, and the biggest point is that Rileys family reached out to us and asked for help, and when people do that, were not going to tell them no if we can. During the search for Strain, the organization had boats out on the water and helped organize volunteer-led searches for any signs of the 22-year-old. However, the search came to a heartbreaking end after Strains body was found in the Cumberland River on Friday, March 22. Hug your babies tight tonight, please for me: Riley Strains family speaks after Missouri students body found in Cumberland River Flagg even joined Strains family for a Friday afternoon press conference following the discovery of the college students body, but the United Cajun Navy official said he would discuss the organizations involvement in the search effort at a separate briefing. That briefing took place at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 23 at the Shelby Park Boat Launch. Flagg shared the United Cajun Navys appreciation for the local volunteers and businesses who helped with the Strain case, as well as the individuals and organizations who traveled to Nashville to help. WATCH: United Cajun Navy discusses searches for Riley Strain, Sebastian Rogers Were grateful that we were able to find Riley for his family, but I guess, on the whole, my overall description would be that I am just absolutely so honored and humbled and grateful to have been able to help Rileys family this way, Flagg explained. Wonderful bunch of folks. Weve adopted each other. Were all family now, but it certainly is disappointingIve lost a daughter myself several years ago and it just shatters your heart, especially when you can feel what that family is feeling, but we keep on keeping on. Thats what we do. In addition, Flagg mentioned the organization had joined the search for 15-year-old Sebastian who was reported missing from Sumner County nearly four weeks ago now that Strains body has been found. Sumner County residents call on extra resources for missing teen after search for Riley Strain ends Although he couldnt disclose much due to the active nature of the investigation, Flagg did say that Sebastians father had reached out to the United Cajun Navy for help. First and foremost, wed like to see Sebastian found safe and sound. I think everybodys hoping, thats always our hope, is to find, regardless of what the evidence and circumstances might point to to the contrary, our hope and we always hold onto that hope until we find out we cant anymore that that person will be found safe and sound, returned to their family, Flagg said. Im not going to give up hope Sebastian Rogers dad searches West TN park for his son The United Cajun Navy announced on Facebook Saturday morning that it deployed a search team with K-9 to Sumner County to help Sebastians family, adding, we have been asked to redirect assets from the #RileyStrain search to help bring Sebastian home. Please contact us with any tips and, as always, please pray for Sebastians family and our volunteers! According to Flagg, if the search for Sebastian reaches the point where the United Cajun Navy thinks more volunteers are necessary, the organization will turn to the media and social media to share that request. In its most recent case update from Friday, March 15, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) said, We have have not forgotten about Sebastian. Much of the work currently being done to bring Sebastian home may not necessarily be public or visible. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Sebastian Wayne Drake Rogers, 15, was reported missing on Monday, Feb. 26 from the Beech area in Hendersonville. Sebastian Rogers: Description Sebastian is 5 feet, 5 inches tall, 120 pounds with dirty blond hair. He was last seen on Monday, Feb. 26 near Stafford Court wearing a black sweatshirt and black sweatpants, said the TBI. AMBER Alert Issued The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) originally issued an Endangered Child Alert for Sebastian on the morning of Feb. 26 as multiple agencies took to the area to look for him. Based on additional investigative information developed during the search, the TBI issued an AMBER Alert for Sebastian on the afternoon of Feb. 27. An AMBER Alert is issued when there is reasonable belief by law enforcement that an abduction has occurred and the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death, per the DOJ. Multiple agencies including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Nashville Fire Department, City of Hendersonvilles first responders, Sumner County Sheriffs Office and Shackle Island Volunteer Fire have assisted in the search for Sebastian. Who to Contact If you have seen Sebastian or have info about his whereabouts, call the Sumner County Sheriffs Office at (615) 451-3838 or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND. Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox. Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee. This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. The U.S. Congress passed on March 22 a bill that allocates $228 million in military aid for Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia, the Estonian Defense Ministry announced a day later. The three Baltic countries are Washington's NATO allies bordering Russia. Tensions between Moscow and the alliance have been mounting since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. "Support from the U.S. has significantly helped Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania fast-track several military infrastructure and capability development projects," Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said in a statement. "The good news is that the support is slightly higher than last year. This sends a clear signal that the U.S., the largest ally in NATO, is committed to the security and stability of our region." Since 2020, the U.S. Defense Department has been developing military capability and interoperability of the Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian militaries through the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI). Washington allocated $225 million to the initiative in 2023 and $169 million a year before that. The focus of the funding is on developing air defense, maritime situational awareness, and land forces. The Baltic countries have been among the staunchest supporters of Ukraine against Russian aggression, devoting the largest GDP shares to aiding Kyiv of all the partners. Officials of the three countries have also been vocal about the possibility of a future open conflict between NATO and Russia. Given the nations' close proximity to Russia and its ally Belarus, they would highly likely be at the forefront of the potential clash. A Lithuanian intelligence report from earlier this month says that even as Moscow keeps allocating huge resources to war against Ukraine, it also keeps preparing for a long-term confrontation with NATO, including in the Baltic Sea region. Read also: ISW: Economic, military indicators suggest Russia is preparing for large-scale war with NATO Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The United States has no doubt that ISIS was involved in the terrorist attack on a concert in the suburbs of Moscow on the evening of 22 March and had warned Russia in advance of the threat of such a terrorist attack. Source: CBS News Details: A US official, who commented on condition of anonymity, said that the United States had intelligence that confirmed ISIS's claims of responsibility for the attack and has no reason to question this statement. The source also said that the United States had informed Moscow in advance that it had intelligence about the alleged preparation of the attack. CBS News noted that it had also received confirmation of this from National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson, without specifying whether it was both of the above statements or one of them. Later, the Russian news agency TASS reported that a "source in the Russian secret services" had also confirmed that the United States had warned Moscow about the terrorist threat. Earlier, the White House said that there was no evidence of any involvement by Ukraine in the attack. Background: A shooting incident occurred prior to a concert by the band Piknik at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, on the evening of 22 March. Afterwards, a large fire broke out in the auditorium. On the morning of 23 March, reports said over 90 people had been killed. On 8 March, the US Embassy in Russia and the UK Foreign Office warned of possible terrorist attacks in Moscow in the next two days. Support UP or become our patron! By Steve Holland (Reuters) -The United States has intelligence confirming Islamic State's claim of responsibility for a deadly shooting at a concert near Moscow, two U.S. officials said on Friday. The officials said the United States had warned Russia in recent weeks about the possibility of an attack. "Earlier this month, the U.S. government had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow potentially targeting large gatherings, to include concerts which prompted the State Department to issue a public advisory to Americans in Russia," said Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council. "The U.S. government also shared this information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding duty to warn policy." At least 60 people were killed and 145 wounded on Friday when camouflage-clad gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons on concertgoers near Moscow in one of the deadliest attacks on Russia in decades. The Islamic State, the militant group that once sought control over swathes of Iraq and Syria, claimed responsibility for the attack, the group's Amaq agency said on Telegram. The death toll made it one of the worst attacks on Russia since the 2004 Beslan school siege, when Islamist militants took more than 1,000 people hostage, including hundreds of children. "We did warn the Russians appropriately," one of the U.S. officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The U.S. embassy in Russia warned on March 8 that "extremists" had imminent plans for an attack in Moscow, hours after Russian security services said they had foiled a planned shooting at a synagogue by a cell of Islamic State. The embassy, which has repeatedly urged all U.S. citizens to leave Russia immediately, gave no further details about the nature of the threat, but said people should avoid concerts and crowds and be aware of their surroundings. Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has triggered the deepest crisis in Russia's relations with the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. The Kremlin, which accuses the U.S. of fighting against Russia by supporting Ukraine with money, weapons and intelligence, says relations with Washington have probably never been worse. (Reporting by Steve Holland; writing by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Sandra Maler and Gerry Doyle) By Trevor Hunnicutt PARKLAND, Florida (Reuters) -U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday remembered the victims of a 2018 mass shooting at the Florida high school where a gunman killed 17 people, pushing for states to strengthen laws on seizing firearms from high-risk people. "We have a duty to remember and a duty to bear witness to what happened here," Harris said, referring to wounds both visible and unseen. "We must do better." After walking the halls of a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School building in Parkland, where the murders happened and which is no longer in use, Harris spoke with 13 relatives of victims standing behind her, some holding photos. As part of her visit, Harris called for 29 of the 50 states that have no "red flag" laws to pass them and encouraged 15 more states that have the laws to start using available federal funds to implement them. The laws allow courts to issue "extreme risk protection orders" removing firearms from individuals considered at risk of harming themselves or others. Six U.S. states both have such laws and are tapping $750 million available under the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to implement crisis intervention programs. Florida approved a red flag law after the 2018 shooting but has not used the federal funding, according to a White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Parkland shooter, a former student there who was 19 at the time, had been seen for mental health issues. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison. The building where the shooting took place has remained largely unaltered since the 2018 shooting, with bloodstains and bullet holes still visible. It looms eerily over the rest of the campus behind a chain-link fence, where it can be seen as current students walk to their classes, and serves as a constant reminder of the tragedy. President Joe Biden has made gun violence a key issue in his 2024 reelection bid and tapped Harris, a former prosecutor, to oversee the effort. Both have traveled across the country to meet with people whose families died in mass shootings. Some advocates regard the red flag laws as violating their constitutional right to bear arms, while gun safety advocates point to some studies showing the statutes can prevent some deaths. A new office announced by Harris, the National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center, will work with states to implement the laws. The United States has the highest level of firearm homicides among high-income countries with populations over 10 million, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Biden, a Democrat, wants Congress to approve a new assault weapons ban and to require background checks for all U.S. gun sales. Each measure will be difficult to pass in a divided Congress. Republican candidate Donald Trump has previously supported red flag laws but opposed broader measures favored by Biden. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Gerry Doyle and Jonathan Oatis) Ukraine has found success at sea by using naval drones packed with explosive to batter Russia. In recent weeks, the Houthis have tried using similar weapons in their ongoing Red Sea attacks. Former US Navy officers say American warships can handle this threat. Still, it's an evolving challenge. In two conflicts separated by more than 1,000 miles, US friends and foes alike have turned to a deadly weapon to defeat their enemy's warships: small naval drones packed with explosives. For over a year, Ukraine has relied on these systems to blast Russian warships in the Black Sea, and more recently, the Houthis have used them albeit unsuccessfully in their ongoing attacks against shipping lanes off the coast of Yemen. Such engagements have raised questions about the preparedness of Western navies. US warships and aircraft, for example, are showing they're capable of defeating the Houthi's naval drones, but these kinds of systems are likely to prove an evolving threat, as they have in the Black Sea. "What unmanned vessels allow an adversary or a navy to do is put a lot of things in the water that a surface ship has to defend against," Bradley Martin, a retired US Navy surface warfare captain, told Business Insider. "That creates a problem." The USS Gravely transits the Arabian Gulf on Dec. 5, 2023. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Janae Chambers Over the past 18 months, two types of drones have emerged as weapons of an asymmetrical style of naval warfare put on display in Europe and the Middle East: unmanned surface vehicles, or USVs, and unmanned underwater vessels, or UUVs. USVs, especially the ones in Ukraine's arsenal, are essentially just speedboats packed with explosives that an operator can drive remotely and from a distance into another vessel and detonate. These systems can be massed in a swarm attack, and their low profiles in the water make them difficult to spot and target. UUVs, on the other hand, more or less resemble torpedoes or submarines, and can also act as underwater mines. But they are relatively slow and limited in their targeting and maneuver capabilities, making it difficult for them to strike a ship that's moving away from them. They may be most effective as lurking threats that a ship can run into. Ukraine's newly released Sea Baby drone "Avdiivka" during a presentation in the Kyiv region on March 5, 2024. AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka "As a general concept, USVs/UUVs are an additional threat," Sam Tangredi, a retired US Navy captain and surface warfare officer, said in emailed remarks shared with BI. "But they are not revolutionary or a game changer in terms of naval warfare." Indeed, while today's iterations of USVs and UUVs may be new and innovative, the idea behind packing a small vessel with explosives and sending it towards an adversary is actually a decades-old practice. A complicated threat at sea Ukraine, which lacks a proper navy, turned to USVs loaded with explosives in 2022 as an innovative solution to battle Russia's formidable Black Sea Fleet. Through repeated USV attacks, Kyiv has managed to disperse the fleet across the Black Sea, open up a crucial maritime corridor through the dangerous waters, and disable roughly a third of Moscow's warships in the region. As these attacks push Russia to rethink ways to better protect its naval assets, they also have other militaries watching with keen eyes, said one general in the Security Service of Ukraine, or SBU, which has carried out naval drone operations. "All navies in the world are forced to revise their strategies and adjust to this new type of weapon that has emerged for the first time," Brig. Gen. Ivan Lukashevych said in translated remarks shared with BI last month. A Sea Baby drone operated by the Security Service of Ukraine, or SBU. Screengrab via Security Service of Ukraine One only has to look about 1,500 miles south from the Black Sea to the Red Sea, where US and coalition forces on deployment there to protect international shipping lanes from ongoing Houthi missile and drones also face the constant threat of USV attacks. US forces have destroyed scores of USVs in Yemen with preemptive strikes designed to take out the drones before the Houthis can even deploy them. The Iran-backed rebels have, however, managed to launch a few into the water most recently this week. They have not scored any hits with these systems, though. The Houthis have also tried to deploy UUVs in at least two instances over the past month. But both times, the US military said its preemptive strikes destroyed the drones, which, just like the USVs, "presented an imminent threat" to American and commercial vessels in nearby waters. The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower conducts flight operations in response to Houthi activity in the Red Sea on Feb. 23. US Navy photo Houthi USVs and UUVs, like their unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, "are a great weapon against defenseless merchant ships," Tangredi said. "Could they get a lucky hit on a warship? Yes, chance is always an element in war." But this is not "an unsolvable problem," he said. In other words, there are ways that warships can protect against, evade, and ultimately defeat naval drones. 'Don't let them get to you' Russia has proven incapable of consistently stopping naval drone attacks, despite deploying machine gun crews on its warships and beefing up surveillance patrols with combat aircraft. Former Navy officers say Russia has often shown a disregard for this threat, but the US and its coalition partners are likely a lot more aware of it and have tactics, techniques, and procedures in place so they aren't caught off guard by a naval drone attack. Archer Macy, a retired US Navy admiral who served aboard multiple warships, said one way to protect warships in port something Russia failed to adequately do in the past but appears to be looking at more closely is to string anti-torpedo netting between two buoys at the surface level. It's a World War II-style tactic that he's "amazed" Russia hasn't relied on more. An explosion on the Russian Black Sea Fleet patrol ship Sergey Kotov, which was hit by Ukrainian sea drones off the coast of Crimea, in this image obtained from a video released on March 5, 2024. Ministry of Defense of Ukraine/Handout via REUTERS "Why they haven't done that beats me," Macy told BI. "That's my first answer to a USV or to a UUV attacking ships in port don't let them get to you." Beyond ports, US Navy ships that are underway have several options to defeat USVs and UUVs. The first is to simply out-maneuver them in the open waters. "If you think you're in a threat area, the first thing you do is you speed the hell up and then you zig-zag," Macy said. "Again, this is a World War II lesson there's nothing new here. But like I said, everything old is new again." A view of the USS Gravely destroyer in the southern Red Sea on Feb. 13, 2024. AP Photo/Bernat Armangue Beyond that, American warships or, in the case of the Red Sea battle, a carrier strike group have a litany of tools and weaponry at their disposal. This can include advanced radars, surveillance aircraft, helicopters, and a layered defense made up of machine gun fire and Mark 45 lightweight guns. Aircraft like F/A-18 Hornets, P-8 Poseidons and SH-60 Seahawk helicopters boost the detection range from ships and can help destroy the targets. "I would not ever underestimate the potential to do damage," Martin said of the drone threat, "but I think that the US Navy and the coalition navies are fairly well-prepared to deal with it." Adding 'costs and worries' to defenders While naval drones have gathered recent attention due to their employment around the Black Sea and Red Sea, their role in future conflicts remains to be seen. These weapons are unlikely to change the calculus of tomorrow's battles because other weapons are still capable of the missions that naval drones are being used for, Tangredi said. They're also a short-range threat; engagements farther out would require bigger and more expensive drones with likely satellite-based command and control. The Black Sea and Red Sea are relatively confined battle spaces, meaning there's only so many places a warship can go, which eliminates a lot of targeting problems that someone operating USVs and UUVs might face. The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower on November 26. US Navy photo by Information Technician Second Class Ruskin Naval The same can't be said about the vast Western Pacific, where many fear that the US and China may clash one day as tensions between the countries continue to rise. Should Washington and Beijing one day go to war in the region, the maritime domain would likely be the key battleground between the two sides. Naval one-way attack drones of long-enough range could contribute to a Pearl Harbor-like surprise attack on a key homeport. But their utility may otherwise be quite limited. Martin said it wouldn't be very practical for a military to use naval drones in the Western Pacific and try to find warships that are operating hundreds of miles away and constantly moving. But today's naval drones are constantly evolving. Lukashevych, the SBU general, said Ukraine's Sea Baby systems have received several modifications over time, including larger warheads and the ability to travel farther hundreds of miles. They have also become cheaper, sturdier, and more efficient in the water, he asserted. In this photo released by the US Navy The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn (DDG 113) prepares to come alongside Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship Cesar Chavez (T-AKE-14) in the East China Sea, on Jan. 21, 2024. Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Justin Stack/US Navy via AP And as the technology changes, so does the threat environment. "The US Navy has done a tremendous job defeating these USVs and UUVs while they're operating or while they're in Yemen," Shaan Shaikh, a fellow with the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, told BI. "But that doesn't mean that it's always going to be the case," he added. Naval drones can potentially carry a large payload, and if they manage to get through undetected and hit a ship, "there could be significant damage." "We're seeing these systems becoming increasingly proliferated," Shaikh said. "We know that if they do strike, they would very likely be effective. And they're certainly adding costs and worries to defenders." Read the original article on Business Insider US proposes G7 to issue $50bn bonds using frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine The United States has proposed issuing $50 billion in bonds, created from the proceeds of selling frozen Russian assets, to help Ukraine, business news outlet Bloomberg News reported on March 21. Read also: Russian assets that can be used for Ukraine's needs. Where are they, and how much are there? The U.S. put this idea forward to the members of the Group of 7 nations, though Bloomberg reports that negotiations on the matter are just beginning. Some G7 members, including Germany and France, are not fully onboard with the plan, a Bloomberg source told the publication. Some EU countries are pushing for even more drastic measures to be taken with frozen Russian assets in the West Estonia in particular has recommended confiscating the assets entirely. On Jan. 29, EU ambassadors agreed on a proposal to use profits from Russian frozen assets in the EU to support Ukraine's recovery. On Feb. 12, the EU Council approved a resolution that allows using the profits generated by frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine. Read also: EU discloses amount of frozen Russian assets slated for allocation to Ukraine President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that the framework for decisions needed to transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine are already being prepared. About $300 billion in frozen Russian assets are estimated to be held by EU and U.S. banks. On March 13, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that there are frozen assets that can ensure Ukraine's victory over the aggressor, but they are in no hurry to transfer them to the Ukrainian side. 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 US Senate approved a long-awaited budget of US$1.2 trillion in the early hours of Saturday, 23 March just hours after the government officially ran out of money to operate. Source: European Pravda, citing AP By 74 votes to 24, senators in a late-night vote approved a full budget of US$1.2 trillion, which will fund government programmes until the end of the fiscal year and avert the threat of a government shutdown until mid-autumn. Following this vote, the budget will be sent to US President Joe Biden for signature. The Senate vote occurred essentially after the formal onset of the shutdown, as Democrats and Republicans reached a last-minute agreement on their positions and did not have time to vote before midnight. However, the White House immediately stated that federal agencies would not shut down operations, given the level of confidence in the imminent approval of the bill. On Friday, concerns persisted that a shutdown might occur, as Senate amendments to the budget bill already approved by the House would necessitate a revote in the House, which had gone on a two-week break. Several weeks before this, a portion of the full budget was approved separately, also just hours before the deadline. In the end, Congress approved a budget for the current fiscal year with a six-month delay. Disputes among members of Congress over various issues, particularly conservatives demanding deeper spending cuts than were acceptable to Democrats and the White House, led to this situation. As a result, Congress had to pass temporary, short-term budgets multiple times to avoid government agency and programme shutdowns. Background: Media reports indicated that after the budget was approved in the House of Representatives, Trump loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene initiated a call for the resignation of Republican Speaker Mike Johnson, accusing him of giving "too much away" to President Joe Biden and the Democrats during government funding negotiations. It remains uncertain whether she will garner enough votes for her initiative. Earlier, Speaker Johnson stated that the bill on supplemental funding to support Ukraine would be considered in the House of Representatives once the federal government funding issue is resolved. Support UP or become our patron! Nebraska is slated to pay $4.45 million to a Kearney man who sustained lasting injuries as a result of a 2017 State Patrol chase. The Nebraska Legislature's Business and Labor Committee is working on an amendment to fund the recent settlement, adding it to a routine bill that pays for other claims that have been settled by the Attorney General's Office. The amendment includes $4.45 million for Miles Margritz and his wife, Christy. In addition, the state would pay a combined $3 million to two life insurance companies connected to the case. The state previously paid $50,000 as part of this case, bringing the total settlement to $7.5 million. According to a legal complaint filed in 2020, Nebraska State Patrol officers on Dec. 20, 2017, were pursuing Jose Ortiz, who was fleeing in a stolen vehicle. Ortiz then collided with Margritz in the intersection of Old Potash Highway and U.S. 281 in Grand Island. According to a Lincoln Journal Star report, Ortiz was driving over 140 mph. Ortiz died in the collision. Margritz, who was obeying traffic laws, was seriously and permanently injured in the crash, including both external and internal injuries. A state trooper who was one of the first on the scene said he thought Margritz was "hit so hard, theres just no way he could survive." He did survive. But the original complaint alleged that Margritz incurred over $648,000 in medical bills as of late 2020, and lost at least $54,000 in wages. Christy Margritz served as his caregiver through his long recovery, along with caring for their two young children. Under state statute, Nebraska is liable for injuries to innocent third parties caused by state law enforcement during vehicular pursuit. The complaint alleged that the patrol officers were negligent and acted against their own policies and state law by not de-escalating or stopping their pursuit of Ortiz to prevent the danger Ortiz was creating while he fled. "The NSP officers and employees of the state knew or should have known that their active pursuit would have and did have an effect on the actions of Ortiz which resulted in the collision with Miles," the complaint reads. Photos: Nebraska football's pro day, March 20 The US Senate has failed to vote on the budget by the deadline, but agreement has been reached and a successful vote should take place in the early hours of Saturday. Source: Reuters Details: Late in the evening of 22 March, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced after lengthy negotiations between Democrats and Republicans that the parties had reached an agreement on a US$1.2 trillion budget that will provide funding until the end of September this year. However, the House failed to approve the budget before midnight, when the previously approved temporary funding for the government formally expired. Earlier on Friday, the House of Representatives supported the draft. If the vote in the early hours of Saturday is successful, as expected, the approved budget will go to President Joe Biden for his signature. The White House Office of Management and Budget has announced that federal agencies will not shut down due to a lack of funding, given the confidence that the Senate will be able to approve a full budget for two-thirds of government programmes by the end of the fiscal year, which ends on 30 September. Background: Earlier this month, Congress approved funding for one-third of all programmes. As reported by the media, after the budget was approved in the House of Representatives, Trump supporter Marjorie Taylor Greene initiated the resignation of fellow party speaker Mike Johnson, accusing him of giving "too much away" to President Joe Biden and Democrats during negotiations on government funding. It is unclear whether she will be able to gather enough votes for her initiative. Earlier, Speaker Johnson said that a bill on supplementary funding to support Ukraine would be considered in the House of Representatives as soon as the issue of funding the federal government is resolved. Support UP or become our patron! US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaks during a press conference at the Casa Rosada presidential palace. The US government has condemned the terrorist attack on a concert hall near Moscow. Friday's attack was a "heinous crime," Blinken said on 23 March. Fernando Gens/dpa The US government has condemned the terrorist attack on a concert hall near Moscow in the strongest possible terms. Friday's attack was a "heinous crime," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday. "We send our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and all affected," he said. "We condemn terrorism in all its forms and stand in solidarity with the people of Russia in grieving the loss of life from this horrific event," Blinken said. It was lunchtime on Thursday, and tech billionaire Matthew Prince was riding a ski lift above the jagged peaks of Park City, Utah, as he does every afternoon before heading back to work. Usually, Prince noshes quietly on a sandwich, but on this day he was animated and a little bit grumpy as he defended his plan to build a mega-mansion above the citys historic Old Towna proposal that has some neighbors up in arms. This is essentially just two rich people fighting with each other, which is silly, but here we are, he told The Daily Beast. Its more than just two people. Princes main adversaries are his neighbors Eric Hermann and Susan Fredston-Hermann, who filed an appeal this month after he received approval to build the home. Eight other Park City property owners joined the appeal, arguing that the proposal would flout local zoning laws. Prince did not appreciate the obstruction. On Monday, his LLC, Pesky Porcupine, filed a lawsuit against the Hermanns alleging that their Bernese mountain dogs have aggressively approached, chased, and harassed people on Princes property. As an added insult, the complaint described the couple as senior and frail, and physically incapable of controlling the animals. (Both of them are in amazing shape, retorted the Hermanns friend and fellow appellant John Vrabel.) An attorney for the Hermanns said the timing of the lawsuit suggests a connection to his clients appeal, and Prince hardly denied that. I think its pretty reasonable that at some point you say enough is enough. Especially if they're kind of suing you, or at least appealing your ability to build a house, he said. Forty-nine years old, baby faced, and worth an estimated $3.4 billion, Prince is accustomed to controversy. His publicly traded firm, Cloudflare, helps websites defend themselves against cyberattacks and in the past has faced calls to refuse its services to online bad actors, like white supremacist sites, doxxers, and noxious message boards. By comparison, the homebuilding kerfuffle would seem to be manageable. Prince said he was a bit puzzled that the controversy had generated outside interest, but such, I guess, is my life these days. He attributed much of the blowback to misinformation. Some of his opponents, he noted, live miles away from the property, while others may not realize the site is exempt from certain zoning regulations because of a decades-old agreement with the town. They went through a two-year-plus public process and complied with all the rules, [and] made lots and lots and lots of changes to the designs, added his attorney Bruce Baird. The Princes arent bullying anyone, theyre simply trying to protect their rights. And I think, frankly, the Hermanns are the ones that are trying to bully the Princes, sort of by reverse victimology. The Hermanns dogs, Sasha and Mocha. Prince claims they chased his 80-year-old mother. Eric Hermann and Susan Fredston-Hermann The situation mirrors other recent flare-ups involving wealthy landownersin Florida, Chicago, Wyoming, and elsewhereas residents chafe at the influence wielded by their billionaire neighbors. In Princes case, he and his wife, Tatiana, own a local newspaper, the Park Record, and last year he allegedly tried to circumvent Park City authorities by hiring a lobbyist and having the state legislature discreetly authorize his plans. As The Salt Lake Tribune reported, a few seemingly innocuous sentences were slipped into a bill that would have essentially given Prince carte blanche. Park Citys mayor called the bill special treatment of one resident over the community. In the end, Prince backed off. Even if the unrest is partly attributable to paranoia or confusion, as Prince contends, his antagonists believe he represents a danger to egalitarianism in the increasingly wealthy ski destination, where the average home is worth more than $1.5 million. Prince has seemingly BOUGHT preferential treatment for his request, former city council member Jim Doilney wrote in an email to the planning department in February, according to public filings. I am extremely upset to think our towns soul is seemingly being sold. Please treat him like everyone else. The site of Princes proposed home, where short-term guests used to cause commotion, he claims. Park City Planning Commission Raised in Park City, Prince studied computer science and English at Trinity College before earning a law degree from the University of Chicago in 2000. Seven years later, he enrolled at Harvard Business School, where he and another student won the business plan competition by pitching the idea for Cloudflare. They launched the company with a third co-founder in 2009, and Prince moved to the Bay Area. Years later, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many affluent techies fled to the mountains, and Prince relocated to Park City. My wife, whos actually from Boston originally, sort of fell in love with the place, and we decided to stay, he said. Never imagined Id be back here. In 2020, the couple bought their now-embattled property on King Road. The lot featured two separate homes, at least one of which the previous owners had rented out to short-term guests. According to Prince, those vacationers caused headaches for the neighborhood. Youd find some Psi U pledge kid drunk and naked in your backyard at all hours of the night, he said, arguing that his plan to build a single residence and live there full-time would greatly improve the community. (Whether short-term guests caused problems is a matter of some dispute. Vrabel told The Daily Beast he has lived nearby for 55 years and has never heard one thing like that. Another Park City resident, developer Jerry Fiatwho had a construction project next doorsaid some renters did indeed host parties.) After buying the property, Prince said, he went out of his way to earn his neighbors trust. Virtually all of them, with the exception of the Hermanns, backed his proposal, he said. If youve seen the plans, theyre gorgeous, said neighbor Ben Dahl, a venture capitalist who has known Prince for years. Its a really interesting nod to this mining history. Pat Sweeney, another resident, also endorsed the billionaire. Ive met some real assholes in my life, he said. I dont pretend to be his buddy or anything, but I think hes comported himself very well in this whole thing. Sweeneys family negotiated with Park City in the 1980s to exempt seven lots from the normal zoning rules, he said, including the one purchased by Prince. The regulations are extraordinarily complex, and Prince told The Daily Beast he had difficulty getting city officials to sign off on his plans. For a while they were just like, This seems complicated, we dont want to deal with it. And that was frustrating, he said. As a result, Prince continued, he tried to route his proposal through the state legislature. He claimed he reversed course once local authorities agreed to engage, adding that the process has since been much smoother. (Not accurate, a Park City spokesperson said. City professionals have been consistently responsive to the applicants team during this process.") Sweeney, who believes Prince has not been treated fairly by local officials, nevertheless objected to the state legislature ploy. My brother and I got sideways on that with him early on, he said. I mean, we had some fairly significant disagreements. That was one of them. A rendering of Princes proposed residence. The size of the homes footprint is subject to dispute. Park City Planning Commission This February, the planning commission voted 4-2 to green-light elements of Princes proposal. But the Hermanns and their cohort refuse to back down. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, they believe his building plans are far out of compliance. The proposed structure, they say, is nearly double the 27-foot height limit, while the homes footprint is allegedly more than triple the maximum allowed. While no single floor is larger than the allowed 3,500 square feet, the way the floors are staggered means the entire footprint of the home would be roughly 11,300 square feet, the paper said, summarizing the opposition. Prince has insisted the home is compliant, and he pegs the footprint of the living space at just shy of 3,500 square feet. As Fiat tells it, the commotion fits a pattern of NIMBYism in Park City, which is home to 8,400 permanent residents. Its a running joke in town: You live there for a year, and then you consider yourself a local and you dont want anyone else to move in, he said. In this case, we just happen to have a high-profile individual who has deeper pockets and is not afraid to take on a fight. Fiat, who said he built the Hermanns home, pointed out that their residence is also extremely large. Prince defended his decision to escalate the conflict by filing his lawsuit this week. The Hermanns dogs, Sasha and Mocha, chased his 80-year-old mother and terrified his nanny, he said, and they were defecating all over the place. (Neighbors had conflicting opinions on whether the lawsuits claims are true. Dahl contended that the dogs are often unleashed and uncontrolled, while another resident, who asked not to be named, said otherwise: Ive known those dogs for a long time. Ive never seen them be aggressive.) As Princes case continues to generate local attention, including by media outlets KPCW and the Park Record, the rumor mill is also swirling. Two residents told The Daily Beast that Prince had promised a large donation to the Park City Historical Society and Museum in exchange for its support. Both the museum and Prince emphatically denied that, though museum Executive Director Morgan Pierce did write an effusive letter in 2022 declaring that Princes home would be an homage to our incredible mining past and an improvement to the city skyline. The gossip is only stirring more alarm, both among Princes vocal opponents and those who feel they cant speak up. People are scared, said one Park City resident who has lived in the area for decades. When the richest guy in Utah moves to your town, I mean, he could tie you up for years in litigation. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. (Bloomberg) -- Venezuelas US-backed opposition agreed to replace banned presidential candidate Maria Corina Machado ahead of the July election, amid doubt that it will be able to register a challenger to run against President Nicolas Maduro. Most Read from Bloomberg The opposition appointed little-known Corina Yoris, a one-time member of the oppositions primaries organizing committee, to step in for Machado after the government kept the ban on Machados candidacy in place. The window for enrolling candidates ends March 25. We have found a person of my total confidence, honorable, who will complete this procedure with the support and trust of everyone, said Machado from her partys headquarters. She added that shell keep fighting her disqualification. The decision follows more than two weeks of tense talks within the opposition coalition triggered by the government setting the vote for early July, giving them little time to pick and register a substitute for Machado, whose popularity in polls has been running roughly twice as high as Maduros At the same time, the government has stepped up a crackdown against dissent versus Maduro regime thats seen arrest warrants issued for some of Machados closest allies, including Magalli Meda, who was originally rumored to be her replacement. Still, obstacles remain even with the selection of the 80-year-old Yoris. Since the registration window opened Thursday, the two only opposition parties authorized by the government to register candidates have been unable to do so, Machado said Friday. And then theres also the possibility the government could see that Yoris is disqualified. In late 2021, a court banned then-opposition governor candidate Freddy Superlano after he secured a rare triumph in the Chavista stronghold of Barinas, in addition to two alternate candidates. Furthermore, the Public Prosecutors Office in October opened an investigation of the oppositions presidential primary, looking into allegations of electoral fraud. This is another moment, Machado, 56, pointed out. Maduros candidacy was confirmed last week and some of the dozen parties supporting the 61-year-old incumbent have already registered his name in the process, but he hasnt formalized it. The government said it had invited eight international organizations to oversee the contentious vote, including the Carter Center, the European Union and the United Nations, but none has confirmed attendance yet. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Renee Petersen has joined Verve, a Credit Union as Vice President of Operations. OSHKOSH Renee Petersen has joined Verve, a Credit Union as vice president of operations. In this role, Petersen will be responsible for providing service and support to teams and members while driving increased efficiency in daily operations. Renee is a strong leader whose talents shine in creative and member-centric ways, President and CEO Kevin J. Ralofsky said in a news release. She brings a wealth of experience and a proven record of improving back-office and member experiences," Ralofsky added. "We are thrilled to welcome her to our team. Petersen has more than 30 years of financial institution experience, beginning her career at a Green Bay credit union and most recently was senior vice president of operations at Community First Credit Union in Neenah. She has served in senior leadership positions at various financial institutions in Wisconsin since 2004. Petersen is a graduate of the Graduate School of Bankings Digital Banking School and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College and attended Lakeland University. Respiratory illnesses: Here's the latest on COVID-19, flu and RSV in the Oshkosh area Donors needed to boost national blood supply American Red Cross continues to seek donors to give blood or platelets to continue to strengthen the national blood supply. People of all blood types are needed especially those with type O blood. A blood donor card or drivers license or two other forms of identification are required. Individuals 17 years old (16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in general good health may be eligible to donate blood. Donors younger than 18 also have to meet certain height and weight requirements. Upcoming blood drives include the following: March 25: 1 to 6 p.m., YMCA Downtown, 324 Washington Ave., Oshkosh; and March 27: Noon to 5 p.m., Double Tree by Hilton Neenah, 123 E. Wisconsin Ave., Neenah. To make an appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 800-733-2767. Police barriers: Winnebago County Board, in complete 180, approves funding to purchase police barricades for Neenah and Menasha Volunteers also are needed to be blood donor ambassadors and transportation specialists. Volunteer blood donor ambassadors at blood drives help greet, check-in and thank blood donors to ensure they have a positive experience. Transportation specialists ensure blood products are delivered to nearby hospitals. For more information, visit redcross.org/volunteertoday. Contact Mara Wegner at mwegner@gannett.com or 920-996-7241. This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Verve, a Credit Union, welcomes new VP of operations in Oshkosh CLEARWATER The orange Village Inn sign glowed, a familiar beacon of comfort food and steaming coffee along Pinellas Countys Roosevelt Boulevard. Inside, things werent as familiar: The interior was sleek and modern, with dark wood floors, bright white fixtures and a shade of blue called Mediterranean on the booths and banquettes. There were occasional pops of orange, like on the custom-made chandelier. And one major difference: a full bar serving beer, wine and liquor. The new features are part of the vision of franchisee Danny Lehan, who recently gave the Tampa Bay Times a tour of the newly opened location at 2659 Roosevelt Blvd. in Clearwater. Lehan started out at Village Inn as a teenage busboy and worked his way up to general manager, then owner. The chain opened in 1958 in Denver and has corporate and franchise restaurants throughout the country, with many Florida locations. Lehan now owns nine stores, including the one in Largo on Walsingham Road where he first started working in 1990. Adding alcohol to the menu for the first time was a decision Lehan made in partnership with Village Inns parent company, BBQ Holdings, to bring options to customers who might like a mimosa or a Bloody Mary with their pancakes at breakfast. Weve taken a 70-year-old brand and brought it into now, Lehan said. Lehan said he paid attention to how customers needs were changing, with an interest in having an experience while they dine. We had extra-friendly service and great-tasting food, but it was lacking in experience and atmosphere, he said. The new look and bar menu will eventually roll out to all of Lehans stores, he said. The look, which Lehan dubbed farmhouse luxe, was created by his husband CJ Lehan, owner of interior design firm The Agency Group. It has already been implemented in his locations in Oldsmar and St. Petersburg. The Oldsmar spot is now serving alcohol, and the St. Pete store will soon. Even though the vibe is modern with furniture and fixtures made locally there are touches of nostalgia, like the Legacy Booth, with a patchwork of Village Inn fabrics from throughout the decades. Guests can also dine alfresco on the patio with umbrellas, landscaping and colorful up-lighting. The bar menu was developed in-house and features a Paloma with tequila blanco, red and white sangria, mimosas and a customizable spicy or regular Bloody Mary. The Wake Up Call blends Baileys and Kahlua with hot coffee and is topped with whipped cream, while the Largo Bulldog combines vanilla vodka with Kahlua, espresso and cream on the rocks. The pretty pink-colored Madras mixes vodka with cranberry and orange juices. Cocktails can be made to order, and there is also a beer and wine list. Liquor drinks range from $6.99-$8.99, beers are $4.99 for domestics and $5.49 for imports, and wine by the glass is $5.99. There is a happy hour every day from 3-6 p.m. Boozy Bingo is already in play, with that and other events planned. Also new is a coffee and tea bar. Lehan sourced Cafe Perez Espresso from Ybor City for cappuccinos, lattes ($5) and a special Caramel Shaker ($7). Black, green, herbal teas ($2.99) and a chai latte ($5) are also on the menu, as is a special London Fog using Earl Grey with vanilla syrup and milk. There are also a few new menu items avocado toast with everything bagel seasoning, a triple-stacked crushburger topped with bacon and an onion ring and cheesecake-stuffed French toast. But for the purists, dont worry: Lehan kept the core menu intact so loyal customers dont feel alienated. So not only are the famous pies still available (get a free slice with a dine-in entree on Wednesdays) but so is the 55-and-up value menu. And kids ages 10 and younger still eat free on Mondays and Tuesdays. Village Inn has always been famous for its customization of everything, Lehan said. Now we really have something for everyone. Village Inns newest location is at 2659 Roosevelt Blvd., Clearwater. 6 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. 727-223-9550. There are several other locations in Tampa Bay. villageinn.com. Voters in former Rep. Kevin McCarthys congressional district will decide between two Republicans twice this year to succeed him. Assemblyman Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, and Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux will advance to a May 21 runoff in the special election to finish McCarthys term, the Associated Press predicted. The two will also compete in the Nov. 5 general election for a full term of their own. The AP said Tuesday that Fong, McCarthys chosen heir, would advance in the special election. I am grateful that voter have once again chosen experienced, common-sense leadership to represent the Central Valley in Washington D.C., Fong said in a statement Wednesday morning. The AP predicted around 4:33 p.m. Friday that Boudreaux would join Fong in May. I am honored to continue making the case for a safer Valley in Congress rooted in real experience, Boudreaux said in a statement Wednesday morning. With an estimated 99% of votes counted in the March 19 primary, Fong had 42.3% and Boudreaux had 25.8%. The next closest contender, Bakersfield teacher Marisa Wood, a Democrat, had 22.6%. The winner of the May runoff will be sworn in nearly immediately to complete McCarthys unfinished term, which ends in January 2025. McCarthy, 59, retired in December after his ousting as Speaker of the House. In Californias special elections, if a candidate gets a majority of votes in the primary, they win outright. If not, theres a runoff between the top two vote-getters. Californias 20th the states most heavily GOP congressional district, where 47% of registered voters are Republican and 27% are Democrats grabs portions of Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Kern counties. What happened in the March 5 primary? Who are the candidates? Results from the March 19 special election mirrored those of the March 5 primary. Fong and Boudreaux will advance to the November election for a full two-year term that begins in January 2025, the AP projected in mid-March. Fong, 44, served as McCarthys district director for almost a decade before his election to the Assembly. Born in Bakersfield, Fong started his political career as an aide to former Republican Rep. Bill Thomas, McCarthys predecessor. He got former President Donald Trumps endorsement on Feb. 20 and again on Sunday for the special election. Boudreaux, 56, has been Tulare County Sheriff for over a decade. Currently president of the California State Sheriffs Association, he has worked in Tulare County law enforcement since age 19 and has earned several key local endorsements. Results in either race wont be official for a while. Californias secretary of state must send a certified list of May 21 candidates by or on April 2. Secretary of State Shirley Weber, Californias chief elections officer, will certify results from the March 5 primary on April 12. Facing a Democrat in May and November for the states reddest congressional district would have made it easier for a Republican to win. A GOP-funded committee affiliated with McCarthy allies spent more than $650,000 before March 5 to try to elevate Fong and Wood over Boudreaux. Does Fongs candidacy face a legal challenge? Before April 12, Weber hopes that a state appeals court will disqualify Fong as a congressional candidate because he was on the March 5 ballot for both the 20th Congressional and 32nd Assembly District, which he currently represents. Her challenge does not apply to the special election. Fong ended up on the March 5 ballot for both thanks to a messy game of succession. McCarthy announced his retirement two days before Californias electoral filing deadline. Since McCarthy, the incumbent, was not running, the filing deadline for Californias 20th was extended until Dec. 13. Fong originally declined to run to succeed his former boss before the Dec. 8 deadline to qualify for his Assembly race, which he did. State Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, who will be termed out of the Legislature come 2026 and appeared McCarthys likely successor, announced she would not run a few days later. Following her announcement, Fong changed his mind, announced his bid for Congress before the deadline and gathered McCarthys endorsement. Weber said in December that, under elections code, Fong could neither withdraw from the Assembly race nor be on the ballot for competing offices. She said she would bar him from running in the 20th. But a Sacramento Superior Court judge granted Fongs request to be on the ballot for the Assembly and Congress on Dec. 28. Weber, up against a deadline, included him on the certified list of candidates for both races. At the end of January, Weber asked an appeals court to erase Judge Shelleyanne W. L. Changs ruling by April 12. If the court grants her request, she would block him from the Nov. 5 ballot. Fong was uncontested in the 32nd Assembly Districts primary. There were write-in candidates. NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) With Spring Break upon on us, the Virginia Zoo will be requiring advance reservations and timed-entry tickets from March 30-April 7, a release states. This is to help ensure theres enough space for parking, eating at the restaurant, riding the train, etc. Tickets must be purchased online in advance by all Zoo guests, including members, for a selected entry window between 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Get tickets The latest time guests can enter is 3 p.m., and the Zoo is scheduled to close at 4 p.m. No onsite tickets will be available, and admissions will be limited for the duration of the week. Programs throughout the week will include a variety of keeper and educator chats, pop-up animal encounters and a guided Wild Walk through the Zoo on Wednesday, April 3 at 10 a.m. Check with WAVY.com for more updates. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Three visitors sued the National Park Service (NPS) over their policy of prohibiting cash payments at various locations around the country. Elizabeth Dasburg from Georgia, Esther van der Werf of California and Toby Stover of New York filed a lawsuit in early March, alleging the park services cashless policy is violating the federal law. The trio said they were not able to use cash when visiting monuments, national parks and other locations in the U.S. Since U.S. currency is legal tender for all public charges, NPSs policy of refusing it at some locations is infringing on federal law, the lawsuit filed on March 6 alleges. NPSs violation cannot be overlooked, the suit argues, although the plaintiffs are not asking the court to prohibit NPS from accepting credit cards, debit cards, or digital payment methods (such as ApplePay) should visitors to NPS sites prefer to use them. The plaintiffs cash payments were rejected in Georgia, Arizona and New York. Van der Werf was allegedly barred entry at three different locations in Arizona run by the federal agency. Stover was not able to tour New Yorks Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Site after attempting to use $10 in cash for the tour. NPS does not accept cash payments at 29 locations, according to the lawsuit. The cashless policy has been in effect since 2019 for park passes in Arizona. Similar adjustments were set to come this year to locations in Montana, Colorado and California. NPS has argued the shift is lessening wait times and making it easier to count the amount charged for each visitor. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. PARKLAND Vice President Kamala Harris called on more states to pass "red flag" laws to curb gun violence as she toured the site Saturday of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre that left 17 people dead. There won't be complete agreement on all that must be done to address these kinds of tragedies, Harris said, speaking in the Broward County school's gymnasium. But there are some that frankly, to use a colloquialism, are just no-brainers. Harris met with victims' families Saturday afternoon at the high school where a gunman killed 14 students and three staff members on Valentine's Day in 2018. Walking with U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Coral Springs, and the group of family members, Harris went through the building of blood-stained hallways, where the scene remains untouched since the shooting. The vice president described her walk-through as a moment frozen in time, where desks were positioned the same way they were, notes were scattered among desks and opened snacks sat on desks. The trauma that results from this kind of violence that takes place every day in America and in a profound number took place here six years ago, Harris said. Trauma that for the most part, though they will try to mitigate it, the pain will never completely be healed. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks Saturday about gun violence at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. In the gymnasium, Harris spoke about ways the Biden Administration aims to combat gun violence. One of them is through the launch Saturday of a National Extreme Resource Protection Order Resource Center. The Department of Justice center will help states and public agencies optimize the use of red-flag laws, which allow courts to issue orders for firearm removal from individuals at risk to harming themselves or others. Harris also called for states without red-flag laws to pass them, and encouraged states that already have them to use the millions of available federal dollars set aside for that purpose. Of the 21 states that have red-flag laws, only six are using funds from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which includes about $750 million to implement state crisis-intervention programs. Six years post-Parkland: Six years after Parkland: The complicated legacy of a shocking, saddening school shooting Florida, which has a red-flag law, falls on the list of states Harris is calling out for missing out on federal dollars. Last year, Floridas Democratic congressional delegation criticized Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis because the state did not apply for millions in federal outlays that could have been used for gun violence prevention. A bullet hole can be seen in a second floor window of the 1200 building, the crime scene where the 2018 shootings took place, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Harris visit through Parkland high school's blood-stained halls Harris is one of multiple elected officials who has scheduled a visit to the barricaded three-story Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School building. Since the shooting, the building hasnt been touched so that the evidence could be used for court proceedings in trying gunman Nicolas Cruz. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2022. U.S. lawmakers and officials, often Democrats, have traveled to Parkland frequently this past year to visit the untouched crime scene before its scheduled demolition this summer. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona visited the shuttered building earlier this year. Visits to Parkland's crime scene: U.S. education secretary, top House Democrat tour Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting site Moskowitz, a Democrat who represents Parkland, has spent much of his time in Congress bringing lawmakers to Parkland to tour the building. In a statement before Harris visit, Moskowitz described the site as a literal time capsule of one of the worst mass shootings in American history. While serving in the state House, Moskowitz worked with then-Gov. Rick Scott and state Republicans to enact gun safety measures into Florida law after the tragedy. Carlos Rodriguez of Parkland weeps in the arms of Camila Cortes of Coral Springs as a speaker recalls the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting during a "March for our Lives" event at Pine Trails Park in Parkland in June 2022. Rodriguez and Cortes graduated from the school in 2019. Advocating for gun violence prevention since the Parkland mass shooting is a top priority for Moskowitz, who is a graduate of Stoneman Douglas. In Congress, he advocates for laws improving gun violence prevention efforts and touts Floridas red-flag laws, which have been used thousands of times since their implementation, and which he helped craft. Scott, who signed these gun safety reforms into law after the shooting, said in a statement before Harris visit that he continued to stand behind the reforms he made in 2018, but accused the Biden Administration of encouraging red-flag laws such as one in California that abandons due process to more quickly and easily take constitutional rights away from law-abiding Americans. Stephany Matat is a politics reporter for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY-Florida network. Reach her at smatat@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Harris visits blood-stained halls of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High Arizona expects to be back at the center of election attacks. Its top officials are going on offense Preparing for the worst has become the leading strategy for Arizona election officials since 2020, when the states razor-thin presidential race made it a national epicenter for misinformation about voter fraud, machine problems and phony results If adult birds are scared away it leaves ground-nesting chicks vulnerable (library picture) Some of the UK's rarest birds are preparing to breed in Epping Forest, with areas roped off from walkers. Skylarks, Nightjars and Dartford Warblers all nest on the ground or in low bushes, which leaves them vulnerable to being disturbed. The Skylarks on Wanstead Flats are the closest returning population of ground-nesting birds to central London, a City of London committee said. Walkers are also asked to make sure their dogs are under control. Wanstead Flats is a large area of open grassland in the south of the forest and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Skylarks, Nightjars and Dartford Warblers Skylarks have a small crest, which can be raised when the bird is excited or alarmed The Skylark is a small brown bird, larger than a sparrow but smaller than a starling. It is streaky brown with a small crest - which can be raised when the bird is excited or alarmed - and a white-sided tail. The wings also have a white rear edge, which is visible in flight. It is known for its display flight, vertically up in the air. Recent and dramatic population declines make it a red list species. Nightjars can be seen hunting for food at dusk and dawn Nightjars are nocturnal and can be seen hunting for food at dusk and dawn. They have pointed wings and long tails, similar to a Kestrel. They have a supernatural reputation thanks to their silent flight and their mythical ability to steal milk from goats - their Latin name Caprimulgus translates as goatsucker. The Dartford Warbler will perch on top of a stem to sing The Dartford Warbler's population crashed to just a few pairs in the 1960s, but has gradually recovered since then. It will perch on top of a stem to sing, but is more often seen as a small flying shape bobbing between bushes. The bird was originally known by its country name, the Furze Wren. It was formally "discovered" in Bexley - when two were shot on the common and given to a naturalist, John Latham. Dr Latham ruffled the feathers of the locals by registering the species not after Bexley but after Dartford, where he had his medical practice. There is still a Furze Wren in Bexleyheath, a Wetherspoon pub. Chairman of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee, Ben Murphy, said of the temporary cordons: "Some people may think these [cordoning off] measures go too far - but the reality is that these birds play a critical role in protecting the forest and maintaining a balanced ecosystem. "They are pest controllers, pollinators and seed dispersers. 'Incredibly promising' "We want everyone to enjoy the abundance of nature found in 'the green lungs of London', which is why we are urging visitors to respect these birds by staying out of the clearly defined areas." If adult birds are scared from nests, it leaves any chicks vulnerable - and accidental trampling can destroy the habitat in just one step. Mr Murphy added: "The protective measures we put in place last year resulted in at least four young larks fledging. "There were 11 skylarks there at the end of last season and we have seen seven individuals so far, which is incredibly promising." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A Warm Springs man has been sentenced to federal prison for assaulting his then-girlfriend in December 2020, the U.S. District Attorneys Office announced Thursday. Alfred Dee Kaulaity, 47, was sentenced to 66 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release relating to several prior domestic violence convictions. Kaulaity was previously sentenced to 78 months in state prison for another domestic violence incident in Jefferson County involving the same victim. He will serve both sentences back-to-back. Mother charged after son killed in Wednesday night car crash Court documents say that on Dec. 3, 2020, Kaulaity was with his girlfriend at the Indian Head Casino on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation and became angry with her after she talked with a male friend. While driving away from the casino together, Kaulaity struck his girlfriend with the back of his hand, leaving a visible scar on her face. Kaulaity then threatened to kill her while driving from Oregon to northern California. Several days later, Kaulaitys girlfriend was getting off a flight to PDX when employees saw the womans injuries, reporting them to Port of Portland police. The woman told officers she had been assaulted by her boyfriend, but did not identify him at the time. Then in June 2021, Jefferson County Sheriff deputies responded to a reported assault of the same woman. At that point, she identified Kaulaity and reported his assault on her in Dec. 2020. Man turns self in for involvement in 2022 fatal Portland crash In May 2022, a Portland federal grand jury indicted Kaulaity on charges of kidnapping, domestic assault by a habitual offender, assault resulting in substantial bodily injury and interstate domestic assault. In December of last year, he pleaded guilty to assault by a habitual offender. Before these two Oregon convictions, Kaulaity had six prior domestic violence convictions in Oklahoma spanning 17 years and involving three different victims. Kaulaity was ordered to pay $1,432 in restitution to his victim and $3,494 to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Account. Human remains discovered in Fairview park, investigation underway This case was investigated by the FBI and the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by the Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. If you or someone you know needs help, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Additionally, the StrongHearts Native Helpline offers culturally specific support and advocacy for American Indian and Alaska Native survivors of domestic violence. Call 1-844-762-8483 or visit www.strongheartshelpline.org for more information. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. A photo from a 2012 public newsletter released by the city of Camas. WASHOUGAL, Wash. - A Camas-Washougal Fire Department captain has been booked into jail for allegedly murdering his wife. Just before 5 a.m. on Jan. 8, the Camas-Washougal Fire Department and Washougal Police Department responded to a call about a woman in "medical distress" at a home on 34th Street in Washougal. The caller, 49-year-old Kevin West, said his wife, 48-year-old Marcy West, was having a seizure and that she had stopped breathing, so he was trying CPR on her. Medics arrived and tried to save Marcy but she did not survive. However, after a subsequent autopsy, officials were made aware that her death was not a medical or natural issue. On March 20, the medical examiner determined that she died of asphyxia with blunt trauma to the neck. Her manner of death was determined to be a homicide. In the days after her death, several people close to the victim contacted law enforcement with concerns about potential issues in the relationship. They, too, worried her death was not of natural causes. The Clark County Sheriff's Office took over the investigation on Jan. 11. Kevin West is employed by the Camas-Washougal Fire Department, who responded to the scene, and Washougal PD handed off the case to deputies to avoid a conflict of interest. Through their investigation, detectives learned that the couple were the only ones home at the time of Marcy's death. It was also discovered that the pair were having marital and financial problems, matching up with statements from Marcy's loved ones. It also appeared that Kevin gave detectives contradictory statements, according to the Clark County Sheriff's Office. Kevin West was arrested on March 22 and booked into Clark County Jail for first-degree murder. The investigation is still active and ongoing. Latest crime stories 2 teens found dead near I-5 with gunshot wounds, WSP investigating How to watch celebration of life for Peter Seidler at Petco Park Video Above: Padres hold memorial for Peter Seidler at Petco Park SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) The San Diego Padres are honoring their beloved former chairman and owner, Peter Seidler, with a celebration of life ceremony at Petco Park on Saturday. Seidler passed away in November 2023. The celebration of life ceremony is being held at Petco Park at 11 a.m. Gates opened at 10 a.m. with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. For those who cannot attend the in-person, MLB is streaming the remembrance online for all to see. Seidler will be remembered throughout San Diego for his belief in what the Padres could be and his extensive philanthropic endeavors in the community. The Padres will honor Seidler by wearing a patch on their jerseys during the 2024 season. The Padres Foundation will also be launching the Peter Seidler Legacy Fund to raise money for charitable projects. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. WEBER COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) Weber County fire crews rescued a dog that became trapped in a vehicle after a collision Friday afternoon, according to the Weber Fire District. Weber County fire crews, along with deputies from the Weber County Sheriffs Office, responded to a traffic accident at the intersection of 1900 West and 2100 South in West Haven Friday. Upon arrival, crews found a two-vehicle accident with major damage. Officials said all those inside were able to get out of the vehicles, but a dog was trapped. Trader Joes coming to Salt Lake Citys Sugar House neighborhood Crews worked quickly and precisely to access and rescue the dog, according to Weber Fire. The dog was taken to a vet ER due to its condition, though Weber Fire has recently provided an update that the dog is doing well. The vet said the quick action of the fire department saved this dogs life, Weber Fire stated. No further information is available at this time. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Hours after the Senate passed a $1.2 trillion package of spending bills early Saturday morning, Representative Stephen Lynch announced that portions of $213.4 million heading to Massachusetts will soon be put to use. As one of the 202 community projects scheduled across the commonwealth, the town of Weymouth will use $1,383,069 of new funding to reinforce the seawall and to update infrastructure on Fort Point Road. I am proud to have helped secure over $1.3 million dollars of federal funding to help the Town of Weymouth update the coastal resilience infrastructure on Fort Point Road, said Rep. Lynch. Unfortunately, there have been many roadway loses and damages to properties around this area due to rising sea levels for quite some time. This critical project will help protect surrounding homeowners and businesses by replacing the existing sea wall to ensure its able to withstand anticipated levels of waves and potential flooding due to climate change. The funding was granted as part of the Second Consolidated Appropriations Bill. It will be signed into law by President Biden. The vote for the package of spending bills was 74-24. It came after funding had expired for the agencies at midnight, but the White House sent out a notice shortly after the deadline announcing the Office of Management and Budget had ceased shutdown preparations because there was a high degree of confidence that Congress would pass the legislation and the president would sign it on Saturday. While Congress has already approved money for Veterans Affairs, Interior, Agriculture and other agencies, the bill approved this week is much larger, providing funding for the Defense, Homeland Security and State departments and other aspects of general government. The House passed the bill Friday morning by a vote of 286-134, narrowly gaining the two-thirds majority needed for approval. More than 70% of the money would go to defense. 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 Photo via Getty Images This week, lawmakers in Congress once again scrambled to avert a government shutdown, and negotiations opened with a Republican proposal that pushed for a national fetal personhood law which nearly every GOP Representative from Arizona supported. On Wednesday, the Republican Study Committee released a budget plan that advanced more than three dozen anti-abortion bills. One of those was the Life at Conception Act, that bestows 14th Amendment protections on fetuses at every stage, effectively outlawing all abortions and putting in-vitro fertilization procedures and some types of birth control, such as emergency contraceptives, in jeopardy. And while the plan was ultimately shot down in favor of a bipartisan deal, it still serves as a look into GOP priorities, given that 80% of House Republicans sit on the influential committee that drafted it. Members from Arizona include Rep. Juan Ciscomani, Rep. Debbie Lesko, Rep. David Schwiekert and Rep. Paul Gosar. Ciscomani, the only member of the delegation to respond to a request for comment, told the Arizona Mirror that he supports IVF. The popular fertility treatment has recently become a focus of the 2024 election cycle, after an Alabama court determined frozen embryos are covered under wrongful death claims because of a state law that extended protections to the unborn. The ruling put Republicans across the country in the hot seat, as they moved to distance themselves from fetal personhood laws that have become a mainstay of the party. Ciscomani said his membership in the Republican Study Committee isnt an indication of his views on IVF. With any large coalition in Washington, there are a wide array of, and sometimes conflicting, points of view, he said, in an emailed statement. The Republican Study Committee produces a number of commonsense provisions. However, I do not subscribe to every proposal they put out. What best reflects my perspectives are the votes I take, bills I introduced, and legislation I cosponsor. The freshman congressman, who represents voters in a swing district that spans Pima and Cochise county, added that he co-sponsored a resolution in February supporting IVF. Resolutions are non-binding statements for lawmakers to express their opinions and stances, but they dont offer any legal protections. An attempt by Democrats in the U.S. Senate just weeks after the Alabama ruling to force a vote on legislation that would have guaranteed IVF access across the country was blocked by a single Republican. The vote required the approval of all 100 Senators. A renewed push for the legislation has emerged, and the House version of the bill, called the Access to Family Building Act, has one Republican willing to add his name to it. The only Arizonan to co-sponsor the House proposal so far has been Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton. By contrast, support among Arizona Republicans for the Life at Conception Act has been ample. Schweikert, who also sits on the Republican Study Committee that advanced the measure, co-sponsored its 2021 version. And Reps. Lesko, Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar and Elijah Crane all added their names to the most recent bill introduced last year. None responded to questions about their support of the bill or their views on IVF. Birth control at risk, too Like IVF, access to birth control has become another flashpoint in the debate around reproductive rights. Some forms of emergency contraception, like ella, Plan B and IUDs have been the subject of proposed restrictions from Republican lawmakers who view them as abortifacients. Plan B and ella, commonly known as morning after pills, help prevent pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation and are typically taken within 3 to 5 days after unprotected sex. Copper IUDs, meanwhile, can sometimes be used as emergency contraception and have a spermicidal effect, drastically minimizing the likelihood of the implantation of a fertilized egg. But while research shows that emergency birth control is preventative, some GOP politicians remain unconvinced that the treatment doesnt amount to abortion-like procedures. In 2022, Republican lawmakers in Idaho debated banning IUDs and Plan B, and Missouri Republicans in 2021 sought to bar Medicaid funding from paying for either. Fetal personhood laws, like the one the Life at Conception Act seeks to enshrine, have been criticized by reproductive rights advocates as a way to ban emergency contraception. And in Arizona, GOP lawmakers at both the federal and state level have refused to support legislation that could safeguard access to such birth control. In 2022, a Right to Contraception Act failed in Congress. Biggs, Gosar, Lesko and Schwiekert voted against it. Arizona doesnt currently have a fetal personhood law in effect, but Republican state lawmakers have made several attempts to indirectly pass one, including by allowing pregnant women to drive in the HOV lane or increasing the penalties against domestic violence perpetrators who harm a pregnant victim. A 2021 state law ascribing rights to fetuses in Arizona is still blocked by an injunction after a judge found it conflicted with Arizonas personhood definition. But a conservative law firm challenging an injunction against a portion of that same law that prohibits abortions for the sole reason of a fetal genetic abnormality has indicated a willingness to defend the fetal personhood provision. Earlier this year, Arizona Democrats attempted to address the lack of federal protections for contraception by introducing a state version of the Right to Contraception Act, but the proposal stagnated in the legislature. One top Republican senator dismissed that any danger exists against emergency contraception, and crudely implied that if women didnt have sex, they wouldnt need contraception at all. A last-ditch effort from state Democrats to force a vote on the bill was ultimately shot down by Republicans, who hold a one-vote majority. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE The post Where do Arizonas congressional Republicans stand on IVF? appeared first on Arizona Mirror. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) was forced into an embarrassing U-turn this week after Jeremy Hunt ordered it to keep its helpline open. The tax office announced on Tuesday that it would shut the self-assessment phone line for six months every year, but reversed the shocking decision within 24 hours following a huge backlash from MPs. Yet the tax office had moved to shut the helpline, despite evidence this would negatively impact taxpayers. A damning report found, during a trial of the closure, around 113,000 callers were told they could find the answers they needed online only for 61pc of those taxpayers to call back for help within five days. Harriett Baldwin MP, chairman of the Treasury select committee, said: The idea that they can interpret those figures as justification for making it even harder to contact them over the phone indicates something is seriously wrong at HMRC. Her concerns have been echoed by MPs and trade bodies alike who warn that HMRCs customer service is at an all-time low. On average callers had to wait 25 minutes on the phone last month before getting through to an adviser. Telegraph Money has spoke to former staff who said the problems at the tax office had been a long time in the making. It comes as an old HMRC leaflet shared with The Telegraph this week revealed how far standards had fallen over the last three decades. The document said that, in 1994-95, HMRC aimed to answer 95pc of calls within 15 minutes. It exceeded this target, picking up the phone within this timeframe in 99pc of cases. Today HMRC has no such target. In addition, 11pc of letters are unanswered after 40 days. By comparison, in the 1990s the tax office answered 96pc of letters in 28 days. Former HMRC tax inspector Ronnie Pannu, of Pannu Tax, said the helpline close announcement this week was further evidence of HMRCs lack of resources and inability to deal with the demand from taxpayers. HMRC is struggling to cope with a huge surge in the tax base which has been exacerbated by the freeze on tax thresholds. Today HMRC services over 35 million taxpayers, 10 million more than in the 1990s. Meanwhile, data obtained by The Telegraph via Freedom of Information requests paints a picture of a shrinking customer service team plagued with retention issues. Last year, nearly 1,000 staff quit within a year of joining. Of them, 68pc were customer service staff. Overall, the number of HMRC workers in customer service has fallen from 24,000 in 2021 to fewer than 22,000 today. Chris Etherington, of tax firm RSM, said: This is a problem of the Governments own making: a heady combination of systemically underfunding HMRC and a consistent failure to address a bloated and overly complex tax system. HMRC was formed in 2005 when then chancellor Gordon Brown merged two departments Inland Revenue, which dealt with direct taxes, and Customs, which handled indirect taxes. This was on the back of a government review arguing that the merger would lead to improvements in customer service and efficiency. Some questioned at the time whether the merger would deliver what was promised, given plans to simultaneously cut 10,500 jobs. The Chartered Institute of Taxation said it was sceptical that the Government could reduce staff this much without affecting operational efficiency and customer service. But this was only the beginning of the cuts. HMRC used to have a network of local offices across the UK, as well as 281 walk-in help centres for those needing in-person support. Faced with a tightening budget, HMRC closed these walk-in centres in 2014. The following year it announced it was shutting 170 local offices and replacing them with 13 regional hubs. Many staff were told to relocate or take voluntary redundancy. Mr Pannu said: I know a lot of people who retired because they didnt want to commute. There was a huge talent drain. Those who have left HMRC for the private sector but continue to deal with the tax office as part of their jobs said they have noticed a drop in standards, driven partly by the shift to remote working. Mr Pannu said: Customer service is terrible, and it has gotten significantly worse since Covid. Rhys Pippard, of VAT Consulting Associates, said: I joined HMRC in 2003, at the end of the old days or golden age some would say. We were out on the job every day visiting businesses. Its not like that anymore. Ive dealt with dozens of VAT audits and theyre being done remotely. The staff are just going through the motions. You could be reporting to a VAT manager whos never worked in VAT in their life. When I was there, you still had people doing things to a good standard now its as quickly and as cheaply as possible. Attendance data obtained by The Telegraph shows that last year around 10,000 HMRC staff were not in the office each month. A note accompanying the data said this was because they were either absent from work, attending meetings in the office without logging in, or working from home. HMRC has always insisted that its working-from-home policy has had no impact on its performance. Successive cuts and a decline in standards have caused serious delays for taxpayers. Charles Daly, 80, from Surrey, waited two years for a 3,600 capital gains tax refund after repeatedly struggling to talk to a human being about his issue. It was like pulling teeth, he said. Kimberly Robinson, who is currently living in California, said she has been waiting for an answer about making voluntary National Insurance Contributions since September 2022, after finding HMRCs online services unhelpful. The fact I wasted many hours in my early mornings last year waiting on a phone line on hold, she said, was absolutely unacceptable. Two thirds of customer service staff are Assistant Officers, who deal with the majority of frontline contact with taxpayers. The majority are based outside of London and paid an annual salary of 24,278. The Public and Commercial Services Union has said these staff are both underpaid and micromanaged with managers monitoring the time these staff members spend on toilet breaks. HMRC has repeatedly cut staff promising they would be replaced by world-class digital services but accountancy bodies warn these are not up to scratch. A HMRC spokesman said: We generated a record 814bn in tax revenues in 2022-23 to fund public services and the UK has one of the lowest tax gaps reported in the world. At the same time, were delivering a modern and efficient service thats supporting more customers with more complex tax affairs. Recommended HMRC bosses must be trying their hardest to get sacked Read more Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. More U.S. counties experienced population gains than losses last year, as counties in the South saw faster growth and more Northeast and Midwest counties had population losses turn to gains, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Stark County's population stayed steady last year. The county's population was 372,716 last year, according to new U.S. Census Bureau estimates. That's a slight dip from 2022, down by just 69 people. The county's population has dropped steadily since the pandemic. The decline was the result of deaths outnumbering births in 2023, and migration into the county not keeping up. Ohio overall grew by 26,238 people in 2023, a 0.2% increase from 2022. Counties that experienced the most growth were Delaware and Franklin, both in central Ohio, which grew by 5,110 and 4,333 people, respectively. Next was Butler County in southwest Ohio, which grew by 3,315 people. An aerial photo of downtown Canton. (CantonRep / Scott Heckel) The census reported that more U.S. counties experienced population gains than losses last year, with the southern part of the country growing faster. About 60% of U.S. counties gained population from 2022 to 2023, an increase from the 52% in the previous year. Among the nation's 3,144 counties, the average change was 0.29%, up from 0.17% the previous year, the census said. Domestic migration patterns are changing, and the impact on counties is especially evident, Lauren Bowers, chief of the Census Bureaus Population Estimates Branch, said in a prepared statement. Areas which experienced high levels of domestic out-migration during the pandemic, such as in the Midwest and Northeast, are now seeing more counties with population growth. Meanwhile, county population growth is slowing down out west, such as in Arizona and Idaho. Harris County in Texas led the nation with an increase of 53,788 residents. Texas had eight of the top 10 counties for numeric growth in the nation. Los Angeles County in California had the largest population decline of 56,420 last year. What are Ohio's population trends moving forward? The majority of Ohio counties are expected to see population declines in the next few decades. Areas in central Ohio are predicted to have the most growth moving forward, according to predictions from the Ohio Department of Development. Just 14 counties are expected to see growth by 2050. A map of Ohio's projected population by county in 2050. Alison Goebel, executive director of the Greater Ohio Policy Center in Columbus, said the 2023 census estimates are consistent with this trend. "Population dynamics today will produce these results in the next two decades," she said. "Many counties are already experiencing consistent population loss." She cited an Ohio Policy Center study that analyzed state census data from 2000 to 2020. It found that although the state's population increased by 3% in that time, if central Ohio's data is removed, the rest of the state's population declined by 1%. Goebel emphasized that these trends could change if local leaders create policies that make Stark County an attractive place to live. This can be done by improving housing options and locating new jobs on existing developed areas. "Old factory sites are hard to clean up, but they are often much closer to existing neighborhoods, childcare and transportation routes," she said. How did Canton-Massillon compare to other Ohio metropolitan areas? Canton's metro population also stayed steady in 2023, growing by three people. The metropolitan area had a total population of 399,474 last year. The Canton-Massillon metropolitan area is made up of Stark and Carroll counties. Deaths also outnumbered births in the metropolitan area, but gains from international and domestic migration made up for it. Canton was one of five Ohio metropolitan areas that grew in 2023. Columbus had the most growth compared to other cities in Ohio, gaining 18,205 residents. Cincinnati followed, with a net gain of 12,854. Dayton grew by 1,649, and Akron grew by 887. Why did Carroll County grow? Carroll County, which neighbors Stark County on the southeast corner, had a small increase of 72 residents in 2023, which contributed to the metropolitan area's growth. Carroll County Commissioner Christopher Modranski said he was happy to see the increase last year. "We had certainly seen a decline in the last census, which is not helpful for our economy and budget, so I'm glad to see that it's going up a little bit, although very slightly," he said. He said the county is attractive to people who are seeking a close community. "Our community, when you pass each other on the sidewalk, you say, 'Hi,' and smile at each other," he said. "We have a more relaxed atmosphere and I'd like to think that's why it would increase." Reach Grace at 330-580-8364 or gspringer@gannett.com. Follow her on X @GraceSpringer16. This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark County's population dropped slightly in 2023 A whistleblower claimed that the CIA "stonewalled" an IRS interview with Hunter Bidens business associate Kevin Morris, the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees revealed. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said in a Thursday letter to CIA Director William Burns that their panels would investigate the allegations as part of the impeachment inquiry against President Biden. According to the whistleblower, in August 2021, when IRS investigators on the Hunter Biden federal investigation were preparing to interview Morris, the CIA "intervened to stop the interview." 'SUGAR BROTHER' KEVIN MORRIS LOANED HUNTER BIDEN $6.5M FOR DEBTS AND BACK TAXES, MORE THAN PREVIOUS ESTIMATE Hunter Biden, flanked by his attorneys Abbe Lowell, right, and Kevin Morris, arrives for the House Oversight and Accountability Committee markup titled "Resolution Recommending That the House of Representatives Find Robert Hunter Biden in Contempt of Congress" in the Rayburn Building in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 10. The whistleblower alleged that the CIA summoned two Justice Department officials to the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, for a briefing regarding Morris. The whistleblower claimed that Morris "could not be a witness in the investigation," according to the House Republicans. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Morris loaned Hunter Biden approximately $6.5 million over $1 million more than originally estimated and discussed his attorney revealed in a letter earlier this year. Morris, who was subpoenaed to testify as part of the impeachment inquiry, testified that he loaned Hunter Biden at least $5 million and began paying his tax liability. Morris and his attorney were estimating during the interview, a source told Fox News, and promised to follow-up with exact figures loaned to the first son. The attorney followed up to note an additional $1.6 million Morris had given Hunter Biden. KEVIN MORRIS GAVE 'MASSIVE' FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO HUNTER BIDEN, RAISING CAMPAIGN FINANCE CONCERNS: COMER "As part of the impeachment inquiry, the Committees are investigating, among other things, whether President Biden 'abuse[d] his power as President to impede, obstruct, or otherwise hinder investigations or the prosecution of Hunter Biden.' As background, for years, the IRS and DOJ had been investigating Hunter Biden for tax crimes," Jordan and Comer wrote. "The Committees have documented how the DOJ deviated from its standard processes to afford preferential treatment to Hunter Biden." Hunter Biden, flanked by attorneys Kevin Morris, left, and Abbe Lowell, attends a House Oversight Committee meeting in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 10. Jordan and Comer were referring to whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler investigators who served on the IRS team probing Hunter Biden. They testified that DOJ officials "deviated" from the normal process and provided preferential treatment to Hunter Biden. "Among other deviations, DOJ officials restricted what investigative steps the investigators could pursue, tipped off Hunter Biden's attorneys about investigative steps, and even prevented investigators from conducting witness interviews," the House Republicans wrote. "The whistleblowers' testimony about the preferential treatment provided to Hunter Biden has been corroborated by testimony from other witnesses and documents the Committees have received." Jordan and Comer said the new whistleblower claims "seem to corroborate our concerns about DOJ's deviations from standard process to provide Hunter Biden with preferential treatment." "It is unknown why or on what basis the CIA allegedly intervened to prevent investigators from interviewing Mr. Morris," they wrote. "However, these allegations track with other evidence showing how the DOJ deviated from its standard investigative practices during the investigation of Hunter Biden." Hunter Biden, flanked by his attorneys Abbe Lowell, right, and Kevin Morris, leaves the House Oversight and Accountability Committee markup titled "Resolution Recommending That the House of Representatives Find Robert Hunter Biden in Contempt of Congress," in the Rayburn Building in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 10. Jordan and Comer are now demanding the CIA provide all documents and communications referring or relating to the DOJ and IRS investigation of Hunter Biden, and all records relating to Kevin Morris "including but not limited to efforts to interview Mr. Morris as part of the investigation of Robert Hunter Biden." HUNTER BIDEN LAWYER TESTIFIES THAT 1ST TRUMP IMPEACHMENT CREATED 'EMERGENCY' TO FILE UNPAID TAXES Morris, on Oct. 13, 2021, gave Hunter Biden a loan for approximately $1.4 million. According to the letter, Hunter Biden was to repay the loan, with $500,000 paid by Oct. 1, 2026 and the remaining $417,634 by Oct. 1, 2027, plus interest. A few days later, Morris loaned Hunter Biden $2.6 million, with directions to repay the loan by Oct. 1, 2029. That loan, according to Morris lawyer, "was used to pay, among other debts, Mr. Bidens tax debt to the IRS." On Oct. 17, 2022, Morris loaned Hunter Biden $640,355 to be repaid by Oct. 15, 2027. In December 2022, Morris loaned Hunter $685,813.99, to be repaid by Oct. 15, 2027. A year later, Dec. 29, 2023, Morris loaned Hunter approximately $1.2 million to be repaid by Oct. 15, 2028, with all interest paid by October 2029. Special Counsel David Weiss charged Hunter Biden with nine federal tax charges, which break down to three felonies and six misdemeanors for $1.4 million in owed taxes that have since been paid. Weiss charged Hunter in December, alleging a "four-year scheme" in which the president's son did not pay his federal income taxes from January 2017 to October 2020 while also filing false tax reports. Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to all charges. Weiss also indicted the first son on federal gun charges in Delaware last year. Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to those charges as well. His attorneys are attempting to have that case dismissed. Original article source: Whistleblower claims CIA 'stonewalled' IRS interview with Hunter Biden 'Sugar brother' Kevin Morris: House GOP Colorado eyes reintroduction of wolverines; school meals program face $50 million shortfall; judges ponder over AI influence on judiciary | WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW The White House has condemned the latest Russian missile attack on Ukraine, emphasising that the Kremlin leader is trying to seize every day to harm peaceful Ukrainians. Source: Ukrinform citing John Kirby, White House National Security Communications Advisor Quote: "They demonstrate once again how vital it is that we continue to provide Ukraine with air defence systems and capabilities, interceptor missiles the tools that they need to protect themselves and their infrastructure." Details: Kirby noted that Putin "is not sitting on his hands" waiting while Ukraine remains without defence assistance. Quote: "Hes making lethal use of every single minute available to him while our own Congress refuses to act. Hes not wavering, neither should we." Details: In this context, Kirby once again urged the House of Representatives to quickly pass a bill with additional funding for national security needs to provide Ukraine with vital weaponry. "And as weve seen in just the last couple of days, every single day the House delays is another day that the Ukrainians have to pay for it with their own blood," he emphasised. Background: On the night of 21-22 March 2024, Russian troops launched a combined missile and drone strike against Ukraine's critical infrastructure using a total of 151 aerial weapons. Ukrainian air defence units managed to destroy 92 Russian aerial targets. In particular, three people were killed as a result of the strike on Zaporizhzhia, including a girl, 8, and a man, 35, daughter and father as well as a trolleybus driver, 62, who was travelling along the Dnipro hydroelectric power plant dam. The vehicle was carrying no passengers. The Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant in the city of Zaporizhzhia was hit by missiles eight times. Support UP or become our patron! Many Americans have heard the expression I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine in fact, a quick Google search turns up myriad websites offering wedding bands inscribed with the much-loved line. Search Etsy for Valentines Day gifts, and youll see jewelry, T-shirts and coffee mugs printed with the phrase. But perhaps not all of the quotations admirers know that its origins lie in a biblical text: the Song of Songs, which has created difficulties for readers for 2,000 years. Also known as the Song of Solomon or Canticle of Canticles, the Song of Songs stands out in the Bible because of its extensive and candid sexual content. It is a work of sensual lyric poetry that portrays scenes of actual and imagined trysts between the poems female protagonist and her lover. Graphic descriptions of both male and female bodies pervade the work and are certainly titillating, even bordering on pornographic. Sensual metaphors such as grazing among the lilies and drinking from the juice of my pomegranates suggest sexual practices that are anything but vanilla. Its not just the emphasis on sex that makes the text unusual. The Song of Songs is the only work in the Bible that focuses exclusively on human-to-human love, not human-to-divine at least on the surface level of the poem. Ancient Jews and Christians were troubled by the inclusion of such a graphic love poem in the biblical canon and came up with their own ways to remedy the dilemma. Barely a mention of God The Bible includes other references to sex including graphic depictions of sexual violence. And other books certainly contain depictions of human love, such as that of the patriarch Jacob, who labored for 14 years to win his wife Rachel in the Book of Genesis. But when other biblical books talk about love and marriage, they primarily use this language to depict Gods relationship with people specifically, the people of Israel, who have a special covenant with him according to the Torah. In contrast, the Song of Songs may possibly allude to Israels God only once, in chapter eight. The Song of Songs, by 19th-century painter Gustave Moreau. Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images Yet ancient interpreters of the Song of Songs did not interpret this poetic work as a depiction of human-to-human love. In fact, while researching my book about early rabbinic interpretation of the Song of Songs, I noticed that no such interpretations Jewish or Christian survive from before the modern era. Instead, the earlier commentators reread the Song of Songs exclusively as a portrayal of divine-to-human love, Gods relationship with a beloved individual or community. Covenant with the divine Other scholars and I have argued that the earliest interpretations of the Song of Songs appear in late first-century works, such as allusions in the Book of Revelation the final book in the New Testament, which describes prophetic visions of Jesus second coming and 4 Ezra, another apocalyptic work included in some versions of the Bible. In the first few centuries, rabbis began to interpret the Song of Songs as part of their commentaries on the Pentateuch, the first section of the Hebrew Bible. The Pentateuch describes the creation of the world and includes stories about the Israelites ancestors and their epic journey from Egypt to Israel. Over the course of several books, the Pentateuch shows them fleeing slavery, receiving revelation from God at Mt. Sinai, wandering in the desert for 40 years and finally entering the promised land. These early rabbis envisioned that narrative as an extended, intimate story about Gods relationship with the people of Israel. And although they shied away from the more erotic dimensions of the Song of Songs, they used its language to depict Gods relationship with the people of Israel as more than a simple contractual arrangement. In my 2015 book, My Perfect One, I argued that the earliest rabbis characterized these bonds as deeply affectionate and marked by profound emotional commitment. For instance, in one passage, they interpret Song of Songs 2:6 His left hand was under my head, and his right hand embraced me as describing Gods embrace of Israel at Mt. Sinai. A lovers yearning In a similar fashion, Christian scholars avoided the carnal dimensions of this poetic work. Rather than seeing the Song of Songs as a statement of Gods love for Israel, early Christians understood it as an allegory of Christs love for his bride, the church. A piece of wood inscribed with text from the Song of Songs in Egypt around 580-640 A.D. Sepia Times/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Other allegorical readings have also emerged throughout history. Origen, for instance, a third-century Christian writer, proposed that the Song of Songs could be interpreted as the souls yearning for God. Similar to other interpreters, Origen associated the soul with the female protagonist, and the divine with her male beloved. Another Christian approach to the Song of Songs was that the poem described Gods loving relationship with Jesus mother, Mary. These diverse interpretations may also have influenced medieval Jewish mystics. In Judaism, the divine presence or Shekinah is often thought of as feminine an idea that became important to these mystics, who relied on the Song of Songs to describe the Shekinah. Reading the poem today In the modern period, even more understandings of the poem have emerged, including some about human-to-human love. For instance, feminist readings have highlighted the female characters power, autonomy and sensuality. Conservative Christians, meanwhile, often approach the poem as an ideal expression of acceptable love between a husband and wife. From the first few centuries up to today, these many meanings highlight readers creativity and the evocative power of the Song of Songs poetic language. 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: Jonathan Kaplan, The University of Texas at Austin Read more: Jonathan Kaplan has received funding from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the American Friends of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. This week: Top Chef is finally back! So much good TV! Good for Elizabeth Berkley! More Wicked images! Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! Theres So Much to Watch Right Now Its the time of the year when each week there are seemingly two dozen new TV series or seasons dropping. DVRs are short-circuiting. Bank accounts are drained from streaming service subscriptions. And when people ask me what to watch, there are so many options that my brain goes blank and I just say, I dont know. The reason for this is that the deadline for Emmys consideration is the end of May, so studios are rushing to release their contenders in time. That also, theoretically, means the options are good. Thats, uh, not the case for everything. But should your bodys reaction to spring weather be like minethroat closes, eyes go dry, incessant sneezing and runny nosetheres plenty out now making the case for you to spend the coming months indoors. Shogun is the most ambitious (and most expensive) series FX has ever done. It doesnt just look like it, but it is also totally worth the investment; its clear the goal was for it to be the networks version of a Game of Thrones, and its living up to that so far. I love when a show seems like it was made specifically for me, so Id like to thank everyone involved in Apple TV+s Palm Royale. The cast alone is bonkers: Kristen Wiig, Carol Burnett, Laura Dern, Allison Janney, Leslie Bibb, Josh Lucas, and Ricky Martin. The soap opera ridiculousness of the plots various mysteries reminds me of Desperate Housewives, while Wiigs performance is kooky and heartbreakingly empathetic in only a way she can pull off. Plus, the costumes! Netflix Netflixs Girls5eva is often compared to 30 Rock because of Tina Feys involvement in both shows. But the shows comedy itself is why its a worthy successor, packed with outrageous characters spitting out jokes at a speed that makes you dizzy with laughter. ABCs Abbott Elementary and CBS Ghosts continue to be my favorite comfort watches, and both network comedies have not skipped a beat in their third seasons. And theres more that I havent even been able to get to that Ive heard great things about, like Prime Videos 3 Body Problem and Disney+s X-Men 97. So theres no need to stock up on Claritin; watch all this TV instead. Justice for Elizabeth Berkley The Academy Museum screened the notorious 1995 flop-turned-camp-classic Showgirls this week, to a completely sold-out crowd. On hand to introduce the film was star Elizabeth Berkley, who has triumphed over years of being a Hollywood punchline because of the film to being admired for her tenacity as Nomi Malone as she and the movie are embraced. I love everything about this, but especially her speech. She said that she and her mother thought she might be nominated for an Oscar for the part: Every girl in Hollywood had fought for this role. So it was not a strange thing to ask. So tonight Id like to thank the Academy Museum. United Artists She also got a standing ovation after thanking the people who championed the film over the years, saying, Im so grateful that the film has found its way not only in your hearts but especially the LGBTQ community. Berkley and Showgirls being in the news again provided the occasion for a clip to go viral from the sorely underrated reboot of Saved By the Bell that yall slept on. In it, her character, Jessi Spano, references her days in Vegas after college and transforms into Nomi Malone. Watch it here. The Juice Is Loose A choir of children creepily singing a slowed-down version of a popular song is my least favorite movie trailer gimmick. An exception, forever and always, is Creep in The Social Network trailer and, now, apparently this. The trailer for Beetlejuice 2 is forgiven because a) giving Day-O, of all songs, this treatment is inherently hilarious and b) the teaser looks really good. Warner Bros. Watch it here. I Couldnt Be Happier I swear Im trying to do everything in my power not to make being excited for the Wicked movie my entire personality, but look at that photo! (Check out more in the Vanity Fair exclusive.) Vanity Fair What to see this week: Road House: And not just to see Jake Gyllenhaals body. Definitely not just that. (Now in theaters) We Were the Lucky Ones: Get ready to sob. (Mar. 28 on Hulu) 3 Body Problem: Could this be the next Game of Thrones? Could anything? (Now on Prime Video) What to skip this week: Immaculate: Sydney Sweeneys hot streak comes to an end. (Now in theaters) Shirley: Shirley Chisholm deserved a better biopic. (Now on Netflix) Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire: Who you gonna call to get them to stop making Ghostbusters movies? (Now in theaters) Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Petrified Forest National Park may not ring a bell, even though more than half a million people visited last year, according to National Park Service data. People come to Petrified Forest unintentionally, often. They're on their way, typically, to or from the Grand Canyon or during spring break, theyre headed to spring training, said park ranger Jessica Barnett. The park is right off Interstate 40 in eastern Arizona, about three hours from Albuquerque International Sunport and 3 hours away from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport by car. The really great part of this park is there's something for everyone, Barnett said. I think people don't realize it when they come in. They pass it by because they're like: Hmm, petrified wood. What's good about that?' Theres so much more. Heres what travelers should know about Petrified Forest, the latest national park in USA TODAYs yearlong series. Petrified Forest National Park's Jasper Forest may not look like a typical forest. Its trees are petrified. What is special about Petrified Forest National Park? Petrified Forest calls itself a Triassic park. It preserves more than 200 million years of history, including its namesake petrified wood. Its the only place chindesaurus fossils have ever been found. Coelophysis fossils have also been discovered in the park, but dinosaurs only make up a fraction of the prehistoric life that once thrived across its more than 221,000 acres. Everything else is an ancient reptile or ancient mammal ancestor or ancient plants, Barnett said. Visitors can see paleontologists work on a variety of fossils and artifacts at the parks Museum Demonstration Lab or ask park rangers about Petrified Forests more modern history. We're working on rehabilitating our prairie dog population, so maybe someday we'll get to reintroduce the black-footed ferret, which is the most endangered mammal in North America, Barnett said. The park also preserves a portion of historic Route 66. A paleontologist carefully removes rock from the fossilized teeth of a phytosaur, a large carnivorous reptile from the Triassic era. What Native American tribes were in the Petrified Forest? We have an incredible record of people, human history in the park more than 13,000 years, Barnett said. Thirty-six Native tribes are connected to the land: Colorado River Indian Tribes of the Colorado River Indian Reservation Havasupai Tribe of the Havasupai Reservation Hopi Tribe of Arizona Hualapai Indian Tribe of the Hualapai Indian Reservation Jicarilla Apache Nation Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians of the Kaibab Indian Reservation Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians of the Las Vegas Indian Colony Moapa Band of Paiute Indians of the Moapa River Indian Reservation Navajo Nation Ohkay Owingeh Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona Pueblo of Acoma Pueblo of Cochiti Pueblo of Isleta Pueblo of Jemez Pueblo of Laguna Pueblo of Nambe Pueblo of Picuris Pueblo of Pojoaque Pueblo of San Felipe Pueblo of San Ildefonso Pueblo of Sandia Pueblo of Santa Ana Pueblo of Santa Clara Pueblo of Taos Pueblo of Tesuque Pueblo of Zia San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe of Arizona Santo Domingo Pueblo Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp Verde Indian Reservation Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation Animal petroglyphs are carved into rock near the Puerco River at Petrified Forest National Park. Can you take rocks from the Petrified Forest? No. Federal law prohibits removing, defacing or trafficking in archeological resources on public or Native lands. Leave No Trace: How to protect national parks for future generations Colorful petrified wood fills Petrified Forest National Park's Rainbow Forest. Is the Petrified Forest cursed? There is this really interesting history of people taking petrified wood and then bad things happening to them and them associating it with having taken the petrified wood, Barnett said. I think that's more guilt than anything. She said the park prefers to focus on the good. Rather than you're bad and you're going to be cursed if you take the wood, you're a good person if you leave it behind for future generations. That's such a huge part of the Park Service mission. A petrified log, fractured over time, rests on the ground in Petrified Forest National Park's Crystal Forest. How long does it take to go through Petrified Forest National Park? You can do all of the main road hikes in a day, Barnett said. The parks website suggests several itineraries ranging from an hour to a half day for travelers passing through, but visitors who like to get off the beaten path will need more time. You could easily spend two or three days in the park and really experience it to kind of its fullest potential, Barnett said. The parks operating hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MST. Guests who are already in the park gates by 5 p.m. can usually stay until around sunset. Visitors who want to stay later to stargaze in the certified International Dark Sky Park can get a free Dark Sky Viewing Permit at the parks Painted Desert Visitor Center. There are no lodges or campgrounds in the park, but wilderness camping is allowed in the park with a free permit. Stars peek through the clouds above The Battleship, a butte near Petrified Forest National Park's Crystal Forest. Can you drive through Petrified Forest National Park? Yes. The parks main road spans 28 miles and takes about an hour to travel by car. There is $25 park entry fee for private vehicles. We try to tell people, if they're going east, to come in the south entrance because GPS always brings people to the north entrance and then have to go in and come back out, Barnett said. If you're going any other direction, you can start at either end of the park. Visitors can see petrified wood scattered through the parks southern end and clustered in five large petrified wood deposits referred to as forests: Rainbow Forest, Crystal Forest Jasper Forest, Blue Forest and Black Forest. You have a huge range in the colors of the petrified wood, the textures that you get, and even the way it looks at the surface whether it's sparkly and like individual crystals that you can see, that look like a geode, or if it's all grown together and it looks like a candle wax, Barnett said. Every single stop has something really incredible there. A pedestal log stands out along Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest National Park. Is Petrified Forest National Park worth it? It's worth a trip on its own, Barnett said. It is such an incredible place if you know what it's about. If you dont know, If you're driving on the interstate, its like: That looks like a bunch of grassy fields. What could be interesting about this place? And then you get into the park, you go over the hill, and you're like: The Painted Desert is amazing! It's so beautiful! To make the most of trips, she encourages visitors to talk to park rangers who can tell them more about the park. There's such amazing history, archaeology, modern biology, geology, paleontology, she said. Its a great place, and I hope more people come just to see it. Wildflowers like Mentzelia multiflora Adonis blazingstar flourish at Petrified Forest National Park. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Petrified Forest National Park is worth visiting all on its own The day starts early, usually before the sun comes up. It begins with a good strong cup of coffee and checking out the electronic mailbag that holds our letters to the editor (letters@sunsentinel.com). One older reader writes in for help with her paper that didnt arrive in her driveway. Another wants to know who we will endorse in the upcoming city election in her town. A third wants us to publish her letter telling Palm Beach County Democrats not to talk to me because she disliked my description of MAGA-left tactics by party dissidents who supported the suspension of county party chair Mindy Koch. Basically, she wants to use the Sun Sentinel as a platform so she can criticize the Sun Sentinel. Would we post and print a letter like that? You bet we would (and did). Its the right thing to do. Besides, who else is going to listen to her? We will. Letters to the editor are one way to cement the bond between the paper and its readers, a bond that endures despite the many setbacks that have buffeted the journalism industry over the past two decades. We need each other. You need us to send your opinions to a wider audience. We need you to show that we care, and were listening. Thats important, and its why daily publication of letters is such a deeply ingrained American journalistic tradition. Theyre there every morning. Some readers read them religiously, while others may barely glance at them. We know that. We keep publishing them because they reflect who we are, and whats on your minds. If you wrote letters to your favorite TV news anchors, would they put them on their website? No. Only newspapers run letters to the editor, every day. It will come as no surprise that we get far more letters on one subject Donald Trump than anything else. The vast majority of it is not fan mail, though a few readers dont believe that. Trump generates the most letters, but Neal Bluestein of Boca Raton is giving Trump a run for his money that is, whatever money Trump has left. Bluestein is an unwavering supporter of Trump, and his way of making a point infuriates some Sun Sentinel readers who rightly view Trump, as we do, as a grave threat to democracy. We publish Bluesteins letters because he (and several other writers) are among the very few who write to us consistently from a pro-Trump point of view, which, like it or not, has a right to be heard. Our letters are overwhelmingly hostile to Trump. Thats a natural reflection of our readership, which is largely in heavily Democratic Broward and Palm Beach counties. Some of those who despise Trump resent us for giving Bluestein a platform for his drivel, as one reader put it. Bluestein has a way of getting under the nerve of other readers. He struck a nerve with a recent letter that asked a rhetorical question made famous by Ronald Reagan against Jimmy Carter in 1980: Are you better off now than you were four years ago? We got a couple dozen letters from readers, most outraged that anyone could even compare President Joe Biden to Trump. Letters, like news stories, must be fact-checked, and disagreements always arise over the facts. Writers like to cite Trumps oft-quoted reference to Adolf Hitler having done a lot of good things. The remark is attributed to Trumps former chief of staff John Kelly, who said that Trump said it when they were in Europe in 2018. It first appeared in the book, Frankly, We Did Win This Election, by journalist Michael C. Bender. Trump has denied saying it. Bluestein considers the Hitler remark a hoax. We disagree. Some letters to the editor fall short of publication, often because they are laden with F-bombs. Letters that open with I know youll never print this, but usually get published, despite the painfully obvious attempt at reverse psychology. Readers sometimes ask, is there a secret to getting your letter published? The answer is no, but there are a few tricks of the trade. Shorter and pithier is good. Letters on local or universal topics (animals, traffic, development, restaurants, sports, living, dying, grandchildren) are almost a certainty to be published, because we get fewer of those. Ideally, the letters cover a broad range of topics. All Trump all the time gets boring pretty fast. Write to us. Send us your letters about good and bad restaurants, your members of Congress and the Florida Legislature, South Florida drivers, your pet peeves, your grandchildren, urban sprawl, the Florida you miss, Gov. Ron DeSantis, getting old, feeling young, and on and on. But we know youll keep writing about Trump and Biden and thats good, too. Steve Bousquet is Opinion Editor of the Sun Sentinel and a columnist in Tallahassee and Fort Lauderdale. Contact him at sbousquet@sunsentinel.com or (850) 567-2240 and follow him on X @stevebousquet. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) A teen from Wichita has been sentenced in the 2023 fatal shooting of 18-year-old JaQualen Dupree. Tyshon Jacques, who was 18 in October, has been sentenced to 163 months in prison by Sedgwick County Judge Goering. This totals 13 years and 7 months. Wichita man gets life sentence for murdering girlfriend JaQualen Dupree (Courtesy: mother Kenyette J Miles) In October, Jacques was charged with second-degree intentional murder. Just after 3 p.m. on Oct. 2, officers responded to the report of a shooting near the intersection of East 3rd Street North and North Broadway Avenue. It was here that police found Dupree in his car unconscious with a gunshot wound to his upper body. Duprees mother, Kenyette Miles, said that he was shot by someone in his car while he was driving to pick up his two younger brothers from school. According to the Wichita Police Department, after further investigation, Jacques was identified as the shooter and apprehended following a brief foot chase around Kellogg Drive and Topeka Street. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. Wiltshire Council and Salisbury Reds have been awarded 11.4m of funding for an electric buses project in the city. The investment will bring 23 new electric buses to Salisbury in 2026. The two organisations worked in partnership to bid for the funding, with both providing financial contributions to make up the project value. Cabinet member for transport Tamara Reay said it was "fantastic" the partnership attracted this investment. Award by the Department for Transport's (DfT) ZEBRA (Zero Emissions Bus Regional Area), the investment not only includes the purchase of the buses, but also the electric charging infrastructure which will be installed at Salisbury Reds' depot. The 23 electric buses will run on major city routes and surrounding areas, including services to and from Stonehenge and the city's park and ride sites. "We have committed to improving our bus network across the county, and Salisbury, with its many bus routes in the city, is the perfect place to bring the first electric buses to Wiltshire," Ms Reay said. Salisbury Reds will now work on implementing this plan, starting with the installation of the bus charging infrastructure, and people will start to see the new electric buses in the city from 2026, she added. Andrew Wickham, the managing director of Salisbury Reds, said that this is very exciting news and will put Salisbury right at the forefront of sustainable transport. The 23 new buses will add to the three Salisbury Reds already have, he added. Each new bus will be equipped with technology for contactless payments, USB charging points for all seats, and next stop audio and visual announcements. The buses will also have a fully accessible wheelchair ramp, audio loops, dementia-friendly internal colour schemes and CCTV for added security. Mr Wickham said the Salisbury depot is already equipped to charge the three electric park-and-ride buses, and they will be upgrading the charging infrastructure to accommodate the new fleet. "All of this will have a significant impact on Salisbury's overall carbon emissions. It will also improve air quality here," he said. "The success of this bid is testament to the excellent working relationship we enjoy with Wiltshire Council - and it gives us a wonderful opportunity to make Salisbury's transport the envy of other areas of the United Kingdom and, indeed, the World," Mr Wickham said. Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. The former head of a North Carolina nonprofit that helps cancer patients pleaded guilty Friday to stealing at least $136,000 from the organization, U.S. Attorney Dena King said. Stephanie Roberts, a 54-year-old Gastonia resident, admitted embezzling the money from 2016 to 2022 while she was executive director of the nonprofit, court records show. Roberts worked at Gastonia-based Cancer Services of Gaston County, according to public records reviewed by The Charlotte Observer. The organization provides support and resources for cancer patients. Roberts also admitted in court Friday that she failed to pay more than $200,000 withheld from employee paychecks for federal income, Medicare and Social Security taxes, according to a news release by Kings office. Also, on her income tax returns, Roberts falsely stated the amount of tax withheld from her wages, and claimed the false amount was paid to the IRS, King said. Roberts pleaded guilty to theft in connection with health care, which carries up to 10 years in prison; failure to truthfully account for and pay over trust fund taxes, which carries up to a five-year sentence; and making and subscribing a false tax return, which carries a maximum three years in prison. Her sentencing hearing hasnt been set, prosecutors said. In announcing the plea, King thanked IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Gastonia Police Department for investigating the case. Roberts couldnt be reached for comment. Kim Elmore, executive director of Cancer Services of Gaston County, declined comment about the case. NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) Newport News police have arrested a man accused in the murder of a Woodbridge, Virginia woman, according to the Prince William County Police Department. Brendon Devon White, 28, of Woodbridge, Virginia has been arrested and charged with murder of 30-year-old Tatyana Zakiyyah Cooks. On Thursday, police responded to the 12200 block of Stevenson Court in Woodbridge for the report of a missing woman. Officers learned that Cooks family was concerned because she did not pick her child up from daycare. An investigation revealed that Cooks vehicle was being driven by White in Newport News. On March 22, while investigating the area near Cooks home, detectives stopped and secured a trash truck, where they found her body. Detectives also discovered evidence that pointed to Whites involvement with Cooks death. Newport News police took White into custody on Friday, March 22. 10 On Your Side has reached out to Newport News Police to gather more details about their involvement in this incident. Check with WAVY.com for more updates. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Rishi Sunak was on a visit to the East Midlands on Friday morning when he was informed about the impending statement on the Princess of Waless health, meaning that the shock that would ripple across the country descended on the Prime Minister hours earlier. The moment put in train a meticulously planned sequence of events overseen by Ian Patrick, the Prince of Waless private secretary, to break the news to the nation that the Princess was undergoing treatment for cancer. Mr Sunak was briefed after details of the Princesss statement were conveyed to Elizabeth Perelman, his trusted principal private secretary Mr Patricks opposite number in Downing Street. As is convention, the Cabinet Office went on to inform Sir Keir Starmer about the Princesss video message that would be broadcast at 6pm that day. The advance notice gave both mens teams the opportunity to prepare their own statements expressing warm support for the Princess and her young family. Mr Sunaks statement, published on Twitter, at 6.03pm, only seconds after the Princesss video message finished playing on the BBCs 6pm news bulletin, notably warned that she must be afforded the privacy to focus on her treatment and be with her loving family. Similarly, Sir Keir, in a written message posted on Twitter 13 minutes later, warned that their Royal Highnesses are entitled to privacy, adding that they, like any parents, will have waited to choose the right moment to tell their children. Newspapers across the UK and beyond scrambled to report the news - Jamie Lorriman The Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, both of whom also have school-age children, were uniting in a protective formation around the Princess, who had been subjected to what Sir Keir described as lurid, unfounded speculation about her health in recent weeks. Such was the anger in Whitehall over wild and ghoulish claims about the Princesss health and whereabouts that the Prime Minister had previously considered a public intervention to demand that the couple be left alone to deal with what was, by any account, a private medical matter. That urge was at its strongest when it was reported on Tuesday that the hospital where the Princess underwent abdominal surgery in January was investigating claims staff tried to access her medical notes. But he was loath to risk adding fuel to the fire being created by online arsonists. The PM felt very strongly that Princess Catherine was entitled to absolute privacy on a personal health matter, and had been appalled by the wild speculation, said a source close to Mr Sunak. He had been reluctant to intervene before to try and afford the royals some privacy as saying anything risked further fuelling the trolls. Times Square in New York was among the places across the globe to report the news of the Princess's cancer diagnosis - Getty Images North America A hint of Mr Sunaks concern did, however, emerge in a briefing with political journalists on Wednesday, when his press secretary said: As a general point, everyone in public life has a right to privacy when it comes to their private health records. Obviously we dont comment on royal matters but that point stands. Unbeknown to Mr Sunak, at this point the wheels were already in motion for the Princess to put an end to such speculation herself. On the same day a production crew from BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the corporation, was on location at Windsor to film the two-minute clip in which the Princess set out the huge shock that the diagnosis had caused, as well as her insistence that I am going to be OK. She was said to have wanted to deliver a video message in order to make the announcement as personal as possible. While the Princess began her course of chemotherapy treatment in February, she explained in the video that it had taken her and the Prince time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK. Sir Keirs statement included a nod to that specific point, saying that the couple like any parents, will have waited to choose the right moment to tell their children. At 3.30pm on Friday, seemingly out of the blue, Kensington Palace notified royal correspondents that it would be holding a briefing just half an hour later relating to the Princess. The message sparked a flurry of activity in newsrooms across London, where editors prepared to tear up existing plans for newspaper and website front pages. BBC News was given no advance notice of the announcement by virtue of BBC Studios involvement in filming the statement, meaning that its correspondents discovered the news alongside other reporters at 4pm. In that briefing, a transcript of the Princesss statement was read out to journalists, who were left rushing to write up the news before the video message was broadcast at 6pm, when it was also posted on Kensington Palaces social media accounts. 'It is cancer', how German paper Bild reported the news The White House was informed of the Princesss diagnosis by British officials shortly before 6pm 2pm there. Joe Bidens press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, arrived at the White House briefing room ready to address the news. Ms Jean-Pierre opened the briefing by telling the reporters crammed into the room: I wanted to just start off at the top obviously, all of us just heard the terrible news. Our thoughts are with the Duchess of Cambridge and her family members and friends during this incredibly difficult time. And certainly, we wish her a full recovery. One royal observer noted drily that, in fact, the White House may have benefited from slightly more notice, given the error in the statement before it was read out the Duchess of Cambridge title became defunct when William and Catherine became the Prince and Princess of Wales following Queen Elizabeth IIs death in September 2022. Ms Jean-Pierre struck a similar tone to Mr Sunak and Sir Keir, saying: I think its important that we respect their privacy, especially at this time, so Im not going to go further than that. I know folks are going to ask if the president has spoken to her or the family, she said, but declined to disclose further details. Jill Biden, the first lady, posted on Twitter shortly afterwards as she shared the Princesss video announcement: You are brave, and we love you. ~Jill https://t.co/xlt7CcsjPu Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) March 22, 2024 The US president followed later, with a message of his own: Jill and I join millions around the world in praying for your full recovery, Princess Kate. The devastation that cancer can cause is all too familiar to the Bidens. The presidents eldest son, Beau, died from a brain tumour in 2015. The couple also appear to have developed a fondness for the Prince and Princess, following in the footsteps of a strong relationship previously forged between the royal couple and the Obamas. Similarly warm greetings flowed in from leaders across the world. Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, spoke not just for himself and his wife, but for many, when he said: Your Highness, In this difficult period you are going through, Brigitte and I wish you a full recovery. Your strength and resilience inspire us all. 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. Fire crews from multiple agencies are responding to a grassland fire near Falcon, northeast of Colorado Springs Saturday afternoon, according to a social media announcement. Just before 12:30 p.m., the Cimarron Hills Fire Department announced its response to the fire near the intersection of Woodmen and Mohawk Road, the social media announcement states. At 12:40 p.m., the Colorado Springs Fire Department announced its involvement, per request of the Pikes Peak Mutual Aid Team, adding fire crews from Brush 4, Brush 21, Wildland 4 and the department's Special Operations 52 unit were on the scene. At 12:45 p.m., CSFD said an additional five department units including Wildland 9, Brush 15, Brush 20, Battalion Chief 4 and Engine 20 would also be responding per request for mutual aid. Officials said Saturday afternoon the fire has since been contained, and has burned approximately 40 acres. Around the Gaza Strip's besieged largest hospital, Palestinians have witnessed constant bombardment, mass arrests, tanks and corpses littering the streets during a multi-day Israeli raid, with no end in sight. Israeli forces battling Hamas militants launched the operation in and around Gaza City's Al-Shifa hospital on Monday, saying senior operatives were based at the sprawling compound. Since then, according to the military, about 150 Palestinian militants have been killed and hundreds more have been arrested or questioned. And after five days, Israeli forces have shown no signs of pulling back. "Everyone is afraid of being executed or arrested," said 59-year-old Mohammed, who lives about 500 metres (0.3 miles) from Al-Shifa and gave only his first name. "I feel that Gaza has become worse than the fires of hell," he told AFP. "I saw many bodies on Al-Shifa Street and tanks blocking the roads leading to the hospital. I saw fires in a house next to Al-Shifa." The surrounding areas, the Al-Rimal neighbourhood and Al-Shati refugee camp, are like "ghost towns", with only few residents remaining, said Mohammed. Many Palestinians in the territory's north, where Gaza City is located, fled south earlier in the war, which began on October 7 with Hamas's attack on southern Israel. The latest raid on Al-Shifa -- following a military operation there in November that sparked international outrage -- has sent more seeking safety elsewhere. AFP footage showed streams of people fleeing south along Gaza's coast to escape the hospital onslaught on Thursday. Mahmoud Abu Amra, 50, who lives in Al-Rimal, said Israeli troops forced "women and children to go west to Al-Rashid road on the coast, and then to the south of the Gaza Strip". Those who remain in the north, about 300,000 people according to the United Nations, face dire conditions and crippling shortages of basic supplies. Israel's military campaign against Hamas has killed at least 32,070 people in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory. The October 7 attack on Israel resulted in about 1,160 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures. - 'Tied and beaten' - On Friday at dawn Abu Amra said he saw Israeli forces raiding homes and residential buildings in Gaza City's west. "These forces evacuated all residents from their homes, and forced all men over the age of 16 to strip completely except for their underwear," he said. "They tied them up, beat them with rifle butts, insulted them and took them to a school near Al-Shifa hospital for interrogation and detention." Israel has maintained that its actions were in accordance with international law. The Israeli military told AFP it was "often necessary for terror suspects to hand over their clothes... to ensure that they are not concealing explosive vests or other weaponry". "Detainees are given back their clothes when it's possible to do so," it added. Israel had long said the sprawling Al-Shifa complex, where displaced Palestinians have taken refuge alongside patients and staff, sat atop an underground Hamas command centre. Hamas has denied using the hospital for military purposes. The Israeli army said Friday that troops were "continuing to conduct precise operational activity in the Al-Shifa Hospital area while preventing harm to civilians, patients, medical teams and medical equipment". bur-jm/ami/smw French President Emmanuel Macron has stressed that anyone who thinks that Russia will stop in the Ukrainian Donbas and Crimea in its aggressive ambitions is mistaken. Source: Reuters, as reported by European Pravda Details: Answering a question about the Kremlin's claims that Russia considers itself to be at war because of the West's assistance to Ukraine, the French president said it would be a mistake to think that Russia was going to stop its aggression in Donbas and Crimea. "By using this term, one is also even opening up uncertainty about Russia's military objectives," Macron noted. Background: Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "Yes, it all started as a special military operation, but as soon as this gang formed there when the collective West became involved on the side of Ukraine, it became a war for us. I strongly believe so," Radio Liberty's Russian Service reported. Before that, Macron condemned recent aggressive remarks by Russian politicians against France, particularly the claim by Pyotr Tolstoy, Deputy Speaker of Russia's State Duma (lower chamber of Russia's parliament), as a clear sign of "nervousness". Despite the controversy surrounding his remarks about the possible deployment of Western troops to Ukraine, the French president refused to back down, insisting that his statements were well-considered and stressing that France would not follow the "logic of escalation" in its relations with Moscow. Subsequently, commenting on his idea, Macron stressed that if such a scenario were to be implemented, French forces would not go on the offensive against Russia. Support UP or become our patron! After the Torrance Police Department warned the public about a planned youth takeover of a local mall, a second Los Angeles-area law enforcement agency issued a similar warning. In a post to Instagram on Friday, the Carson Sheriffs Station said it received information about a disruptive youth gathering planned for Saturday at the South Bay Pavilion, sometimes referred to as the Carson Mall. The sheriffs station had coordinated with the pavilion to be prepared for the potential gathering. Any unruly, unsafe, harmful or criminal behavior will not be tolerated, the post read. We ask that all persons of leadership, including guardians and parents, take time to talk to our youth about the harmful behavior these events can lead to. Long Beach Police intervened after a fight broke out among two juveniles at The Pike Outlets in Long Beach on March 16, 2024. (OC Hawk) Two females got into a fistfight at the Long Beach Pike Outlets as several hundred juveniles in the area arrived for a meetup. Long Beach Police broke up the fight and patrolled the area on March 16, 2024. (OC Hawk) Long Beach Police intervened after a fight broke out among two juveniles at The Pike Outlets in Long Beach on March 16, 2024. (OC Hawk) A disturbance involving a large crowd of juveniles shut down streets around the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance on Dec. 30, 2023. (OnScene.TV) A disturbance involving a large crowd of juveniles shut down streets around the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance on Dec. 30, 2023. (OnScene.TV) Long Beach Police intervened after a fight broke out among two juveniles at The Pike Outlets in Long Beach on March 16, 2024. (OC Hawk) A disturbance involving a large crowd of juveniles shut down streets around the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance on Dec. 30, 2023. (OnScene.TV) A disturbance involving a large crowd of juveniles shut down streets around the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance on Dec. 30, 2023. (OnScene.TV) A disturbance involving a large crowd of juveniles shut down streets around the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance on Dec. 30, 2023. (OnScene.TV) New video shows the chaos that erupted at Del Amo Fashion Center when a brawl involving teenagers sent shoppers fleeing. Aug. 27, 2023 (Wilmington Chronicles) Video captured good Samaritan Maurice Hardy (in a dark blue shirt) rescuing a boy from a violent brawl at the Del Amo Fashion Center on August 29, 2023. (Maurice Hardy) Police respond to activity at the Del Amo Fashion Mall in Torrance on Aug. 27, 2023. (OnScene.TV) Authorities respond after a violent brawl broke out at the Del Amo Fashion Center on August 29, 2023. (OnScene.TV) Video captured good Samaritan Maurice Hardy (in a dark blue shirt) rescuing a boy from a violent brawl at the Del Amo Fashion Center on August 29, 2023. (Maurice Hardy) The reported gathering was similar to a potential planned takeover that Torrance police say was targeting the Del Amo Fashion Center on Saturday as well. Late Saturday night, it appeared the public warnings, preparation and heightened patrols were able to dissuade any large gatherings or takeovers at either mall. These takeover events, which usually build momentum through viral social media posts spread by teenagers, have resulted in violence throughout L.A. County in recent weeks and months. At the Pike Outlets in Long Beach last week, a massive and planned fight broke out between two girls, resulting in multiple arrests. A boy was shot nearby, though police werent sure whether that was related to the violence at the outlets. He is expected to make a full recovery. Beginning this month, the Del Amo Fashion Center implemented a controversial policy in response to these takeovers. Anytime after 3 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, all minors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult older than 21. Some teen visitors, however, found the new chaperone policy to be restrictive and made the mall experience stressful. We didnt really think they would be enforcing this much, said Max Bretos, a teen shopper who visited the Del Amo Fashion Center on Saturday. I think especially because of the supposed takeover that was going to happen which was supposed to cause more chaos, but its really ruining it for the people who want to come here and have fun at the mall. Bretos and his three friends, all teenage boys, visited the mall to catch a movie on Saturday but were met with a new level of scrutiny theyd never encountered before. We were stopped by three different cops, said Hugh Saetia, a teen visitor. Its really a bad thing to have something like this happen in this neighborhood, said Grayson Roberts, a local teen resident. Theyre really taking over our community and I dont know what to say anymore, said Helen Bretos, a Torrance parent, of the disruptive mall takeovers. I dont know where to take [my children] anymore. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Pictured here is the Suwyn Early Learning Center at the Bonita Springs YMCA. A proposed Early Learning Center built on the campus of King Plastic Corp. would be based on the architectural design of this center, which opened in the fall of 2020. NORTH PORT King Plastic Corp. and the YMCA of Southwest Florida are partnering to develop an Early Learning Center that could help educate 150 children from six weeks old through voluntary pre-kindergarten. While priority will be given to the employees of King Plastic North Ports largest private employer the center will be available for children throughout the community. The proposed center will mark a return of YMCA-run child care to the city after an absence of roughly five years. Im just excited about it, " said Gene Jones, president/CEO of the YMCA of Southwest Florida. Its going to be a phenomenal opportunity for us to serve that community and to me, the beginning of expanding our services in North Port. Gene Jones, president and CEO of the YMCA of Southwest Florida. As we see that community continue to grow, we know theres going to be a lot of services that are needed and the Y wants to be there. The Y now serves about 730 children at its four early learning academies two in Venice, one in Port Charlotte and one in Bonita Springs and its 2024-26 Strategic Plan calls for 90% of the early learners meeting or exceeding readiness standards to start Kindergarten. Building an Early learning Academy onsite at King Plastic isnt just an investment for our employees and business; it is an investment in our community and the future of the next generation, King Plastic Corp. President Jeff King said in a news release. The opportunity to give back to the North Port community and to create an environment where families and children can thrive is a wonderful and exciting opportunity for all of us at King Plastic. Partnering with the YMCA of Southwest Florida ensures the operation of a first-class early learning academy, and we are excited to complete this new Early Learning Academy as soon as possible. A five-year absence of service Jones took over leadership of the Venice-based YMCA in October 2019, shortly after the nonprofit stopped providing daycare services in the city, when it was still known as the SKY Family YMCA. When SKY merged with the Charlotte County YMCA in 2017, it inherited a 67-slot daycare facility. The daycare was operated out of 5930 Sam Shapos Way, which is part of a 10-building government-owned complex at Dallas White Park. The city-owned facility had been poorly maintained, with an inadequate kitchen and was frequently plagued by plumbing issues. In 2018, SKY wanted to partner with the city of North Port to build a 120-child preschool modeled after one it opened that April in partnership with PGT Innovations. Traction never materialized on that effort, as city officials chose to look at the Dallas White campus as a whole, in an attempt to foster a public-private partnership to redevelop that area. During that time the Y started a transition from a daycare philosophy to early childhood education centers. YMCA of Southwest Florida currently operates four of those academies. The newest one, the 11,000-square-foot Suwyn Early Learning Center, with room for 150 children, opened in Bonita Springs, in the fall of 2020. Battling a childcare desert The Early Childhood Education Center that the YMCA plans to build in partnership with King Plastic would with some modifications be modeled architecturally after the Bonita Springs center but operated in a similar fashion as the center built in cooperation with PGT Innovations. In that model, PGT employees get first preference for open slots, while the center also has extended operating hours to accommodate for different employment shifts. We are still in the process of securing funding, Jones said. Were working with King Plastic to see what portion theyre going to do. Of course the Y will also have a portion and were working with municipalities for some opportunities there but we are in Go, mode." North Port city commissioners referenced the YMCA project at two recent open meetings one to discuss finance options for a new police station and one to kick off the 2024-25 fiscal year budget process but did not express any interest in contributing city funds on the project. City Manager Jerome Fletcher, who also sits on the YMCA board of directors, told the commission that there may be a projected $500,000 shortfall in that funding plan. We have asked at the state level, we have asked at the county level, Fletcher said during the March 19 budget workshop. The YMCA project was listed as a possible capital item for the city to consider. City Commissioner Barbrara Langdon said, I think our role is to help facilitate that funding; it may or may not result in a budget item. Fletcher noted that, like other communities, the city of North Port had more available daycare slots prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. In its announcement of the project the YMCA cited multiple childcare center closures after Hurricane Ian and characterized North Port as a childcare desert. Once funding and permits are secured it should take about 12 months for the facility to be built. Jones said it is extremely important to bring early learning services to North Port but added its too soon to determine what other services the YMCA of Southwest Florida would bring back to the community. You look at the growing community that it is, you look at the kids in that community and the need for quality child care, we find that its essential at this stage to get into the community, he said. Thats going to give us a great foundation to serve those who need us the most the youngest kids. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Proposed facility would bring 150 early learning slots to North Port Tony Cavallaro returned from a quick trip to the post office to find law enforcement swarming his western New York home like "they were raiding a terrorist." "I pulled into my driveway and got out of my car, and the guy grabbed my hand and grabbed my phone. He reached into my pockets and pulled out my wallet," Cavallaro told Fox News Digital. "They're roaming through my house. About 20 guys with full body armor. "I can see two guys in the driveway with shotguns. Everybody was packing pistols. It was crazy. And they didn't tell me for a while that they're taking my alligator. I was like, Why? I couldn't even see him before they took him." The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), which executed the search warrant, told Fox News Digital Cavallaro's permit lapsed and said, "The owner was seriously endangering the public." ALBERT THE ALLIGATOR'S DAD CHOMPS AT THE BIT TO RETRIEVE HIS PET GATOR SEIZED BY STATE: FREE ALBERT Authorities seized Albert the alligator, which the DEC says has health issues. Cavallaro has had "Albert" since 1990, when the 11-foot, 750-pound gator was a 2-month-old baby. He's now 34 years old and lives in a custom-made enclosure Cavallaro built in his Hamburg, New York, home in 2016. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "He's a gentle giant. I'm just a mess right now," Cavallaro said. "I get emotional when I start talking about this. I checked on him all day. When I wake up, or I have to use the bathroom, I go in there and see if he's popped up, so I can see him and hang out with him. "I'm really worried about where they got him now. He likes his pool and his pillows, and he has his routine. ... I know he's not in a good place. This is his home." CAPTAIN SULLY DIDN'T TRAIN FOR WATER LANDING BEFORE PUTTING US AIRWAYS JET DOWN IN HUDSON RIVER 15 YEARS AGO Tony Cavallaro holding Albert the alligator at 1 years old. The gator is now 34. Since the state took Albert away, the story went viral on social media with #FreeAlbert hashtags. Cavallaro received almost a dozen calls of support throughout an interview. He said people from other countries messaged him on Facebook or emailed him. Over a 100,000 people signed an online petition for the state to give Albert back to his "dad." WATCH CAVALLARO PLAY WITH ALBERT Cavallaro recalled stories of bringing Albert to educational shows and having friends come over to play with him. He used to have a dog, and the two pets used to sleep in the same bed together when Albert was younger. As Albert got older, the permit didn't allow him to do shows, so Cavallaro moved from Buffalo to Hamburg, where he built the enclosure. Cavallaro relived funny stories about Albert grabbing his pillows and rearranging them to his liking or making his life difficult when he throws the pillows in the pool. EXCLUSIVE: MILITARY VET CRAZY ED TAKES DOWN WOULD-BE THIEF ON VIDEO DAYS AFTER SAVING MAN'S LIFE Albert is particularly fond of Cavallaro's mother, who looked after him for years when Cavallaro traveled for work. "If she was sitting in the room and reading a book or whatever, he'd come up and sit with her," Cavallaro said of their bond. "He loves my mom. He hears her voice, and he comes right up and sees her. " Tony Cavallaro's mom pets Albert the alligator. Albert the alligator "loves my mom," the pet gator's owner said. The issue at the center of the "Free Albert" debate is a permit lapse and public contact with the alligator, according to the NYSDEC. "Possession of animals designated as dangerous, including alligators, is prohibited in New York State except under license from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)," the agency told Fox News Digital in an email. 1,800-YEAR-OLD ARTIFACT UNEARTHED DURING ROUTINE CONSTRUCTION A COMPLETE MYSTERY "These licenses, along with authorizing possession for regulated activities, protect the animal and the public. In this case, the former owners license to possess the alligator expired in 2021 and was not renewed. "At that time, DEC determined the owners facility failed to meet specific conditions to ensure this dangerous animal did not come in contact with humans and did not pose a threat to humans or the animal." Those conditions included deficiencies in the gator's holding area, which needed to be rectified before Cavallaro's license could be renewed. Even then, Albert may still have been hauled away because Cavallaro allowed the public to swim and take pictures with his pet. "To be clear, even if the owner were appropriately licensed, public contact with the animal is prohibited and grounds for license revocation and relocation of the animal," the DEC said. MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MYSTERY: FORMER NTSB INVESTIGATOR INTRODUCES NEW THEORY ABOUT MISSING PLANE Cavallaro said the only people who play with Albert are good friends inside his home. "These were friends of mine and their friends. It wasn't like the public was touching him," Cavallaro said in response to the DEC's allegations. "All the parents who come here with their kids would vouch for me. I would never put them in harm's way. "Everybody who knows Albert knows he's the biggest baby on the planet. I mean, I can literally put my hand on his tongue, and he will not bite me." Albert the alligator rocking a sports jersey and lying on his pillows. Albert the alligator was turned over to a licensed caretaker, who will house the animal until it can be transported for permanent care, according to the DEC. Evidence is still being collected as part of a warrant and ongoing investigation to determine if any potential charges will be filed, the DEC said. AMELIA EARHART PLANE CRASH: AIR FORCE VET IS CERTAIN IMAGES ARE HISTORY'S MOST FASCINATING WRECK But Cavallaro is coming out swinging as he prepares to get his "baby" back through legal means. In the meantime, the community wrapped its arms around the western New York native with a planned rally and "Free Albert" signs and T-shirts. Tony Cavallaro said he loves to pop in on Albert to see if he's floating or out of the water to play with him. Albert the alligator and his "dad," Tony Cavallaro, who raised the gator since Albert was 2 months old. Courtney Valent, Cavallaro's friend, told Fox News Digital some pets are "cute and cuddly. Some might not look it, but they are too." "Tony will do whatever it takes to bring Albert home, and he has an army of support behind him," said Valent, president and founder of Empire Animal Rescue Society Inc. in Salamanca, New York. "Albert's life and well-being matters," Valent said. "Alligator or not, he belongs back home with his owner. This whole ordeal could have been handled much differently. This could have been handled in a civil manner with grace for the owner and compassion for Albert." This appears to be heading toward a drawn-out legal bout, which is eating at Cavallaro. "The feelings are going through me. I've had so much anger, so many emotions about this," he said. "I dislike these people more than you'll ever know. Nothing will ever change that. "I think they're the most uncompassionate, evil people on the planet. I don't wish anything good to none of them, and I hate feeling that way." Albert the alligator wearing a Buffalo Bills hat. Albert the alligator lounges on his pillows. Even as authorities hauled Albert off, Cavallaro said they wouldn't let him say goodbye to his alligator. "They wouldn't let me see anything. I was outside his room, but I couldn't turn around and look through the window. They said I couldn't," Cavallaro said. "These guys were trouncing all over my house. They were looking for another animal. That's what the warrant states, but I don't have anything else. "It was so invasive. And there 10 guys in the other room with him (Albert), and they brought me in the house when they were carrying him out because they didn't want me to see nothing." At this point, it's unknown how this situation will play out, but it appears headed to court. Cavallaro said he plans to meet with lawyers next week to discuss the next steps, and the DEC said there's an ongoing investigation, and it will decide if there will be charges or violations levied against Albert's "dad." "The investigation is ongoing. DEC will provide further information as it becomes available," the DEC said. Fox News Digital's Elyse Perry contributed to this report. Original article source: New York pet alligator seized by state 'like they were raiding a terrorist's home,' owner says KYIV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was seeking ways to divert blame for a massacre at a concert hall near Moscow on Friday. "It's obvious that Putin and other thugs are just trying to blame someone else," Zelenskiy said. "Their methods are always the same. We've seen it all before, destroyed buildings and shootings and explosions. And they always find someone else to blame." Chechen rebels accused Russian secret services of being behind apartment bombings in Moscow, Buynkask and Volgodonsk, blamed on Chechens, that killed more than 200 people in Russia in 1999, prompting Putin, who was then prime minister, to send troops back to Chechnya. A Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Zelenskiy was "the only head of state crazy enough to blame Russia for the terrorist attack." Earlier, Putin said 11 people had been detained following the attack, including the four gunmen. "They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them on the Ukrainian side to cross the state border," Putin said. Zelenskiy said Putin should use his own men to fight terrorism at home instead of invading Ukraine. "They have brought hundreds of thousands of their own terrorists here, on Ukrainian land, to fight against us, and they don't care about what is happening inside their own country," he said. "Yesterday, as all this happened, instead of dealing with his fellow Russian citizens, addressing them, the wimp Putin was silent for a full 24 hours, thinking about how to tie this to Ukraine. It's all absolutely predictable," Zelenskiy said. (Reporting by Nick Starkov in Kyiv and Elaine Monaghan in Washington; editing by Jonathan Oatis) President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed on March 23 a deadly shooting in a concert hall near Moscow, dismissing the Kremlin's attempts to link it to Ukraine. Several gunmen opened fire at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, northwest of Moscow, on the evening of March 22, killing 133 people and injuring at least 140, according to the latest updates by the Russian authorities. While the Islamic State terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack, Russian officials are attempting to connect it to Kyiv without providing any evidence. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the detained suspects planned to flee to Ukraine, where a "window" was supposedly prepared for them. "Putin and his thugs are just trying to blame somebody else... It has happened before. There have been blown-up houses, shootings, explosions, and they always blame others," Zelensky said in his address. In 1999, shortly before Vladimir Putin became president, a series of apartment bombings, including on the Kashirskoye highway in Moscow, rocked Russia, which were blamed on Chechen separatists, lighting the fuse for the second Chechen war. Since then, speculation has continued that Putin and the Federal Security Service (FSB) orchestrated the bombings to boost his popularity and legitimize the war. "They (Russia) came to Ukraine, they are burning our cities and they are trying to blame Ukraine," Zelensky said only a day after Russia launched its largest attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, killing five civilians and injuring dozens. "They sent hundreds of thousands of terrorists here, on Ukrainian soil, they are fighting against us and don't care what happens in their country." Subscribe to Ukraine Daily newsletter News from Ukraine in your inbox Subscribe Zelensky noted that Putin initially stayed silent regarding the shooting, waiting a whole day to find a way "to connect it to Ukraine." "It was all absolutely predictable." The president commented that "the hundreds of thousands of Russians who are currently being killed on Ukrainian soil would certainly be enough to stop any terrorists." "If Russians are ready to die silently in 'crocuses' and not ask any questions of their security services, then Putin will try to use more cases like this to strengthen his personal power." According to the Kremlin, a total of 11 people involved in the shooting have been detained, four of whom were called "the perpetrators." When addressing the shooting, Putin did not mention the fact that the Islamic State claimed responsibility, nor warnings of Western countries about a possible terrorist attack in Moscow. Kyiv has previously dismissed the allegations of its involvement in the mass shooting. The White House said there was no indication that Ukraine was behind the Moscow attack. Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) called the shooting a "deliberate provocation by Putin's special services." HUR claimed the attack was intended to justify "even tougher" strikes on Ukraine and total mobilization in Russia. Read also: Putin seeking to blame Ukraine for Moscow shooting, despite ISIS taking responsibility Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a press conference at the German Chancellery. Zelensky categorically rejected attempts by Russian President Vladimir Putin to blame Kiev for a terrorist attack near Moscow on Friday. "After what happened yesterday in Moscow, Putin and the other bastards are of course just trying to put the blame on someone else," Zelensky said in his daily video address on 23 March Saturday evening. Kay Nietfeld/dpa Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky categorically rejected attempts by Russian President Vladimir Putin to blame Kiev for a terrorist attack near Moscow on Friday. "After what happened yesterday in Moscow, Putin and the other bastards are of course just trying to put the blame on someone else," Zelensky said in his daily video address on Saturday evening. Moscow always uses the same methods, he said. "And they always blame others." After the attack on the concert hall near Moscow, "this absolute nobody Putin" stayed silent for a day instead of looking after his Russian citizens, Zelensky said. Instead, Putin thought about "how he could bring this to Ukraine." His comments came after Putin said earlier that there was a "Ukrainian trail" after the attack, though did not add further details. At least 133 people died in the attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue on Friday evening. The Islamic State terrorist militia claimed responsibility for the attack. Zelensky accused Russia of spreading terror itself, saying Russians were coming to Ukraine to burn down cities "and trying to blame it on Ukraine." They tortured and raped people - and blamed the victims, Zelensky said. "They have brought hundreds of thousands of their own terrorists here, on Ukrainian soil, to fight against us, and they don't care what happens in their country." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russian leader Vladimir Putin "and other scum" are trying to "blame someone else" for the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall near Moscow. Source: President Zelenskyys video address Quote: "What happened yesterday in Moscow is obviously something that Putin and other bastards are just trying to blame on someone else. They always have the same methods. This has happened before. There have been bombed houses, shootings and explosions. And they always blame others. They came to Ukraine, they are burning down our cities and still trying to blame Ukraine. They torture and rape our people again, they blame them. They have brought hundreds of thousands of their own terrorists here, to Ukrainian soil, to fight against us, and they don't care what happens inside their own country. Yesterday, all this happened, and this absolute nobody, Putin, instead of dealing with his Russian citizens, addressing them, was silent for a day he was thinking about how to drag Ukraine into this. Everything is absolutely predictable. The hundreds of thousands of Russians who are now being killed on Ukrainian soil would definitely be enough to stop any terrorists. And if Russians are ready to die in silence in 'crocuses' and not ask any questions of their special services, then Putin will try to turn more than one such situation to the benefit of his personal power ("crocuses" is clearly Zelenskyy's reference to Crocus City Hall ed.)" Background: Support UP or become our patron! NEW YORK CITY More than a dozen parents assembled in front of Metas lower Manhattan office on Friday morning, advocating for two New York Senate bills that would limit the ability of social media platforms to collect childrens social media data and algorithmically recommend content to them. The group, founded and led by former New York Times journalist Julie Scelfo, is called MAMA Mothers Against Media Addiction. They wore neon green beanies and held signs that said #KidsBeforeTech. Many of its members, some of whom lost children after being exposed to harms through social media, had demonstrated in January during the U.S. Senate hearings around Big Tech and child safety. During the hearing, Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg turned to them and said, Im sorry for everything youve all gone through. He actually looked me in the eyes for a few minutes and I thought You have no idea who I am, Scelfo told NBC News in an interview after the rally, referring to Zuckerbergs acknowledgement of grieving parents during the Senate hearings. And who I am is someone who has for years been asking people to think more critically about how all these technologies are wreaking havoc with basic institutions in our democracy. The issues discussed by parents and child safety advocates at the Friday rally extended far beyond the aims of the New York state bills, with actress and author Sheetal Sheth, a MAMA member and event speaker, calling them the bare minimum of regulating Big Tech. One parent, Mary Rodee, was holding a picture of her late son Riley, who died by suicide at age 15 in 2021 after being targeted with online sextortion on Facebook, she said. Image: Mothers Against Media Addiction Group Demonstrates Outside Facebook's Parent Company Meta's New York Office (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) Nothing has changed in nearly three years since Rileys death, Rodee said. Meta referred NBC News to its participation with the Take It Down initiative, introduced in 2023 alongside the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, which provides aid to children who are being sexually extorted or have had intimate material featuring them posted online. Meta also pointed to its guidance for kids and parents around sextortion, its stricter standards for minors on Facebook Messenger and its Safety Notices within Instagram direct messages. The two New York Senate bills were introduced by state Sen. Andrew Gounardes, who spoke at the protest. The bills are still waiting to advance from Senate committee. One is called the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act and the other is called the New York child data protection act. Image: Mothers Against Media Addiction Group Demonstrates Outside Facebook's Parent Company Meta's New York Office (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) The SAFE act would require social media platforms to opt children out of algorithmic-driven feeds which it calls addictive and instead present chronological feeds of posts from accounts children follow, minus algorithm-suggested content. It would also prevent social media platforms from sending children notifications between midnight and 6 a.m. The New York child data protection act would prohibit online sites from collecting, using, sharing, or otherwise processing any personal data of individuals under the age of 18 without informed consent. Both bills would limit how social media companies can administer their products to children in New York state, as well as how those companies can profit from child users. The SAFE act would require social media companies to provide age verification methods all New Yorkers can use that do not collect biometric data or require government identification that many New Yorkers do not possess. The child data protection act would not require age verification, but would instead require companies to rely on browser or device signals that indicate a user is a minor. This country is so far behind other countries in ensuring basic regulations, Scelfo said, referring to various laws that have been passed in Europe regulating social media platforms. In the U.S., various pieces of proposed regulation on social media companies have failed or languished in Congress. MAMA and the New York state bills the group is advocating for are part of a movement of proposed and enacted social media regulation at the state level, where advocates of Big Tech regulation have seen more success. For example, in Florida, a controversial state bill that would ban social media for kids under 16 even if they had their parents permission passed the House in February. That bill contains similar language to the less restrictive New York bills, as well as similar proposals and laws in states like Arkansas, Texas, Ohio, New Jersey and California. The Washington Post reported that MAMA is financially backed by the Center for Humane Technology nonprofit, which was behind the 2020 documentary The Social Dilemma. The nonprofit has also advocated for the Kids Online Safety Act, federal legislation that proposes new obligations for social media companies to prevent children from being exposed to content deemed harmful. Critics say this bill threatens kids First Amendment rights and puts the power to censor the internet in the hands of partisan state officials. Big Tech companies and researchers have also challenged the idea that social media can be addictive, which is at the heart of the proposed SAFE act in New York City. While addiction is in MAMAs name, Scelfo said the group isnt making medical claims. Im not a doctor, and MAMA is not using the word addiction in a clinical sense. However, we are using it to communicate the overarching problem in our societys addiction to media and technology, she said. We have screens everywhere now. And because of the internet and 24-hour, endless streams of content, we are inundating peoples minds and hearts with more information than they can possibly process. We have screens in elevators, we have screens in waiting rooms, in restaurants, at gas pumps, and it is not good for human health. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com GLOBE Charter School, one of Colorados oldest charter schools, will close its doors upon the conclusion of the 2023-24 schoolyear. The schools board president Doug Hering sent out a letter to parents and guardians March 20 informing them that the board had voted to close the school. The news has been, I dont want to use the word devastating, but its definitely painful, Hering said. Last fall, the school celebrated its 28th year as an operating charter school, but the cost of its current building along with shrinking enrollment put the storied school on hard times in recent years. In 2020, GLOBE relocated from the closed Longfellow Elementary building north five miles to its current location on North Academy Boulevard due to District 11, who authorizes the charter, wanting to repurpose the property. Following the move, the school experienced an immediate drop in enrollment. This was further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic when students that opted for hybrid or remote learning never returned to the school, according to Hering. Once these students were gone, the school was unable to recoup those student totals in addition to a steady decline in the years since. Current enrollment at the school is 67 students, peaking at 71 earlier this year. With a goal set at 120 total students for next year and only 55 committed to date, the board voted to close the school and allow students, teachers and staff enough time to transition out ahead of next year. At some point, the numbers just dont lie, Hering said. Last spring, District 11s board of education approved the expansion of the school from K-6 to K-8 in an attempt to retain students while also gaining new ones. The school currently includes seventh graders, who would have begun eighth grade instruction next year. The school has explored several options to improve its situation, including negotiating with the schools current landlord, relocating again to another building and potentially operating jointly with a nearby D-11 public school to secure lower-cost space. D11 area superintendent and charter school program manager Scott Mendelsberg said that this plan ultimately fell through due to questions about adequate space and functionality between the two along with the hope that GLOBEs enrollment would eventually recover. Featured Local Savings As you can imagine, when you combine schools, even with all of the best intentions, there are challenges there, he said. Coperni 3 reconfigured This school year is also the first for the charter school Coperni 3 (K-8) to operate following its consolidation with Coperni 2. Announced last June, the decision also came down to maintaining the schools operations with low enrollment numbers. In a press release by ownership company Third Future Schools, a network of charter schools across Colorado, Texas and Louisiana, it was announced that all Coperni 2 students would be guaranteed enrollment into Coperni 3, located inside the Citadel Mall, while part of the teaching staff would make a similar transition. Other D-11 charters to close in recent years include the STAR Academy in 2015, Landmark Community School in 2018, and Emerson-Edison Junior Charter Academy in 2010. Scholars to Leaders, authorized by the state's Charter School Institute, closed its doors in May 2015. Last Fall, the independent school Orton Academy, known for its specialized instruction for dyslexic students, was approved to enter into a contract with D-11 by its board of education. Additionally, the number of homeschooling families has steadily rose in recent years, with Colorado increasing by as much as 17% over the past six years. With enrollment being down across all public schools in the area, Mendelsberg noted that student recruitment and retention isnt a challenge unique to just charter schools. I think theres just more opportunities in the market now and it really is more competitive than its ever been, he said. So, I think all those factors line up: location and what your niche is within this space. GLOBE has called many locations its home throughout its history. When the school first opened in 1995, it was located in a storefront on Wasatch Street downtown before moving to an office building on Bijou Street in 2001. In 2009, the school moved to the Longfellow Elementary School Building on Alpine Place. Next month, the school plans to meet with a contingent of other schools and personnel in D-11 to discuss possible options for its students and staff next year. As the schools authorizer, any loss of enrollment at GLOBE or any of its charters reflects as a loss of enrollment in the district. Our understanding is that our staffs been really dedicated and done a really good job with our children and weve provided a unique educational environment and its really sad that thats going to be leaving our community, Hering said. Kate Smith is the politics reporter at the Walla Walla Union Bulletin. Jasper Kenzo Sundeen's reporting for the Yakima Herald-Republic is possible with support from Report for America and community members through the Yakima Valley Community Fund. For information on republishing, email news@yakimaherald.com. Putin says gunmen who raided Moscow concert hall tried to escape to Ukraine. Kyiv denies involvement The suburban Moscow concert hall where gunmen opened fire on concertgoers was a blackened, smoldering ruin as the death toll in the attack surpassed 130 and Russian authorities arrested four suspects Worldwide support pours in for Kate, the Princess of Wales, after shocking cancer reveal Support has poured in from around the world for Kate, the Princess of Wales, after she revealed in a candid video message that she is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer following major abdominal surgery How Patty Murray helped craft a compromise to fund the government despite chaos in Congress: Nobody thought we could get this done Krystyna Sikora is a research assistant with the German Marshall Funds Alliance for Securing Democracy. Lindsay Gorman is the alliances senior fellow and head of the technology and geopolitics team; David Levine is the senior elections integrity fellow. If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. Commentary: Problems in the banana industry mean your fruit came with some costs By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Air Force One with President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton aboard was on its final approach to Manila on Nov. 23, 1996, when their U.S. Secret Service detail received alarming intelligence: an explosive device had been planted on the motorcade route into the Philippines capital. Acting swiftly, the agents switched to a back-up route to the Clintons' hotel, foiling a suspected al Qaeda attempt to assassinate the president of the United States minutes after his arrival for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. As the motorcade crawled along the traffic-clogged alternate route, Filipino security officers recovered a powerful bomb on a bridge the convoy would have taken and an SUV abandoned nearby containing AK-47 assault rifles, four retired agents told Reuters. The assassination attempt, which appears to be one of al Qaeda's earliest attempts to strike the U.S., was mentioned briefly in books published in 2010 and 2019. Now, eight retired secret service agents seven of whom were in Manila have given Reuters the most detailed account to date of the failed plot. Reuters found no evidence of a U.S. government investigation into the attempt on Clinton's life. The news agency also could not independently determine if intelligence agencies conducted classified probes. For some of the Secret Service agents interviewed by Reuters, the events in Manila have left unanswered questions. "I always wondered why I wasn't kept back to stay in Manila to monitor any investigation," said Gregory Glod, the lead Secret Service intelligence agent in Manila and one of seven agents who spoke out for the first time. "Instead, they flew me out the day after Clinton left." "There was an incident," said Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. "It remains classified." He declined to say what, if any, actions the United States took in response. Clinton did not respond to multiple attempts to reach him through his spokesperson and the Clinton Foundation. Former CIA director Leon Panetta, who was Clinton's chief of staff at the time, said he was unaware of the incident but that an attempt to kill a president should be investigated. "As a former chief of staff, I'd be very interested in trying to find out whether somebody put this information to the side and didn't bring it to the attention of people who should have been aware that something like that happened." Under a 1986 law it is a crime for a foreign extremist organization to attempt to kill any U.S. national overseas. Prosecution requires authorization from the attorney general the late Janet Reno in 1996 which would then trigger an FBI investigation. The FBI declined to comment on the Manila assassination attempt. Four former U.S. officials, including the ambassador in Manila at the time, Thomas Hubbard, confirmed the foiled attack to Reuters but said they were also unaware of any U.S. investigation or follow-up actions. Thirteen years after Osama bin Laden's death, al Qaeda is a diminished force. But the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas "mobilized efforts to radicalize and recruit new followers within Muslim communities in Europe," a U.N. panel of experts wrote in a Jan. 29 report, citing al Qaeda propaganda supporting Hamas. OMINOUS INTELLIGENCE Glod said a U.S. intelligence agency later assessed that the plot was set up at bin Laden's behest by al Qaeda operatives and the Abu Sayyaf Group, Filipino Islamists widely considered an arm of al Qaeda. He declined to identify the agency. Reuters was unable to confirm the assessment and the CIA declined to comment. According to a 2022 International Crisis Group report, the group is in disarray, with only a handful of its leaders still alive. The office of the Philippines' president, Department of Foreign Affairs and the National Police did not respond to requests for comment. Four of the Secret Service agents who spoke to Reuters noted that Ramzi Yousef - the al Qaeda-linked mastermind of the first World Trade Center attack in 1993 and a nephew of September 11 architect Khalid Sheikh Mohammed who had trained Abu Sayyaf militants - was in Manila days before a 1994 visit by Clinton. Yousef is serving a life sentence plus 240 years in a federal "supermax" prison in Colorado. An FBI memorandum of its first interview with Yousef after his 1995 arrest noted that he surveyed sites in Manila that media reported Clinton would visit. Yousef "indicated that he considered placing an improvised explosive device in a location along the motorcade route," it said. Yousef ultimately concluded there was too much security and insufficient time for an attack, the memo said. Three of the Secret Service agents said they believed that Yousef instead was preparing for the 1996 attack, pointing out that the date of the APEC summit was known in late 1994. "I knew he (Yousef) was sort of an advance team," said Glod, citing his familiarity with intelligence reports. Yousef's lawyer, Bernard Kleinman, told Reuters that while "it's conceivable" that Yousef was in Manila in 1994 to begin the foiled 1996 plot against Clinton, he doubted that he did, describing his client as a bragger who made "himself much, much greater than he may have actually been." The threat posed by al Qaeda and Yousef was just one of the unsettling elements confronting the Secret Service's advance security team, the three agents recalled. The Philippines was battling communist and Islamist insurgencies. Police discovered a bomb at Manila airport and another at the summit conference center in Subic Bay several days before the Clintons' arrival. The U.S. State Department warned of threats against American diplomats in Manila the day before the First Couple flew in. Glod told Reuters the Manila assignment was "the worst advance I had ever done in terms of (threat) intel." The dangers were highlighted for Clinton before the visit in top-secret President's Daily Briefs, according to a military aide, retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Colonel Robert "Buzz" Patterson, who accompanied Clinton on the trip. DEVICE ON A BRIDGE It was late evening when Clinton flew into Manila. As Air Force One descended, Secret Service agent Daniel Lewis relayed the intelligence to the Secret Service team at the airport about a "device on a bridge" on the main route to The Manila Hotel. Buckled into his seat outside the Clintons' cabin, Lewis Merletti, who led Clinton's protective detail and later became Secret Service director, said he came to the same conclusion after a call from a U.S. intelligence officer whose name he didn't know disclose warning of a communications intercept mentioning a "wedding across a bridge." He said he recalled an intelligence report several years earlier that identified "wedding" as "terrorist code for an assassination." The planned motorcade route showed three bridges on the main route to the Clintons' hotel. "That's it. We're changing the route," he remembered saying over a secure radio link to Glod, who confirmed Merletti's recollection of the event. The bomb intended for Clinton was found atop an electrical box on a bridge along the original route, said Merletti, Lewis and Glod, who retired from the Secret Service in 1998, 2003 and 2011, respectively. Glod was rehired in 2017 as a law enforcement instructor before leaving in October 2023. Reuters video footage of Clinton's arrival shows bomb disposal experts wiring an explosive to the side of an electrical box on a bridge and detonating it. No bomb is seen atop the box. Filipino security personnel also recovered a red Mitsubishi Pajero abandoned at the far end of the bridge, the agents said. They said the AK-47 assault rifles found inside suggested that the attackers planned to block the span with the vehicle and fire on the motorcade. The next morning, Glod and Merletti said they were briefed on the plot by a U.S. intelligence official at the U.S. embassy and shown photos of the device. It comprised armor-piercing rifle-propelled grenades atop a box containing TNT wired to a Nokia phone rigged as a detonator, they said. Lewis and Craig Ulmer, who was the agent in charge of the Manila ground team, said they also later saw the photos. Dennis Pluchinsky, a retired State Department terrorism analyst who learned of the foiled plot in 2020 while researching a history of anti-U.S. terrorism, noted that in 1995 Clinton issued Presidential Decision Directive 39 committing to "deter, defeat and respond vigorously to all terrorist attacks" against Americans at home or abroad, and "apprehend and prosecute" those responsible. It was not until after 220 people died in al Qaeda bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in August 1998 that Clinton responded with cruise missile strikes. Those failed to stop bin Laden from planning fresh attacks. (Reporting by Jonathan Landay, Additional reporting by Karen Lema in Manila; Editing by Don Durfee and Suzanne Goldenberg) Virgin Atlantic and Kenya Airways have announced a new codeshare partnership agreement, providing greater access to Nairobi and beyond into East Africa. As part of the first phase of the agreement, customers will be allowed booking through Virgin Atlantic to directly purchase flights on Kenya Airways Heathrow to Nairobi service. In turn, Kenya Airways customers will soon have the opportunity to connect via London Heathrow onto a number of Virgin Atlantics luxurious Caribbean destinations, including Barbados, The Bahamas, Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Kenya Airways is one of the leading airlines in Africa and a fellow member of the SkyTeam alliance. Virgin Atlantics Gold and Silver Flying Club members, alongside Kenya Airways Asante Rewards Platinum and Gold members can take advantage of SkyPriority services at London Heathrow and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, including priority check in, baggage handling and boarding. Both airlines membership of SkyTeam has also allowed Flying Club members to reach their rewards faster. Opportunities to earn Virgin Points and Tier Points, alongside Virgin Points redemptions, have been in place since March 2023. Additionally, Flying Club members can take advantage of earning Virgin Points by booking luxury safari holidays through both Virgin Atlantic Holidays and Virgin Limited Edition. Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic, said: Were delighted to launch our partnership with Kenya Airways. As a fellow member of the SkyTeam alliance, we know our customers will enjoy a seamless travel experience, with more opportunities to earn and spend their miles with increased benefits for our SkyPriority members. Were committed to enhancing connectivity and as the only UK airline to codeshare on the Heathrow to Nairobi route, well be providing more choice and flexibility for customers booking with Virgin Atlantic. Julius Thairu, Chief Commercial and Customer Officer of Kenya Airways, said: We are excited to embark on this transformative partnership with Virgin Atlantic. By leveraging our complementary strengths and networks, we aim to enrich the travel experience for our valued customers, offering them greater choice, convenience and connectivity to key destinations in the world. Access to Kenya from the UK is now more accessible than ever before. From January this year, visitors from outside of Africa, including the United Kingdom, will only require an online authorisation to travel to Kenya, instead of a full visa. As fellow members of the SkyTeam alliance, Virgin Atlantic and Kenya Airways also have a shared ethos on sustainability. In October 2022, Virgin Atlantic welcomed the first of 16 A330-900neos to the fleet, continuing its transformation towards 100% next generation aircraft by 2027. In November 2023, Virgin Atlantic led an industry consortium to deliver the first 100% SAF flight across the transatlantic demonstrating that 100% SAF can be used safely as a drop in fuel in existing infrastructure, engines and airframes. In May 2023, Kenya Airways also became the first African airline to fly possibly the most sustainable commercial long-haul flight from Nairobi to Amsterdam. TradeArabia News Service The passengers on an Alaska Airlines Boeing flight that blew out its door plug midflight could be "victim[s] of a crime," according to the FBI. This Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane was forced to make an emergency landing in January when the incident happened, and no passengers were injured. Even when the door made impact with the ground, there were no reported injuries. Still the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board launched an investigation into the matter. The FBI and Department of Justice have opened their own criminal investigations as well. Subsequently, the FBI's victim specialist from its Seattle office sent all involved passengers a letter this week. Im contacting you because we have identified you as a possible victim of a crime, the letter read. A criminal investigation can be a lengthy undertaking, and, for several reasons, we cannot tell you about its progress at this time. A victim of a federal crime is entitled to receive certain services. These passengers are likely to continue to receive updates on Boeing's investigative status, criminal charges filed, outcome of charges, scheduled court proceedings, and anything else related to the case if they are considered crime victims. The FBI will also likely inform them of eligible medical and social services. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER There were 171 passengers and six crew members on the flight. Following the incident, the FAA ordered Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes to be temporarily grounded on the terms of an emergency airworthiness directive for the planes, which required immediate inspections on the aircraft before they were allowed in the air again. The directive instructed operators on what to look out for to ensure the safety of passengers. 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. Cel mai mare fan al pandurilor Cristi Torcea este unul dintre cei mai infocati fani ai pandurilor. La fiecare meci e nelipsit din tribuna. Nu vine cu mana goala, ci imbracat din cap pana in picioare cu insemnele pandurilor. Are esarfe de la toate meciurile din Europa League,... [citeste mai departe] YORK Pottawattamie County Sheriffs Office Sgt. Jim Doty of Council Bluffs, Iowa, who is featured in a new Netflix documentary about a murder case he helped solve, spoke at his alma mater York University on Thursday morning. Farvers sudden disappearance she got up and went to Kansas, informing her boyfriend of her decision over text message and leaving behind her child and mother puzzled Doty and other investigators, especially because despite her total disappearance, Farver continued to communicate through digital platforms for years. As Doty and the other members of his team revealed through their extensive investigation, the true story only got stranger. Netflix released a true crime documentary in 2024 about the case and the movie quickly became one of Netflixs top-rated documentaries. Unsurprisingly, Doty was a major character. At York University morning chapel on Thursday, Doty shared his experience working on the case, as well as what it has been like to be featured in a true crime Netflix documentary and how York University helped prepare him for his career. He even shared an anecdote about a school prank: Doty and some friends once put a car in York Universitys cafeteria. The statute of limitations, he said, protected him from getting in trouble for that. After graduating from York with a degree in psychology, Doty moved to Council Bluffs with plans of becoming a mental health counselor, before joining the Pottawattamie County Sheriffs Office. He joined in 2007 and now supervises the investigations division. Doty started out on road patrol, as everyone does, he said. He eventually worked his way up to detective and a sergeant. Usually you are assigned cases, Doty said, but in the Farver case, he and some colleagues decided to look into it because of how weird they found it. Though the case was technically a missing persons case Cari Farver appeared to be sending text messages and creating social media profiles Doty said they soon realized Farver was not alive. Someone in the IT department at the sheriffs office was able to reveal who exactly was sending all those messages. In fact, Doty said, they found that the person who had murdered Farver was posing as her. Liz Golyar was eventually convicted of murdering Farver, who she saw as a romantic rival. Part of what motivated him in doing this work, Doty said, was when he met Cari Farvers mother and came to understand the effect of Farvers disappearance. That motivated us all, we need to get this lady answers, Daty recalled thinking. The story soon got picked up by media around the country, including by Dateline, true crime author Leslie Rule and Netflix. Doty is presenting the case to law enforcement in London soon, he said, and also already presented the case to police departments around the U.S., such as in Las Vegas and Pittsburgh. I bet you never thought when you put a car in the caf, if you fast forward a few years later, youd be presenting your findings in London, joked Campus Minister Sean Algaier, who moderated the conversation. Doty also shared advice with York University students. First of all, Doty told York University students, dont worry too much that you have to have your career path figured out before graduating. Explore things, he encouraged, and study things that may interest you. You may find something else that you would never have thought you would be interested in. Doty said he felt like his degree psychology from York has helped him communicate with people and understand how people think. In addition to the Farver case, he also solved an unsolved case from 1983 involving a University of Nebraska at Omaha student. After the conversation in the chapel on Thursday, Doty spoke with students in a criminal justice class. They blinded us with science: York hosts annual expo Students in kindergarten through first grade gathered at the York City Auditorium for annual science expo. York hosts annual science expo York hosted its annual science expo for students on Tuesday, March 19. Science Expo 2024 Anna Kava, left, and Caylee Schuessler, right, learned about lava for the annual York Science Expo. They tested three different kinds of mixtu Science Expo 2024 Kiara Dhonde, a first grader, made a hydraulic lift because it reminded her of carnival rides that she had been on. The science expo included Science Expo 2024 Fifth graders who had participated in the science expo every year - six years in total - were recognized on Tuesday evening. The honorees incl Science Expo 2024 First grader Theodore Kretz looked into how electricity works. Science Expo 2024 Second grader Sophie Paul wanted to figure out what objects floated and what objects didn't. She found that marshmallows and goldfish floated, Science Expo 2024 First grader Ford Holoch, left, and third grader Greg Holoch, right, tested different kinds of gum to see which gum brand had the longest last Science Expo 2024 Over 100 students participated in York's 2024 science expo. The City Auditorium was full of poster boards and supportive family members. Science Expo 2024 Fourth grader Elsa Renner likes honey bees even though she once got stung by one. She likes honey bees, she said, because they are fuzzy. Science Expo 2024 Easton Nicolaus, a first grader, explored mars for his presentation. He really likes the Mars Rover, he said. BSEB 12th Result 2024: The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) is scheduled to announce the Bihar Board 12th Result 2024 today, March 23, at 1:30 pm. This eagerly awaited declaration will mark the culmination of the academic journey for numerous Class 12 students who participated in the board exams. The results will be accessible via the official website, biharboard.bihar.gov.in, providing students with the opportunity to check their BSEB Inter results 2024. A staggering 13,04,352 students undertook the BSEB Inter examination this year. To check their Bihar Intermediate examination 2024 scores, students will need to utilize their roll code and roll number through the designated BSEB 12th result 2024 link. Subsequently, they will be required to retrieve their mark sheets from their respective educational institutions. The Bihar Board result 2024 for Class 12 will be unveiled during a press conference, Along with the result, the board chairman will announce the overall and stream-wise pass percentages, names of toppers, and awards for toppers. BSEB Class 12th Result 2024: Steps To Check Scores - Go to biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in. - Locate and click on the BSEB Intermediate examination 2024 result link. - Input your roll code and roll number. - Proceed to log in and download the scorecard. Bihar Board Class 12th Result 2024: Exam Details The Class 12 examinations for Bihar Board 2024 were conducted from February 1 to February 12 in two sessions: the first session from 9:30 am to 12:45 pm and the second session from 2 pm to 5:15 pm. BSEB facilitated the process by uploading the official answer key on March 2, allowing candidates to submit objections until March 5. To qualify the examination, students must secure a minimum of 30% marks in each subject and at least 40% in practical assessments. In the previous year, a total of 13,04,586 students participated in the Class 12 board examinations, with an impressive 10,91,948 emerging successful. The overall pass percentage was recorded at 83.70 percent. Noteworthy achievements were observed in different streams, with 82.7% pass rate in the arts stream, 93.35% in commerce, and 83.93% in the science stream. Decreased appetite, also known as poor appetite or loss of appetite, refers to a reduced desire to eat. The medical term for this is anorexia. Various mental and physical health issues can lead to decreased appetite, which may be accompanied by symptoms like weight loss or malnutrition. If not treated, these symptoms can pose serious health risks. Therefore, it's important to identify the underlying cause of decreased appetite and address it promptly. Dr Manoharan B, Senior Consultant Nephrology, Manipal Hospital Varthur Road & Whitefield, Bengaluru shares how a decreased appetite can be indictive of early signs of kidney damage and diseases. Symptoms of Decreased Appetite Several conditions can cause decreased appetite. Typically, once the underlying condition is treated, appetite tends to return to normal. However, if left untreated, decreased appetite can lead to more severe symptoms given by Dr Manoharan: - extreme fatigue - weight loss - a rapid heart rate - fever - irritability - a general ill feeling, or malaise Decreased Appetite in Chronic Kidney Disease "Persistent decreased appetite can lead to malnutrition or deficiencies in essential vitamins and electrolytes, which may result in life-threatening complications. Therefore, it is crucial to seek medical attention if you experience a decreased appetite that persists beyond the duration of an acute illness or lasts longer than a few weeks", says Dr Manoharan. "The gradual decrease in glomerular filtration rate among individuals with chronic kidney disease is often accompanied by a notable decline in food intake. Around one third of chronic dialysis patients report experiencing a fair or poor appetite, directly impacting patient outcomes in a negative manner. Appetite regulation involves the gastrointestinal tract hormones such as ghrelin, cholecystokinin, and the brain, which integrates the stimuli in the hypothalamus area", he adds further. Causes of Anorexia in Chronic Kidney Disease Dr Manoharan highlights, "In non-dialyzed chronic kidney disease patients and those undergoing maintenance dialysis, anorexia is primarily linked to the buildup of unidentified anorexigenic compounds and inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, alterations in appetite regulation, such as amino acid imbalances, contribute to increased transport of free tryptophan across the blood-brain barrier. This results in a hyper serotoninergic state, which is conducive to reduced appetite. Increased PTH levels in patients with CKD are also associated with poor appetite." Treatment for Anorexia in Chronic Kidney Disease "Treatment for anorexia usually involves counseling, beginning dialysis treatments for uremic chronic kidney disease patients, optimizing the dialysis dose, and potentially introducing appetite stimulants." "In patients with ESRD on dialysis, there are protein catabolic processes, such as the unavoidable loss of amino acids (68 g per HD session) and albumin into the dialysate. IV amino acid supplements such as pure crystalline amino acid solutions are highly beneficial without discomfort for HD patients", concludes Dr Manoharan. Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court Friday declared the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004, "unconstitutional" and violative of the principle of secularism, and asked the state government to accommodate current students in the formal schooling system. A division bench comprising Justice Vivek Chaudhary and Justice Subhash Vidyarthi of the Lucknow bench of the court declared the law ultra vires on a writ petition filed by a person named Anshuman Singh Rathore. In his reaction to the order, UP Madrasa Education Board Chairman Iftikhar Ahmed Javed said the board will study the decision and decide the further course of action. "Now after 20 years, the Madrasa Education Act has been declared unconstitutional. Obviously there has been some mistake somewhere. Our lawyers could not present their case properly before the court," he said. Senior All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali said the order should be challenged in the Supreme Court. The petitioner had challenged the constitutionality of the UP Madarsa Board as well as objected to the management of madarsa by the Minority Welfare Department, rather than the education department. The petitioner and his counsel submitted that the Madarsa Act violates the principles of secularism, which is the basic structure of the Constitution, fails to provide quality compulsory education up to the age of 14 years/Class-VIII as is mandatorily under Article 21-A; and fails to provide universal and quality school education to all the children studying in madarsas. "Thus, it violates the Fundamental Rights of the students of the madarsas," they claimed. Opposing the petitioners, the state government counsel said that no doubt the Madarsa Board is providing religious education as well as religious instructions to the students, but the State has sufficient power to impart such education under the Constitution of India and is rightly permitting such education. "Providing religious education and instructions is not barred or illegal. For such religious education a separate Board is necessarily required, which needs to have members of such particular religion," he said. There are about 25,000 madrassas in Uttar Pradesh of which 16,500 are recognised by the Uttar Pradesh Madrassa Education Board. Of them, 560 madrassas receive grants from the government. Apart from this, there are 8,500 unrecognized madrassas in the state. Reacting on the decision of the High Court, Madrasa Education Board Chairman Javed told PTI that his lawyer probably could not present their case properly before the court. Javed said that the High Court's order will have a major impact on government-aided madrassas. If the Madrasa Education Act is repealed, teachers of aided madrasas will become unemployed, he said. "In 2004, the government itself enacted the Madarsa Education Act. Similarly, Sanskrit Education Council has also been formed in the state. The objective of both the boards was to promote languages like Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit," he said. On the question whether this decision of the High Court will be challenged in the Supreme Court, Javed said, "Now it is for the government to decide, because the court has given orders to it." AIMPLB member Farangi Mahali said this order of Allahabad High Court should be challenged in the Supreme Court. He said the Muslim community has established madrassas as per its constitutional rights, "just like there are Sanskrit schools". "Modern education is also being given in madrassas. If the Madrassa Education Act itself is abolished, then teachers of hundreds of madrassas in the state will become unemployed and there will be a question mark on the future of the children studying in them," he said. This will create a very difficult situation, hence this order must be challenged in the Supreme Court, Farangi Mahali said. Arizona is expected to be one of the most fiercely contested states in the November elections, and officials are preparing for attempts to undermine vote-counting operations. Control of the Senate and the White House could be determined in the Grand Canyon State, and Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Maricopa County recorder Stephen Richer are among those preparing for potential attacks on the systems. The Associated Press reported that both men have engaged in efforts to rebuild public trust in election results in the state after baseless allegations of widespread voter fraud and irregularities changing results were levied in the 2020 and 2022 elections. Were not talking about American transportation infrastructure or education infrastructure, all the other things that we really want to see develop, Fontes told the outlet. That loss of civic faith is the real problem that we have. One of Fontes's efforts includes creating a four-person information security team to gather details about potential attacks on election systems, along with cyberattacks. The team includes an analyst who examines disinformation about elections and voting systems in Arizona. Featured Local Savings The state is one of several that have made changes to their election laws since 2020, in addition to Fontes's recent efforts. In 2022, the state legislature passed a law to require voters to provide proof of citizenship as part of reforms for election integrity, along with changing the threshold for an automatic recount from 0.1% to 0.5%. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The Senate race between Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Republican Kari Lake, and the presidential race between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, are both expected to be hard-fought and could spark fresh allegations of misconduct and fraud against the Arizona voting systems. The Senate primary in Arizona is scheduled for July 30, while the general election for all races will be held on Nov. 5. NEW DELHI: Haris Farooqui, the alleged head of ISIS in India who was arrested recently by the Special Task Force in Assam, purportedly orchestrated plans to carry out bomb blasts in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand with the sinister aim of instigating communal discord. The Assam Police sources have made shocking revelations after chilling details emerged from Harish Farooqui's interrogation following his arrest on Wednesday. Assisted by his associates Shahnavaz from Jharkhand and Professor Wajiduddin from Aligarh, Farooqui allegedly devised a nefarious scheme to sow seeds of division and chaos by orchestrating acts of terrorism in these northern Indian states. According to sources familiar with the investigation, Farooqui, in collaboration with his accomplices, meticulously planned to execute bomb blasts in populous areas of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, strategically targeting places likely to incite communal tensions. Moreover, chilling details have emerged suggesting that Farooqui had conducted a trial of an improvised explosive device (IED) at the Haldwani railway station, indicating a sinister agenda aimed at causing widespread fear and panic among the public. Haris Farooqui, Aide Nabbed In Assam The Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police recently apprehended Haris Farooqui and his close associate from Assam's Dhubri district. Haris Farooqi alias Harish Ajmal Farukhi, believed to be the head of ISIS in India, and his associate Anurag Singh alias Rehan, were captured in a meticulously executed operation led by the STF team under the guidance of Parthasarathi Mahanta, IGP (STF), and Kalyan Kumar Pathak, Additional Superintendent of Police (STF). Speaking at a press conference held at the Assam Police headquarters in Guwahati, IGP Mahanta disclosed, "Fifteen days ago, we received intelligence from the central agency regarding potential movements of ISIS leaders in certain areas of the Dhubri Sector. Acting upon this credible information, a special task force was immediately mobilized to take action." He further elaborated, "Our personnel were deployed to key areas of suspected movement, and through focused efforts, we were able to narrow down our focus by the 18th. By the 19th, we received specific intelligence regarding their likely movement." Providing insights into the operation, IGP Mahanta revealed, "Consequently, I led an STF team, accompanied by an additional SP, to the Dharmasala area in Dhubri. On the morning of the 18th, we encountered two individuals who appeared to be seeking transportation. Utilizing photographs of top-level ISIS leaders, we identified a match with these two suspects." Additionally, Mahanta disclosed that information from sister agencies indicated the presence of two high-ranking ISIS leaders in a neighbouring country, planning to infiltrate India via the Dhubri Sector for sabotage activities. "Based on this intelligence, an STF team was deployed to locate and apprehend the suspects, who were also wanted by the NIA (National Investigation Agency). The operation culminated in the successful apprehension of the accused individuals in the Dharmasala area of Dhubri in the early hours of March 20," Mahanta stated. Further investigations confirmed the identities of the arrested individuals, with Haris Farooqi identified as the head of ISIS in India and Anurag Singh as his associate. Both individuals are alleged to be highly indoctrinated leaders of ISIS in India, involved in recruitment, terror funding, and the planning of terror acts using IEDs across multiple locations in the country. The STF, Assam, said that it will collaborate with the NIA to proceed with legal actions against these fugitives, as multiple cases against them are pending in various courts, including the NIA, Delhi, ATS, Lucknow, among others. NEW DELHI: In a big political development, the Ministry Of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday summoned a German Diplomat over remarks made by the German Foreign Ministry on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the liquor policy case. According to the news agency ANI, Georg Enzweiler, Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy, was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for an explanation on the issue. According to ministry sources, the MEA lodged a strong protest with the German envoy over the 'blatant interference' in India's internal matters by the country's foreign office. #WATCH | Georg Enzweiler, Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy, leaves from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/1insDAZ7zx ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2024 Taking note of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals arrest, the German Foreign Ministry earlier said it expects that standards regarding the independence of the judiciary and basic democratic principles will apply. Sebastian Fischer, a spokesperson for Germanys Foreign Ministry, was answering a question asking how the German federal government assessed Kejriwals arrest, that it took place weeks before the general elections in India and that the Indian Opposition sees it as politically motivated. We have taken note of the case. India is a democratic country. We assume and expect that the standards relating to the independence of the judiciary and fundamental democratic principles will also apply in this case, Fischer said according to his ministrys website. He added that Kejriwal is entitled to a fair, unbiased trial, which he said includes the right to make use of all existing legal remedies without restriction. The presumption of innocence is a central element of the rule of law and must apply to it [Kejriwals case], Fischer continued to say. Kejriwals Arrest And ED Custody Arvind Kejriwal was on Friday remanded to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate for seven days, i.e., till March 28, a day after he was arrested by the probe agency in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case linked to a money laundering case. Special CBI judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court passed the order after Kejriwal was produced on Friday following his arrest on Thursday night by the central probe agency. The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi excise policy case 2022, which was later scrapped. In its arguments before the court, the ED alleged that the CM of Delhi is the key ''conspirator and kingpin'' in demanding kickbacks from businessmen. The agency further claimed that Kejriwal was directly involved in the formation of the Excise policy. The ED counsel claimed that Vijay Nair, who was the media in charge of AAP, was working for Delhi CM Kejriwal. Nair, who the agency said lives adjacent to the residence of Kejriwal, acted as a middleman between the AAP and the South group. The ED further claimed that the proceeds of crime are not only Rs 100 crore but profits made by bribe givers were also proceeds of crime. The agency alleged that it had traced Hawala trails of Rs 45 crore that were used in the Goa Election. The arrest by the central agency has drawn severe criticism for the BJP-led centre from the opposition leaders. The AAP will "gherao" the prime minister's residence on March 26 to register its protest against Kejriwal's arrest by the ED, the party's leader Gopal Rai said on Friday. Two senior AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are in judicial custody in the excise policy case. Sisodia, who was the then Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, was arrested by the CBI on February 26 following several rounds of questioning. On October 5, ED arrested Sanjay Singh, who is a Rajya Sabha member. Kejriwal's arrest came days after the ED arrested Bharat Rashta Samithi (BRS) leader and daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao K Kavitha, in connection with its investigation into money laundering charges linked to the now-scrapped excise policy. Kavitha is in ED custody till March 23. PM Narendra Modi has emerged as the primary figure for the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) electoral drive, notably with numerous trips to Uttar Pradesh in recent weeks. Now, drawing from the Prime Minister's playbook, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will lead the BJP's campaign in the state, starting from Mathura. Set to commence right after the Holi celebrations, the campaign will see Yogi Adityanath taking an active role in the party's outreach to the electorate. Starting from March 27, CM will lead discussions at the Prabuddh Varg Sammelan, focusing on delineating the BJP's election strategy. The conference marks the initiation of a series of engagements, with three conferences scheduled daily across different regions. Followed by visits to Meerut and Ghaziabad on March 27, and proposed conferences in Bijnor, Moradabad, and Amroha on March 28. The momentum continues March 29 with conferences earmarked for Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, and Saharanpur, and subsequent engagements on March 30 in Baghpat, Bulandshahr, and Gautam Buddha Nagar. March 31 will witness the culmination of the initial leg of the campaign, with conferences slated for Bareilly, Rampur, and Pilibhit. PMs Recent Visit To UP Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled or initiated development initiatives totalling over Rs 42,000 crore nationwide from UPs Azamgarh out of which UP is set to witness the implementation of projects worth Rs 34,700 crore, predominantly centered around airport infrastructure development. PM was also joined by CM Yogi Adityanath and other BJP figures; the Prime Minister inaugurated the projects and delivered a speech at a rally in the Manduri area of district. New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court challenging his recent arrest and the remand order issued by the trial court on March 22. Kejriwal's legal representatives argue that both the arrest and the subsequent remand order are illegal, asserting his immediate entitlement to release from custody. The plea, submitted to the Delhi High Court, seeks an urgent hearing, preferably by Sunday, March 24, from the Acting Chief Justice. However, The Delhi High Court refused an expedited hearing for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea contesting his arrest and detention in the Delhi Excise policy case on Saturday. Kejriwal had filed a petition challenging his arrest and the remand order issued by the trial court on March 22. Despite this, the Delhi High Court rejected the request. The case is scheduled to be heard when the court reopens on Wednesday, as confirmed by the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court. The petition claimed the arrest of Delhi CM as illeagal and has demanded his urgent release. On Thursday night, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) apprehended Kejriwal, accusing him of being the central figure and primary conspirator in the purported scandal surrounding the defunct Delhi excise policy. Previously, former Deputy CM of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh were also arrested in connection with this matter. New Delhi: Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar hit out at China on Monday, labelling their claims regarding Arunachal Pradesh as "ludicrous." Jaishankar asserted that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India because it is a part of India, disregarding any country's comment. While addressing the issue of Arunachal Pradesh at Institute of South Asian Studies in Singapore, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said that China has raised the Arunachal issue multiple times with their baseless claims. "Arunachal Pradesh is not a new issue. Now China has expanded its claim. The claims were "Ludicrous" to begin with. Arunachal is a part of India because it is part of India not because some other country said it is a part of India, so i think we have always been very clear and consistent on this," EAM said. Earlier, Vedant Patel, the Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US State Department, stated that the US recognizes Arunachal Pradesh as an Indian territory and the US is against any unilateral attempts to assert territorial claims through military or civilian incursions across the Line of Actual Control. Prime Miniter Narendra Modi's visit to Arunachal and the inauguration of the all-weather tunnel irked the dragon and earlier this week, the Chinese military reiterated its claim over Arunachal Pradesh. Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang said that the southern part of Xizang (the Chinese name for Tibet) is an inherent part of China's territory, and Beijing "never acknowledges and firmly opposes" the "so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India". China claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet and consistently objects to Indian leaders' visits to the region, viewing them as provocations that highlight Indian claims. Beijing has also named the area Zangnan New Delhi: On March 23, the world celebrates Earth Hour Day, an annual initiative coordinated by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to signify the importance and awareness regarding the environment. This year the global community has observed the 18th edition of Earth Hour with a special theme of "Biggest hour for Earth." The event encourages people to turn off the lights for 60 minutes from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. to showcase their support for environmental stewardship. Let's watch the special visuals of Earth Day across the corners of India. The Earth Hour obseves at the Napier Museum in Thiruvananthapuram by lighting candles in the shape of the number '60' symbolising 60 minutes of an hour. #WATCH | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) observes Earth Hour at the Napier Museum by lighting candles in the shape of the number '60' symbolising 60 minutes of an hour. pic.twitter.com/Szw6165rVv ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2024 Kolkata marked the earth hour by turning off lights if its iconic Howrah bridge as a symbolic gesture to conserve energy and raise awareness about environmental conservation. #WATCH | 'Earth Hour' being observed in Kolkata as lights at the iconic Howrah bridge are turned off to conserve energy pic.twitter.com/EyhRp4W3Jw ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2024 Lights glow back at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus after observing Earth Hour today. #WATCH | Lights glow back at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus after observing #EarthHour for an hour. pic.twitter.com/VawdwJjNHl ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2024 In light of Earth Hour, 130 MW of electricity was saved in the BSES area, Across Delhi, the savings amounted to 206 MW during this hour-long period. #WATCH | Delhi: Lights at India Gate glow back on after observing #EarthHour for an hour. pic.twitter.com/8SXS7ue5sB ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2024 History Of Earth Hour In 2007, the concept of Earth Day was born in Sydney, Australia and rapidly became a worldwide movement. Earlier it was called an action for gaining consent for environmental change, symbolising the act of turning off lights to save energy. Over the years, this moment become famous across the globe. People from different countries, cultures, and time zones emphasize the powerful action against the environmental changes. New Delhi: In a major setback to the Congress party just ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls, 6 rebel and former MLAs from Himachal Pradesh joined BJP on Saturday. Other three independent MLAs who submitted their resignation on Friday also joined the saffron party today. After joining the Bharatiya Janata Party, the independent MLAs expressed their disappointment in the leadership of the Himachal government and suggested that it may not last long. Speaking to ANI, one of the three independent MLAs of Himachal Pradesh, KL Thakur said that the Congress government which was formed with high hopes in the state has failed to deliver its promises. "The Congress govt which was formed with high hopes in the state hasn't delivered on any of its promises... Earlier the BJP govt under the leadership of Jairam Thakur has done many works. But now, things are different. It seems this govt won't last long, many of the MLAs (of Congress) are in contact with the BJP," said Thakur. #WATCH | Delhi | After joining the BJP, one of the three independent MLAs of Himachal Pradesh, KL Thakur says, "The Congress govt which was formed with high hopes in the state hasn't delivered on any of its promises... Earlier the BJP govt under the leadership of Jairam Thakur pic.twitter.com/mfmIhQzizV ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2024 Another MLA Ashish Sharma said that the decision to join BJP was taken in the interest of the state as no development happened under Congress' rule in Himachal. "We have taken this decision in the interest of the state and the constituency. The way this nation is moving forward under the leadership of PM Modi, it will be our fortune if we contribute something to it. No developmental work has been done under this govt and is on a ventilator. It's a minority govt that won't last long," said Sharma. #WATCH | Delhi | After joining the BJP, one of the three independent MLAs of Himachal Pradesh, Ashish Sharma says, "We have taken this decision in the interest of the state and the constituency. The way this nation is moving forward under the leadership of PM Modi, it will be our pic.twitter.com/bYUlJuapHY March 23, 2024 Hoshyar Singh slammed the Himachal government and said that the law and order is in a bad situation in the state and no developmental work has been done for the past 15 months. Attacking the Congress he said that the party has a revenge mindset and has filed FIR against MLAs who did not vote in its favour in Rajya Sabha Polls. "Be it economic condition or law and order or any other, things aren't going well in Himachal Pradesh. We are independent MLAs and we had every right to vote for the candidate whom we wanted in the Rajya Sabha election and we did but since then Congress party has been working with the mindset of revenge and they filed FIR against the MLAs and their families, this isn't good for the democracy," said Singh. "Developmental work has been completely at a halt in the last 15 months and hence we have decided this on our own (to resign and join the BJP). The govt is on the ventilator, anything can happen at any time," he added. #WATCH | Delhi | After joining the BJP, one of the three independent MLAs of Himachal Pradesh, Hoshyar Singh says, "Be it economic condition or law & order or any other, things aren't going good in Himachal Pradesh. We are independent MLAs and we had every right to vote for the pic.twitter.com/h67ERsq4k8 March 23, 2024 The Three independent MLAs -- Ashish Sharma (Hamirpur constituency), Hoshiyar Singh (Dehra) and K L Thakur (Nalagarh) -- submitted their resignation to the Assembly secretary on Friday. Meanwhile, Former Congress MLAs-- Rajinder Rana, Sudhir Sharma, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Devinder Kumar Bhutoo, Ravi Thakur and Chetanya Sharma-- who were disqualified by the Himachal Pradesh assembly speaker also joined the BJP. New Delhi: Indian Navy marks the completion of 100 days of the ongoing maritime security operations under the aegis of Op Sankalp. During this time, the Indian Navy has responded to 18 incidents and has played a pivotal role as the First Responder and Preferred Security Partner in the Indian Ocean Region. The significance of INs contributions have been further underscored with the culmination of actions against the hijacking of MV Ruen. Indian Navy has responded to the manifestation of Israel-Hamas conflict in the maritime domain. 100 Days Of Operation Sankalp Based on the threat assessment in the region, the Indian Navy is conducting maritime security operations in three areas of operations viz Gulf of Aden and adjoining areas, Arabian Sea and off the East Coast of Somalia. The efforts of IN since Dec 23 involved deployment of over 5000 personnel at sea, over 450 ship days (with over 21 ships deployed) and 900 hours of flying by the maritime surveillance aircraft to address threats in the maritime domain. Emergence Of Piracy With the emergence of piracy in 2008, the Indian Ocean Region has witnessed steady increase in the presence of warships from regional and extra regional navies, operating independently or under the ambit of various Multi-National constructs. With over 110 lives saved (including 45 Indian sea farers), 15 lakh tons of critical commodities escorted (such as fertilisers, crude oil and finished products), nearly 1000 boarding operations undertaken, more than 3000 kgs of narcotics seized and over 450 MVs assured of INs presence, the ongoing maritime security operations have truly reflected Indian Navy's capability in playing a vital role as a strong and a responsible Navy in the IOR. In the ongoing endeavour since Dec 2023, Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) of the Indian Navy at Gurugram, has played a transformative role as a principal hub for enabling information exchange in IOR. In addition, coordinated missions with IAF and national agencies during this period has also highlighted the synergy and inter-operability of the Services. NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned the terror attack inside a packed concert hall in Moscow on Saturday, calling it a 'heinous act' and expressing solidarity with the Russian government and its people. "We strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation in this hour of grief," PM Modi posted from his X handle. We strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation in this hour of grief. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 23, 2024 The assault, which occurred at the Crocus City Hall concert venue, shook the capital city of Russia to its core. Reports indicate that a group of armed assailants stormed the venue, unleashing chaos by opening fire and detonating explosives among the unsuspecting crowd. Eyewitness footage from the scene shows a harrowing picture of pandemonium and terror, with the concert hall engulfed in flames and thick smoke billowing into the air. Amidst the chaos, terrified concert-goers sought refuge, their screams mingling with the deafening gunfire echoing through the venue. ISIS Claims Responsibility According to sources, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the reprehensible attack, which resulted in a devastating toll of at least 60 fatalities and left 145 individuals wounded. However, the veracity of this claim remains to be fully substantiated. The claim of responsibility by ISIS was later corroborated by US officials, who had earlier warned Russian authorities about intelligence indicating a potential attack. The US had received intelligence in March suggesting that ISIS-K, the Afghanistan-based branch of ISIS, was planning an assault on Moscow. The attack on Friday in Moscow, followed by the one in Iran in January, could prompt a reassessment of its ability to strike outside its home territory, according to the NYT. The swift and coordinated response from local authorities, including the deployment of SWAT teams and the mobilization of over 70 ambulance teams, underscores the gravity of the situation. As efforts to aid the injured continue, it is evident that this brazen act of violence has inflicted profound trauma upon the city of Moscow. 115 people have been hospitalised, including five children, the Russian Health Ministry told TASS. 60 people are in a 'serious condition'. Moscow City Duma Chairman Alexey Shaposhnikov called on Moscow residents to donate blood to help treat victims, saying that "this is a matter of life and death for dozens of people." This tragic incident marks the deadliest terrorist attack on Moscow in decades and has prompted global condemnation and expressions of solidarity. As the investigation into the attack unfolds, efforts are underway to provide aid and medical assistance to the injured. Regional authorities have mobilized emergency response teams and called on citizens to donate blood to help treat the victims. New Delhi: Indian Navy hands over 35 Somali pirates to Mumbai Police. After successfully concluding an anti-piracy operation, the pirates were transferred to Mumbai Police custody. Visuals from Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, depict the pirates being assigned chest numbers by the police before undergoing medical examination at JJ Hospital. 2-Day Operation The operation, which lasted nearly two days, rescued 17 crew members of the vessel MV Ruen without any casualties. The operation involved a navy destroyer, a patrol ship, an Indian Air Force C-17 transporter for airdropping marine commandos, naval and reconnaissance drones, and a P-8 surveillance jet. The capture of the MV Ruen marked the first successful hijacking by Somali pirates off the country's coast since 2017. Intercepting the pirate ship Ruen approximately 260 Nm East of Somalia, INS Kolkata disabled its steering system and navigational aids, compelling it to stop. Through forceful negotiations, INS Kolkata facilitated the surrender of all 35 Somali pirates on March 16, ensuring the safe release of the original crew members of MV Ruen. Bulgarian leaders, including President Rumen Radev and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel, expressed gratitude to India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the operation, emphasizing the rescue of seven Bulgarian citizens. Global Appreciation Bulgarian leaders, including President Rumen Radev, thanked India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the operation. "My sincere gratitude to (PM Modi) for the brave action of (the) Navy rescuing the hijacked Bulgarian ship 'Ruen' and its crew, including 7 Bulgarian citizens," Radev said in a post on X. My sincere gratitude to PM @narendramodi for the brave action of __Navy rescuing the hijacked Bulgarian ship "Ruen" and its crew, including 7 Bulgarian citizens. President.bg (@PresidentOfBg) March 18, 2024 Bulgarian Foreign Minister, Mariya Gabriel also thanked the Indian Navy for rescuing seven Bulgarian nationals in a successful anti-piracy operation in the Arabian Sea. Replying to this, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that it is exactly what friends are for. In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, "That's what friends are for," alongside Gabriel's post. The culmination of the ongoing Anti-Piracy operation involving pirate ship Ruen in the Southern Indian Ocean Region highlights the commitment of the Indian Navy towards reinforcing peace and stability, and also to thwart the resurgence of Piracy in the region. The federal government headed for a brief shutdown after senators failed to advance a $1.2 trillion funding package by a midnight Saturday deadline, but a deal has been struck, keeping disruption minimal . The House of Representatives passed the legislation Friday morning, giving the Senate just over 12 hours to potentially vote on the matter before objecting lawmakers derailed attempts to expedite a vote. At 11:42 p.m. Friday, Senate Majority Chuck Schumer (D-NY) took to the Senate floor to announce a deal to move forward with votes, indicating the lapse in funding for about 70% of the government would be temporary. "We have just reached an agreement to complete the job of funding the government," Schumer said in setting up votes on amendments before the final passage of the bipartisan deal on Saturday. The missed shutdown deadline marks the 11th funding lapse for the federal government, though some of those lasted for just a handful of hours. The longest shutdown in U.S. history occurred under former President Donald Trump in the 115th Congress, when disagreements over Trump's border wall stalled the appropriations process and saw federal employees furloughed for 35 days. Impacted federal bodies this time around would have included the departments of Defense, State, Homeland Security, Treasury, Labor, Education, Health and Human Services, the Small Business Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, certain congressional offices, and the federal judiciary. Featured Local Savings However, in a sign that swift passage was expected Saturday, the White House's Office of Management and Budget called off formal shutdown procedures for agencies shortly after midnight. "OMB has ceased shutdown preparations because there is a high degree of confidence that Congress will imminently pass the relevant appropriations and the President will sign the bill on Saturday," the White House said in a statement. "Because obligations of federal funds are incurred and tracked on a daily basis, agencies will not shut down and may continue their normal operations." The House had passed the spending package Friday on a bipartisan basis, prompting Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) to bring a motion to vacate against House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). Lawmakers were scheduled to depart Washington, D.C. Friday for a 16-day recess, so Johnson will have until April to secure majority backing in the House or be booted from the chair. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Johnson's predecessor, former Rep. Kevin McCarthy, was also removed from his post last fall after working with Democrats to pass a continuing government funding resolution and working with Biden to cap federal spending levels. Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the central government demanding for the immediate release of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to tackle the water crisis in the state. CM accused the Centre of neglecting the state's request for the release of funds. while addressing the press conference, CM Siddaramaiah asserted that the state is facing a vast problem of the water crisis and amid the situation, the Karnataka government has waited so long to get help from the central government. "According to the law, the central government has to release the funds as it has been predicted previously to the state government's needs. The NDRF and SDRF funds, have to be constituted under the disaster funds," Karnataka CM said. Talking about the Bengaluru current situation, he said that the 6900 borewells and most of the lakes have dried up. "2600 MLD of water is required for Bengaluru every day. In June, we will provide water to all 110 villages around Bengaluru," CM said. Siddaramaiah also informed us that he has a meeting with the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the energy department to discuss and cure the situation. State Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda informed that after lacking help from the central government, the state government has released Rs 80 crore to districts to manage the drinking water situation and fodder requirement for livestock. "There's a drinking water problem in about 1000 villages of the state, out of which, in about 250 villages water is being supplied through water tankers," Gowda said. The state Capital has been facing a water crisis for a long time. The is struggling with several water shortages before the summer arrived. Earlier, the citizens have also raised the issue of water scarcity in Bengaluru. Residents of many apartment complexes informed that their societies are sending out notices of water scarcity. New Delhi: The Lucknow administration has banned the sale of alcohol in the district on March 25, 2024 on the occasion of the Holi festival. Along with liquor, the administration has also imposed a ban on the sale of toddy, cannabis (Bhang) or any type of intoxicating substance Releasing the order to ban the sale of liquor and other intoxicating substances in Lucknow, the administration wrote that the decision has been taken to maintain the peace and order in the district on the festival of Holi. Liquor sale on 25th March, on the occasion of Holi, has been banned. All the liquor, beer, toddy and cannabis shops will remain closed: Lucknow DM Surya Pal Gangwar pic.twitter.com/PTmzBg9M8q ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2024 "Liquor sale on 25th March, on the occasion of Holi, has been banned. All the liquor, beer, toddy and cannabis shops will remain closed," stated Lucknow DM Surya Pal Gangwar. According to the order, all the retailers, wholesalers, military, paramilitary canteens and CSD depots are prohibited to sell alcohol, beer, cannabis toddy or any other type of intoxicating material. New Delhi: A day after a Delhi court sent Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to the custody of the Directorate of Enforcement, senior AAP leader and Minister Atishi on Saturday alleged that the money trail was found in the BJP's account and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ED to 'arrest' BJP national president JP Nadda. Addressing a press conference, Atishi asserted that, till today, no money trail has been found connected to any AAP leader. "In the so-called excise policy scam of Delhi, CBI and ED investigations have been going on for the past two years. In these two years, a question has come up again and again Where is the money trail? Where did the money go? No proceeds of crime were recovered from any leader, minister or worker of AAP," Atishi said. She further claimed that Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on the basis of one person's (Sharad Chandra Reddy) words. "Arvind Kejriwal was arrested in the same case two days back on the basis of the statement of just one person - Sharat Chandra Reddy. He is the owner of Aurobindo Pharma...He was summoned on 9th November 2022 for questioning. He clearly said that he never met or spoke with Arvind Kejriwal and has nothing to do with AAP. As soon as he said that, he was arrested the next day by the ED. After being in jail for several months, he changed his statement. He said that he met Arvind Kejriwal and spoke with him over the excise policy matter. He was granted bail as soon as he said that. But where is the money? Where is the money trail?" she said, according to news agency ANI. #WATCH | Delhi excise policy matter | Delhi Minister Atishi says, "In the so-called excise policy scam of Delhi, CBI and ED investigations have been going on for the past two years. In these two years, a question has come up again and again - Where is the money trail? Where did pic.twitter.com/gPkhhfuZEB ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2024 Atishi further alleged that Sarath Chandra Reddy donated Rs 4.5 crore bonds to BJP adding that no illegal money was recovered during ED's raid at Delhi's CM residence. "He (Sharat Chandra Reddy) gave electoral bonds worth Rs 4.5 crore to BJP. And then also gave bonds worth Rs 55 crores. Where is the money trail? A money trail money was found in the BJP's account. I challenge Prime Minister Narendra and ED, to arrest BJP national president JP Nadda," Atishi said. Arvind Kejriwal was on Friday remanded to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate for seven days, i.e., till March 28, a day after he was arrested by the probe agency in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case linked to a money laundering case. Special CBI judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court passed the order after Kejriwal was produced on Friday following his arrest on Thursday night by the central probe agency. The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi excise policy case 2022, which was later scrapped. In its arguments before the court, the ED alleged that the CM of Delhi is the key conspirator and kingpin in demanding kickbacks from businessmen. The agency further claimed that Kejriwal was directly involved in the formation of the Excise policy. The ED counsel claimed that Vijay Nair, who was the media in charge of AAP, was working for Delhi CM Kejriwal. Nair, who the agency said lives adjacent to the residence of Kejriwal, acted as a middleman between the AAP and the South group. The ED further claimed that the proceeds of crime are not only Rs 100 crore but profits made by bribe givers were also proceeds of crime. The agency alleged that it had traced Hawala trails of Rs 45 crore that was used in the Goa Election. The arrest by the central agency has drawn severe criticism for the BJP-led centre from the opposition leaders. The AAP will "gherao" the prime minister's residence on March 26 to register its protest against Kejriwal's arrest by the ED, the party's leader Gopal Rai said on Friday. Two senior AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are in judicial custody in the excise policy case. Sisodia, who was the then Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, was arrested by the CBI on February 26 following several rounds of questioning. On October 5, ED arrested Sanjay Singh, who is a Rajya Sabha member. Kejriwal's arrest came days after the ED arrested Bharat Rashta Samithi (BRS) leader and daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao K Kavitha, in connection with its investigation into money laundering charges linked to the now-scrapped excise policy. Kavitha is in ED custody till March 23. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up his two-day trip to Bhutan and departed for New Delhi on Saturday morning. To bid farewell to the Indian PM, The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, and Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay were present. The presence of the Bhutanese dignitaries signifies the close ties between the two nations. Here's how PM Modi's trip can be wrapped up in 5 points: 1. Inauguration of Hospital During his visit, PM Modi inaugurated the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital along with Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay. PM Tobgay expressed gratitude to the Indian government for fully funding the construction of this state-of-the-art hospital, highlighting the collaborative efforts between India and Bhutan in healthcare infrastructure development. 2. Assistance Package and Recognition Prime Minister Modi announced a significant assistance package of 10,000 crores for Bhutan's 13th five-year plan, underscoring the strengthening bond between the two nations. 3. Bhutan's Highest Civilian Award He was honored with the 'Order of the Druk Gyalpo,' Bhutan's highest civilian award. PM Modi became the first foreign dignitary to receive this prestigious recognition, emphasizing the exceptional relationship between India and Bhutan. 4. Bilateral Energy Cooperation PM Modi and PM Tobgay reviewed various aspects of bilateral energy cooperation during the visit. Both leaders welcomed expert-level discussions on hydro-electric projects like the 1200 MW Punatsangchhu-I Hydro-electric Project. The leaders affirmed their commitment to enhancing energy security and strengthening their economies through mutually beneficial partnerships. 5. Warm Reception PM Modi's visit to Bhutan from March 22-23 was met with enthusiasm as he received a warm welcome from the Bhutanese people.The visit underscored the deep-rooted friendship and cooperation between India and Bhutan across various sectors, promising further collaboration for mutual growth and development. New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Chief Minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann, stated on Saturday that if Arvind Kejriwal, his counterpart in Delhi, is incarcerated, the AAP will seek court approval and set up his office in the prison. He further claimed, "It is not written anywhere that a government cannot run from jail." Mann was speaking in an interview to the PTI. He said the law says Kejriwal is permitted to continue working from jail until proven guilty. The Punjab CM said that no one can replace Arvind Kejriwal's stature in the Aam Aadmi Party, emphasising that he created the party after the anti-corruption movement. Earlier today, during an exclusive interview with Zee News TV, CM Mann claimed that the Modi-led central government is using the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as a tool to target opposition parties in different states while turning a blind eye to their own actions. He also criticised the BJP, alleging that they have become arrogant and do not want AAP to participate in the elections. Mann assured that the absence of Delhi CM will not disrupt their Lok Sabha election campaign, asserting that every member of the Aam Aadmi Party embodies Kejriwal. "Arvind Kejriwal Is As Strong As Steel" Meanwhile, on Saturday, the CM's wife, Sunita Kejriwal, shared a heartfelt message from Arvind Kejriwal; she assured the women of Delhi that "Arvind Kejriwal is as strong as steel." Urging the AAP members to not halt the work for social welfare and public service. Let us not harbour resentment towards BJP members because of this. They are our fellow citizens. I will return soon," conveyed Sunita Kejriwal while relaying the CM's message from jail. On Friday, Arvind Kejriwal was sent into the custody of the ED for a period of seven days, extending until March 28. This followed his arrest by the agency in relation to the Delhi Excise Policy case, which is associated with a money laundering investigation. After the Delhi CM was sent on remand, the opposition in Delhi, the BJP, has demanded his resignation. New Delhi: Renowned dairy giant Amul, known for its tagline 'Taste of India,' is set to make its international debut. The iconic brand is poised to extend its reach beyond borders, bringing its diverse range of fresh products to the shores of the United States. I am pleased to inform that Amul shall be launching its fresh milk products in the United States of America. Happy to inform that we have tied up with a 108-year-old dairy cooperative in the US Michigan Milk Producers Association, and this announcement was done at their annual meeting on March 20 at Detroit, said Jayen Mehta, Managing Director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF). (Also Read: India Extends Ban On Onion Exports Indefinitely Ahead Of General Election) #WATCH | Anand, Gujarat: Month after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Amul to emerge as the world's largest dairy. Now, Amul plans to launch fresh milk products in the United States. Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation's Managing Director Jayen Mehta says, "I am pic.twitter.com/jJYViW7Ane ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2024 Amul is set to introduce its fresh milk selection in the United States, offering it in both one-gallon (3.8 liters) and half-a-gallon (1.9 liters) packaging, all carrying the Amul brand. This range encompasses Amul Gold with 6 per cent milk fat, Amul Shakti containing 4.5 per cent milk fat, Amul Taaza featuring 3 per cent milk fat, and Amul Slim with 2 per cent milk fat. (Also Read: New Tax Regime: Consider These Deductions For Optimal Savings) The different types of fresh milk will be sold at prominent Indian grocery stores across the East Coast and Midwest regions of the United States.Following the introduction of the fresh milk varieties, Amul intends to bring additional dairy products like yogurt, buttermilk, and paneer to the US market. This move aims to meet the increasing demand from the Indian community living abroad. Further, GCMMF, the parent company of Amul plans to launch extensive mass media campaigns. These will include broadcasting their well-known TV advertisement 'Doodh Doodh Piyo Glass Full Doodh' in the United States. Amul exports its products to over 50 countries globally. It operates with 18,000 milk cooperative committees and a network of 36,000 farmers. Every day, they process over 3.5 crore liters of milk. Brussels: In the hallowed halls of the European Parliament, Advocate & CA Harsh Patel, the esteemed Founder and Global CEO of Water and Shark, delivered a seminar on penetrating the Indian market for European Union (EU) companies. His insights, shared at the EU India Leaders Conference 2024, unveiled the labyrinth of opportunities and challenges awaiting those eyeing India's bustling economic landscape. Patel, a titan in international corporate law and taxation, illuminated the path forward for EU enterprises, highlighting the critical legal and regulatory considerations pivotal for a successful foray into India. Central to his discourse was the indispensable need for EU companies to acquaint themselves with the regulatory bedrock of India, notably the Department for Promotion of Industrial and Internal Trade (DPIT) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). These guardians of economic oversight wield considerable influence over investments and foreign exchange management, underscoring the imperative for stringent compliance by foreign entities seeking to navigate Indian shores. Furthermore, Patel underscored the paramount importance of conducting exhaustive market research and due diligence. He articulated the intricate dance between legal compliance and strategic business acumen, emphasizing the need for meticulous alignment of fiscal policies with local laws to circumvent potential pitfalls. Patel's sage counsel reverberated with a clarion call for EU companies to tread cautiously, armed with a deep understanding of India's regulatory framework, ensuring a seamless transition into the market. The burgeoning automotive sector emerged as a focal point in Patel's narrative, with India poised as a beacon for green innovation. Initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and FAME phase-II beckon EU companies with promises of substantial subsidies, priming India as an alluring destination for sustainable technology ventures. Despite formidable challenges such as stringent emission standards and logistical intricacies, Patel's optimism remained unshaken, buoyed by India's competitive advantages including a skilled workforce, burgeoning infrastructure, and low labor costs. New Delhi: As the financial year 2023-24 draws to a close, investors are on the lookout for strategies to minimize their tax liabilities and boost savings. With the availability of two income tax regime options, understanding the nuances of each can help taxpayers make informed decisions to optimize their finances. Introduction Of New Tax Regime Introduced under Section 115BAC in Budget 2020, the new tax regime offers lower tax rates but fewer deductions compared to the old regime. (Also Read: 1 vs 3 vs 5 Year FD Rates: Check How Much Return You Will Get From Major Banks) Notably, the new regime has now become the default option, meaning taxpayers who do not actively choose either regime will automatically be placed under the new one. (Also Read: Do You Know How To Convert Your Credit Card Bill Into Easy EMI Options? Here's How To Do It) Tax Rates Under New Regime - Individuals with an annual income of up to Rs 3 lakh are exempt from paying any tax. - Tax rates range from 5 percent for incomes between Rs 3-6 lakh, to 30 percent for incomes exceeding Rs 15 lakh. - Moreover, a tax rebate is available on incomes up to Rs 7 lakh, providing relief for individuals with salaries up to Rs 7.5 lakh. Available Allowances And Deductions Under New Tax Regime Despite fewer deductions, certain allowances and exemptions remain available under the new tax regime. These are: - All taxpayers can claim a standard deduction of Rs 50,000. - Deductions on long-term capital gains from equity shares or mutual funds are capped at Rs 1 lakh. - Furthermore, various exemptions apply to allowances such as transport, conveyance, travel, and employer contributions to employees' NPS accounts, among others. New Delhi: The Islamic State, also known as ISIS, has claimed responsibility for the large-scale attack on a concert hall in Moscow, Russia. The assault resulted in at least 60 fatalities and over 100 injuries, according to Zee News TV. In an unfateful turn of events, a group of armed individuals entered the Crocus City Hall concert venue and initiated gunfire and explosions among the attendees on Friday, local time. ISIS claimed accountability for the incident through a brief statement disseminated by the ISIS-linked news agency Amaq on Telegram. However, the group has not presented any evidence to substantiate its claim. Video footage from the scene showed the Crocus City Hall in flames, with smoke rising into the sky. The footage also captured panicked crowds seeking refuge, screaming, and taking cover behind seats as gunfire erupted in the expansive hall. State-run RIA Novosti reported the armed individuals opened fire with automatic weapons and threw a grenade or an incendiary bomb, which started a fire. They then allegedly fled in a white Renault car, the news agency said. US Intelligence According to the New York times, the claim by the Islamic State was also confirmed by US officials shortly afterwards. The US officials said they had privately apprised Russian officials about the intelligence pointing to an impending attack, the New York Times reported. The United States collected intelligence in March that Islamic State-Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, had been planning an attack on Moscow, according to officials. The branch of the group based in Afghanistan. ISIS members have been active in Russia, a US official said. After a period of relative quiet, the Islamic State has been trying to increase its external attacks, according to US counterterrorism officials. Most of those plots in Europe have been thwarted, prompting assessments that the group has diminished capabilities. The attack on Friday in Moscow, followed by the one in Iran in January, could prompt a reassessment of its ability to strike outside its home territory, according to the NYT. ISIS v/s Putin ISIS-K has been fixated on Russia for the past two years, frequently criticising President Vladimir Putin in its propaganda, said Colin P Clarke, a counterterrorism analyst at the Soufan Group, a security consulting firm based in New York. ISIS-K accuses the Kremlin of having Muslim blood in its hands, referencing Moscows interventions in Afghanistan, Chechnya and Syria, he added. According to reports from the New York Times, US officials stated that they had not only publicly alerted about a potential attack on March 7 but had also privately informed Russian authorities about intelligence indicating an imminent threat. However, the extent of information shared beyond the public warning remains unclear. Previously, the US had also cautioned Iran about a potential attack preceding twin bombings in January. These bombings, which claimed the lives of at least 103 individuals and injured 211 others during a memorial service for Irans former top general, Qassim Suleimani, were attributed to ISIS-K. Rescue Operation Meanwhile, regional governor Andrey Vorobyov emphasized that every effort was being made to rescue individuals in what is now deemed the deadliest terrorist attack on Moscow in decades. Response teams, including a SWAT unit, over 70 ambulance teams, and medical professionals, were mobilized to aid the victims. According to the Russian Health Ministry's statement to TASS, 115 individuals, including five children, have been hospitalized, with 60 in critical condition. Moscow City Duma Chairman Alexey Shaposhnikov appealed to residents to donate blood, stressing its vital role in treating numerous victims. Approximately 100 people were evacuated from the building by firefighters, as reported by TASS. Rescue operations are ongoing, with responders still working to extract individuals from the roof, as confirmed by the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation. The death toll from the violence at Moscow Concert Hall in Russia is rising, with 93 reported dead and over 150 wounded after a group of gunmen attacked Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow on Friday. While the ISIS has claimed the responsibility for the attack, Russian authorities have detained eleven individuals suspected with direct involvement in the assault, reported AP. The attack came just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin secured an electoral landslide victory. Here are details of what went down since the first bullet was fired in Moscow: Death-Toll Rises To 93, Rescue Ops Underway Authorities reported that a minimum of 93 individuals including three children lost their lives in the terror attack. Photographs circulated by Russian state media on Saturday depicted a lineup of emergency vehicles remaining stationed outside the remnants of Crocus City Hall. This venue served as both a shopping mall and a music venue has a capacity exceeding 6,000 individuals. Russia Detains Eleven Suspects So far, eleven people have been arrested. Russia's Investigative Committee stated that four of those detained were directly involved in the attack. These individuals were captured in the Bryansk region of western Russia, which is "near the border with Ukraine," as per the committee's announcement. The attackers were reportedly apprehended following a car search. ISIS Claims The Bullet Shower The Islamic State group asserted responsibility for the attack in a declaration disseminated on affiliated social media channels. A US intelligence official told AP that the American intelligence agencies had received information indicating that the group's faction in Afghanistan was plotting an attack in Moscow, which they subsequently conveyed to Russian authorities. As per reports from the AP, the IS declaration framed its assertion as an assault directed towards Christians, Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi. But a specialist on the terrorist organisation, noted that it seemed to mirror the ISIS group's tactic of "launching attacks wherever possible as a component of a worldwide effort to combat 'infidels and apostates everywhere.' Geopolitics In Aftermath Of Attack As Russia is in war with Ukraine for nearly three years now, Certain Russian legislators pointed fingers at Ukraine for the involvement in the gunfires. Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, refuted any implication of involvement. Ukraine has never resorted to the use of terrorist methods, he posted on X, formerly Twitter. Everything in this war will be decided only on the battlefield. He further added that, Well before the incidents at Crocus City Hall unfolded, foreign embassies based in Moscow had issued public alerts about the potential occurrence of such violent outbreaks. Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia). It makes no sense whatsoever. First of all, Ukraine has been fighting with the Russian army for more than two years. And everything in this war will be decided only March 22, 2024 Concert Turned To Massacre The gunmen entered the hall amidst a gathering of spectators awaiting a performance by the Russian rock band Picnic. Intruders stormed a spacious concert hall in Moscow on Friday, unleashing gunfire upon the crowd. This resulted in the deaths of over 90 individuals, with more than 150 sustaining injuries. The assailants also set ablaze to the venue in a bold act of aggression as a result the roof of the hall also collapsed. Several Russian media outlets hinted that additional individuals might have been ensnared by the inferno ignited following the assailants' detonation of explosives. The Senate appears to be at a standstill over arguments on border amendments in its large $1.2 trillion spending bill Friday night, just hours away from a possible government shutdown. Senate Republicans appeared frustrated over the lack of progress on the spending bill, claiming that not much progress was made during the day. The House has already passed the legislation. We havent made a lot of progress, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) told Politico. Senate Republicans claim there are a handful of amendments related to immigration and the border that have not been agreed on yet, and the delay could cause negotiations to run into the weekend, thereby shutting down parts of the federal government. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) said there are two important pieces of legislation being held captive by Democrats. They especially dont want to vote on the Laken Riley amendment, which would insist on justice for the murder of Laken Riley and similarly situated illegal criminals, Cotton said. They [also] don't want to vote on the amendment that would prohibit charter flights for illegal aliens into the country. Featured Local Savings Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said another amendment request would block the Biden administration from lifting sanctions against Iran. A partial government shutdown still appears possible since any changes to the amendments would require the Houses approval, which has already left town. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Should the government shutdown occur, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has scheduled a vote on the bill on Sunday if no deal is reached before then. The Senate is expected to go on a two-week recess once the legislation is passed. Kyiv: In a significant escalation of hostilities, Russia has unleashed a devastating airstrike on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, marking one of the most extensive attacks in the ongoing conflict between the two nations. The assault, characterized by a barrage of drone and missile strikes, targeted vital energy facilities across Ukraine, leaving a trail of destruction and plunging millions into darkness. The attacks, which unfolded on Friday, have resulted in catastrophic consequences, with reports indicating the loss of at least five lives and widespread power outages affecting over a million individuals. Ukrainian authorities have scrambled to address the emergency, seeking assistance from neighbouring countries such as Poland, Romania, and Slovakia to mitigate the impact of the disrupted energy supply. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wasted no time in condemning the brazen attack, denouncing it as a direct assault on the lives and livelihoods of ordinary citizens. Describing the strikes as tantamount to "war with peoples everyday lives," President Zelenskyy reiterated his plea for Western allies to provide critical air defense systems to bolster Ukraine's defenses against further aggression. "The Russian airstrikes this morning were heinous, with the deliberate goal of causing structural damage to societys life rather than military damage to our ability to defend ourselves. This is terror, by definition, without any disguises," President Zelenskyy stated emphatically. Russian air strikes this morning were heinous, with the deliberate goal of causing structural damage to societys life rather than military damage to our ability to defend ourselves. This is terror, by definition, without any disguises. The strikes harmed over thirty people pic.twitter.com/8IUikfXlxm Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) March 22, 2024 The impact of the strikes has been felt acutely across Ukraine, with significant damage inflicted on key energy infrastructure. Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, Oleksiy Kuleba, revealed that over a million consumers were left without electricity, with major outages reported in regions such as Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, and Poltava. Energy Minister German Galushchenko described the onslaught as the largest attack on Ukraine's energy industry in recent memory, underscoring the severity of the situation. The strikes targeted critical infrastructure, including power transmission lines and the Zaporizhzhia power plant, Europe's largest nuclear energy site. The attack on the Zaporizhzhia power plant, seized by Russian troops in the early days of the conflict but powered by Ukrainian lines, raised concerns about the safety and stability of the facility. Although shelling damaged one of the power transmission lines feeding the plant, authorities have assured that there is no immediate risk of a breach or nuclear incident. Despite the widespread destruction, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal sought to reassure the public that the situation in the energy sector was under control, and widespread blackouts were not necessary. Efforts to restore power and repair damaged infrastructure are already underway, with specialized teams mobilized to mitigate the impact of the attacks. As the dust settles on the aftermath of this devastating airstrike, the international community has condemned Russia's aggression and expressed solidarity with Ukraine. Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, called for urgent action to provide additional air defence interceptors to Ukraine, stressing the need to defend against further attacks. The attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure underscores the gravity of the situation and the urgent need for concerted efforts to address the ongoing conflict. As tensions continue to simmer, the plight of the Ukrainian people remains at the forefront of global attention, with calls for justice and accountability echoing across diplomatic corridors. Mickey Pardo is a biologist specializing in animal behavior and applied wildlife ecology. He is a postdoctoral associate at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and lives in Colorado. Global hospitality major Marriott International has announced that its key property Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah has appointed Peter Katusak-Huzsvar as its new General Manager effective immediately, thus ushering in a new era of luxury and excellence. A seasoned professional with an impressive track record in the industry, Peter brings with him a wealth of international hospitality expertise. Taking the helm of this iconic establishment, he is dedicated to crafting unforgettable experiences and further enhancing the renowned legacy of the Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah. Armed with a BSc in Hospitality Administration & Management from Corvinus University Budapest and an MSc in Business Administration & Management from the University of Pecs, Peter boasts an illustrious career that spans more than three decades. After commencing his professional career in Hungary, Peter has held pivotal roles in renowned hotels across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, culminating in his most recent role as the General Manager of W Dubai The Palm and W Residences Dubai The Palm, UAE, a position he assumed in August 2020. Prior to this, he held the role of General Manager at SO/Vienna in Austria, where he steered the property to excellence from January 2018 to July 2020. Peters leadership journey is marked by significant roles, including General Manager at W Dubai Al Habtoor City, UAE, and W Guangzhou, China, while his versatility and unwavering commitment to excellence were notably showcased during his tenure as the General Manager Task Force at Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel, Qatar. Additionally, his noteworthy tenure as the General Manager at W St. Petersburg, Russia, and Director of Operations at W Doha Hotel and Residences, Qatar, underscore his mastery in curating unparalleled experiences within the realm of luxury. Peters unwavering commitment to continuous professional development is unmistakable, demonstrated by his participation in seminars and training programs. Standout among these is his completion of the Finance360 for GMs program by eCornell, along with the Heartist Journey Supertransformer Training, and the Value-Based Leadership Training, underscoring his steadfast dedication to staying abreast of industry best practices. Recognized as the General Manager of the Year High-End Resort (top 10) by Hotelier Middle East in 2023, Peter was also included in Hotelier Middle Easts General Manager Power 100 List UAE for two consecutive years in 2021 and 2022, attesting to his profound impact in the regional hospitality landscape. Further accolades include the Stephen Garff, Marriott Award of Excellence for Culture and the Debbie Marriott Harrison Leader of the Year Award in 2022 and 2021, respectively. Fluent in Hungarian, German, and English, with proficiency in Italian and Russian, Peter brings a cosmopolitan perspective and linguistic finesse to his role. Serving as the key chair of the Marriott Business Council UAE Market Driven Initiatives Council since January 2021 and the MBC UAE F&B Council since August 2020, Peter actively contributes to shaping industry initiatives. The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah eagerly anticipates the transformative leadership and unparalleled vision that Peter Katusak-Huzsvar will bring, set to redefine the guest experience and reinforce the hotel's unwavering commitment to an extraordinary standard of luxury and excellence.-TradeArabia News Service WATERLOO Artificial intelligence is having a moment. OpenAI launched the chatbot ChatGPT on Nov. 30, 2022, sparking a discussion about AI that has permeated the media for the last year. Inside today's Globe Gazette, our 2024 Progress Edition explores many of the ways artificial intelligence is being utilized in North Iowa. AI has been around since 1950, when British mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing in his paper Computer Machinery and Intelligence posed the question, "Can machines think?" And AI has "had a moment" several times in the 74 years since. In 1952, a computer scientist named Arthur Samuel developed a program to play checkers. In 1955, John McCarthy first used the term artificial intelligence at a workshop at Dartmouth, introducing it into popular usage. In 1997, Deep Blue, a chess computer developed by IBM, defeated chess world champion and grand master Garry Kasparov. In the years since, millions of people have said, "Hey, Siri," or asked Amazon's electronic personal assistant Alexa for help with everyday tasks, usually never stopping to consider that they are interfacing with forms of artificial intelligence. To many, artificial intelligence is a menacing notion. Long before HAL 9000 refused to open the pod bay doors for astronaut Dave Bowman in "2001: A Space Odyssey," or Skynet became self-aware in "The Terminator," Americans have had a love-hate relationship with AI. But businesses, schools and hospitals across North Iowa are already implementing AI in their operations on a daily basis. Banks and financial advisers are using machine learning models for cybersecurity and to protect customers from fraud. Real estate firms are using AI for data mining, to virtually stage homes and to develop marketing tools. AI is cutting diagnostic turnaround times at hospitals and reducing waits at clinical reception desks. It could augment pharmacists and physicians oversight of prescriptions. Artificial intelligence has the potential to ease loneliness and social isolation experienced by many older adults. Recently a panel of experts gathered in Cedar Falls to discuss the opportunities AI presents for small businesses, the risks associated with AI projects and practical applications of AI tools already available. Brian Haase, executive director of enterprise imaging services for UnityPoint Health, discussed how artificial intelligence helps radiologists recognize critical findings, examining images and a patient's chart before the doctors to prioritize and triage, so the most important images are viewed right away. Joe Zuniga, director of operations at United Equipment Accessories Inc. in Waverly, said his company uses machine learning to monitor computer numerical control machines, among other things. "We have a lot of expensive CNC machines. When you crash one of those or have an accident with one of those it's very expensive. There's the downtime, and you also lose all that production when it's down. So right now we're using machine monitoring equipment that's basically AI based," Zuniga said. Amy Igou, Halverson associate professor at the University of Northern Iowa and director of the Master of Accounting program, said most of us use AI every day, whether it's letting Spotify pick a music playlist or for navigation when we're driving. She said AI is only as good as the prompts you feed it. You have to know what problem you are trying to solve if AI is going to help you solve it. That problem might be as simple as creating a presentation on artificial intelligence to share with a roomful of people at a Lunch and Learn. Igou used ChatGPT to help her organize her Feb. 29 talk. "Would I ever take those slides as done, put them in a flash drive and talk in front of you without looking at them? Absolutely not. ... But when you're staring at a blank sheet of paper, this is a great way to get you unstuck," she said. Scott Hagberg, application and automation architect with VGM Group headquartered in Waterloo, said his company is injecting Microsoft Copilot into everything from everyday office operations to risk assessment in the insurance division. "My advice is embrace it, understand it, know the value. It's going to be impactful. But make it part of the conversation in every department, because every department will be impacted," Hagberg said. He gave an example of how generative AI could "sit in" on a meeting and generate a complete transcript as well as a summary of action items. He could also, based on the company's marketing plan, ask AI to take the summary and draft a marketing plan. "It's going to. Maybe it's going to be 80%, something at the level of an intern. Then I'm going to look at it, and I'm going to tweak it." From there, the program can be directed to create a PowerPoint, complete with images and presenter notes. "Take the company utilizing that, and put it into competition with a company that's not, that has to have a full staff to do all that work. To me, you have to be part of the AI transition to be successful," Hagberg said. 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 Since I joined the Chamber in 2015, I have heard time and again about the challenges businesses face recruiting and retaining workforce. At the community level, the question always comes back to: How do we turn the tide of population decline? How do we encourage people to move here and stay for the long haul? We all know there is no one solution that would address our people problem. Fortunately, we did not let that dissuade us. Through various efforts -- the Community Concierge service, This is North Iowa campaign, Building CommUNITY program, Child Care Works initiative, recreational investments, and partnerships with Mason City Community Schools and North Iowa Area Community College -- we are truly making progress. Each of these initiatives addresses one of the four areas we focus on at the Chamber when it comes to population growth: attracting new residents, retaining new residents, retaining existing residents, and preventing brain drain. Heres a look at how we are doing it: New residents: The Community Concierge service launched in 2017 and has been one of our most successful new programs. Through this effort, the Chamber works with employers to connect potential or new employees and their family with the community, including employment for trailing spouses/partners, community involvement, school or child care, and housing. In total, we have supported nearly 300 families in the programs short history, and the numbers grow every year. Our Community Concierge service ties directly into our regional This is North Iowa campaign, which markets our region to people considering a move. This year, we are working hand-in-hand with the Iowa Economic Development Authority to launch a statewide pilot program, which will put significant dollars and resources behind our This is North Iowa campaign. Were excited to see the results. Retaining new residents: Once people decide to make the move, the challenge becomes ensuring they feel connected and included in their new community. This is the mission of the Building CommUNITY program. You may recall, we launched this initiative with a community mural in 2022. We continue our efforts with regular workshops on inclusivity and belonging. We also work closely with our partner organizations to support emerging populations, like the Micronesian/Pompeian families who are finding a home in North Iowa. Retaining existing residents: The majority of North Iowa residents have ties to the region. They grew up here, often their parents and grandparents did too. But now more than ever, familial ties are not enough to keep people. We need career opportunities and recreational activities so people can build successful lives. Our Child Care Works initiative helps ensure child care is available for working parents and supports a livable wage for the child care industry. Thanks to the investment of local employers like Curries, CL Tel, First Citizens Bank, Holiday Inn Express & Suites, and One Vision, we have raised wages by $2 per hour for all employees at participating child care centers. Just one month in, we are already seeing results. The number of employees at participating centers increased by 17% in the first month of implementation, and collectively they are caring for nearly 100 more children. Its also crucial that we have recreational and cultural opportunities for people to gather. This has been a focus of city and county leadership, and the results are paying off. Bike paths, art walks, and live music at our Principal Pavilion provide a tremendous quality of life and are free for anyone to enjoy. The Mason City Arena, upcoming Bike Park, and Surf District in Clear Lake are amenities that are fun for residents, draw in visitors, and enhance the investments we have made in the Historic Park Inn, downtowns, and Clear Lakes water quality. Preventing brain drain: In previous generations, when students graduated from high school or college, the advice they heard was to move away if they want to be successful. The result was a loss of talent and loss of population. Now, we are working to ensure kids can envision a bright future for themselves here in North Iowa. Through a variety of efforts and partners, students in Mason City learn from a young age about the opportunities we have here, whether they want to become a doctor, a welder, an accountant, or an entrepreneur. A great example of this is the upcoming Career Day at Mason City High School, when all 9-12 grade students will participate in career and college preparedness activities, including mock interviews and career experiences. Kudos to Mason City Community School leadership for their work ensuring every student is set up for success when they complete their high school career. Significant population growth isnt easy, and there is no doubt we find some of our investments of time, energy, and funds are successful, while others may be a miss. But thats why we are taking a multi-faceted approach to the problem. It will be several years before we can attest to whether our collective efforts have paid off, and even then, our work will not be finished. In the meantime, I am encouraged by our growth mentality; I am confident that we are moving in the right direction; and I am thankful to have partners, businesses, and community members rowing alongside the Chamber who are committed to ensuring North Iowa is a prosperous, progressive community. A lot has transpired throughout Cerro Gordo County in the last year. Since Day One of being elected to serve, the goal was to improve the infrastructure throughout the county and bring it up to current standards. This past year, the old highway going north out of Rockwell, which is Pheasant Avenue and 170th Street, was reconstructed and resurfaced, partially funded through the American Rescue Plan. Ditch cleaning, dealing with drainage issues repairing bridges and culverts and cleaning trees from the right of way throughout the county and bringing them current has been an ongoing issue. Three railroad crossings, including on the County Road B20 realignment project north and east of U.S. Highway 65, have been redone. A replacement for the worst Secondary Road Building in the county, on North Illinois Avenue, is being completed, also paid for with American Rescue Plan funds. New 50 amp service at Ingebretson County Park replacing the old 30 amp service is complete. Linn Grove County Park should be finished this spring, the same way, and Wilkinson County Park, hopefully this fall. Strand Park in Plymouth has had much-needed improvements as well. Plans for a new maintenance facility on the Lime Creek Nature Center grounds should break ground this spring, replacing the aging facility there. The Prairie Land bike trail connecting Mason City to Wright county is complete down to Thornton. The new trail on South Shore Drive, which is 235th Street, was completed early last summer, paid for with Destination Iowa grant money and American Rescue Plan funds. The shoreline stabilization project on South Shore saw three major public safety upgrades completed last Summer. Outdoor warning sirens are being updated throughout the county. Clear Lake, Mason City and Cerro Gordo County are finishing up the comprehensive plan, which was over 20 years old. This is needed to secure grants in the future. There is a moratorium on wind, solar and battery storage until this plan is adopted. Five public meetings were held throughout the county, gathering public input on its content. The county has worked with the city of Mason City on two major annexations for development, one on the west end of town and one on the southwest side. This will accommodate new industries and retail in the area. In the rural areas, 5-Star, New Co-op, and North Iowa Co-op have had major expansions. The old county maintenance facility in Thornton was sold to the city of Thornton. The roads through Thornton and throughout Dougherty have been updated as well. Cerro Gordo County partnered with several agencies on a new pilot program called Child Care Works to assist child care staffing, allowing more parents into the workforce to fill the gaps. Another collaborative effort with the cities of Mason City, Clear Lake and the county, utilizing American Rescue Plan money, will bring a new building to the fairgrounds and generate extra income for the North Iowa Event Center, one of a few in the state to host major horse shows, attracting more visitors, and adding more revenue into local business. Updating election equipment to ensure election integrity in our county continues. Digitalizing records in the Recorders Office has been partially completed, making access easier for the public. Opioid lawsuit money is being utilized by public health to attack the problem in North Iowa. The county tax levy has been lowered seven of the last eight years. I'm very excited about the progress throughout our county and look forward to results in the years to come. Email special events to news@registerbee.com. The deadline is noon Wednesday. SUNDAY, MARCH 24 SPECIAL SERVICE: Pastor Willard D. Smith, 100 years old, will preach his final sermon at 11 a.m. at North New Hope Baptist Church. MISSION DAY: Cherrystone Missionary Baptist Association Women's Ministry Mission Day will be held at 4 p.m. at the Cherrystone Center, 5551 Tom Fork Road, Ringgold. The keynote speaker will be deaconess Mary Howerton. THURSDAY, MARCH 28 PASSION WEEK: The Ministers' Coalition for Passion Week services invites the public to services Thursday-Friday beginning at 7 p.m. at Staunton Baptist Church in Long Island. On Thursday, pastor Keith Jennings and the New Second Buffalo Baptist church will conduct the service. On Friday, pastor P.A. Medley and the Staunton Baptist Church will conduct the service. FRIDAY, MARCH 29 GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE: A Good Friday Service will be held at the Union Street Missionary Baptist Church at noon. Invited guests are the Rev. Antonel Myler Sr. and the Shockoe Missionary Baptist Church. SATURDAY, MARCH 30 EASTER/SPRING FESTIVAL: Hillcrest Baptist Church, 4401 Westover Drive, will hold an Easter/Spring Festival from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a petting zoo, crafts, games, food, cake walk, followed by an Easter egg hunt. SUNDAY, MARCH 31 RESURRECTION SERVICE: The Remnant Church of Power, 601 Berryman Ave., will hold Resurrection Sunday service at 9 a.m. SATURDAY, APRIL 6 FOOD PANTRY: The Union Hall Baptist Church Food and Clothing Ministry Food Pantry, 6861 Strawberry Road, across the road from Union Hall Baptist Church, will be open from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 6, with food and clothing for all types. For questions, call 434-724-4354 or 434-250-8964. SUNDAY, APRIL 7 UNITY SUNDAY SERVICE: The Remnant Church of Power, 601 Berryman Ave., will hold Unity Sunday service at 9 a.m. with guest speaker Overseer Pierre Jones from The Apostolic Remnant Church. FRIDAY, APRIL 19 RETREAT: The South Central Virginia Area Christian Churches/Churches of Christ Ladies will hold its annual retreat April 19-20 at Pittsylvania Christian Service Camp, 1232 Oxford Road, Chatham. April 19 registration opens at 5 p.m. with dinner at 6 p.m. Special music and an inspirational session will follow at 7 p.m. lead by Lisa Alligood Bennet with topic "Delight" taken from Psalms 37:4 and Zephaniah 3:17. Dorms will be available for overnight stay or return by 8 a.m. April 20 for a light breakfast followed by the closing session at 9 a.m. Registration fee is $15 due by April 8. Late registrations fee will be accepted at the door. Send registrations to Linda Johnston, 1627 Melinda Drive, Altavista, VA, 24517-1034. For more information, call 434-369-6765 or visit camppitt.org. FRIDAY, APRIL 26 ANNIVERSARY SERVICES: The Remnant Church of Power, 601 Berryman Ave., will hold its 35th church anniversary services at 7 p.m. at Cornerstone Church; and also at 3 p.m. on April 28 at Holy Temple of God. ONGOING GRIEFSHARE SESSIONS: GriefShare sessions meet on Mondays beginning Jan. 8 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. through April 8 at Bibleway Cathedral. Facilitators are assistant pastor Larry Campbell and elder Katherine Harvell. All are welcome to attend. The cost is $20 for workbook. SHOCKOE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, 857 Java Road, Java, hosts a monthly Wellness Walking Ministry from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., meeting every fourth Saturday. All ages are welcome to participate. The Health and Wellness Ministry will meet at 9 a.m. before each walking session. For information, contact Kathy B. Ramsey at 434-251-0379 or atbjrk@gmail.com. Ascension Lutheran Church, 314 West Main St., worships Sundays at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary and live on Facebook at www.facebook/ascensionlutherandanville. Mount Vernon United Methodist Church offers in-person services at 10 a.m. each Sunday as well as online worship services every Sunday at mtvernonumc.org or www.facebook.com/MountVernonUMC. Christ the King Lutheran Church, 1172 Franklin Turnpike, will have in-house worship services on Sundays at 11 a.m. Free books available anytime from a Little Free Library located on a post next to the driveway. Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, 406 Gay St., has in-person services at 10 a.m. for hour of power on the first and third Sundays. North New Hope Baptist Church, 123 Old Piney Forest Road, has resumed in church worship services at 11 a.m. and Sunday school at 9:30 p.m. Mount Sinai Glorious Church of God, 716 Jefferson St., will hold services in the sanctuary with Sunday school at 10 a.m. and morning worship at 10:30 a.m. Participants are asked to wear a mask and to practice social distancing. The service also will be streamed on Facebook. Mount Freeman Baptist Church, 2100 Laniers Mill Road, hosts in-person service at 11 a.m. Sunday. There will be no Sunday school. Sacred Heart Catholic Church will livestream worship service at 9 a.m. Sundays in English and noon in Spanish at www.facebook.com/sheartchurch. Staunton River Baptist Church, Long Island, will hold drive-in services at 10 a.m. each Sunday. Sacred Heart Catholic Church celebrates Mass every weekend with a vigil Mass at 5 p.m. Saturday and at 9 p.m. Sunday in English and noon in Spanish. Watson Level Missionary Baptist Church holds Sunday worship services each week at 11 a.m. Because of COVID-19, a face mask is required for all attendees and social distancing is mandatory. Calvary Church of the Nazarene, 2450 Franklin Turnpike, from 6 to 7 p.m. every Sunday, will hold Ladies Need Encouragement, an hour of worship and prayer. Participants are asked to bring a Bible and practice social distancing. The event is for ages 10 and up with adult supervision. For more information, call 540-907-8836. Mount Zion Temple, now located at 503 Hughes St., presents The Word Homelitic Institute at 10 a.m. every Sunday. Transportation is provided by calling Bishop David K. Fuller at 434-429-8960. Because this section is free of charge, community events are subject to run based on available space. For a complete calendar listing, visit GoDanRiver.com. Religion items are published on Saturday. Email events to news@registerbee.com. TODAY, MARCH 23 EASTER BUNNY PET PHOTOS: The Easter Bunny pet photo event at the Danville animal shelter will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. will also include free microchips and $5 rabies shots for residents of Danville and Pittsylvania. There's a limit of two per household. Also, the spay/neuter rebate certificates picked up during that time will be increased to $150 for Danville and $125 for a Pittsylvania County. Call 434-799-0843 for more details and restrictions. FREE HOT DOG LUNCH: Free hot dog lunch from 11: 30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Trinity United Church, 409 Arnett Blvd. SPRING EGG-STRAVAGANZA: The event will be hosted inside Ballou Recreation Center. Activities will be in the lower level, including pictures with the bunny, cookie decorating, crafts and more from 10 a.m. to noon. Free event. YOUTH DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Solve puzzles, defeat the monsters and discover treasure along the way in the 5th edition game at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. First time participants receive a free set of dice. For grades six to 12th. Lunch is included. Register by the Monday before the program by calling, 434-799-5195. No fee. GREEN MONSTER 2024: In partnership with the Brick, Danville's original ultra takes place beginning at 8 a.m. at Anglers Park and ending at 8 p.m. Participants can expect approximately a 2-mile course mixing gravel, wooded trail and a touch of pavement for a 12-hour day. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. Cost is $100 per person. MONDAY, MARCH 25 INFORMATION MEETING ON TRAFFIC STUDY: The public is invited to attend a community meeting to provide input and receive information from Virginia Department of Transportation regarding the Project Pipeline study of Va.. 41 Franklin Turnpike that began in May 2023 and is due to be completed in July. The purpose of this study is to identify potential solutions to safety issues on Franklin Turnpike. The suggested improvements generated by this study can be used to apply for funding through VDOTs Smart Scale program, which evaluates and prioritizes potential projects based on key factors like how they improve safety, reduce congestion, and contribute to economic development. Supervisor Ken Bowman, Chatham-Blairs District will be on hand, along with other county supervisors and VDOT representatives, to listen to citizens and business owners of the Mt. Hermon commercial corridor. The meeting will be held on Monday, March 25, 2024, at 5:30 p.m., at the Mt. Hermon Volunteer Fire Department, 4268 Franklin Turnpike, Danville, VA 24540. PUMP IT UP FITNESS: Pump it up for fitness at Camp Grove Recreation Center to prepare to workout different parts of your body and mind from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at cost of $3. For more information, call 434-799-5199. KNITTERS UNRAVELLED: Learn beginner knitting techniques from an expert from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space for grades six to 12th. No fee. Knitters will need to bring a pair of knitting needles and their own yarn. Registration is required by calling, 434-799-5195. TUESDAY, MARCH 26 TREE HOUSE TUESDAY: Learn about ninjas and twisters, perform experiments and make crafts in this literary STEAM program at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. for ages 5 to 12. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. No fee. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27 EASTER EGG AND BASKETING: Dye eggs and decorate Easter baskets together with friends at Camp Grove Recreation Center from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at cost of $8. For more information, call 434-799-5199. CODE CHALLENGERS: Learn how to make computer games, mobile apps and more from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space for ages 8 to 12. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. No fee. THURSDAY, MARCH 28 RANDOM FANDOM: Embrace the inner geek at the Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space in a series of program celebrating the awesomeness of Pokemon, Minecraft, Studio Ghibli, and more from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Each month a new fandom will be highlighted for you to create around, explore and geek about. For ages 7 to 17. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. This month is Pokemon: Gotta Catch Them All! No fee COATES LEGO LAB: Coates Lego Lab is designed to ignite the passion for building problem solving and innovation in young minds through magic of Legos. Held from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. at Coates Recreation Center for ages 5 to 12. No fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. Program in March is to build a castle. FRIDAY, MARCH 29 LAUNCH PLACE/IDEAFEST: The Launch Place will collaborate with Dominion Energy Innovation Center for the ninth annual IdeaFest on May 1 at 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Company in Danville. IdeaFest is a business-pitch competition where 20 finalists pitch their startup idea to a panel of judges and live audience. The top three competitors will be awarded $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place. In addition, the Dominion center is sponsoring one $5,000 Clean Energy Bonus Prize intended for companies pitching concepts with a focus on climate tech and sustainability solutions. IdeaFest applications are open through March 29. For more information and to apply, visit www.thelaunchplace.org/ideafest EASTER EGG HUNT CELEBRATION: Hunt for eggs by visiting the Community Market for music, dancing and candy. A hot dog lunch will be provided. No fee. Held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, call 434-799-5195. MARCH FUN DAY: School break program held at Coates Recreation Center for ages five to 12 from 7:30 to 6 p.m. at cost of $30 per child. Activities, crafts, etc. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. SATURDAY, MARCH 30 AIM HIGH: YOUTH ARCHERY WORKSHOP: Youth Archery Workshop led by a USA Archery Certified Instructor is designed for youth to learn the fundamentals of archery. For ages six to 12 at Coates Recreation Center from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. Cost is $12 per child. TARGET TITANS: TEEN ARCHERY WORKSHOP: Teen Archery Workshop led by a USA Archery Certified instructor designed for youth to learn the fundamentals of archery, including safety, proper equipment uses and care and essential shooting techniques from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Coates Recreation Center. Designed for ages 13-17 at cost of $12 per child. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. TUESDAY, APRIL 2 SPRING BREAK CAMP II: School break programs during Danville public schools breaks are designed for youth ages 5-12 and will have a week filled with learning, games, creative arts, crafts, local field trips and more. A light breakfast is included but participants must pack their own lunch and afternoon snack. Held from April 2-5 from 7:30 to 6 p.m. at Coates Recreation Center. Cost is $120 per child. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. VERTICAL ADVENTURE SERIES: This series is a three-day, six-hour workshop held April 2, 3, 4, focused on introducing rock wall climbing, challenge courses and ziplining. It has two separate sessions for kids and teens. Cost is $70 per child. Held at Glenwood Community Center and Dan Daniel Park for ages 8 to 12 from 10 a.m. to noon; and for ages 13 to 17 from 2 to 4 p.m. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 HANGING FLOWER: Create a hanging flower to display in your room or house from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Camp Grove Recreation Center at cost of $4. For more information, call 434-799-5199. TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN: Learn about the eclipse and outer space rarities through games and crafts and pick up a pair of free solar viewing glasses (while supplies last) from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space for all ages. No fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. THURSDAY, APRIL 4 MAD SCIENTISTS: Put goggles and lab coats on and explore components of STEAM through hands-on demonstrations, experiments and crafts from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space. For ages 8 to 17. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. This month will explore acids and bases. No fee. LEGAL AID WORKSHOPS: Representatives from Virginia Legal Aid Society will present a short workshop with questions and answers from 5:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Ruby B. Archie Library auditorium for ages 18 and up. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. No fee. MONDAY, APRIL 8 LITTLE LEARNING LAB: Explore, create and learn through STEAM based activities that will engage the mind and body as your child builds their fine motor skills and creativity while exploring scientific concepts from 4 to 5 p.m. at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space for ages 2 to 7. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. Program today will be Genealogy 101; Family Trees & Show and Tell Storytime. LEGO BRICK ENGINEERS: Make a Lego brick creation from 4 to 5 p.m. at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space for ages five to 17. All models will be displayed in the children's department. Bricks provided. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. YOUTH DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Solve puzzles, defeat the monsters and discover treasure along the way in the 5th edition game at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space from 4 to 6:30 p.m. First time participants receive a free set of dice. For grades six to 12th. Register by the Monday before the program by calling, 434-799-5195. No fee. Snacks provided. TUESDAY, APRIL 9 LEGAL AID WORKSHOPS: Representatives from Virginia Legal Aid Society will present a short workshop with questions and answers from 1 to 2 p.m. on grandparent visitation at Ruby B. Archie Library auditorium for ages 18 and up. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. No fee. JUNIOR NATURALIST: Join Parks & Recreation for a hands-on learning experience as they explore the natural world through Junior Naturalist program for ages 6-12 at various locations from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. No fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. HOMESCHOOL ARCHERY FOR YOUTH/TEEN: Participants will learn basic safety, anchor points, draw and release, care of equipment and essential safety skills from a USA Archery certified instructor. No prior experience is needed. Held at Coates Recreation Center from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. for Youth Class; Teen Class from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. Cost is $5 per child. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10 PAPER MACHE TRINKET BOX: Don't throw away a newspaper. Dip your newspaper in some water, add glue, mix and viola, you have created paper mache. Attach the paper mache to a shoe box, add a little paint and some rhinestones and you have a trinket box. Visit the Camp Grove Recreation Center from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to make one for yourself at cost of $5. For more information, call 434-799-5199. TWEEN CRAFT NIGHT: Join the group at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space for a night of crafts, music and snacks for ages 12 to 17 from 5 to 6 p.m. No fee. This week we will be making pom pom cacti. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. THURSDAY, APRIL 11 LITTLE LEARNING LAB: Explore, create and learn through STEAM based activities that will engage the mind and body as your child builds their fine motor skills and creativity while exploring scientific concepts from 4 to 5 p.m. at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space for ages 2 to 7. Registration is required by calling, 434-799-5195. Program today will be Water, Water, Everywhere. No fee. ADULTS ARTS AND CRAFTS: Relax with an arts and crafts project from 5 to 6 p.m. for ages 18 and up in the auditorium of the Ruby B. Archie Library at no fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. Project will be bead butterflies. AVERETT UNIVERSITY: Averett University Theatre, Pritchett Auditorium, Nunsense, April 11-14, 7 p.m.; adults $12; seniors & non-Averett students $10. FRIDAY, APRIL 12 UPTOWN PINBALL: Add fun and adventure playing laser tag, pinball arcade games and more from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Camp Grove Recreation Center at cost of $15. For more information, call 434-799-5199. BOOK BABIES: Music and rhymes, stories and fingerplays in a lap sit program for babies and their caregiver for children 0 to 18 months from 10:30 to 11 a.m. at The Ruby B. Archie Library Activity Room. No fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. SATURDAY, APRIL 13 SPAGHETTI FUNDRAISER DINNER: Bachelor's Hall Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department Auxiliary, 1301 Berry Hill Road, will hold a spaghetti fundraiser dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. at the fire station. Menu includes spaghetti, toast, salad, dessert, drink at cost of $12 adults and $6 for children 10 and under. Take out plates available. For more information, contact Ann at 434-685-5075. HARMONY HIKE SERIES: This unique program offers an opportunity to harmonize mind, body and spirit amidst the breathtaking backdrop of the mountains. Afterwards, we will go to a local restaurant. Transportation, qualified guies and a certified Qigong instructor are included in your registration. Lunch is not included. For ages 18 and up Registration is required a week in advance by calling, 434-799-5150. Will meet at the City Auditorium. Departure and arrival times will vary with each trip, Please call for more details. Cost $70 per person. Trip to Natural Bridge State Park. FAMILIES UNPLUGGED: Come to Coates Recreation Center for family fun time. They will be creating crafts, trying new games and learning new skills from 10 to 11 a.m. For families of all ages. No fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. This Saturday there will be a Family Dodgeball. S.T.E.A.M. NIGHTS: All young scientists come to Coates Recreation Center for adventures in science, technology, engineering, art and math from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. For ages five to 12. Registration required by calling 434-799-5150. Cost is $7 per child. MONDAY, APRIL 15 DECK OF CARDS WORKOUT: Every suit in the deck of cards represents a different exercise. Water and post workout snack provide at the Camp Grove Recreation Center from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at cost of $2. For more information, call 434-799-5199. ENCHANGED HOUSES: Make an enchanted fairy house and a fairy to live in it out of recycled and natural materials at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space for ages 5 and up from 5 to 6 p.m. No fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. DE-STRESS NIGHT: Join in the auditorium at the Ruby B. Archie Library from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., ages 18 and up, to relaxed and unwind. Enjoy coloring and candle-making. No fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. TUESDAY, APRIL 16 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 PRESCHOOL PARK TALES: Preschool park tales program is designed specifically for youngest park goes, ages 2 to five to ignite their imaginations and love for reading while enjoying the outdoors. Pack your picnic blanket, grab your favorite stuffed animal and come to Ballou Park Playground from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. No fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. THURSDAY, APRIL 18 RANDOM FANDOM: Embrace your inner geek at the Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space in a series of program celebrating the awesomeness of Pokemon, Minecraft, Studio Ghibli, and more from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Each month a new fandom will be highlighted for you to create around, explore and geek about. For ages 7 to 17. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. This month is Marvel Universe. No fee FRIDAY, APRIL 19 SPRING WALK DOWNTOWN: Take a moment to observe what nature has to offer as you enjoy a springtime stroll downtown and lunch with friends from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Cost is $5. For more information call, Camp Grove Recreation Center at 434-799-5199. SATURDAY, ARPIL 20 YOUTH DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Solve puzzles, defeat the monsters and discover treasure along the way in the 5th edition game at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. First time participants receive a free set of dice. For grades six to 12th. Lunch is included. Register by the Monday before the program by calling, 434-799-5195. No fee. ZIPLINE FLAMES AND CAMPFIRE DREAMS: Stay warm by trying out the zipline and warming up with s'mores and at the campfire from 2 to 4 p.m. for ages 8 and up (must be under 300 lbs.) at Dan Daniel Park. You can bring your own blankets and chairs to relax. Cost is $20 per person. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. MONDAY, APRIL 22 YOUTH SOFTBALL CLINIC: Learn fundamental and enhance your abilities with the softball clinic. This weeklong camp will cover the basics of softball from fielding, catching, throwing and hitting at Dan Daniel Memorial Park from 5 to 7 p.m. April 22-25. For more information, call 434-799-5214. Cost is $15. Averett University Show Choir: Spring Performance, 7 p.m., Pritchett Auditorium. CRAFTY CREATIONS: Crafty creations is designed for youth ages eight to 14, offering an exciting journey into the world of hands on crafting and artistic experience from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Coates Recreation Center. Today they will be creating fairy houses. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. Cost is $10 per child. TUESDAY, APRIL 23 STORYTELLERS: CREATIVE WRITING 101: Are you a tween who is creative and loves to write? Explore and foster your creative voice through writing prompts and exercises from 5 to 6 p.m. at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space for grades six through 12th. No fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. JUNIOR NATURALIST: Join Parks & Recreation for a hands-on learning experience as they explore the natural world through Junior Naturalist program for ages 6-12 at various locations from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. No fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. HOMESCHOOL ARCHERY FOR YOUTH/TEEN: Participants will learn basic safety, anchor points, draw and release, care of equipment and essential safety skills from a USA Archery certified instructor. No prior experience is needed. Held at Coates Recreation Center from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. for Youth Class; Teen Class from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. Cost is $5 per child. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24 CODE CHALLENGERS: Learn how to make your own computer games, mobile apps and more from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space for ages 8 to 12. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. No fee. THURSDAY, APRIL 25 FAIRY TALE BASH: All young princes and princesses are invited to partake in an evening of enchanted games, a jousting tournament, and more. With a bounce in the inflatable castle and a visit to the face paint cottage this party will end in a happily-ever after from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at The Ruby B. Archie Library Parking lot. No fee. For ages 12 and under. Guests are encouraged to dress in fairy tale costumes. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. COMPUTER FOR BEGINNERS: Get an introduction to the basic functions of a personal computer, how to navigate the internet and how to send and receive email from 11 a.m. to noon for ages 18 and up at the Ruby B. Archie Library Computer Lab. No free. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. COATES LEGO LAB: Coates Lego Lab is designed to ignite the passion for building problem solving and innovation in young minds through magic of Legos. Held from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. at Coates Recreation Center for ages 5 to 12. No fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. Program in April is to build a magical forest. FRIDAY, APRIL 26 MOVIE AT THE LIBRARY: Take a visit to the library at Camp Gove Recreation Center from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to watch a movie with friends and enjoy snacks. Cost is $5. For information, call 434-799-5199. YOUTH SOFTBALL PITCHING CLINIC: Learn the fundamentals and enhance your pitching abilities with our softball clinic from 5 to 7 p.m. at Dan Daniel Memorial Park. Pitchers will need to bring a catcher for this clinic. Cost is $10. For more information, call 434-799-5214. TEEN ADVISORY BOARD: The Teen Advisory Board is a way for teens to have a voice at the library and help others in their community. The goals including promoting library services, helping library staff develop teen programs and strong young adult book collections and create youth led service projects from 4:30 to 5 p.m. at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space for grades 6 to 12th. No fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. MOVIES AT THE CROSSING: Free movie night out for the family at Danville Parks and Recreation's Movies at the Crossing at Carrington Pavilion. Bring a picnic supper or purchase something from food trucks on site. Gates open at 7 p.m. with movie "Gnomeo and Juliet" beginning at 8:30 p.m. No fee. For information, call 434-857-3384. SATURDAY, ARPIL 27 RIVER CLEAN-UP: Celebrate Earth Day by helping clean Danville's waterway, the Dan River. Danville Parks and Recreation is partnering with the Danville Science Center on this volunteer opportunity. We will be walking along the banks of the Riverwalk Trail to collect trash. Litter getters, gloves and trash bags will be provided. Registration not required. Held from 9 a.m. to noon, meeting at the Danville Science Center. For more information, call 434-799-5150. MONDAY, APRIL 29 MAKER MONDAYS: Put your maker caps on to build, explore, tinker and create fun, hands on projects from 4:30 to 5:30 at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space for ages 7 to 12. Each session will have different activities to try and problems to solve. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. No fee. This month Peep Dioramas.. KNITTERS UNRAVELLED: Learn beginner knitting techniques from an expert from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at The Ruby B. Archie Library Maker Space for grades six to 12th. No fee. Knitters will need to bring a pair of knitting needles and their own yarn. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. ADULTS ARTS AND CRAFTS: Relax with an arts and crafts project from 5 to 6 p.m. for ages 18 and up in the auditorium of the Ruby B. Archie Library at no fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. Project will be spring tea light creations. TUESDAY, APRIL 30 THE WRITE STUFF - WRITERS GROUP: If you love writing, bring what you are working on to share with the group or just come to discuss your craft from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium of Ruby B. Archie Library for ages 18 and up. No fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. SATURDAY, MAY 4 DONATIONS FOR RUMMAGE SALE: DONATIONS FOR RUMMAGE SALE: The ACJA-LAE Alpha Upsilon Lambda Professional Chapter and the Danville Kiwanis Club are requesting donations of rummage items--clothing, dishes, furniture, books, baby clothing and miscellaneous items--for their Saturday, May 4th Annual Rummage Sale at Christ Episcopal Church. Call John Wilt for pick up of your rummage donation(s): (434)-770-8822. THURSDAY, MAY 9 MUSIC AT THE MARKET: Music at the Market Concert Series will be on the outside stage at the Danville Community Market starting at 7 p.m. For more information, call 434-857-3384. FRIDAY, MAY 10 MOVIES AT THE CROSSING: Free movie night out for the family at Danville Parks and Recreation's Movies at the Crossing at Carrington Pavilion. Bring a picnic supper or purchase something from food trucks on site. Gates open at 7 p.m. with movie "Elemental" beginning at 8:30 p.m. No fee. For information, call 434-857-3384. MONDAY, JUNE 10 CAMP GROVE SUMMER CAMP: Camp Grove Summer Camp for ages five to 19 held from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Bring lunch or money for lunch. Scholarships available for those who qualify. Cost is $50 per week. Held from June 10 to July 5. For more information, call 434-799-5199. THURSDAY, JUNE 13 MUSIC AT THE MARKET: Music at the Market Concert Series will be on the outside stage at the Danville Community Market starting at 7 p.m. For more information, call 434-857-3384. SATURDAY, JUNE 15 GEORGE WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1964 60TH CLASS REUNION: George Washington High School Class of 1964 60th Class Reunion will be held on June 15, 2024. Please visit the GWHS Class of 1964, Danville, VA Facebook page for further details. Contact Brenda Henderson Bowman at 434-724-4343 CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL: Danville Children's Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Carrington Pavilion. The free event will have lot of fun and educational activities on site. For more information, call 434-857-3384. MONDAY, JULY 8 CAMP GROVE SUMMER CAMP: Camp Grove Recreation Center summer camp for ages 20 and above held from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at cost of $50 per week. Bring lunch or money for lunch. Held from July 8 through 19. Scholarships available for those who qualify. For more information, call 434-799-5199. THURSDAY, JULY 11 MUSIC AT THE MARKET: Music at the Market Concert Series will be on the outside stage at the Danville Community Market starting at 7 p.m. For more information, call 434-857-3384. THURSDAY, AUG. 8 MUSIC AT THE MARKET: Music at the Market Concert Series will be on the outside stage at the Danville Community Market starting at 7 p.m. For more information, call 434-857-3384. MONDAY, JULY 22 CAMP GROVE SUMMER CAMP: Camp Grove Recreation Center Summer Camp for ages five and above held from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at cost of $50 per week. Bring lunch or money for lunch. Held July 22 through Aug. 2. Scholarships available for those who qualify. For more information, call 434-799-5199. THURSDAY, SEPT. 12 MUSIC AT THE MARKET: Music at the Market Concert Series will be on the outside stage at the Danville Community Market starting at 7 p.m. For more information, call 434-857-3384. Removal of the 130-year-old, low-head White Mill dam along the Dan River will bring ecological and safety benefits, experts say. Dam removal restores the natural flow regime, which helps restore natural flow, water depth and ecological conditions, said Liz McKercher, director of the water planning division for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. The White Mill dam, being a low-head dam, causes safety issues for tubers and boaters, McKercher added. City officials are seeking state grant money to help cover the cost of removing the Long Mill Dam. The Danville City Council voted 6-2 on Feb. 20 to apply for $1 million from the Virginia Dam Safety, Flood Prevention and Protection Assistance Fund for the project. The vote to seek state money for removal of the dam came about a year and a half after the council passed a resolution on July 5, 2022, approving the dams removal. The 6-3 vote nearly two years ago came after public debate over the proposal, with at least one opponent on City Council concerned about how demolition of the dam would affect the rivers depth for boaters. The concrete dam owned by the city stretches 1,144 feet across the Dan River and is 5 feet tall. The dam is believed to have been built around 1894 to create water power for the Dan River Inc. factories along both sides of the Dan River. For most of its history, it was not accessible to the public. City Manager Ken Larking had recommended tearing down the dam at the time because the move would bring state and federal permitting advantages to the Riverfront Park and Dan River Falls projects, which are now under construction. The Riverfront Park is expected to be complete by the end of this year, with the neighboring Dan River Falls commercial and residential development anticipated to be finished by early 2025. Larking had recommended the dams removal not only because the structure is dangerous but because the move would reduce flooding, restore fish passages, create natural sediment movement and reduce bank erosion. Larking had cited past deadly incidents involving dams in the region. Five-year-old Kolton Karnes drowned at the Brantley Steam Plant dam in 2010. He was the fourth person to drown at one of the Dan Rivers low-head dams since 1965. The dam, which was located downstream of the Long Mill dam, was removed in 2011. In August 2020, 76-year-old Axton resident Ronald Edward Reynolds died after the canoe he was in with his grandson capsized twice at the bottom of the White Mill dam. Dam removals are beneficial for rivers regardless of where they are in the country, said Jessie Thomas-Blate, director of river restoration for American Rivers, based in Washington, D.C. The organization focuses on restoring and protecting rivers across the country. Low-head dams interfere with safe recreation, Thomas-Blate said. A lot of low-head dams are safety hazards for people, especially if there is no signage, she said. People can potentially go over them. Likening rivers to arteries in the human body, Thomas-Blate said dams act like clots, or walls. When you have a clot in your artery, thats not good for you, she said. They [dams] block the normal function of a river. When there is a dam in place, it affects the ability of fish and other organisms to move around in the river, she added. It hampers their ability to access the habitat they need for spawning or finding food, Thomas-Blate said. Paul Angermeier, professor at Virginia Techs department of fish and wildlife conservation, agreed. They [fish] are going to do better in the absence of those dams, Angermeier told the Danville Register & Bee. Theyre obstructions to movement. Also, dams tend to accumulate sediment due to the structures impoundment, or area of backwater just upstream at the top of the dam. If there are any toxins in there, that would be something [Danville] would need to know and to sample, he said. Sediment can settle at the bottom of the river where water stands still. Removing the dam will bring a smooth flow, cleaning the fine sediments from areas better enabling fish to reproduce, Angermeier said. With a dam, sediment settles at the bottom, making it unsuitable for fish who reproduce there, he said. You dont want the sediment there, he said. Its basically a suffocating material. Without a smooth flow of water to clear sediment, silt or thin mud could fill gaps between gravel where the eggs are, leaving them unable to get oxygen, he said. Flow would prevent silt and mud from settling between the rocks and causing suffocation, Angermeier said. But reducing the depth immediately upstream of the dam could affect fish used to deeper water, said Erich T. Hester, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech. If you get rid of that deeper water, that may not be good for them, Hester said. However, aquatic organisms adapt to whatever the circumstances are, he said. Low-head dams do not have a huge impact on water flow, he added. They dont change the water flow appreciably, Hester said, adding that they raise the water level upstream. As for sediment, Hester said removing the dam may not have a big effect, but the question is what happens with that. It can change the environment for aquatic life downstream while its moving through, but usually before long, that sediment readjusts and everything settles down, Hester said. Neither Thomas-Blate nor Angermeier are fans of dams left over from past industrial use. Its important to address dams if theyre no longer needed or are breaking down, Thomas-Blate said. From a safety perspective, they deteriorate over time. Im not a big proponent of dams in general, especially if theyre relics of some previous use, Angermeier said. They can also become what Thomas-Blate referred to as an attractive nuisance that poses dangers. People might think its fun to climb on and then end up in an unsafe situation, she said. Low-head dams have hydraulics at their bases that can suck people in and cause them to drown, she said. According to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, low-head dams are deceptively dangerous. Over the years, houseboats, fishing vessels, powerboats, sailboats ... kayaks and canoes have all fallen victim to low-head dams, according to the departments website. Water flowing over a drop forms a hole or hydraulic at the base which can trap objects washing over the drop, according to the departments website. Once swept over the dam, the victim becomes trapped and is forced underwater, pushed away from the dam, then circulated to the top, the website states. The circulating motion then repeats the cycle over and over again as the individual is drawn back against the base of the dam. Dams pose the following dangers to boaters, according to the departments website: Dams are difficult to spot from upstream and often are not marked by signs or buoys. Dam hydraulics are unpredictable. Dams can deceive even experienced boaters. The concrete walls at the side of the dam-face block the exit route for individuals trying to escape. Areas immediately downstream also present risk as the water is flowing upstream. Rescuing trapped individuals is dangerous and often unsuccessful. Regarding water depth for boaters once the dam is removed, that area upstream of the dam, the water will get more shallow, Hester said. If youre in a boat that needs depth, then that would go away, Hester said. More than likely, what winds up happening is the flow conditions go back to what they were downstream of the dam. Such structures that have been in place a long time, like the White Mill dam, become part of the landscape and people get used to them, said Thomas-Blate, who has been involved in numerous dam removal projects, mostly in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Its hard for people to envision what it would look like becauses its been there their entire life, she said. The area will look different. It doesnt mean its bad. Its just a change. I graduated from high school in 1980 when graduates were still required to register for the draft. The military was transitioning to a volunteer force, leaving the traumas of war to 1% of the population. As a pastor, I was very uncomfortable with the war, and the violence and evil that described the lives of so many in the Bible. I tried to gloss over them. David, for example, Israels hero to this day, was a warrior who killed tens of thousands, and not all were clean kills, some were just murder (his own general, Uriah, to cover up an affair with Uriahs wife, Bathsheba). I have been working with soldiers and veterans as a Chaplain at the VA in Montana for six years. I have grown to admire the experiences and perspectives of the women and men who serve our country. My insight into a large part of the biblical narrative has been growing as I hear the stories of soldiers and veterans from combat. While their stories dont fully clarify the Bible stories of the damage caused from war (it actually complicates the text at times), but there is a limit to what a civilian can understand about the Bible that soldiers can fill in. Id like to mention just a few. The first lesson is that soldiers are trained warriors who make an oath to live by and uphold a strict moral code. Every branch of the military has clear values that are trained into their soldiers, who then uphold those values to defend our country and to protect other soldiers. Israel used to graduate their soldiers from their version of basic training with a ceremony at Masada, where 70 Jews chose to die rather than fall into the hands of the Romans. I have talked with numerous veterans who carry the horrors of war to their grave to protect civilians from stories of how evil people can be in war. These non-disclosure agreements signed at a soldiers discharge can cause ongoing PTSD and moral injury that go untreated from the terrible request of our government to not ever talk about it. The veterans dedication to protect others at the expense of their own peace and happiness over their lifetime is more than most civilians or Christians ever experience. Another lesson from the warrior culture is the personal relationship with suffering. Part of basic training is experiencing how to suffer physically, mentally and emotionally. Part of a veterans reluctance to come to the VA for mental health care (only 1% of veterans) is that their wounds from war are part of their mindset. Their reason for relieving suffering is the greater goal of loving and protecting those they care about. My greatest crisis of faith resulted in my choosing to leave ministry, but coming to the VA to work with veterans as a chaplain has taught me that suffering is not an indicator of poor choices, but a part of a life of service. How might this view of suffering change the civilian worlds aversion to suffering for a comfortable life? A third lesson from the warrior mindset is a relationship with death. The experience of taking a life in battle or witnessing the death of others is an inevitable part of combat. A Vietnam vet told me that after his first combat engagement there were only eight left in his company! He told me that was when he lost his fear of death, and it made him a better soldier. This warrior faced the most debilitating fear that most civilians never do. When I started grief work with veterans I didnt understand that I had to contrast the death in combat from death in the civilian world. Grief, for the veteran, may feel like a weakness that betrays their warrior identity. Morrie Schwartz said that once you learn how to die, you learn how to live. Stephen Covey suggests writing your own eulogy from the perspective of the most important people in your life, then live that way. King David said that we live in the shadow of death (Psalm 23) and he suggests a way to do that without fear. I have seen people fearful of death by avoiding visiting family in the hospital, avoiding funerals or avoid planning for retirement or the inevitable loss of health. Another lesson from the warrior spirit is the shared pride with other soldiers and veterans. This pride comes from the accomplishments and abilities of a military unit that relies on each other to achieve impossible combat missions. The military trains a soldier to specialize in a specialty and to rely on the specialties of their company. A youth of 17 or 18 goes into the military at a time when they are usually unclear about their purpose or mission. But they find this in their training and military experience. They return to a civilian world that has no idea of the intensity of their training, the threats to life they experienced, or the meaning of their combat success. So, the warrior feels that they are living in a world that is foreign to their home in war. One veteran said recently that he not only saw the deaths of many soldiers, but also of innocent children. Still, he said timidly, he has never experienced the fulfillment he found in war. Joseph Campbells work on the common themes of mythology said that Christianity is mostly focused on how faith makes our lives better, but typically ignores the battles necessary to get us there. The lessons I am learning from veterans include the value of a commitment to a moral code, the depth that comes from suffering, how to live in the shadow of death, and the respect of the process that builds a life story and creates growth from the good and the bad. More than two dozen environmental groups have submitted an alternative plan for grizzly reintroduction in the Bitterroot as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) considers the impacts of bringing the threatened species back to the ecosystem. Rather than using artificial human reintroduction of grizzly bears to the Bitterroot Ecosystem (BE), the alternative plan proposed by environmental groups and scientists calls for enhancing grizzly connectivity areas from northern ecosystems to the Bitterroot, developing habitat management standards, the formation of a scientific committee and conflict prevention measures between both livestock and humans. The letter, submitted by WildEarth Guardians, noted that it is not a no-action alternative, with the creation of various habitat measures and passage structures meant to assist a growing number of grizzlies immigrating to the BE. This alternative is scientifically sound and takes a slow and steady approach to grizzly bear recovery in the Bitterroot Ecosystem, President of the Flathead-Lolo-Bitterroot Citizen Task Force Patty Ames said. Grizzly bears have already been verified and we do not believe that human-assisted reintroductions to the Bitterroot are necessary at this time. What is needed is protected connectivity areas, sanitation and education, highway passage structures, acceptance and reduced grizzly bear mortality. The bears will do the rest on their own. The Flathead-Lolo-Bitterroot Citizen Task Force was one of several environmental organizations to sign onto the letter. Others included Alliance for the Wild Rockies, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Endangered Species Coalition, and Friends of the Bitterroot. The BE is one of six recovery zones in the contiguous U.S. for grizzly bears. The area was identified as a recovery zone in 1993 for being large enough and of sufficient quality to provide grizzly habitat. The USFWS initially created a plan to begin artificially reintroducing grizzlies into the BE in 2000, yet reintroduction never occurred. In March 2023, a federal district court judge found the agency unnecessarily delayed actions in implementing the plan and ordered it to supplement an Environmental Impact Statement or to issue new plans. The USFWS decided to work on a new plan determining the best path forward for grizzly bear introduction. Planning documents are scheduled to be completed by October 2026. The environmental groups noted that residents close to grizzly recovery zones are often more tolerant of natural recovery than bears being physically reintroduced to the area. The comment follows Ravalli County Commissioners urging the USFWS to take a no-action alternative for grizzly bear reintroduction. The commissioners letter said that manual reintroduction presents problems and risks to the community. In Montana, grizzly bear populations are present in three ecosystems, including the Cabinet-Yaak in the states northwestern corner, the Northern Continental Divide surrounding Glacier National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Area surrounding Yellowstone National Park. Past attempts at grizzly reintroduction have struggled, the groups stated. Artificial reintroduction wouldn't help the BE when grizzlies are already migrating there currently. An augmentation program in the Cabinet Mountains has largely been a failure, the letter stated. Several translocated bears returned to the NCDE (Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem) or were killed. Notably, of the 22 translocated bears, only three contributed genetically to the Cabinet Mountains population, and of these three, just one contributed 87% of documented offspring and there was just a 13% success rate per bear. A 13% success rate would not result in Bitterroot repopulation. Comment for the public scoping phase of the USFWSs grizzly management plan closed Monday. More than 1,200 comments were received in a two-month time period. Nearly all expressed opposition to artificial reintroduction. Environmental groups said that recent studies show that residents are more accepting of grizzly bears moving on their own than being reintroduced by the government. Grizzlies have been observed in increasing individual numbers in the BE, yet no established population of grizzly bears exists currently. A population is defined as having two or more breeding females or one female with two consecutive litters. USFWS estimates that grizzly bear breeding could occur in the BE as soon as 15 years. That could be accelerated by efforts made by the USFWS in providing highway passage structures and designated connectivity areas, following the groups proposed plan. Under this alternative, effective monitoring of natural immigration would occur for 15 years, the letter stated. If, after 15 years there is no verified evidence of resident breeding age females and/or reproduction, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service may consider human-assisted translocations. As the debate over in vitro fertilization continues, Rep. Matt Rosendale is one of four House Republicans to sign a letter to the secretary of Veterans Affairs denouncing the VAs expansion of infertility treatments for unmarried veterans and veterans in same-sex marriages. The letter calls IVF a treatment used by 238,126 women annually including 412 Montanans morally dubious. The representatives accuse the VA of responding to the appeals of activists and trying to remake the nuclear family. It argued that the VA should instead expand its program to help financially support adoption for eligible veterans. Beyond the purview of the VA, the nuclear family is changing on its own. The birth rate fell 10.5% nationally and just over 18% in Montana between 2014 and 2021, the last year for which there is available data from the Center for Disease Control. In 2014, Montana had the 15th highest fertility rate of any state. In 2021, it had the 16th lowest fertility rate of any state. The number of births in Montana fell 10% in that period, from 12,431 births in 2014 to 11,231 in 2021, despite an almost 8% increase in the states population. Billings Clinic is the only IVF provider in the state, though its reproductive specialists now see 8.5 times more patients than when its fertility program opened in 2011. The percentage of IVF births doubled in Montana between 2011 and 2021, from 0.81% in 2011 to 1.6% in 2021. About 10% of women in the United States have trouble getting pregnant, according to the CDC. Insurance is not required to cover IVF in Montana unless someone is diagnosed with cancer and treatment could lead to infertility, according to the National Infertility Association. Rosendale previously said that he supports states making their own decisions about IVF. When the Supreme Court decided Dobbs v. Jackson there was a clear mandate to states that they are able to set their own rules pertaining to the life of an unborn child, he said in a statement earlier this month. The Alabama Supreme Court ruled an IVF embryo is a human life and must be treated as such. DECATUR First Baptist Church will be hosting an Easter brunch on Sunday, March 24, at 11 a.m. followed by an egg hunt, beginning at noon at 1320 Arbor Drive. Each child can collect letter eggs to complete a special message. Once the message is complete, eggs can be traded in for prizes! There will be a separate egg hunting area for babies/young toddlers and treats for grown-ups too. RSVP to https://decaturfbc.breezechms.com/form/feff5f or texting "egg hunt" to 573-645-8616. *** DECATUR First Presbyterian Church will be hosting their Good Friday services on Friday, March 29 at 7 p.m. Easter worship services will be Sunday, March 31 at 8:45 and 11 a.m. with an Easter Brunch at 9:30 a.m. at the church located at 204 W. Prairie, Decatur. For more information contact Cathy at 217-521-7131. *** Deadline for items in Faith Notes is noon Monday for publication in Saturdays section. Send information to: Herald & Review, 225 S. Main St., Suite 200, Decatur, IL 62523, lmargerum@herald-review.com, or fax (217) 421-7965. Please include a contact phone number for verification. DECATUR Sarah Livesay is a rock star in the world of environmental education. The Mattoon native found her niche working among others in the field through the Environmental Education Association of Illinois. She eventually expanded her career past the state and into the rest of the country. And then going back, she said about her lifes path. Now Im working in Charleston. Livesay, 47, was the keynote speaker for the EEAI conference this weekend at the Decatur Conference Center and Hotel. Along with working at the state level, she also held a position nationally with the Council for Environmental Education. Currently the Grand Prairie Friends executive director, Livesay and her staff operate the Warbler Ridge Conservation Area in Charleston, among other sites in Coles and Shelby counties. Im still working with the networks and the businesses in the community where I grew up, she said. Livesays love for the environment began in her backyard and with her fathers love for birds, specifically purple martins. You have to take care of them, she said. That was kind of my inspiration. Livesay had a dream as a child to be wildlife biologist. Her first job was at Fox Ridge in Charleston. She soon learned sitting alone among nature didnt fit her personality. I hated it. I needed people, she said. When I went into environmental education, it was the best of both worlds. Livesay continues to engage with various crowds, a character trait she learned through many stages of her life, discussing the importance of the environment. It wasnt a straight path, she said. But I think I learned so much from this organization. EEAI helped me along the way. The conference brought together environmental educators from throughout Illinois, including formal educators, such as classroom teachers, and non-formal educators, who are those working in nature centers, zoos and museums. We have two groups, bringing them together, trying to offer things that are relevant to both audiences, said Savannah Donovan, president of the EEAI. Were really trying to equip teachers of all kinds with the tools that they need to engage youth in learning about the environment in a hands-on way. Organizers invited Livesay to be the keynote speaker because of her reputation. She is a wonderful leader in environmental education, Donovan said. She was the person in charge of training people on the statewide education curriculum. She has been an amazing rock star. After several paths taken, some planned, some not, Livesay transitioned into land conservation and is now executive director of the nonprofit land trust organization, Grand Prairie Friends. But shes always continued to be involved or adjacent to this organization, Donovan said about the keynote speaker's connection with EEAI. The conference is a time for us to re-energize, but what our members get the most out of is the connections that we build. This year was the first EEAI conference for Brenda Missele. Livesays story sounded like the beginning of her story. She was awesome, Missele said. Missele works as the nature program coordinator at Hawthorne Hill Nature Center in Elgin. She also taught in the middle and high school levels for approximately 20 years. I took that scary step of leaving education, because I knew it was my time to be done. But I just started the new job in August, Missile said. This gives me hope that I can start some new connections. These are the climate grannies. They'll do whatever it takes to protect their grandchildren. These are the climate grannies. They'll do whatever it takes to protect their grandchildren. Chandler's motivation now is the same as it was decades ago In some cases, their identities as grandmothers have become an organizing force 1000 Grandmothers credits another grandmother activist, Pennie Opal Plant, for helping train their members in nonviolent direct action and for inspiring them to take the lead of Indigenous women in the fight CHICAGO A Chicago police officer was wounded and a 26-year-old man was killed in an exchange of gunfire during a traffic stop, police said. The wounded officer was shot in the wrist Thursday evening and hospitalized in good condition, while four other officers who weren't shot were hospitalized for observation, police said. The man who fired shots suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at a hospital about a half-hour after the shooting, police said. The Cook County Medical Examiner's office identified the man as Dexter Reed, 26. Chicago police said in a statement that an exchange of gunfire erupted while officers were near a car they had pulled over around 6 p.m., in the Humboldt Park neighborhood on the city's West Side. Police did not immediately disclose how many officers fired their weapons. More than 50 rounds were picked up by the ShotSpotter gunshot-detection system, the Chicago Sun-Times reported, citing records shared with the newspaper. Police said a firearm was recovered from the shooting scene. Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling addressed the shooting later Thursday at a meeting of the Chicago Police Board, saying that he hopes the wounded officer makes "a speedy recovery." The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating the shooting. Police said the officer or officers involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative duties for 30 days, a routine step following shootings involving police officers. EMORY, Va. Emory & Henry College celebrated the opening of its new womens and gender center on campus with a ribbon-cutting on March 17. Theresa Buriss, the vice president of community engagement and economic development for EHC, highlighted that the new center is named after Helen Mathews Lewis, who passed away in 2022 and is widely considered the grandmother of Appalachian studies. We consider her like the mother or grandmother of Appalachian studies, and she was very committed to social and environmental justice in Appalachia, Buriss said. She was a fierce advocate for our region and marginalized people, and I thought it was very fitting that we named the center after her. The new Helen Mathews Lewis Womens and Gender Center will provide women and other marginalized EHC students with mentorship, academic support, and career development resources. Buriss explained that the center has already started hosting events and will look to expand its programming over the coming months, which will include workshops and guest speakers. Weve got some programming already planned. For example, tonight, we are showing a documentary on Mother Jones, Buriss said. We have a guest speaker coming in, Dr. Emily Satterwhite from Virginia Tech, on Thursday, March 28, and shell be talking about Appalachia and womens activism from a historical, all the way to a contemporary perspective. Buriss emphasized that the Center will always be evolving to meet the needs of its community and highlighted that she hopes that as it continues to meet those needs, it sparks positive dialogues about complex issues. It will evolve, and what it looks like next year will not be what it looks like, even five years from now, because it has to be responsive, Buriss said. This is the role of Emory and Henry, which is to foster civil conversation and to support people who dont feel necessarily that they always have a voice. Events in Selma, Alabama in March of 1965 led to the eventual Voting Rights Act in August of the year. Here is how it happened. In February, a young African American named Jimmie Lee Jackson was shot by an Alabama State Trooper while protecting his mother during a rally. He later died. Civil Rights activists, including teachers in Selma who were already participating in marches for equality, joined a movement to symbolically march from Selma to Montgomery. Although the state of Alabama had not authorized the march, hundreds of people left Brown Chapel in Selma and crossed the Edmund Pettis Bridge in an attempt to carry out the march. They were met on the other side by Alabama authorities and deputized local citizens. These groups released tear gas and used billy clubs on the crowd to stop the march. The violence was later recorded and shown on television. It became known as Bloody Sunday. President Lyndon B. Johnson, who signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 one year earlier, moved to try and work with Alabama authorities and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to make the march safe for all involved. He urged Congress to pass a new voting rights bill. King, who missed the first Selma march, returned to the city and led a march back to the bridge. Again, the marchers faced the authorities, but this time, they moved out of the way to see if King would break the law and continue marching. He did not. This march is now called the turnaround march. King wanted to work with the federal justice system to ensure protection for the marchers. On March 15, President Johnson spoke before Congress. The American Progress speech still resonates in its clarity and support for voting rights. Johnson likened the bridge in Selma to other important historical bridges such as in Concord during the American Revolution. Two days later, Federal Judge Frank Johnson approved the 54-mile march from Selma to Montgomery with certain limitations. Alabama, represented by Gov. George Wallace, agreed to protect the marchers and the Alabama National Guard was federalized by the president. Today, the stretch on Alabama State Highway 80 is a national historic trail. Once again, the march began at historic Brown Chapel. All told, the walk took five days from March 21 to 25. Marchers camped out in farm fields. It rained a lot. Yet, no one could contain the joy people felt as they knew they were making history. The march concluded with Dr. King speaking in front of the Alabama State Capitol. This time, speaking of the larger Civil Rights Movement, he said, We are not going to let anything turn us around. President Johnson and King became great partners on civil rights, but soon broke over their beliefs regarding the war in Vietnam. Johnson desperately wanted to pass another bill to help African Americans, wanted to ensure the passing of the Kennedy agenda, and absolutely wanted to be remembered as someone who built a better society. He helped to either structure or sign three major civil rights bills. Johnson and King are written about widely for their efforts in the mid-1960s to improve racial relations and political freedom in the country. The Selma story involved many other people of all colors and creeds. Children, young people, and adults helped tremendously. As people protested for more freedoms, other individuals protested against them. President Johnson proved to be an effective leader in building unity while not completely embarrassing Southern politicians. Some historians argue he did not move as fast or effectively as he could have, but he was very good at reading the political room and working strategically towards a goal. His work with civil rights is the high point of his presidency. It is ironic that the same tools which helped within the movement, failed him with Vietnam. Still, his political style is one worth studying. Every year, the march from Selma to Montgomery is remembered and walked. People cross the Bridge to Freedom and walk miles each day of the march. The event is called Jubilee. Ava DeVernays movie Selma is a great way to see this time period. It can be a tough film to watch, but it records the experiences of Johnson, King, and the everyday individuals who displayed courage and heroism during the movement. The events in February and March of 1965 remain with us each time we vote. Provisions of the Voting Right Act are discussed each election cycle. When we vote, we realize the freedoms of other people are tied up in our own. To cross the bridge in Selma and to walk to the place where marchers were confronted is to understand we have come a long way in the struggles for Americans to have the right to vote. The March from Selma to Montgomery, a famous photo by James Karales, captures individuals who were escaping the storm of violence early in one month to experience the triumph of making their voices heard in the light of freedom in the next. It is an amazing and inspirational photo which helps to tell this story. EAST GREENSBORO A 2023 North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State graduate is helping Belks Crown & Ivy clothing line celebrate its 10th anniversary this spring with a new line of womens wear available online and in stores. Jewel Moser x Crown & Ivy, a limited-edition collection designed by Jewel Moser, an alumna of N.C. A&Ts fashion merchandising and design (FMD) program, launched March 11. Its been a surreal experience to have my designs produced and sold in Belk stores, said Moser. I have been overwhelmed by the way people are purchasing and enjoying the pieces as Ive visited different locations to see the collection. Belk opened its Belk Crown Worthy Celebration College Design Contest in late 2022, giving students in college fashion programs across the country the chance to create an original, 10-piece collection. Moser entered the contest as a junior, researching the decade-long history of the brand while adding her own spin to the design. I was inspired by the beach, coral reefs and warm summer nights spent with friends, said Moser. I drew inspiration from the colors of the sunset to create a day-to-night collection that dresses women in comfort and style. The end result: a combination of dresses, jumpsuits, and two-piece sets, each carrying a distinct summertime aesthetic. Mosers hard work paid off. She won the contest, and last summer, as she interned at Belks corporate headquarters in Charlotte, she worked with Crown & Ivy designers to create technical drawings, select fabrics and materials for her pieces, create patterns and develop the technical specifications used to mass-produce her collection. Belk President and Chief Merchandising Officer MaryAnne Morin said the company was thrilled to work with Jewel on the Crown & Ivy collection. We know how challenging it can be for young designers to break into the retail industry, and thats why we wanted to offer this opportunity to a promising college design student, said Morin. We loved how Jewels designs used vibrant colors and refined silhouettes that tied perfectly to the Crown & Ivy aesthetic, while also adding her own twist to the collection. Were honored to provide this opportunity and love how excited our customers are about her designs. Elizabeth Newcomb Hopfer, Ph.D., an associate professor in A&Ts Department of Family and Consumer Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, said the designs convey the spirit and joy that I associate with Jewels personality. I am sure that competition evaluators could see Jewels attention to detail as well as her careful consideration of color, pattern and print ideas, said Hopfer. Since graduating in 2023, Moser has acquired another internship this time as a dress and soft woven design intern with Anthropologie in Philadelphia. My professors ensured that I was well equipped with all of the tools, skills, and information I needed to enter into the fashion industry, but they emphasized that belief in myself would take me far, she said. The confidence they instilled in me has been my driving force. Jewels success serves as an inspiration to current and future FMD majors, said Devona Dixon, Ph.D., associate professor in the fashion merchandising and design program. I have no doubt that Jewels line will be met with enthusiasm. I am excited to see her already flourishing is in her career just a few months after graduating. To view or purchase Mosers Crown & Ivy collection, visit https://www.belk.com/crown-and-ivy-10-year/jewel-moser-x-crown-ivy/ or the nearest Belk store. Photos by Ichiro Katayanagi () Take a break and leave behind the hustle and bustle for the simple life. Mother Farm, a dude ranch in Chiba Prefecture, is where city slickers can head for a taste of the wild west. Getting there requires about a two-hour drive from most Kanto Plain bases to Futtsu City. The farm promises fun for children big and small, so make plans to get some fresh air and enjoy a day outdoors. The farm offers great views, seasonal flowers, fruit picking, and a bunch of activities including bungee jumping, ziplining and more! About the farm The farm opened in 1962 by Hisakichi Maeda, founder of Tokyo Tower. Originally, the land on which Mother Farm sits was intended for Tokyo Tower, which instead was constructed in Minato in downtown Tokyo. High above on Mt. Kano in Chiba, Mother Farm is surrounded by great views of the mountains in Chiba, Tokyo Bay, and Yokohama, and Mt. Fuji, if the weather cooperates. This working farm is spread across over 600 acres and is home to 16 different types of animals. How to get there There are various ways to get to Mother Farm. Public transportation, if you are able to take, is probably the quickest. Ferries depart from Port Kurihama to Port Hamakanaya in Chiba daily. From the port in Chiba, there is a direct bus to the farm, which will bring your total transit time to about 90 minutes. Buses run on weekends and Japanese holidays from February to November only. From around Kanto, taking the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line by car will get you there in a few hours time. I live in Chiba and do not have a car, so I took a train to JR Kimitsu Station, one of the nearest stations to the farm, and took a bus from there. It was an about half an hour ride. The bus runs about every two hours, so plan ahead. Shows and Events When I arrived at Mother Farm, I was surprised at just how many shows and events they have to entertain their visitors. I looked over the schedule and made a plan for what I wanted to watch and when so I could take in as much as possible. First, I took in Ducks Parade, a cute show featuring 20 waddling ducks trained to parade around at the sound of the MCs bell. Part of the show involves the ducks walking through the audience. It was exciting that the flock of the ducks was marching toward me. After the cute ducks, I headed to a comedic show in the Agrodome section called The Sheepdog and His Friends featuring 12 animals, including an alpaca and llama. Then, I caught Sheeps Grand Parade, which was the best of the shows and featured a sheepdog herding no less than 200 sheep. At the end of the show, the audience was allowed to touch sheep. Surprisingly, none of the sheep were afraid of the audience or tried to escape. Though I expected a sheeps coat to be soft like a sweater, it was the complete opposite. Still sheeping around, I caught the Sheep Show, where a shepherd introduced the 19 different types of sheep they have at the farm. Part of the show included a sheep-shearing demonstration where the shepherd skillfully completed a shearing in under five minutes. Mother Farm Tour DX This 1.5-mile course requires an extra admission fee and a reservation when you arrive at the farm. I was lucky enough to get a reservation, so I enjoyed a tour of the entire farm. First, you hop on a tractor which zigzags up a slope, allowing you to see the farms cows, some of which, like Scottish Highland Cattle, are unfamiliar in Japan. On the hill, youll see farm hands milking calves and another little sheepdog show. Here, visitors can also feed sheep, goats, and alpacas. Feeding the animals was my favorite part of the tour. When they ate feed, their tongue touched my palm. It was ticklish and funny, but the animals were all business. As soon as licked the feed from my hand, theyd move to the next person. This was also my first time meeting alpaca up close, but I avoided feeding them because they spit a lot. Mutton BBQ Spending a day on the farm more than likely means youll also be eating there. Fortunately, Mother Farm has three restaurants for hungry visitors. The most popular dish served at all three restaurants is the mutton BBQ, which, Im not sure why, is called Ghengis Khan, after the first emperor of the Mongol Empire. The Ghengis Khan is a Hokkaido dish cooked in a slotted dome grill featuring mutton flavored with the farms secret soy sauce-based sauce recipe. They use a soy sauce from Miya Soy Sauce Brewery, a long-established Futtsu City institution founded back in 1834. I enjoyed my Ghengis Khan from my table at the Cafe & Genghis Khan Farm Diner with a beautiful view of Tokyo Bay and Kanagawa. The scenery made the food even more delicious. The sauce had a good body and was well matched with the mutton. Avoid going there at peak lunch hours, as the restaurants tend to get crowded. While I waited for my bus to the station at the end of my time on the dude ranch, I checked out the gift shop. Among the many items for sale, I found some made from milk produced on the farm, including the milk cookies and milk candies I purchased to enjoy at home later. There was much more to see and do at Mother Farm that I couldnt fit into a one-day visit. If youre traveling from far, the farm offers cottages and camping so you can take full advantage and really enjoy the simple life. Mother Farm Location: 940-3, Tagura, Futtsu City, Chiba Hours: Feb Nov 9:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. (weekdays) 9 a.m. 5 p.m. (weekends and holidays) Dec Jan 10 a.m. 4 p.m. (weekdays) 9:30 a.m. 4 p.m. (weekends and holidays) TEL: 0439-37-3211 Note: Check or call ahead of your visit, as some of the shows and admission may be affected due to the on-going State of Emergency. Website (Japanese only) Boom Supersonic took a significant step Friday toward reviving supersonic consumer flight with the inaugural test of its XB-1 aircraft. The successful flight took place at the Mojave Air & Space Port in California and was flown by chief test pilot Bill Doc Shoemaker. This region in the Mojave Desert is the proving grounds for the aerospace industry, where speed and altitude records are set. It may be most famous for being the site where an aircraft broke the sound barrier for the first time in 1947. The XB-1 is a prototype of what Boom projects will be its Overture supersonic airliner, a plane that will be manufactured at a $500 million superfactory on the grounds of Piedmont Triad International Airport. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Boom Supersonic, based in Denver, has said it would begin Overture test flights in 2026 from PTI. The company projects having at least 1,761 jobs at full production capacity in 2030. The next step for XB-1 is addressing its flight envelope to confirm the aircrafts performance and handling qualities through and beyond Mach 1. When XB-1 is ready for its first supersonic flight, test pilot Tristan Geppetto Brandenberg will be at the controls. XB-1 took flight in the same hallowed airspace where the Bell X-1 first broke the sound barrier in 1947, said Blake Scholl, Booms founder and chief executive. Ive been looking forward to this flight since founding Boom in 2014, and it marks the most significant milestone yet on our path to bring supersonic travel to passengers worldwide. Paul Mengert, chairman of the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority, praised the first XB-1 flight as a demonstration of Booms potential to bring global change to the aerospace industry. The XB-1 was accompanied by a T-38 chase aircraft, which typically flies with new planes on their maiden flights to observe things such as altitude, airspeed and handling. Boom said XB-1 met all of its test objectives, including safely and successfully achieving an altitude of 7,120 feet and speeds up to 238 knots (273 mph). Both XB-1 and Overture feature carbon-fiber composites, advanced avionics, digitally optimized aerodynamics and an advanced supersonic propulsion system. Besides serving as a flight prototype for Overture, XB-1 also is being used to validate those key technologies and Boom innovations. Overture is being designed to carry between 64 and 80 passengers flying at Mach 1.7 about twice the speed of todays subsonic airliners. Optimized for speed, safety and sustainability, Overture is designed to run on up to 100% sustainable aviation fuel. Overture will be powered by four wing-mounted engines that also enable the airliner to cruise just under Mach 1 over land. At those speeds, flying from Miami to London in just under five hours and Los Angeles to Honolulu in three hours are among the possibilities, Boom has said. Additionally, Boom said Overtures landing gear is compatible with international airport runways and taxiways and is designed for takeoff and landing on over 600 routes around the world. Ever since the weather took an early turn toward spring still think global warming is a hoax? work crews have been busy along one of the citys busiest thoroughfares. Not by pouring concrete, widening highways or striping lanes, however. Rather crews have been occupied using the last of some $100 million that the state allocated for transforming what had once been one of the deadliest highways in the state into Salem Parkway by doing landscaping. Building split rail fences, planting native trees and shrubs and installing rock sluiceways for drainage to be specific. Not exactly four guys with one shovel standing by the same pot hole. And definitely not the sort of work passing motorists traditionally associate with the N.C. Department of Transportation. Finishing work thats a good way to put it, said Pat Ivey, the division engineer for Davie, Davidson, Forsyth and Stokes counties. It looks good doesnt it? Winston was owed one Heading into town from the west, the work is difficult to miss. Few interchanges feature split rail fencing, a deep bed of mulch and 4-foot native trees. But the work on Salem Parkway demanded something special given the history of the road. The East-West Expressway, as it was first called, was obsolete the day it was opened in 1960. The traffic count, confidently predicted in the early 50s by planners to top out at a maximum of 30,000 vehicles per day, blew past that in its first year. By 1973, the daily count had grown to 56,800. The Expressway was never intended to be part of the nations interstate system and only was added to it in 1957 the last minute in road construction terms. That may partially explain why designers failed to fully account for growth, allowed narrow lanes to be built and glossed over some safety features that were standard on larger highways. And for good measure, engineers threw in the detestable (and infamous) Hawthorne Curve an absurd 10-degree S curve near First Street. Some locals took to calling it Kurfees Curve for Marshall Kurfees, the mayor at the time, as word on the street had it that Kurfees insisted on it to protect the business interests of cronies. Predictably, he spent the rest of his life denying that hed played any role in a rotten design. It was the engineers, Kurfees told a Journal reporter in 1990. I had about as much to do with it as you did. At any rate, Winston-Salem was owed a rebuild. Even after the partial do-over that came with the construction of new Interstate 40 on the southern end of town. And when the project received the green light, DOT officials cleverly spent years warning about worst-case traffic scenarios that could result when (or if) it opted to close Business 40 entirely to get it done faster. Some 85,000 vehicles a day, officials said, would need to be rerouted through limited options. A veritable traffic doomsday. But to the delight of most, a near best case scenario worked out. Contractors finished work that had been projected to close the road for two years or more in 14 months. Financial incentives worth some $10,000 a day perhaps played a role. And Salem Parkway, as it was rechristened, opened to traffic in February 2020. The coolest project Nine months later in November, the first of the extras two pedestrian-only bridges downtown had been dedicated, too. (The aesthetics for the Natural Bridge near Church Street and the Strollway Bridge connecting West Salem to downtown via Green Street were paid for with private money raised by the Creative Corridors coalition.) This is one of the coolest projects that I and my staff have ever been a part of, Ivey said at a small, COVID-era dedication ceremony. The man wasnt wrong. Now some four years later, the last pieces of landscaping have (or are) being installed along Salem Parkway at Knollwood Road, Silas Creek Parkway and other interchanges. Ivey said those finishing touches were paid for out of the $100 million allocated for it years ago. We do that after a project is completed, Ivey said Tuesday. Its absolutely part of the budget. We worked with the city on the design and theyll maintain it. That would presumably include any damage caused to the split-rail fencing by boneheaded drivers preoccupied with cellphones who wind up way off course. Hopefully its far enough away that wont be a problem, Ivey said. But you cant be sure, no. The Biden-Harris administration is pursing international trade policies to create jobs for U.S. workers, including North Carolinians, Ambassador Katherine Tai said Thursday at Forsyth Technical Community College. What the president asked me to do is to do trade in a different way, said Tai, the U.S. trade representative during her conversation with Christopher Chung, the chief executive of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. This is part of his (Bidens) approach to the entire economy, Tai said, to make sure that we are building this economy very intentionally from the middle out and the bottom up. After President Joe Biden delivered his State-of-the Union speech in mid-February, Biden and his cabinet have traveled throughout the country to promote his administrations economic agenda. Tai is a Biden cabinet member. Bidens trade policies are focusing on giving low-income U.S. residents a chance to move into the middle class, and then you build the middle out, Tai said. As part of her job, Tai travels to international trade conferences to negotiate with U.S. trade partners, and she and her staff travel across the country to discuss Bidens economic agenda to local U.S. residents and their interests, she said. Coming to North Carolina is a core part of my job, Tai said. Everything about our lives is impacted by trade. The world economy is interconnected. The supply-chain problems affect the worlds economy, and part of Biden trade policys is to improve the flow of the goods and services to and from the United States, Tai said. When she was the top trade staffer on the Ways and Means Committee in the U.S. House, Tai worked with the Trump administration to add labor-protection provisions in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement. That pact replaced NAFTA, which benefited rich countries and some of their industries, but didnt help developing countries and most of their industries, Tai said. Today, we are looking at the way we do trade, Tai said. U.S. trade negotiators look for ways to help U.S. residents, she said. Americans are consumers and wage earners, and must be the center of U.S. trade policy, Tai said. We are trying to reorient our trade policy that focuses on people, Tai said. A key part of the Biden administrations economic program is investments infrastructure, roads and bridges, microchips (and) clean energy technology, Tai said. North Carolina is benefiting from a lot of these investments investments that American companies are making and investments from foreign companies, too. The states seasonally adjusted February 2024 unemployment rate was 3.5%, the N.C. Department of Commerce reported Friday. The national rate increased 0.2 of a percentage point to 3.9%. The number of people employed in North Carolina increased 3,135 over February to 5.07 million, the Commerce Department said. After Tais comments, Janet Spriggs, the president of Forsyth Tech, said that the U.S. trade policies will help workforce development and improve economic benefits for all Americans. Ambassador Tais expertise and commitment to fostering equitable economic growth is truly inspirational, Spriggs said. Christopher Jeffries, an economist and an instructor in business administration at Forsyth Tech, said Tai did a great job with her presentation. Anything that improves the U.S. economy improves the North Carolina economy, Jeffries said. Local historian Ed Zimmer will present Francis W. Fitzpatrick: Artist, Architect and Athlete as Postcards from Lincoln, a speaker series about the history of Lincoln, returns Monday to Saint Paul United Methodist Church, 1144 M St. All sessions will take place on Mondays, March 25-April 22, at 7 p.m. in Saint Paul UMCs Sanctuary. This is the fifth season of the speaker series at Saint Paul UMC. The series is open to everyone and features some of Lincolns most preeminent figures specializing in our citys history, and those individuals who made that history. Future presentations will include: April 8 Historic Hotels of Lincoln by Ed Zimmer and Jim McKee; and April 22 Environs on Nebraska State Capitol by Bob Ripley. To register, go to https://saintpaul.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/1107237. A trip to Afghan Village Cuisine is something like visiting an Afghan home, where the meal is how-mom-made-it authentic dishes, like Kabuli pulao, eggplant curry, naan bread and carrot balls for dessert, that can be eaten traditional style, leaning on large, colorful cushions while sitting on the carpeted floor. Thats the intent of Alias Dawary and chef Abida Rashidi, who opened Lincolns only Afghan restaurant in November. Hospitality is the most important thing for the Afghan people, said Dawary, who came to the U.S. from Aghanistan as a boy. When we have a guest and they come into our house, we would like to serve our best dishes. We do apply that policy here too. Everyone is our guest. Serving the best dishes to the guest in the restaurant almost requires a buffet rather than replicating what happens at home. They cook a whole big pot of everything, they set it on the leather cloth (spread out on the carpet of the seated dining area) so everybody serves themselves from that dish, Dawary said. Thats what we do here (with the buffet). Its a lot of food and everybody grabs what they want. The 15 or so items available on the buffet meats, vegetables, desserts, salads and breads are all distinctively Afghan, prepared by Rashidi, who earned her chef certificate at Southeast Community College. The recipe is love, she said. Its from what my mom was cooking, what I learned from her. I do add my own unique interpretations, what I like. Thats what chefs do. All the Afghan Village Cuisine food is made from scratch daily. Rashidi arrives at the restaurant at about 7 a.m. daily to begin chopping the vegetables and meats in order to have the buffet-filled dishes ready at the 11:30 a.m. opening. That made-from-scratch process sets the buffet dishes in constant rotation as Rashidi prepares whats on hand, last week, for example, putting out okra curry Sunday, then replacing it with zucchini Tuesday. A constant on the buffet, however, is Kabuli pulao, a dish of pieces of lamb in long grain rice, with carrots, raisins, almonds and pistachios. Delicately flavored, the delicious pulao has buttery marrow in the lamb bones and a combination of tastes and textures that sent me back for second helpings on both of my visits. Its not surprising that Kabuli pulao is the restaurants most popular offering. But, for me, the lamb biryani, the other rice-based dish I sampled, is just as good with its blend of saffron and caramelized onion with the rice and lamb. One of the most surprising dishes on the buffet during my first visit was beef rolls, very similar to egg rolls but with a filling of beef and Afghan vegetables. A standout meat dish is the chicken seekh kabab. Served on a stick, the chicken is flavored with Afghan spices with just a little heat. I must have had 10 of the little kebabs on my visits. While many of the dishes, like the kababs, are similar to, or at least have similar names of Indian dishes, the Afghan spices are more subtle and not as hot as those used in Indian cuisine. Hence, the shaker of red chili powder found on each of the tables along with the salt and pepper. We get a lot of Pakistani and Indian customers, they say the food isnt spicy enough for them, Rashidi said. Thats for them, for those who want it hotter. But theres really no need for additional spice on any of the food, especially the vegetables, which are perfectly cooked the eggplant is better than any Ive had in Italian restaurants here, the okra is not slimy the usual criticism and the zucchini, whose curry includes peas, is addictively delicious. The buffet also includes desserts. On my visits, I sampled the banana pudding, which got rave reviews for its smoothness and flavor from a group of SCC students; Afghan rote, a sweet bread; and the aforementioned sweet balls of carrot burfi, which can be served in multiple forms. We are farmers and we have so much milk, he said. "We get the milk from the cows and make that burfi with it. Its an especially good dish for winter. As for the traditional seating, any customer is welcome to remove their shoes and take their meal on the carpeted and cushioned area at the back of the store. But, Dawary said, most who use the area eat at the four tables and three booths, then drink tea leaning on the cushions. The tea, and its accompanying dates, is included in the buffet. For an extra $2, the restaurant has another authentic Afghan drink. Back home, pop is too expensive, Dawary said. So we have the yogurt drink since were kids. Its more sour, but you can put things (mint and honey) to make it sweeter, the flavor you like. That is yet one more way that Afghan Village Cuisine brings the home to the restaurant, and provides a must-repeatedly-return dining experience of Afghan food set in its culture. Here are some of Lincoln's hidden gem restaurants, according to Reddit Daffodil Mediterranean Cuisine and Catering Lila Mae's Southern Kitchen and Lounge Heoya Afghan Village Cuisine Norm's on 48th El Potro Mexican Restaurant L's Kitchen Vung Tau Pho Grill Fattoush Restaurant Rolling Wok Blessing Thai Restaurant Super Taco Tandoor Indian Restaurant Biji's Best Panda Garden Young women of Lincoln got the chance to learn and grow with their peers Saturday at the annual Inspire Girls Expo. The expo was put on by the Inspire Womens Leadership initiative, which is celebrating its 10th year. Inspire Girls was founded in 2019 with the goal of empowering change-makers and future leaders in Lincoln. At Saturdays event, young women and their parents buzzed around the Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center, visiting booths featuring community resources and selfie stations that reflect female positivity, all while interacting in a positive social atmosphere. Throughout the afternoon, girls had the opportunity to attend classes about positive mindsets, fitness, self-expression and many other important topics. Lincoln Southwest ninth grade students Mannat Multani and Molly Silfer attended the event together. Silfer had been coming to the expo for the last few years and was excited for her friend to experience everything that it has to offer. I really like the feeling of being here, Silfer said. Everyone feels so welcoming and accepting. Im excited to hear the speeches and visit all of the booths and rooms, and Im excited to introduce Mannat to it. Eighth grader Tenley Kozisek was excited to see all of the possibilities that the event had to offer. I like knowing all of the options that are available while planning for the future, said Kozisek, who was particularly interested in the yoga class and computer tech booths. It is really cool to see all of the different options. At the start of the expo, girls and parents filed into the auditorium for a presentation by Maggi Thorne. The Lincolnite's impressive list of credits includes winning the Mrs. International title and being a seven-time competitor on American Ninja Warrior. Thorne shared her story about how a high school teacher advocated for her to join the track team. That one action from a caring educator set Thorne on her path to inspiring others. I wanted to find a platform to advocate from, because people advocated for me, Thorne said. In her speech, Thorne encouraged girls to never give up, because people can achieve great things at any age. She also expressed the importance of pushing back against other peoples expectations. When I won Mrs. International, I was so excited, because I didn't change an ounce, Thorne said. I had muscles. My sash was muddy. I didnt change my size. I was myself. Thorne wanted the girls in attendance to take in what the event had to offer and strive to discover every part of themselves. Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird also spoke at the beginning of the expo. You are the next generation of inspiring female leaders here in Lincoln, Gaylor Baird said. "There are so many different arenas where you can inspire and be inspired. You dont have to wait to shape the future that you want. She said she hoped that the young women in attendance would leave the expo with the confidence to share their stories and new friends that they will keep in touch with. Top Journal Star photos for March 2024 A south Lincoln child care center has been placed on probation for leaving a toddler unsupervised on the playground for more than half an hour, according to Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services records. The disciplinary probation for Bubbles & Blocks Child Development Center at 48th Street and Pioneers Boulevard started earlier this month and will continue until Sept. 2. According to HHS records, Bubbles & Blocks' director self-reported the Nov. 16 incident the same day, saying staff had failed to do a head count of the children after leaving the playground and did not immediately realize a child was missing. Video showed the 14-month-old outside alone for 38 minutes. The girl's mother reported it to the state's Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline. No one was criminally cited for the incident. An HHS inspection compliance report about the incident said a child care inspection specialist spoke with the director and staff and determined they had violated their duty to adequately supervise the child. "This was a devastating situation not only for my husband and I but for our daughter who thankfully was not physically injured or taken," the girl's mother told the Journal Star. She said she was completely disappointed in Bubbles & Blocks not only for causing her child distress and putting her safety at risk, but also for the leadership's lack of response to her efforts to better understand what had happened. Asked about the incident, owner Cory Quimby said: "No one was more disappointed with this situation than us. As soon as the teachers in this room realized that a child had been left on the playground alone they got her, reported it to the office and we self-reported it to DHHS and the child's parents." He said everyone at Bubbles & Blocks strives to be the best they can be and immediately after the incident they put safeguards in place to ensure nothing like this happens again. "We have been providing care for the Lincoln community for over 10 years and will always look for ways to grow and improve," Quimby said. In December 2022, the same child care center had been investigated after a staff member posted a photo on Snapchat of two children in an empty trash can and allegedly told them their parents weren't coming to get them. According to HHS records, the allegation was substantiated and led to a licensing agreement in February 2023 and a training. Quimby said a staff member involved was written up and had to do an additional training but no longer is employed by Bubbles & Blocks. "I think its important for people to understand that we have never had an incident with any ill intent or malice," he said. He said they have more than 150 employees who care for 450 kids every day and are a "locally owned, family-run business that takes our responsibility to the children, their families and the community very seriously." Check out these photos from the 2024 sandhill crane migration through Nebraska Henrietta Burroughs was so deeply devoted to her 1991 Dodge Dynasty that she saved its floor mats to honor the cars two decades of service. But everything else about its replacement a bright red 2017 all-electric Chevy Bolt, now adorned with the Dynastys old floor mats is better. Its reliable, its practical, its modern and what really sold me on this car was that it was within my price range, said Burroughs, an East Palo Alto, California, journalist whose son and daughter also own EVs. The high cost of electric vehicles has been the major barrier for shoppers seeking to trade in their gas guzzlers. This has slowed the widespread adoption of cleaner cars that help fight climate change and improve air quality, according to a 2023 University of Texas study. But a price war is sweeping the EV industry, led by Tesla, causing a surge in the supply of used electric vehicles so prices have plummeted. Used electric cars are now as cheap as gas-powered cars and hybrids, according to an analysis by research company iSeeCars of one- to five-year-old used cars sold in February 2023 and in 2024. Stacked incentives, as well as lower maintenance, help reduce the cost still further. Electricity is cheaper than gas. And income-qualified residents can drive solo in carpool lanes and get discounts at tolls. Plummeting prices are expected to accelerate the transformation of the automobile market. On Wednesday, the Biden administration issued a regulation with tough new standards for tailpipe pollution, ensuring that more than half the new cars sold in the U.S. by 2032 are zero-emission vehicles. When EVs were first introduced, owners tended to be enthusiastic early adopters who were affluent, tech-savvy and white or Asian. Vehicle inventories were low, and dealer incentives were rare. Thats changing. Theres a misconception that EVs are only for the rich, said Irvin Rivero of Acterra, a California environmental nonprofit that provides free one-on-one consultations to help consumers learn about eligibility for price-lowering incentives. Its really no longer an issue for lower-income individuals to find an affordable EV. The market has a lot of used models that are under $20,000, he said. For people who qualify for several incentives, the price can fall below $10,000. As the spring buying season ramps up, driven by tax returns and better weather, used car prices likely will remain stable until next fall, say experts. But price isnt the only thing to weigh: Buying a used EV brings a special set of considerations. For example, its important to know the health of the battery because batteries degrade over time and are expensive to replace. Strong batteries are worth more. But car dealerships arent required to test and disclose a batterys status. To assess the health of the battery, charge the car, see what the estimated range says, then compare it to the original rating. For a report on the estimated health of a cars battery, enlist the help of the research firm Recurrent. Also be sure to check the manufacturers warranty policy: Many used cars are still be covered under a batterys 100,000-mile warranty. (Make sure its transferable.) Dont expect a 100% battery report on a used electric car. But a lesser battery may be fine if youre buying an EV for around-town errands and the car will be cheaper. If you expect to take long road trips on a regular basis, a strong battery will reduce range anxiety. In addition to the car, theres the cost of an at-home EV charger that starts at about $500, and installation, which may cost an additional $1,000 to $2,000. Many electric utilities and cities provide rebates for this equipment. And you need a place to put the charger. For residents without off-street parking, public or workplace chargers are crucial. At apartment buildings and condominiums, landlords are now required to accept a written request for installation if the tenant has a dedicated parking spot and is willing to foot the bill. Its tricky to navigate the many tax credit, incentive and rebate options. Each one has restrictions, and they require purchase from a participating dealership. For help, go to the state Air Resources Boards Drive Clean website or schedule a consultation with Acterras e-mobility associate Rivero. Why are used EVs so affordable? Battery prices have plummeted, falling nearly 90% between 2008 and 2022. And innovations in manufacturing and assembly continue to reduce production costs. But this years sudden price drop is driven largely by Tesla. When the company slashed the cost of its new cars to attract more buyers, it also pushed down the cost of used cars. The price of a used Model X, for instance, fell by nearly $20,000 since last February, according to the consumer report Notebookcheck. The rental car company Hertz recently offered thousands of Teslas at fire sale prices. This is forcing other automakers to also lower prices and offer promotions. The average price of a used Chevy Bolt has fallen 30%, or $7,847, over the past year, to $17,981. The average used Nissan Leaf dropped $7,329, to $17,895. Meanwhile, inventory at dealerships is high because three- and four-year leases are expiring, said Acterras Rivera. Were seeing a lot of 2021 models pop up on the market right now, he said. Post-pandemic car pricing remains high, but shifts in the market may bring prices down in 2024 Post-pandemic car pricing remains high, but shifts in the market may bring prices down in 2024 Make Type Segments Domestic Brands Luxury Brands Foreign Brands Rancher Lemoyne Dailey says hes careful about how he makes his footprints when he works on his land near Thedford. The rolling Sandhills are fragile, Dailey said, the grasses and sands easily torn up and tough to restore. Over the past decade, Daileys been fielding visits from utility workers surveying his land, planning a power transmission route and asking for a signature on the dotted line. Hes one of a group of Sandhills landowners steadfastly refusing to sign. You don't know the amount of damage you're going to do to this country, putting in a project like the R line, Dailey said. The rancher is speaking of the Nebraska Public Power Districts R-Project, a controversial 345,000-volt transmission line that would stretch 226 miles from Sutherland past Thedford. The line, first proposed in 2012, is meant to deliver power across the country and make the U.S. electrical grid more reliable. But 12 years later, not one mile of the R-Project has been built. Instead, the project has faced a wall of opposition from an array of foes: environmental groups, conservative state senators, Native tribes and ranchers like Dailey. Building demand The Southwest Power Pool, a regional power regulator, directed NPPD in 2012 to build a new high-voltage transmission line through central Nebraska. A planning study listed the date for when the line would need to be built to meet growing American energy demand: Jan. 1, 2018. Early construction on the line instead started in June 2019 after the project, which will impact several endangered Sandhills species, received a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Less than a month later, the project ground to a halt when a group of opponents filed a lawsuit. The delays have forced NPPD to use diesel generators to meet demand in north-central Nebraska during the past three summers, the utility company has said. The Southwest Power Pool, which regulates power in 14 states, also had to use higher-cost methods to generate power in the region. The grid operates like an interstate highway system, moving large amounts of power long distances, said Mike Herzog, founder of Resilient Electric Analytics. Weaknesses in one state can impact others, leading to situations like SPP using rolling blackouts to manage power demand during the 2021 Polar Vortex that led to a days-long spell of freezing temperatures throughout Texas. The R line is also important, planners and advocates say, because its planned route stretches through eight Nebraska counties where future wind energy projects could generate more power to transmit along the line and through the state and region. In Western Nebraska it's windy, theres wide open spaces, Herzog said. Heres this huge potential for renewable energy in a space where the population centers arent. Wind projects are queued up and ready to build and connect to the high-voltage transmission line, Herzog said. The Service has identified nine renewable energy projects that are reasonably foreseeable and are related to the R-Project (either through interconnection or contingency on R-Project for overall network upgrade), FWS spokeswoman Adriana Zorrilla said in an email. But new wind turbines are seen as a negative outcome for many R-Project opponents, who fear the line will bring more disruption in the Sandhills. The concern is that future wind energy development will compound the damage done by the line itself, said Brent Steffen, a Sandhills landowner. Fickle cranes, rugged terrain Opponents of the R-Project are concerned about the impact that constructing and maintaining the large line will have on the Sandhills unique terrain and wildlife. After the proposed line leaves the substation east of Thedford, it will go straight east through rugged, isolated ground, Steffen said. NPPDs permit focuses primarily on the threatened American burying beetle, which will be harmed during construction. Several other endangered plant and animal species call the Sandhills home. Plants in the Sandhills are fragile and have adapted specifically to thrive there, said Tony Baker, legislative aide for Sen. Tom Brewer, who represents the region. The ranchers understand how to take care of that ground, Baker said. And they know what will happen if you come in there with all this heavy equipment to build 120 miles of power line, right through the most virgin, beautiful part of the Sandhills we've got in Nebraska. The R-Project will cross the migration corridor of endangered whooping cranes around the Platte River and Sandhills wetlands, said Kristal Stoner, executive director of Audubon Great Plains, which supported the lawsuit. Fewer than 550 whooping cranes now exist in the wild, and they could strike the steel structures and die. We have to be very cautious about the decisions we make on the landscape so that we don't put things out there that are going to cause harm to these birds, Stoner said. In a revised plan, NPPD committed to marking the entire R-Project with bird flight diverters to reduce the strike risk, and also adding diverters to 124 miles of existing transmission lines. NPPD also reassessed the amount of land that will be temporarily disturbed by construction, doubling the number of impacted acres. It promised to buy and protect 557 acres of suitable American burying beetle habitat to offset any damage. Markers of history Nebraskas Sandhills still hold several markers of the regions history. There are archaeological sites, tribal burial grounds and wagon ruts from the Oregon and Mormon trails near the proposed line. In its newly released plans, NPPD added a mile to the line in order to send the proposed route around OFallons Bluff, a National Register of Historic Places site significant to the westbound trails and the Pony Express. By law, FWS is required to review historic and culturally significant sites that the project might impact, which includes consulting with tribes. FWS sent letters to 19 tribes about the project between 2014 and 2018. Only two responded, according to the projects original 2018 Final Environmental Impact Statement. No letter reached Ione Quigley at the Rosebud Siouxs tribal historic preservation office. Quigley said she found out about the project when a group of Sandhills landowners reached out in 2021. I've been quite busy here trying to get a hold of some of the other tribes and letting them know that they need to wake up to this, Quigley said. The Rosebud Sioux tribe is worried the project hasnt focused on potential impacts to the Ogallala Aquifer, with plans in place to drill 40 feet down during construction. When it's done, then people will see what an impact it will have for future generations, and not only for the two legged people but for the four legged, the winged ones, the crawlers, Quigley said. It will have an impact on all of life. Mark Porath, FWS Nebraska ecological field office supervisor, joined the project in recent years and expanded its outreach to 31 tribes. FWS has sent more follow-ups, Porath said, reaching out to cultural resource officers and tribal historic preservationists like Quigley. Quite honestly, we're leaning on a lot of their knowledge that they have that we don't have, Porath said. So that's an expertise that we don't have, but we think it's important that needs to be incorporated. FWS is working now on a cultural resources inventory report, Porath said, detailing the potentially impacted historical sites and including input from tribes and other organizations like History Nebraska. Continuing resistance A power line already crosses Daileys Sandhills ranch. NPPD came to do maintenance on a tower on one of his steep sand hills a few years ago. Dailey told the workers to drive around the hill to avoid causing damage. When they came to do the work, Dailey said, the technicians didnt listen. They climbed the hill and just tore up the side of that hill really bad, Dailey said. NPPD offered to pay him for any damage, but Dailey didnt want their money. He asked them to come out and restore it themselves, so they would understand how the R-Project might hurt the Sandhills. Dailey and Steffen continue to refuse to sign the paperwork that would allow NPPD to build the line on their land. I'm just hoping and praying that something else comes up and stops them and they just abandon it, Dailey said. Steffen thinks that if the updated permit gets approved, the R-Project is likely to be challenged again in federal court. The R-Project is 12 years old now, six years past its original completion date. The fight appears far from over. Even if they don't get challenged in federal court again they're now looking at eight or nine years down the road from their initial planning and millions of dollars in increased expenditure to do it, Steffen said. The Flatwater Free Press is Nebraskas first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter. Photos: Majestic sandhill cranes in Nebraska Aurora cranes 030823-lex-news-cranes1.jpg Sandhill cranes on the Platte River in Nebraska Sandhill cranes gather near farm machinery Cranes fly in waves on a cloudy evening A pair of sandhill cranes glide in a clear blue sky Sandhill cranes forage for food in a field Sandhill cranes fly over a field Sandhill cranes silhouetted against the evening sky Sandhill cranes flock near an irrigation pivot Sandhill cranes glide in for a landing to roost for the night Sandhill cranes begin to roost at sundown Sandhill cranes at sunset Viewing sandhill cranes from Richard Plautz viewing site A sandhill crane flies above a field south of Gibbon Cranes in the water Cranes at sunset Cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Pair of sandhill cranes at sunset near Gibbon, Nebraska Sandhill cranes flying high Sandhill cranes on and above a field near Gibbon Sandhill cranes Cranes Cranes Cranes Cranes Cranes The Nebraska Project cranes The Nebraska Project The Nebraska Project Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill crane Sandhill Cranes Sandhill cranes Rowe Bird Sancutary Cranes in January Cranes in January Cranes in January Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes Sandhill cranes PANgea, Lincoln Public Schools steel drum band, will perform at noon Friday, April 5, at Saint Paul United Methodist Church, 1144 M St. Founded in 2003 by LPS music educator John Scofield, PANgea is a steel drum band and the only group of its kind in Nebraska. The steel pan (also known as steel drums, or pan) has West African roots and was brought to Trinidad and Tobago during the 19th century and played during carnivals. The steel drum is made from an empty 55-gallon industrial oil drum. The cylindrical part of the drum is cut off, formed into a bowl and then tuned. The drums feature a variety of surfaces, which are divided in the drum to produce different pitches. PANgea is an entity of LPS, created to give percussionists more opportunities than they would find in a traditional concert band setting. Consisting of members in grades 6-12, it is an auditioned group that rehearses weekly and performs 10-12 times each spring at various events. Nearly all LPS middle and high schools are represented in PANgeas membership. Saint Paul UMC celebrates local musicians and artists on the first Friday of each month with free concerts and displays. An optional lunch is served from 11:30 a.m.-noon and 1-1:30 p.m. for $5 per person. This concert is free, but donations are accepted. For more information about Saint Paul UMC, visit www.saintpaulumc.org. MONDAY Al-Anon: 8 p.m., Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 3350 Lathrop Ave. Retired Nurses Association: Meets first Monday of every month. For more information, call Marge Orth, secretary, 262-884-0742. WEDNESDAYCaledonia Senior Card Club: Sheepshead, for ages 55 and older, noon to 3 p.m., Franksville Memorial Park, 9614 Northwestern Ave., Franksville. For more information, call 414-856-9550. Kiwanis Club of West of Racine: 7:30 a.m., in-person at Living Faith Lutheran Church, 2915 Wright Ave. Kiwanis is an international organization dedicated to serving the children of the world. To attend a meeting, contact Shirley Meyer, membership chair, at 262-260-8101 or email aquashirl4@yahoo.com. FRIDAYRacine Founders Rotary Club: 7 a.m., Racine Country Club, 2401 Northwestern Ave. DAILY/OTHERSCaledonia Historical Society Meeting: 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at Franksville Park, 9614 Northwestern Ave. The meeting is open to the public. There will be no meetings December through March. https://caledoniahistoricalsociety.org. Overeaters Anonymous: 7 p.m. Monday and Thursday, Living Faith Lutheran Church, 2915 Wright Ave., a free fellowship group for all eating disorders using the 12 steps and 12 traditions. For more information call 262-652-5635. Racine Duplicate Bridge Club: Each week two ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge games are played in Racine at 12:15 p.m. Monday and Friday at The Lanes, 6501 Washington Ave., Mount Pleasant. People must have proof of COVID-19 vaccination to play. Call Henry Kensler, club manager, at 262-652-6173 for reservations. Recent winners include: March 15 (299): Judy Leslie and Joan Arnone, first place; Peggy Crane and Daniele Langer, second place; Katie Patzke and Wayne Hejny, third place. March 15 (Open): George Urquhart and Richard Arneson, first place; Mary Matthews and Henry Kensler, second place; Mark Langer and Donald Urquhart, third place. March 18: George Urquhart and Janet Urquhart, first place; Mark Langer and Donald Urquhart, second place; Lee Petzold and Paul Dorsey, third place. Lighthouse Quilters Guild: Open to quilters of all skill levels, 7 p.m., on the last Monday of each month at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 322 Ohio St. For more information, lighthousequiltersguild.com. VFW Post 10301: VFW Post 10301 meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at Fifth Street Yacht Club, 761 Marquette St. Racine Welcome Club: Racine Welcome Club is hosting drop in coffee from 9-11 a.m. Friday, March 29, at the Dish, 1220 N. Ohio St. The group is open to women interested in making new friends, learning about community resources, and being involved in philanthropic and social activities. Call 262-994-0957 for more information. Racine Art Guild: The Racine Art Guild will host its monthly meeting from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 11 at Wustum Museum, 2519 Northwestern Ave. All members and interested artists are welcome for popcorn and Movie Night: Performance Art. RACINE The Inclusive Bean celebrated its opening Friday morning in Belle City Square with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. At the ceremony, Amelia and Max Fahnrich, The Inclusive Beans executive director and the vice president of operations respectively, accepted an award from Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce for being a vital business in the Racine community. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, who attended the event, highlighted how The Inclusive Bean, 1930 Albert St., will provide new opportunities by employing people with disabilities. We know that small businesses are at the heart of Wisconsin this is really what makes our community shine, she said. We also know that we have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state of Wisconsin, so we have these hidden talent pools all across the state that we want to make sure that we are employing. That could be individuals who have disabilities who are going to be working at this coffee shop. Benjamin Joseph Jarosz, who has participated in six pop-up events with The Inclusive Bean and is now working as a cashier at the shop, said he is excited to be a part of a team that values inclusivity and opportunity. As someone on the autism spectrum, my abilities are both strong and diverse, he said. The Inclusive Bean stood out to me because, unlike past jobs that limited me to one role, coffee shops always have offered me a dynamic range of tasks to help prevent any monotony and foster growth. On behalf of construction company CG Schmidt, Sarah Dunn, senior vice president, presented a donation of $5,000 to The Inclusive Bean and said they would challenge the subcontractors working on-site to raise another $5,000 to make a total donation of $10,000. The first official day of business is set for Saturday, March 23, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with grand opening festivities planned. The Inclusive Bean will be open 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. 1. Yes. The area is still in a drought, and long-range forecasts are predicting a hot, dry summer . 2. Yes. Despite modest rainfall, area lake levels are far below normal. Restrictions are likely. 3. No. Frequent rainfall has helped this spring. Unless summer is unusually dry, it should be OK. 4. No. The area was very hot last summer, but water restrictions never reached Stage 3. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say without seeing how much rain the area gets in April and May. Vote View Results CEDARVILLE, OHIO Alexis Barth was searching six months ago. The 2020 Kearney High School graduate and senior marketing major at Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio, as part of a marketing class, was searching for a product that is unique and creative. She not only found a product; she created one. Barth has launched Real Marketing Services, a faith-based digital marketing agency. Her passion for marketing began when she was a high school senior. She was guided toward opening her own marketing agency by the encouragement and classroom instruction of Dr. Kary Oberbrunner. Oberbrunner, assistant professor of entrepreneurship at the college, is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen books. His entrepreneurship class inspired Barth to take the risk and become an entrepreneur. Oberbrunners class assignments allowed Barth to work through different ideas. For one of our projects, we created a story brand, and I decided to create it for a hypothetical marketing agency, Barth said. The goal of the class was to have students finish the semester with a viable product while encouraging them to become active in the entrepreneurship world. As she took her vision to classmates and professors, Barths marketing agency idea began to crystallize in her mind. She realized how many people need a faith-focused marketing agency. It struck me that I could help people through marketing. I realized that I can do this for my career, Barth said. It was a bit scary, but I decided to announce the launch of Real Marketing, she said. Currently, the agency focuses on marketing consulting, but Barths plan is to expand the firm into a full-service agency by making connections and employing more people, including photographers, graphic designers and copywriters. Guest speakers in this class always say, You just have to start, so I did. I have been working on different projects with several people in different ways. Barth said. The daughter of Gary and Jenny Barth of Kearney, she believes that starting a marketing firm while she is still in college may give her a competitive advantage once she graduates. The classes Im taking are giving me practical content that I can apply to help the agency grow, Barth said. Ive been able to directly apply what I am being taught because I am still studying and learning from great professors. She is becoming more confident as she moves closer to graduation this spring. Cedarville is a Baptist university in southwestern Ohio with an enrollment of 5,456 students. It is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, and high graduation and retention rates.it Fear of the unknown has been the biggest challenge for me since I dont know whats coming or what things will look like in a couple of months, Barth said. But I am confident in my creative abilities to develop relationships with clients and employees. That energy and determination also fueled her desire to learn to fly while she was a teenager. When Barth was a child, her father Gary flew the family in his Cirrus SR22 to vacations in Galveston, Cincinnati and beyond. Id see the clouds up there, and so many things from high above. I thought it was cool that my dad could do this, she told the Kearney Hub four years ago. By the time she was 14, her father set up private flying lessons at Kearney Regional Airport. By December of her senior year at Kearney High, she had earned her pilots license. Now, the skys the limit for her marketing career, too. Serving others through creative energy drives me toward professional excellence, she said. You are here: Business A judge discusses cases with a colleague via video at home in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 4, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua] As of December 2023, China had over 1.09 billion internet users, statistics from a report by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) showed. The number marked an increase of 24.8 million from December 2022, according to the 53rd Statistical Report on China's Internet Development released by the institution on Friday. Approximately 77.5 percent of China's citizens are internet users, up by 1.9 percentage points year on year, the report said. The universalization of informationized services accelerated last year, as the users of online car-hailing services and internet healthcare services had increased by 90.57 million and 51.39 million, or 20.7 percent and 14.2 percent, respectively, year on year. More than 509 million citizens in China had used online booking for travels as of last December, up by 86.29 million, which is 20.4 percent, on a yearly basis, according to the report. As for infrastructure, 3.38 million 5G base stations had been built, covering the urban areas of all prefecture-level cities and counties across the country, the report said. The first edition of the report was issued by the CNNIC in 1997. GOTHENBURG Meet Robert Mann: woodworker, aviator and mentor of craftsmanship. At his residence near Gothenburg, Mann and his two Brittany spaniels are eager to welcome visitors. His eyes gleam with pride as he addresses the work in his living room: an exquisite handmade rocking horse, ships wheel, canoes, hand carved carousel horses and an airplane. You read that correctly an airplane in his living room. In between descriptions of how each piece was dreamed up and built, Mann shares snippets of his lifes journey and passion for craftsmanship. For most people, woodworking is just a hobby, he explained. But for me, its been my profession. Ive been a woodworker all my life and these are some of the fun things Ive built along the way. Pivotal moment Raised in Erie, Pa., Mann recalled the advice a Catholic school nun gave to his parents: Send him to tech school to learn to work with his hands. That moment marked the beginning of his lifelong commitment to craftsmanship. His parents enrolled him in Erie Institute of Technology in Erie, Pa., where he studied shop, drafting and art. Upon graduation, Mann served in the U.S. Navy from 1959-63 as an aviation structural mechanic. He developed a deep appreciation for precision and attention to detail, qualities that would define his approach to woodworking in the years to come. Passion, mentorship After his military service, Mann explored various vocations but found fulfillment in the art of woodworking. He chose to pursue a degree in teaching. It became the cornerstone of his career. From Pennsylvania to Nebraska and Colorado, his classrooms became incubators of creativity and ingenuity. Students built chessboards, carousel horses, rocking chairs and dressers. My teaching philosophy was and still is the premise of vocational education, which is learn by doing, he said. Mann ventured into entrepreneurship, establishing his own woodworking business in Gothenburg for 12 years. He later moved to Colorado and returned to his true calling: guiding and mentoring students and nurturing their skills in craftsmanship. He retired from teaching in Colorado and returned to Gothenburg. This is the best place Ive ever lived, he said. Its peaceful and close to the airport so I can easily fly my plane whenever Id like to. From dreams to reality Throughout the course of his career and beyond, Manns projects started with a dream. I learned to work with my hands, but it takes more than hands. You have to have ideas, also. My problem is that I have too many ideas, he explained with a chuckle. When I see something that I want, I figure out how to make it. I dont have any plans or instructions; I just look at pictures or drawings and then I go to bed at night thinking about how Im going to do something. Then in the morning, I have an idea and I go with it. In 1972, Mann obtained his pilots license. But what good is a pilots license without your own airplane? He set to work to build his own using a set of plans written in French. A friend translated it for him but left the measurements in metric instead of the familiar imperial. That didnt stop him. He began building his plane in 1975 and test flew it in 1978. After the plane was built, Mann was ready to dive into his next project. He built a sailboat, then a canoe and eventually a kayak. His hands first sculpted a life-size carousel horse in 1983, followed by several others built in the 1990s. He also built another airplane. Later, he was commissioned to carve 16 Navy Aviator insignias. My art has traveled the oceans and all over the world because they hang those signs in the pilots ready rooms on Navy ships, he said proudly. In 2022, Mann wanted an airplane as a decoration for his front yard. He referenced a 1929 flying book, examined the images and built a replica to scale. That airplane was pulled through the Gothenburg Harvest Festival and now sits in his living room. I love to sit there and look at it, he said. He recently completed a ships wheel, which also adorns his living room. He plans to make a figurehead for a ship soon. Believe in yourself For Mann, woodworking is more than just a craft. Its a way of life. Its about inspiring the next generation, embracing the timeless principles of craftsmanship and instilling in others a love for the art of creation. You have to love and believe in what you are doing, he said. If youre in school and woodshop or drafting is offered, take it. Theres so much about woodworking that ties back into math and science. From intricately carved carousel horses to meticulously crafted airplanes, his creations bear testament to a life dedicated to the pursuit of craftsmanship and excellence. As Mann looks toward the future, with his hands poised to shape new dreams, one thing remains clear: His journey is far from finished. With each project skillfully crafted, he continues to write the story of a life lived with purpose, passion and devotion to the art of craftsmanship. Last year, President Bidens Environmental Protection Agency proposed a 56% reduction in new vehicle emissions by 2032. The goal was to force automakers, and by extension the American public, to adopt electric cars at a breakneck pace. Biden wanted 60% of new vehicles produced to be electric by 2030. But then reality set in. Ford, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin all these companies are actually scaling back their EV releases, and the Biden administration has started to hit the brakes. The EPA recently released a new tailpipe emissions rule that slows down the original timeline. The EPAs revised standard responds to an undeniable trend: EV production and sales are decelerating as Americans realize their high cost. The Biden administration says that, because of electric vehicles, the future of American transportation is on track to be cleaner, safer, more affordable, and more reliable than ever before. But the production of EV batteries requires a massive amount of electricity, usually produced by burning fossil fuels. The weight of batteries quickly wears down an EVs tires. One study found that electric cars emitted about a quarter more particulate than hybrids. Administration activists arent just wrong about the environmental benefits of EVs. Theyre also wrong about their performance. We heard about EVs malfunctioning this winter. Freezing and hot temperatures drain batteries and reduce range, stranding some drivers. EVs have been plagued with glitches. A Consumer Reports survey even found that new EVs have 79% more problems than internal-combustion cars. These performance problems create safety issues. In January, the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility at the University of Nebraska conducted EV crash tests and found that EVs have 20% to 50% more impact. An EVs extra weight means damage is greater than a comparable gas car. EVs are not better for our environment. Biden said that investing aggressively in electric vehicles and battery production now is important for strengthening our long-term economic security. The reason he gave is that 75% of EV battery manufacturing is done in China. In his words, for some battery components, critical materials, China controls nearly half the global production. Bidens logic is severely flawed. If we force electric vehicle adoption now, well increase Chinas dominance in sourcing and manufacturing. A senior research scientist at MIT admitted that, when it comes to EVs, we still are going to be dependent on China for many, many years. These so-called clean cars also use dirty manufacturing methods, including child labor and unsafe working conditions. The Biden administration is sending millions of dollars to Congo to support cobalt mining for EV batteries. A few years ago, human rights groups investigated Congos mining sector. They found it full of young children working in hand-dug tunnels that often collapse, burying kids alive. One Congolese mining expert said it best How can you base a green revolution on trashing Congolese environment and exploiting Congolese workers? If the Biden administration continues pushing an electrified vehicle fleet as quickly as it is now, environmental, performance, and human rights issues will go unresolved. Thats the danger of government mandates consumer choice cant compel manufacturers to do whats best for the American people. The administration is spearheading a reckless push toward an electric future, one with a host of negative consequences. If they have integrity, theyll come clean about the dirty truth, including the EV record on environmental problems, safety risks, and human rights abuses. The Legislature on Thursday advanced a proposal that aims to expand veterans' access to problem-solving courts in Nebraska. The bill (LB253) from Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon would give judges across the state the option to connect veterans who wind up in court with services to help them deal with their underlying traumas. "I do not think being a veteran should be a permit to commit crimes, but I think we need to make sure the system works to address those issues," said Brewer, who spent 37 years in the military and deployed into war zones multiple times. Brewer's bill directs the Nebraska Probation System to create a veteran justice program essentially a problem-solving court in each district in the state that allows judges to order veterans who commit crimes where probation is a possible sentence to follow a case plan. Veterans who commit crimes a judge deems unqualifying for the program would not be allowed to participate, and a victim of the veteran's crimes would also be given a chance to address the court during the process. If assigned a case plan, veterans would receive supervision and treatment to help address post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, military sexual trauma or other conditions tied to their service in the armed forces. Once veterans successfully complete a case plan, their case would be dismissed. While that sounds simple, Brewer said the model plans are intense. "This is no free ride," Brewer said. Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne, who has worked closely with Brewer on the issue after former Nebraska senator and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel brought the proposal to them in February, said the Legislature had a chance to show that it cares about veterans in Nebraska. "It's easy to support a veteran on Veterans Day, it's easy on Memorial Day to say we support those who serve our country," Wayne said. "What's hard is when they make a mistake that is directly tied to what we put them through." Wayne said the bill "puts probation on the front end" in an effort to help give veterans who commit a crime and make a mistake a second chance. If they fail the program, those individuals would be sentenced for their crimes, he added. The Legislature advanced the bill 38-0 on Thursday, Day 48 of the 60-day legislative session. But some senators expressed concerns that while these programs are successful in the state's largest three counties, there might not be resources available in smaller counties in rural areas. Wayne, the chair of the Judiciary Committee, said he planned to work with other senators and advocates to make changes to the bill early next week before it comes to the floor again. Top Journal Star photos for March 2024 Hundreds of Kenosha County residents turned out Friday night to honor impactful local women during the 33rd annual 2024 Susan B. Anthony Women of Influence Awards ceremony. The sold-out banquet, held in the University of Wisconsin-Parksides Alfred and Bernice De Simone Arena and supported by the Kenosha Womens Network, AAUW-Kenosha and Tempo Kenosha, highlighted the work of women and local nonprofits throughout the area. Rebecca Matoska-Mentink received the 2024 Susan B. Anthony-Women of Influence Lifetime Achievement Award. Matoska-Mentink is the Kenosha County Circuit Court clerk and an active volunteer and board member, serving on many community-based organizations. She serves as chairperson of the Gateway Technical College Board of Trustees. She also serves on the boards of the Kenosha Achievement Center, the Hope Council on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and the Village of Pleasant Prairie Police and Fire Commission. She had previously been named Volunteer of the Year for the Kenosha Boys and Girls Club and the D.A.R.E. Patron of the Year. She is also vice-president of the Wisconsin Clerks of Circuit Court Association. I want to extend my personal congratulations to the Women of Influence who have preceded me tonight on stage. Your work inspires me and should inspire us all, Matoska-Mentink said. Matoska-Mentink said she was overwhelmed and humbled by being awarded this fine distinction and joining a very prestigious group of remarkable women who have gone before me. They faced adversity in ways that I will never experience because they paved the way, Matoska-Mentink. I am very honored to be a part of this group. Matoska-Mentink said she is thankful and grateful to be surrounded by so many amazing individuals who have guided me and supported me. Uplifted me and encouraged me and have brought me to today. I hope you all continue to inspire me for decades to come. She was nominated for the award by her mother-in-law, Kathleen Mentink, who cited Rebecca as someone who cares about her community and actively participates. She puts her money where her mouth is, and I consider her a real boots on the ground person. Matoska-Mentink said she embraced me the moment I started dating her son and that without her so many of my successes would not have occurred. Matoska-Mentink encouraged all in attendance to continue working to make a better tomorrow and uplift each other. One good deed can go a long way, one drop of kindness can lead to a fountain of good will, she said. Women of Influence In addition to Matoska-Mentink, 2024 Women of Influence Awards were presented to three recipients. Nakeisha Nikki Dennard Payne, who serves on a number of boards including United Way of Kenosha County, the NAACP and the Coalition for Dismantling Racism was honored in the category of business/government/nonprofit. Tonight I am so honored to receive the Susan B. Anthony Women of Influence Award, Payne said. To receive this honor means so, so much. It means that my presence is being known. She also encouraged those in attendance to remember to vote. Rebecca Stevens, who has served on the Kenosha Unified School District School Board since 2007, was honored in the category of arts/education. I just want to say thank you all, Stevens said, adding she was honored and humbled. Be the change you want to see in the world and you will make a better world for all of us, she said. Jenna Zeihen, founder of Soul Space Kenosha and Miss Kenosha 2022, was honored in the category of Woman to Watch (for women under 40). Thank you to everyone who came here to support me tonight and those who came to support the other women being awarded, Zeihen said. I would be remiss if I did not say tonight that if our feminism isnt intersectional it isnt feminism. So I would like to thank the trans women, the queer folks and women of color who are existing and doing incredible things and who came before me and will come after me. Im very privileged to be here. Zeihen said there are a lot of women under 40 who are not getting as much attention as me. Other support The money raised at the event is awarded to local nonprofit organizations serving girls and women and their families in Kenosha County, along with scholarships for nontraditional-aged female students. Selected to receive 2024 Scholarships were: Shannon Adamczyk, who is studying accounting at the College of Lake County; and Lisa Kurman, studying for her masters degree in clinical mental health counseling at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Nonprofit organizations selected to receive funds in 2024 include: Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha, for its SMART Girls program; ELCA Outreach Center, for its feminine products project; Hope Council, for its Loved Ones group; Kenosha Area Family and Aging Services Inc., for its Power Her with Essentials program; Kenosha Literacy Council, for its Lifting Womens Voices project; the Shalom Center, for its Shelter Bus Tokens program; The Sharing Center, for its Hygiene Supplies program; and Societys Assets, for its Advocacy in Action program. Born Dolores Clara Fernandez in Dawson, New Mexico as the daughter of Mexican immigrant workers, Huerta grew up listening to the stories her father told about the importance of union organizing. She saw discrimination against Hispanics firsthand when her brother was horribly beaten for wearing a Zoot Suit, a popular Latino fashion, and when her racist teacher accused her of cheating because her school papers were too well written. Huerta received a teaching degree from the University of Pacifics Delta College, but did not stay in the profession very long. Noticing the number of children who came to school hungry, and noticing that they were the children of farmers, Huerta co-founded the Stockton chapter of the Community Service Organization in 1955. Through CSO, Huerta met Cesar Chavez, and together they founded the National Farm Workers Association. The United Farm Workers Union was created three years later, and Huerta served as the vice president for over 30 years. Huerta is best known for her role in the Delano Grape Strike of 1965. On Sept. 8, 1965, over 2,000 Filipino-American and Mexican-American workers refused to go to work. They had been employed as grape pickers in a California valley near Bakersfield. The strike lasted 5 years, and strikers were subjected to inhumane conditions in retaliation, including cutting off the water supply to their living quarters. Huerta was the lead negotiator and advocated for safer working conditions, removal of harmful pesticides, as well as benefits such as unemployment and healthcare. The nationwide boycott that followed after the beginning of the strike hit the grape industry hard. Shoppers around the country refused to purchase non-union grapes, and union workers refused to transport or deliver already picked grapes that came from non-union sites. A collective bargaining agreement was reached that improved conditions for over 10,000 employees. The Delano Grape Strike was notable for its use of nonviolent protest, which has always been a trademark of Huertas activism. Huerta has never stopped working for better conditions for farm laborers, even after being brutally beaten by the police. In 1988, Huerta was handing out a press release criticizing the policies of then Vice President George H. W. Bush when she was clubbed by San Francisco police officers. Huerta suffered life-threatening injuries, and the attack was captured on video. You are here: Business Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Friday that continuous efforts should be made to promote the prevention and resolution of local government debt risks. Defusing the debt risks will be a tough and protracted battle, Li said during a video conference. All regions and government departments should strengthen their sense of responsibility to resolve existing debt risks and prevent new debt risks, Li said. Efforts should be made to defuse risks on financing platforms and clear outstanding payments owed to enterprises, he said. He also noted the importance of efforts to build a government debt management mechanism in accordance with high-quality development, fine-tune the investment and financing systems of local governments, and improve the long-term mechanism to prevent outstanding payments. The La Crosse Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department announced the return of American Cruise Lines visits this year. American Cruise Lines will make a total of 10 visits to Riverside Park beginning in June 2024, according to its press release. The riverboats will visit, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. June 23, July 11, July 25, Aug. 4, Aug. 8, Aug. 22, Sept. 5, Sept. 19, Sept. 22 and Oct. 6. American said its Mississippi River season opened Thursday. Over the next few weeks, all five of the companys riverboats will begin cruising on the Lower Mississippi. In just the past five years, American Cruise Lines has nearly tripled its U.S. fleet while also introducing brand new riverboats on the Mississippi River every year since 2018. The company recently announced five more ships, including new riverboats, are under construction Americans ongoing development along the Mississippi, according to the company, has contributed millions annually to a growing number of U.S. ports and communities throughout the Mississippi River region. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A Minnesota teenager pleaded guilty to murder Friday for killing a young mother, in a case where Gov. Tim Walz took the rare step of taking the case away from Hennepin County prosecutors and handing it to Attorney General Keith Ellison amid public criticism that the original plea deal was too lenient. Foday Kevin Kamara, 17, of Brooklyn Park, who agreed earlier in the week to be certified as an adult, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree intentional murder in the Nov. 8, 2022, killing of Zaria McKeever, 23, in her apartment. He admitted to shooting her in a confrontation allegedly instigated by McKeevers ex-boyfriend, Erick Haynes, who prosecutors say was jealous of her new boyfriend. As part of his new plea agreement, Kamara agreed to testify at the upcoming trial of Haynes and two other defendants, which is set to begin April 1. The state agreed to recommend that Kamara get 10 years and 10 months at his sentencing May 8. Minnesota inmates typically serve two-thirds of their sentences in prison and the rest on supervised release. Zaria McKeever, who also lived in Brooklyn Park and had a 1-year-old child, was a loving mother, wonderful daughter, awesome sister, and loyal friend, Ellison said in a statement. Her murder continues to be both shocking and heartbreaking for her family and all who loved her. Kamaras attorney, Michael Holland, did not immediately respond to phone messages seeking comment. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty had offered Kamara and another defendant juvenile plea deals that would have spared them lengthy adult sentences in exchange for their testimony. Moriarty said at the time that prosecuting them as juveniles offered the best chance for rehabilitation. Ellison and Walz intervened over Moriarty's objections after the other juvenile's plea deal had already been accepted. School employees and volunteers in Wisconsin are now explicitly prohibited from sexual harassment of a student under a measure Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed into law Friday. Evers also signed laws to allow the over-the-counter sale and fitting of hearing aids and to provide funds to help low-income families buy healthy produce. Proponents of Senate Bill 333 say the bipartisan measure seeks to close a loophole in state law related to instances of sexual misconduct. Sexual contact with a minor is already illegal under Wisconsin law. But the new measure bars sexual misconduct by school staff members or volunteers. The bill defines sexual misconduct both physical and verbal contact of a sexual nature. Law enforcement or county agency officials informed of instances of sexual misconduct are required to report the situation to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Any school employee or volunteer found guilty of the new law would automatically lose their educator license for at least six years. Such an offense would be a Class I felony, subjecting offenders to up to 18 months in prison and two years of extended supervision. A memo from the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau last year noted that Wisconsin did not have existing law explicitly targeting sexual harassment in schools. Title IX, a federal law, prohibits discrimination against students on the basis of sex, including sexual harassment. However, the law only applies to schools that receive federal funding, which includes public schools, but not all private schools. The bill would establish sexual misconduct of a student as a felony crime. Minnesota and Illinois also have expanded laws prohibiting discrimination in schools to include sexual harassment. Those laws cover both private and public schools. , also signed Friday, eliminates Wisconsins prohibition on the over-the-counter sale and fitting of hearing aids. At least 10 other states, including Minnesota and Illinois, have passed similar measures to align with the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations 2022 decision to allow over-the-counter sales of hearing aids to adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. By simplifying access to hearing instruments, this bill will encourage people who need hearing aids to get access to them earlier and at a more affordable rate, Rep. Shelia Stubbs, D-Madison, said in a statement. This will lead to better health outcomes and enhance quality of life for hearing-impaired Wisconsinites. Another bipartisan bill signed Friday, Assembly Bill 1013 , requires the state Department of Health Services to use unutilized state funds to contract with one or more nonprofit organizations to administer a statewide health food incentive program. Participating organizations would be required to prioritize including in the program eligible retailers that source fruits and vegetables grown in Wisconsin. With this investment, we can boost local economies, empower local producers, and provide nutrition assistance to our friends and neighbors, Rep. Alex Joers, D-Middleton, said in a statement. Today in history: March 22 1941: Grand Coulee 1945: Arab League 1963: The Beatles 1978: Karl Wallenda 1988: Ronald Reagan 1993: Intel Corp 1997: Tara Lipinski becomes youngest women's world champion 2010: Google Inc. 2012: Whitney Houston 2019: Jimmy Carter 2019: Robert Mueller 2021: Elgin Baylor The Lake Geneva Public Library is holding a series of programs focusing on innovations originating in China. Funded by an East Asia in Wisconsin grant from the Center for East Asian Studies at UW-Madison, the program has installments covering several innovations that have shaped modern culture and history. Paper, gunpowder, the compass, the printing press and noodles are subjects of program installments. The East Asia in Wisconsin Library program supports collection development and programming at public libraries that will enrich the understanding of East Asia in local communities. This is the third year that the Lake Geneva Public Library has been awarded an East Asia in Wisconsin grant. Previous grants funded activities and materials focusing on Korea and Japan, including film screenings and cooking classes. The librarys programming includes arts workshops, lectures and cooking classes. Following is the schedule. Paper Quilling for Beginners Wednesday, March 27, 6-7:30 p.m. or Saturday, April 6, 10-11:30 a.m. Learn the art of paper quilling, also called paper filigree. Quilling originated in ancient China, and is a beautiful technique for decorating cards and other items. All supplies provided. Registration required. The Science of Noodles Tuesday, April 2, 6-7 p.m. Embark on a journey into the innovative world of Chinese cuisine, unraveling the fascinating story of noodle innovation and its profound impact on global gastronomy. From the ancient origins of noodles to cutting-edge manufacturing techniques, discover how these humble strands of dough have shaped culinary landscapes around the world. The presentation explores the innovative spirit driving noodle evolution, from the development of iconic varieties like ramen, rice noodles and egg noodles to groundbreaking production methods that revolutionize convenience. The Four Great Inventions of Ancient China Saturday, April 6, 2-3 p.m. Learn how papermaking, printing, gunpowder and the compass, all from Ancient China, have shaped the modern world. Join Joe Dennis, UW-Madison professor of Chinese social, legal and book history, for this fascinating look at the history of innovation. Liangpi Noodle Workshop Tuesday, April 9, 5:30-7:30 p.m. or Saturday, April 13, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Using just flour and water, create delicious liangpi noodles and spongy seitan pieces at the same time. Then enjoy your noodle dish with a spicy and refreshing sauce. Registration required. Technology and Censorship in Modern China Saturday, April 20, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Join Abby Qin and Xining Liao, Ph.D. candidates at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at UW-Madison, for a talk on how a decentralized Internet censorship system in mainland China generates political repercussions for Chinese and diaspora citizens through social media platforms. The Lake Geneva Public Library is located at 918 W. Main St., Lake Geneva. To register and view the most current listing of events, visit lglibrary.org/eventcal. Best Resorter covers of 2023: Big fun, sun & snow ... and a nosy crane Slow no wake Resorter cover June 21, 2023 Pawprints in the snow Resorter cover Feb. 8, 2023 Winterfest Resorter cover Feb. 1, 2023 Bloom Resorter cover Sept. 6, 2023 Abominable Snow Race Resorter cover Jan. 11, 2023 Senegals only female presidential candidate may have little chance of winning Sundays election, but activists say her presence alone is important. They argue that the candidacy of Anta Babacar Ngom is helping create gender equality in the West African nation. Ngom is a 40-year-old business executive who runs her familys food company. She has made the economy a center of her campaign. Economic difficulty has driven thousands of Senegalese on sometimes dangerous travel in search of a better life outside Africa. Ngom appears to be a voice for both women and young people - groups hard hit by unemployment and rising prices. She has promised to create millions of jobs and a bank for women. She says such actions will help women gain economic independence. She told The Associated Press, The young girls I meet ask for my support. They do so because they know that when a woman comes to power, she will put an end to their suffering. Im not going to forget them. Ngom is the first female candidate to run for president in over 10 years. Few expect her to win. But activists say her candidacy demonstrates how women are moving ahead in the struggle for equality. We have to be there, even if we dont stand a chance, said Selly Ba, an activist and sociologist. We dont stand a chance in these elections. But its important that we have women candidates, women who are in the race. Senegal had its first female prime minister in 2001. And in 2010, a law that required all political parties to introduce gender parity in elections helped increase female involvement in politics. Womens rights have evolved at the political level over the last 10 years and particularly since the gender parity law came into force, said Bousso Sambe, a former parliamentarian. In 2012, two women ran for president, and while they earned less than one percent of the vote each, experts say their participation was important. Women in Senegal now make up more than 40 percent of parliament, one of the highest levels of representation in Africa. Ngom told the AP, Women must be able to express themselves without hindrance, while preserving our cultural identity and valuing the traditional values that have shaped our society. Ngoms supporters say they are proud to back a female candidate and hopeful for a change in the next government. Our children are dying at sea because of unemployment and job insecurity, activist Aicha Ba said at a recent demonstration. She added: Women are tired. I'm Jill Robbins. Hai Do adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on an Associated Press news report. ________________________________________________ Words in This Story evolve - v. to change or develop slowly parity - n. the state of being equal hindrance - n. thing that makes a situation difficult preserve - v. keep something in its original state A staff member checks equipment at a data center of China Mobile in Gui'an New Area of southwest China's Guizhou Province, May 24, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua] The Cyberspace Administration of China on Friday issued a set of regulations on promoting and standardizing cross-border flows of data, and clarifying declaration standards for the assessment of cross-border data security and scenarios that are exempt from relevant security appraisals. The regulations stipulate that data processors should identify and declare important data in accordance with relevant provisions. If a data processor has not been notified by relevant government departments or local authorities, or if data has not been publicly released as important data, the data processor does not need to declare its data for security assessment as important data to exit the country. Critical information infrastructure operators must declare data when providing personal information or important data overseas, according to the regulations. Data processors who provide important data overseas or have transferred the non-sensitive personal information of over 1 million individuals overseas or the sensitive personal information of over 10,000 individuals since the beginning of a given year must declare the data for security assessment. The U.S. State Department says there were about 20,000 fewer visas issued to Chinese students last year compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. After about 40 years of increasing interest, many students from China say they are considering other places for their higher education including Britain and Hong Kong. One student from Shanghai, Helen Dong, said she is concerned about the rising cost of higher education in the U.S. She is going to study advertising in Hong Kong later this year where it is less costly. It doesnt work for me when you have to spend ($278,000) but find no job upon returning, Dong said. Yvonne Wong of Shanghai is 24. She studies literature and culture at the University of Bristol in Britain. She said she chose Britain because it is safer. She and her family were worried about gun violence in the U.S. Families in Shanghai usually dont want to send their daughters to a place where guns are not banned, she said. The U.K. (United Kingdom) is safer, and thats the biggest consideration for my parents, she added. Others say recent tensions between the U.S. and China have influenced the drop in students. Chinese officials say the American government is not as friendly toward Chinese students as in past years. They cite an executive order by former President Donald Trump that banned students who came from Chinese schools with a strong link to Chinas military. In addition, the Chinese foreign ministry says some students have been unfairly questioned and sent home after arriving at airports in the U.S. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning called the U.S. actions discriminatory and politically motivated. Young Chinese people whose parents studied in foreign countries also want to get that experience. A China-based education service company called New Oriental said students believe an education from a good foreign university will help their chances of getting a job at home, where the unemployment rate for 16- to 24-year-olds was 15 percent late last year. They are considering schools in places such as Britain, Canada and Australia instead. Wong, the student from Shanghai who studies in Britain, said many young people want to spend time away from China after seeing the tight restrictions there during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hoping for a comeback Starting in 2020, China restricted the ability of students to travel outside the country for their education because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The restrictions lasted for over two years, but now China is permitting students to travel again. American universities hoped the number of Chinese students would return to levels seen in 2019 or before. But now, some experts believe there will not be a comeback. One international education expert is Fanta Aw. She is executive director of NAFSA, a national group of international student advisors. Aw said international education is a bridge. That means those who come to study in the U.S. will maintain a connection with American classmates and organizations once they return to their home countries. Those young people who come to the U.S. will become engineers, politicians and business leaders who have good feelings about America. Aw said higher education provides a pipeline of young people from other countries who get to experience life in the U.S. Not seeing that pipeline as strong means that we in the U.S. have to pay attention, because China-U.S. relations are very important. At the same time, students who study in the U.S. find themselves in a predicament. The U.S. China Education Trust spoke with Chinese students who were in the U.S. from 1991 through 2021 and found students from China have been criticized in the U.S. as potential spies, and in China as too influenced by the West. History of Chinese students in U.S. Students from China have been coming to the U.S. in increasing numbers since 1979 when diplomatic ties between the sides were established. At that time, leaders in Beijing asked the United States and then-president Jimmy Carter to permit 5,000 students to study in the U.S. Carter said he would permit 100,000 students to come. By 1981, China permitted students to use their own money to pay for school, instead of depending on money from the government. That change brought more students to the U.S. The number of Chinese students in the U.S. grew to over 100,000 in 2009 as family wealth increased. The Open Doors Report published by the Institute on International Education, said that by the 2019-2020 school year, there were over 370,000 Chinese students studying or working in the U.S. Last year, the number was 289,000. In the 12-month period ending last September, the U.S. government gave out about 86,000 student visas to Chinese citizens. However, that number is lower than the pre-pandemic level of about 105,000. Massive money loss Allen Koh founded Cardinal Education, a company that advises and helps prepare students for college. His business often works with Asian students considering higher education in the U.S. He said the drop should be concerning to the U.S. government and universities which depend on money from Chinese students. Ten or 20,000 students. If you figure their tuition dollars, on average, well say, is about 30 to 40,000, plus their living expenses, and if you multiply that out, that is a massive amount of money that is now missing from the American economy. Koh noted that even if the number of students from countries such as India and Vietnam are increasing, China has such a scale in terms of population and wealth that no country is actually going to be able to replace it. But, Koh said, international students continue to see the education and the academic opportunities in the U.S. as very strong. I dont think the other universities (in Asia, Europe, Australia and Canada) are catching up to top American universities in terms of reputation and prestige. However, the countries that international students in the U.S. come from are changing. The IIE noted that many American universities are now centering their efforts on recruiting students from India, especially for programs that offer advanced degrees. Still, 36 percent of schools reported increases in new Chinese students starting last autumn. A group that follows schools that offer advanced degrees, called the Council of Graduate Schools, said American universities have seen an increase in students from India and sub-Saharan Africa since 2020. At the same time, the number of students from China has decreased. The group noted increased competition from Chinese universities and geopolitical tension between China and the United States as reasons for the change. Im Dan Friedell. And Im Jill Robbins. Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by the Associated Press and an interview with Allen Koh. Quiz - For Many Reasons, Fewer Chinese Students Attend US Schools Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz _______________________________________________ Words in This Story cite v. to note in support of an idea predicament n. a situation especially one that is difficult potential adj. having the possibility of being something tuition n. the cost of education services at a school, college or university scale n. to level of size academic adj. related to study especially at colleges or universities prestige n. the level of respect people have for a person or group recruit n. to try to get people to join an organization or attend a school advanced degree n. a degree higher than a bachelors degree We want to hear from you. Are you concerned about coming to school in the U.S.? South Korean researchers have combined cow muscle cells with rice grains. They say the new rice is an important step towards a sustainable, less costly source of protein. The researchers suggested it could replace the meat of farmed cattle, or beef. Professor Jinkee Hong of Yonsei University led the research. Hong said the beef rice is the first product of its kind. The results of the research were recently published in Matter. The beef rice uses grain particles as the base for growing animal muscle and fat cells. The researchers treated rice grains with chemicals called enzymes to create an environment for cell growth. They added cells from cattle to create the final product, which is a combination, or hybrid, of the two. The result looks like a grain of rice with a pink color. Companies around the world have launched efforts to develop meat that is grown in a laboratory. One of the latest attempts involves plant-based chicken and eel meat developed from soybean that is sold in Singapore. Hongs team said rice has an added gain in terms of safety compared to soy or nuts because fewer people have allergic reactions to it. He said that if it is developed into food products, cultured beef rice could serve as a sustainable protein source. He added that it would be good in environments where traditional animal farming is too difficult. The beef rice contains around eight percent more protein and seven percent more fat than normal rice. Hong noted the protein is 18 percent animal based. That makes it a good source of important nutrients needed by humans called essential amino acids. Beef rice costs about two dollars per kilogram. Hong said it results in the release of less carbon gas than traditional cattle raising. He said that it could compete with other products in stores. Hong said there are still some problems in production. And, he added, it will not be easy to get people to accept its taste and how it feels in the mouth, or its texture. Keum Dong-kyu recently ate the beef rice at a restaurant in the Korean capital Seoul. He praised the new idea. Keum said, But honestly, I don't think it can replicate the juiciness or texture of real beef. Christian Krammel, who is from Germany, expressed hope for the future. Krammel said, Now, it does not compare to beef yet, but as I see the research is in early stages, I would say it's a great way forward. Im Jill Robbins. Hyun Young Yi and Daewoung Kim reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. _______________________________________________ Words in This Story sustainable adj. involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources pink n. a pale red color: a color that is a mixture of red and white allergy n. a medical condition that causes someone to become sick after eating, touching, or breathing something that is harmless to most people replicate v. to repeat or copy (something) exactly juicy adj. containing a lot of juice, the liquid part of meat The Lexington Community Development Agency on Monday discussed a proposal for a convenience store south of Cattlemens Drive, across the street from the Cattlemans Crossing businesses. City Manager Joe Pepplitsch said the Hanks Convenience Store project has an estimated cost of $3.4 million. It would create eight full-time jobs. The developer, TSTB LLC, is seeking tax increment funding to assist with the costs of acquiring and redeveloping the property. The project would entail acquisition and redevelopment of a vacant lot for the convenience store, which would include a building, canopy, pumps, concrete drives and piping. As part of the proposal shared at the meeting, the CDA is being requested to allocate taxes generated by the increased value of the improved property over a 15-year period starting from Jan. 1, 2025, toward the projects associated costs and financing for rehabilitation. The redeveloper is set to acquire the property for $500,000. CDA proposes to grant $457,000 toward the acquisition. TIF revenues will be earmarked to repay the original debt along with associated interest. This repayment structure is slated to commence from January 1, 2026, and extend through December 2041. The plan amendment presented at the meeting will move on to consideration by the Planning Commission at a later date. It has been said that every day is Ag Day for the nations farmers and ranchers. Every day they tend to their livestock through all kinds of weather, every day they work to produce the food, fiber and fuel that keeps the U.S. economy moving and the grocery store shelves filled. But in a country where most families are three, four and even five generations removed from anyone residing and working on a farm, National Ag Day and National Agriculture Week are important in encouraging Americans to understand about this vital industry, notes the Agriculture Council of America. National Ag Days history can be traced to 1973 and 2024 marks the 51st year the ACA has sponsored this nationwide effort to share real stories of American agriculture and remind citizens that agriculture affects everyone. From the food we eat and the fuel for our vehicles, to the fiber in the clothes we wear, and the oil used to make kids crayons, agriculture touches us in some way, said Jenny Pickett, ACA president. According to the USDA Economic Research Service more than 22 million full- and part-time jobs were related to the agricultural and food sector, or roughly 10% of all U.S. employment. In Nebraska that percentage is even higher with one in every four jobs related to agriculture, according to the Nebraska Department of Agricultures Ag Facts card. Nationwide on-farm jobs total 2.6 million, or a little more than one percent of U.S. employment. Take that a step further and agriculture and food-related jobs total more than 19 million. While those involved in the day-to-day operations of the countrys farms and ranches constitute less than 2 percent of the population, more and more individuals are finding careers in agriculture. The industry needs scientists, biologists, food safety technicians, livestock nutrition specialists, arborists, conservationists one doesnt have to be a farmer or have an on-farm job to be involved in the agriculture industry, Pickett said. Sherry Vinton, Nebraskas Director of Agriculture, pointed out in her Ag Day remarks, Out of Nebraskas perfect resources for growing agriculture, one tops them all our people. Nebraska farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses are true innovators, embracing precision agriculture, genetic advances, and modern equipment to produce more while using fewer resources. Their innovations ripple across the entire state, impacting all of us and emphasizing the interconnectedness of agriculture with our daily lives. She added that Nebraska has a unique advantage, known as the Golden Triangle, where the combination of corn, livestock and ethanol production provides significant opportunity to add value at every step along the production chain. While outsiders may view the state as flat and boring, those who know the vast difference in terrain and rainfall from east to west also means Nebraska has diverse opportunities for raising crops and livestock. Not only do producers raise traditional crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat, but the western part of the state is also known for its dry edible bean and pea production, as well as proso millet and sunflowers. In addition to beef and pork production, Nebraskas poultry industry has grown significantly with the addition of hatcheries and a world-class chicken processing facility in Fremont. In 2022 eggs were on Nebraskas list of 10 leading commodities. The American bison has also found a niche in this prairie state as 32,206 head were commercially raised here in 2022, making Nebraska the second largest bison producing state in the country. In the nations effort to use greener energy, Nebraska leads the way. Vinton noted in 2023 Nebraska ranked number two in ethanol production in the country with 24 facilities having the capacity to produce more than 2.3 billion gallons of clean, reliable and renewable fuel. About 35% of Nebraskas 2023 corn crop was used in ethanol production, putting Nebraska corn and value-added agriculture in action, wrote the ag director. With spring arriving this week there are many opportunities to check out local ag production just by taking a drive in the country. Calving season is in full swing and throughout the state it is roughly half finished. Baby calves can be found sprinkled among the calving pastures and cornstalks like so many Easter eggs. Soon tractors will take to the field, whether that be shredding cornstalks or strip-tilling to prepare ground for planting, which usually begins sometime in mid- to late April. Wheat farmers may be applying herbicides to thwart early weed growth or checking for insect and disease pests. Though not as visible, baby chicks are getting their start in brooder houses across the state, and some in large growing facilities to become either broilers for meat or hens for laying eggs. So this National Ag Day and Week, Vinton urges Nebraskans to express our gratitude to the farmers, ranchers, and all the people working in the ag industry to provide us with the food, feed, and fuel we depend on every day. By recognizing the challenges, celebrating the successes, and advocating for the future of agriculture, we help make our agriculture sector even stronger. An Omaha businessman pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to distributing an unregistered pesticide after he, through his company, sold a highly-diluted disinfectant product that was falsely labeled as EPA-approved and effective at killing the COVID-19 virus. Matthew Petersen, 39, will face up to one year in prison and up to a $50,000 fine when he is sentenced on the misdemeanor charge in July. His company, Omaha-based adhesive and tool systems manufacturer Quin Global, separately pleaded guilty to mail fraud and distribution of an unregistered pesticide, and could face fines of up to $500,000 and $200,000, respectively. The company will also be ordered to pay restitution, according to the plea agreement. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, as the pandemic began in March 2020, Quin Global began efforts to expand into the manufacturing and sale of pesticides including antimicrobial pesticides, which destroy or suppress the growth of harmful microorganisms and viruses. Antimicrobial pesticides are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. When the business was unable to quickly enter a legal agreement to distribute an EPA-approved disinfectant, they instead purchased a separate germicidal disinfectant from a supplemental distributor. Quin Global then diluted this disinfectant and repackaged it, passing it off as a proprietary, EPA-approved product called Ramsol-RS1, according to the plea agreement. The company also claimed Ramsol-RS1 was effective at killing the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which caused COVID-19. From April through July of 2020, Quin Global distributed the diluted disinfectant to 73 distributors throughout the U.S. and Canada, who then supplied the product to retail customers. In total, according to the plea agreement, they sold 1,148 7-liter containers and 3,363 22-liter containers worth about $1.4 million. The company "repeatedly assured their customers that its product would be effective against viruses," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. In reality, although the disinfectant from the supplemental distributor was in fact approved for use against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the version distributed by Quin Global was far too diluted to have any impact. The disinfectant was meant to be diluted at between two to eight ounces per gallon of water, depending on the approved use. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Ramasol-RS1 mixture was diluted "more than 100 times than the product should be if diluted at eight ounces per gallon," which is "well beyond efficacy against viruses." The winners of the 2024 Wisconsin State Journal Top Workplaces Awards celebrated on March 20, 2024 at Barnwood Events. Photos by Sharon Vanorny. See the complete list of winners at go.madison.com/workplaces You are here: China China will implement new measures to combat illegal fishing activities in 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said on Friday. These efforts include strengthening the protection of baby eels, a precious and economically important species, ministry official Liu Xinzhong said at a press conference. Regulators will tighten law enforcement to ensure the regulated fishing of baby eels, thereby promoting the healthy development of related industries, Liu said. The ministry will continue to uphold the fishing ban across the Yangtze River basin while adhering to the most stringent oversight measures during the country's maritime summer fishing moratorium, the official said. Efforts will also be made to conserve aquatic wildlife and regulate the aquaculture industry, Liu added. Madison information technology company Sonic Foundry has both declared insolvency and filed for receivership. According to documents filed in Dane County Circuit Court, publicly traded Sonic Foundry owes its lenders more than $12.5 million but has insufficient assets, liquidity and projected cash flow to satisfy its obligations and to continue operations. Unlike bankruptcy, a receivership puts a third party in control of the companys assets and management decisions in an effort to help the company recover. If it cant, the assets may be sold off. On Thursday, Judge Stephen E. Ehlke appointed Milwaukee attorney Seth E. Dizard as receiver. Dizard and representatives of Sonic Foundry did not respond to requests for comment Friday. Founded in 1991, Sonic Foundry first became known for its audio technology. The company then moved to video capturing and management tech, unveiling software that streams presentations and archives them online. The company has 3,000 shareholders and approximately 15 full- and part-time employees, according to court documents. In April 2022, after years of already declining revenue, the company launched a program called the Global Learning Exchange, which aims to provide students in developing countries with access to localized higher education options. The company received $4.5 million in retail funding to get that program off the ground. Sonic Foundry also produces Vidable, an artificially intelligent software that turns an organizations video libraries into knowledge bases. In April 2022, Sonic Foundry had a presence in 65 countries and 220 employees globally, CEO Joe Mozden said at the time. A state police agent who wielded a battering device during an incident two years ago in which a drug suspect was wounded by one of the agents colleagues testified Friday that the device possibly struck the shield of another officer and caused him to believe he had been shot at. State Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agent Brian Hawley agreed with attorneys for his colleague Mark Wagner that the Halligan tool he was carrying could have struck Wagners shield, making a loud, gunshot-like noise that made Wagner who had mistaken a cellphone held by Quadren Wilson for a gun believe he had been shot. The testimony came during the fourth day of testimony in Wagners trial over the shooting incident, which happened when a task force of DCI agents and police from other jurisdictions sought to arrest Wilson on Feb. 3, 2022. The subject in custody, or SIC, maneuver carried out on American Parkway at Eastpark Drive on Madisons Far East Side ended with Wagner and colleague Nathan Peskie shooting at Wilson, who was wounded by bullet fragments from Peskies AR15 rifle. Wagner, 51, of Milwaukee, is charged with second-degree recklessly endangering safety. Peskie was not charged. Wagners attorneys maintain he acted in self-defense. The trial will enter its second week on Monday. Circuit Judge Julie Genovese said prosecutors must finish presenting their case on Monday so that Wagners attorneys have adequate time to present their witnesses. Wilson and Peskie have not yet testified. Wilson was being sought as part of a drug investigation. Agents who have testified during Wagners trial this week have repeatedly said they were told before the operation that Wilson had a history of violence, was always armed and would flee police if they tried to arrest him. Two trucks driven by DCI agents boxed in Wilson. Wagner, Peskie and Hawley then moved in, with Wagner carrying a shield, Peskie behind him with a rifle and Hawley, who testified he had to catch up with the other two, carrying a Halligan tool, a 15- to 20-pound instrument used to force entry. Questioned initially by District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, Hawley testified that he used the pointed end of the Halligan tool to strike the rear drivers side window on the borrowed Hyundai Tucson that Wilson was driving. But the tool glanced off and traveled down the glass, getting stuck in the weather stripping. Hawley said he used his left hand to strike the tool at an upward angle, freeing it, and then used it to smash open the window. As he was putting the Halligan on the ground, he said, he heard what sounded like gunfire a handgun round, then a rifle round, a handgun round, and then several more rifle rounds. He said he drew his own weapon and pointed it at Wilson through the broken-out window but did not fire it. With Ozanne, Hawley demonstrated in the courtroom where everyone was standing in relation to the car. But on cross-examination, defense attorney Michael Steinle staged another demonstration, this one with Hawley standing closer to the shield that Wagner carried. Is it possible that you hit the shield? Steinle asked him. Yes, Hawley responded. Hawley testified he had not initially believed he struck the shield with his Halligan. But after meeting with a defense investigator and being shown video and damage on the shield that could have been caused by the Halligan, he said, he conceded that the Halligan could have caused the damage and the scratch on the shield. The duck bill on the Halligan could have pulled back the O in the police decal on the shield, he said. Later, under further questioning by Ozanne, Hawley said, I dont know what damage was caused, if any. He was questioned again by Steinle, who assured Hawley, Nobody made you change your testimony, we just showed you the evidence, to which Hawley responded, Correct. A Sun Prairie man who was charged Friday with the hit-and-run death of a bicyclist last week on Madisons Far East Side told police he heard a thud as he drove through the area but thought it was equipment shifting in his work van, according to a criminal complaint. William R. Del Pozo, 42, told police, I really hope not when asked whether he could have hit the bicyclist, Joseph J. Solomon, 35, who died after he was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle at Lien Road and Parkside Drive on March 15, according to the complaint. But the complaint states that surveillance video gathered by police from nearby buildings showed that as a work van, later found to be driven by Del Pozo, made a left turn from westbound Lien Road onto southbound Parkside Drive, it can be seen taking a violent leap into the air as it ran over Solomon and his bicycle, then bouncing slightly after that initial leap. In the video, Solomon could be seen riding his bike eastbound on the sidewalk on the south side of Lien Road before going from the sidewalk into the road using the driveway apron at Fire Station 8, 3945 Lien Road, just west of Parkside Drive. The collision happened after the van had turned onto Parkside Drive, a witness who was behind the van told police, according to the complaint. The witness told police the vans driver was kinda slow to pull over, then sped off. Another witness, who did not see the collision, saw the van and also described it to police, the complaint states. A van like the one seen in the video was spotted a short time after the crash by a police officer, parked at a business on Parkside Drive. The engine was still warm to the touch, the complaint states. There was damage to a passenger side hubcap and a quarter panel in front of a rear wheel. A distinct vertical black mark like a bike tire tread was also seen near the quarter panel. The business owners told police the van was assigned to Del Pozo, the complaint states. Del Pozo appeared in court Friday. His attorney, Charles Kenyon, who said he has not seen the video described in the criminal complaint, told Court Commissioner Mark Fremgen that somebody on a bicycle hit the side of the van (Del Pozo) was driving. He was not aware that there was an accident and he cooperated with the police. Kenyon requested a signature bond for Del Pozo, opposing the $100,000 bail requested by Assistant District Attorney Lexi Keyes. Kenyon said Del Pozo, a garage door installer, also should not be barred from driving while the case is pending. Keyes said, judging by the video, it was still very light outside when the crash happened. It is without question he should have known that he hit a person, Keyes said. And then he had to go back through that area in order to go home. The complaint states Del Pozo told police that after leaving work about 25 minutes after the time of the crash, he encountered emergency vehicles at the intersection and was detoured through the parking lot of a restaurant before making his way home to Sun Prairie. He told police he may have heard a thud earlier while turning at Lien Road, but checked his mirrors and didnt see anything. He said he assumed some equipment in his van had shifted, the complaint states. Fremgen, who ordered Del Pozo to be released on a signature bond, said that without evidence that Del Pozo poses a flight risk, the maximum 25-year prison sentence he could face is not a reason enough for high cash bail. Last July, a sweeping overhaul of reading education in Wisconsin was signed into law with support from lawmakers and educators around the state. The law, Act 20, is aimed at improving low reading proficiency rates by requiring instruction to be grounded in the science of reading a body of research about what works best for teaching children to read. Among other things, this model particularly emphasizes phonics. Wisconsin is among dozens of other states that have passed similar legislation in recent years in attempt to improve student reading. Test scores from the 2022-23 school year show only about 40% of students in Wisconsin were proficient in English language arts. Having had months to understand and adjust to Act 20s requirements, schools now are getting a grasp on exactly what it means for teachers and students. The law prohibits certain types of instruction, meaning some districts will have to update the curriculum they use to comply. Schools also will have to implement additional training for teachers and reading screener tests for students. What is the science of reading? The science of reading is not a specific curriculum or textbook that school districts are now required to buy. Mariana Castro, research director for the Multilingual Learning Research Center at UW-Madison, described the science of reading as a body of research accumulated over decades about what works best for teaching children to read. I think one of the misconceptions sometimes when people hear the science of reading, is they think its a curriculum or its a prescribed way of teaching or theres prescribed timing, Castro said. The science of reading itself cannot be adopted. But in Wisconsin, districts now are required to provide early literacy instruction that is based on this research. While the research stresses phonics, or an understanding of the relationship between letters and their corresponding sounds, it also focuses on fluency, vocabulary identification and text comprehension, according to the National Center for Improving Literacy. How were children taught before? The science of reading movement has been a shift away from an approach to reading instruction often called balanced literacy. A 2019 national survey found that about 72% of American educators have reported using balanced literacy to teach reading. Among other skills and in addition to phonics, balanced literacy teaches students a method called three cueing. With this method, students use context clues, grammar structures and word patterns to identify unknown words. The concern, however, is that children become too reliant on this model and miss out on learning to identify words and letters with phonics. While there has been debate around the role phonics should play in reading instruction, Castro said all these methods are part of a menu teachers use to teach reading. The menu of things has always existed, she said. Its just that people sometimes give privilege to some things and not others. Still, at least once major American leader of the balanced literacy movement, Lucy Calkins, has rolled out changes to her reading curriculum under pressure from the science of reading movement. And initial test scores from around the country show this science of reading model seems to be working. Mississippi was one of the first states to pass a law related to evidence-based reading instruction. More than 30 states, including Wisconsin, have followed suit, especially after 2019, when Mississippi became the only state in the nation to meaningfully improve its fourth-grade reading scores. What does this mean for Act 20? Wisconsins reading law gets specific about what teachers can and cant teach when it comes to reading. All schools in Wisconsin are required to provide science-based early literacy instruction, which lawmaker defined as instruction that is systematic and explicit and consists of phonics, building background knowledge, oral language development, vocabulary building, instruction in writing and in comprehension and reading fluency. By the 2024-25 school year, the law says schools can no longer teach students in kindergarten through third grade to read with the three-cueing method. Since ACT 20 was signed into law last summer, much of the work has taken place behind the scenes. The law called for the formation of an Early Literacy Council, a group of nine experts appointed by the Department of Public Instruction and lawmakers. The Early Literacy Council was tasked with reviewing and selecting reading curricula for each year that meet the standards outlined in the state law. After back and forth between the council, DPI and lawmakers, the final list approved earlier this month by the Joint Committee on Finance includes four curricula. Districts dont have to switch to one of the four, but if they do, the state will reimburse the district for the cost of the materials, if the district bought the curriculum after Jan. 1 of this year. The list of curricula eligible for reimbursement will be updated each year, too. Districts using a different curriculum can continue to do so, as long as its based in the science of reading. DPI says if schools can answer yes to these two questions, then it does not violate the three cueing ban: 1) Does the curriculum, intervention or supplementary instructional resource follow a specific scope and sequence? 2) Does the curriculum, intervention or supplementary instructional resource require the learner to apply their knowledge of phonics to solve an unknown word? The law also lays out additional requirements around teacher training and the creation of a Wisconsin Reading Center, and it calls for reading screeners to be administered to students in 4K through third grade. That screener will test phonemic awareness, letter sound knowledge, the alphabet and oral vocabulary, according to DPI. What does this mean for school districts? Even before ACT 20, many school districts were starting their own curriculum review processes. Castro said districts typically adopt a new curriculum every five to seven years to keep up with the latest research and the changing academic standards set by the state. But Act 20 may have sped up that cycle for some districts, she said. The Madison School District adopted EL Education in 2022, one of the four curricula that ended up on the states final list, which the school district estimated at the time to cost about $3.5 million for materials, including shipping. The Oregon School District also has been using EL Education since the beginning of the school year. The McFarland School District started using a curriculum called Wonders last fall. McFarland schools said it meets the standards outlined in Wisconsins reading law even though its not one of the four approved by the state. The Waunakee School District has been using an early literacy curriculum called Meaning Making since fall 2022. This curriculum also does not appear on the states short list but still meets ACT 20s requirements, according to Amy Johnson, the districts director of elementary curriculum and instruction. Waunakee already is looking for a new elementary math curriculum. Johnson said the district will be focusing on that work, rather than pursuing another reading curriculum change. Elementary teachers need to teach all of the core subjects, and we already had a math pilot in the works before Act 20 was announced, Johnson said. Its not reasonable for elementary teachers to implement two brand new curricula at once. Other districts are in the middle of the process of considering new curriculum to adopt. This process can take months and includes researching vendors, creating a review committee and getting feedback from teachers. The Middleton-Cross Plains School Districts review process started last fall. District spokesperson Shannon Valladolid said the review committee composed of classroom teachers, reading specialists, special education teachers, principals and district leaders has met 12 times to research best practices and to review materials. The district is aiming to select a new curriculum in April. MCPASD was committed to reviewing these materials prior to Act 20 as the district had recently updated its curriculum review cycle. Act 20 has accelerated the process of selecting literacy materials in many districts across the state, including ours, Valladolid wrote in an email to Wisconsin State Journal. For districts like Middleton-Cross Plains, that leaves a quick turnaround to purchase a new curriculum and get it implemented before the start of the 2024-25 school year. While curricula typically outline knowledge and skills that students are supposed to learn and lay out specific units for educators to teach, its often up to teachers themselves to align it with state standards and to create lesson plans. Teachers also have to ensure there is cohesion across grade levels, schools and entire districts. It does take a while to learn that new resource, unpack, learn the lessons and the standards, and really just understand everything in the new resource, Johnson said. Could it work? Is it here to stay? Castro said it will take three to five years for the data to show whether reading proficiency rates increase with an emphasis on the science of reading. Tests scores for students in the Madison School District from the 2022-23 school year showed modest improvements from the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, but they still lagged behind state averages. About 37% of students scored proficient in English Language Arts on the Forward Exam administered annually to students in third through eighth grade. Castro said its also hard to say whether the science of reading will be the method for reading instruction that sticks. She said theres still more research to be done about implementation, especially in smaller, more rural schools, and among students with disabilities and multilingual students. I think what we need to do is look at the science of reading and see what it says about teaching reading, for example, to students who are multilingual, how to teach reading to students who have different disabilities and be cautious and have a critical lens, Castro said. But I dont believe at any point were going to say we dont need to teach the alphabet or forget phonics. That has always been there and will always be there. Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct a comment attributed to Mariana Castro. Castro said districts typically adopt a new curriculum every five to seven years to keep up with the latest research and the changing academic standards set by the state. Responses to the Wisconsin State Journals candidate questionnaire. This position represents the villages of Prairie du Sac and Sauk City on the Sauk Prairie School Board. Candidate Rich Judge did not respond. The election is April 2. Nik Franciskovich Age: 43 Hometown: Prairie du Sac Family: Married with two children, ages 10 and 8 Job: Student services coordinator, Lodi School District Prior elected office: None Other public service: None Education: Bachelors degree in zoology, UW-Madison; teaching license certification, UW-Milwaukee; masters degree in educational administration, Edgewood College Q&A What unique expertise or experience would you bring to this office? Franciskovich: I have served students and families in a variety of roles within various school districts across the state for the past 20 years. Education has changed dramatically over this time, and some school communities have adapted better than others. Ive learned much from amazing educators and leaders and hope to share this with the Sauk Prairie School District. What are your top three budget priorities? Franciskovich: My budget priorities are staff compensation, instructional materials and targeted training for staff. School districts must be competitive to attract/retain new employees. Teachers must have the tools required to effectively do their job. School staff need training to support the needs of learners in our community ranging from academic deficits, social-emotional wellbeing, and so on. What can the district do to improve educational outcomes? With cold temperatures coming after Friday's spring snowstorm, Madison officials are reminding residents to clear snow from public sidewalks by noon on Saturday. Matt Tucker, the city's director of Building Inspection and Code Enforcement, said in a prepared statement that residents should not rely on outside temperatures to clear snow and ice from sidewalks, and should put down sand. Free sand is available at parks around Madison. If residents do not shovel, the city could issue a citation and fine. City crews will remove the snow and ice and add the bill to residents' property taxes as a special assessment. Tucker said the Building Inspection Division has issued 324 snow-clearing violation citations since Oct. 1. The City has received 71 excessive salt use complaints, but not issued any citations. Two fugitives, along with a woman accused of harboring them in Filer, had their initial court appearance Friday in Twin Falls following Wednesdays attack on law enforcement officers at a Boise hospital which led to the escape of an inmate. Skylar W. Meade, 31, and Nicholas D. Umphenour, 28, who appeared via video arraignment, were arrested Thursday afternoon after a pursuit in Twin Falls. Meade, who has Twin Falls ties, is charged with felony escape while Umphenour faces three counts of assault or battery on law enforcement officers, use of a deadly weapon in commission of a crime and aiding and another felony relating to Meade's escape, court records say. They were soon afterward transported to the Ada County Jail in Boise. Besides a $2 million bond for escape, Meade is listed on the jail roster as having a non-bailable civil fugitive warrant. Umphenour's bond has also been set at $2 million. Three Idaho Department of Corrections officers were injured in the hospital attack, and the suspects are also under investigation for two murders in northern Idaho but no charges have been filed in the deaths, police said. The woman, Tonia Huber, 52, is charged with harboring a fugitive, eluding police and possession of a controlled substance. Her bond was set for $500,000, the amount Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs recommended. The three were caught after an FBI agent conducting surveillance at a home in Filer saw Umphenour leave in a stolen vehicle, court records say. The agent attempted to pass a pickup truck driven by Huber to pursue the stolen vehicle when he noticed Meade was a passenger in the pickup and was ducking down in an effort not to be seen, court records say. The FBI agent then focused his attention on the pickup and a pursuit reached speeds of 100 mph, and went through neighborhoods around Canyon Crest Drive and ended at about 2 p.m. in a stores parking lot at Washington Street North and Pole Line Road, where a Twin Falls police officer conducted a PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle. Umphenour was caught at approximately the same time in a different location. No gunshots were fired in the individuals capture and there were no reported injuries, officials say. Huber was found with a fentanyl pill after her arrest, police say. The arrests came in collaboration with multiple city, county and federal agencies, and they continue to investigate two homicides believed to be related to the escape of Meade, with assistance from Umphenour at about 2 a.m. Wednesday at a Boise hospital, where Meade was being treated for an injury, an Idaho State Police news release said. Three Idaho Department of Corrections officers were shot in the incident, and they are in stable condition at a hospital, officials say. After fleeing Boise in a stolen Honda Civic, detectives believe Meade and Umphenour drove north through Idaho and encountered 83-year-old James L. Mauney, of Juliaetta as he walked his dogs near the town. Mauney and his dogs were taken and driven eastbound. Law enforcement officials located the abandoned Honda Civic and later found the body of Mauney in a desolate area near Leland, ISP said. Detectives do not believe Mauney knew the suspects. Also on Wednesday, ISP worked with the Clearwater County Sheriffs Office to investigate the homicide of 72-year-old Gerald Don Henderson at his residence in a secluded area outside Orofino. Mauneys dogs and a pair of shackles, believed to be left by Meade, were located at Hendersons residence. Detectives believe Henderson may have been acquainted with the suspects, but the duration and extent are unknown. 20 year prison sentence for Filer man who shot at deputy TWIN FALLS A Twin Falls judge sentenced a Filer man to 20 years in prison and said he was fortunate to be alive after shooting at a sheriff Law enforcement located the stolen Chrysler Pacifica the suspects were driving at a residence in Filer and believe the suspects may have traveled through Missoula, Montana, to get there. The Clearwater County Coroners Office and the Nez Perce County Coroners Office have identified the homicide victims in their respective jurisdictions. Both causes and manners of death, however, remain under investigation. BURLEY Dot Foods, Inc. announced Thursday it will make a $22 million investment in its Burley distribution center. The company, the largest food industry redistributor in North America, will begin construction this summer on an additional 66,800 square feet of traditional warehouse space to its existing facility to support growth in Dots business on the West Coast. This includes significantly increased dry, frozen, and refrigerated warehouse storage space. Dot plans to finish construction in summer of 2025, which will allow the company to move an additional 80 million pounds of product through the Burley facility each year. Eighty new employees will be hired at the Burley location over the next five years to support this growth, company officials said. We are proud to be investing in our operations in Burley and setting ourselves up to meet the growing needs of our West Coast customers by expanding our warehouse, said Chris Landrum, vice president of warehousing at Dot Foods. The expansion will also continue our investment in the Mini-Cassia region, which is always a priority for Dot in the communities we call home. Dot officials said the support from Burley and Idaho contributed to the companys decision to expand its Burley operations instead of targeting another location. Dot Foods, Inc., has been a great corporate citizen in Burley, Idaho, and we are excited that they are expanding their operations here. We appreciate the investment into our city and the new jobs this will create. The City of Burley congratulates their whole team and looks forward to the completion of their expansion, said Brett Boyer, Burley City Administrator. The Burley Dot location serves customers in Idaho, Utah, Oregon, Washington and parts of Wyoming, Colorado, and Montana. The Burley distribution center hit capacity in all temperatures dry, frozen, and refrigerated in 2023 and now needs additional warehouse space to meet Dots increasing demand, company officials said. The expansion will add 24,400 square feet of frozen warehouse space, 8,700 square feet of cooler space, and 14,700 square feet to the dry warehouse. Additionally, nearly 19,000 square feet of cold and dry dock space and 15 new dock doors will be added. The expansion will increase the facilitys total square footage to 206,800. There is a growing need for frozen and cold storage space across the country, Landrum said. Increasing our capacity in those in-demand temperatures is a priority for us so we can continue to provide the best possible service to our customers. The Burley distribution center launched operations in 2018 with a 140,000-square-foot building on a 40-acre site. Over the last 16 years, the workforce at the facility has grown, expanding from just over 60 employees to nearly 340, which includes warehouse workers, truck drivers, and administrative staff. Dot Foods delivered $30k in donations to 6 area food pantries Amid the continuing pandemic, supply chain disruption, and increased food prices, Dot Foods donation of $30,000 in total to six area food pantries Nov. 10 and 12 came at the right time. Our team is thrilled to add additional space to our building and new people to our group with this project, explained Dan Caldwell, general manager of Dots Burley distribution center. Burley is an incredible community to be part of, and we look forward to continuing to build on what weve created in the last 16 years and drive even more success for our region and for our business. How confusing is the 2024 election season in Idaho? So much so that Secretary of State Phil McGrane, Republican Party of Idaho Chair Dorothy Moon, and Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea were compelled last week to issue a joint news release to attempt to clarify the distinction between party presidential nominating caucuses, the statewide May primaries, and affiliation deadlines for voters. They only stirred around the mud, despite their best efforts. The mud is deep. How else could you explain a joint news release from Dorothy Moon and Lauren Necochea, who likely couldnt come to agreement on the same order at a restaurant with one item on the menu? We wouldnt have believed it if we hadnt seen it. Theyre on opposite ends of the political rope, yanking and pulling and tugging while accusing the other of attempting to spiral Idaho into an abyss. What they do appear to share, though, is the feeling that Idahoans should make plans to exercise their right to vote. Quote Regardless of how you feel about the caucus system and we find it to be wholly non-representative were stuck with it for 2024. As one of our board members bluntly put it, And that sucks. As we gear up for the May 23rd caucus, we want to ensure every eligible voters voice is heard, Necochea said in the release. We encourage all residents to engage in the process by taking part in this important event. Added Moon, We encourage all eligible voters who wish to have a voice in the party caucus to ensure their party affiliation is up to date by the December 31st deadline. And then theres McGrane, who narrowly defeated Moon in the 2022 election for Secretary of State, urging Gem State voters to take part in the May 21 primary, which will include party races for state legislators and county sheriffs, commissioners and prosecutors. The primary election is a crucial step in shaping the future of our state, McGrane said in the release. We want to ensure that every eligible voter has the opportunity to participate, so its essential to be aware of the party affiliation deadlines. The deadline to change affiliation for the primary is March 15, though unaffiliated and newly registered voters may affiliate up to and including Election Day. But, if you want to have a say in the GOP presidential nominating caucus on March 2, you must affiliate by Dec. 31 but thats a Sunday, so plan accordingly. To take part in the Democrats caucus, you must be a registered Democrat or unaffiliated voter and affirm that you have not participated in any other 2024 presidential nominating contest. The nearly 500-word news release concludes: Idaho political parties are required to communicate with the Secretary of States office through written correspondence to identify the voters eligible to participate in the May 21st primary election by November 30th. Clear as mud, right? Lets try to clear it up, because Moon and Necochea are right: We must vote in 2024, and likely as if the future of our democracy depends on it. What days do we mark on the calendar? The Republican presidential nominating caucus is March 2, the Democratic presidential nominating caucus is May 23, the statewide primary is May 21, and the general election is Nov. 5. When are the deadlines to affiliate? Its Dec. 31 to participate in the Republican presidential nominating caucus, March 15 (to change party affiliation) or May 21 (to affiliate with a party if unaffiliated) to participate in the statewide primary, and May 23 to participate in the Democratic presidential nominating caucus. Want to know more? Go online: VoteIdaho.gov, IdahoGOP.org, and IdahoDems.org. Regardless of how you feel about the caucus system and we find it to be wholly non-representative were stuck with it for 2024. As one of our board members bluntly put it, And that sucks. But, Idaho will caucus. So, stomp the mud off your boots and make plans to have your say next year. The future of our state is in your hands. Idahoans revere democracy. Its the system of government our Founders created, and its proven to be a resilient one. For more than 200 years, it has withstood crises, bad leaders, even civil war. It has fostered freedom, growth, prosperity and peace. It has also been a beacon to the world. But it takes work to keep it strong. And in Idaho right now, democracy could use some help. A democracy a democratic republic is a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives. In the recent much-hyped GOP presidential caucus, a measly 39,584 people in the entire state participated. That is less than half the population of Twin Falls County. That is only 6.8% of registered Republicans. For a democratic republic a system of government that is supposed to involve everyone that is terrible. But to Dorothy Moons GOP, that is surely not a surprise or a disappointment. As University of Notre Dame political scientist David Campbell noted, when participation in precinct caucuses is low, it is the most polarized people who are most likely to show up. Primary elections attract more voters, but not nearly enough. Since 2016, for example, while an average of more than 76% of registered Idaho voters participated in the general elections, only 28% voted in the primaries. Thats just 19% of the voting age population. Thats bad, too. Because, heres the thing and its an important thing: Around these parts, primary elections are the ones that really matter. Almost without fail, whoever wins the primary and gets an R by their name will win the general election. Period. When fewer people vote in the races that really matter, only a small sliver of the citizenry end up calling all the shots. That sounds a lot more like a different form of government one in which (according to dictionary.com), all power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique. Thats the definition of an oligarchy. It is government by the few. Governments naturally tend to drift in that direction. Like a funnel which starts wide, but then narrows to a small point, the political power is gradually taken away from we the people and funneled into the hands of the few. That certainly describes whats been happening in Idaho. Here are a few of many recent examples. Last summer the Idaho Republican State Central Committee purged the voting rights for the official representatives of Idahos Young Republicans, College Republicans, and Republican Women. The top brass of the party hatched a plot to get rid of another leader who didnt line up with their way of thinking National Committeeman Damond Watkins. Straight out of a Batman and Joker movie, their orchestrated operation was sinister, sneaky, and dirty, including a stealth recording of him speaking in church. As reported in the Idaho Post Register, they also violated many party rules in the process. All of this was in order that Idaho Freedom Foundation officer Bryan Smith could slide into the role. And so the funnel of power narrows. Heres another example. Any GOP official who doesnt line up behind the current leaderships peculiar definition of conservative can now be summoned before a platform enforcement tribunal, where they can be censured and stripped of party support. These and other similar developments illustrate how power is moving down the funnel away from the people and toward the few. One of the most consequential steps toward narrowing this funnel of power happened in 2012 when the Republican party closed its primary elections. This essentially denied many Idahoans a voice. And not just the 270,000 independents who make up 30% of Idaho voters. Regular old-fashioned Republicans those who want to think for themselves, who arent as intensely political, and who just want good government also have less influence. Candidates quickly learn that in order to win, they only have to listen to the loudest voices. They really dont need to pay attention to anyone else. A lot of regular folks are effectively shut out from the process. Today were living with the results. Our political system is less responsive to average Idahoans. And it is more dysfunctional. We do still have many good leaders, but they are all swimming against this tide. Far too many lawmakers are not interested in healthy, honest, respectful dialogue to try to solve problems. They spend their time and energy keeping us divided and angry, instead of doing the hard work of actually tackling real issues that impact the lives of everyday Idahoans. A potential solution to this problem will likely be on the ballot this November the Open Primaries Initiative (OPI). The initiative would establish an open primary where all voters would be free to participate. The top four vote-getters from the primary would advance to the general election. This, supporters say, would generate more competition between candidates and more options for voters. The initiative also allows ranked choice voting in the general election. The process is simple. Youll see four candidates on your ballot. Just like you do now, you will vote for your first choice candidate. But, if you choose, you will also have the option to rank the rest of the candidates in order of preference. Its a way to assign where your vote will go if your preferred candidate loses. When its time to count the votes, the first choices on all ballots are counted. If a candidate wins over 50% of the vote, the race is over. That candidate is declared the winner. But if no candidate gets to 50%, then theres an instant runoff without having to come back to vote again. Once again, its simple. The last place candidate is removed. If you had voted for that candidate, then, in the instant runoff, your vote will now go toward your second choice candidate. This process repeats until someone gets more than 50% of the vote, or else only two candidates remain, and whoever has the most votes is declared the winner. This means that, if you choose, your one vote is never wasted. This, supporters say, is an exciting advancement in our election process. It also means that the winner will need support from a broad range of voters and not just a narrow slice. It will motivate candidates not just to listen to the loudest, angriest, most divisive voices, but also to tune in to those who might rank them as second choice. It seems likely that this will also help increase healthy, honest, respectful dialogue and tone down the toxicity. It should help us choose more leaders who can actually solve problems and get things done. Experience from around the country has shown that this surprisingly simple adjustment to the way we vote can really help heal our dysfunction, and strengthen our democracy. If OPI passes, advocates say, the power can start to flow back to the people rather than to the few at the small end of the funnel. Its no wonder that they dont like it. One surefire sign that the OPI is onto something good is the reaction of those now pulling the strings of power. For example, Bryan Smith of the Idaho Freedom Foundation admitted, If Idaho gets ranked-choice voting, were finished. Its that simple. So, no more IFF schemes to destroy our schools and other public institutions? No more of their out-of-state dark money infiltrating Idaho? No more pulling the marionette strings of IFF-backed legislators? Hmmm. That sounds good. Sign us up. The more people who participate in the democratic process, says Professor Campbell, the better. Greater participation not only makes it more likely that there is a true cross section of citizens expressing their voices but also that their voices are civil. We believe that in a democracy all voices matter not just the loudest and most divisive. More citizens participating in choosing our leaders would be a good thing. And more respectful voices would be a very good thing. If youre intrigued about a practical way to help strengthen our democratic republic one that would be attainable soon then we suggest taking a long look at the Open Primaries Initiative. It could be just the thing democracy needs. China's Chongqing exports barium chloride for first time Xinhua) 10:56, March 23, 2024 CHONGQING, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Thursday shipped its first batch of barium chloride to Genoa, Italy, marking the first time for the inland city to export the chemical. The first batch of barium chloride exports weighs 25 tonnes and is worth about 140,000 yuan (about 19,717 U.S. dollars), according to Wanzhou Customs of Chongqing. Barium chloride is widely used in mobile phones, vehicle batteries, chips, and other electronic goods, hence its huge demand on the global market. Being a hazardous chemical, its export requires strict inspection by local customs. The main raw material of barium chloride is witherite. In June 2023, Chengkou County of Chongqing found a large-scale witherite mine with proved reserves of some 120 million tonnes. The next batch of barium chloride is expected to be exported to Japan and the Republic of Korea, according to local authorities in Chengkou County. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liu Ning) Chen Binhua, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council [Photo/Xinhua] A Chinese mainland spokesperson said on Friday that one of the individuals from Kinmen rescued earlier by the mainland coast guard is an active member of Taiwan region's military forces and cannot temporarily return to Kinmen due to "deliberately fabricating false occupational information". The man, surnamed Hu, did not truthfully state his identity and deliberately fabricated false occupational information to conceal his true status, requiring further verification by the relevant mainland authorities, said Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office. In a statement, Chen said that on early Monday morning, the Fujian coast guard discovered an unnamed fishing boat in distress in the waters of Weitou Bay and rescued two individuals, both from Kinmen. "We practice the concept of 'both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family,' and in recent days have provided medical assistance and humanitarian care to the two people, offering them meticulous services and allowing them to call their families to report their safety," he said. Another man surnamed Wu has already been sent back to Kinmen by relevant Fujian authorities today, the spokesperson said. Chen emphasized that compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are bound by blood and have always come to each other's aid in emergencies, as it has always been and should rightly be. - Advertisement - The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) has recently teamed up with Dough & Grocer to present the Bringing You A Taste of Japan: Seafood Market event at Estancia Mall. This partnership celebrated the greatness of Japanese seafood and the world-class potential of homegrown brands. Dough & Grocer carries many premium Japanese food products and offers an authentic Japanese food experience to Filipinos. JETRO is currently working with Mitsukoshi BGC to offer Japanese seafood products mainly to Filipinos who love Japan, and by working with Dough & Grocer, we hope to make even more people aware of the appeal of Japanese seafood products, said Makoto Sudo, director of JETRO Philippines. The famous Tsukiji Fish Market has long been hailed as the worlds largest wholesale fish and seafood market, renowned for its vibrant atmosphere and unparalleled variety of fresh catches. This Japanese landmark served as the inspiration behind the Seafood Market at Dough & Grocer, where guests had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the essence of this iconic culinary destination. - Advertisement - Were flying in a wide variety of fresh & seasonal seafood from Japan and weve created new dishes specifically for this event. Its a must-try experience because the seafood that were bringing in arent the common ones youd find always readily available in the Philippines. The wide variety will make you feel like youre in the fish market in Japan, said Alyanna Uy, founder and CEO of Dough & Grocer. At the Seafood Market, diners can savor the best of Japanese seafood three ways: Chefs Choice Donburi (rice bowl), DIY Chirashi Bowl (rice bowl with seafood toppings) and through a Sushi/Sashimi Set. Diners can choose from seven kinds of Donburi, each one highlighting combinations of premium seafood from across Japan. The seven donburis are the Kaisen Don (Akami, Madai, Fujisan Salmon, Hamachi, Kinmedai, and Tamagoyaki), Bara Chirashi Don (Akami, Madai, Fujisan Salmon, Tamagoyaki, and Tobiko), Ryoshi Don (Ma Saba, Asajime Hamachi, and Akami), Toyama Don (Hotaru Ika, Kurobai Gai, Asajime Hamachi, Kinshi Tamago), Hokkai Don (Zuwaigani, Uni, Hotate, and Kinshi Tamago), Hotate & Asari Don (Simmered Hokkai Asari, Simmered Baby Hotate, Simmered Hotate, Shiitake Mushroom, and Kinshi Tamago), and Kaki Shigureni Don (Simmered Kaki Oyster and Shimeji Mushroom). Meanwhile, the DIY Chirashi Bowl is best for adventurous foodies who want to choose their own toppings for the Yumepirikai Sushi Rice, which comes in variations of three, five, and seven kinds of toppings of their choice. With every rice bowl order, guests will get free additional toppings of Ikura, Amaebi (Sweet Shrimp), and Hotate (Scallops). For those who will choose the Sushi/Sashimi Set, diners have three options: Aburi Shime Saba Oshi Sushi, 3-Kinds Omakase Sashimi (with Fujisan Salmon, Suzuki, and Ma Aji), and 5-Kinds Omakase Sashimi (with Fujisan Salmon, Asajime Hirame, Asajime Shimaaji, Suzuki, Ma Aji). Each set comes with two additional pieces of Temaki (sushi hand-roll) free of charge, namely Ikura Temaki and Hotate-Amaebi Temaki. (The Seafood Market at Dough & Grocer is just one of the many activities mounted by JETRO as part of the Bringing You A Taste of Japan campaign in the Philippines. For updates, visit www.jetro.go.jp/philippines.) - Advertisement - The Philippines accused the China Coast Guard of blocking and firing water cannon at a Filipino supply vessel Saturday morning off a remote and contested South China Sea reef. The Philippine military said the attack occurred off Second Thomas Shoal, where Chinese ships have unleashed water cannon and collided with Filipino vessels in similar stand-offs in recent months. The military released video clips that showed a white ship repeatedly dousing another vessel sailing alongside it with a water cannon. It also released another clip showing a white ship marked China Coast Guard crossing the bow of a grey vessel it identified as the Filipino supply boat Unaizah May 4. It said the videos were taken Saturday morning while the Unaizah May 4 was on its way to Ayungin Shoal the Filipino name for the outcrop garrisoned by a small unit of Filipino troops that is also claimed by Beijing. - Advertisement - The UM4 supply boat sustained heavy damages at around 08:52 (am) due to the continued blasting of water cannons from the CCG vessels, the military said in a statement, without describing the nature of the damage or whether there were any casualties. The China Coast Guard said in a statement that it took control measures according to law against Philippine vessels entering the waters adjacent to Renai Reef, the Chinese name for the shoal. It gave no details of what the measures entailed. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, brushing off rival claims from countries including the Philippines and an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis. Saturdays incident came just two days after another confrontation near Scarborough Shoal another contested South China Sea outcrop between the China Coast Guard and Filipino scientists who landed on two cays. The Unaizah May 4, which was also damaged in a China Coast Guard water cannon attack off Second Thomas Shoal earlier this month, returned to the area escorted by two Filipino coast guard vessels and two Philippine Navy ships, a Philippine military statement said. The Filipino soldiers stationed on the shoal live on a derelict navy ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, and require frequent resupplies for food, water and other items for their survival. This particular mission was set up to ensure a full troop complement on board BRP Sierra Madre after one personnel needing serious medical attention was recently evacuated, it added. Four crew members had been hurt by broken glass during the previous water cannon attack on the Unaizah May 4. Commodore Jay Tarriela, a Philippine coast guard spokesman for South China Sea issues, said in a separate statement that its escort vessel, the BRP Cabra, was impeded and encircled by three Chinese coast guard and other vessels early Saturday. As a result, Cabra has been isolated from the resupply boat due to the irresponsible and provocative behaviour of the Chinese maritime forces, he added. - Advertisement - The Philippine government has condemned the mass shooting in a concert hall in Russia that left at least 115 dead and scores injured on March 22. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Saturday that no Filipino was among the casualties. The Philippines strongly condemns the heinous attack at the Crocus Hall in Moscow on 22 March 2024, which resulted in the loss of innocent lives, caused injuries to several people, and significantly damaged properties, the DFA said in a statement. We extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families and wish the injured people speedy recovery. The department said at least 10,000 Filipinos live and work in Russia. - Advertisement - While none was affected, it advised the Filipino community in Moscow to undertake the necessary precautions after the attack. State-run Sputnik reported that three people in camouflage opened fire with automatic weapons at the Crocus City Hall concert venue at Krasnogorsk in the Moscow blast. The ISIS has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack. - Advertisement - The Board of Investments (BOI) approved the countrys first copper mining project in the last 15 years after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) granted the Australian miner Celsius Resources petition for a mineral production sharing agreement (MPSA). Now is our chance to deliver on our firm commitment to work with the government and the local communities to develop the copper project in a sustainable manner that creates value not only for our shareholders but also for our communities, Julito R. Sarmiento, Celsius executive chairman, said. The project is part of the $1.53 billion business investments gathered by the Philippines during the working visit of President Marcos to Australia. The MPSA will allow Celsius local subsidiary Makilala Mining Company, Inc. (MMCI) the exclusive rights to explore, develop, and commercially produce copper and associated minerals within a designated 2,500-hectare contract area of its flagship Maalinao-Caigutan-Biyog (MCB) mining project in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR.) The DENR approved Celsius MPSA on March 15, 2024. The MPSA is a 25-year profit-sharing agreement with the Philippine government on a 60:40 sharing ratio, with the government receiving the bigger share as the owner of the resources. MPSA holders like Celsius has the option to renew for another 25 years. - Advertisement - The agreement grants the company exclusive rights to explore, develop, and commercially produce copper and associated minerals within a designated 2,500-hectare area for 25 years, with a possibility of renewal. Notably, this MPSA marks the first new copper project initiated in the Philippines in the last fifteen years. During the Presidents visit to Melbourne, he highlighted the Philippines vision to become a regional hub for smart and sustainable manufacturing. He emphasized the countrys focus on attracting sustainable-driven strategic investments, particularly in critical mineral processing, while ensuring adherence to strict labor and environmental standards. Sarmiento emphasized that the project goes beyond compliance, aiming to balance business viability with environmental protection, community upliftment, and supporting the governments socio-economic agenda. He expressed confidence in achieving this under President Marcoss leadership. Celsius managing director Peter Hume said the MPSA marks Celsius transition from an exploration company to a developer and, ultimately, a mine operator. With the permit secured, the company will finalize funding options for the MCB Project, attracting significant investor interest after waiting out the permits issuance. - Advertisement - Indias Foreign Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is visiting the Philippines next week to advance trade and tourism with the country, including defense and maritime cooperation. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Saturday said the Indian top diplomat will undertake his second visit to the country from March 25 to March 27. In addition to advancing trade and tourism between two of Asias fastest-growing economies, the foreign ministers meeting with Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo will focus on defense and maritime cooperation, food security, development, healthcare and financial technology cooperation, the DFA said. On defense, India has previously made a loan offer to help the country modernize its military. Last month, the Indian government also brought to Manila a business delegation to showcase its homegrown military technologies and equipment and scope out possible defense industry tie-ups with the Philippines. - Advertisement - On top of these, New Delhi and Manila are also close partners on development and capacity building. Through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation, over 1,100 Filipino public servants have been trained in various development programs in India. India is also the Philippines 15th trading partner and 13th export market, with total bilateral trade surpassing USD3 billion in 2023. Jaishankars visit is part of his three-country Southeast Asia tour, which also includes Singapore and Malaysia. He first visited the Philippines in February 2022. - Advertisement - As the countrys gig economy booms with as many as 1.5 million Filipino freelancers engaged in global online platforms according to a report by Payoneer and GCash in 2022, Etiqa Philippines takes a proactive step to address the insurance needs of Filipinos from all segments of society including the emerging and underrepresented sectors. Etiqa Philippines awarded 50 Personal Accident insurance policies to esports players and creative economy gigsters during the Esports and Creative Industries Festival as part of the Digital Pilipinas Festival x Festival of Festivals organized by Digital Pilipinas. Gladys Pascual, Head of Strategy and Transformation at Etiqa Philippines, presented the Personal Accident insurance policies to Jako de Leon, President of the Creators and Influencers Council of the Philippines (CICP), who represented the creative economies gigsters, and Jab Escutin, Chief Operating Officer of BrenPro, Inc., who represented the esports players during the Esports and Creative Industries Festival. Pascual said, At Etiqa Philippines, we recognize the unique challenges faced by esports players and those engaged in the gig economy within the creative sector. We are committed to fostering inclusivity by addressing the distinct requirements of emerging markets and providing support to underrepresented segments. As the countrys leading advocate of insurtech, Etiqa Philippines is committed to delivering an outstanding customer experience by simplifying the insurance journey for Filipinos from all walks of life through technology. Etiqa Philippines aims to offer comprehensive insurance coverage for the various needs of people from different sectors including esports enthusiasts and creative economy gigsters. - Advertisement - The awarding of these Personal Accident insurance policies underscores our dedication to ensuring the well-being and security of individuals participating in these dynamic and ever-evolving industries. The goal is for them to have a safety net for their assets and hard-earned money, Pascual added. As part of the CICP, De Leon highlighted the challenges faced by members of the creative industries. The major problem for the gigster and freelance economy is that there are certain things that are for them, but even me as a content creator, I know a lot of people who dont have benefits, who dont have insurance, who dont have the things that other people who work at companies might have. Its a different world because theyre not only their own bosses; theyre also their own employees. Theyre also their own everything else. Theyre doing everything, and theyre having the hardest time. The CICP is an organization composed of creators, influencers, and marketers in the Philippines with the objective to shape, inspire, educate, and empower the creator and influencer industry by leading trainings, initiatives, and projects for the benefit of its members and stakeholders. De Leon further expressed his concern about individuals who dont have access to health insurance. There are people that are just trying to make a living out of what they love, and if we do support that, and if the government has that recognition, then we pave a way for that. I know people who have passed away because they dont have the right health benefits. Its so hard for them to get health benefits even if they were making money. Once they get hospitalized, they cannot afford the hospitalization. They dont have that access. Amor Maclang, the Convenor of Digital Pilipinas, the largest private sector-led movement for creating an innovation and technology ecosystem, was also present during the turnover of insurance policies. This initiative is aligned with our commitment to empower those at the forefront of the creative and esports industries and foster a resilient ecosystem where innovation thrives and individuals can confidently pursue their passions. It represents a progressive move towards ensuring the sustainability and security of talents vital to the ever-expanding digital economy. During the festival, Digital Pilipinas entered two Memoranda of Understanding (MOU.) The first was with De Leon for PAMANA, a visionary platform dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of indigenous communities in the Philippines. The second was with Escutin, focusing on harnessing the potential of esports to cultivate talent, drive innovation, and create sustainable opportunities within the countrys digital economy. Emphasizing the significance of these partnerships, Maclang shared, This is just the beginning of how we can protect, preserve, and promote content. Representing BrenPro, Inc., a multimedia marketing and content creation company focused on gaming, tech, and events, Escutin expressed gratitude for the initiative. We have been consistently bringing medals to the Philippines through our esports athletes. So thats why we want to start a conversation what esports has done for the Philippines and what it can do to the future of our Filipino Athletes. I think this is the first step in terms of sustainability and support for our athletes in our industry as well. With the theme, World: Meet ASEAN in a Digital Pilipinas: the Philippines as a Digital Bridgeway to ASEAN and to the world, the Digital Pilipinas Festival 2 x Festival of Festivals was a weeklong festival that brought together tech and innovation leaders, industry experts, government regulators, country partners, sector representatives, and investors all in one venue to discuss how technology can solve the countrys most pressing issues today. Gladys Pascual (Upper Left), Head of Strategy and Transformation at Etiqa Philippines, presented the Personal Accident insurance policies to Jako de Leon (Bottom Left), President of the Creators and Influencers Council of the Philippines (CICP), who represented the creative economies gigsters, and Jab Escutin (Bottom Right), Chief Operating Officer of BrenPro, Inc., who represented the esports players during the Esports and Creative Industries Festival. Amor Maclang (Centermost), Convenor of Digital Pilipinas, and Lawrence Ferrer (Upper Right), President and CEO of CIS Bayad Center, Inc., witnessed the ceremonial handover of insurance policies. - Advertisement - Continuing its steadfast dedication to fostering positive change within communities since 2022, LG is proud to announce the reopening of entries for the LG Ambassador Challenge, effective March 1, 2024. Spearheaded by LG Philippines and Korea Food for the Hungry International (KFHI), this global initiative reaffirms LGs unwavering commitment to actively engage in local communities and promote sustainable growth. Originating in 2017 in Bangladesh, the LG Ambassador Challenge has since expanded across South Asia, inspiring individuals and organizations to submit proposals aimed at driving meaningful transformation within their communities. The primary objective of this initiative is to empower local changemakers to devise plans that facilitate positive societal impact. Selected proposals receive grants to support the realization of their initiatives. In the inaugural LG Ambassador Challenge for the Philippines, Ride for Hope by Bahay Aruga and Roof for Siargao by Red Charity Gala emerged as the winning projects. Last years winners, including initiatives such as Life is Good, When Life Has Light in Calauan, Laguna, Flowing Water for Growing Future in Lawaguin, Nagcarlan, Laguna, and Paliparan Community Livelihood in Dasmarinas, Cavite, exemplify the profound influence community-driven endeavors can have on fostering positive change. Mr. Nakhyun Seong, Managing Director of LG Philippines, eagerly anticipates the influx of new proposals for the programs third year. He emphasizes, The LG Ambassador Program for the Philippines epitomizes our commitment to spreading the Lifes Good motto. We have always sought to actively contribute to the welfare of Filipinos, and this program allows us to do so with a focused, grassroots approach. It provides us with fresh perspectives and innovative avenues to extend our assistance and bring smiles to the community and to the world. - Advertisement - Aligned with the overarching vision of fostering collaboration across various sectors to enhance quality of life for all, the program welcomes participation from groups dedicated to effecting positive change and addressing social issues. This year, LG and KFHI aim to address Sustainable Development Goals (SDG1) Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere, and (SDG4) Ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, leveraging LG products and technologies. This presents a unique opportunity for individuals, groups, and organizations to make a tangible difference in their communities. Interested applicants can simply submit the items below. *Email Subject: LG Ambassador Challenge (Project Entry Name and Location) *All project entries shall include the Entry Form Format which you can also download here or visit https://bit.ly/LGAC2024EntryForm: Name: Designation: Organization: Telephone Number: Mobile Number: Email Address: Program location: Project description: What is the biggest social problem in your community and how can it be resolved? Why should LGE and KFHI select your project: Budget (Detailed 100-day implementation plan required, including unit price, quantity and timeline): For supporting documents, put all photo and photo captions into a single Microsoft Word file format and landscape orientation for video attachment/s Submit the digital format entry in not more than 20MB to email address: anthony.constantino@lge.com The Virginia Innovative Partnership Corp. shared an interest in expanding investments into rural Virginia at its board meeting held Wednesday in Martinsville. VIPC is a nonprofit organization formed to support the expansion of innovation, opportunity and job creation. The organization creates technology based economic development strategies to accelerate innovation, imagination and the next generation of technology and technology companies. Last year Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade and VIPC Vice Chair Caren Merrick began the conversation that led to VIPC visiting Martinsville, VIPC Governance Chair and New College Institute Vice Chair Richard Hall said. This week that conversation became reality with a visit from VIPC representatives. Largely through organization by NCI, VIPC was able to tour different parts of the area, stay locally for a few days to get the Martinsville experience, meet with a selection of community members and leaders at a private dinner Tuesday and hold its board meeting at NCI on Wednesday. We are both proud and humbled by this opportunity to host you and hope to serve as a facilitator and convener of the resources in southern Virginia, NCI Executive Director Joe Sumner said. At the private dinner, VIPC CEO and Virginia Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade Joe Benevento announced VIPCs commitment to invest a minimum of $100,000 into rural Virginia, which could include Martinsville and Henry County along with a variety of other localities. VIPCs investment activity for the current fiscal year through March 4 shows the highest amount of investments in Northern Virginia followed by Richmond and Charlottesville and a significantly lower amount of investments in Roanoke and Blacksburg, Southwest Virginia and Shenandoah Valley. I think there are some regions that we can increase our engagement and awareness with and were here today with a theme of rural Virginia, Benevento said. He pointed out the lack of investments in areas of rural Virginia including Martinsville, Henry County, Danville and South Boston. This is something thats at the front of our minds but its something we need to just, again, understand what the current baseline is of activity thats happening, Benevento said. As a part of the meetings theme on rural Virginia, VIPC hosted a selection of rural innovation guest speakers including NCI Executive Director Joe Sumner, Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission Acting Executive Director James Campos, The Launch Place President and CEO Eva Doss and VERGE President and Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council Executive Director Erin Burch. A clear interest on expanding investments in the local area was shown expressed by multiple parties at the meeting with an extra focus on the possible formation of an angel investment group in Martinsville and Henry County, but what needs to come first is organization of human capital, Hall said. Martinsville and Henry County is loaded with human capital, Hall added. Its just not organized. Hall said that through VIPC and NCI, local human capital has the potential to become organized to the point where it is ready to receive investment capital and utilize it properly. In southern Virginia all of the localities have to individually go out to entrepreneurs in the area and offer things which spread out those resources very, very thin, Hall said. The problem is we have to do our best down here in southern Virginia and were just not organized in the same way. Its not VIPCs full responsibility to solve this, Hall added. I think events like we did last night [private dinner] are the precursor to getting more people involved to solve it. Down here we have to pull ourselves up. People dont want a handout, they want a hand up, Hall said. And if we put the right people in the room, good things will happen. On Thursday, Feb. 8, McDowell County government purchased a 12.7-acre property from Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina (FCNC) on the Catawba River in McDowell, for the dual purposes of providing access to Marions Catawba River greenway and to serve as a section of the Fonta Flora State Trail. The Fonta Flora State Trail is a planned 90-mile urban front country trail that will connect nine communities across three counties from Morganton to Asheville. Once constructed, the trail will cross U.S. 70 and connect the greenway to the McDowell County Catawba River Park. Plans to purchase the tract began in early 2021, when Friends of the Fonta Flora State Trail (F3ST), approached FCNC to assist in acquiring the property. FCNC received a conservation loan to purchase the parcel from landowner Ford Miller. McDowell County will use the property for the development of approximately half a mile of greenway trail. F3ST was awarded funds from the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreations Complete the Trails Fund to reimburse FCNC on behalf of McDowell County to purchase the trailhead so that it can be used by the public in perpetuity, according to a news release. Foothills Conservancy is very grateful to be able to work in partnership with Friends of the Fonta Flora State Trail and McDowell County, said Tom Kenney, land protection director at FCNC. We look forward to the future completion of the Catawba River Greenway, from city of Marion property to McDowell Countys Catawba River Park, and also the routing of the Fonta Flora State Trail west to Old Fort. The property acquisition ensures protection of approximately 0.3 miles of the Catawba River and its forested streambank. Once the trail and public parking area are constructed, it will provide opportunities for public river access and paddling, as well as for walking and biking. The acquisition of this property greatly enhances the planned connection between the Catawba Greenway and the McDowell Greenway, said Bob Hunter, former president of F3STs board of directors. It will provide much needed parking, a better trail location and better access. I want to thank Foothills Conservancy and McDowell County for working with the Friends of the Fonta Flora State Trail to complete this section of trail, connecting Morganton to Asheville by way of Marion and Old Fort. F3ST representatives also commented on the importance of collaboration in trail projects with this statement: Partnerships are key for Friends of the Fonta Flora State Trail to reach its goal of completing the trail in 10 years. This transaction is a prime example of how a private landowner, Foothills Conservancy, F3ST and McDowell County can work together towards a common goal of creating more trail, public access and river access on this side of McDowell County. Not only is this acquisition a win for the Friends of the Fonta Flora State Trail, it is also a win for all in the area from Marion and McDowell County residents to those living in or visiting the entire foothills region, from Old Fort to Morganton to Asheville. Because of the partnership between these three organizations, McDowell County received ownership of this property with no impact to the county budget or county resources, according to a news release. McDowell County is thankful that F3ST was able to identify state funds for the purchase of this property from FCNC, which means the property will be owned and maintained by the County at no initial cost for the local taxpayer, said McDowell County Manager Ashley Wooten. Its a win-win-win and this is very exciting. The connection of these segments will further the goal of extending the Fonta Flora State Trail across the county. Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina is a nationally accredited regional land trust that inspires conservation in western North Carolina by permanently protecting land and water for the benefit of people and all living things. A 501(3) nonprofit, Foothills Conservancy has conserved more than 70,000 acres in its eight-county service area: Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Lincoln, McDowell and Rutherford, in three major river basins: the Broad, Catawba and Yadkin. Information about Foothills Conservancy, including ways to support its work, can be found online at www.foothillsconservancy.org or by calling 828-437-9930. The mission of the Friends of the Fonta Flora State Trail is to connect mountain communities in western North Carolina through the Fonta Flora State Trail to promote physical health, mental wellness, economic development and outdoor recreation with trail partners for the enjoyment and education of all people. The mission of McDowell County government is to provide coordinated programs and professional services that protect the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens, as well as to preserve the countys natural environment and heritage as its primary asset, according to the news release. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The mystery of so-called Havana Syndrome, which struck down dozens of US diplomats, deepened Monday as new research found no tangible evidence of brain injury in those affected. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) acknowledged that ongoing symptoms including migraines, chronic dizziness, and depression are still very much realeven if they cannot yet be explained. Havana Syndrome first baffled officials in 2016 when US diplomats in Cuba's capital reported falling ill and hearing piercing sounds at night, sparking speculation of an attack by a foreign enemy using an unspecified sonar weapon. Similar reports of the illness later emerged from embassy staff in China, Europe and US capital Washington. Yet despite the "disabling" symptoms, people with Havana Syndromeformally referred to as anomalous health incidents (AHIs)show no clinical differences, according to two new papers published Monday in peer-reviewed journal JAMA. Leighton Chan, lead author of one of the papers, said "it's important to acknowledge that these symptoms are very real, cause significant disruption in the lives of those affected and can be quite prolonged, disabling and difficult to treat." In this study, researchers assessed more than 80 US government officials and their family members using MRI brain scans and other blood, visual and auditory tests. They were compared with a control group of overseas US officials who had similar work assignments but were unaffected by the symptoms. It found those with AHIs self-reported increased symptoms of fatigue, post-traumatic stress and depression. 'Genuine, distressing' Forty one percent of those with AHIs met the criteria for "functional neurological disorder"problems with the way the brain sends and receives information from the rest of the body, and as a result nearly all with this dysfunction could be diagnosed with a chronic form of dizziness. "These individuals have symptoms that are genuine, distressing, and can be quite prolonged, disabling, and difficult to treat," said the researchers. In the second paper, participants underwent MRI scans to examine their brain size, structure, and function. These were carried out on average 80 days after symptom onset and revealed no imaging abnormalities differentiating the group with AHIs. But this "does not exclude that an adverse event impacting the brain occurred at the time of the AHI," said Carlo Pierpaoli, who led the study. The US State Department was reviewing the research, a spokesperson said Monday, adding its "top priority remains the health, safety, and security of the Department's personnel and family members." US intelligence had said in 2022 that intense directed energy from an external source could have caused some cases of Havana Syndrome, officially known as anomalous health incidents (AHIs). But in March 2023 intelligence agencies concluded that "there is no credible evidence that a foreign adversary has a weapon or collection device that is causing AHIs." They reported the symptoms were probably the result of preexisting conditions, conventional illnesses and environmental factors. David Relman of Stanford University, who has led previous research into Havana, said the new study was flawed as not all brain injuries were detectable with the tests used. In an editorial also published in JAMA, Relman cited two previous studies he contributed to which found the cases "to be unlike any disorder reported in the neurological or general medical literature, and potentially caused by an external mechanism." More information: Pierpaoli C, Nayak A, Hafiz R, et al. Neuroimaging Findings in United States Government Personnel and their Family Members Involved in Anomalous Health Incidents. JAMA. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2024.2424 Chan L, Hallett M, Zalewski C, et al. Clinical, Biomarker, and Research Tests Among United States Government Personnel and their Family Members Involved in Anomalous Health Incidents. JAMA. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2024.2413 Journal information: Journal of the American Medical Association 2024 AFP Hong Kong citizens celebrate the passage of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR in Causeway Bay of south China's Hong Kong, June 30, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua] The Commissioner's Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region published a strongly-worded letter on Thursday criticizing the US newspaper Wall Street Journal for claiming in an editorial that the new national security ordinance is "a giant leap backward" and will "lock Hong Kong people up", as the new ordinance comes into effect. The article also claimed that Hong Kong is "not enough" for having the "controversial" National Security Law for Hong Kong, and therefore comes a "sweeping" and "vague" new legislation. A spokesperson for the office said the sensational accusation is just a "silver bullet" for the newspaper to catch readers' eyes, saying such kinds of constant smears have deterred some businesspeople in the United States from visiting Hong Kong for the fear of being "locked up", the spokesperson heard. "I believe many Western media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, should take credit for their distorted Hong Kong impression," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said the National Security Law implemented in 2020 covers only two of the seven categories of crimes under Article 23 of the Basic Law, namely secession and subversion, and the other five crimes, such as treason and theft of State secrets, are not included. Furthermore, some provisions in Hong Kong's laws still retain terms such as "the Crown", referring to British monarchs in colonial days, the spokesperson pointed out, emphasizing that it is fully justified for Hong Kong to close the legislative gap with the new ordinance. As for labeling the new national security ordinance as "sweeping" and its terms "conveniently vague", the spokesperson called the remarks a downright double standard. The law is consistent with the definitions of terms in different places' national security legislation and has taken Hong Kong's reality into full consideration, the spokesperson said. No text in the law says it regards foreign influences as a threat unlike the editorial wrote, the spokesperson said. The letter also said that although the newspaper has been doomsaying China for decades, it has been pathetically inaccurate. The national security ordinance, cleared by the city's legislature on Tuesday, was made to prevent, deter and punish five types of acts endangering national security, including treason, theft of State secrets and espionage. On Friday, more Hong Kong people stood out and protested against the smears by some Western politicians on the city's national security ordinance. A flock of people rallied outside the British consulate general in Hong Kong, condemning the biased remarks made by British politicians, including former UK prime minister and current Foreign Secretary David Cameron and former British governor of Hong Kong Chris Patten, regarding the legislation. Several groups also organized a protest at the US consulate general in Hong Kong, saying the ordinance won broad support during its monthlong public consultation, and it will better protect Hong Kong society and enterprises. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg describes herself as having Asperger's while others on the autism spectrum, such as Australian comedian Hannah Gatsby, describe themselves as "autistic". But what's the difference? Today, the previous diagnoses of "Asperger's disorder" and "autistic disorder" both fall within the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. Autism describes a "neurotype"a person's thinking and information-processing style. Autism is one of the forms of diversity in human thinking, which comes with strengths and challenges. When these challenges become overwhelming and impact how a person learns, plays, works or socializes, a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder is made. Where do the definitions come from? The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) outlines the criteria clinicians use to diagnose mental illnesses and behavioral disorders. Between 1994 and 2013, autistic disorder and Asperger's disorder were the two primary diagnoses related to autism in the fourth edition of the manual, the DSM-4. In 2013, the DSM-5 collapsed both diagnoses into one autism spectrum disorder. How did we used to think about autism? The two thinkers behind the DSM-4 diagnostic categories were Baltimore psychiatrist Leo Kanner and Viennese pediatrician Hans Asperger. They described the challenges faced by people who were later diagnosed with autistic disorder and Asperger's disorder. Kanner and Asperger observed patterns of behavior that differed to typical thinkers in the domains of communication, social interaction and flexibility of behavior and thinking. The variance was associated with challenges in adaptation and distress. Between the 1940s and 1994, the majority of those diagnosed with autism also had an intellectual disability. Clinicians became focused on the accompanying intellectual disability as a necessary part of autism. The introduction of Asperger's disorder shifted this focus and acknowledged the diversity in autism. In the DSM-4 it superficially looked like autistic disorder and Asperger's disorder were different things, with the Asperger's criteria stating there could be no intellectual disability or delay in the development of speech. Today, as a legacy of the recognition of the autism itself, the majority of people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorderthe new term from the DSM-5don't a have an accompanying intellectual disability. What changed with 'autism spectrum disorder'? The move to autism spectrum disorder brought the previously diagnosed autistic disorder and Asperger's disorder under the one new diagnostic umbrella term. It made clear that other diagnostic groupssuch as intellectual disabilitycan co-exist with autism, but are separate things. The other major change was acknowledging communication and social skills are intimately linked and not separable. Rather than separating "impaired communication" and "impaired social skills", the diagnostic criteria changed to "impaired social communication". The introduction of the spectrum in the diagnostic term further clarified that people have varied capabilities in the flexibility of their thinking, behavior and social communicationand this can change in response to the context the person is in. Why do some people prefer the old terminology? Some people feel the clinical label of Asperger's allowed a much more refined understanding of autism. This included recognizing the achievements and great societal contributions of people with known or presumed autism. The contraction "Aspie" played an enormous part in the shift to positive identity formation. In the time up to the release of the DSM-5, Tony Attwood and Carol Gray, two well known thinkers in the area of autism, highlighted the strengths associated with "being Aspie" as something to be proud of. But they also raised awareness of the challenges. What about identity-based language? A more recent shift in language has been the reclamation of what was once viewed as a slur"autistic". This was a shift from person-first language to identity-based language, from "person with autism spectrum disorder" to "autistic". The neurodiversity rights movement describes its aim to push back against a breach of human rights resulting from the wish to cure, or fundamentally change, people with autism. The movement uses a "social model of disability". This views disability as arising from societies' response to individuals and the failure to adjust to enable full participation. The inherent challenges in autism are seen as only a problem if not accommodated through reasonable adjustments. However the social model contrasts itself against a very outdated medical or clinical model. Current clinical thinking and practice focuses on targeted supports to reduce distress, promote thriving and enable optimum individual participation in school, work, community and social activities. It doesn't aim to cure or fundamentally change people with autism. A diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder signals there are challenges beyond what will be solved by adjustments alone; individual supports are also needed. So it's important to combine the best of the social model and contemporary clinical model. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Wikimedia Commons Fiber is essential for the digestive system. It helps maintain a healthy weight and lowers the risk of diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. Getting the right amount of fiber, whether through food or drinks, is a great way to relieve constipation. In addition to all that, fiber supplements could improve brain function in older adults, according to a new study. The study, published in Nature Communications, followed individuals over the age of 60 for a 12-week period. Results found those who took prebiotic fiber supplements showed a "significant improvement in memory." The study evaluated the gut microbiome and its correlation with both cognitive and physical function in the aging process. Age increases the resilience of the gut microbiome and reduces it, making it more vulnerable to disease and medications. After the individuals were given either a placebo or fiber supplement, they underwent a series of visual memory tests from the Paired Associates Learning test. "This particular cognitive test has clinical significance, having been identified as an early identifier of Alzheimer's dementia," the study said. By inducing gut microbiota, the researchers saw changes that may alter "both muscle physiology and cognitive behavior." Although the study demonstrated an impressive change in memory, experts say there isn't much to go on, given that only 72 of the 626 individuals assessed were able to participate. Thomas R. Vidic, MD, a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology in Elkhart, Indiana, told Health the findings were "fascinating," but the study of the gut-brain connection is new. "We are just in the infancy of this knowledge," he said. "The study shows an association between the fiber supplement and better cognition rather than a direct causal effect," Amy Reichelt, Ph.D., a nutrition and neuroscience researcher from the University of Adelaide in South Australia, told Health. Although the discovery between fiber, gut microbiomes and cognitive health continues to be evaluated, a 2023 study found a connection between gut microbiota and anxiety, depression and other mental disordersrevealing that certain gut microbiota do have an effect on mood. More information: Mary Ni Lochlainn et al, Effect of gut microbiome modulation on muscle function and cognition: the PROMOTe randomised controlled trial, Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46116-y Journal information: Nature Communications 2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain In cases of Alzheimer's disease, it's common for a spouse to take on the role of caregiver. Research led by the University of California, Davis, suggests that patients can also support their caretakers, and that reciprocated care has mutual benefits. A new paper published in the journal Aging and Mental Health highlights that couples coping with dementia can navigate the challenges with greater resilience and well-being by working together and supporting each other. "We know that dementia is degenerative, there's no way back, and spousal caregivers typically face substantial burden," said Meng Huo, assistant professor with the Department of Human Ecology and lead author of the study. "But having a mutually beneficial relationship in early stages may help reduce caregiver burden and even slow the progression of dementia symptoms." Nearly 7 million people aged 65 and older in the United States have Alzheimer's disease. In this study, researchers surveyed 72 couples from Northern California and Nevada in which one person was living with early-stage Alzheimer's disease and their spouse was the primary caregiver. They assessed the support that spouses provided to each other and found that people with dementia assisted their spousal caregivers often. "Debunking the myth that dementia patients are only recipients of care is crucial," Huo said. "Recognizing their potential to help will encourage them to be able to maintain their personal dignity. Dementia patients know they're declining, but it's important for them to also know that they can still do a lot of things." Practical and emotional support Huo said the positive effects of empathy and support on emotional well-being, stress levels, communication and illness management can contribute to better overall health outcomes for individuals with dementia and their caregivers. Researchers found that the support given by patients occurred in various ways, like practical help such as folding the laundry, dishwashing and cooking. Huo said the most common type of support was emotional, including showing appreciation and care. "In one example, the caregiver had surgery and the dementia patient talked about how she brought flowers and food when she went to the hospital to see the caregiver, and she encouraged the caregiver to stay socially connected to make sure there's companionship," Huo said. Caregiver, patient empathy Researchers hope the findings can improve existing interventions that mostly target caregivers by including the dementia patients too. "Dementia caregivers need support," Huo said. "Support can occur within this ongoing relationship between dementia patients and caregivers. By maintaining the support reciprocity, we may be able promote effective illness management in the long run." More information: Meng Huo et al, Empathy and support exchanges in couples coping with early-stage Alzheimer's disease, Aging & Mental Health (2024). DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2024.2326958 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: Life expectancy increased to 77.5 years in 2022, while the age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths increased from 2002 to 2022 but did not change from 2021 to 2022, according to two March data briefs published by the National Center for Health Statistics. Kenneth D. Kochanek, from the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland, and colleagues used data from the National Vital Statistics System to examine mortality patterns among U.S. residents. The researchers found that in 2022, life expectancy for the U.S. population was 77.5 years, which represented an increase of 1.1 years from 2021. From 2021 to 2022, there was a 9.2 percent decrease in the age-adjusted death rate, from 879.7 to 798.8 deaths per 100,000 standard population. For age groups 1 to 4 and 5 to 14 years, age-specific death rates increased from 2021 to 2022, while they decreased for all age groups 15 years and older. Merianne R. Spencer, M.P.H., also from the National Center for Health Statistics, and colleagues used data from the National Vital Statistics System to examine the rates of drug overdose deaths during a 20-year period, focusing on changes from 2021 to 2022. The researchers found that from 2002 to 2022, there was an increase in the age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths from 8.2 to 32.6, but no significant change was seen between 2021 and 2022. The rates decreased and increased between 2021 and 2022 for those ages 15 to 34 years and 35 years and older, respectively. "From 2019 to 2020, the drug overdose death rate increased 31.0 percent from 21.6 to 28.3, which was the largest annual increase over the period 2002 to 2022," Spencer and colleagues write. Copyright 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Americans from Maine to Texas are set for a rare treat on April 8, 2024, when a total solar eclipse will be visible across much of the U.S. In ancient times, eclipse-viewers thought they were watching the sun be eaten by wolves, a dragon or a demon. Of course, we now know that the sun isn't really eaten during an eclipse. Instead, it does what it always does: rain ultraviolet rays on everything in its path. That's why you should never look at a solar eclipse without protective eyewear. But not just any eyewear will do. To make sure that you enjoy the total solar eclipse safely, the American Astronomical Society has specifically warned against buying eclipse glasses at the lowest price from online marketplaces like Amazon or eBay. What gives? Why not save a buck on something you'll use possibly just once for a few minutes? It turns out there's a very good reason: Deceptive counterfeit products have infiltrated retail supply chains. And some of them can pose a threat to your health. Invasion of the bogus products As experts in supply-chain management, we know that counterfeit products have become a growing problem in recent years. While counterfeit products can be found at brick-and-mortar shops, they're an especially big problem at online marketplaces. Amazon removed more than 6 million counterfeit items from its supply chain in 2022 alone. There are several reasons for this. First, our recent research shows that consumers often consider the reputation of an online retailer while judging a product's quality. Unscrupulous third-party sellers can take advantage of this fact by selling their wares through a reputable online marketplace. Another complication arises from the fulfillment services offered by some marketplaces, such as Amazon, where third-party sellers directly send their merchandise to the online retailer's warehouse for shipping and handling. These sorts of fulfillment services offer a little-known benefit to retailers: If a product is running out of stock, they can "borrow" from a third-party seller's inventory. Unfortunately, this also means that a consumer who agrees to buy from one retailer may actually receive merchandiseperhaps counterfeitfrom a third-party seller. While there aren't statistics showing how frequently this happens, there's evidence it's a significant problem. Thankfully, customers are becoming more aware of counterfeit products and have increasingly pushed online retailers to separate inventories of authorized sellers of merchandise from those that aren't. For instance, Amazon maintains a list of "gated" brands, such as Asics and Under Armour, that require authorization before they can be sold. But these protections don't apply across the board. In fact, some counterfeit-prone brands, such as Birkenstock, refuse to sell their products through some online retailers entirely. That leaves an opening for counterfeiters, who tend to offer the lowest prices. That's why the American Astronomical Society recommends eclipse-watchers avoid buying protective glasses from the lowest-price sellers on online marketplaces. And we completely agree. After all, counterfeit sunglasses can be returned, but damage to your eyes is permanent. In 2017, one California man wearing counterfeit eclipse glasses was left with retina damage. How to find safe solar eclipse glasses If you're in the market for eclipse glasses, it's not hard to get a safe pair. First, buying directly from one of the American Astronomical Society's approved list of brands and manufacturers is the most reliable way. Unfortunately, many of them only sell cheaper, disposable solar eclipse viewers in bulk. If you need a single pair, your next best option is to purchase one from a major brick-and-mortar chain retailer in person. Many organizations are also handing out free viewers. If you take one, you should make sure it was made by a manufacturer on the American Astronomical Society's list. If you must buy from an online marketplace, look for evidence of manufacturer authorization. For instance, American Paper Opticsan American Astronomical Society-approved brandmaintains a list of Amazon sellers approved for reselling their viewers. What if you've already bought something from a no-name seller on Amazon? Let's say you bought a pair of sunglasses, or eclipse glasses, with UV protection. It's hard to verify UV protection properties. Sure, there are standards and certifications such as UV400 and ISO 12312-2, but as you have probably guessed, even those can be faked. For instance, you can easily buy entire rolls of UV400 stickers online. Thankfully, most local opticians can test your sunglasses' UV protection properties in seconds. In other words, when in doubt, verify. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: CC0 Public Domain Imagine this: a novel virus is rapidly breaking out nationwide, resulting in an epidemic. The government introduces vaccination mandates and a choice of different vaccines is available. But not everyone is getting the same vaccine. When you sign up for vaccination, you are sent a vial with instructions to send a sample of your saliva to the nearest laboratory. Just a few hours later you receive a message telling you which vaccine you should get. Your neighbor also signed up for vaccination. But their vaccine is different from yours. Both of you are now vaccinated and protected, although each of you received your vaccines depending on "who you are". Your genetics, age, gender, and myriad of other factors are captured in a "model" that predicts and determines the best option to protect you from the virus. It all sounds a bit like science fiction. But since the decoding of the human genome in 2003, we have entered the age of precision prevention. New Zealand has a long-standing newborn screening program. This includes genome sequencing machines available nationwide and a genetic health service. Programs such as these open up the possibilities of public health genomics and precision public health for everyone. The further expansion of these programs, as well as the expansion of the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to enable a shift to more personalized preventive care, will change how public health care is delivered. At the same time, these developments raise wider concerns over individual choice versus the greater good, personal privacy, and who is responsible for the protection of New Zealanders and their health information. What is precision prevention? Think of precision prevention (also known as personalized prevention) as public health action tailored to the individual rather than broader groups of society. This targeted health care is achieved by balancing a range of variables (including your genes, life history and environment) with your risks (including everything that changes within you as you grow older). While advances in genomics are making precision prevention possible, machine learning algorithms fueled by our personal data have made it closer to a reality. We generate data about ourselves every dayvia social media, smartwatches and other wearable deviceshelping to train algorithms to match medical prevention measures with individuals. Combine all of these with AI-driven predictive modeling, and you have a system that can predict the current and future state of your health with an eerie level of accuracy, and help you take steps to prevent disease. Safety and delay The Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor recently published a report mapping out the landscape of artificial intelligence and machine learning in New Zealand over the next five years. While the report authors didn't specifically reference "precision prevention", they did include examples of this approach, such as computer vision augmented mammography. But as the report suggests, adoption tends to fall behind the pace of innovation in AI. Te Whatu OraHealth New Zealand has also not approved emerging large language models and generative artificial intelligence tools as safe and effective for use in health care. This means generative AI-driven precision prevention practices, such as conversational AI for public health messaging, may have to wait before they can be deemed safe to use. Move forward with caution There is much to be excited about the prospects of the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in ushering in a new age of precision prevention and preventive health. But at the same time, we must temper this with caution. Artificial intelligence and machine learning may increase access and utilization of health care by lowering barriers to medical knowledge and reducing human bias. But government and medical agencies need to reduce barriers related to digital literacy and access to online platforms. For those with limited access to online resources or who have limited digital literacy, the already existent inequity of access to care and health could worsen. Artificial intelligence also has a significant environmental impact. One study found several common large AI models can emit over 270,000 tons of carbon dioxide during their life cycle. Finally, technology is a shifting landscape. Proponents of precision health care must be careful with children and marginalized communities and their access to resources. Maintaining privacy and choice is essentialeveryone should be in a position to control what they share with the AI agents. In the end, each of us is different, and we all have our different needs for our health and for our lives. Moving more people to preventive care through precision health care will reduce the financial burden on the health system. But as the report from the prime minister's chief science officer emphasizes, machine learning algorithms are a nascent field. We need more public education and awareness before the technology becomes part of our everyday lives. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. A federal court in Montana entered a $9.9 million penalty against a man found responsible for causing thousands of unlawful and malicious spoofed robocalls to consumers nationwide, authorities said Friday. Judge Dana L. Christensen in Missoula also imposed an injunction Tuesday against Scott Rhodes prohibiting any future violations of the Truth in Caller ID Act and Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release. Rhodes, who in 2021 was reported to be living in Libby, Montana, was listed with the court as now living in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. His telephone number listed with the court documents was not working Friday. Efforts to immediately reach him for comment were unsuccessful. He represented himself in court, according to federal documents. The case against Rhodes grew out of a Federal Communications Commission investigation into unlawful robocalls received by people in states, including Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa and Virginia. Newsweek reported he had made more than 5,000 robocalls. The calls displayed inaccurate caller IDs indicating they were from local phone numbers, inducing the recipients to answer the calls and listen to the recorded messages. Those messages included highly inflammatory and disturbing content, often directed at certain communities, that intended to offend or harm the recipients, authorities said. For example, hundreds of the spoofed robocalls targeted residents of the Brooklyn, Iowa, area in the aftermath of a local womans murder, authorities said. More than 2,000 of the robocalls targeted residents of Charlottesville, Virginia, during the investigation and prosecution of James Alex Fields Jr. for killing one woman and injuring dozens during the Unite the Right rally in 2017. Many people called submitted complaints to FCC and other law enforcement. FCC traced the robocalls to Rhodes and in January 2021, FCC imposed a $9,918,000 forfeiture penalty against him, officials said. Later that year, the Justice Department sued Rhodes in the District of Montana to recover that penalty and obtain an injunction. In October 2023, the United States moved for summary judgment, and the court subsequently entered an injunction and the full $9,918,000 forfeiture penalty against Rhodes. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton, head of the Justice Departments Civil Division, said they were pleased by the courts judgment. U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich for the District of Montana said Friday most Montanans have been the subject of robocalls and the person responsible usually escapes accountability. But not this time," he said in a news release. "In placing thousands of harassing and malicious spoofing calls to consumers across the country, Rhodes showed a blatant disregard to caller ID and telephone consumer protection laws designed to prevent this sort of conduct." Assistant Director Patrick Runkle, Trial Attorney Michael Wadden, Trial Attorney Amanda Kelly, Investigator Giovan Aloisio and Senior Deputy Director Lisa Hsiao of the Civil Divisions Consumer Protection Branch handled the case with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Clarke. A majority of the Montana Senate has delivered letters to the Montana Supreme Court, governor, and secretary of state outlining our concern that a recent court order is unconstitutional. Its easy to get lost in the weeds of the issue, but the heart of the matter is pretty simple. Its about the separation of powers among our three branches of government. The Legislature is the branch closest to the people. We cannot abide a situation where the peoples voice in Helena is ignored by the other branches. First, its important to know that there is an official, physical version of every bill the Legislature handles. Attached to that official bill are all the formal actions taken on it. A bill passed the 2023 Legislature. It was transmitted to the governor. The governor vetoed the bill and returned it to the Senate while both chambers of the Legislature were in session. Before the full Senate could be notified that the bill had been vetoed and was back in the Senates possession, a surprise motion ended the Senates legislative session. The full membership of the House received notice of the veto before the House wrapped up its business. The Senate has had physical possession of the bill ever since. Article VI, Section 10 of the Montana Constitution is explicit. If the legislature is not in session when the governor vetoes a billhe shall return the billto the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall poll the members of the legislature by mail to vote on whether to override the veto. Quote Imagine a governor preemptively vetoing a bill before it reaches his desk, or a judge blocking a bill while its still under development. Such a precedent is alarming for Montanans elected representation at the Capitol. Per the constitution, a mailed poll may only happen if a veto comes after the Legislature has adjourned. Who has custody of the official bill matters. The Executive Branch has no authority to take any action on a bill that they dont have. Despite the constitutional clarity, District Court Judge Mike Menahan, backed up by the Montana Supreme Court, has ordered the governor to give the Secretary of State a bill he doesnt have and ordered the Secretary to conduct a mailed poll. A majority of the Senate has pledged not to participate in this unconstitutional poll. In his own letter to the secretary of state, Gov. Greg Gianforte said he is giving her an unofficial copy of his veto in an attempt to comply with the court order, but noted he cannot provide the official bill or veto because he doesnt have them. A generous interpretation of the courts actions is that theyre trying to help the Legislature by making sure we have the opportunity to override the veto. What the courts are actually giving the Legislature is a Trojan horse. We dont need their help; we have numerous ways we can fix the veto override issue ourselves. Those include calling ourselves back into session, adjusting our rules (which is already in progress), and being organized with how and when we end a legislative session. The courts solution, on the other hand, opens the door to the executive and judicial branches grabbing power that isnt theirs by acting on bills in the Legislatures possession. Imagine a governor preemptively vetoing a bill before it reaches his desk, or a judge blocking a bill while its still under development. Such a precedent is alarming for Montanans elected representation at the Capitol. As clearly stated in our letters to the other branches of government, the Senate rejects this unconstitutional Trojan horse from the courts. For decades, The Last Best Place has been the unofficial nickname for the state of Montana. And in recent years, Ive heard many Montanans use this in reference to our state being one of the Last Best Places left in America. The reason I, and I think many would agree that Montana is the Last Best Place is not just for our quality of life, but also for quality of leadership. Over the last four years, tens of thousands of people have fled the heavy hand of blue states and headed to Montana for more freedom. That's why I'm referring to the ballot you will see this cycle in Montana as the Last Best Ballot. Eight of the nine statewide offices in Montana are up for election this year, which means the outcome of this year's Last Best Ballot will determine whether Montana will continue hold the tile of the Last Best Place for future generations. As chairman of the Montana Republican Party since 2019, I have witnessed that under Republican leadership, Montana continues to be a better place to raise our children and a better place to grow a business. We have a clear choice in 2024: Freedom or socialism. Its up to Montana Republicans on the ballot to communicate that message to voters. Up and down the ballot at the local, state and federal level we have strong conservative candidates running to protect our Montana way of life. This year, the Montana Republican Party worked hard to recruit and retain talent at every level, and we plan to put up a fight in every race. The fact we were able to get a Republicans to fill nearly every seat speaks volumes about our party and the red wave that is coming this year. The time, commitment, and resources it takes to run for public office do not go unnoticed; therefore, I appreciate every candidate who has stepped up to have their name on the Last Best Ballot. I know that Montana Democrats gerrymandered our legislative districts to try, and guarantee wins for their own party. As chairman on the MTGOP, we worked hard to find strong, qualified candidates across the state, refusing to allow the Democrats strategy to stand in the way of our efforts. Montanans are fed up watching the Democrats try to take away our freedoms, keep our border wide open and make our day-to-day lives more expensive. The choice is clear; Montanans will be choosing between common sense or crazy this November, and they will vote for Republicans up and down the Last Best Ballot as a result. Large landscapes hold a multitude of values that often seem to be conflicting and can be managed by many different entities across a patchwork of man-made boundaries. Wildlife and plant communities dont follow boundaries designated by ownership. Partnership and collaboration across ownership and management boundaries create continuity and resilience across these large tracts of land. While controversial, prescribed fire is a management tool that can have dramatic effects on landscapes. Our family ranches in the Blackfoot River Valley and has been using small controlled burns as a management tool to build resiliency in grasslands since the mid-1980s. While burning was not commonplace at the time, we knew the land had evolved with sporadic fire and that science supported its role in shaping ecosystems. These small burns were limited due to lack of knowledge regarding fire ecology, fear of liability, and lack of resources such as time, labor, money, and equipment. This in turn, greatly limited our impact on the landscape. In 2019, the Lincoln Ranger District of the US Forest Service (USFS) approached the family about including a small portion of our private land in their prescribed burn because it made the most sense topographically. The family agreed and asked to include a much larger portion of private ground. Despite added work and complexity, the USFS agreed and included us in the planning process. In addition to having us at the table, that portion of the ranch included two conservation easement holders (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the state of Montana) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Between all of these entities, there was a long list of values and considerations: reducing fuel load, decreasing conifer encroachment, decreasing sagebrush domination, increasing native grasses and forbs, allowing for adequate ground nesting bird habitat, and increasing grazing for both cattle and wildlife. The process of bringing all of those people to the table allowed them to look at the shared values of a much larger, more intact landscape than any one entity could have managed alone. By the end of the planning process, the easement holders agreed to the burn given certain stipulations, like working to burn in a mosaic pattern that would allow adequate sagebrush habitat for ground nesting birds and other wildlife. The USFS prepped the ground and monitored for burn windows. The ranch allowed the pasture to rest from grazing to build more fuel to carry fire. In the spring of 2021, the first burn was completed and each year for 2 following years a section of ground was burned. By the end of 2023, the collaboration led to burning approximately 1,450 acres of private land and 1,100 acres belonging to the BLM and USFS. In the ranchs experience with fire over the last 30 years, we have seen an increase in the native grass and forb populations through management of sage and conifer. We have found that once the canopy cover of the sagebrush starts rising above 30%, it starts impacting the productivity of the grasslands for both cattle and wild ungulates. The effects of a single burn have lasted 20-25 years and have increased the vibrancy and competitiveness of native grasses and forbs. Our goal is that with improvements in water and fencing infrastructure and changes in planned grazing, we can continue to extend this window further while continuing to increase biological diversity and resilience. While the family has been working with this practice of controlled burning for years, the knowledge of fire ecology and the resources provided by the USFS and the Lincoln Ranger District in particular, allowed us to have a much more substantial impact on the landscape than we would have been able to do independently without as much fear of liability. We are incredibly grateful for their willingness to share that knowledge and those resources with us. It is our hope that through collaborations like this, and those being led by organizations like the Blackfoot Challenge, we can continue to better steward these landscapes. We would like to see a community and a culture where private landowners, non-profits, conservation agencies, and state and federal land managers can work together to deeply understand and steward these large intact landscapes. Madison Durflinger knew she wanted a career working with animals while growing up on a farm near Eldon in southeast Iowa. We had a small cow-calf operation along with row crops, she says. That really sparked my interest in veterinary medicine. Durflinger graduated from Iowa State Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine in 2023 and started working at the Stuart Veterinary Clinic in Stuart, Iowa. Prior to entering vet school, Durflinger received her bachelors degrees in biology and animal science at Iowa State. I visited a lot of clinics around the Midwest, and it was really cool to see how they were all somehow different, she says. The clinic in Stuart really matched what I wanted in a practice. Its been a great opportunity. While Durflinger works with animals of all sizes, most of her emphasis at Iowa State came with large animals, especially hogs. The vet school encourages students to recognize the opportunities out there for large animal veterinarians, says Justin Brown, assistant professor of swine production medicine at ISU. There is still definitely a shortage of vets working with food animals, he says. We also see shortages out in the rural areas. A lot of residents do not have access to a local veterinarian. Brown says Iowa State uses an all-around approach to help train veterinarians. Not only are they well-versed in production medicine, but they understand the role of a veterinarian in their local community. There is a lot of value to having a veterinarian in a small community, he says. For the most part, veterinarians are pretty active members of their communities, and we want our students to realize that. Brown says there are several programs offering incentives to students looking to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. He says ISU will work with students interested in these programs to find a fit for them. That can include being a part of the Army Veterinary Corps, where the Army pays for vet school in exchange for several years of service. Brown says other universities offer similar incentives and programs. USDA offer some loan-forgiveness programs in exchange for practicing in a certain area, Brown says, adding the USDA is usually looking to hire veterinarians for food safety and other purposes. Durflinger says she appreciates the opportunities she has and encourages anyone interested in a career in veterinary medicine to talk to veterinarians and visit practices to see what they have to offer. Iowa State did a really good job of preparing us and to help us out when we needed it, she says. Durflinger says she is enjoying working in Stuart and enjoys meeting new people. They have been very welcoming here, she says. Im happy that I can work with both large and small animals. I enjoy the variety. Counties with the most farmland in Iowa Counties with the most farmland in Iowa #25. O'Brien #24. Lyon #23. Calhoun #22. Pocahontas #21. Buena Vista #20. Wright #19. Greene #18. Grundy #17. Monona #16. Carroll #15. Ringgold #14. Shelby #13. Winneshiek #12. Clinton #11. Harrison #10. Jasper #9. Fayette #8. Tama #7. Webster #6. Benton #5. Crawford #4. Sioux #3. Woodbury #2. Plymouth #1. Kossuth Three Muscatine Police officers were honored Thursday evening during the regular city council meeting. They received Life Saving awards for an incident that occurred on Dec. 18, 2023. Awards were presented to Corporal Mitchell Griffin, Officer Kassy Middagh and Officer Matthew Wilkinson were honored for their response to a medical emergency involving an unconscious male in cardiac arrest. The officers provided lifesaving first aid as they waited for paramedics. On arrival, the man was found unconscious without a pulse. The officers began CPR, administered a shock from an AED and worked with paramedics to prepare the victim for transport. By the time he was ready to be transported, the victim was semi-conscious and had a pulse. Its nice to be recognized, that all our hard work pays off, Griffin said. There is a lot of stress going on in the moment, but this is something we train for, he continued. We train for this a lot training with other officers, training with the fire department, and making sure we take the necessary steps to do the best we can. We were fortunate enough to do this that night. Wilkinson said that awards are different." Its an award worth having, he said. It is something you never want to go to, but I dont think I should get an award for doing my job. Middagh was previously awarded lifesaving honors and recently named the Iowa Association of Women's Police Officer of the Year. Also during the meeting, Assistant Community Development Director Andrew Fangman reported footings had been poured in the Welch Apartment building and as soon as the concrete dries and strength tests come back, the former occupants will be able to recover their items. He estimates the tests will come back sometime next week. Well be able to reopen Second Street and the building wont be considered unsafe, he said. Mayor Brad Bark asked if the former tenants would be able to move back in to the building. Council member Peggy Gordon commented that the former tenants of the apartments had not heard anything from the owners of the building. She said the city needed to keep the pressure on the owners to at least communicate with the former tenants and to learn what the plan for the building is. Council member Nadine Brockert also asked if the city could apply some brute force to learn when the tenants could retrieve their belongings. She commented that eight months is too long of a time to have to wait for answers. Those people need their things, she said. On Aug. 23, 2023, the building was declared unsafe by a structural engineer and its 17 tenants were evacuated. The structural engineer found bulging walls and floors pulling away from the walls, according to a media release from the city. Several residents have previously said they only had 15 minutes to evacuate and were told to gather enough for two weeks. Capitol Police evacuate DNC after Gaza protest turns violent Great fleas have little fleas upon their backs to bite em, And little fleas have lesser fleas, and so ad infinitum. And the great fleas themselves, in turn, have greater fleas to go on; While these again have greater still, and greater still, and so on (Siphonaptera) That little poem from "A Budget of Paradoxes" by Augustus De Morgan, came to mind when a reader sent me a photo of a tiny insect they found in an oak leaf gall the cynipid gall wasp that defoliated so many live oaks in and around Napa in the past year. Technically, Siphonaptera is an order of insects containing about 2,500 species of fleas. I take it De Morgan wrote it to express some of his views as a philosopher, logician, and mathematician. I see it as an exaggeration of actual systems in nature, where no living thing exists independently of everything else. The two-horned oak leaf gall wasp Dryocosmus dubiosus wreaked havoc on live oaks in 2023. It will surely come again, but probably not every year at the same level of infestation. Why? Because environmental conditions favoring it change from year to year, and though its larvae feed in oak leaf galls, other insects feed on them and the galls they inhabit. The insect in the photo sent to me was found inside an oak leaf gall and thought to be of the adult leaf gall wasp. After some online searching, and noting some anatomical differences, I think it could be the parasitic wasp, mentioned in the literature: Torymus fullawayi (Huber) that feeds on the gall wasp. Little wasps have smaller wasps upon their backs to bite em! I could be wrong about the identification, but the principle is documented in the literature. When certain species of eucalyptus began to die off in the late 1980s it was discovered that a longhorned borer beetle had made its way to California, probably via infested wooden shipping pallets and its hatchlings quickly flew off and found safe homes in local eucalyptus. The die-off was alarming. The question that arose was: Why is this so bad here but not in Australia or Tasmania, the homes of so many eucalyptus species? Entomologists from UC Riverside investigated and determined that an egg parasitoid a tiny wasp that lays its eggs inside the eggs of the borer and keeps the borers in check did not arrive in California along with the longhorned beetle. As one of the entomologists said, the beetle without its natural parasitoid had a free ticket to Disneyland. Subsequently, Professors Jocelyn Millar and Timothy Paine developed a trial project to import the parasitoid and provide it with borer infested fresh cut eucalyptus logs. The project successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of the concept. Not only that, but the parasitoids quickly spread to nearby sites. The first longhorn borer, Phoracantha semipunctata, met its natural enemy, but another longhorn borer arrived later. That story is not over. Big Euc pests have smaller pests upon their backs to bite em ! The principle was also demonstrated when the ash whitefly became a devastating pest in the 1980s. It infested various tree and plant species, causing millions of dollars of damage in the nursery industry and fouling public areas with clouds of whiteflies and their sticky honeydew coating surfaces. The ash whitefly arrived here from its homeland in the Middle East and Mediterranean without its natural companion, Encarsia inaron, another parasitic wasp. Entomologists at UC Riverside imported and released E. inaron and soon after the release, there was a dramatic crash in the ash whitefly population. It all but disappeared, in a classic success of assisted bio-control of a devastating pest. These efforts are not done willy-nilly. Moving insects or diseases across oceans is risky. The intended predator or parasitoid might be happy to attack insects we value as beneficials, so entomologists working on these problems do their best to study potential unintended consequences. Joshua Coleman and Rogers Demarea Vaughn III met again Friday morning, two months and 11 days after the American Canyon police officer shot the 18-year-old Vallejo resident after a vehicle chase and foot pursuit. This time, the two men faced each other inside Room 1 of Napa County Superior Court, where Vaughn now 19 was about to be sentenced on a felony gun possession charge. A few minutes later, a judge would sentence him to nearly four months in jail, with two years of probation to follow. But first, Vaughn would hear from the officer who had fired on him on Jan. 11 on a north Vallejo street. Dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt rather than his police uniform, Coleman rose from his courtroom seat and walked to a dais facing Judge Mark Boessenecker. But rather than speak to the judge, he turned around to face Vaughn, who leaned heavily on his crutches from injuries suffered in the shooting. Im actually nervous right now, which is strange for me, Coleman began. I wanted you to see Im a regular person. It was you and I that had to deal with this close brush with death. Coleman, an American Canyon police officer since 2018, described the shooting as a response to what he perceived as an immediate danger, following a vehicle pursuit that had begun in American Canyon and continued for three miles into a Vallejo neighborhood. I truly believed to my core that something bad was about to happen, he told Vaughn, who listened but did not respond. Im not judging you. I know your life is different from mine, the officer said. I know that you may have reasons to feel you have to carry a gun in public. But you dont have that need in Napa County. Youre young, man. Im glad you survived. I truly wish you the best and I hope you can change your life. Afterward, Boessenecker sentenced Vaughn to 120 days in jail, the term sought by the Napa County District Attorneys Office. Vaughns attorney, Latonia Robinson, sought to have her client placed on ankle monitoring rather than jail, based on the absence of a previous criminal record. Hes been shot; hes already faced consequences for what hes done, she told the judge. Boessenecker denied the request, citing the danger the vehicle chase that preceded the shooting posed to people in two cities. Vaughn, whose jail term is to begin May 6, can apply later for monitoring, a process Robinson said may take several weeks. After the sentencing, Robinson described the officers words to Vaughn as an odd mix of remorse and blame-shifting. I feel he said, Youre the reason why were here; youre the reason why I shot you,' she said outside the courthouse. But at the same time, he was offering support for (Vaughns) well-being which is kind of contradictory. Vaughn, who was hospitalized for four days after the shooting and then endured complications from surgery, may face about six months of physical therapy in order to walk normally, Robinson added. Vaughn was the passenger in a Lexus sedan driven by 18-year-old Amarion Jozan Hill on the afternoon of Jan. 11, when authorities say American Canyon police officers tried and failed to stop Hill for a code violation. The ensuring pursuit ended with the vehicle crashing on a Vallejo street, and both Hill and Vaughn running from the car while carrying loaded guns, the Solano County District Attorneys Office has said. The sudden end of one of the foot chases was captured in a pair of videos from home security cameras, which the Napa County Sheriffs Office officially released Wednesday on its Facebook page. The 20 seconds of footage, captured from opposite sides of the same street, show Coleman in pursuit of Vaughn. Hands up! Drop the gun! Coleman shouts while holding his service handgun and chasing Vaughn down a two-lane suburban street from left to right in the camera frame. Drop the gun! Drop the gun! Drop the gun! Drop the gun! Drop the gun, Ill shoot you! Drop the gun! Coleman then fires two shots, and Vaughn immediately crumbles to the curbside. Residents of the camera-equipped homes gave the video footage to the Solano Major Crimes Task Force, which conducted the investigation of the pursuit and shooting, according to the Napa County Sheriffs Office. In a statement posted with the video, the sheriffs office said it asked the Solano County Major Crimes Task Force and the Napa County District Attorneys Office for a copy of the Ring videos, but was turned down by both agencies because an investigation was still underway. The sheriffs office obtained the home security videos only on Wednesday, the agency said, which was critical because its the only video that captured the shooting. Having access to this video allows the Sheriffs Office to share the (officer-involved shooting) video along with accurate context. The security video was first made public by the Santa Rosa Press Democrat on March 13. Less than a week earlier, authorities also provided footage from the body-worn camera Coleman was wearing on Jan. 11, but that footage did not include images of the gunshots because the battery on Colemans device had run down, Sheriff Oscar Ortiz told the newspaper. Vaughn, whom authorities earlier identified as Demarea Rogers III, pleaded no contest Feb. 21 in Napa County Superior Court to a felony count of carrying a loaded firearm and a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest. A criminal complaint states that Vaughn was carrying an unregistered .40-caliber "ghost gun" and a .40-caliber Glock with a high-capacity magazine. Hill pleaded no contest March 12 in Napa to evading police officers, carrying a loaded gun and resisting arrest, and is slated for sentencing April 10, according to court records. The Jan. 11 shooting marked the fifth time Coleman had fired his gun on duty in his law enforcement career, the Vallejo Sun reported earlier. Coleman was one of two Vallejo Police officers who fatally shot William Heinze on March 20, 2013. He was later involved in shootings in 2013, 2014 and 2016. (After the January shooting, Coleman was placed on paid administrative leave, in line with department policy when officers fire their weapons on duty.) A 2017 study by the Pew Research Center reported that only 27% of U.S. police officers ever fire their service guns while on duty. According to the Vallejo Sun, a former supervisor of Coleman at Vallejo Police in 2022 implicated him the practice of badge bending, the ritual of bending the police badges of officers who have shot and killed people in the line of duty. Former Lt. Kent Tribble said in Solano County Superior Court that he bent Colemans badge of the 2016 shooting, and saw Coleman do the same for another officer in 2017. Coleman testified that his badge was bent against his will and denied ever bending other officers badges, the Sun reported. Speaking to Vaughn in court Friday, Coleman, a Vallejo native who policed in that city for 15 years before going to American Canyon, alluded to his service history. Ive been in over 300 armed confrontations; the public likes to focus on five of them, the officer said. But I police from the heart. PHOTOS: The 45th running of the Napa Valley Marathon In the course of living their lives some women have found their way into the history books of Napa County. With March being officially designated as Womens History Month, since 1987, a cross-section of these noteworthy women highlighting their contributions to the local cultural heritage is timely as well as insightful and interesting. Usually the term captain of industry is reserved for a man who founded a successful industrial enterprise. There is, however, one local woman who fits this description. Her name was Emma Eel. This long ago resident of the Calistoga area founded the Callustro Company during the late 1800s. Her board of directors, investors and sales staff were all women a first for Napa Valley. This lengthy story began with Eels daily walk around her property located north and west of Calistoga. On one particular afternoon, the recently widowed Eel sat down on a rock outcropping to pause and enjoy the view. In the process of sitting down she noticed a patch of light-colored soil. Eel reached and scooped up a small sample of this sandy soil. As she gazed upon the view, Eel mindlessly rubbed the soil in her hands. Before standing up to resume her walk, Eel was about to discard the sample until she noticed her wedding band was no longer scratched and dull. It was shiny and almost looked like new. Realizing the sandy soil had polished her ring Eel wondered what else it could do. So, she picked up a larger sample and returned to her home. There, she polished her silver, scrubbed her kitchen sink and more with the substance. Eel shared her discovery with her friends. Before long the concept of a manufacturing company became a reality. And, Callustro an amalgam of Calistoga and luster was born. The initial processing plant was constructed on Eels property. The Tufa, a soft sandy rock found locally, was milled into various grades from fine to coarse. The fine grades were used to produce facial cleansers and toothpaste to mirror and glass cleaner. The coarser grades became Dutch-style powder cleansers to mechanics hand soaps. Callustro grew rapidly with the opening of a distribution facility in San Francisco. Many of the womens husbands warned them of the perils of growing too quickly. But the companys growth was not its undoing. A too good to be true offer caused the end of Callustro. A man who identified himself as a representative of the Colgate toothpaste company offered Eel and her directors an amazing business opportunity. But there was a catch! Callustro had to front the money for the project. Sadly, it was a scam that nearly drained Callustros coffers. Although it did continued to operated for a brief time, Callustro was soon shut down. Many other local women worked in the business sector. Frequently they were employees at local factories such as the Cameron Shirt Company once located along Soscol Avenue in East Napa. They also worked in any of the numerous retail and hospitality businesses found throughout Napa Valley communities. Some of these enterprises were businesses owned by their families. Often times if their husbands or fathers died these women would successfully take over the operations and management of their familys only source of income. Two well known examples of these instances from Napa Valleys past involved St. Helena area wineries. In both cases the husbands lives were ended suddenly and violently. The first case involved Josephine Marlin Tychson whose husband John was plagued by failing health due to tuberculosis. He ended his own life with a straight-edged razor in an Oakland, California hotel room. Although devastated by her loss, Josephine went on to complete the construction of their winery. (Freemark Abbey now occupies the former site of the Tychson winery.) Josephine also produced wine for a few years before selling the winery in the 1890s. The second example is that of Hannah Weinberger whose husband, also named John, was gunned down by a vengeful wannabe suitor of his eldest daughter. Hannah, also devastated by the senseless murder of her husband, went on to produce award winning wines for years. However, her contribution to the financial world is often overlooked. Following Johns death, Hannah filled his position as a director of the Bank of St. Helena, an institution John helped to establish. Hannah continued as a director for quite some time due to her aptitudes in finance and financial matters. Another trail-blazing Upvalley woman was Anna B. Dixon. This native daughter was born in 1862 and reared in St. Helena. She attended the local schools before pursuing and receiving a teaching credential. Dixon commenced and continued her career in education within some of Napa Countys one-room schools through the late 1880s. This drive, dedication, of hers to provide a quality education for local students compelled Dixon to enter the local political arena. She ran for and won the office of Napa County Superintendent of Schools. Her victory was achieved at a time when women did not have the right to vote. It also garnered Dixon the distinction of being the first woman Superintendent of Napa County Schools. Although her job performance met with favorable reviews, Dixon was not reelected. Dixon continued to be devoted to her students and the field of education, however, she felt an even greater calling. To answer that call Dixon attended Stanford University where she graduated in 1898. From there she first attended and graduated from the Stanford Medical School then the American Medical School in Vienna, Austria. An amazing accomplishment for a woman at that time. Upon her return to the U.S., Dixon practiced medicine in Sacramento and Palo Alto before meeting and marrying Navy Commander Allan E. Peck. She accompanied him to his various duty stations, including the Philippines and Guam, where she continued to practice medicine. Also while he was assigned to the Washington, D.C. area, Dixon worked at the Veterans Administration and U.S. Public Health Service. Following Pecks retirement from the Navy, the couple and their family settled in Oakland, California. In 1959 at the age of 98 years old, Dr. Anna Dixon Peck passed away. Although Dixon left Napa County to pursue her education and training to become a doctor, at about the same time, there was a local school of nursing. Established by the Seventh-day Adventists in the Deer Park area near St. Helena, this institution was originally located on the site now occupied by the present-day Adventist Health St. Helena Hospital. While the Victorian-style building that once housed the nursing school is gone, the program is still offered through Pacific Union College (PUC) in Angwin. As a side note, another accredited and highly regarded local nursing program is offered through the Napa Valley College. Nursing like teaching was a socially acceptable profession for women during the 19th and 20th centuries as was being a midwife. The latter was especially true and needed due to the lack of adequate medical facilities. It was also the social norm for women to give birth to their children at home. Another option was home hospitals or birthing centers set up in a nurses private residence. Throughout Napa County there were numerous home hospitals established within the neighborhoods of each local community. One such clinic was established in Napas Old Town neighborhood. It was the site of the births of over 100 babies. As to the course of the lives of those infants, that is an unknown. However, anyone of those little ones may be featured in upcoming local Womens History Month columns. Owners of Napas Ace & Vine card room may not be willing to gamble that a planned flood control project on Napa River wont hurt the business. My plan as of now is Im looking to relocate, Mike LeBlanc, one of the owners, said on Friday. Ace & Vine opened in 2021 at 505 Lincoln Ave. along the Napa River. The Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District is designing flood walls for the area to protect hundreds of properties based on plans dating back a quarter century. Two buildings the Ace & Vine building and the nearby Napa River Pet Hospital are to be on the inside of the flood walls because they are so close to the river, which means they could still flood during an unusually large storm. But LeBlanc voiced another concern. Hell lose a row of parking spaces to the flood wall. Hell have to relocate an employees office and trash enclosure, which will take up another row. Plus, during construction of the wall, hell lose a row, LeBlanc said Friday. He could lose too much parking, he said. The site has about 100 parking spaces. LeBlanc estimated he might have only about 40% of his parking available at some stages. If Ace & Vine does relocate, it would remain in Napa. LeBlanc is pursuing a few possibilities but doesnt want to say anything yet. He believes the flood wall project would allow him to break the lease at the present site. Richard Thomasser, manager of the flood control district, said Friday he hadnt heard that Ace & Vine might move. Its our hope the business and property owner can work with us, Thomasser said. Were open to any and all suggestionsWere happy to sit down and talk with them about the concerns. The flood wall is to extend about 1.2 miles along the western Napa River from near the Oxbow area to near the Elks Lodge on Soscol Avenue south of Trancas Street. Construction could begin as soon as September 2025, flood district officials said. When the wall reaches the Ace & Vine and veterinary clinic property, it is to go to the west, then cut back and run along Lincoln Avenue. Gaps in the wall would allow drivers on Lincoln Avenue to reach the casino and clinic parking places, with floodgates closing when floodwaters threaten. That means the casino and clinic properties could flood if the adjacent Napa River topped its banks in a particularly large storm. For example, in 1986, the card room building housed the River City Bar and Grill. Floods that February damaged the building, prompting the owner to close the restaurant for six months for remodeling. The area also flooded during the 2005-06 New Year's Eve flood. An employee at the veterinary clinic, then the Lincoln Avenue Pet Hospital, reported not being able to reach the building because it was surrounded by water, like a moat. Still, Thomasser said the properties would be no worse off with the flood walls and likely would be better off. The walls should protect them from flooding coming from upstream. The property owners would like the wall to go along the river between the casino and veterinary clinic for flood protection, Andrew Butler, senior engineer with the flood control district, told the district board of directors on Tuesday. But it's a close squeeze with the buildings. Butler said the undertaking would be too expensive. Thomasser said the planned flood wall in the Lincoln Avenue area could be 4 to 7 feet high. The concrete wall would be stamped with decorative features and there would be landscaping. It wont be ugly, Thomasser said. Napa County communities launched a flood control effort along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after passing a local, now-defunct flood control sales tax in 1998. Since then, more than a half-billion dollars' worth of projects have been completed in the county using a blend of local, federal and state money. Flood control changed downtown Napa, with floodplains and flood walls being constructed and Napa River bridges replaced to create more room for water. Trails were built along the river. The concept was to create a "living river" project, rather than a concrete-lined channel. The last major project was the $18.5 million flood control bypass that opened between the Oxbow and downtown Napa in 2015. It serves as the Oxbow Commons park during dry weather and carries floodwaters when the Napa River rages. In 2021, Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, announced the Army Corps would spend $48.3 million on remaining portions of the Napa flood control project. Combined with other funds, this launched a $94 million effort to add more flood protection and finish building out the 1998 vision. PHOTOS: Justin-Siena beats Sonoma Valley 15-5 in boys baseball Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 14 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 1 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 2 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 3 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 4 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 5 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 6 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 7 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 9 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 8 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 10 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 11 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 12 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 13 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 15 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 16 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 17 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 18 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 19 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 20 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 21 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 22 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 23 Justin-Siena baseball vs. Sonoma Valley 24 Amid concerns over its shrinking school budget, the Napa Valley Unified School District has spent at least $369,000 in litigation and legal fees in its battle against Mayacamas Charter Middle School, the Napa Valley Register has learned. The figure, provided by NVUSD attorneys in response to a public records request, does not include costs for the district's most recent litigation, filed March 6, against the Napa County Office of Education and Superintendent Barbara Nemko after the latter agency tentatively approved a countywide version of the charter earlier this month. Mary Hernandez, a founding partner of the Alameda-based firm representing the district, said public records laws allow bills regarding pending litigation to be exempt from disclosure as even top-line figures may indicate legal strategy. But whatever the cost, officials with the Napa public school system say the amount is a small price to pay if they are successful in shutting down the charter, which they say will cost the district millions if allowed to stay open. NVUSD spokesperson Julie Bordes said the issue is simple: the financial health of the district is directly related to the quality of the educational experience. "Only financially healthy school systems, like NVUSD, can hire and retain quality teachers and support staff and provide the programming and resources needed for student learning," she said. "Sometimes that means making difficult decisions, like initiating litigation to ensure laws are followed." In a FAQ released about 30 minutes after it provided the data to the Register, the district states it feels justified in the spending, particularly after all of the financial sacrifices it has had to make since 2018. We believe spending a total of $368,883 over almost three years (or approximately $124,000 per year) is well worth protecting $3.4 (million) of resources annually for our 16,000 students, the FAQ said. At NCOEs March board meeting, trustees approved the countywide charter for Mayacamas with numerous conditions, which include creating a detailed public safety and transportation plan, by a 5-2 vote. The controversial decision came on heels of multiple meetings where dozens upon dozens of people spoke both for and against the charter. Mayacamas founders Jolene Yee and Lauren Daley said in a statement to the Register on Friday that they believe NVUSD is "greatly understating" its legal fees. "It's simply not feasible with all the work they've done and the aggressiveness of their litigation strategy and the number of partners they have present at each hearing, that their fees are only $400K," the founders said in the statement. Hernandez, for her part, said the figures she provided are accurate, and the Mayacamas founders either don't have all the facts or have deeply misinterpreted them. "We are here because the Mayacamas interests cant take no for an answer," she said in an email. "They filed their petition, NVUSD said no. They couldnt take no for any answer and went to the County Board." "When the County Board said no, they couldnt accept no as an answer and appealed to the (State Board of Education). While the SBE decided in their favor, a court said they were wrong. They would not take no for an answer from a court of law, and they appealed." District paints somber fiscal future As Mayacamas supporters were celebrating their victory earlier this month, NVUSD assistant superintendent Rabinder (Rob) Mangewala gave a bleak financial report on the status of the school district's budget just days later during a March 7 board meeting. Mangewala said the approval of the charter school will have an enormously negative impact on the district." One of the main reasons for this is because NVUSD will be losing average daily attendance revenue to Mayacamas, and NVUSD needs to assume the school will reach its projected full enrollment of 300 middle schoolers. (Public school districts in California are funded primarily by this ADA figure roughly speaking, the more students a district has, the more money it gets from the state; the fewer students, the less it receives.) When youre planning for a budget, you have to prepare for the worst, Mangewala said at the meeting. Consequently, he said the district will look at modifying the next years budget because it is too late to make any cuts for the current school year. The district will consider eliminating currently vacant positions for the 2025-26 budget, as well as limiting spending on programs for this year and next years budget. What will happen in Napa will be a return of layoffs, Mangewala said. In addition to the loss of enrollment, NVUSD is also facing down the loss of different funding sources. Mangewala explained to the board that during the COVID-19 emergency, school districts in California were receiving fixed attendance-based revenue based on pre-pandemic enrollment levels, meaning districts like Napa's were receiving funding greater than what their student population would otherwise merit. Those numbers have shrunk by about 1,400 students from 2021 to 2024. The evolving legal battles Asked to respond to the amount of money NVUSD has spent on legal fees, Nemko, the head of the county education office, said that she believes continuing litigation isn't the solution. "I am disappointed with the approach taken by the leadership at Napa Valley Unified regarding the countywide charter petition, as I do not believe continued reliance on litigation is well founded or in the best interests of our community and our students," she said. NVUSD and Mayacamas Charter Middle School have been locked in various legal tussles since 2021. Below, according to the school district, is a breakdown of the legal costs. When Mayacamas first sought a charter with the Napa school district back in 2021, NVUSD spent $48,000 on reviewing the materials and a preparation of findings for the petition. The NVUSD board denied the charter petition in December 2021. Mayacamas petitioners then appealed that decision to NCOE and that board, at the time, sided with the district in March 2022, deciding not to grant the school a charter over insufficient planning. Petitioners appealed that decision once more to the California State Board of Education, which approved the district charter in September 2022. During this period, NVUSD spent $70,000 in legal representation. In response, NVUSD filed a lawsuit in Sacramento County Superior Court to overturn the state board's decision. The court ruled in NVUSD's favor in June 2023, and the district spent about $174,000 on that aspect of the case. Mayacamas, in turn, appealed that decision, which is currently pending in the California District Court of Appeal. NVUSD has spent some $77,000 in legal fees so far on the appeal. While awaiting a decision on that appeal, Mayacamas was allowed to open its doors as a district charter at St. John the Baptist Catholic School's old campus in downtown Napa. And earlier this month, the NCOE board approved a separate, countywide charter leading to the most recent litigation. NVUSD officials have declined to reveal those costs, saying the totals will be available after the issue has been resolved. But the legal work is decidedly continuing. Last week, the Napa court shut down a temporary restraining order request from NVUSD, which would have prevented the countywide charter from opening this fall. With that said, the other elements of the lawsuit remain active. NVUSD to hold town hall regarding charter To address questions about the implications of Mayacamas Countywide Charter Middle School, NVUSD will hold an in-person town hall at 6 p.m. on April 3 at 6 p.m., in its boardroom at 2425 Jefferson St. in Napa. Bordes, the NVUSD spokesperson, said the district acknowledges the complexity of the issue and will be answering questions about the matter. NVUSD remains committed to making student-centered, data-driven decisions, today and into the future, she said in a statement. The statement also notes that because the school district is in active litigation, there may be questions leaders are legally unable to answer. Napa Valley Register executive editor Dan Evans contributed to this report. Photos: Mayacamas School prepping for first day of school Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and H.E. Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of Bhutan, inaugurated the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital, a state-of-the-art hospital, built with the assistance of the Government of India in Thimphu. The Government of India has supported the development of the 150-bedded Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital in two phases. The phase one of the hospital was constructed at a cost of Rs. 22 crore and has been operational since 2019. The construction of the second phase was taken up in 2019, as part of the 12th Five Year Plan at a cost of Rs. 119 crore, and was completed now. The newly constructed Hospital would add value to the quality of mother and child health services in Bhutan. The new facility will house state-of-the-art facilities for Pediatrics, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Anesthesiology, Operation Theatre, Neonatal Intensive Care and Pediatric Intensive Care. ? The Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital stands as a shining example of the India-Bhutan partnership in health care. Internal legal grounds being created for Armenia to apply to ICC in connection with Azerbaijan's war crimes European Union responds to Azerbaijan statements on EU-US-Armenia trilateral meeting Russia MFA: Friends of Armenia Network report objective is to tear Armenia from Russia, EAEU Russian 102nd Military Base in Gyumri is only guarantee of Armenia's sovereignty, Russia MFA says Siranush Sahakyan: Hard to convince international organizations to pressure Azerbaijan on Armenian captives matter Lawyer: Ruben Vardanyan gave international resonance to Karabakh issue, earned Azerbaijans hatred Armenian woman is appointed state minister in new Palestine government Lawyer: Azerbaijan uses matter of Armenian captives, hostages for political purposes Ameriabank named the Best Bank in Armenia for 2024 by Global Finance magazine International law expert: Azerbaijan should at least promise autonomy so that Armenians can return to Karabakh Ombudsman: There are 20 Armenians left in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia ex-ombudsman: Azerbaijan pursued goal of de-Armenianizing Karabakh from very beginning Russia TV programs Evening with Vladimir Solovyov and Sunday Evening with Vladimir Solovyov blocked in Armenia US State Department to Zakharova: Turbulence in South Caucasus is fueled by Russia's actions in recent months Russia FM: Putin was surprised by Armenia PM Pashinyan's decision to recognize Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan Lavrov: PM Pashinyan invited EU mission to Armenia, promising Azerbaijan that it will be for 2 months Legislature head: Armenia will attend for first time the gathering of EU countries parliament speakers Armenia parliament speaker: We are trying to defend our country by all possible means Iraqi security services eliminated a high-ranking IS member Armenia parliament speaker: Our ally Russia left us all alone at most critical moment Lebanon to file a complaint to UN Security Council over Israeli strikes on south of country Armenia legislature head: We are not going to concede anything that is ours Clinton and Obama to participate in Biden's campaign fundraiser Armenia legislature speaker to meet with Azerbaijan counterpart again Media: Powerful explosion hits Somalia's capital city France detains 2 suspects for sending bomb threats to lycees Military aircraft crashed into the sea near Sevastopol White House: US passed detailed data on terrorist attack threat to Russian Federation Lavrov: EU mission in Armenia is turning into a NATO mission Mash: A mass round-up of migrants began in Moscow and the region Members of the European Council's Political and Security Committee to visit Armenia EU envoy: We already have attracted 60M to develop Armenias educational sector Armenia ruling force MP: We are EAEU member, in parallel we work towards integration with EU, other markets Dollar, euro lose value in Armenia Mahmoud Abbas approved the new government of Palestine Labor, social affairs minister: Increase in number of 3rd and subsequent children recorded in Armenia MP: Euronest urged EU to develop specific proposals on how to respond to Armenia's European aspirations Armenia government humanitarian aid reaches Gaza (PHOTOS) Armenia government makes allocations to hold events for Parajanov, Aznavour 100th birth anniversaries Armenia to provide $300,000 to Japan for earthquake relief Armenia MP: Euronest called on EU to increase humanitarian, financial aid for forcibly displaced Karabakh children Yerevan ex-mayor Hayk Marutyan is founding political party Azerbaijan ombudsperson meets with dozens of Armenians remaining in occupied Karabakh capital Stepanakert Russia MFA spox: Armenia is being turned into tool for implementing dangerous plans of the West Europeans for Artsakh discusses upcoming actions toward protecting Karabakhs interests Armenia to provide humanitarian aid to 1.5 million people displaced from Gaza Pashinyan: Some circles forcibly displaced from Karabakh are taking steps that create threat to Armenias security Secretary General: Armenia, indeed, has not recently participated in CSTO Secretariats work State Department disagrees with Azerbaijan comments on upcoming US-EU-Armenia meeting President: Document to dissolve Karabakh republic was only way to save compatriots Newspaper: Generals are gone, Armenia PM has decided to hand over some Tavush Province settlements to Azerbaijan Volvo launches its last diesel car US First Lady writes childrens book about her cat Almost 1 child in 6 is cyberbullied in Europe Foreign Ministry: Upcoming Armenia-US-EU high-level meeting not directed to any third party Zakharova on Azerbaijan weapons supply to Ukraine: Main thing is that something similar doesnt appear about Armenia Russia MFA spox: Future of entire South Caucasus is only tool for France Zakharova: Everything that will benefit the people of Armenia can only be welcomed Russia MFA spox: We do not use the term Zangezur corridor Wings of Tatev opens a new tourist season Parliament speaker: Armenia not waiting to become EU membership candidate Alen Simonyan: Russia needed twice as much as we needed Russian border guards presence in Armenia Armenia legislature chair: I don't think Russian border guards will protect us if Turkey attacks Armenia does not join CSTO statement condemning terrorist attack in Moscow Region Armenia parliament head: What we want at this time is to get the border with Azerbaijan No discussion at this phase regarding Armenia's EU membership, legislature speaker says Armenia parliament chair does not rule out that Azerbaijanis will attack Armenia has calculated the risks if Tavush Province defense line collapses, legislature head assures Parliament speaker: No part of Armenia territory is subject to negotiation Armenia PM, France delegation discuss processes taking place in South Caucasus Moscow Region terrorist attack death toll rises France lawmakers visit Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan France ambassador, French MPs visit Armenias Sotk gold mine Lemkin Institute expresses concern that Azerbaijan regime may get revenge upon Armenian captives AraratBank places its 27th issue of dollar bonds 2.5-year-old girl in critical condition after falling into boiling water container in Armenias Byureghavan Friends of Armenia Network report: Offering Armenia EU candidate status would be important signal US State Department reveals objectives of upcoming Blinken-Pashinyan talk Newspaper: Azerbaijan leader reprimands Armenia PM Nikolay Konashenok, who tried to fly to Armenia, is taken into custody for 14 days for petty hooliganism Internal legal grounds being created for Armenia to apply to ICC in connection with Azerbaijan's war crimes European Union responds to Azerbaijan statements on EU-US-Armenia trilateral meeting Russia MFA: Friends of Armenia Network report objective is to tear Armenia from Russia, EAEU Russian 102nd Military Base in Gyumri is only guarantee of Armenia's sovereignty, Russia MFA says Siranush Sahakyan: Hard to convince international organizations to pressure Azerbaijan on Armenian captives matter Lawyer: Ruben Vardanyan gave international resonance to Karabakh issue, earned Azerbaijans hatred Armenian woman is appointed state minister in new Palestine government Lawyer: Azerbaijan uses matter of Armenian captives, hostages for political purposes Ameriabank named the Best Bank in Armenia for 2024 by Global Finance magazine International law expert: Azerbaijan should at least promise autonomy so that Armenians can return to Karabakh Ombudsman: There are 20 Armenians left in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia ex-ombudsman: Azerbaijan pursued goal of de-Armenianizing Karabakh from very beginning Russia TV programs Evening with Vladimir Solovyov and Sunday Evening with Vladimir Solovyov blocked in Armenia US State Department to Zakharova: Turbulence in South Caucasus is fueled by Russia's actions in recent months Russia FM: Putin was surprised by Armenia PM Pashinyan's decision to recognize Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan Lavrov: PM Pashinyan invited EU mission to Armenia, promising Azerbaijan that it will be for 2 months Legislature head: Armenia will attend for first time the gathering of EU countries parliament speakers Armenia parliament speaker: We are trying to defend our country by all possible means Iraqi security services eliminated a high-ranking IS member Armenia parliament speaker: Our ally Russia left us all alone at most critical moment Lebanon to file a complaint to UN Security Council over Israeli strikes on south of country Armenia legislature head: We are not going to concede anything that is ours Clinton and Obama to participate in Biden's campaign fundraiser Armenia legislature speaker to meet with Azerbaijan counterpart again Media: Powerful explosion hits Somalia's capital city France detains 2 suspects for sending bomb threats to lycees Military aircraft crashed into the sea near Sevastopol White House: US passed detailed data on terrorist attack threat to Russian Federation Lavrov: EU mission in Armenia is turning into a NATO mission Mash: A mass round-up of migrants began in Moscow and the region Members of the European Council's Political and Security Committee to visit Armenia EU envoy: We already have attracted 60M to develop Armenias educational sector Armenia ruling force MP: We are EAEU member, in parallel we work towards integration with EU, other markets Dollar, euro lose value in Armenia Mahmoud Abbas approved the new government of Palestine Labor, social affairs minister: Increase in number of 3rd and subsequent children recorded in Armenia MP: Euronest urged EU to develop specific proposals on how to respond to Armenia's European aspirations Armenia government humanitarian aid reaches Gaza (PHOTOS) Armenia government makes allocations to hold events for Parajanov, Aznavour 100th birth anniversaries Armenia to provide $300,000 to Japan for earthquake relief Armenia MP: Euronest called on EU to increase humanitarian, financial aid for forcibly displaced Karabakh children Yerevan ex-mayor Hayk Marutyan is founding political party Azerbaijan ombudsperson meets with dozens of Armenians remaining in occupied Karabakh capital Stepanakert Russia MFA spox: Armenia is being turned into tool for implementing dangerous plans of the West Europeans for Artsakh discusses upcoming actions toward protecting Karabakhs interests Armenia to provide humanitarian aid to 1.5 million people displaced from Gaza Pashinyan: Some circles forcibly displaced from Karabakh are taking steps that create threat to Armenias security Secretary General: Armenia, indeed, has not recently participated in CSTO Secretariats work State Department disagrees with Azerbaijan comments on upcoming US-EU-Armenia meeting President: Document to dissolve Karabakh republic was only way to save compatriots Newspaper: Generals are gone, Armenia PM has decided to hand over some Tavush Province settlements to Azerbaijan Volvo launches its last diesel car US First Lady writes childrens book about her cat Almost 1 child in 6 is cyberbullied in Europe Foreign Ministry: Upcoming Armenia-US-EU high-level meeting not directed to any third party Zakharova on Azerbaijan weapons supply to Ukraine: Main thing is that something similar doesnt appear about Armenia Russia MFA spox: Future of entire South Caucasus is only tool for France Zakharova: Everything that will benefit the people of Armenia can only be welcomed Russia MFA spox: We do not use the term Zangezur corridor Wings of Tatev opens a new tourist season Parliament speaker: Armenia not waiting to become EU membership candidate Alen Simonyan: Russia needed twice as much as we needed Russian border guards presence in Armenia Armenia legislature chair: I don't think Russian border guards will protect us if Turkey attacks Armenia does not join CSTO statement condemning terrorist attack in Moscow Region Armenia parliament head: What we want at this time is to get the border with Azerbaijan No discussion at this phase regarding Armenia's EU membership, legislature speaker says Armenia parliament chair does not rule out that Azerbaijanis will attack Armenia has calculated the risks if Tavush Province defense line collapses, legislature head assures Parliament speaker: No part of Armenia territory is subject to negotiation Armenia PM, France delegation discuss processes taking place in South Caucasus Moscow Region terrorist attack death toll rises France lawmakers visit Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan France ambassador, French MPs visit Armenias Sotk gold mine Lemkin Institute expresses concern that Azerbaijan regime may get revenge upon Armenian captives AraratBank places its 27th issue of dollar bonds 2.5-year-old girl in critical condition after falling into boiling water container in Armenias Byureghavan Friends of Armenia Network report: Offering Armenia EU candidate status would be important signal US State Department reveals objectives of upcoming Blinken-Pashinyan talk Newspaper: Azerbaijan leader reprimands Armenia PM Nikolay Konashenok, who tried to fly to Armenia, is taken into custody for 14 days for petty hooliganism Ancient boats built with advanced construction techniques discovered in Italy lake Iran's supreme leader receives Hamas politburo chief in Tehran Olivier Decottignies The right of return of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians is being violated today FSB: Primary data received from detainees in Crocus terrorist attack case confirm Ukrainian trace Tigran Balayan to Toivo Klaar: Azerbaijan is gearing up for new aggression against Armenia Iran's ambassador to Russia: Next meeting of 3+3 platform may take place as early as this year Armenia nuclear plant, Rosatom Service directors sign contract on new cooling systems for plant Armenia President: We have warm relations with Greece, this is also related to our history, principles, beliefs Kirill Komarov: Rosatom can offer Armenia nuclear reactors with capacity of 50 to 1,000 MW Armenia PM is presented Military industry Committee 2023 activity report US, UK, Ukraine are involved in Moscow Region terrorist attack, Russia official says State Department: US supports South Caucasus countries sovereignty, territorial integrity Dollar drops, euro rises in Armenia NATO discussing possibility of shooting down missiles near alliance borders Justice minister on returning Azerbaijani who crossed Armenia border: Political decision enabling correct positioning Switzerland launches 10-year project of CHF 9 million in Armenia Britain's Supreme Court rules over Assange's extradition to US Anne-Laurence Petel: We reaffirmed France's support for Armenian democracy Premier: Armenia has been ready to implement liberalization of visa regime with EU for long time Nikol Pashinyan: Highways, railways, pipelines, cables must enter Turkey from Azerbaijan via Armenia A number of countries and organizations made statements at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk near Moscow. In particular, Bolivian President Luis Arce expressed condolences in connection with the terrorist attack and called on the entire international community to condemn it. The German Foreign Ministry expressed condolences and called for a quick investigation into what had happened. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry stated that there is no justification for what happened in the concert hall. Luxembourg Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel said in X, "The killing of civilians is a criminal act wherever it takes place. "My thoughts are with the families of the victims of the horrific attack near Moscow," he wrote. The United States administration has called the terrorist attack in Moscow a horrific attack. "We are trying to get more information. We would like to redirect you to the Russian authorities to tell you about it. These images are just horrific. They're hard to look at, and our thoughts are certainly with the victims of this horrific shooting attack," John Kirby, Strategic Communications Coordinator for the White House National Security Council, said at a regular briefing for reporters. The UN is saddened by reports about the shooting in Moscow's Crocus City Hall and is trying to obtain additional information. This was stated by Farhan Haq, deputy representative of the secretary general of the world organization. The Foreign Ministry said Azerbaijan strongly condemns the heinous attack on the Crocus City Hall concert complex in Moscow and expressed deep condolences to the families of the innocent victims. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that Kazakhstan condemns the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall and expresses condolences to the victims and families of those killed in the tragedy. The Turkish Foreign Minister called Sergey Lavrov and, on behalf of the Turkish President, conveyed condolences to the people of Russia in connection with the tragedy at Crocus City Hall and expressed unequivocal condemnation of the bloody terrorist attack. EU foreign policy spokesman Peter Stano wrote in X that the EU was shocked and appalled by reports of the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall. "The EU condemns any attack on civilians. Our thoughts are with all affected Russian citizens," he wrote. The UAE Foreign Ministry condemned the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall and expressed condolences to the families of the victims. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic expressed condolences to the leadership and people of Russia in connection with the terrorist attack in the Moscow Region. He also said that the calls of the US and British embassies not to visit the shopping center in Moscow were evidence that their intelligence services had information about possible terrorist attacks. The French Foreign Ministry said: 'The images that reach us from Moscow are horrific. Our thoughts go out to the victims and the wounded and to the Russian people. All the circumstances of these disgusting actions must be clarified." Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian on his page on the social network X condemned the terrorist attack in Moscow and said that an effective fight against terrorism requires serious steps from the world community. Armenian Foreign Ministry also made a statement in regard to the terrorist attack. "Shocked by the horrifying news of the inhuman terrorist attack in Moscow. We deeply mourn the loss of innocent people and wish a speedy recovery to all the injured and victims," the Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. On 22 March, the media reported about a shooting at the Crocus City Hall, where a concert of the band "Picnic" was to be held. According to RIA Novosti, at least three people in camouflage opened fire. It is also known that there was an explosion in the building, and a fire started. As a result of the terrorist attack in the "Crocus City Hall," tentatively, 40 people were killed, and more than 100 were injured. The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case under the article "Terrorist Act." Four Seasons raises luxury in the Caribbean, Mediterranean with launch of its first yacht Astronomers accidentally discover 49 new galaxies in just 3 hours Winston Churchill had painted painting in honor of his favorite whiskey, Johnnie Walker Italys Florence fights to protect dignity of Michelangelo's David Internal legal grounds being created for Armenia to apply to ICC in connection with Azerbaijan's war crimes European Union responds to Azerbaijan statements on EU-US-Armenia trilateral meeting There may be life on Venus, claims new research Russia MFA: Friends of Armenia Network report objective is to tear Armenia from Russia, EAEU Yerevan to host 2027 World Weightlifting Championships Russian 102nd Military Base in Gyumri is only guarantee of Armenia's sovereignty, Russia MFA says Siranush Sahakyan: Hard to convince international organizations to pressure Azerbaijan on Armenian captives matter Siamese twins Abby, Brittany Hensel from TLC reality show get married Lawyer: Ruben Vardanyan gave international resonance to Karabakh issue, earned Azerbaijans hatred Artificial intelligence will fail easy tasks Bill Gates Armenian woman is appointed state minister in new Palestine government Lawyer: Azerbaijan uses matter of Armenian captives, hostages for political purposes Ameriabank named the Best Bank in Armenia for 2024 by Global Finance magazine Irina Shayk shows up in killer image to Swarovski campaign International law expert: Azerbaijan should at least promise autonomy so that Armenians can return to Karabakh Ombudsman: There are 20 Armenians left in Nagorno-Karabakh AJCN: Sugar in bread, rice, pasta can cause insomnia in women, study finds There will be a total solar eclipse on April 8: How long will it last? Robert Downey Jr. plays 4 characters in new HBO series Armenia ex-ombudsman: Azerbaijan pursued goal of de-Armenianizing Karabakh from very beginning Tom Cruise breaks up with Russian socialite because of her ex-oligarch husband Russia TV programs Evening with Vladimir Solovyov and Sunday Evening with Vladimir Solovyov blocked in Armenia US State Department to Zakharova: Turbulence in South Caucasus is fueled by Russia's actions in recent months Demi Moore proves again that age is just a number Former head of bankrupt FTX crypto exchange has been sentenced to 25 years in prison, with confiscation of $11 billion Miami Open: Pairing of women's final decided Beyonce eats spaghetti with hands on her private jet, makes fun of memes about her cowboy look Miami Open: Carlos Alcaraz out unexpectedly Apple will present new iPad Pro and iPad Air tablets in early May: What changes will they have? Selling Sunset TV series star chooses strange, revealing outfit for playing golf Mayo Clinic: Taking aspirin for asthma can cause coughing, wheezing Russia FM: Putin was surprised by Armenia PM Pashinyan's decision to recognize Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan Lavrov: PM Pashinyan invited EU mission to Armenia, promising Azerbaijan that it will be for 2 months Legislature head: Armenia will attend for first time the gathering of EU countries parliament speakers Armenia parliament speaker: We are trying to defend our country by all possible means Iraqi security services eliminated a high-ranking IS member Armenia parliament speaker: Our ally Russia left us all alone at most critical moment Lebanon to file a complaint to UN Security Council over Israeli strikes on south of country Armenia legislature head: We are not going to concede anything that is ours The Lancet: homeless people are more likely to develop dementia at a young age Planet not far from Earth could potentially be habitable ocean-planet Clinton and Obama to participate in Biden's campaign fundraiser Armenia legislature speaker to meet with Azerbaijan counterpart again Rebel Wilson hopes to spread 'positive message' by revealing she lost her virginity at 35 Media: Powerful explosion hits Somalia's capital city France detains 2 suspects for sending bomb threats to lycees What is the best camera smartphone in 2024? CIES: World's most expensive footballers named Military aircraft crashed into the sea near Sevastopol SciAdv: taking medication for ADHD may weaken the heart White House: US passed detailed data on terrorist attack threat to Russian Federation Lavrov: EU mission in Armenia is turning into a NATO mission Wine Story: How to choose right wine for Easter? 5 most beautiful living buildings in the world: One of them is located in Armenia (photo) Mash: A mass round-up of migrants began in Moscow and the region Members of the European Council's Political and Security Committee to visit Armenia "Napoli" is ready to increase Kvaratskhelias salary by 3 times EU envoy: We already have attracted 60M to develop Armenias educational sector Armenia ruling force MP: We are EAEU member, in parallel we work towards integration with EU, other markets Food Bioscience: dark chocolate supports growth of beneficial gut bacteria Dollar, euro lose value in Armenia Mahmoud Abbas approved the new government of Palestine Labor, social affairs minister: Increase in number of 3rd and subsequent children recorded in Armenia FFA and the UN Refugee Agency announce the launch of the refugee team MP: Euronest urged EU to develop specific proposals on how to respond to Armenia's European aspirations Armenia government humanitarian aid reaches Gaza (PHOTOS) Powerful sun flare triggers rare phenomenon that was last seen in 1942 Abu Dhabi plans to create paradise for gamers: World's first eSports island Latest Navitimer watch celebrates Breitling's historic connection to aviation, space Nature Neurology: Chemicals in baby wipes can damage brain structures, study shows Armenia government makes allocations to hold events for Parajanov, Aznavour 100th birth anniversaries Hackers find new method to flood iPhones with notifications that they use for phishing attacks: What to do? Armenia to provide $300,000 to Japan for earthquake relief Armenia MP: Euronest called on EU to increase humanitarian, financial aid for forcibly displaced Karabakh children Yerevan ex-mayor Hayk Marutyan is founding political party Martin Scorsese to host, produce 'Saints' for Fox Nation Azerbaijan ombudsperson meets with dozens of Armenians remaining in occupied Karabakh capital Stepanakert Southgate does not guarantee Rashford's participation in Euro 2024 Karl Lagerfeld's futuristic Paris apartment sells for $10.8M Qatar Airways has introduced first virtual flight attendant operating in AI Russia MFA spox: Armenia is being turned into tool for implementing dangerous plans of the West Odell Beckham Jr. breaks up with Kim Kardashian because of her desire to start family with him Europeans for Artsakh discusses upcoming actions toward protecting Karabakhs interests Armenia to provide humanitarian aid to 1.5 million people displaced from Gaza Julia Roberts to star in thriller directed by Luca Guadagnino Mourinho wants to take helm at a national squad Pashinyan: Some circles forcibly displaced from Karabakh are taking steps that create threat to Armenias security Michael Jackson's 3 kids hit red carpet in honor of late father Budget iPhone SE 4 to receive 6.1-inch OLED screen from Chinese manufacturer Secretary General: Armenia, indeed, has not recently participated in CSTO Secretariats work State Department disagrees with Azerbaijan comments on upcoming US-EU-Armenia meeting Griezmann recovers from injury, ready for game against Villarreal Kim Kardashian is sued over furniture President: Document to dissolve Karabakh republic was only way to save compatriots Real to extend contracts of Nacho, Vazquez Student, 21, dies of bird flu in Vietnam 'Foreign media published biased reports on Article 23' Horace Cheung said he's told the international community about the principles and need for article 23 legislation. Photo: RTHK Deputy justice minister Horace Cheung said on Friday that hes met with managerial staff of foreign media organisations on the sidelines of United Nations meetings, telling them that some overseas reports on security laws in Hong Kong were very biased and inaccurate. Cheung was in Geneva to attend the UNs human rights council meeting, during which he spoke about the enactment of Article 23 of the Basic Law. Speaking to reporters after returning to Hong Kong, the deputy justice chief said some foreign media reports were problematic. "For example, the media reports listed out the maximum penalties of national security crimes in Hong Kong, and the reports were repetitive," he said at the airport. "The message they tried to bring out is that Hong Kong's laws are harsh, and that offenders could be subject to life imprisonment. This is very one-sided and inaccurate." He said the maximum penalties for security crimes in Hong Kong are similar, if not more lenient, than other jurisdictions like the UK, Australia and Canada. He added that people do not automatically get the maximum penalty if they breach the relevant laws. Cheung described the UN meeting as a suitable and timely occasion for the SAR government to set the record straight on an international platform, by refuting remarks made by some countries. He said it is important for the international community to understand the legislation's background and principles, and the reasons for its enactment. Actor Kareena Kapoor Khan, who is also known for her glamorous lifestyle, is currently on yet another family trip, this time to Africa. Kareena shared a sneak peek of the stunning vacation, revealing the serene beauty they're enjoying. Bebo on Friday, took to her official Instagram to give fans a glimpse of her family trip to The Serengeti National Park. The 'Jab We Met' actor shared a stunning picture of the park's mesmerizing landscape, illuminated by the sun's warm glow. She captioned the picture, "The Serengeti Sun." The Serengeti National Park covers northern Tanzania, including the eastern Mara Region and northeastern Simiyu Region. The name Serengeti comes from the Maasai word siringet, meaning "the place where the land stretches endlessly." Meanwhile, on the work front, Kareena will be next seen in 'Crew' alongside Kriti Sanon, Tabu, and Diljit Dosanjh. Recently, makers unveiled the trailer of 'Crew,' and it has already started trending on social media. In the film, Tabu, Kareena, and Kriti are essaying the roles of "bad**" air hostesses. From stealing peanut boxes meant for flights to planning to earn a lot of money and raising the glam quotient, the trio has been doing everything to grab eyeballs. The film is made under Balaji Telefilms and Anil Kapoor Film & Communications Network banners. The film will be hitting the theatres on March 29, 2024. Earlier it was slated to release on March 22 but the makers have decided to push the film's release. 'Crew' is a story of three women and is touted as a laugh-riot, set against the backdrop of the struggling airline industry. However, their destinies lead to some unwarranted situations and they get caught in a web of lies. Kareena also has Rohit Shetty's 'Singham Again,' which also stars Ajay Devgn, Deepika Padukone, Akshay Kumar, Ranveer Singh, and Tiger Shroff in pivotal roles. (ANI) Nigam Bhandari, State President of Himachal Youth Congress on Friday said that he is ready to contest from the Mandi Lok Sabha seat if his party provides him with an opportunity. "Whatever decision the party will take, we shall follow it. I would like to thank Thakur Kaul Singh ji for advocating a youth's candidature for Parliament elections from the Mandi seat. I have also applied. I am ready to contest if party leadership directs for the same. We shall also advocate for youth representation in the by-elections also," Nigam Bhandari told ANI. Bhandari alleged that the Centre is trying to murder democracy by suppressing political opponents ahead of elections. "The Supreme Court has earlier exposed the BJP on the issue of electoral bonds. The real face of the BJP is now in front of the people of the country. They have now arrested the Chief Minister of Delhi just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. This is completely the death of democracy," Bhandari said. On the freezing of the bank accounts of Congress by the Income Tax Department, Bhandari said, "Congress party had collected donations for the election and the BJP and government realized that that would help the opposition parties fight elections but now the BJP government has frozen the accounts of the opposition parties." The elections to the four Lok Sabha seats of Himachal Pradesh and bypolls to the six assembly constituencies that fell vacant with the disqualification of six rebel Congress MLAs will be held on June 1. (ANI) The Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed new District Magistrates in four districts of West Bengal. This decision comes after the ECI ordered the removal of the DMs of East Midnapore, East Burdwan, Jhargram, and Birbhum districts The new appointees are Joyoshi Das Gupta for Purba Medinipur, Moumita Godara Basu for Jhargram, K Radhika Ayer for Purba Bardhaman, and Shashank Sethi for Birbhum. The officials who were removed, including Bidhan Chandra Roy, Tanvir Afzal, Purnendu Kumar Majhi, and Sunil Agarwala, were all from the West Bengal Civil Service cadre. Earlier, the Election Commission of India (ECI) had issued orders for the removal of West Bengal's Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Iqbal Chahal, along with some other senior officials from various states. The ECI had also ordered the removal of certain key officials of six states in what it termed a decisive move towards upholding the principles of free, fair and transparent elections. Home Secretaries in six states-namely Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand had been asked to step down. Additionally, the secretaries of the General Administrative Department in Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh had been removed. The DGP had been in the spotlight after the BJP and other opposition parties had criticised the Bengal police for alleged inaction in giving justice to the victims of Sandeshkhali. The Sandeshkhali area had been witnessing unrest after women protestors had sought justice against alleged atrocities committed by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides. Meanwhile, the Election Commission had also directed all state governments to transfer officers connected with election-related work, who had completed three years or were in their home districts. Maharashtra had not complied with the directions in respect of few Municipal Commissioners and some Additional / Deputy Municipal Commissioners. While conveying displeasure to the Chief Secretary, the Commission had directed the transfer of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner and the additional / Deputy commissioners with the direction to report by 6pm that day. The Chief Secretary had been further directed to transfer all the similarly placed Municipal commissioners and Additional / Deputy Municipal Commissioners of other Corporations in Maharashtra. This step had come as part of the Commission's resolve and commitment to maintaining a level playing field and ensuring the integrity of the electoral process, which had been emphasised by CEC Rajiv Kumar time and again and recently during the press conference for the announcement of Schedule for General Elections 2024. The Commission meeting, chaired by Rajiv Kumar, comprising of Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, had been held that day at noon. The officials who had been removed in these seven states were found to be holding dual charges in the office of Chief Minister in respective states, which may potentially have compromised or been seen to be compromising the impartiality and neutrality required during the electoral process, especially in matters relating to law and order, deployment of forces, etc. Through these measures, the Commission had said it had ensured that all stakeholders upheld the highest standards of integrity and impartiality, thereby safeguarding the level playing field in the entire electoral process. (ANI) Flash At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Dinesh Gunawardena will pay an official visit to China from March 25 to 30, foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian announced on Friday. During the visit, President Xi Jinping will meet with Gunawardena. Premier Li will hold talks with Gunawardena, and Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, will meet with him, Lin said. The leaders will have an in-depth exchange of views on continuing China-Sri Lanka traditional friendship, deepening political mutual trust, expanding practical cooperation, as well as international and regional issues of common interest, the spokesperson said. China and Sri Lanka are neighboring countries that share traditional friendship. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1957, the two countries have always helped each other, setting a good example of equal treatment and friendly coexistence between countries, Lin said. In recent years, China and Sri Lanka have witnessed frequent high-level exchanges, enhanced political mutual trust, increasingly close exchanges and cooperation in economy, trade, culture and other fields, and sound communication and coordination on international and regional affairs, Lin noted. Last October, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe attended the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, where President Xi had an in-depth exchange of views with him, and they reached important consensus on developing China-Sri Lanka relations, Lin said. Noting that China attaches great importance to the development of bilateral relations, Lin said China stands ready to work with Sri Lanka to jointly promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and push for new progress in developing China-Sri Lanka strategic cooperative partnership featuring sincere mutual assistance and lasting friendship. Hyderabad Police arrested two armed robbers who allegedly tried to rob a house and harm its inhabitants, police said. As per the police, the incident happened on March 21. The accused, Sushil Kumar and Premchandra, both from Uttar Pradesh, had meticulously planned the robbery, even conducting a reconnaissance of the house they intended to target. "On March 21 at about 1:00 pm, two accused persons by name Sushil Kumar & Premchandra, who hail from Kanpur of Uttar Pradesh, made a vain bid to rob a family in the Begumpet P.S. limits," as per the Hyderabad City Police Press Release. According to the police, the duo hatched a plan to rob the house, made a recce prior to the attempt and selected the house. As part of the hatched plan, Sushil called Amita Mahnot (who is the house owner) and informed her that they had brought a courier in the name of NK Jain. As such, her servant went down to receive the courier. The duo, who covered their faces one by one (Susil) wearing a helmet and another Prem Chandra wearing a face mask & cap, entered the house forcefully with the intention of robbing the house. "Later, Premchandra, the accused, proceeded directly to the kitchen where he threatened the maid by holding a knife to her throat. This led to a confrontation involving a minor girl (Amita's daughter) and Sushil. Amita intervened to thwart the robbery. In the ensuing struggle, Sushil brandished a homemade pistol from his bag, attempting to threaten both mother and daughter. Amita, skilled in martial arts, kicked Sushil and disarmed him. Sustaining injuries, Sushil fled from the house. Meanwhile, unaware of the commotion outside, a second individual inside the house was apprehended by onlookers who heard the disturbance," the release stated. As such, surrounding people who heard the hue and cry from the house, managed to catch hold of the second person who was inside the house, police said. The police seized ropes, one tapancha weapon, one rubber bullet shell, two Knifes and one gift paper box, police added. The accused, Sushil Kumar and Premchandra, both residents of Uttar Pradesh, now residing at M S Maqtha, were produced before the Honourable XI ACMM Court, Secunderabad for judicial remand, police said. A case has been registered under various provisions of the IPC and the Arms Act. (ANI) A day after a Delhi court sent Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to the custody of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), senior AAP leader and minister Atishi on Saturday said the ruling party in the national capital will hold an 'explosive' press conference on the money trail in the excise policy case. Taking to her official X handle, Atishi posted, "Explosive PC at 10 am today on the money trail from the Delhi Excise Policy. Watch this space." Chief Minister Kejriwal was on Friday remanded to ED custody for seven days--till March 28, a day after he was arrested by the central probe agency in connection with alleged money laundering in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. Special CBI judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court passed the order after Kejriwal was produced on Friday following his arrest after questioning on Thursday night. Senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Vikram Chaudhari, and Ramesh Gupta, along with counsels Rajat Bharadwaj, Mudit Jain and Mohd Irshad appeared for the Delhi CM. ASG SV Raju and Special Counsel Zoheb Hossain appeared for the probe agency. The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi excise policy case 2022, which was later scrapped. Speaking to reporters after the court remanded the AAP supremo to ED custody, Atishi said her the party would explore all legal routes going forward. "We, very respectfully and humbly disagree with the decision of the court. The ED has no proof even after 2 years of investigation... ED forced their witnesses to give statements against Arvind Kejriwal... We will explore all possible legal routes. One by one, Opposition parties are being targeted and their leaders dragged to courts. Arvind Kejriwal will remain the CM of Delhi. There is no constitutional bar on him on being the CM. He has not been convicted as yet," she said. Meanwhile, even as the arrest of a sitting chief minister put the BJP-led Centre in the line of Opposition fire, the AAP said it will 'gherao' Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence on March 26 to register its protest against Kejriwal's arrest, the senior party's leader Gopal Rai said on Friday. The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi excise policy case 2022, which was later scrapped. Two senior AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are already in judicial custody in connection with the excise policy case. Sisodia, who was the deputy chief minister when the liquor policy was formulated, was arrested by the CBI on February 26 following several rounds of questioning. On October 5, the ED arrested Sanjay Singh, a Rajya Sabha member. Kejriwal's arrest came days after the ED arrested Bharat Rashta Samithi (BRS) leader and daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, K Kavitha, in connection with its investigation into money laundering charges linked to the now-scrapped excise policy. Kavitha was later remanded in ED custody till March 23. (ANI) The Goa Congress on Friday strongly condemned the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the alleged excise policy scam and said that this is the "murder of democracy." Goa Leader of Opposition and Congress legislator Yuri Alemao questioned the timing of arrest of Delhi CM and said that Bharatiya Janata Party and its allied partners NDA, ED, CBI and IT, are all working together to "silence" the voice of opposition "The timing of the arrest is questionable and it shows that the dictatorial attitude of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allied partners, the NDA, ED, CBI and IT, are all working together to basically silence the voice of opposition. BJP is rattled by the way INDIA alliance is shaping up in the country. We condemn this and as alliance partners, we stand in solidarity with Arvind Kerjiwal," Alemao said. He further said that the people of the country are watching it and they will give a befitting reply in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Congress MLA Carlos Alvares Ferreira termed the Delhi CM's arrest a "black day and an assault on India's democracy.". "I think this is the murder of democracy. What we see unfolding here is unfortunate. It is important to note that, if you look at the timing, elections are at the doorstep and the election schedule is being announced. The electoral bond matching was out in the public domain and would have been in the headlines today but the BJP had an art to confuse and distract and this is the technique they use. Now that the SBI has released, they (BJP) want to hide that and make headlines about the arrest of Delhi CM. I condemn this strongly and I think INDIA alliance parterns will show there place in the upcoming lok sabha elections," he added. Goa Congress president Amit Patkar also condemned the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and said that the BJP can't stop the INDIA bloc with their tactics. "You see the chronology of the events that have been happening for almost 1 month. First, they arrested Jharkhand CM, and now they have arrested Delhi CM. This proves that the BJP is losing the Lok Sabha elections, which is why they are taking these kinds of actions. We condemn the arrest of the Delhi Chief Minister and this is purely a political vendetta. If you see the timing, I think it is not a good sign for a healthy democracy," he said. Arvind Kejriwal was on Friday remanded to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate for seven days, i.e., till March 28, a day after he was arrested by the probe agency in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case linked to a money laundering case. Special CBI judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court passed the order after Kejriwal was produced on Friday following his arrest on Thursday night by the central probe agency. Senior Advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Vikram Chaudhari, and Ramesh Gupta along with Advocates Rajat Bharadwaj, Mudit Jain and Mohd Irshad, appeared for the Delhi CM Kejriwal. ASG SV Raju and Special Counsel Zoheb Hossain appeared for the probe agency. The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi excise policy case 2022, which was later scrapped. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was on Friday remanded to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate for seven days i.e., till March 28, a day after he was arrested by the probe agency in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case linked to a money laundering case. In its arguments before the court, the ED alleged that the CM of Delhi is the key conspirator and kingpin in demanding kickbacks from businessmen. The agency further claimed that Kejriwal was directly involved in the formation of the Excise policy.The ED counsel claimed that Vijay Nair, who was the media in charge of AAP, was working for Delhi CM Kejriwal. Nair, who the agency said lives adjacent to the residence of Kejriwal, acted as a middleman between the AAP and the South group.The ED counsel further claimed that the proceeds of crime are not only Rs 100 crore but profits made by bribe givers were also proceeds of crime. The counsel said that the agency had traced Hawala trails of Rs 45 crore that the agency says was used in the Goa Election. The arrest by the central agency has drawn severe criticism for the BJP-led centre from the opposition leaders. The AAP will "gherao" the prime minister's residence on March 26 to register its protest against Kejriwal's arrest by the ED, the party's leader Gopal Rai said on Friday. The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi excise policy case 2022, which was later scrapped. Two senior AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are in judicial custody in the excise policy case. Sisodia, who was the then Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, was arrested by the CBI on February 26 following several rounds of questioning. On October 5, ED arrested Sanjay Singh, who is a Rajya Sabha member.` Kejriwal's arrest came days after the ED arrested Bharat Rashta Samithi (BRS) leader and daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao K Kavitha, in connection with its investigation into money laundering charges linked to the now-scrapped excise policy. Kavitha is in ED custody till March 23. (ANI) Six former Himachal Pradesh Congress MLAs who were disqualified as Congress legislators joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in the national capital on Saturday. Four-time MLA Sudhir Sharma, three-time MLA Ravi Thakur, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, first-time MLA Devendra Bhutto, Rajendra Rana, and first-time MLA Chaitanya Sharma, joined the BJP in the presence of Himachal Pradesh BJP President Rajiv Bindal, former Himachal CM Jairam Thakur and Union Minister Anurag Thakur. Addressing the press conference, Anurag Thakur welcomed all six MLA's who joined the BJP today in Delhi. "I welcome all the leaders who today joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Bharatiya Janata Party is not only the largest party in the world and we are fortunate to work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The way country is moving ahead under PM Modi's leadership is remarkable. The people have faith in PM Modi's guarantees. After you (six MLAs) join the BJP, we will become stronger and have more power," Thakur said. Anurag Thakur further said that the BJP will become stronger in Himachal Pradesh. "The state government formed by the Congress party in the state by making false promises, was a big lie. The people are not happy in Himachal and that was seen in the Rajya Sabha elections," he added. Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that we will keep moving forward to strengthen the party under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Our aim is to make BJP stronger and Prime Minister Narendra Modi stronger. The newly joined BJP MLAs were not respected by the Congress party. The position they deserved in Congress were not given to them. We want to assure you that you will be given all respect in the party," Jai Ram Thakur said. After joining the BJP, rebel Himachal MLA Sudhir Sharma said that all of us have joined the BJP on our own. "What's the point of being an MLA when we are unable to fulfil the promises made to our people. That is why in the Rajya Sabha elections, we voted for Harsh Mahajan who is from our state. We didn't hide our vote, we showed it openly. We knew the eventual circumstances. Today, all of us have joined the BJP on our own... When a person's self-respect is hurt and there is no one to listen to you, you shouldn't stay there for long," Sudhir Sharma told ANI. Soon after joining the BJP, rebel Himachal Pradesh MLA Rajendra Rana said that the Congress government is not fulfilling the guarantees it made to the people of Himachal Pradesh. "We are answerable to the people, but when they asked us, we had no answer... The CM had become a dictator and would humiliate people. There was no one to hear the MLAs. The government is not functioning according to the MLAs, but it is being run by Sikhvinder Sukhu and his aides. Himachal government is on the ventilator," Rajendra Rana said. Earlier on Friday, three independent MLAs resigned from the Himachal Pradesh State Assembly. The MLAs include KL Thakur from Nalagarh, Hoshiyar Singh from Dehra and Ashish Sharma from the Hamirpur assembly seat. The Congress government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was last month plunged into a crisis after the BJP won the Rajya Sabha poll for the state's lone seat due to the support of these nine MLAs. After the 2022 Assembly elections, the Congress had 40 MLAs, while the BJP had 25 in the 68-member state assembly. The remaining three seats are held by independents. With the six rebel MLAs disqualified, the strength of the house came down from 68 to 62 and the halfway mark was 32. With the loss of 6 MLAs the Congress now has 34 MLAs and the BJP with independents, has 28. The fortunes of the Congress will now rest on its ability to keep the rest of its flock together. Himachal Pradesh has four Lok Sabha seats -- Hamirpur, Mandi, Shimla, and Kangra. The BJP had won all four seats in 2019. The elections to the four Lok Sabha seats of Himachal Pradesh and bypolls to the six assembly constituencies that fell vacant with the disqualification of six rebel Congress MLAs will be held on June 1. (ANI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) chagesheeted one more accused in the Jharkhand ex-MLA attack case, in which two police personnel were killed by CPI (Maoist) cadres, an official statement said. In its third supplementary chargesheet filed before the NIA Special Court on Friday, Ranchi, accused Mone Tiyu alias Mone Dada alias Mone Tiyu Angariya, hailing from district West Singhbhum of Jharkhand, has been charged under various sections of the IPC, the UA(P) Act, and the Arms Act. According to the national probe agency, the case (RC 03/2022/NIA/RNC) relates to the January 4, 2022, attack on former MLA Gurucharan Nayak at the High School Jhilurua in West Sighbhum district. Fourteen people were charged by the NIA in December 2022 in the first, and two in the second supplementary chargesheet in May 2023. Investigations by the NIA, which took over the case on June 30, 2022, revealed that Mone Tiyu, an armed cadre of the CPI (Maoist), was part of the Special Action Team formed for the execution of the instant crime. He and his co-accused had looted the Service INSAS rifle of one of the bodyguards of the former MLA and killed him and another cop during the commission of the crime. The ex-MLA had escaped the attack, the NIA said. Further investigations into the matter is underway. (ANI) 'Fool Bahadur', the first Magahi novel, translated into English by Indian poet-diplomat Abhay K, was launched at the Dibrugarh University International Literature Festival on March 19-21 by Jnanpith Awardee Damodar Mauzo, Prof Rita Kothari, Dr AJ Thomas and Chuden Kabimo in the presence of writers and invitees from several countries. First published in 1928, 'Fool Bahadur' by Jayanath Pati had been forgotten until recently, while Abhay K was editing The Book of Bihari Literature. It is the first Magahi novel to be translated into English. Published by Penguin Random House India, 'Fool Bahadur' is a delightful novel set in the town of Bihar Sharif in the Nalanda district of Bihar. The plot of the book revolves around the ambitious mukhtar Samlal and how "a nawab, a courtesan, and a circle officer come together in a delightful tryst as each one tries to exploit the other. All the characters and the incidents are manipulated by an unscrupulous mukhtar whose singular focus is to somehow acquire the title of Rai Bahadur," as per Aditi Chakraborty. Abhay K, from Nalanda, Bihar, is a poet, editor, translator, and author of several poetry collections. His poems have appeared in over 100 literary magazines, including Poetry Salzburg Review and Asia Literary Review, among others. His 'Earth Anthem' has been translated into over 150 languages, and his translations of Kalidasa's Meghaduta and Ritusamhara from Sanskrit won him the KLF Poetry Book of the Year Award (2020-21). He received the SAARC Literary Award in 2013 and was invited to record his poems at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC, in 2018. His forthcoming book 'Nalanda' will be published by Penguin Random House in 2025. (ANI) After Aam Admi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the excise policy case, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday said that sometimes he wonders whether people do politics only with such intentions, adding that the Delhi Chief Minister's guru, Anna Hazare, also stated that one gets results according to their work. "Everything is coming out. ED will do its work. Sometimes, I think, they do politics for these things. The public is watching and understanding everything. Arvind Kejriwal's guru (Anna Hazare) is also saying that you will get results according to your work," Chief Minister Manik Saha told ANI. Delhi CM Kejriwal was arrested by the central agency after he skipped multiple summons by the investigation agency, nine in total, calling them "illegal". He has been remanded to ED custody till March 28. The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi Excise Policy 2022, which was later scrapped. In its arguments before Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court, ED alleged that the Chief Minister of Delhi is the key conspirator and kingpin in demanding kickbacks from businessmen. The agency further claimed that Kejriwal was directly involved in the formation of the Excise policy. Earlier, social activist Anna Hazare on Friday said that the arrest of the AAP chief was because of his own "deeds." "I am very upset that Arvind Kejriwal, who used to work with me, raise his voice against liquor, is now making liquor policies. His arrest is because of his own deeds," Hazare said on Friday. Earlier today, while addressing a press conference, senior AAP leader and minister Atishi alleged that the money trail was found in the BJP's account and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ED to 'arrest' BJP national president JP Nadda. "In the so-called excise policy scam of Delhi, CBI and ED investigations have been going on for the past two years. In these two years, a question has come up again and again Where is the money trail? Where did the money go? No proceeds of crime were recovered from any leader, minister or worker of AAP," Atishi said. (ANI) Kerala BJP president K Surendran on Saturday said that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and United Democratic Front (UDF) are getting united to protect the accused involved in the Delhi Excise Policy case. Addressing the reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, K Surendran said, "LDF and UDF are jointly protesting for an accused in a liquor scam case. It is proof that the INDIA alliance is working together in Kerala to protect corrupt people. For the first time in the history of Kerala, both the LDF and UDF are getting united to protect the corruption accused. People will dismiss LDF and UDF and will stand with NDA's developmental politics." The Kerala BJP chief said that the LDF and Congress in Kerala are playing 'very dangerous politics' by supporting Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi Excise Policy scam case. "Congress and the LDF are playing very dangerous politics. In Kerala, the CPM and Congress openly came forward, declaring solidarity with the accused in Rs 600 crore liquor scam case," he said. Delhi CM Kejriwal was arrested by the central agency after he skipped multiple summons by the investigation agency, nine in total, calling them "illegal". He has been remanded to ED custody till March 28. The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi Excise Policy 2022, which was later scrapped. Arvind Kejriwal's arrest came days after the ED arrested K Kavitha, Bharat Rashta Samithi (BRS) leader and daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, in connection with its investigation into money laundering charges linked to the now-scrapped excise policy. Following the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the INDIA bloc on Friday submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission of India urging its intervention in the "targeting of opposition leaders" by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party through the "misuse of central agencies". Alleging that LDF and UDF are competing in looting corporative banks in Kerala, the Kerala BJP chief said that the BJP-led NDA is fighting against their corruption as it has become a hindrance to the development of the state. "LDF and UDF are competing to loot cooperative banks. The probe is going on and LDF and UDF are partners in crime. The investigation into the monthly payment case is progressing against Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter. Prominent UDF leaders like Kunjalikutty,Ibrahim Kutty and Ramesh Chennithala had received monthly payments. The unity now witnessed in the state is the unity of corrupted parties.NDA is fighting against corruption," Kerala BJP chief said. "The hindrance to the development of the state is corruption. So we will fight strongly against corruption in Kerala. No doubt people of Kerala will dismiss the LDF and UDF and their unity," he added. (ANI) Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar met the Indian Air Force pilots of C-17 transport aircraft on Saturday who were involved in an anti-piracy mission in the Indian Ocean under Operation Sankalp. The Navy chief met captain of the flight, Wing Commander Akshay Saxena, along with co-pilots Wing Commander Lokesh Manchanda and Squadron Leader Lovepreet Singh and lauded their efforts. Pilots flew for around 10 hours continuously after taking off from Mumbai to airdrop Indian Navy's Marine Commandos 2,600 km away from Indian shores to carry out the operation and captured as many as 35 Somali pirates off the coast of Somalia. Earlier, on Saturday, all Somali pirates were handed over to Mumbai Police after due formalities of Customs and Immigration. Meanwhile, affirming Indian Navy's actions to secure the region from the threat posed by piracy and drone attacks, Admiral R Hari Kumar said that the Indian Navy is very clear about its job and will take affirmative action to ensure there is safety and security in the Indian Ocean, adding that the region is named after India. "Earlier there were 54-55 anti-piracy ships every day and now it has gone up to 64-65. These are from the Anti Piracy Escort Force from China and EUNAVFOR from Europe. As they are present there according to their national directions, the Indian Navy is very clear about its job," he said at a press conference on Saturday. "This is the Indian Ocean, named after us, and if we don't take action, then who will? Bhartiya Nau Sena will take affirmative action to ensure there is safety and security in the Indian Ocean," he added. The statement comes on the completion of 100 days of the Indian Navy's operations for anti-drone, anti-missile, and anti-piracy attacks in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and Red Sea. The Naval Chief also spoke on merchant vessels being used as 'mother vessels' like MV Ruen, rescued in a high-stakes operation in the Arabian Sea, and said that the Indian Navy is now keeping a close watch on the southern group which could have 35-60 pirates and hijacked MV Abdullah vessel suspected to be used as a mother ship. "We have always suspected that there are mother vessels and we were thinking that they must be dhows. But we were surprised that MV Ruen was being used as a mother vessel after it was hijacked three months ago in Somali waters. We suspect that there may be a southern group which may have 35-60 pirates. We are keeping a close watch on MV Abdullah which has been hijacked and may be used as a mother ship," he said. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sambit Patra accused the Congress on Saturday of not complying with income tax rules, leading to the freezing of their bank accounts. Reacting to the Congress' allegation over the 'freezing' of its bank accounts ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, BJP leader Sambit Patra said, "All political parties get an exemption in tax. Any party cannot be discriminated against in this. But why were Congress' accounts 'frozen'? The Congress party skipped the tax return deadline and extended deadline in 2017-18." He further stated that the Congress not only missed the extended deadline for filing tax returns but also exceeded the limit for cash donations. "In 2017-18, the Congress broke two rules. It missed the extended deadline and exceeded the limit of cash donations. Under Rule 13A, it is clearly mentioned that if these rules are not complied with, the provision for exemptions will be withdrawn. So, in the nomenclature of income tax, the Congress party is defined as an 'association of persons,' and it would be subjected to normal tax liability," Patra said at a press conference on Saturday. The BJP leader noted that all parties receive some exemption in taxes under the provisions of the Constitution. "All political parties, under the rules of Section 13A of the Income Tax Act, are granted an exemption in tax. This is a constitutional provision in India. No parties are discriminated against. The Congress, BJP, and TMC are treated the same," he explained. Explaining why the Congress' accounts were frozen, Patra pointed out that the Congress had missed the extended deadline for paying their tax returns for 2017-18 by December 2018 and paid their taxes only in February 2019. "Why were Congress' accounts frozen? The assessment for FY 2017-18 was evaluated in 2018-19. The tax had to be collected on the Congress party's business, donations of 2017-18, which had to be paid within the tax return deadline. There is also an extended deadline, and if we do not pay taxes within that date, we have to pay a penalty," the senior BJP leader explained. "The Congress party had an extended deadline of December 31, 2018, to pay their tax return. But the Congress party did not comply with this. They paid their tax return in February 2019," Patra further clarified. Patra also highlighted that the Congress party exceeded the stipulated limit of cash donations and received donations worth Rs 14 lakhs in cash. "Secondly, any political party cannot accept cash donations of more than Rs 20,000. But when the Congress party's accounts for 2017-18 were assessed in 2018-19, it was found that they had not complied with this rule. Astonishingly, despite knowing the rules, the Congress had accepted a cash donation of Rs 14 lakhs," Patra said. The Congress alleged on Thursday that the BJP froze its bank accounts ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, making it difficult for them to prepare for the elections. Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi alleged on Thursday that there is a "systematic effort" underway by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "cripple" the Indian National Congress financially, calling it "unprecedented and undemocratic." (ANI) Flash Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with a delegation led by Le Hoai Trung, secretary of the Secretariat and chairman of the Commission for External Relations of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, in Beijing on Friday. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said that China is ready to intensify high-level exchanges with Vietnam, strengthen exchanges and mutual learning on theories and experience of party and state governance, effectively promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and jointly advance the construction of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future. Le Hoai Trung said that the Vietnamese side is ready to work with the Chinese side to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties, promote cooperation in various fields through inter-party channels, and push for greater development of Vietnam-China relations. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, while paying his respect to all those who were killed in the movement for the formation of Uttarakhand, said that the blessings, love and enthusiasm of the people of the state give his party new energy to work. He said that BJP will break all the records of 2019 in 2024 in the state. CM Dhami said that women participated enthusiastically in the Matri Shakti program in all the districts. "Women have come to the program and given us their blessings. The government has lived up to the expectations and aspirations of the people of the state who had entrusted the responsibility to us in the last two years. Today, Uttarakhand has a big name in the country and the world. People from all over the country/world have expressed their curiosity to come to Uttarakhand. MoUs worth Rs 3.5 lakh crore have been signed through the Global Investor Summit," he said. He said that grounding of more than 81 thousand crores has been done so far. The government has done many development works. Many big decisions have been taken. The Chief Minister said that the Prime Minister is always standing with Uttarakhand, now it is our duty to contribute to PM Modi taking oath as the Prime Minister again. "Lok Sabha elections will be held in our state on 19 April. We will make all the five BJP candidates victorious with record-breaking votes and will contribute to PM Modi becoming the Prime Minister for the third time. We will break all the records of 2019 in 2024," he said. The Chief Minister said that the government has been successful in fulfilling all the promises and resolutions made 2 years ago. "Our state is taking a new flight of all-round development. Development works are being done at the cost of thousands of crores. Corruption, women harassment, paper leak and riots are being rooted out by making strict laws in the state," he said. He said that the state of Uttarakhand is known as Devbhoomi all over the world. There is no place for rioters in our state. After the establishment of the state, the development work in Uttarakhand has got the fastest pace in the present government. The government is working to take forward the development works by considering the resolution without any option as the basic mantra. The Chief Minister said that recently development works worth more than Rs 18000 crore have been inaugurated and laid the foundation stone across the state. "A network of roads is being laid across the state. Along with the Char Dham Yatra, roads are also being constructed in the villages of remote mountainous areas. Work is going on to make the Char Dham and Manaskhand Yatra more accessible and safe. The target of 100 percent electrification within the state has been achieved," he said. He said that under the Jal Jeevan Mission, water connection is being provided in the state for just one rupee. 207 types of pathological tests are being done absolutely free of cost. "Under the Ayushman Yojana, more than 50 lakh people are getting free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh. By giving Mahalaxmi Kit on the birth of a child, better health and future of the child and mother is being ensured. 30 percent horizontal reservation has been implemented for women in government jobs in the state. Under the Lakhpati Didi Yojana, women are being made economically prosperous. As per the goal of the Prime Minister, we will make the women of the state Lakhpati Didi," he said. The Chief Minister said that the fame of local products is reaching abroad through the One District - Two Products Scheme. "A large number of people are getting employment from this. Today, women of Uttarakhand are making better products than multinational companies. The House of Himalayas brand has been launched by the Prime Minister. The state government has implemented the Uniform Civil Code Bill as promised. In which every section has been taken care of. He said that free gas refill scheme is being provided to poor families," CM Dhami further said. He said that work is going on on many schemes including scholarship scheme, bicycle distribution scheme for girls, old age pension scheme, home stay scheme and agricultural machinery bank scheme. "After implementing UCC, a large number of Muslim sisters thanked UCC. This thanks goes to the 1.25 crore people of Uttarakhand," he said. The Chief Minister said that if any person is caught converting someone's religion by force or by luring them, he will be imprisoned for 10 years. He said that action was taken by running a campaign against land jihad and government lands were freed from illegal occupation. He said that the government is doing historic work under the guidance and inspiration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "In the last ten years, India has touched new heights in the field of infrastructure, manufacturing connectivity, innovation. India is moving ahead in front of the world by becoming the fifth largest economy of the world. Every month some big scam used to come to light during the Congress government," he said. He further said that after Prime Minister Modi became the Prime Minister, not a single scam has happened in the last 10 years. "Article 370 was abolished from Jammu and Kashmir and a divine and grand Ram temple could be built in Ayodhya. The CAA law has been implemented. Prime Minister Modi has a special attachment to Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. He always mentions Uttarakhand in Mann Ki Baat. The Center is supporting in every way in making Uttarakhand a prosperous, strong and self-reliant state," he said. (ANI) Thirty-five Somali pirates, who were captured by the Indian Navy's INS Kolkata, were handed over to Mumbai Police and a case was registered against them on Saturday. Due formalities of customs and immigration were also completed. Mumbai Police said, "A case was registered against 35 Somalian marine accused under IPC sections 307, 364(A), 363, 384, 353, 341, 342, 344(A) 120(B), 143, 145, 147, 148, 149, 438, 427, 506 and 506(2) at Yellow Gate Police Station, Mumbai and they have been arrested." Earlier, the Indian Navy thwarted the piracy attempt on MV Ruen, which was under the control of Somalian pirates since last December, by safely evacuating 17 crew members and coercing 35 pirates to surrender. The Indian Navy informed in a statement that the mission was carried out by INS Kolkata on Saturday. "INS Kolkata, a mission deployed in the Arabian Sea, through the sustained high tempo of operations, has thwarted the designs of the Somali pirates to hijack ships transiting through the region by intercepting the pirate ship MV Ruen, on March 16. The merchant vessel had been hijacked in December 2023 and was under the control of the Somalian Pirates till now," the statement read. Earlier, the navy informed that the Indian warship INS Kolkata successfully cornered and coerced all 35 pirates to surrender, ensuring the safe evacuation of 17 crew members from the pirate vessel without any injury. In the rescue operation, which lasted for the last 40 hours, INS Kolkata intercepted the under-attack pirate ship Ruen, sailing almost 2600 km from the shores of the Indian Coast, and forced the pirate ship to stop through calibrated actions. In the action to safely rescue the crew members and take full control of the distressed vessel, the operation was supported by the Indian warship INS Subhadra, High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE RPA) drones, P8I maritime patrol aircraft, and, MARCOS PRAHARs airdropped by C-17 aircraft. Later, the vessel was also sanitised for the presence of illegal arms, ammunition, and contraband. (ANI) Haryana Transport Minister Aseem Goel travelled on a state roadways bus from Ambala to Chandigarh to take charge of his portfolios on Saturday. He also got feedback about his department. "The first meeting of the cabinet will be held today under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister. I will also take charge of the Transport Department and the Women and Child Development Department today. I think my portfolios are directly connected to the public. I am travelling from Ambala to Chandigarh to see the ground reality," Goel said, speaking to ANI on Saturday. Speaking about the service conditions of the Haryana Roadways, the newly inducted Transport Minister said, "I have gotten feedback that the Haryana Roadways buses run on time and the service is good. I will work for the staff, for the betterment of the department, so that people get all kinds of service at ground level." On certain lanucaes in terms of service, the state Transport Minister said that the driver's seat had no seat-belt in place. "Though it was instructed to wear seat belt, there was no seat belt at the driver's seat. So I asked the driver to either remove the instruction or fix a seat belt in the driver's seat...At least whatever has been instructed should be obeyed," Goel said. In a lighthearted moment, the Minister said that he took away both the mobile phones of the bus conductor and the driver and kept it with him. "It was also instructed not to use mobile phones while driving. So I have taken the bus conductor as well as the driver's phones with me," he said. BJP leaders Kamal Gupta and Seema Trikhawith, Mahilpal Dhanda, Aseem Goel, Abhe Singh, Subhash Sudha, Bishamber Singh and Sanjay Singh took oath as the ministers in the Haryana cabinet on Tuesday. After the swearing-in ceremony, Aseem Goel praised the developmental strides made during the tenure of former CM Manohar Lal Khattar. "In the last 9.5 years, under the guidance of (former CM) Manohar Lal Khattar, Haryana has touched new heights of development. The government will continue to move forward. He (Anil Vij) is my elder brother. We will move forward with his guidance," said Aseem Goel. Earlier on March 12 Nayab Singh Saini was sworn in as the new chief minister of Haryana, replacing Manohar Lal Khattar. (ANI) Commenting on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that adherence to the law is paramount for everyone, regardless of their position or influence. Speaking in a discussion with a private TV channel on Saturday, Adityanath remarked, "In our nation, democracy prevails, allowing individuals like Arvind Kejriwal to repeatedly hold the position of Chief Minister in Delhi. However, democracy does not allow any person, party or organisation to commit 'dacoity'." Adityanath underscored the role of a Chief Minister as a public servant rather than the 'owner' of the state, stating, "Our work is that of public servant and custodian." Adityanath further emphasised the importance of equal treatment under the law, stating that even he would be subject to legal consequences if found in violation of regulations. "It is wrong if any person or government starts considering itself above the law. ED is an independent regulatory body and Kejriwal's case is in the court, now only the court will decide it," he said. CM Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in connection with the now-scrapped excise policy case. Meanwhile, The Delhi High Court on Saturday denied an urgent listing of the plea by Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest. Crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of Uttar Pradesh for driving transformative changes in the state, Adityanath remarked, "Today, Uttar Pradesh's image, both nationally and internationally, has undergone a significant transformation. The perception about the state has changed completely. Before 2017, the people here grappled with an identity crisis, experiencing frequent communal disturbances. Safety for women and businessmen was a concern, and the security situation was dire." Criticising the previous administrations, the Chief Minister continued, "Previous governments prioritised familial interests and fueled caste-based divisions, neglecting broader societal welfare. However, today, it is the new UP of New India, emerging as a leading economic powerhouse. The state has attracted substantial investment, and it is at the forefront of infrastructure development efforts, demonstrating a commitment to progress and prosperity." The Chief Minister expressed confidence that Uttar Pradesh would surpass its previous performance in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He highlighted that his government's seven-year tenure is nearing completion, during which three years were significantly impacted by the global pandemic, COVID-19. "Despite this, we were successful in doubling the GDP of UP. Today, UP has become a revenue-surplus state. Before 2017, the state did not even have money to pay salaries to the employees. No big bank would give us money," he stated. Reiterating the Bharatiya Janata Party's commitment to development over divisive politics, the CM emphasised their respect for people's faith. "We do not impose curfew, we pave the way for Kanwar Yatra. There is a lot of potential in spiritual tourism in UP." He added further that he has visited Ayodhya, Mathura, and Kashi more frequently than any other Chief Minister. "This is why there has been a 100 times increase in opportunities between Ayodhya before 2017 and Ayodhya now, leading to employment for lakhs of people," he remarked. The CM mentioned that he plans to conduct his election campaign from Mathura. Regarding the Budaun incident, he termed it as 'gruesome' and remarked, "The bulldozer operates not only against the unjust and oppressors but also for infrastructure development." On the topic of encounters in the state, the CM assured that the police adhere to the established protocols. He said, "If anyone harasses the daughter and the businessman, whatever measures are necessary will be taken to establish the rule of law." CM Yogi expressed, "We cannot tamper with the Hindu faith; perhaps this is why we haven't secured a place in the minds of Muslims. "In India, we have to respect the original soul of this place. Hindu is the basic soul of India. It cannot be insulted. If anyone assumes we will engage in politics by disrespecting this sentiment, they are mistaken. We cannot compromise on national security or the reverence for Hindu faith. We are blessed by God and supported by the people." Regarding the paper leak issue, the Chief Minister emphasised that stringent measures have been implemented. He reiterated that severe action will be taken against those who jeopardise the future of the youth. Regarding Azam Khan's case, the CM said that due to his actions, he has been punished by the court. The judiciary of India is independent. On the topic of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), CM Yogi pointed out that the Muslim population in India has increased at a much faster rate than that of Hindus since independence. Conversely, the Hindu population in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan has significantly declined. He stated that if the Indian government is granting Indian citizenship through the CAA to refugees born in India who adhere to all religious customs, it should be received with open arms. However, he emphasised that strict action should be taken against those who resort to violence. CM Yogi emphasised that the CAA embodies the ethos of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' in India. Regarding the modernization of madrassas, the Chief Minister stated, "While Shariat may remain a personal subject for some, it cannot supersede the Constitution. We are prioritising the modernization of madrassas. We require scientists, engineers, and skilled professionals. Our educational system needs to evolve to meet these demands." (ANI) Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) held a meeting of its Central Election Committee on Saturday to decide the names of the candidates from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The list, which is expected to be announced on Sunday, will include candidates from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh. The decision was made during a three-hour Central Election Committee meeting attended by key BJP leaders on Saturday. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, Brijesh Pathak, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, among others. As per party sources, in Uttar Pradesh, 10 names were discussed and finalized. Out of the total 24 seats left to announce, 10 were discussed and are expected to be announced in the fourth list. In Odisha, 21 seats were discussed. As per sources, Dharmendra Pradhan is likely to contest from from Sambhal, Sambit Patra from Puri, and Aprajita Sarangi from Bhubneshwar in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. However, the names of two sitting MPs might be removed. In Rajasthan, eight seats were discussed. In West Bengal, all remaining seats were discussed, out of which 20 have been announced in earlier lists. Eighteen, including Asansol, were discussed on Saturday. Three seats are yet to be discussed. Bihar and Maharashtra are to be discussed in the next Central Election Committee meeting. Meanwhile, the Congress party on Saturday released its fourth list of 46 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will commence in seven phases starting April 19. Various parties have declared their initial lists for the elections, which will conclude on June 1. The counting of votes will take place on June 4. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the BJP won 303 seats, while the Indian National Congress (INC) managed to secure only 52 seats. In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, the BJP won 282 seats, while the INC secured only 44 seats. (ANI) The German Ambassador to India, Philipp Ackermann, appreciated the discussions between New Delhi and Berlin regarding the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership (GSDP) on Friday. He said that Germany has set up a working group with India on green hydrogen while adding that India might be exporting energy to the rest of the world in the coming years. Taking to social media platform X, Ackermann said, "What better place to talk about the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership than the beautiful @sundernursery in Delhi! Happy to have @MEAIndia on board and present Indo-German innovations in Africa and Latin America! Triangular cooperation combines India and Germany skills and strengths." Speaking to ANI about the GSDP, Ackermann said, "One element of this partnership is certainly looking to energy provision, which is 'green'. Emission-free energy provision...India, in a couple of years, will be a very interesting country that provides green hydrogen to the rest of the world, so it might be energy exporting." "We (Germany) have set up with India together, a working group on green hydrogen, so at some stage Germany can benefit from this export from India," he said. He also said that Germany needs skilled labour and has become an attractive destination for Indian students, while affirming that more Indians will be going to Germany in the coming months. "India and Germany concluded this mobility partnership and agreement. There is indeed a need in Germany for skilled labour on many levels. India is willing to help recruit citizens to go to Germany. We had certain successes on various level. The legal framework in Germany has changed and it is very liberal and open-minded. I am sure that in the months to come, more Indians will go to Germany and we are very happy about it," the German Ambassador said. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck for being conferred with 'Order of the Druk Gyalpo', Bhutan's highest civilian honour and dedicated it to the 140 crore people of the country. He affirmed hope that the relationship between New Delhi and Thimphu will keep growing thus benefitting the citizens of the two nations. "It is with great humility that I accept the Order of the Druk Gyalpo. I am grateful to HM the King of Bhutan for presenting the Award. I dedicate it to the 140 crore people of India. I am also confident that India-Bhutan relations will keep growing and benefit our citizens," PM Modi posted on X. https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1771214710089667014?s=20 Notably, Prime Minister Modi became the first foreign dignitary and only the fourth person overall to receive the honour. As per ranking and precedence established, the Order of the Druk Gyalpo was instituted as the decoration for lifetime achievement and is the pinnacle of the honour system in Bhutan, taking precedence over all orders, decorations and medals. Previous recipients of the award include Royal Queen Grandmother Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck in 2008; Je Thrizur Tenzin Dendup (68th Je Khenpo of Bhutan) in 2008 and Je Khenpo Trulku Ngawang Jigme Choedra in 2018. Je Khenpo is the Chief Abbot of the Central Monastic Body of Bhutan. Later in the day, while addressing a special press briefing, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra underscored that this is a significant milestone in India's bilateral relations with Bhutan. "As I mentioned, Prime Minister Modi is the first foreign dignitary and the fourth person to have been conferred this award in Bhutan," Kwatra said. "After the exchange of MoUs in the presence of the two prime ministers, PM Modi received Order of the Druk Gyalpo, Bhutan's highest civilian decoration." "This is clearly a significant milestone in our bilateral relations with Bhutan. The joint vision statement captures the ascension of India-Bhutan cooperation, which is Bharat and Bhutan together for progress and development," he added. PM Modi is currently on a two-day state visit to Bhutan from March 22-23. Upon his arrival, PM Modi received a rousing welcome from the people who turned out in large numbers to accord a warm reception in Bhutan. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bhutan PM Tshering Tobgay reviewed all aspects of bilateral energy cooperation and, welcomed the expert-level discussions on the 1200 MW Punatsangchhu-I Hydro-electric Project, adding that they look forward to the commissioning of the 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-II Hydro-electric Project later this year. During PM Modi's state visit to Bhutan, the two leaders noted the stellar contribution of the clean energy partnership in the development of the hydropower sector of Bhutan, and in providing energy security to the region, the Joint Vision Statement on India - Bhutan Energy Partnership said. Prime Minister Modi appreciated growing domestic capacity of Bhutanese firms and technical agencies in the implementation of energy projects. Bhutan PM Tobgay also congratulated PM Modi for the remarkable growth of India's renewable energy sector in recent years, and for his leadership in fostering initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and the National Green Hydrogen Mission of India. Both the leaders reviewed all aspects of bilateral energy cooperation and expressed satisfaction that projects, which have been jointly implemented, are functioning well and contributing to economic development in Bhutan. "Building on the success of the 720 MW Mangdechhu Hydro-electric Project, the two leaders look forward to commissioning the 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-II Hydro-electric Project this year. Both sides welcomed the positive expert-level discussions on a technically sound and cost-effective way forward for 1200 MW Punatsangchhu-I HEP," the statement read. PM Modi and PM Tobgay agreed that the India-Bhutan energy partnership has the potential to benefit both countries by enhancing energy security, strengthening their economies, generating employment, enhancing export earnings, and contributing to the further development of industrial and financial capacities. They said that there are 'unprecedented opportunities' to further strengthen this mutually beneficial bilateral clean energy partnership, including through the development of new energy projects and trade in electricity The two leaders have agreed to engage in the development of new energy projects in the fields of hydropower, solar and green hydrogen, including through the participation of Indian entities as strategic partners. India and Bhutan will review and finalise project-specific implementation modalities for new projects, including reservoir hydro projects The Indian government will facilitate necessary access to financing from financial institutions in India as well as the market for power sales for new and upcoming hydro-power projects in Bhutan. PM Modi and PM Tobgay affirmed that power exchange between the two countries will continue to play an important role in ensuring energy security in the region. In this regard, market access to Bhutanese power producers will be facilitated in accordance with applicable domestic regulations and procedures, through mutually agreed arrangements and delivery points India and Bhutan, in view of the evolving energy markets, will hold regular consultations to enable investments in energy projects of Bhutan, and ensure seamless cross-border trade in electricity. They have agreed to work towards greater sub-regional energy cooperation, which would lead to increased inter-linkages between the economies for the mutual benefit of all stakeholders The two leaders also agreed to strengthen energy cooperation in the field of energy efficiency and energy conservation through capacity development, information exchange on policies and technologies, and research and development on energy-efficient technologies, the statement added. PM Modi is currently on a two-day state visit to Bhutan from March 22-23. Upon his arrival, he received a rousing welcome from the people who turned out in large numbers to accord him a warm reception in Bhutan. Prime Minister Modi was conferred with 'Order of the Druk Gyalpo' Bhutan's highest civilian honour. He became only the first foreign dignitary and the fourth person to receive this award. He called on Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck at the Tashichho Dzong Palace in Thimphu and attended a cultural program at the Tendrelthang Festival Ground in the presence of the Bhutan King. PM Modi also held a bilateral meeting with Bhutan counterpart Tshering Tobgay and several MOUs were exchanged in the presence of the two leaders. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital along with his Bhutanese counterpart, Dasho Tshering Tobgay, here on Saturday morning. Bhutanese Prime Minister Tobgay expressed his gratitude towards the Indian government for fully funding the construction of the state-of-the-art hospital. Speaking to ANI prior to the inauguration of the hospital, Bhutan PM Tobgay said, "In a while, Prime Minister (Modi) is going to inaugurate this wonderful hospital. The Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital has been fully funded by the Government of India." "This is going to go a long way in improving the lives of the Bhutanese while especially ensuring the good health of our mothers and children," he told ANI. During his visit, Prime Minister Modi announced a substantial assistance package of 10,000 crores for Bhutan's 13th five-year plan, further solidifying the bond between the two countries. Prime Minister Tobgay lauded this gesture, hailing Prime Minister Modi as a "friend and elder brother" whose visit to Bhutan was warmly received by its citizens. "Bhutan was honoured to host Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his two-day state visit to our country. The visit could not have gone any better. He was welcomed with an open heart by every citizen of Bhutan. And this visit, this historic visit, is going to further strengthen the already strong relations between our two countries and our people," PM Tobgay added. "I also join the entire country, all the people of Bhutan, in congratulating my friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for receiving the highest civilian award in the country. And he's the first foreign leader to have received it. So we are very proud and happy as we celebrate with all the people of India this honour bestowed on Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he added. Meanwhile, Bhutan's Minister for Health, Tandin Wangchuk, underscored the symbolic significance of the hospital's inauguration by Prime Minister Modi, as he described it as a demonstration of the enduring friendship between the two countries. "All these facilities you see here were built with the assistance of and in partnership with the Government of India," Minister Wangchuk told ANI, highlighting the collaborative efforts that form the bedrock of the strong bilateral relationship. PM Modi arrived on a two-day state visit to Bhutan on Friday, March 22. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuk Mother and Child Hospital in Bhutan indicating the shining example of a strong partnership between the two countries in healthcare. The newly constructed hospital would add value to the quality of mother and child health services in Bhutan, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tshering Tobgay his Bhutanese counterpart inaugurated the state-of-the-art hospital, built with the assistance of the Government of India in Thimphu. The Indian government has supported the development of the 150-bedded hospital in two phases. "Phase One of the hospital was constructed at a cost of Rs 22 crore and is operational since 2019. The construction of the second phase was taken up in 2019, as part of the 12th Five Year Plan at a cost of Rs 119 crore, and was completed now," the MEA said. The new facility will house state-of-the-art facilities for Pediatrics, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Anesthesiology, Operation Theatre, Neonatal Intensive Care and Pediatric Intensive Care. Bhutanese Prime Minister Tobgay expressed his gratitude towards the Indian government for fully funding the construction of the state-of-the-art hospital. Meanwhile, Bhutan's Minister for Health, Tandin Wangchuk, underscored the symbolic significance of the hospital's inauguration by Prime Minister Modi, as he described it as a demonstration of the enduring friendship between the two countries. "All these facilities you see here were built with the assistance of and in partnership with the Government of India," Minister Wangchuk told ANI, highlighting the collaborative efforts that form the bedrock of the strong bilateral relationship. PM Modi has concluded his two-day State visit to Bhutan and emplaned for New Delhi this morning. In a special gesture, King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Bhutanese PM Dasho Tshering Tobgay both came to see off the PM Modi at the airport. (ANI) Flash A Chinese envoy said Friday that by setting preconditions for a ceasefire in Gaza, a U.S. draft resolution essentially green-lights continued killing, which is "unacceptable." During his explanatory statement following the Security Council's vote on the Palestine-Israel issue draft resolution, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, said that "an immediate ceasefire is the basic premise" for saving lives, expanding humanitarian access, and preventing further conflict. Zhang underscored that any action by the Security Council "should withstand the test of history and the scrutiny of moral conscience." The ambassador pointed out that the U.S. draft was "unbalanced in many aspects," especially concerning Israel's recent repeated declarations of planning military attacks on Rafah. "The draft did not clearly oppose such actions, sending a very wrong signal with serious consequences," the ambassador added. "Based on a responsible attitude towards upholding justice, the United Nations Charter, and the dignity of the Security Council, and also due to the concerns and strong dissatisfaction from Arab countries towards the draft, China, along with Algeria and Russia, cast a vote against it," Zhang said. "More than 160 days have passed since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict. In the face of a human tragedy in which more than 32,000 innocent civilians have lost their lives and millions are suffering from famine, the most urgent action to be taken by the council is to promote an immediate, unconditional, and sustained ceasefire," said the ambassador. He stressed that this is the "universal call" of the international community, the decision taken by the emergency special session of the General Assembly a few months ago, and the solemn appeal by the UN secretary-general to the council while invoking Article 99 of the Charter. "The council has dragged its feet and wasted too much time in this regard," the envoy pointed out. Zhang recalled that the U.S. introduced its own draft resolution after vetoing on Feb. 20 the overwhelming consensus among council members on an immediate ceasefire. "Over the past month, the draft has undergone several iterations and contains elements that respond to the concerns of the international community. But it has always evaded and dodged the most essential issue, that is, a ceasefire," he stressed. The final text remains "ambiguous" and "does not call for an immediate ceasefire," said Zhang. "Nor does it even provide an answer to the question of realizing a ceasefire in the short term." The ambassador noted that members of the council have now before them another draft resolution that was "the result of collective consultations" among elected members of the council. "This draft is clear on the issue of a ceasefire, in line with the correct direction of the council's action, and of great relevance. China supports this draft. We hope that the members of the council will reach agreement on this basis as soon as possible and send a clear signal calling for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the fighting." Zhang noted that like other members, China has from the outset called for the immediate release of all hostages, a repeated demand in Security Council resolutions 2712 and 2720. "We welcome the mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and others to this end. And we hope that all detainees will be released at an early date." The ambassador said that China rejects the accusations by the U.S. and Britain against China's voting position. "Those are groundless accusations. If the U.S. were serious about a ceasefire, it wouldn't have vetoed time and again multiple council resolutions, and wouldn't have taken such a detour and played a game of words while being ambiguous and evasive on critical issues," he said. "If the U.S. is serious about a ceasefire, then please vote in favor of the other draft resolution clearly calling for a ceasefire, so that a ceasefire can be finally and immediately achieved, the Palestinians' sufferings ended, and hostages released at an early date. For the U.S. at the current stage, what is most important is not words, but actions," he added. The ambassador pledged that China will continue to work with council members and the international community to play "a responsible and constructive role" in order to achieve a ceasefire and put an end to the fighting, alleviate the suffering, implement the two-state solution, and promote a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the question of Palestine. As many as 35 Somali pirates, who were captured by the Indian Navy, were handed over to Mumbai Police on Saturday after due formalities of Customs and Immigration. Visuals from Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, showed the pirates standing in a queue as Mumbai Police assigned them chest numbers. From the dockyard, the pirates were taken over to JJ Hospital for medical examination. The Indian Navy recently rescued 17 crew members of the vessel MV Ruen during an anti-piracy operation lasting nearly two days, with no casualties reported. Around 35 pirates surrendered and were taken into custody, the Indian Navy said. The operation involved a navy destroyer, a patrol ship, an Indian Air Force C-17 transporter flying more than 1,500 miles to airdrop marine commandos, a naval drone, a reconnaissance drone and a P-8 surveillance jet, the Indian Navy release said. Somali pirates' capture of the MV Ruen in December last year marked the first successful hijacking of a vessel off the country's coast since 2017. But when the Ruen, now operated by a pirate crew, last week left Somali waters with the intent of committing acts of piracy on the high seas, the Indian Navy made moves to intercept it. Based on the analysis of the surveillance information the Indian Navy was able to track the movement of the Pirate Ship Ruen and directed INS Kolkata to intercept the ship approximately 260 Nm East of Somalia. Kolkata intercepted Ruen in the morning of March 15, and confirmed the presence of armed pirates through a ship-launched drone. The pirates shot down the drone and fired at the Indian Naval warship. In a calibrated response INS Kolkata disabled the ship's steering system and navigational aids, forcing the Pirate Ship to stop. INS Kolkata undertook precisely measured actions while maintaining her position close to the Pirate Ship and also engaged in forceful negotiations, which resulted in the Pirates surrendering and releasing the pirate ship MV Ruen and its original crew present onboard. All 35 Somali pirates surrendered March 16. All 17 original crew members of MV Ruen were also safely evacuated from the pirate vessel without any injury. Bulgarian leaders, including President Rumen Radev, thanked India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the operation. "My sincere gratitude to (PM Modi) for the brave action of (the) Navy rescuing the hijacked Bulgarian ship 'Ruen' and its crew, including 7 Bulgarian citizens," Radev said in a post on X. Bulgarian Foreign Minister, Mariya Gabriel also thanked the Indian Navy for rescuing seven Bulgarian nationals in a successful anti-piracy operation in the Arabian Sea. Replying to this, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that it is exactly what friends are for. In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, "That's what friends are for," alongside Gabriel's post. The culmination of the ongoing Anti-Piracy operation involving pirate ship Ruen in the Southern Indian Ocean Region highlights the commitment of the Indian Navy towards reinforcing peace and stability, and also to thwart the resurgence of Piracy in the region. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck as he departed from the Himalayan country on Saturday after a two-day State visit. As a special gesture, the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck as well as Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay came to see him off at the airport. Taking to social media platform X, PM Modi wrote, "I am honoured by the special gesture by His Majesty the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of coming to the airport as I leave for Delhi." Describing his state visit to Bhutan a very special one, PM Modi said, "I had the opportunity to meet His Majesty the King, PM @tsheringtobgay and other distinguished people of Bhutan. Our talks will add even more vigour to the India-Bhutan friendship. I am also grateful to have been conferred the Order of the Druk Gyalpo." "I am very thankful to the wonderful people of Bhutan for their warmth and hospitality. India will always be a reliable friend and partner for Bhutan," he wrote further. Earlier in the day, PM Modi inaugurated the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital along with his Bhutanese counterpart, Dasho Tshering Tobgay. Bhutanese Prime Minister Tobgay expressed his gratitude towards the Indian government for fully funding the construction of the state-of-the-art hospital. During his visit, Prime Minister Modi announced a substantial assistance package of 10,000 crores for Bhutan's 13th five-year plan, further solidifying the bond between the two countries. Prime Minister Tobgay lauded this gesture, hailing Prime Minister Modi as a "friend and elder brother" whose visit to Bhutan was warmly received by its citizens. Prime Minister Modi was conferred with 'Order of the Druk Gyalpo' Bhutan's highest civilian honour. He became only the first foreign dignitary and the fourth person to receive this award. As per ranking and precedence established, the Order of the Druk Gyalpo was instituted as the decoration for lifetime achievement and is the pinnacle of the honour system in Bhutan, taking precedence over all orders, decorations and medals. During the two-day visit, PM Modi and Bhutan PM Tobgay reviewed all aspects of bilateral energy cooperation and, welcomed the expert-level discussions on the 1200 MW Punatsangchhu-I Hydro-electric Project, adding that they look forward to the commissioning of the 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-II Hydro-electric Project later this year. PM Modi and PM Tobgay agreed that the India-Bhutan energy partnership has the potential to benefit both countries by enhancing energy security, strengthening their economies, generating employment, enhancing export earnings, and contributing to the further development of industrial and financial capacities. PM Modi's two-day state visit to Bhutan spanned from March 22-23. Upon his arrival, he received a rousing welcome from the people who turned out in large numbers to accord a warm reception in Bhutan. (ANI) The Embassy of India in Kathmandu celebrated the 59th Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Day. Around 300 guests, including several Members of Parliament, senior Government officials, ITEC alumni and prominent Nepalese alumni of academic institutions from India attended the celebrations, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu stated in a release. Launched in 1964, the ITEC programme builds on India's vast and rich network of governance and development-related expertise, by offering both short and long-term capacity-building programmes in higher educational institutions and training facilities in India, in more than 160+ partner countries, including Nepal. It has been utilised by more than 2,00,000 Government officials, professionals and senior industry representatives around the world. Speaking at the ITEC Day celebration, Ambassador of India to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava stated that India's partnership with countries is embodied through the principles of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,' and 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas'. The 59th ITEC Day was being celebrated to recognise the strides made in the India-Nepal capacity-building partnership. Conveying that in 2023-24, more than 440 slots were utilized, the highest ever for Nepal, he stated that more customised courses for administrators, railway officials, agriculturists, and parliamentary officials would be offered under ITEC based on the interest of the stakeholders in Nepal. The celebration also saw an enthralling Odissi dance performance by a troupe from India led by renowned artist Kakali Bose. Shekhar Koirala, an alumnus of AIIMS, also shared his experience and views on taking forward India-Nepal Cooperation in the development and education sectors. In the year 2023-2024, 444 professionals from Nepal were trained in different courses in various prominent institutes in India. 30 Engineers of the Government of Nepal are enrolled in a 2-year MTech course in streams such as Water Resource Management, Hydrology, Irrigation Water Management etc IIT Roorkee. "Young think tanks/researchers from Nepal attended the Neighbourhood- First Fellowship Programme at St Stephen's College, Delhi under ITEC. 21 customized courses (specially designed tailor-made courses) were organized for Doctors (50); Government Attorneys (30); Department of Money Laundering Investigation (DMLI) (25); members of the National Judicial Academy of Nepal (15), Nepal Police (180) and Armed Police Force (25) in 6 prominent institutes of India in 2023-2024," the Embassy stated in the release. Nepal, being a close and friendly neighbour is an active partner in the ITEC initiative of the Government of India. In the past 15 years alone, more than 2,000 officials from Nepal have been trained under ITEC. These capacity-building programmes form a part of India's effort to not only support the human resource development of Nepal and partner countries but also to learn from the experiences so as to contribute to the overall socio-economic benefit of the region. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in New Delhi on Saturday after wrapping up his two-day state visit to Bhutan. PM Modi was on a visit to Bhutan from March 22-23, where not only he met the top leaders but also inaugurated the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuk Mother and Child Hospital in Bhutan indicating the shining example of a strong partnership between the two countries in healthcare. Prime Minister Modi was also conferred with the 'Order of the Druk Gyalpo', Bhutan's highest civilian honour, which he dedicated it to the 140 crore people of the country. He affirmed hope that the relationship between New Delhi and Thimphu will keep growing thus benefitting the citizens of the two nations. "It is with great humility that I accept the Order of the Druk Gyalpo. I am grateful to HM the King of Bhutan for presenting the Award. I dedicate it to the 140 crore people of India. I am also confident that India-Bhutan relations will keep growing and benefit our citizens," PM Modi posted on X. Notably, Prime Minister Modi became the first foreign dignitary and only the fourth person overall to receive the honour. As per ranking and precedence established, the Order of the Druk Gyalpo was instituted as the decoration for lifetime achievement and is the pinnacle of the honour system in Bhutan, taking precedence over all orders, decorations and medals. PM Modi emplaned for New Delhi on Saturday morning. In a special gesture, King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Bhutanese PM Dasho Tshering Tobgay both came to see off PM Modi at the airport. Earlier in the day, PM Modi inaugurated the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital along with his Bhutanese counterpart, Dasho Tshering Tobgay. Bhutanese Prime Minister Tobgay expressed his gratitude towards the Indian government for fully funding the construction of the state-of-the-art hospital. During his visit, Prime Minister Modi announced a substantial assistance package of 10,000 crores for Bhutan's 13th five-year plan, further solidifying the bond between the two countries. Prime Minister Tobgay lauded this gesture, hailing Prime Minister Modi as a "friend and elder brother" whose visit to Bhutan was warmly received by its citizens. During the two-day visit, PM Modi and Bhutan PM Tobgay reviewed all aspects of bilateral energy cooperation and, welcomed the expert-level discussions on the 1200 MW Punatsangchhu-I Hydro-electric Project, adding that they look forward to the commissioning of the 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-II Hydro-electric Project later this year. PM Modi and PM Tobgay agreed that the India-Bhutan energy partnership has the potential to benefit both countries by enhancing energy security, strengthening their economies, generating employment, enhancing export earnings, and contributing to the further development of industrial and financial capacities. Upon his arrival in Bhutan on Friday, PM Modi received a rousing welcome from the people who turned out in large numbers to accord a warm reception in Bhutan. (ANI) United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, "in the strongest terms", condemned the large-scale missile strikes by Russia on Ukraine, that have caused widespread destruction, and have reportedly killed and injured many civilians. In an official statement, the Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Farhan Haq said the Secretary-General was "appalled by the continued killing and destruction". "The Secretary-General condemns in the strongest terms today's large-scale missile and drone attacks by the Russian Federation on Ukrainian cities and towns across the country, including against civilians, energy and other critical infrastructure," Haq quoted Guterres as saying. The strikes have inflicted severe damage, including on the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant in the Zaporizhzhia region. "The Secretary-General is appalled by the continued killing and destruction and once again underlines that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law. They are unacceptable and must end immediately," the statement read. "The attacks reportedly killed and injured many civilians and caused major damage, including to the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant in the Zaporizhzhia region, leaving more than one million Ukrainians without access to electricity and water in Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih, and Zaporizhzhia," it added. Russia plundered Kyiv with a barrage of missiles on Thursday, injuring at least 13 people and damaging several residential buildings and industrial facilities, in what was the biggest assault on the Ukrainian capital in weeks, the New York Times reported, citing local officials. The Ukrainian Air Force said its air defence systems had intercepted all 31 of the Russian missiles that targeted Kyiv. But, still, the debris from the downed missiles fell in various parts of the city, causing injuries and damage. No deaths have been reported so far. "Such terror continues every day and night," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a social media post to which he tagged a video purportedly showing firefighters dousing burning buildings with water. The attack took place in the early hours of the day, with loud blasts jolting residents awake around 5 am (local time) as air defence systems went into action. Many people rushed to take shelter in subway stations. Several orange fireballs lit up the sky, apparently the result of missile interceptions. Air-raid alerts ended at 6:10 am (locKyiv Mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said that missile debris had caused fires in at least three residential buildings and in parking lots. He said on Telegram that emergency responders had been deployed to help victims. Four people were hospitalised, the city's military administration said.al time) just as the sun rose, revealing the damage. Thursday's assault came at a difficult time for Ukraine's military, with Russian forces pressing ahead with ground attacks at several locations along the front line of more than 600 miles, the New York Times reported. Faced with a shortfall of troops and ammunition, Ukraine has struggled to contain Russian assaults in its east and south. Ukrainian officials have vowed to launch a counteroffensive this year, but experts say the military has yet to receive the kinds of weapons that would let it regain the initiative on the battlefield, with American aid held up in Congress. (ANI) Following the deadly firing at the Crocus City concert hall near Moscow, Russia's Investigative Committee has claimed that the death toll has been confirmed at 115 people and warned that this figure is likely to rise, Russian state news agency, RT News reported on Saturday. "According to preliminary data, the causes of death were gunshot wounds and poisoning by combustion products (smoke inhalation)," investigators said, adding that they are continuing to establish all the details of the attack by analysing evidence at the scene, going through CCTV footage and taking statements from the victims. The service had previously stated that the death toll was 93, but later issued an update announcing that additional bodies were found after emergency services started clearing the rubble. The Moscow Region Health Ministry had also previously reported that there were at least three children among the deceased. Meanwhile, the Russian intelligence agencies detained 11 people, including four 'terrorists', who they claimed were 'directly' involved in a terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall, TASS reported citing Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) statement on Saturday. "The activities of intelligence and law enforcement agencies have resulted in the detention of 11 people, including four terrorists, who directly participated in the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall," the statement read. The tragic events unfolded on Friday evening at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, on the western outskirts of the Russian capital. The concert venue, with an estimated capacity of 7,500, was almost full when the terrorists struck. The assault took place ahead of a performance by the Russian rock band Picnic, RT news agency reported. According to the mobile phone footage and eyewitness accounts, at least five gunmen wearing military-style gear and carrying assault rifles first opened fire at unarmed security guards at the main entrance to the venue. They then proceeded to shoot indiscriminately at the fleeing crowd of panicked visitors. Once the terrorists reached the concert hall, they appeared to set fire to rows of chairs inside, with the blaze quickly engulfing much of the building, including its roof. Investigators have stated that preliminary findings based on evidence at the scene appear to confirm that the terrorists used automatic weapons during the attack, and used some sort of flammable liquid to set fire to the premises. The Investigative Committee said it is now carrying out ballistic, genetic, and fingerprint analysis based on the material evidence found at the scene. Meanwhile, the head of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) Aleksandr Bortnikov has informed President Vladimir Putin that eleven suspects, including four terrorists who were directly involved in the Crocus attack, have been detained, the Kremlin press service has said. The ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack at the concert venue complex near Moscow on Friday night after assailants stormed the venue with guns and incendiary devices, CNN reported. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned the 'heinous act' and expressed solidarity with the Russian government and its people. "We strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation in this hour of grief," PM Modi posted from his X handle. (ANI) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has recommended reinstating an 18 per cent general sales tax (GST) on petrol during the ongoing discussions with the government for the release of the last tranche of its bailout package, The Express Tribune reported on Saturday. The IMF has proposed increasing the levy on petrol by Pakistani currency (PKR) 60 and reinstating the 18 per cent GST previously abolished in March 2022. The amount of federal excise duty on petroleum products in the fiscal year 2023 was 0.7 per cent of the GDP, while for other items, it was 0.4 per cent of the GDP, mainly obtained from the federal excise duty on cigarettes. The Petroleum Development Levy has undergone several changes in recent years, but there was a significant increase in it in fiscal year 2023. It has been proposed to gradually increase excise duty on luxury items produced in the country, such as yachts, while enhancing border control. This is aimed at preventing the illegal supply of petroleum byproducts from sensitive areas in particular. According to reports, an increase in federal excise duty (FED) at a uniform rate on domestically manufactured cigarettes has been recommended by the IMF. There is also a proposal to apply the same tax rate to imported cigarettes as local cigarettes. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday that the financially beleaguered nation needed another long-term bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to stabilise its fragile economy, ARY News reported. "A new tranche of loan is likely to be received from the IMF in a few days, however, we would need another programme," he said while addressing the session of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) apex committee attended by civil-military leadership. The comments came a day after the IMF agreed to a staff-level agreement with Islamabad which, if approved by its board, would disburse the last tranche of USD 1.1 billion under an existing USD 3 billion standby arrangement. He said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the review for issuance of the last tranche of USD 1.1 billion which hopefully be received by next month. "We will succeed gradually in breaking the begging bowl and coming out of the debt trap with the reforms," PM Sharif said. He also sought the support of all political parties and the provincial governments to successfully implement the agenda of macroeconomic stability in the country, ARY News reported. Notably, the IMF mission that visited Islamabad for five days on the last review of the stand-by programme said Pakistani authorities expressed interest in yet another bailout. The stand-by arrangement expires on April 11. (ANI) The Philippines has accused China's coastguard of firing water cannons at one of its supply boats in South China Sea, Al Jazeera reported. The Armed Forces of the Philippines said that BRP Cabra managed to manoeuvre and reach Unaizah May 4 to provide assistance to the Philippine supply boat, which had sustained "significant damage." According to the Philippine military, the confrontation lasted for nearly an hour and took place as it sought to resupply a small garrison of sailors on board the sunken Sierra Madre off Second Thomas Shoal. The Philippines military has shared a video showing a white ship marked Chinese Coast Guard crossing the bow of a grey vessel, which it identified as the Philippine supply boat Unaizah May 4. In a post on X, Armed Forces of the Philippines stated, "The BRP Cabra managed to maneuver and reach Unaizah May 4 to provide assistance to the Philippine supply boat, which had sustained significant damage," Al Jazeera reported. In a statement, the Philippines military said, "The UM4 supply boat sustained heavy damages at around 08:52 (00:52 GMT) due to the continued blasting of water cannons from the CCG vessels." Meanwhile, Chinese Coast Guard spokesman Gan Yu claimed that the Philippine convoy "forcibly intruded into the area despite repeated warnings issued by China. It further said that China conducted "control, obstruction and eviction in accordance with law," Al Jazeera reported. It is the latest incident between China and the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea. China continues to claim almost the entire South China Sea, despite an international court finding in 2016 that the nine-dash line on which it bases its claim was without merit. Meanwhile, Philippines claims areas of the sea around its coasts like Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia. Taiwan has also claimed areas of the sea. The Philippines has expanded its military ties with the US. The United States has no claims to the strategic waters. However, it has sent Navy ships on transit missions through the waterway in what it says "freedom of navigation" operations. China has criticised the US action in the waters. Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the Philippines. During the visit, he stated that the US commitment to the Philippines was "ironclad," Al Jazeera reported. Following the visit, the Chinese coastguard attempted to drive away Philippine scientists who landed on two cays near Scarborough Shoal, a disputed South China Sea outcrop that China seized from the Philippines after a standoff in 2012. (ANI) However, the other Taiwanese fisherman remains in Chinese custody. Both were detained by the Chinese coast guard in Fujian Province's Weitou Bay on March 18. According to the Kinmen County government, the handover was completed at 12:10 pm, with the 40-year-old Wu successfully disembarking at Liaoluo Port in Kinmen at 1 pm, as per Focus Taiwan. The Kinmen coast guard dispatched a patrol vessel to accompany Wu's return to Kinmen. On March 22, China issued a notice saying Wu would be repatriated first, as reported by CNA. Sources familiar with the matter said that when Chinese authorities investigated the men, they suspected that the second fisherman, identified as Hu, from Jinsha Township, Kinmen County, was a member of Taiwan's military. This led them to change their handover plans and investigate further, Taiwan News reported. The Chinese State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office stated that officials are conducting further investigations into the matter. According to Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration, Hu and Wu encountered heavy fog while fishing at sea and unintentionally drifted into waters near Quanzhou, China, where they were discovered by the Chinese coast guard. According to Focus Taiwan, the Kinmen County government expressed its commitment to continue communicating with Chinese officials to facilitate Hu's prompt return. Opposition Kuomintang Legislator Jessica Chen stated that Hu's release may take longer and expressed willingness to visit China to aid in his early release if possible. At Liaoluo Port, Wu's mother warmly greeted him, preparing a meal of vermicelli with pork leg to symbolize removing bad luck. Kinmen County Magistrate Chen Fu-hai visited the families of both men in the afternoon to assess their needs and pledge ongoing efforts to secure Hu's return. (ANI) Opposition members on Friday held a protest against the government for refusing to hold a sitting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. The opposition and government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are headed for legal confrontation after the government did not follow the order of the governor, who had called a session of the provincial legislature. Opposition members alleged that the government wanted to deprive the women and minority members, elected on reserved seats and notified by the Election Commission of Pakistan, of voting in the Senate polls scheduled to be held in April. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ibadullah Khan, who is leader of the opposition in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, said, "This is their [women and minority members'] right to take oath. They [Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf] want to take four extra seats in the Senate polls." Ibadullah Khan expressed regret that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on one hand complained about alleged changes in Form-45s and Form-47s aimed at depriving them of several seats in the general elections held in Pakistan on February 8 while on the otherhand it was itself breaching the law, according to Dawn report. He stated that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Ghulam Ali had the powers to call a sitting of the assembly under Article 109 of the Constitution. He further said that 45 members from the opposition parties had urged the Governor to call the session. Khan said opposition members came to the assembly. However, the offices of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, Deputy Speaker Suriya Bibi, and secretary, along with the assembly building were locked. Earlier on February 21, opposition lawmakers said that they will initiate legal action against the government for not calling the assembly session as the secretariat did not issue a notification for the session although the governor had issued orders to that effect. PPP lawmaker said, "We are going to the high court [against the provincial government for not calling the sitting on March 22]," Dawn reported. Meanwhile, Babar Saleem Swati approached the Law Department to know if the governor's order was in accordance with the Constitution. His action came after the governor on Wednesday called a sitting of the KP Assembly on March 22 for the oath-taking ceremony of members who had been elected to reserved and minority seats and notified by Pakistan's electoral watchdog on March 4, Dawn reported, citing an official document. His decision led to a tiff between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the newly-elected government, headed by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who called the governor's actions as unconstitutional, according to Dawn report. In a statement, Adviser to the chief minister on information and public relations Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif said, "The governor can request the speaker of the provincial assembly to call a session, but cannot call a sitting on his own. It is the discretion of the speaker to call the assembly and prepare its agenda." According to the statement, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is in contact with its legal team about its response to the governor's order which they termed "unconstitutional," Dawn reported. The Sunni Ittehad Council, which has 90 PTI-backed members in the assembly, was denied its share of the reserved seats by the electoral watchdog. Those seats were alloted to other parties that have presence in the Assembly, including the JUI-F, PML-N, PPPP, ANP, and PTI Parliamentarians. (ANI) Flash Lao authorities rescued 16 black bear cubs in a building here and handed them over to a bear conservation organization, local media reported Saturday. The bears were found in the building of the microfinance institution in Sikhottabong district last week and the rescue operation was initiated by the authorities, the Lao Economic Daily reported, citing Chansamouth Chanthalangsone, deputy head of the environmental department under the Lao Ministry of Public Security. The cubs are now in the care of Free the Bear, an Australian non-profit wildlife charity, where they will receive the necessary treatment before being released back into their natural habitat. Spending most of his career as an elementary school principal, David Boone strove to create learning environments where every teacher and student could reach his or her full potential. He believed that all students were capable of learning and deserved respect. The individualized support he provided to his teachers and students is why Boone will be one of four retired Bartlesville Public Schools educators inducted into the Bartlesville Public Schools Foundations Educator Hall of Fame this spring. David Boone Boone was born and raised in the nearby community of Vera. He attributes a great deal of his teaching philosophy to the role models he had as a student of the Vera schools. After graduating from Vera High School in 1958, Boone attended Miami Junior College for two years and Northeastern State in Tahlequah, earning his Bachelors and Masters Degree in Education. He later earned his Administrative Certificate at the University of Oklahoma. With his teaching certificate, Boone started his career at Bartlesville Public Schools as a sixth grade classroom teacher at Ranch Heights Elementary. After three years in the classroom, and having always had aspirations of becoming a principal, Boone transitioned to the administrative role. He was a principal for twenty-six years before retiring in 1993. During his career as an elementary principal, he led several different elementary schools. He spent five years at Lincoln Elementary, five at Wayside Elementary, one at Washington Elementary (right before the school closed as part of a district-wide consolidation effort), four at Oak Park, three at Hoover, returned to Wayside for five more years, and finished out his career with three years back at Oak Park. Boone acknowledged that he moved between schools more than most administrators, but he loved the challenge and believed that his teachers needed new perspectives and changes in leadership styles. Boone sought out the moves and embraced the opportunities that came with the new beginnings. He says that experiencing the different schools within the district made him a better leader. Of course, there were challenging transitions as he adjusted to different school cultures and dynamics, and as his teachers and students adjusted to him. But regardless of where he was serving as a principal, he stayed true to his belief that every student had the potential to do amazing things, and he focused on creating a learning environment with his team where everyone would succeed. Boone was known for empowering his staff. He made sure his teachers knew that he supported them and their efforts. He knew all students by name and had a gift for making each person feel seen and being able to meet a person where they were. Reflecting on his time as an educator, his most treasured memories were when he watched students as they really understood a concept those lightbulb moments. He is incredibly appreciative of the students who took the time to reach back out, years later, to share the impact he had on them. He held a special place in his heart for the special education students at Oak Park Elementary. Due to available space at Oak Park, the school housed many of the students who needed special services. In his retirement, Boone explored a career in real estate, but quickly realized he missed his students. He became a bus driver in 1996 and made several trips with special needs students to attend the Special Olympics at Oklahoma State University. He served as a bus driver for ten years before retiring (officially) in 2006. As a retiree, Boone enjoyed playing softball. He and his wife, Anita, traveled regularly with the tournament team: David playing and Anita keeping score. In 2008, Boone was inducted in the Oklahoma Softball Hall of Fame. Recently, he has become an avid pickleball player and is almost ready to give up his softball career for pickleball. When speaking of his wife, and the fact that they have been married for over fifty-six years, Boone is quick to distinguish that, despite constantly seeking out new challenges in new schools during his career, he did not follow that mindset in his marriage and hung on to the quality partner he found in Anita. The Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation has been investing in students and staff members within the district since 1985. Over the decades, the non-profit organization has funded more than $3.8 million in creative projects outside of the traditional state, local and federal sources to support state-of-the-art instruction. The money generated by the Educator Hall of Fame event on April 4, 2024, will help fund the organizations programs. Courtesy of the BPS Foundation and ConocoPhillips, a $1,000 grant in Mr. Boones name will go to the Bartlesville Public Schools Department of Special Services. This event is open to the public and tickets are available for $35 through the BPS Foundations website: https://bpsfoundation.org/educator-hall-of-fame/ This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Boone selected for BPS Foundation's Educator Hall of Fame As the director of New Mexico State Universitys Arrowhead Center, I have been charged with leading our mission to foster economic opportunity by supporting innovators, entrepreneurs, and small businesses at every stage of their journey. Amidst the dynamic landscape of business, manufacturing, and logistics companies in our region, the Bridge Accelerator program is poised to help reshape these industries throughout Southern New Mexico and West Texas. Since its inception in 2019, the Bridge Accelerator program has been at the forefront of modernizing Small and Midsize Enterprises (SMEs), aligning them with contemporary tools and trends, and forging crucial connections with the manufacturing sector in the borderland. Kathy Hansen. Founded through a collaborative effort between Technology Hub in Juarez and Pioneers 21 in El Paso, with pivotal support from industry giants like Microsoft TechSpark, Flo Networks, Tecma, and the Secretary of Innovation and Economic Development of the State of Chihuahua (SIDE) via Fundacion Axcel, the Bridge Accelerator program has become a catalyst for growth and innovation in the region. At Arrowhead, we understand the importance of bridging the gap between groundbreaking ideas and market-ready products. As workshop participants, the Arrowhead team has witnessed firsthand how the Bridge Accelerator program empowers SMEs to navigate the complexities of the modern business landscape. Through a comprehensive 12-week curriculum of workshops, working groups, and panels, participants are equipped with the skills, resources, and connections they need to succeed. The culmination of this journey is Demo Day, where participants showcase their businesses to industry leaders, potential buyers, investors, and program allies. It is on this stage that dreams are realized, partnerships are forged, and the seeds of innovation are sown. One of the most exciting aspects of the Bridge Accelerator program is its emphasis on collaboration and partnership. By bringing together SMEs and the manufacturing industry, the program creates synergies that drive innovation and growth. Through initiatives like Microsoft TechSparks support, participants gain access to state-of-the-art technologies and resources, propelling them towards success in an increasingly digital world. The Bridge Accelerator program provides a vital bridge between academia and industry, facilitating the transfer of knowledge and expertise from the classroom to the marketplace. As we look to the future, it is imperative that we continue to support initiatives like the Bridge Accelerator program. By investing in the growth and development of our local businesses, we not only strengthen the economic foundation of our community but also ensure that we remain competitive on a global scale. The Arrowhead Center and the Bridge Accelerator share a common cause to bridge the gap between innovation and industry for a more prosperous future for the Paso del Norte region. I encourage businesses in Southern New Mexico to take advantage of this opportunity and apply to the new cohort of the Bridge Accelerator program by March 29. Businesses may apply online at tb-xl.com. Kathy Hansen serves as Director of Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University (NMSU) and CEO of Arrowhead Center, Inc., a non-profit corporation created to support the mission of NMSU. This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: The Impact of Bridge Accelerator Program on the Paso del Norte region Depending on where a person lives in Columbia, they will have at least two choices to make on ballots in the April 2 election. Voters had one of their final chances to hear from ballot candidates Thursday, thanks to a Columbia-Boone County League of Women Voters candidate forum Thursday. Among ballot items all Columbia voters will see are deciding on Columbia School Board members and whether or not to approve Proposition 1, which could mean the development of a property tax exemption policy for county senior citizens. For voters in Wards 1, 2 and 6 they also will have to decide whether or not to recall Nick Knoth or select representation on the Columbia City Council. Ward 2 has three candidates: Lucio Bitoy IV, Robert Schreibers III or Lisa Meyer. Bitoy is a certified write-in candidate, so while his name does not appear on the ballot, voters still can select him by writing his name on the ballot and filling in the bubble next to where they have written his name. Ward 6 representative Betsy Peters is running unopposed. The league does not hold a forum with candidates in uncontested races. David Lile, from left, and Ward 2 Columbia City Council candidates Lucio Bitoy IV, Robert Schreibers III and Lisa Meyer prepare Wednesday to participate in the Columbia-Boone County League of Women Voters forum at Columbia Public Library. Ward 1 recall When Knoth changed his employment in the fall as a lobbyist for Missouri Board of Realtors, this position concerned a group of Ward 1 residents. After receiving "boilerplate answers" to their questions, they opted for a recall, said Susan Maze, with the recall effort. "We have what we perceive to be a disconnect and an inability to get answers," she said, adding that she has had conversations with Ward 1 residents on both sides. "This is not about division. This is an election. We are all neighbors." Recall leadership previously noted that Knoth's new position with the Missouri Board of Realtors and its financial interest in selling houses, land and how it is used. A good portion of the council's decisions are on land use, the recall campaign said. When the recall effort was started at least 336 verified voter signatures were needed. Petition signatures took six weeks for collection, Maze said, noting at least 450 were collected. After the verification process, the petition effort still had enough for the ballot. Knoth in his statement argued that the recall effort is not about votes he has taken, but his change in career, adding Missouri Ethics Commission and the city's legal department do not see a conflict of interest between his state level career and city council position. "Despite the recall, I have continued to work for the ward," he said. He also voiced concerns that if he were to be recalled, Ward 1 would be without representation as the council soon will work through West Ash neighborhood improvement and capital improvement sales tax decisions that happen every 10 years. Ward 2 candidates Bitoy has a background in political science and works to help get people onto public services in his career with the Missouri Department of Social Services. His motivation for running was on material conditions of people living in the ward, where many are Black, he said. He is focused on affordable housing and motivating residents to be involved in city government. He also would like to get the city connected with the United States Department of Agriculture reforestation program in unused or disused industrial areas in the ward. He agreed that climate change is manmade and a solution to that is increasing the tree canopy. He'd like the city to adopt a green code, which could include emission limits on commercial buildings. For any police department changes, he wants to look at recommendations from community groups and wants police to take feelings out from when the department is critiqued. He would like the department to have more stringent employment qualifications. Schreibers has a construction background, including in passive solar and earth contact construction methods, but now works as a union maintenance employee at the University of Missouri. His main campaign focus has been on affordable housing and public transit. He noted wanting to explore incentive programs for landlords or homeowners to make older properties more energy efficient and thus reducing utility bills for tenants or owners. He wants to see more green energy watts on the grid, such as through Grain Belt Express wind turbines. He'd like to see fleet vehicles go all electric in the city. In reference to the city's police department, Schreibers expressed that the Citizens Police Review Board needs more teeth to be able to do its work. Meyer, a real estate professional, in her campaign has focused on parks and public safety. Her No. 1 issue is getting the police department fully staffed, she said. With regard to housing, she would like to see some code changes that simplify city zoning codes, including a zoning rule that would allow up to four instead of three unrelated people to live together. When looking at environmental issues, she agreed to the statement it is manmade and noted that city decisions now have to align with the city's Climate Change and Adaptation Plan. She wants to see that the city has better than "EPA grade water." Meyer wants to look to other departments as a model on how to make changes at the Columbia Police Department, such as what is happening in Las Vegas, she said. Proposition 1 The League of Women Voters in its voter's guide notes Proposition 1 is a property tax exemption rule for Boone County senior citizen residents on their primary residence. The proposition is based on Senate Bill 190, passed in August. There are concerns about the state law drafting including from the Missouri Association of Counties, the LWV notes in its guide. The Boone County Commission in November resolved to recognize the value of tax relief for lower and moderate-income senior citizens, while also making clean-up legislation a top priority. Senate Bill 576 was prefiled ahead of the 2024 Missouri General Assembly session with the intention of doing this clean-up, the LWV noted. If approved by Boone County voters, the commission will start to draft the tax exemption program. This includes eligibility parameters, the application and administrative process, and safeguards to minimize the potential for abuse of the program, LWV noted. Implementation likely would not happen until 2025, the LWV added, since Boone County assessor and collector offices will need to work in tandem to "create and test the (program's) administrative process." Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism. This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Columbia City Council candidates seek votes at forum Authorities in Beaufort County are investigating a possible double murder after two St. Helena residents were found fatally shot in their home Friday night. David Garder, 38, and Christiana Alkire, 41, were found dead in their Pearl Harbor Lane home following a police welfare check requested by family. Its unclear when they were killed, but autopsies would be done Monday, Beaufort County Coroner David Ott said. Police found the bodies while searching the home around 9 p.m. Friday night, according to the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office. Family members said they were concerned for Garder and Alkire after not hearing from them since Wednesday, spokeswoman Maj. Angela Viens said. The couple had just moved into the home prior to the incident, officials told WTOC 11, although Viens did not know how long they had lived there. She added, investigators had not observed any signs of forced entry or a robbery as of Saturday afternoon. The investigation marks the seventh- and-eighth homicides in Beaufort County this year: Anyone with information related to the St. Helena investigation is encouraged to contact Investigator Petrone at 843-255-3440 or the anonymous Crime Stoppers of the Lowcountry tip line at 843-554-1110. One man was killed and another injured when a barn partially collapsed and caught fire north of Waterloo on Saturday morning. The barn was located off Country Club Lane at Rogers Street, near Waterloo Country Club, according to Monroe County Coroner Bob Hill. He also confirmed that: A man called 911 at 9:35 a.m. and reported that a dilapidated barn being torn down had collapsed on his two co-workers. First responders with Monroe County Sheriffs Department, Waterloo Fire Department and Monroe County EMS were able to reach the trapped victims. Deputy Coroner Theresa Hitzmann pronounced a 58-year-old man from Wildwood, Missouri, dead at the scene. Another man was transported by ambulance to Mercy Hospital South in St. Louis County for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Well be doing an autopsy tomorrow morning since (the 58-year-olds death) was work-related, Hill said Saturday afternoon. That will give us a more definite answer on his cause of death. Hill doesnt plan to release the deceased mans name until Sunday to allow time for all family members to be notified. Monroe County Sheriff Neal Rohlfing couldnt be reached for comment Saturday, nor could Waterloo Police Chief Dane Luke. A sheriffs deputy on duty Saturday declined comment. An X marks the location of a barn collapse and fire that killed one man and injured another on Saturday north of Waterloo. These are the days of the lives of grandfathers. I never thought I would see the day. Like it or not, both candidates for the top job in this country, president of the United States, are senior citizens, as well as grandfathers. This is not noted because I believe that a Gen X or a Gen Y should be at the helm. As we all look at the widespread failure of so many to understand a certain amount of control over TikTok in this country, you shudder to think of any one of those groups actually being in policy-making positions. The grandfathers seeking the position of president of the United States are markedly different people. There is one grandfather who believes in the rule of law and has worked to protect it. Elaine Harris Spearman The other grandfather has nothing but contempt for the rule of law and acts solely in pursuit of his own constantly multiplying corrupt schemes. This is according to U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the oversight committee in Congress. As life happens to people, the death of loved ones overcomes the year that they died. Anyone who cared about the loss certainly does not hang onto the year of the loss. To use such is a gross miscarriage of memory-checking any person. I would have to struggle to give the year of my beloved family members deaths. On the other hand, targeting people for ridicule, cock your heads sideways and make fun of the person, with a prepared speech, defies excuses. Surely the grandfather involved should have known his intended targets name. Who would call one prominent womans name over and over, and not realize that he was naming the wrong person? What manner of grandfather tells Congress to block a bipartisan border security bill because to pass it would "help (the) opposition?" One grandfather has reared sons who know of military service and honor. This grandfather knows the pain of losing a brilliant son to cancer and the other to the seduction of drug use. How many American parents and grandparents have suffered from the scourge of drug addiction in this country? The other grandfather has reared two sons in his own likeness. Among the three people, there is no military service, and a trio of pathetic men who bashed John McCain, a military hero, and a Gold Star family. Why? Because the apple does not fall far from the tree. The two sons have worked only for a company owned by their father, which has been found guilty of corruption and false practices by a court of law. This grandfather and his offspring only respect the law when it rules in their favor. They have shrouded themselves with the mantle of fraudulent, combative behavior. One grandfather has shown respect over the years for talent, skills, ability and compassion across the board. He chose a vice president who has a proven track record for public service, not a "yes man" with no spine. The other grandfather and his MAGA acolytes have begun the attacks, as expected. Why? Because the handwriting is on the wall. Some people are terribly misled. Do they really know what the role of the vice president is other than next in line for the presidency? The executive function of the vice president include participation in all Cabinet meetings, and by statute membership in the National Security Council, Domestic Council and the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. By designation of the President, the Vice President is the Vice Chairman of the National Security Council and the Domestic Council; and the Chairman of the Commission on CIA Activities within the United States (Black's Law Dictionary, Sixth Edition, 1990). The other grandfather continuously belittles others, the disabled included, and crazily said, the Blacks like my mugshot because they can identify. The same net that he casts upon immigrants, he does to others. The worst lies are the lies you tell yourself. Everybody has a grandfather. How do you remember yours? A kindly caring man who helped you with right and wrong and wanted you to be the best human being that you could be? Or was he the scowling nightmare of a man who made you believe that nothing mattered except getting what you want by any means necessary? Elaine Harris Spearman, Esq., a Gadsden native, is an attorney and is the retired legal advisor to the comptroller of the City of St. Louis. The views expressed are her own. This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: ELAINE HARRIS SPEARMAN: Two grandfathers, two choices for U.S. voters MONTCLAIR Ashton Clatterbuck was remembered Saturday as a champion of trans rights who was deeply committed to social justice and to those lucky enough to be his friend. The 22-year-old junior studying journalism and political science at Montclair State University took his own life on Feb. 27 after expressing sorrow for the highly publicized suicide of Nex Benedict, a nonbinary teenager from Owasso, Oklahoma. Clatterbuck was the first transgender person to enroll at his Mennonite high school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He empathized with Nex, who reportedly died on Feb. 8 a day after an altercation with bullies. He volunteered to write an op-ed on gender discrimination for his hometown newspaper, but he never finished that piece. Friends of Clatterbuck told an audience in an auditorium at Mountainside Medical Center on Bay Avenue that his unwavering passion inspired them to make the world a friendlier place. ENTERTAINMENT: Montclair filmmaker brings legendary artist Frida Kahlo to life in new documentary His sensitivity seemed to have rubbed off on Ira Galindo. I admired so much about him, said Galindo, 19, Clatterbucks roommate at Montclair State. Im really blessed to have had that relationship with him. The tribute to Clatterbuck kicked off the second annual Trans Day of Visibility Celebration, sponsored by Out Montclair, a township-based nonprofit that raises awareness for the LGBTQ+ community. The 6-hour event featured food vendors, live music and panel discussions moderated by trans activists. There were also seven workshops, including an afternoon session on how to bind, pack and tuck. Marie Cottrell, the managing director of the nonprofit, said the event helps to amplify the voices of trans people and to remind everyone to live authentically. Ashton Clatterbuck of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. While we witness the progress of acceptance, Cottrell said, the fight for dignity and equality remain. About four in 10 LGBTQ+ youths seriously considered suicide in the past year, said The Trevor Project, a California-based nonprofit. Another key finding from its 2023 national survey on mental health was that a majority of those youths reported being verbally harassed at school because of their perceived sexual orientation. Matthew Platkin, the state attorney general and a Montclair resident, said celebrations of trans people have never been more important due to the hate targeted at their community. We have an obligation to stand up, said Platkin, among five guest speakers at the event. In my view, you either believe in equality or you dont. We stand up for this community every time, at every opportunity, because we believe and I believe in equality. Story continues below gallery. Clatterbuck was a believer, too. Riley Maynard, 24, a graduate student at Montclair State, recalled the walls of Clatterbucks bedroom covered in posters from marches and rallies he attended. I was in awe of his dedication, Maynard told the audience Saturday. We must remember not just the person, but the purpose of his life. Still, his friends said there was a soft side to Clatterbuck. His roommate shared a story about the time he surprised him with a bottle of vitaminwater, noting that from then on, the surprises kept on coming. We loved giving each other gifts, Galindo said. He was a gift. Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. Email: devencentis@northjersey.com This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Beloved NJ college student and transgender man remembered for advocacy ISIS-K are an affiliate group of the Islamic State militants pictured here in Syria (Alamy ) Islamic State Khorasan, or ISIS-K, has claimed responsibility for the deadly shooting attack at a concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow on Friday which killed at least 143 people. Attackers dressed in military fatigues stormed the foyer and then theatre of Crocus City Hall as concert-goers were waiting to hear a performance from a rock band. Videos posted on Russian social media showed the gunmen shooting people, while others fled as a fire engulfed the building, with thick smoke billowing into the sky. Russian president Vladimir Putin attempted to link the attack to Ukraine, despite ISIS-K claiming responsibility for the attack in a statement on Friday evening. Ukraine has denied any involvement. US intelligence services also confirmed the group was responsible for the attack, which has left Russians in mourning. Here is everything we know about ISIS-K. Who are ISIS-K? Islamic State Khorasan, named after an old term for the region that included parts of Iran, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, emerged in eastern Afghanistan in late 2014 and quickly established a reputation for extreme brutality. One of the most active regional affiliates of the Islamic State militant group, ISIS-K has seen its membership decline after peaking in around 2018. ISIS fighters holding the Al-Qaeda flag with Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant written on it. ISIS-K are an affiliate of the group (Alamy) At its peak it had around 3,000 members but suffered heavy losses at the hands of the Taliban and US coalition forces. It is located in the Nangarhar region in Afghanistan and typically recruits both Afghan and Pakistani jihadists. The United States has said its ability to develop intelligence against extremist groups in Afghanistan such as ISIS-K has been reduced since the withdrawal of US troops from the country in 2021. Since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan two years ago the group has undergone a resurgence and in its weekly newsletter, Al Naba, has claimed 238 attacks, killing at least 670 people and injuring 1,200 others, CNN reported. Human rights charities have said the group has specifically targeted the Hazari group, a religious minority that has faced persecution in Afghanistan for years. Since the Taliban takeover, ISIS-linked fighters have committed numerous brutal attacks against members of the Hazara community as they go to school, to work, or to pray, without a serious response from the Taliban authorities, said Fereshta Abbasi, Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch. ISIS rebel militant soldiers on the frontline. ISIS-K are an affiliate of the group (Alamy) The group is reportedly led by warlord Shahab al-Muhajir, a former member of the Talibans al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network, who took power in April 2020 after Abdullah Orokzai, the previous leader, was captured by Afghan forces. There were reports in June last year that al-Muhajir had been killed by Taliban security forces. However a UN report soon after said the information remains to be confirmed. What attacks has the group carried out? ISIS-K has a history of attacks, including against mosques, both inside and outside Afghanistan. Earlier this year, the US intercepted communications confirming the group carried out twin bombings in Iran that killed nearly 100 people. In September 2022, ISIS-K militants claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing at the Russian embassy in Kabul. The group was responsible for an attack on Kabuls international airport in 2021 that killed 13 US troops and scores of civilians during the chaotic US evacuation from the country. It has also struck inside Pakistan, targeting government forces as well as members of the countrys Sufi minority. ISIS affiliates were responsible for the worst-ever terrorist attack in Sri Lanka, when eight suicide bombers carried out a series of coordinated attacks that killed over 250 people in April 2019. Earlier this month, the top US general in the Middle East said ISIS-K could attack U.S. and Western interests outside of Afghanistan in as little as six months and with little to no warning. Why would they attack Russia? While the attack by ISIS-K in Russia on Friday was a dramatic escalation, experts said the group has opposed Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent years. ISIS-K has been fixated on Russia for the past two years, frequently criticizing Putin in its propaganda, said Colin Clarke of Soufan Center, a Washington-based research group. Michael Kugelman of the Washington-based Wilson Center said that ISIS-K sees Russia as being complicit in activities that regularly oppress Muslims. He added the group also counts as members a number of Central Asian militants with their own grievances against Moscow. Additional reporting by news agencies Antonio Guterres visits the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has made a renewed call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. "It is time to silence the guns," he said, speaking from the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing with the enclave. He also called on Israel to give "total, unfettered" access to humanitarian goods throughout Gaza. A UN-backed food security assessment this week said 1.1 million people in Gaza were struggling with catastrophic hunger and starvation. It added that a man-made famine in the north was imminent between now and May. Mr Guterres, who said he had come to Rafah "to spotlight the pain of Palestinians in Gaza", was speaking a day after Russia and China blocked a US draft resolution put to the UN which called for a ceasefire tied to the release of hostages held in Gaza. "It's time to truly flood Gaza with life-saving aid. The choice is clear: either surge or starvation. Blocked relief trucks on the Egyptian side of border are a moral outrage," said Mr Guterres, who also called for the release of Israeli hostages. "I want Palestinians in Gaza to know: You are not alone. People around the world are outraged by the horrors we are all witnessing in real time. Palestinians in Gaza remain stuck in a non-stop nightmare," he added. Aid trucks are backed up at the Rafah border crossing Speaking to BBC Middle East correspondent Hugo Bachega, Mr Guterres again urged Israel to lift the obstacles to the delivery of aid. "It's obvious that these obstacles are part of the way this war is being conducted in relation to Gaza," he added. Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz hit back at Guterres on X (formerly Twitter), saying the UN chief "blamed Israel for the humanitarian situation in Gaza" without condemning Hamas fighters who "plunder" aid. The Rafah crossing is one of the main points of entry for aid into Gaza, where long queues of trucks with aid are waiting for Israeli approval to cross. Western countries and aid groups have criticised Israel over its inspection process, blamed for slowing down the entry of much-needed help. The war in Gaza began when Hamas gunmen attacked southern Israel on 7 October, killing about 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages, according to Israeli officials. More than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's retaliatory air strikes and its continuing ground offensive, the Hamas-run health ministry says. Earlier, Mr Guterres met UN humanitarian aid workers in el-Arish, the Egyptian city closest to Gaza, where much of the international relief for the enclave is delivered and stockpiled. He later visited a hospital where injured Palestinians are being treated. His trip comes as Israel plans to launch a ground operation in Rafah. More than half of Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinians are sheltering in the southern city, where Israel says Hamas leaders are hiding and Hamas battalions still operate. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defied international criticism of the planned offensive, saying "no international pressure will stop Israel" from achieving all of its war aims. Kaylee Gain, the Missouri teenager who was brutally beaten in a fight earlier this month, is out of intensive care and breathing on her own again, her family reported on Friday. Kaylees mother, April Nordstrom, posted the update to a GoFundMe page raising money for her care and recovery. The 16-year-old was critically injured in a fight on 8 March near Hazelwood East High School in St Louis, Missouri, where she is a student. Video of the fight circulated online earlier this month, showing another girl repeatedly slamming Kaylees head into the concrete. We are so happy and blessed to announce that Kaylee is now stable, breathing on her own , and was moved out of the ICU, Ms Nordstrom wrote. She still has an incredibly long journey ahead of her but she is strong. Kaylee Gain is now out of the ICU and breathing on her own, her family said on Friday (Supplied) Her family had earlier reported that the teen suffered a fractured skull, brain bleeding and swelling. The GoFundMe has raised nearly $400,000 after billionaire Bill Ackman donated $10,000 to the campaign last week. Police have arrested and charged an unnamed 15-year-old suspect in connection with the attack. The suspects family has launched a Change.org petition calling on Chief Juvenile Officer Rick Gaines not to charge her as an adult. The girl is a multilingual honour roll student who was defending herself from harassment and bullying during the attack, the petition says. We ask that the Juvenile Court use a combination of Restorative Justice and Rehabilitation methods instead of only using punitive measures to address the harm that occurred, the petition reads. The petition has just over 700 signatures as of Saturday afternoon. The family had also started their own GoFundMe campaign to help with the 15-year-olds legal bills. It raised $3,000 before GoFundMe officials removed the page for violating the terms of service. On Friday, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey called for the girl to be tried as an adult. There is no discretion that the court has to hold a certification hearing when you have teens who should know better who do know better and theyre committing adult crimes. There needs to be adult punishments, Mr Bailey said, according to KSDK. Kaylee Gain suffered a brain bleed and swelling as a result of the fight near her Missouri high school, her family said (Bryan M Kaemmerer, an attorney representing Kaylee Gains family.) Mr Bailey also announced that he is investigating the Hazelwood School District, claiming their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies led to Kaylees injuries. The attorney general claimed that the district adopted a statement of solidarity to reevaluate the districts relationship with local police, and as a result removed uniformed officers from their schools. Notably, during the attack on Ms. Gain, which was captured on video by other students, not a single school resource officer was on the scene to protect Ms. Gain or restore order, he wrote, in a letter to the school districts superintendent. The absence of SROs on the scene is directly attributable to Hazelwoods insistence on prioritizing race-based policies over basic student safety. By its actions, HSD has endangered not only Ms. Gain, but the general school community writ large. In response to the letter, the Hazelwood School District (HSD) reaffirmed its commitment to the policies. Contrary to recent statements, HSD does not prioritize DEI initiatives at the expense of student safety, the district said, according to KSDK. Rather, we believe that fostering an inclusive environment is essential to ensuring the well-being of every member of our school community. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Food pantry volunteers open the doors to residents in need every week, but they are seeing the senior citizens who used to be their biggest donors, now lining up to receive something off the shelf. Major Harold Laubach, Divisional Secretary for Southern Nevada Salvation Army, said he sees the shift occur at their Henderson location as more seniors and families speak with their case workers. Cost of living goes up, so what we see with senior citizens on a fixed income is they dont have the ability to bend with the times, Laubach said. What we realized is that, yes, senior citizens make up a majority of our donor base but more and more every day senior citizens are making up more of our client base. A spokesperson for Southern Nevada Salvation Army said an 8 News Now story revealing the difficulties of Las Vegas seniors on a fixed income spurred the request to discuss the resources available for them at their 16 facilities and over 20 programs. The Southern Nevada Salvation Army Henderson Corps. food pantry near Lake Mead Pkwy. and Boulder Hwy. is open to residents seeking food on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. (KLAS) We understand there is much less flexibility in a seniors budget, Laubach said. The Southern Nevada Salvation Army supplies 18,000 food and comfort packages to needy families annually, according to their website. The Southern Nevada Salvation Army Henderson Corps. food pantry near Lake Mead Pkwy. and Boulder Hwy. is open to residents seeking food on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Laubach said their Henderson location has seen an influx in clients due to the scaling down of the other local food pantries of a different agency. We have a couple of local agencies here that have recently reduced their hours of their service, he said. Which has increased some of our client load and thats fine we are able to do that. Major Harold Laubach, Divisional Secretary for Southern Nevada Salvation Army, said he sees the shift occur at their Henderson location as more seniors and families speak with their case workers. (KLAS) With the increase in demand for helping the community, Laubach said the need now is for volunteers to step up in their community. One of our biggest canned food drives, where we partner with the post office, has tripled in size compared to last year. He said. We will not only collect a lot more food, but we will need a lot more volunteers. The next opportunity to help during the post office canned food drive in Henderson will be May 11, at three different postal locations. If seniors are not able to make it a canned food drive to pick up goods Laubach said a family member or caregiver can pick up supplies on the seniors behalf, and added the organization is willing to problem solve with those in difficult spots. Please let us know how we can help, he said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Don Henderson, a quintessential mountain man, spent his time in a secluded cabin outside of North Idaho. Hed take his partner on walks that would wind up being hikes straight up a mountain. He enjoyed hunting, especially with his six dogs: Sadie, Terrance, Butch, Bouncer, Rounder and Gracie. He was a totally different person just out there, Hendersons partner, Ron Thompson, told the Idaho Statesman. He wouldnt have any stress. It was just it was his place, it was his Heaven, it was his church, he would say. Those memories are some of Thompsons fondest, he said. Police said Henderson, of Orofino, Idaho, on Wednesday was the victim of a homicide that traced back to two men who staged an attack against Department of Correction officers at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise. Henderson was 72. The Boise Police Department said Nicholas Umphenour shot two IDOC officers while Skylar Meade, an Idaho prisoner being treated for self-inflicted injuries, was being taken back to prison around 2 a.m. Wednesday allowing the pair to flee police custody. A third officer was also shot by Boise police. Umphenour, 28, and Meade, 31, then drove up to northern Idaho, where police said they killed Henderson, along with 83-year-old James Mauney, whose body was found in Nez Perce County. Police said Henderson knew the suspects but didnt know to what extent. Police said Don Henderson, 72,was killed by two men who staged an attack at a Boise hospital. Hendersons partner, Ron Thompson, remembered him as a remarkable man who had a wonderful southern drawl after growing up on a southeastern Oklahoma ranch. Ron Thompson /Provided He made life an adventure, and Im not an adventurous type, Thompson said. So he brought me along, and a lot of times I was kicking and screaming. But he enriched my life so much. Henderson had three daughters from two previous marriages, Thompson said. The pair met online in 2006 and stayed together since. Thompson said about a year after they met, he moved to Orofino from Clarkston, Washington, to be with Henderson, living in Hendersons cabin for the majority of that time. That lasted until 2018, when Thompson said he just couldnt stand living in Idaho anymore, especially as a gay man. Thompson added that he also had trouble living in the woods because of the isolation, and spent a few years in Orofino during that time. Bigotry in Idaho was also something Henderson faced, his partner told the Statesman. Henderson was assaulted and threatened by people who speculated that he was gay, Thompson said, which led Henderson to want to keep their relationship private. We werent open up there, Thompson said. But I want people to know that he was my partner. He loved me and I loved him wholeheartedly. Nicholas Umphenour, left, aided in the planned attack to free 31-year-old Skylar Meade, right, from custody after he was brought to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, according to the Boise Police Department. Boise Police Department /Provided Umphenour displaced frightening behavior Henderson and Thompson were briefly acquainted with Umphenour roughly 10 years ago, when he stayed with them at the cabin. Thompson said a neighborhood kid at the time was staying with them because his familys camper didnt have a lot of space and one day he brought Umphenour home with him. Umphenour, who was about 18 years old at the time, asked to stay with them because he didnt get along with his father, Thompson said. But the stay didnt last long. Less than a month later, Thompson said he and Henderson kicked Umphenour out after he displayed frightening behavior. He added that Umphenour took over their home and would talk about shooting people if they disrespected him. He had a volatile temper, which was frightening, Thompson said. He would just explode all of a sudden, so it was like, No we cant have this here. Thompson said he never saw him again. But about a month ago, Umphenour hiked up to Hendersons cabin and stayed to visit with him for about an hour over a cup of coffee, Thompson said. He didnt think too much of it, but Thompson said that changed after he learned about Wednesdays ambush. After Thompson said he couldnt get a hold of Henderson, he called the Clearwater County Sheriffs Office and asked them to do a welfare check at Hendersons cabin. Deputies found Henderson around 8 p.m., though he was likely killed roughly seven hours earlier, according to the Clearwater County Coroners Office. Thompson said he and Henderson were discussing plans to move to New Mexico together. He said Henderson also decided he was ready to leave Idaho and intended to sell his cabin. We had all these plans, and now hes gone, Thompson said. Hes been snuffed out by evil people. Police said Don Henderson was killed by two men who staged an attack at a Boise hospital. The 72-year-old had three daughters. Ron Thompson/Provided A man was shot and killed in a local Chick-fil-A by an off-duty police officer, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division announced Friday. The off-duty Summerville Police Department officer and 39-year-old Michael ONeal got into an altercation at a Summerville Chick-fil-A at 1312 North Main Street in Berkeley County on Wednesday. ONeal was shot by the officer and died at the scene. The officer was taken to the hospital for his injuries. The police department asked SLED to investigate. SLED did not not identify the officer involved. However, Summerville Police Chief Douglas Wright named him as Anthony DeLustro who is on paid administrative leave with the department, local news reported. According to the Post and Courier in Charleston, DeLustro was hit by a car. There was no further information about the car. This event was a struggle for all who were involved, Wright said in a statement. There is an ongoing investigation, so no other information about the case will be disclosed by SLED at this time, officials said. SLED is asking for cell phone video or other video accounts of the conflict to assist with its investigation. Footage can be emailed to tips@sled.sc.gov. MARION COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) Members of the New Mexico State Police on Saturday were among those who attended a funeral for Phonesia Machado-Fore, a Pee Dee paramedic who was fatally shot earlier this month. Marion County Sheriff Brian Wallace said on the departments Facebook page that Fores family was presented with a New Mexico state flag and a photograph of Ofc. Justin Hare. Hare was killed March 15 along Interstate 40 while responding to reports of a disabled vehicle. That cars driver, 32-year-old Jaremy Smith of Marion, ambushed Hare and shot him twice on the side of the road. Timeline: Whats happened so far in the case of slain Pee Dee paramedic Phonesia Machado-Fore At the time, Smith was driving a white BMW registered to Machado-Fore, and remains a person of interest in her death. Machado-Fores body was discovered last Friday in a remote area of Dillon County. Fore, 52, was laid to rest on Saturday. We are overwhelmed by the sacrifices made for these wonderful officers to be with us today. Our hearts are with them in the days ahead as they prepare to lay their fellow officer to rest, Wallace said on the departments Facebook page. Wallace told News13 last week that representatives from his office plan to attend Fores funeral, slated for 1 p.m. on March 27 in Albuquerque. Meanwhile, federal prosecutors on Friday said theyre considering the death penalty for Smith. Wallace and Dillon County Sheriff Jamie Hamilton said their departments are working jointly to investigate what happened to Machado-Fore. * * * 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. In this photo provided by Telegram Channel of Ukraines prime minister Denys Shmyhal, smoke and fire rise over the Dnipro hydroelectric power plant after Russian attack (AP) Russia has launched its largest attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure since the war began, Kyiv has said firing more than 150 missiles and drones, hitting a vast dam over the Dnipro River and killing at least five people. Dozens of energy facilities across the country were hit in the attacks, plunging more than a million Ukrainian civilians across seven regions into blackouts, as Poland, Romania and Slovakia rushed to supply emergency power. The world sees the targets of Russian terrorists as clearly as possible: power plants and energy supply lines, a hydroelectric dam, ordinary residential buildings, even a trolleybus, wrote Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on the Telegram messaging platform. Russia is at war against the ordinary life of people. Ukraines largest dam, the DniproHES in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, which supplies electricity to the nearby nuclear plant, was also hit eight times, according to Yuriy Bielousov, head of the war department of the general prosecutors office. The main external power line to the plant was cut off as a result, International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi said, though Ukraines nuclear energy operator said it was restored several hours later. Moscow called the strikes revenge for deadly cross-border raids earlier this month by pro-Ukrainian military groups and repeated attacks by Kyiv on Russian infrastructure. It is a claim rejected by Andriy Kramarov, a former officer of a Ukrainian anti-missile unit. It is very bad that there are discussions suggesting todays Russian strikes on us are equal to our strikes on their [oil] refineries, he said. They dont even have any people that struggle from these attacks. We have a lot of civilians killed. They are not the same. The idea that the attacks cause casualties of war on both sides is wrong. Todays attack was another terrorist attack from Russia. We are just trying to strike their economy without any civilian casualties. The attack came as the Kremlin described the invasion of Ukraine as a war for the first time. For more than two years, Russian officials and state-owned media have used the propagandistic phrase special military operation to describe the attack on Ukraine in order to downplay its impact on mainland Russia and its people. It started as a special military operation, said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov in an interview with a Russian newspaper, But as soon as this gang developed and the collective West started participating in the conflict on the side of Ukraine, for us it became a war. Mark Galeotti, an expert on Russian strategy, said the adoption of the word war signalled the Kremlins demand that every Russian get into a wartime mindset, and realise there is now no middle ground between being a patriot and a traitor. Self-defence unit volunteers stand by burned-out cars in a residential area of the city of Belgorod following fresh aerial attacks on March 22 (AFP via Getty) European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, meanwhile, said the comments proved that the Kremlin betrayed the Russian population for the last two years by hiding the facts and denying that they are at war. Russias Belgorod and Kursk regions bordering Ukraine have been attacked multiple times this month by pro-Kyiv Russian military groups. Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said one person had been killed by further Ukrainian strikes in the region on Friday morning. And at least nine oil refineries in western Russia have also been attacked by long-range drones this year. The overnight long-range assault across Ukrainian territory at least 12 regions across Ukraine were hit by the onslaught of missiles and drones, fired from land, sea and air. Some 1.2 million people in at least four regions have been left without power due to the attacks on Ukraine, according to figures posted by presidential aide Oleksiy Kuleba. Around 700,000 of those were in the eastern region of Kharkiv alone. It was the most significant and well-planned attack on the energy sector since the onset of the war, targeting dozens of energy facilities, said Oleksandr Kharchenko, director of the Energy Industry Research Center in Kyiv, which advises the Ukrainian government on the energy sector. A handout photo made available by the State Emergency Service shows rescuers at work at the scene of a missile strike in the city of Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine (EPA) He said the scale of the attack indicated extensive preparation time, including the stockpiling of missiles and the gathering of information on the current state of the Ukrainian energy system. Similar attacks were carried out in the winter of 2022, which Mr Kharchenko suggested meant Russians had been studying in preparation for this attack. Its a solid assumption that the planning of this operation involved not only military personnel but also intelligence services and Russian energy specialists, he said. Given the nature of the attack, they were well-informed about our defences and attempted to bypass them. Strategic planning was undoubtedly conducted by energy experts, considering the specific targets they aimed to hit. The Prince of Wales has been trying to protect his wife at a time when she has been at her most vulnerable - Kin Cheung/Pool via REUTERS When the Prince of Wales unexpectedly pulled out of attending a memorial service for his godfather King Constantine of Greece last month, there was widespread speculation it was connected to the death of Thomas Kingston, the husband of Lady Gabriella Windsor. It has now emerged that the unspecified personal reason given for his absence from St Georges Chapel in Windsor on Feb 27 was that his wife, the Princess of Wales, had recently received a cancer diagnosis. Having undergone major abdominal surgery at the London Clinic in January, which was deemed a success, post-operative tests discovered that cancer had been present, contrary to all pre-operative tests and a statement from Kensington Palace that had suggested her condition was not cancer. As the Princess herself said, in a video message updating the nation on her condition, it came as a huge shock and she is now in the early stages of preventative chemotherapy treatment. The news of the Princesss cancer which comes on top of the Kings cancer diagnosis in January comes at a difficult time for the Royal family but also explains much of the mystery that has prompted wild speculation about the Princesss health in recent weeks, including, perhaps, the now infamous doctored Mothering Sunday picture of her. The fury in royal circles over the controversy the picture generated is more understandable in the light of what we now know. The Prince of Wales was trying to protect his wife at a time when she was at her most vulnerable, and together they were trying to find a way of telling their children about their mothers medical diagnosis. Whether or not this Mother's Day photograph was altered by the Princess to hide any tell-tale signs of her treatment, we may never know - Prince of Wales/Kensington Palace The Princess said in her video statement: It has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK. Whether or not the photograph was altered by the Princess to hide any tell-tale signs of her treatment we may never find out, but what was driving the anger at the international response to the touched-up image of the Princess and her three children now becomes clear. While internet trolls were speculating that the Princess had faked the picture because she was not well enough to pose for one, or even that she was dead, the couple and their staff were having to bite their tongues, primarily for the sake of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. The fact that the Princess has only released details of her cancer diagnosis on the day her children have broken up from school for Easter is no coincidence. Royal aides said the couple wanted to be able to tell their children at a time that was right for them and to understand and process the news before it became public. Only after the children had finished school for Easter did they feel that it was the right time to share this update. Aides have made it clear that the decision to go public about the cancer diagnosis, and the timing of it, had nothing to do with the ongoing speculation about Catherines health. We still do not know what the Princesss surgery involved. On Jan 17, Kensington Palace announced that she had undergone planned abdominal surgery the previous day and that it was expected she would remain in hospital for 10-14 days before returning home to continue her recovery. The statement released at the time said: Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter. Prince William visited his wife in hospital and postponed his public engagements to be by her side. The Princess was discharged from the London Clinic on Jan 29, the same day that the King was discharged after treatment for a benign enlarged prostate. He too later discovered he had cancer, in his case unconnected to the prostate issue for which he had been treated. The Prince of Wales returned to public duties on Feb 7, attending a dinner in aid of London Air Ambulance, where he thanked the public for their messages of support for his wife. Prince William with actor Tom Cruise at the London Air Ambulance dinner - Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace At that stage, neither he nor the Princess had any idea that cancer had been present at the time of her surgery. They would only find that out at the end of February, royal aides have said. It was shortly after the cancer was discovered in post-operative tests that the Princess began her course of chemotherapy. When Prince William missed King Constantines memorial service, just hours before the announcement of the death of Mr Kingston, Kensington Palace said that the Princess continues to be doing well. Two days later, on Feb 29, the Palace felt the need to make a further statement in response to the online speculation about her health, saying that it would only provide significant updates and not a running commentary. On March 4, she was spotted in the passenger seat of a car driven by Carole Middleton, her mother, near the Princesss home in Windsor. It now seems likely that the Princess was making visits to see her cancer specialist during this period. She was also seen in the back of a car with her husband on the day of the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, which he attended but she did not, on March 11. On March 5, there was what seemed at the time to be a curious incident involving plans for Trooping the Colour in June. The Army released details on its website of ticketing arrangements, accompanied by a photograph of the Princess who, it said, would be reviewing troops from the Irish Guards on June 8, a week before Trooping itself. Other senior members of the Royal family attended King Constantine's memorial in Prince William's absence - Jonathan Brady After objections from Kensington Palace, which had not confirmed her appearance at the event, all references to the Princess were removed from the website. The reason for the Palaces nervousness over any promises about her public engagements even as far away as June is now clear. Then came the release on March 10 of the Mothering Sunday photograph, which was withdrawn by picture agencies because of signs it had been digitally manipulated. As it made headlines around the world, the Princess issued a personal apology for any confusion the picture had caused, saying that she would sometimes experiment with editing like many amateur photographers. The photograph itself had been taken by Prince William. The Princesss statement did nothing to quell the speculation about her health, and on March 20, the London Clinic announced that it had informed the Information Commissioner of an unauthorised attempt to access Catherines medical records. No date was given for when the alleged security breach happened, but it now seems likely that some staff at the clinic would have been aware that the Princesss treatment and recovery had not been as straightforward as first thought. By last weekend, the Princess felt well enough to accompany her husband on a trip to their local farm shop in Windsor, where they were filmed by a member of the public, who passed the footage on to The Sun newspaper. Catherine looked happy and healthy as she was spotted at a local farm shop with William close to their home in Windsor last weekend - The Sun The Princess was smiling and appeared relaxed, though she appeared to have lost weight. There were cruel jibes online suggesting she should be back at work if she was well enough to be out shopping. The video emerged after Kensington Palace had declined to comment on whether the Princess would join the Royal family at the traditional Easter Sunday church service in Windsor, saying a decision had not yet been made. That guidance has now changed. The Palace now says there are no plans for the Waleses to attend the Easter Matins service in Windsor. On Wednesday, rumours swept media circles that the BBC had been told to prepare for a big announcement of some sort. It now turns out that Wednesday was the day a crew from BBC Studios, sworn to total secrecy, was summoned to Windsor to film the Princess making her video message. Her plea for time, space and privacy to recover was the first time she had spoken to the public, albeit indirectly, since attending church at Sandringham on Christmas Day last year. The Prince will return to work after the couples children have returned to school following the Easter holidays and he will balance supporting his wife and his children and his public duties in the same way that he has been since the start of the year. Recommended How chemotherapy helps prevent cancer from spreading Read more Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Federal prosecutors just this month turned over more than 100,000 pages of evidence in response to former President Donald Trump's January request in his New York hush-money case, leading to a delay in the trial. But a new report indicates the Justice Department has been withholding similar documents from the public for years. Michael Cohen, the former president's ex-fixer who is expected to be a key witness in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's criminal case against Trump, had been requesting for more than two years many of the same records that federal prosecutors at the Southern District of New York, who worked on an earlier version of Bragg's investigation, just released to Trump, The Daily Beast reports. Cohen, who collaborated with journalist Brian Karem to request evidence from the Justice Department and FBI, had largely been met with resistance from the DOJ in his efforts to obtain the records. The revelation comes a week after Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the case, granted a 30-day delay in the Manhattan trial, which was slated to begin Monday, to allow Trump's legal team to review the swath of materials. Southern District federal prosecutors have "no logical explanation for the disparate responses" to Cohen and Trump's request for records, Bennett Gershman, a former New York prosecutor and current Pace University law professor told Salon. While it's difficult to parse motives for prosecutors' actions, Gershman said, "it seems to me that throughout this case the federal prosecutors have been acting in bad faith in resisting not only Cohen and Karems efforts to obtain the documents, but also the same repeated efforts by the Manhattan District Attorneys office to obtain the materials." "Their claims that the materials were 'sensitive,' that they needed to consult dozens of other overlapping agencies, and that they had more important prosecutorial responsibilities to attend to appears to me pretextual, especially since they were able to respond to Trumps request with alacrity and did not offer any excuses," he added. Southern District of New York federal prosecutors' decision to drop thousands of pages of evidence has plunged the case into turmoil just weeks before trial, now expected to begin as early as mid-April. Bragg's office has placed blame on Trump for waiting until earlier this year to request these records, while lawyers for Trump claim the rollout shows the district attorney was holding back exculpatory evidence, according to The Daily Beast. In December 2021, journalist and Salon columnist Brian Karem filed a Freedom of Information Act request for records related to the investigation into the 2016 Stormy Daniels hush-money cover-up and subsequent prosecution carried out by the U.S. Attorney's Office at the Southern District of New York, doing so with express permission from Cohen. After not hearing back from the office, Karem sued. In court filings, the FBI in New York later "identified over 450,000 pages of potentially responsive material and told Karem they'd begin turning over 500 pages a month to him in August 2022. The FBI, however, did not start producing those records, which are marked "unclassified," to Cohen until March 11 of this year, The Daily Beast reports. The batch the FBI turned over amounted to merely 32 pages. That same week, the Southern District of New York had delivered 73,193 documents about the same investigation to Trump's legal team after having expedited a request from his lead defense lawyer, Todd Blanche, who sought information that could undermine Bragg's case and Cohen's credibility. State court filings show that the Southern District has turned over 119,000 pages for Trump this month alone, while a source familiar with the situation told The Daily Beast that, as of this week, the sum has risen to up to 200,000 pages. Why federal prosecutors "stonewalled Cohen and Karem" by refusing their request is unclear, Gershman said. He speculated, however, that it could stem from "the decision of then-Attorney General Barr, and his subservience to Trump," the Southern District of New York having a "virulent dislike" of Cohen, or the Southern District of New York attempting "to undermine what looks like a successful prosecution of Trump by the New York DA after what many observers believe to be SDNYs serious blunder in not charging Trump along with Cohen." The only "real legal basis" as to why federal prosecutors waited to produce the documents to Cohen would be if "the documents didn't exist at the time of the request," Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, told Salon. The government has to produce documents covered by "three broad categories," he explained: exculpatory records, which would show "either Trump or Cohen is actually innocent," any record that could be used to "impeach" or discredit a witness, and prior witness statements. Cohen, he explained, was "entitled" to the information while his case was pending in 2018, but after its conclusion, what information he and Karem would be entitled to depends on the "smaller universe" the Freedom of Information Act covers. "Cohen was prosecuted, and Trump was not, so there may have been significant documents that relate to why Trump wasn't prosecuted," Rahmani said. "I don't know if that necessarily would be relevant to Cohen." The Southern District's failure to turn over those records could pose a "huge problem" for the government, however, depending on what was disclosed to Cohen during his prosecution and what the documents contain, Rahmani added. "If the Department of Justice had these documents in their possession and didn't produce it in the Michael Cohen case, that's a discovery violation," he said. "That may be grounds to overturn a conviction." Trump's attorneys are using the evidence drop to accuse Bragg of withholding relevant case information for his office's benefit and arguing he should have previously obtained the records. The move also boosts Trump's aim of discrediting Cohen. But whether the documents were in the district attorney's "possession, custody or control" is what really matters, Rahmani said, noting that "two different sovereigns [and] two different prosecutors" are handling the related records. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. Bragg's office has staunchly denied Trump's claims he violated information-sharing rules. Instead, he's argued that Trump's team is rolling out another tactic by requesting mostly duplicative or irrelevant documents from federal prosecutors, leading to the trial timing that Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo called "a function of defendants own delay. Prosecutors in the district attorney's office said in a Thursday filing they "engaged in good faith and diligent efforts to obtain relevant information" from federal prosecutors before Trump's indictment last spring, according to The New York Daily News. Federal prosecutors turned over a selection of documents to Bragg but did not provide seized data from Cohen's phones because it would be unduly burdensome and because [the DA] had already obtained Cohen's phones, the filing said. Bragg's office later made follow-up requests the government did not fulfill, they said in the filing. These extensive efforts easily distinguish the circumstances here from cases where the People made no attempt to obtain potentially relevant materials before filing a certificate of compliance, Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo wrote in the Thursday filing. Outside of the procedural delay to review the records, Rahmani doesn't see the government's rollout of documents having any impact on Bragg's case against Trump. What outcome may arise depends on how Judge Merchan will respond to Trump's "wild and frivolous" claims against Bragg's office, Gershman added. Merchan is expected to hear arguments about the documents on Monday. "As the case stands now, and regardless of the 'blame game,' the defense apparently has everything it needs to go forward with the trial. If they need some extra time to review the documents the judge may likely go along with their request," Gershman said, adding: "I havent seen anything in the defense claims that would cause the judge to accept their baseless claims." When Mark and Mike Mangham of Twin Blends was just about to begin their presintation, Southern Hills/Summer Grove Celebration, at the Shreve Memorial Library Hamilton/South Caddo Branch, a lady raised her hand as if to ask a question. Do you have a question?" they asked, she replied "No, but I have something I want to say." She was Kristi Brian DeYoung and said, Im here officially representing Speaker of the House, Mike Johnsons office, and theres something that I was asked to present to you two." Kristi Brian DeYoung with Mark (right) and Mike Mangham of Twin Blends and the Certificate of Appreciation from Speaker Mike Johnson. DeYoung held up a certificate, signed by Mike Johnson, and read it out loud, This is a Certificate of Congressional Recognition from Speaker Mike Johnson to Twin Blends Northwest History Hunters with appreciation to your outstanding and invaluable service to the community by preserving Northwest Louisiana history through video and photography." The twins usually have similar responses to things that happen to them, but not this time said Mark, "He got emotional and I was in shock. My brain was trying to understand what was going on." They are very honored and humbled to be recognized in this way, "Mike and I do what we do because we love honoring the people and the places of the past and never in a million years expected to get very much recognition for it. To see a Certificate of Appreciation from Speaker Mike Johnson just boggled my mind. I was trying to process it. It was amazing." Certificate of Appreciation from Speaker Mike Johnson given to Twin Blends. This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Twin Blends honored with Certificate of Appreciation from Speaker Mike Johnson Former deputy chief of State Tobacco Monopoly Administration stands trial for taking bribes Xinhua) 11:14, March 23, 2024 DALIAN, March 22 (Xinhua) -- He Zehua, former deputy chief of China's State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, stood trial on Friday in a court in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, on charges of taking bribes. Prosecutors accused He of taking advantage of his various former positions in the tobacco sector to offer help to others in terms of company operations, business contracting, personnel promotion and recruitment, accepting money and property worth more than 943 million yuan (132.8 million U.S. dollars) in return between 1998 and 2023. Prosecutors, the defendant and his lawyers participated in the cross-examination of evidence and gave their respective accounts. In his final statement, He pleaded guilty and expressed remorse. The trial was attended by over 30 people, including lawmakers, political advisors and members of the public. The verdict will be announced in due course. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liu Ning) JAMAICA, Queens (PIX11) A Queens man, who was previously caught housing dozens of migrants at two different commercial locations in the city, is now housing migrants at a new location hoping to put a roof over the heads of asylum seekers with nowhere to go. The citys Department of Buildings issued vacate orders last month at Ebou Sarrs Bronx and Queens store properties for overcrowding and hazardous conditions, but he said this time he is looking to do things differently. Woman seriously injured in massive Brooklyn house fire: FDNY I have to step in and help, Sarr said. Sarr is now renting a house to shelter about 15 migrants, saying he knows firsthand what it is like to move to the US with nothing. They my people, said Sarr. I was heartbroken when they were coming to me for help, crying. I used to cry with them all the time and I have to step in. He gave PIX11 News a tour of the home Friday. The business owner says he charges $300 a month, as he did at his prior properties, to live in the four-bedroom home which has nine beds. With migrants being limited to only 30 days in city shelters, he said he is looking to provide more long-term solutions in a safe environment. They said its illegal to put its a business place, its a store so this is not a store, Sarr said referring to his furniture store that was forced to be vacated. This is a residential place thats why we rented a house to put them in. Neighbors tell PIX11 News they did not know the migrants were living on their block and that they wish they had been notified. One woman who wanted to remain anonymous shared her concerns. You have people in your neighborhood you dont know, and everyone needs housing but to come in and out and the neighbors dont know, the neighbor said. I just feel bad for the neighborhood. Sarr says his goal is to eventually get a building to shelter migrants but for now he is looking to rent more houses in his effort to help in their time of need. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. I am a proud graduate of Western Kentucky University. I earned my undergraduate and graduate degrees from WKU and continue to support WKU students who need internships relating to my career. I have attended many events at WKU over the years, both as a student and resident of Bowling Green. I have also participated in events on campus, such as the March for Our Lives event in 2018. And I have never been one to criticize an event or speaker that WKU has hosted, until I learned that Kyle Rittenhouse would be bringing his Rittenhouse Recap to campus. Dont get me wrong, I firmly believe in freedom of speech. I do not, however, condone a person bragging about killing people, even if it is in self-defense, and WKU should not have allowed such an event to take place on our campus. University of Memphis students chant as they gathered on campus to protest the appearance of Kyle Rittenhouse speaking on the lies of Black Lives Matter and the second amendment at the Memphis chapter Turning Point USAs event at the campus on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 in Memphis, Tenn. Campus administrators have made statements that they could not prevent the event from taking place at WKU, and that just because the event is happening on campus does not mean that they support the ideals and views of the speaker. I question this decision and statement. How will Trump pay New York bond? Trump is for sale. All it costs is $454 million. Events must be approved to occur in campus buildings, meaning that events can be denied. This event should have been denied. Rittenhouse has no place on college campuses Kyle Rittenhouse speaks to a group of about 40 attendees on July 19, 2023, at Pottawattomie Park in Grand Haven Township, Mich. I can only imagine how some students and faculty/staff members must feel knowing that Kyle Rittenhouse will be in town, let alone on the WKU campus. Some will surely disagree and say that this young man has the right to talk about what he did in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 2020. They might use terms like self-defense and constitutional rights, yet fail to see the bigger picture: People died because Rittenhouse shot them. The men who died were protesting the shooting of Jacob Blake, who was paralyzed after being shot in the back by police officers several times. The protesters lost their lives. Rittenhouse was acquitted of the charges brought against him for these deaths something that many people across this country disagreed with. Now, groups like Turning Point USA are using Rittenhouse like a spokesmodel, and it seems to me that they are glorifying the act of killing someone, so long as it is under the pretense of self-defense. When Kyle Rittenhouse travelled to Kenosha, Wisconsin, he was only 17 years old and armed with an AR-15 style rifle. Per the report from NBC News, someone else purchased the rifle for Rittenhouse at a hardware store in Rusk County in May of that year. At 17, Rittenhouse was too young to legally purchase the weapon and In August 2020, Rittenhouse used the rifle to kill two people and wound a third during protests in Kenosha. Let's Make Stupidity Embarrassing Again: MTG files ludicrous motion to oust House speaker By coming to Kentucky and bragging about the Kenosha killings, we are allowing our residents to think that we approve of Rittenhouses behavior and actions. We should never promote violence, especially not gun violence. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. As someone active in the gun violence prevention movement, I can tell you that we have enough gun violence in Kentucky and the country as it is. My oldest child survived a gunshot wound. People can, and should, be allowed to defend themselves, but should they use it as a platform and go around bragging about killing someone to the public? No. They should not. And if they do, they should not be allowed to do so on college campuses. Haley Rinehart is a Bowling Green resident, WKU grad, mother and gun violence prevention advocate. This column originally appeared in the Louisville Courier Journal. You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Rittenhouse killed two people. He shouldn't be bragging about it Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the mass shooting at a Moscow concert hall on Friday that killed at least 115 people and left a hundred more injured, according to Russias Federal Security Service (FSB). The four suspects are among 11 people detained in the aftermath of the attack so far, the security agency added. The activities of intelligence and law enforcement agencies have resulted in the detention of 11 people, including four terrorists, who directly participated in the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall, the FSB said in a statement. It has already been established that the terrorist attack was carefully planned. The weapons that the terrorists used had been placed in a cache in advance. While the terror group ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attacka claim the U.S. has called crediblethe FSB alleged that after the terrorist attack, the criminals tried to escape by car towards the Russian-Ukrainian border. Kyiv has denied any involvement in the attack. As a result of coordinated actions of special and law enforcement agencies, all four terrorists were detained within a few hours of each other in the Bryansk region. They are currently being transferred to Moscow. Some Russian officials had been quick to point a finger at Ukraine in the hours after the mass shooting on Friday, including Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev. If they establish that these are terrorists of the Kyiv regime, they must all be found and mercilessly destroyed. Including officials of the state that committed such atrocity, the former Russian president said of the attack. Mykhailo Podolyakan aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyystated in an X post that Ukraine had absolutely nothing to do with the attack, and has never resorted to the use of terrorist methods. Medvedev was not the only Russian official to blame the mass shooting on Kyiv. Russian Parliamentary Leader Sergey Mironov also alleged that Ukraine was responsible, and accused the United States and the U.K. of covering up its knowledge of the attacks. American and British intelligence agencies had issued warnings of possible extremist attacks on crowds in Russia earlier this monthand both countries did so publicly. All those responsible will be severely punished. I am sure that terrorists deserve the death penalty! He said. Who are they? I have no doubt about it. Just the other day, Kiev regime leaders declared their readiness to carry out attacks on our country, Mironov said in a statement. At Least 60 Killed in Bloody Terrorist Attack at Moscow Concert Hall Unverified footage from the scene of the mass shooting, which took place at the Crocus City Hall concert hall in Krasnogorsk ahead of a rock band performance, shows crowds hiding behind their seats among the carnage. In another clip, several armed men tactical gear could be seen entering the venue, followed by the sound of rapid gunfire. Witnesses had also reported that the gunmenwho were allegedly dressed in camouflagethrew some kind of grenade at the scene, starting a fire. Russian authorities have since said the the roof of the venue had collapsed, as investigators continue to work through the wreckage. But the initial responses have already raised questions about how Russia might seek to blame or respond to the deadliest attack in the region for yearsand whether it could be used to justify retaliation against the west or other adversaries. Medvedev has previously suggested Ukraine should not exist and that Ukraine is undoubtedly a part of Russia. U.S. officials have said that the State Department alert on crowds in Moscow was not intended to warn of possible threats from Ukraine, and that U.S. officials would not have referred to Ukrainians as extremists, according to The New York Times. Russian President Vladimir Putin, for his part, brushed off the alert, accusing the west of seeking to stoke tensions inside Russia. In any case, the fall-out from the massacre could be dire. In the wake of the 1999 apartment bombings, which left hundreds dead, Putin blamed Chechen insurgents and launched a second Chechen war. Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyov called for the death of the attackers, without pointing fingers at anyone in particular. The bastards who organized this do not understand the main thingthey cannot intimidate us. Death awaits terroristsboth organizers and perpetrators, no matter where they are, Solovyov said. Every one of them. The White House told reporters Friday that it was looking to obtain more information about the attack, with White House National Security Council John Kirby calling footage from the shooting just horrible, and just hard to watch. Kirby added that there is no indication at this time that Ukraine, or Ukrainians, were involved in the shooting. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. President Joe Biden waves to members of the media as he walks toward Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Friday, March 22, 2024, to travel to Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) So far this year, an average of 1 in 10 Democratic voters has voted for uncommitted in states where that has been an option on the presidential primary ballot. Where uncommitted hasnt been on the ballot, around 12% percent have voted for a named candidate other than President Joe Biden. All together, the average Biden protest vote the percent of the Democratic primary vote going to uncommitted or to minor candidates stands at 13%. Once all ballots for Tuesdays primaries are counted, the results could offer an opportunity to assess Bidens appeal in a key state, Arizona, where Hispanic voters make up about one-quarter of voters overall and an even greater share in parts of Phoenix and Tucson. Arizona, where uncommitted is not an option, is also home to a campaign to encourage primary voters to protest Bidens Middle East policies by casting their votes for Marianne Williamson. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times In Illinois, pro-Palestinian groups are pushing voters to write in Gaza. There will also be Democratic primaries in Ohio and Kansas. (The Democratic primary in Florida was canceled after the state party certified only Biden for the ballot.) The results of Tuesdays elections will also offer some of the first opportunities to assess the protest vote against former President Donald Trump now that his last major challenger, Nikki Haley, has dropped out. (Much of the voting in last weeks primaries in Georgia and Washington happened before Haleys announcement.) The Democratic protest vote so far this year is slightly higher than the historical norm. In uncompetitive Democratic and Republican presidential primaries in 2004, 2012 and 2020, the typical protest vote was about 7%. Those who have voted against Biden so far fall into three rough groups that highlight the challenge he faces as he looks toward the November general election. Group 1: Young voters and Muslim American communities In Michigan, Minnesota, Washington and Massachusetts four of the five states where uncommitted has done best so far there was a clear and consistent trend. Areas with higher shares of younger voters were much more likely to vote against Biden in the primary. In Seattle, two of the areas with the highest share of uncommitted voters were Capitol Hill, a popular neighborhood among young professionals, and the University District, home to the University of Washington. Bidens relatively poor performance in these areas suggests a continuing weakness among younger voters. That is a trend that has also shown up in surveys, including New York Times/Siena College national and battleground state polls, which show Trump gaining ground among voters 18 to 29. Precinct-level results also indicate that the protest vote is strong in Muslim American communities. This was most noticeable in Michigan, where, in majority-Arab areas, 79% of the vote went to uncommitted, most likely representing a protest against Bidens Gaza Strip policy. Younger voters and Muslim Americans are a small share of the electorate, and it is unclear how their protest in the primary will affect the general. In places such as Michigan, however, where the margins tend to be razor-thin, their votes or decision to stay home could prove decisive. Group 2: Democrats in name only North Carolina, where no preference received 12.7% of the vote, does not follow the same trend. There, areas with a higher share of younger voters were not necessarily more likely to vote against Biden. There is another, older phenomenon at play. North Carolina, like many Southern states, is home to a large number of voters who long ago registered as Democrats but who now vote for Republicans in presidential elections voters who are effectively Democrats in name only (DINOs). It is also a semi-closed primary state, meaning these conservative voters who are registered as Democrats can participate only in the Democratic primary. When stuck with a Democratic primary ballot, they may be more inclined to cast a protest vote than to support the incumbent. Party registration patterns can help highlight where DINOs are concentrated. Robeson County, where Biden performed worst in North Carolina in the primary, is a prime example. In Robeson, which is just outside Fayetteville and borders South Carolina, there are more than twice as many registered Democrats as registered Republicans. Yet in the 2020 general election, Trump won the county handily with about 59% of the vote. The disparity between party registration and presidential election results suggests Robeson has a substantial population of registered Democrats who voted for Trump in 2020. This trend holds true across the state. The protest vote against Biden was highest in counties where the share of voters who are registered Democrats is much greater than the share of voters who voted Democratic in the last presidential election. A similar pattern played out in Oklahoma, where Biden received just 73% of the vote, with the remaining 27% going to candidates including like Dean Phillips and Williamson. (Uncommitted was not an option on the ballot.) Small, rural counties such as Cimarron and Coal, where protest votes did best, are also places where Biden fared worse in 2020 than registration patterns would have suggested in other words, places where the DINO contingent is strong. DINOs are not a new phenomenon. In the 2012 presidential primary, President Barack Obama won just 22% of the vote in Coal County. In future elections, however, they may be less common. Many DINOs of 2012 have since become registered Republicans. For example, in 2012, 80% of voters in Coal County were registered Democrats. Now, only 43% are. Unlike younger voters or Arab Americans, DINOs probably did not vote for Biden in 2020, nor are they likely to vote for him in November. Thus, their lack of support for him in the primaries has less significance for the general. Group 3: Latino communities In 2020, majority-Latino precincts in key states including Arizona, Florida and Texas swung to the right. And polls have consistently shown an erosion in support for Biden among nonwhite voters, including Latinos, over the past four years. Primary results in Texas add more evidence of this shift: In the heavily Latino counties of the lower Rio Grande Valley, Biden averaged less than 65% of the vote in the Democratic primary this month. In 2012, Obama, who was similarly running for reelection with only token opposition in the primary, won these counties with more than 85% of the primary vote. The results in Hispanic communities contain elements of both the previous groups: The Hispanic voting population is relatively young, and as Latino voters have become less reliably Democratic, more of them have become DINOs. In Texas, unlike in states where voters are limited by their party registration, voters can choose to vote in the party primary of their choice, suggesting Democratic primary voters there still actively identify with the party, even if they are casting a protest vote against Biden. Methodology County- and township-level election results are from The Associated Press, as of 10 a.m. Eastern on March 19. Caucuses, held in Hawaii and Iowa, are not included in the analysis because of their different voting systems. New Hampshire and Mississippi are also not included. In New Hampshire, Biden was not on the ballot; in Mississippi, he was the only option on the ballot. Precinct-level results are from various state and county election night reporting websites. Demographic data is calculated from the Census Bureaus American Community Survey. Voter registration statistics are from L2, a nonpartisan voter data vendor. In the analysis, uncommitted refers to a named option on the Democratic primary ballot labeled uncommitted or a similar option such as no preference, noncommitted delegate, or none of these candidates. In the bar charts showing the share of the uncommitted vote in areas with more younger and older voters, younger areas refer to precincts or townships where the share of voters ages 18 to 34 falls within the top 25% in each state, and older areas refer to precincts or townships where the share of voters ages 65 and above falls within the top 25% in each state. The chart for Michigan includes precinct-level data from 27 counties that represent 70% of the total votes cast. In Washington state, precinct-level data was immediately available only for King County and does not include a small share of late-arriving mail ballots. c.2024 The New York Times Company YORK, Maine Jerry Allen meant a tremendous amount to York, according to those who knew him. He was a patriot, a public servant and a voice for those who struggled on a fixed income. Allen, 76, was found dead in the area of Ridge Road Thursday afternoon after going missing the day before. The news of his disappearance spread quickly through town, as many knew him personally as a longtime Budget Committee member and Air Force veteran. Jerry Allen, 76, was mourned this week after he went missing and was found dead. He was a veteran of the Air Force and a multi-term York Budget Committee member who was devoted to the town. York police Lt. Luke Ernenwein said the department could not comment on the cause of death because not all of his family have been notified. The department shared his name and picture when the search began Thursday. Allen, originally from Kittery, cared about the town he adopted in York, where his wife, Carole, served as selectwoman. He was motivated and passionate, they said, most recently having worked on resurrecting the towns candidate night. Its people like Jerry that make towns work, Selectman Robert Palmer said. He was a good man. Allen goes missing, found dead the next day Allen, whose home is on Ridge Road, was reported missing Wednesday night, according to police. They said he was last seen at 11 a.m. at the American Legion 56. They believed he returned home because his vehicle and personal belongings were at his house. York police, fire and the Maine Warden Service spent Thursday searching for Allen. Police found Allen at 2 p.m. and announced his death at 3:30 p.m. on Facebook. Police declined to share the exact location where his body was located. York police thanked residents for their calls and tips that aided the investigation. They said there was no threat to the public, and the investigation was still ongoing. Allens wife, Carole, could not be reached for comment Friday. Jeff Pelkey of Pelkey Funeral Home in Kittery said he was meeting with the family Friday evening to plan his services. More: Dying Maine woman, 35, reveals her last wish after overcoming addiction, homelessness Allen remembered: 'He was always there when help was needed' Kathleen Knudsen, who manages the American Legion 56, said Friday she expected many of Allens friends to be there when they opened at 2 p.m. that day. She said Allens loss was particularly painful because it was the second significant one for the Legion in a few weeks. She said their last manager Kandy Farnon died in February from cancer. He loved this country. He loved this post, Knudsen said of Allen. He was a great man. Allen served 23 years in the Air Force, according to a questionnaire he answered while running for Budget Committee in 2015. Paul Klebaur, Post 56 commander, said he was an integral part of the post and active in its day-to-day operation. Allen was also known to give rides to seniors who needed them. Klebaur said he enjoyed helping seniors get to appointments, go shopping or anywhere they needed to be. He was always there when help was needed, Klebaur said. He will be missed and a hard person to replace. Marla Johnson, who served with Allen on the Budget Committee, described him as principled and kind. He took matters seriously but had a sense of humor, she said. He had a light-hearted way, Johnson said. Johnson said he wore his patriotism on his sleeve, literally. She said he was known to wear a shirt patterned with the American flag red and white stripes on one side, a field of blue and white stars on the other. She remembers him marching down Main Street in one of the holiday parades celebrating service members. Johnson said he was not afraid to speak his mind. She said he let the Budget Committee have it one meeting when its members forgot to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. He called it out, and we never forgot again, Johnson said. I felt like we were always doing it sort of in his honor. Johnson said he was also passionate about those living on fixed incomes in town. She said it guided his opinion of town spending, and that he was also a vocal advocate against repealing the state of Maines law that froze taxes for certain elderly residents. The benefit for seniors was ultimately repealed. Selectboard Chair Todd Frederick said he knew Allen through their work together on running the towns cemeteries and on town boards. Allen was dedicated to veterans related events like Wreaths Across America and honoring veterans buried in town cemeteries. Another individual who deeply cares for his country, Frederick said. Definitely a tragic loss for his family and the community. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: York, Maine, mourns Jerry Allen, veteran who went missing Editor's note: This story has been update with additional information. As chaos continues to unfold at the U.S.-Mexico border, U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar is placing the blame squarely on Operation Lone Star forces acting on behalf of Gov. Greg Abbott. Dramatic footage from the border this week has shown multiple instances of crowds of migrants storming and dismantling fences and concertina wire barriers in U.S. territory at the southern border as they attempt to turn themselves into Border Patrol agents for immigration relief processing. The congresswoman stressed that Operation Lone Star forces lack the training, experience and resources that federal authorities have to handle these clashes, which at times seem in dire need of de-escalation. "Federal agents, Border Patrol agents, were not involved in the situation with the Texas National Guard," Escobar, D-El Paso, said during a news briefing March 22. A migrant observes migrants who breached the concertina wire on the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas on March 21, 2024. The migrants were hoping to be processed by Border Patrol. Escobar said she has received unconfirmed reports that the fracas was set off when Texas National Guard troops were attempting to separate families at the border earlier this week. "I have not been able to get any confirmation of that," she said, "only because we haven't been able to speak with any eyewitnesses." The same group of migrants, Escobar said, was taken into custody by Border Patrol agents with "no incident." She said that is because Border Patrol agents are trained to deal with such situations, whereas the Texas National Guard is not. "For perspective, this really goes to show that Operation Lone Star is not helpful to the Border Patrol and it's not helpful with the challenge that we are seeing at the border," she said. More: As SB 4 remains in legal limbo, El Pasoans send message to migrants: 'Do not be afraid' The initial incident occurred on Thursday, when hundreds of migrants tore through concertina wire barriers along the border in hopes of being processed by Border Patrol. They were met with Texas National Guard and Department of Public Safety troopers who Abbott credited with taking control of the chaotic situation. "About the surge of illegal immigrants in El Paso," Abbott wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on March 21. "The TX National Guard & Dept. of Public Safety quickly regained control & are redoubling the razor wire barriers. DPS is instructed to arrest every illegal immigrant involved for criminal trespass & destruction of property." The turmoil continued on Friday when another crowd of migrants could be seen tearing down barriers on U.S. soil along the border as Texas National Guard soldiers and DPS troopers looked on from positions just north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The razor wire barriers, in most cases, are installed in an area between the U.S.-Mexico boundary line and the border fence. For now, Escobar said she is largely left in the dark as long as the Texas National Guard troops and Department of Public Safety troopers are the ones on the frontlines engaging incoming migrants. She said her office is receiving no information for state officials. She said she has repeatedly called on Abbott to suspend Operation Lone Star. El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks said 425 migrants illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso during a clash with Texas National Guard soldiers. His office continues to monitor the situation. El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks speaks to the press after listening to the victim impact statements after Facundo Chavez's trial on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. An El Paso jury has returned a death penalty sentence for Chavez, who was convicted of killing El Paso Sheriff Deputy Peter Herrera during a 2019 traffic stop. There was at least one person arrested for assaulting a national guardsman and an investigation is underway regarding other people who were involved in "assaultive behavior," Hicks said. "I will say this, if you assault our national guardsmen, or our law enforcement, our Border Patrol, or our troopers, if you assault them, you will face prosecution," Hicks said. "Criminal trespassing is one thing. It's not assaultive behavior, but we cannot tolerate people thinking that they can assault our national guardsmen, can assault our Border Patrol, can assault our troopers and get away with it." Hicks said he is working with state and local enforcement officials but does not control who they arrest and what charges the migrants were detained on. However, Hicks said prosecutors have the deciding say on what cases his office will prosecute with a focus on violent crimes. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Chaos mounts as Texas National Guard, DPS confront migrants in El Paso Russia is using barges in a bid to enhance the defences of one of its ports in the Black Sea, Britains Ministry of Defence has said. It comes following a number of successful Ukrainian strikes on navy ships in the region. Recent imagery analysis has identified four barges positioned at the entrance to the Black Sea fleet facility of Novorossiysk Sea Port, the MoD said in its latest intelligence update. This is an effort to enhance the defence of the port against attacks from Ukrainian Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs). Elsewhere, A Russian cruise missile strike on infrastructure in Ukraines western Lviv region killed one man, while another died in an attack in the northeast, officials said Sunday. The attack in Lviv destroyed a building and sparked a fire, governor Maksym Kozytskyi wrote on social media app Telegram. He said that rescue operations were being conducted. In the Kharkiv region, governor Oleh Syniehubov said that an air attack killed an 19-year-old man after a missile hit a gas station. Key Points Putin using barges to protect Black Sea port 2 dead after strikes on Lviv and Kharkiv Zelensky vows to never give up' in Easter message Musk claims Putin will gain more land Russia launches 16 missiles and 11 drones at Ukraine Zelensky dismissed another senior aide Ukraine bolsters defences with 10,000 dragons teeth' ICYMI: Ukraine says Russia fired 16 missiles, 11 drones overnight 21:19 , Matt Mathers Russia launched 16 missiles and 11 drones at Ukraine in an overnight air attack, Ukraines air force said on Sunday morning. In a statement on Telegram, the air force said it had managed to down nine of the drones and nine of the missiles. It did not identify their targets. For over a week, Russia has significantly stepped up an air strike campaign against Ukrainian energy facilities, causing significant damage and leaving Ukrainians fearing a return to the blackouts seen in the first winter of the full-scale war. Ukraines largest private energy firm, DTEK, said on Saturday that five of its six plants had been damaged or destroyed with 80 per cent of its generating capacity lost, and that repairs could take up to 18 months. 2 dead as Russia launches attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure 20:51 , Matt Mathers A Russian cruise missile strike on infrastructure in Ukraines western Lviv region killed one man, while another died in an attack in the northeast, officials said Sunday. The attack in Lviv destroyed a building and sparked a fire, governor Maksym Kozytskyi wrote on social media app Telegram. He said that rescue operations were being conducted. In the Kharkiv region, governor Oleh Syniehubov said that an air attack killed an 19-year-old man after a missile hit a gas station. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands in Ukraines Odesa region were left without power Sunday after debris from a downed Russian drone caused a blaze at an energy facility, governor Oleh Kiper said. Some 170,000 homes suffered power outages as a result of the attack, said Ukraines largest private electricity operator, DTEK. The Ukrainian air force said that it shot down nine of the 11 Shahed-type drones launched by Russia overnight, as well as nine out of 14 cruise missiles. Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in recent days, causing significant damage in several regions. Ukrainian energy company Centrenergo announced Saturday that the Zmiiv Thermal Power Plant, one of the largest in the northeastern Kharkiv region, was completely destroyed following Russian shelling last week. Power outage schedules were still in place for around 120,000 people in the region, where 700,000 had lost electricity after the plant was hit on March 22. Peace, shelter and hope: How a Polish-run convent in Ukraine is providing refuge to war victims 20:30 , Matt Mathers Faith in the future can be found in the village of Yazlovets on Easter Sunday as those displaced by Putins war gather to find comfort. Askold Krushelnycky is there to hear their stories. Read Askolds piece in full here: Peace, shelter and hope: How a Polish-run convent in Ukraine is helping war victims Ukraine security service says Russias terrorism demands are pointless 20:00 , Matt Mathers Ukraines SBU security service dismissed as "pointless" a Russian demand on Sunday to hand over individuals it accused of links to terrorism and said Moscow had "forgotten" that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin was the subject of an international arrest warrant. "Statements about terrorism sound particularly cynical coming from the terrorist state itself," the SBU said in a statement, referring to the demands issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry. "Therefore, any words from the Russian Foreign Ministry are pointless." Russia using barges to bolster defence of port in Black Sea 19:30 , Matt Mathers Russia is using barges in a bid to enhance the defence of one of its ports in the Black Sea, Britains Ministry of Defence has said. It comes following a number of successful Ukrainian strikes on navy ships in the region. Recent imagery analysis has identified four barges positioned at the entrance to the Black Sea fleet facility of Novorossiysk Sea Port, the MoD said in its latest intelligence update. This is an effort to enhance the defence of the port against attacks from Ukrainian Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs). Read the statement in full here: Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine 31 March 2024. Find out more about Defence Intelligence's use of language: https://t.co/LUxw0AkKb8 #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/19Ym79ET6k Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) March 31, 2024 ICYMI: 1 dead as Russia launches attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure 19:30 , Matt Mathers A Russian cruise missile strike on infrastructure in Ukraines western Lviv region killed one man, officials said Sunday. The attack destroyed a building and sparked a fire, Gov. Maksym Kozytskyi wrote on social media app Telegram. He said that rescue operations were ongoing. Full report: 1 dead as Russia launches attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure Building destroyers: The Russian glide bombs changing the face of the war on Ukraines eastern front 19:00 , Matt Mathers Winged explosives weighing up to 1,500 kilograms and nicknamed the building destroyer have had a devastating impact wherever they have been used, writes Tom Watling . Kyiv is battling them as best it can but needs Western allies to step up and provide more weapons, air defences and ammunition Read Toms piece in full here: The glide bombs changing the face of the war on Ukraines eastern front lines France to deliver hundreds of armored vehicles to Ukraine, defense minister says 18:30 , Matt Mathers French defence minister Sabastien Lecornu said France is to deliver "hundreds" of armored vehicles by the beginning of next year to Ukraine as part of a new package of military aid for the country that just entered its third year since the Russian invasion. In an interview with the French newspaper La Tribunes Sunday edition, Lecornu said that "to hold such an extensive front line, the Ukrainian army needs, for example, our armored personnel carriers. Its absolutely key for troop mobility." The French military is currently replacing its old VAB armored personnel carriers that started being used in 1979 by a new generation of armored vehicles. "This old equipment, still operational, is going directly to Ukraine in large quantities. Were talking about hundreds (of vehicles) in 2024 and early 2025," Lecornu said. Lecornu also said France will provide Ukraine with more anti-aircraft missiles. The move comes as Frances government is pushing its military industry to boost its production to meet Kyivs urgent needs for ammunition. Lecornu on Tuesday said France will soon be able to deliver 78 Caesar howitzers to Ukraine and will increase its supply of shells. Putin issues decree calling up 150,000 to military service 18:00 , Matt Mathers Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree setting out the routine spring conscription campaign, calling up 150,000 citizens for statutory military service, a document posted on the Kremlins website showed on Sunday. All men in Russia are required to do a year-long military service, or equivalent training during higher education, from the age of 18. In July Russias lower house of parliament voted to raise the maximum age at which men can be conscripted to 30 from 27. The new legislation came into effect on 1 Jan, 2024. Compulsory military service has long been a sensitive issue in Russia, where many men go to great lengths to avoid being handed conscription papers during the twice-yearly call-up periods. Conscripts cannot legally be deployed to fight outside Russia and were exempted from a limited mobilisation in 2022 that gathered at least 300,000 men with previous military training to fight in Ukraine - although some conscripts were sent to the front in error. In September Putin signed an order calling up 130,000 people for the autumn campaign and last spring Russia planned to conscript 147,000. (AP) ICYMI: It feels like 1939 again in Europe, says Polands Donald Tusk 17:30 , Matt Mathers Europe is in a pre-war era reminiscent of 1939 and nobody will feel safe if Ukraine is defeated by Russia, Donald Tusk has warned For the first time since 1945, war in Europe is becoming real again, he said. Full report: It feels like 1939 again in Europe, says Polands Donald Tusk ICYMI: Zelensky fires more aides in Ukraine reshuffle 17:00 , Matt Mathers Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed a longtime aide and several advisers on Saturday in a continuing reshuffle while Russia unleashed fresh attacks overnight. Zelensky dismissed top aide Serhiy Shefir from his post of first assistant, where he had served since 2019. The Ukrainian president also let go three advisers, and two presidential representatives overseeing volunteer activities and soldiers rights. Full report: Zelenskyy fires more aides in Ukraine reshuffle ICYMI: Ukrainian flag raised by soldiers after grey zone towns on border reclaimed 16:34 , Matt Mathers Ukrainian flag raised by soldiers after grey zone towns on border reclaimed 15:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain The Moscow concert massacre was a major security blunder. What's behind that failure? 15:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Hours before gunmen last week carried out the bloodiest attack in two decades in Russia, authorities made an addition to a government register of extremist and terrorist groups: They included the international LGBTQ+ movement. That addition to the register followed a Russian Supreme Court court ruling last year that cracked down on gay and transgender people in the country. While the register also lists al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, an affiliate of which claimed responsibility for the concert hall attack, the inclusion of LGBTQ+ activists raised questions about how Russias vast security services evaluate threats to the country. The Moscow concert massacre was a major security blunder. What's behind that failure? Journalism is not a crime: Joe Biden backs Evan Gershkovich, US journalist jailed in Russia a year ago 14:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Joe Biden said he is working every day to secure the release of Evan Gershkovich, a jailed Wall Street Journal reporter the US president said is being held by Russia as a bargaining chip, as the journalist marked one year behind bars. Mr Gershkovich, 32, became the first US journalist arrested on spying charges in Russia since the Cold War when he was detained by the Federal Security Service (FSB) last March during a reporting trip in the city of Yekaterinburg. Despite being a fully accredited journalist, he was accused of spying for the US by the Russian authorities an accusation that he, The Wall Street Journal and the US government vociferously deny. Journalism is not a crime: Joe Biden back Evan Gershkovich, jailed in Russia Zelenskyy fires more aides in Ukraine reshuffle 14:13 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed a longtime aide and several advisers on Saturday in a continuing reshuffle while Russia unleashed fresh attacks overnight. Zelenskyy dismissed top aide Serhiy Shefir from his post of first assistant, where he had served since 2019. The Ukrainian president also let go three advisers, and two presidential representatives overseeing volunteer activities and soldiers rights. No explanation was given immediately for the latest changes in a wide-reaching personnel shakeup over recent months. It included the dismissal on Tuesday of Oleksii Danilov, who served as secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, and Valerii Zaluzhnyi as head of the armed forces on Feb. 8. He was appointed Ukraines ambassador to the United Kingdom earlier this month. Zelenskyy fires more aides in Ukraine reshuffle 13:41 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Ukrainian flag raised by soldiers after grey zone towns on border reclaimed Ambassadors lay flowers at site of Moscow concert hall massacre 13:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Foreign diplomats in Russia laid flowers on Saturday at the site of last weeks attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall that killed 144 people. Those in attendance included ambassadors from the United States, EU countries, Africa and Latin America. Russian state news agency RIA Novosti noted that the attendees included representatives of unfriendly states. Since the attack, thousands of people have brought bunches of flowers, wreaths and other tokens such as teddy bears, creating a makeshift memorial at the Crocus City Hall. Ambassadors lay flowers at site of Moscow concert hall massacre Russia says it hits Ukraine's energy infrastructure and gas production facilities 12:44 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain The Russian air force has conducted a massive strike on objects of energy infrastructure and the gas industry in Ukraine, Russian defence ministry said on Sunday. The ministry said that it used high-precision long-range air-based weapons and drones. As a result of this strike, the operation of defence industry enterprises involved in the manufacture and repair of weapons, equipment and ammunition has been disrupted. All the goals of the strike have been achieved. The assigned objects were hit, the ministry said. Zelensky vows to never give up' in Easter message 11:58 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to not give up on defending his country in a poignant Easter message. The Ukrainian president said Easter is a holiday that reminds us of the power of the spirit that will not allow darkness to prevail. It will not allow the will to be overshadowed. He added: We defend ourselves, we endure, our spirit does not give up and knows that it is possible to avert death. Life can prevail. My greetings to Ukrainians and all Christians celebrating Easter today. It is a holiday that reminds us of the power of the spirit that will not allow darkness to prevail. It will not allow the will to be overshadowed. It unites families, nations, and continents. Now there is pic.twitter.com/kshpW71W34 Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) March 31, 2024 Musk claims Putin will gain more land 11:43 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Elon Musk has claimed Russia will gain more land in Ukraine in an outlandish post on social media. Writing on X, Mr Musk said: It was a tragic waste of life for Ukraine to attack a larger army that had defense in depth, minefields and stronger artillery when Ukraine lacked armor or air superiority! Any fool could have predicted that. He added: There is no chance of Russia taking all of Ukraine, as the local resistance would be extreme in the west, but Russia will certainly gain more land than they have today. The longer the war goes on, the more territory Russia will gain until they hit the Dnepr, which is tough to overcome. However, if the war lasts long enough, Odessa will fall too. It was a tragic waste of life for Ukraine to attack a larger army that had defense in depth, minefields and stronger artillery when Ukraine lacked armor or air superiority! Any fool could have predicted that. My recommendation a year ago was for Ukraine to entrench and apply all Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 30, 2024 One dead as Russia launches attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure 10:54 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain A Russian cruise missile strike on infrastructure in Ukraines western Lviv region killed one man, officials said Sunday. The attack destroyed a building and sparked a fire, Gov. Maksym Kozytskyi wrote on social media app Telegram. He said that rescue operations were ongoing. Meanwhile, thousands in Ukraines Odesa region were temporarily left without power Sunday after debris from a downed Russian drone caused a blaze at an energy facility, Gov. Oleh Kiper said. Some 170,000 homes were left with temporary power outages as a result of the attack, said Ukraines largest private electricity operator, DTEK. The Ukrainian air force said that it shot down nine of the 11 Shahed-type drones launched by Russia overnight, as well as nine out of 14 cruise missiles. A growing number of Americans end up in Russian jails. The prospects for their release are unclear 10:26 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain A journalist on a reporting trip in a Ural Mountains city. A corporate security executive traveling to Moscow for a wedding. A dual national returning to her hometown in Tatarstan to visit her family. All of them are U.S. citizens, and all are behind bars in Russia on charges of varying severity. Arrests of Americans in Russia have become increasingly common as relations between Moscow and Washington sink to Cold War lows. Washington accuses Moscow of targeting its citizens and using them as political bargaining chips, but Russian officials insist they all broke the law. A growing number of Americans end up in Russian jails. What happens next? It feels like 1939 again in Europe, says Polands Donald Tusk 10:03 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Europe is in a pre-war era reminiscent of 1939 and nobody will feel safe if Ukraine is defeated by Russia, Donald Tusk has warned For the first time since 1945, war in Europe is becoming real again, he said. Mr Tusk, a former president of the European Council and recently elected prime minister of Poland, said Vladimir Putin was escalating his war on Ukraine, attacking Kyiv with hypersonic missiles in daylight for the first time earlier this week. It feels like 1939 again in Europe, says Polands Donald Tusk Putin signs decree on spring military conscription 09:37 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Vladimir Putin has signed a decree setting out the routine spring conscription campaign, calling up 150,000 citizens for statutory military service, a document posted on the Kremlins website showed on Sunday. All men in Russia are required to do a year-long military service, or equivalent training during higher education, from the age of 18. In July Russias lower house of parliament voted to raise the maximum age at which men can be conscripted to 30 from 27. The new legislation came into effect on Jan. 1, 2024. Compulsory military service has long been a sensitive issue in Russia, where many men go to great lengths to avoid being handed conscription papers during the twice-yearly call-up periods. Conscripts cannot legally be deployed to fight outside Russia and were exempted from a limited mobilisation in 2022 that gathered at least 300,000 men with previous military training to fight in Ukraine - although some conscripts were sent to the front in error. (AP) Odesa power plant catches fire after Russian drone shot down 09:07 , Barney Davis Overnight Russian troops attacked Ukraines southern regions with Shahed combat drones and missiles. In the Odesa region, a power facility caught fire due to debris falling from enemy drones. The intensive work of the air defense forces lasted about 2 hours. The enemy fiercely attacked the Odesa region. We managed to shoot down all 8 drones, the Command South reported on Facebook. According to the military, the falling wreckage of a downed Russian drone caused a fire at a power facility in the Odesa region, leading to a blackout in several locations. The fire was extinguished. No one was injured. During a drone attack in the Kherson region, Russian troops simultaneously used ballistic weapons and a guided missile. A vacant agricultural business was hit. There were also no casualties reported. Russia trying to 'bleed' Ukrainian energy, says Zelensky 09:00 , Stuti Mishra Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in his nightly video address yesterday said Russia was carrying out "vile strikes" designed to cause the "bleeding" of Ukrainian energy, following DTEK attack. "America, Europe, our other partners, everyone knows what we need," he said. "Everyone knows how important it is right now to help us protect ourselves from these strikes." Russia launches 16 missiles and 11 drones at Ukraine 08:06 , Stuti Mishra Russia launched 16 missiles and 11 drones at Ukraine in an overnight air attack, Ukraines air force said on Sunday morning. In a statement on Telegram, the air force said it had managed to down nine of the drones and nine of the missiles. It did not identify their targets. Ukraine power firm says repairs could take 18 months 08:00 , Stuti Mishra The head of Ukraine's largest private energy firm, DTEK, which was attacked by Russian missiles on Friday, said the repairs could take up to 18 months. DTEK said five of its six plants had been damaged or destroyed with 80 per cent of its generating capacity lost after two weeks of Russian attacks. DTEK, which meets about a quarter of the country's needs, has seen its thermal power stations and other facilities repeatedly hit by Russian missiles, drones and artillery in more than two years of war. Overnight on Friday, Russian missile and drone attacks hit thermal and hydropower plants in central and western Ukraine. DTEK Executive Director Dmytro Sakharuk said in remarks shown on national television that waves of attacks on March 22 and March 29 had hit thermal and hydro production "in almost all regions" and that distribution facilities were destroyed. "To be specific, five out of six of our stations were severely damaged, some units were destroyed, some were damaged by 50 per cent or more," he said. "This applies to both the western regions and the central regions, and both the equipment necessary for the production of electricity and for transmission from the station to the grid were damaged," he said. His company suffered losses amounting to $300 million for equipment alone, he said, while labour costs would require as much as half as much again. "We have determined that 80 per cent of the available generating capacity is not working now," he added. Watch: Ukrainian flag raised by soldiers after grey zone towns on border reclaimed 07:00 , Matt Mathers Ukrainian flag raised by soldiers after grey zone towns on border reclaimed ICYMI: It feels like 1939 again in Europe, says Polands Donald Tusk 06:00 , Matt Mathers Europe is in a pre-war era reminiscent of 1939 and nobody will feel safe if Ukraine is defeated by Russia, Donald Tusk has warned For the first time since 1945, war in Europe is becoming real again, he said. Full report: It feels like 1939 again in Europe, says Polands Donald Tusk Ukraine power firm hit by Russian attacks warns repairs could take 18 months 05:00 , Matt Mathers The head of Ukraines largest private energy firm, DTEK, said on Saturday that five of its six plants had been damaged or destroyed with 80 per cent of its generating capacity lost after two weeks of Russian attacks and that repairs could take up to 18 months. Russian missile and drone attacks hit thermal and hydro power plants in central and western Ukraine overnight on Friday. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, in his nightly video address on Saturday, said Russia was carrying out "vile strikes" designed to cause the "bleeding" of Ukrainian energy. "America, Europe, our other partners, everyone knows what we need," he said. "Everyone knows how important it is right now to help us protect ourselves from these strikes." DTEK, which meets about a quarter of the countrys needs, has seen its thermal power stations and other facilities repeatedly hit by Russian missiles, drones and artillery in more than two years of war. ICYMI: Zelensky dismissed another senior aide 04:00 , Matt Mathers Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed a long-time aide and several advisers in a continuing reshuffle while Russia unleashed fresh attacks overnight. Mr Zelensky removed top aide Serhiy Shefir from his post of first assistant, where he had served since 2019. The Ukrainian president also let go three advisers and two presidential representatives overseeing volunteer activities and soldiers rights. No explanation was given immediately for the latest changes in a wide-reaching personnel shake-up over recent months. (UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER) ICYMI: Ukraine says Russia fired 12 drones, four missiles overnight 03:00 , Matt Mathers Ukraines air force said on Saturday that Russia fired four missiles into eastern Ukraine overnight, as well as 12 Shahed drones across the country. It said nine of the drones were shot down in four regions. Russia has launched an air strike campaign on Ukraines energy infrastructure over the past week, causing significant damage in several regions. 9 detained in Tajikistan in relation to Moscow concert hall attack, Russian state media report 02:00 , Matt Mathers Nine people have been detained by Tajikistans state security service over suspected contact with the perpetrators of last weeks attack by gunmen on a suburban Moscow concert hall that killed 143 people, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti said Friday. Nine residents of the Vakhdat district were detained for contact with the persons who committed the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall on March 22, the agency reported, citing information from an unnamed source in Tajikistans special services, who said that Russian security forces were also involved in the operation to detain the suspects. Full report: 9 detained in Tajikistan in relation to Moscow concert hall attack, Russian state media report ICYMI: Ukraine and India, a historical ally of Russia, hold talks to strengthen ties 00:01 , Matt Mathers Indias foreign minister held talks Friday with his Ukrainian counterpart, who was visiting to strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation with New Delhi, which considers Russia a historic ally from the Cold War-era. Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said in a post on the social media platform X that he and Dmytro Kuleba discussed the ongoing conflict and its wider ramifications, and said the two would work together to boost relations between their countries. Full report: Ukraine and India, a historical ally of Russia, hold talks to strengthen ties 10,000 anti-tank dragon teeth erected in Kyiv region Saturday 30 March 2024 23:19 , Matt Mathers Some 10,000 anti-tank dragon teeth pyramids have been installed in the Kyiv region, the local governor has said. The concrete structures are designed to fortify defensive lines by keeping out tanks. "Almost 10,000 concrete pyramids have already been installed, and an anti-tank ditch has been arranged," governor Ruslan Kravchenko said. Ukrainian flag raised by soldiers after grey zone towns on border reclaimed Saturday 30 March 2024 23:00 , Tom Watling Ukraines border guards have raised the nations flag over three towns in the grey zone on the eastern border with Russia. Footage shared by the State Border Service of Ukraine shows flags being raised on a number of buildings in the towns of Shabelne, Pischane and Degtyarne. The territory of the destroyed villages is densely mined, and due to constant enemy shelling, it is uninhabitable, a statement, shared alongside the video, read. However, border guards of the Steel Border offensive guard brigade control the area and remind the enemy that this is our land and he has no place here. Ukrainian flag raised by soldiers after grey zone towns on border reclaimed Zelensky says he thanked Mike Johnson in private call as pressure mounts on Republican leader Saturday 30 March 2024 22:00 , Tom Watling The Republican Speaker of the House spoke privately with Ukraines president on Thursday as the issue divides the GOP caucus and threatens to throw the lower chamber into chaos once more. Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelensky, related the conversation on Twitter and thanked Speaker Mike Johnson for his and the USs critical support of Ukraine since the start of Russias full-scale invasion. He also described briefing the Speaker on an uptick in Russian missile, bombing and drone attacks in the weeks since funding for Ukraines defence has stalled in Congress. Zelensky says he thanked Johnson in private call as pressure mounts on GOP leader Hundreds of planes stuck in Russia are at the centre of a $10 billion court battle Saturday 30 March 2024 20:44 , Matt Mathers A $10 billion battle over more than 200 jets stuck in Russia should be heard in London rather than Moscow, Londons High Court has ruled on Thursday. The battle is between reinsurers and aircraft leasing companies seeking payouts. Aircraft lessors, including Irelands AerCap and US-listed Carlyle Aviation Partners, are pursuing insurers for losses after Russias invasion of Ukraine grounded their jets in Russia. Hundreds of planes stuck in Russia are at the centre of a $10 billion court battle It feels like 1939 again in Europe, says Polands Donald Tusk Saturday 30 March 2024 19:01 , Matt Mathers Europe is in a pre-war era reminiscent of 1939 and nobody will feel safe if Ukraine is defeated by Russia, Donald Tusk has warned For the first time since 1945, war in Europe is becoming real again, he said. Mr Tusk, a former president of the European Council and recently elected prime minister of Poland, said Vladimir Putin was escalating his war on Ukraine, attacking Kyiv with hypersonic missiles in daylight for the first time earlier this week. It feels like 1939 again in Europe, says Polands Donald Tusk Air raid warnings across Ukraine as Russia launches barrage of 99 drones and missiles Saturday 30 March 2024 19:00 , Tom Watling Russia launched a huge attack on Ukraines energy infrastructure on Friday, with a barrage of 99 drones and missiles hitting regions across the country, Ukraines armed forces said. Air raid warnings rang out across the nation, with 10 Ukrainian regions coming under fire, the countrys interior minister, Ihor Klymenko, said. Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukraine in recent days, launching several missile barrages on the capital, Kyiv, and hitting energy infrastructure across the country in apparent retaliation for recent Ukrainian aerial attacks on the Russian border region of Belgorod. Such sporadic attacks, however, have been common throughout the war. Air raid warnings across Ukraine as Russia launches barrage of 99 drones and missiles One of eastern Ukraines largest thermal power plants destroyed in Russian strikes Saturday 30 March 2024 19:00 , Matt Mathers One of the largest thermal power plants in eastern Ukraine has been completely destroyed by Russian strikes. The Zmiiv thermal power plant, in Kharkiv Oblast, was targeted on 22 March during one of the Kremlins biggest attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure. Centrenergo, the company that runs the plant, said the damage varied from complete to significant. The enterprise is currently clearing the rubble and has no access to most of the equipment, it said in a statement. Ukraine and India, a historical ally of Russia, hold talks to strengthen ties Saturday 30 March 2024 18:00 , Tom Watling Indias foreign minister held talks Friday with his Ukrainian counterpart, who was visiting to strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation with New Delhi, which considers Russia a historic ally from the Cold War-era. Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said in a post on the social media platform X that he and Dmytro Kuleba discussed the ongoing conflict and its wider ramifications, and said the two would work together to boost relations between their countries. Ukraine and India, a historical ally of Russia, hold talks to strengthen ties Ambassadors lay flowers at site of Moscow concert hall massacre Saturday 30 March 2024 17:00 , Tom Watling Foreign diplomats in Russia laid flowers on Saturday at the site of last weeks attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall that killed 144 people. Those in attendance included ambassadors from the United States, EU countries, Africa and Latin America. Russian state news agency RIA Novosti noted that the attendees included representatives of unfriendly states. Since the attack, thousands of people have brought bunches of flowers, wreaths and other tokens such as teddy bears, creating a makeshift memorial at the Crocus City Hall. Ambassadors lay flowers at site of Moscow concert hall massacre Ukrainian flag raised by soldiers in grey zone towns on border reclaimed Saturday 30 March 2024 16:00 , Tom Watling Ukraines border guards have raised the nations flag over three towns in the grey zone on the eastern border with Russia. Footage shared by the State Border Service of Ukraine shows flags being raised on a number of buildings in the towns of Shabelne, Pischane and Degtyarne. The territory of the destroyed villages is densely mined, and due to constant enemy shelling, it is uninhabitable, a statement, shared alongside the video, read. However, border guards of the Steel Border offensive guard brigade control the area and remind the enemy that this is our land and he has no place here. Ukrainian flag raised by soldiers after grey zone towns on border reclaimed Zelensky dismisses another senior aide Saturday 30 March 2024 15:00 , Tom Watling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed a long-time aide and several advisers in a continuing reshuffle while Russia unleashed fresh attacks overnight. Mr Zelensky removed top aide Serhiy Shefir from his post of first assistant, where he had served since 2019. The Ukrainian president also let go three advisers and two presidential representatives overseeing volunteer activities and soldiers rights. No explanation was given immediately for the latest changes in a wide-reaching personnel shake-up over recent months. It included the dismissal on Tuesday of Oleksii Danilov, who served as secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, and Valerii Zaluzhnyi as head of the armed forces on February 8. He was appointed Ukraines ambassador to the United Kingdom earlier this month. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers his evening address in Kyiv (UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER) Russia likely recruiting 30k soldiers a month, says British MoD Saturday 30 March 2024 13:00 , Tom Watling Russia is likely recruiting approximately 30,000 additional personnel to fight its war in Ukraine every month, the British Ministry of Defence has said in its latest intelligence update. You can read the full statement below. Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine 30 March 2024. Find out more about Defence Intelligence's use of language: https://t.co/t88BVNdmHL #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/fNCCUrFP3e Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) March 30, 2024 Top Ukraine advisor lists vital weapons needed to fight Russia Saturday 30 March 2024 12:00 , Tom Watling Ukrainian presidential advisor Mikhail Podolyak has published a list of weapons vital to his countrys defeat of Russian invaders. You can see the full statement below. The current phase of war places specific requirements on the type and number of actual weapons. 1. Rf attacks critical infrastructure with missiles? We need missile defense systems. Better it be Patriot, which effectively destroys ballistics and hypersonics... 2. Rf has a (@Podolyak_M) March 30, 2024 AMHERST After approving two solar farms in the past few years and last month denying the largest one yet proposed in the Piney River area, the Amherst County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted an update to utility-scale solar zoning rules Tuesday. The revised ordinance caps utility-scale solar operations at 50 acres under panel, a measure intended to limit the scope of such operations. At a joint meeting Tuesday, the Amherst County Planning Commission recommended approval of the ordinance with an added measure to cap 10 megawatts of solar-generated power, but supervisors opted to not include that action. As long as we dont go over 50 acres, why do we care, Supervisor Tom Martin said of the 10-megawatt limit. Tyler Creasy, director of community development, said the 10-megawatt measure would have allowed applicants flexibility to apply for a special exception permit to go above that level. Supervisor Chris Adams said he felt the 10-megawatt suggested rule and variance through a second special use permit would have created more unnecessary work for the commission and board. The board in recent years approved two utility-scale solar projects at 10 megawatts or less but a third project proposed by Energix Renewables, an Alexandria-based company, drew the most heat. The 50-megawatt proposed project just off Virginia 151 in Piney River close to the Nelson County border was twice given a vote of denial from the commission and in February received the supervisors unanimous rejection. The denial for what would have been the countys largest utility-scale solar farm to date centered mainly on effects to scenic views, environmental-related concerns and a sentiment some residents and county leaders expressed that the power generated would benefit areas outside of Amherst County. Creasy said measures in the revised ordinance include retaining qualified third-party reviewers for building, erosion and sediment inspections and review, a vegetative buffer of 40 feet and requiring a decommissioning plan for discarded panels every five years. All utility-scale solar is required by special exception permits only in the county, a process that requires special review and public hearings from the commission and board before final action is taken. To counteract circumventing the ordinance in a way to protect the natural beauty and viewshed, Creasy said another new measure ensures no solar farm is located within a mile of any other existing utility-scale solar facility. Solar companies, if approved for projects, through the new ordinance are required to provide materials and training to emergency responders. This allows our emergency services to kind of have a heads-up for when these developments are happening and then after its already been established, they have a plan if anything happens, Creasy said. The board also approved a change to the countys comprehensive plan for growth and development that promotes solar generation facilities to locate east of U.S. 29 Business and in areas that do not have a negative impact on adjoining property or county residents. The land is a little bit more flat towards the east of U.S. 29, Creasy said. The substations in which these facilities must hook up to are typically located east of U.S. 29 Business. Creasy said solar farm requests west of U.S. 29 could still go forward, noting the comprehensive plan change states where the county prefers them to go. Jeannie Johnson, a North Carolina resident affiliated with a utility-scale solar developer working on a project in the early stages in the county, said during a public hearing Tuesday she feels Amherst Countys ordinance allows for responsible solar development but asked to not include the 50-acre cap and not allowing them within a mile of another solar site. When were developing projects, the larger the project the more means of scale that we can reach, the bigger the impact to the local communities and the cheaper electricity we can provide to the grid, Johnson said, adding both measures she asked the board to consider removing directly affects private property rights. I want to make sure that our landowners can have an opportunity to do what they think is best for the land and I just want to urge the commission and board to consider that. Johnson said thoughtful, responsibly developed solar projects could be developed beyond the 50-acre under panel rule and those could be extensively screened beyond the 40-foot vegetative buffer. So, they really can remain out of sight, out of mind, and counties can benefit from economic development, Johnson said. Geri Dokos, a Piney River resident, staunchly opposed to the proposed Energix project, said she favors the revised ordinance. I think this protects the natural beauty of one of the most beautiful places in the world, Dokos told county officials. And I want to thank you all for so far keeping this solar in control. She said she believes in the next few years technology advancements in the solar industry will take up a lot less acreage and be less of an eyesore to the countys benefit. Amherst County resident Sam Bryant thanked the board and commission for keeping natural resources clean and safe by not backing the Energix project that according to company representatives would have provided about $10 million in tax revenue over the operations lifespan of 45 years. With these large solar projects, these landowners get money but everybody else loses, Bryant told the board and commissioners. Thank you for not taking the bait. Elon resident Abby Thompson thanked county officials for ensuring a public hearing process is in place with the special exception requirement. This is technology, and we do to have to address it, but youre addressing it in a very responsible way, Thompson said. Commissioner Jim Thompson said the group took months to give the zoning changes a comprehensive look with the intent to protect the countys natural beauty and regulate such uses in a responsible way. He said he felt the commission was open-minded and fair in its review. Commissioner Michael Bryant also was in favor of lifting the 10-megawatt cap, pointing out his concern the county would get flooded with variance requests to go above that. The efficiency is getting better, its going to continue to get better, Bryant said of solar technologies. I think 50 acres is a good size. Commission Chair Derin Foor agreed the ordinance changes are in the countys best interests. I dont think we have to sacrifice our natural beauty, etc., for someone elses benefit, Foor said. Drew Wade, the boards chair, suggested bumping the acreage cap above 50 but did not get any support from other supervisors. I think the whole purpose of this ordinance was to limit the size and scope of solar farms, Pugh said. I think 50 acres is the size I would like to see. Fifty acres is a pretty large piece of property. I have no desire to increase the acreage. Supervisor Tom Martin agreed and said besides solar company representatives he hasnt heard anyone beating our door down in pushing for large-scale solar farms on extensive acreage. I dont think there is anything wrong with the county setting good standards, Martin said of the 50-acre cap. County Attorney Mark Popovich said the elephant in the room is the expectation the Virginia General Assembly may take action next year that will bypass localities review of utility-scale solar and shift it to the State Corporation Commission. The board of supervisors recently wrote Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, who represents the county, opposing any intervention by the state. Popovich said the solar industry lobby is very strong and the state is looking for a certain level of wattage to be provided from solar and if localities stand in the way, the state moving to step in is the reality we face right now. I think Amherst County has been very clear on what our position is, Supervisor Claudia Tucker said. OSAKA, Mar 23 (News On Japan) - After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Kansai International Airport has resumed the collection of foreign coin donations, a gesture that turns travelers leftover currency into charitable aid. For over a decade, Kansai International Airport, in collaboration with UNICEF and other organizations, has hosted donation boxes for foreign currency in areas such as the international arrivals customs zone. Previously conducted three times a year, these collections had been hampered recently by COVID-19 travel restrictions, marking this collection as the first in three years. Tomiko Miyajima, the Office Manager of the Osaka UNICEF Association, expressed her gratitude: We are truly thankful to receive coins filled with travelers' memories, which will significantly contribute to supporting children worldwide. The funds raised through these donations are dedicated to assisting children suffering from poverty and other adversities across the globe. Source: MBS TOKYO, Mar 23 (News On Japan) - Five-hundred drones painted messages and images over Tokyo on Friday night, including a giant mushroom, aimed at promoting eye health care. Just after 7 PM, above Toyosu, at an altitude of 60 meters, an eye over 100 meters wide appeared, along with messages related to eye care during the pollen season, such as "Protect your eyes even in pollen season." The 500 drones danced through the sky, decorating the night over Toyosu for about 15 minutes. This drone show was organized by Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., with the theme of "promoting eye health." It was based on the idea that looking into the distance can help rest the eyes. Source: NEWS TOKYO, Mar 24 (News On Japan) - From AnimeJapan 2024, which started on March 23rd, we bring you a report from the TOHO ANIMATION booth. In terms of impact, it was one of the top attractions at AnimeJapan 2024. The booth, located at East Hall 5 J47, featured a giant LED vision where visitors could enjoy previews of upcoming anime series and movies. Inside, there were exhibits from a variety of works, including those set to air in April such as "Kaiju No. 8," "Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF," "Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru," and "Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu," as well as "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" and "The Apothecary Diaries," which gathered attention in the winter season. Upon entering the booth, a recommendation zone greeted visitors with popular characters and their memorable lines highlighted through special effects. There were also engaging exhibits like the "Haikyuu!!" corner, which demonstrated the impressive jumping power of volleyball players with an actual volleyball set at the appropriate height, and a display of the court map from "The Apothecary Diaries," where the protagonist, Maomao, works. Additionally, with around 40 works on display, including "My Hero Academia," "Jujutsu Kaisen," "Spice and Wolf," and "Kaiju No. 8," the booth was truly impressive and worth checking out. The "Mushoku Tensei" corner... or rather, the "Roxy Shrine" corner was particularly remarkable. It was dedicated to Roxy, the character who has been a pillar of support for the protagonist, Rudeus, and her "divine object" (used panties). The corner not only featured her costume and figures but also enshrined the divine object itself. Surrounding the area, chants of "Ro-xy! Ro-xy!" could be heard echoing, adding to the unforgettable experience at the TOHO ANIMATION booth. Source: Dengeki Knights of Columbus Council 10805 Knights of Columbus Bishop Dingman Council 10805 of Council Bluffs donated $49,800 from this years Wild Game Feed to 21 local organizations. The donations bring the total donated in the last 23 years of the feed to $634,800. The Wild Game Feed was held Feb. 3, and 456 tickets were sold for the event, according to an email from council recorder Tom Quigley. The menu for the feed included Wapiti (elk) Mac and Cheese, Birria Bison Burritos, Buck Meatballs, Duck and Goose Kabobs, Rooster Rosettes (lasagna rolls) and Polish Hunter Kopytka (wild pig) Dumplings. Appetizers included Deer Sticks & Sausage, Cheese & Crackers, Truffle Turtle Soup, Braised Beaver Spezzatino Italian Stew, Duck Legs and Fish Wings. Rick Kowalski has been the chef for the last 23 years of the Wild Game Feed. The next feed will be held Feb. 1, 2025. A northern Iowa man who has been repeatedly warned for decades by state conservation officers not to burn various types of waste was recently fined $2,500, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Duane Alan Tesch, 73, of Carpenter, owns property in several cities that have been the subject of nuisance complaints in recent years, court records show. In July 2023, he admitted to burning a fiberglass water tank as part of his effort to tidy his site in Grafton, the DNR said in a recent order. The department further alleged that he burned a mattress, box spring, speaker, wheeled cart and other items. Mr. Tesch stated that he is under a lot of pressure from the city of Grafton to clean up the property, and he was just trying to get it done, the order said. The DNR fined him for the incident which was reported by neighbors and noted the numerous admonitions he has received from the department for similar situations dating back nearly 28 years. Mr. Tesch has a long history of illegal open burning and illegal open dumping, the order said. He was the subject of DNR investigations in 1996, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2016, 2017 and 2018 for burning construction waste, appliances, furniture, household waste, tires, plastic and other items. Tesch allegedly boasted to a neighbor in one of those complaints that maybe someday he will just light the plastic pile and burn it as the DNR would have forgotten it by now, the order said. Some of those investigations coincide with other times that city and county governments sought to penalize him for his unsightly properties. Mitchell County accused him in 2016 of establishing a junk yard on a Toeterville property that did not have proper zoning for such a facility. A judge dismissed the countys request for an injunction by finding that the county had used the wrong court procedure to enforce its ordinance, but the judge verified that the site was junky. Tesch was also cited for nuisance properties in Carpenter in 2019 and Nora Springs in 2023, court records show. An Iowa physician accused of sexually exploiting a patient has been granted probation and will not be placed on the states sex-offender registry. In March 2023, the Iowa Capital Dispatch reported that a Linn County woman using the pseudonym Jane Doe was suing Dr. Scott Piper of Cedar Rapids Piper Family Medicine, alleging he initiated a personal, sexual relationship that crossed professional boundaries and also involved the regular prescribing of drugs to address mental health issues. Later that month, Linn County prosecutors charged Piper with sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist. Six weeks ago, as part of a plea deal with Assistant Linn County Attorney Katherine Shimkat, Piper agreed to plead guilty to the offense of assault causing mental illness. The prosecution agreed that it would not resist Pipers request for a deferred judgment that will wipe the public court docket of any mention of the case once Piper successfully completes two years of probation. In addition, prosecutors agreed that while Piper, as a condition of his probation, must enroll in a sex-offender treatment program, his name will not be added to the states registry of sex offenders. According to the Iowa Board of Medicine, it renewed Pipers medical license in October, seven months after the criminal charges were filed. The board has not publicly charged Piper with violating any of the states rules or regulations on the practice of medicine, and Piper has no history of any prior disciplinary actions. The civil case that was filed by Doe one year ago remains active, with a trial scheduled for November of this year. In that case, Doe alleges Piper served as her primary care provider as far back as 2013. Over the years, Piper treated Doe for anxiety, depression, attention deficit disorder and polysubstance abuse, according to the lawsuit. In September 2020, Piper allegedly sent Doe message that said, Its been a while. Hope you are doing well despite the pandemic and derecho. Been a crazy year, huh? Just wanted to catch up. Scott. The two then exchanged messages, leading up to an October message from Piper that allegedly stated, So after I cut you off your mom messaged me on Facebook. Accusing me of giving you prescriptions basically for sex. And she supposedly had messages or texts where i asked you to breakfast. I had no idea what she was talking about She was going to turn me in to the state medical board. It was all weird. I just didnt answer. Later, Piper allegedly wrote again to say, I certainly dont recall asking you to breakfast. And even if I did, there is nothing wrong with that. Im friends with a lot of my patients. In April 2021, Piper allegedly messaged Doe and wrote: I want to make sure that you know. My friendship has been one of admiration as you try to overcome your old life But I want to be clear, in case this is something that you have worried about, that I have no interest romantically whatsoever. Im trying to figure out how to save my own marriage. Thats hard enough lol. In May 2021, Piper allegedly sent messages inviting Doe to talk, and after receiving no response, wrote: Time for a booty call but no time to get your meds. I see how it is, and later wrote: You suck. In September 2021, after another series of exchanges, Piper allegedly messaged Doe: Dont you dare get pissy and cut me off like this yet again. I mean, wtf. Im trying my -ing hardest to help you despite being treated like -. In October 2021, Doe alleges, she and Piper engaged in sex, which reportedly led to messages in which Doe accused Piper of prescribing her drugs to control her behavior an allegation Piper denied. In December 2021, Piper allegedly sent Doe a message, offering to run up and drop off your keys and then, in an apparent reference to her treatment, informed her that from now on I cant do anything without a legit appt. Doe allegedly responded: Right, and what about less 3 am visits for sex with your patient then stop all meds and contact and make it then feel like they did something wrong. In January 2022, Piper allegedly messaged Doe about some sort of financial arrangement between the two, stating that he got the line of credit converted to a loan and that he was hoping she could begin making payments. All I need is the 2500 and then the 350 that I loaned you from past rent Piper wrote, according to the lawsuit. No interest or fees. Pretty sure you can pay me via PayPal. I have my bank account linked to it. My daughter is needing a new used car soon so we can use the money. Thanks. The lawsuit alleges Piper knew or had reason to know that Doe was significantly impaired with regard to her ability to withhold consent to sexual conduct, and also claims Piper inappropriately treated her for mental health and substance abuse issues. In the civil case, Piper has denied any wrongdoing. State regulators should pause their final deliberations over Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline permit so they can review how the companys recently announced expansion plans will affect it, the influential Iowa Farm Bureau Federation says. That expansion will more than double the number of ethanol plants connected to Summits carbon dioxide pipeline in Iowa and add about 340 miles of pipe about a 50% increase. The totality of the expansion was announced by the company early this month, while its initial permit request is in its final throes of a more-than-two-year process with the Iowa Utilities Board. Whether the announced expansion of the pipeline will be of minimal impact or major impact to the proposed project in this docket is unknown, and the board should require Summit to update the board on the record on the effect the recent expansion announcement will have, wrote Chris Gruenhagen, a Farm Bureau attorney, in a request to reopen the record for Summits initial permit request. The company wants to transport captured carbon dioxide from a total of at least 57 ethanol producers in five states to North Dakota for underground sequestration. Gruenhagen said the increased volume of the greenhouse gas to be transported annually has the potential to change the diameter of the originally proposed pipeline system in certain places, increase operating pressures, and require more pump stations and valve sites. The changes might require Summit to renegotiate land easements with an unspecified number of landowners. Summit argues the request to reopen the record will only cause unnecessary delay in a proceeding which is nearly complete, and that any alterations to the original proposal can be handled with amendment requests after a permit is issued. Iowa is poised to be the first state to issue a permit for the project, which has had setbacks in the Dakotas. It is being reconsidered by North Dakota regulators, who are set to hold new public hearings next month. The company has not yet reapplied in South Dakota but plans to. A more efficient route? One landowner built upon the Farm Bureau request to suggest Summit needs to revamp its routes to make them more efficient, given the large number of new ethanol facilities and pipeline miles that are part of the expansion. Richard Brandau used rudimentary maps to illustrate how Summit Carbon Solutions might be able to reduce its pipeline miles. (Courtesy of IUB filing) Without such changes, the proposed pipeline inflicts unnecessary damage to property, including farmland, and unnecessarily exposes risk to more Iowans, wrote Richard Brandau, who identified himself as a landowner in Floyd and Mitchell counties in a recent filing with the IUB. Brandau plotted alternative routes in southwest and northern Iowa that he said have the potential to shave more than 70 miles of pipe from the project. But his analysis includes straight-line routes between ethanol plants that can be infeasible because of various obstacles. One of his routes, for example, would travel through several miles of Mason City. The company declined to comment on Brandaus suggestions, but it has said its original route was planned to allow expansion to other facilities near its pipeline system. Consolidate the permits? Groups that oppose Summits pipeline system have also asked to pause the IUBs pending decision on the companys initial proposal and consolidate it with the permit requests that will be part of the expansion. This is not a situation where a pipeline is already constructed and years later a single lateral pipeline is proposed, wrote Wally Taylor, an attorney for the Sierra Club of Iowa. This is a situation where the original pipeline project has not even been permitted yet, and the 14 additional lines make this an entirely new and different project. Summit this month initiated 14 new permit proceedings with the IUB to facilitate the expansion. It successfully fought a similar consolidation request last year that targeted a single new permit for a 31-mile extension to an ethanol plant in St. Ansgar near the states northern border. The Sierra Club has argued that failing to consider the project in its totality prevents landowners affected by expansions to participate adequately in the permit proceedings for the original proposal, which if approved might make the approvals of the expansions inevitable. Summit argued that the consolidation request last year would unduly extend the permit process for its initial plan, and the IUB agreed. The board does not find that consolidation will expedite or simplify consideration of the issues involved, it said in July. The board finds the opposite to be true in this situation. Its unclear when the IUB will decide the recent consolidation requests. Meeting dates rejected Summit asked the board this month to schedule 22 public informational meetings in the counties that are affected by the recent expansion announcement, which initiates the pipeline permit process. The company is prevented by state rules from negotiating with landowners for easements or filing permit requests until after those meetings conclude. Summit requested the meetings be held from April 22 to May 9. In a split decision, the three-member board rejected the proposed schedule and said the meetings should start in June or later. The board did not provide a reason for that delay. Photos: UNI Football 2024 Pro Day DES MOINES With a little over half a year to the November election, Iowa's Republicans and Democrats have begun campaigning for seats in the state Legislature, and both parties see opportunities to increase their numbers. The filing deadline to qualify for the June primary ballot passed last week, and the candidate list for both parties is largely set. Parties can, and likely will, also nominate candidates at conventions later on in races where they do not have candidates on the ballot. The November elections come after two consecutive cycles of Republicans increasing their majorities in the state Legislature as Iowas voters have increasingly backed the party and shifted to the right. The legislative candidates will also be down-ballot from the presidential race this year, where Republican Donald Trump holds a clear advantage in the state that he won in 2016 and 2020, according to early polling. A Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll found that Trump holds a 15-point lead over incumbent Democrat Joe Biden among likely Iowa voters. The factors combine to create optimism for Republican leaders, who are seeing potential to expand their dominance in the state and further entrench their majorities. But Democrats, saying they have seen widespread public dissatisfaction with Republicans agenda, also see an opportunity to win back some critical seats this year. In the House, Republicans are defending a 64-seat majority, but House Speaker Pat Grassley of New Hartford says he still sees opportunities to grow that number. House Republicans have strong incumbents with few retirements this year, he said, which will help them defend their existing seats. If you look at the election results from last election, there are seats that actually, probably with just a little bit more time and more resources, would have had an even larger majority, he said. ...Where I sit today, I feel pretty good that weve filled the seats that we need to make sure are filled. Iowa House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, a Democrat from Windsor Heights, said she thinks the party has strong candidates and sees potential to win seats around Des Moines, as well as in Clinton, Bettendorf and other mid-sized cities. Konfrst said Democratic voter engagement fell significantly in 2022, leading to Republicans gaining four House seats and two Senate seats. This year, Democrats are working harder to engage voters, she said. I feel like our slate of candidates is very strong, she said. Theyre great community leaders, theyre very aware and engaged on the issues Theyll be great representatives for their community and theyll be able to hold Republicans accountable. Republicans hold seats in nearly all the states rural areas, but they see potential to expand into some urban and suburban seats in November, top Republicans said. Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, a Republican from Grimes, said he thinks the party has a shot to flip seats held by Democrats in Cedar Falls, Polk County and Dubuque. Whitver said Republicans have been rewarded with successive wins in recent years because of tax cuts and maintaining a strong state economy, and candidates would bring that message to voters on the campaign trail. Iowas in a terrific spot fiscally, policy-wise, and that's been the work of over the last seven, eight years, he said. So we're going to promote what we've been doing and what kind of leadership you can expect from us going forward. Senate Minority Leader Pam Jochum of Dubuque said Democratic leaders see three or four seats they hope to flip in November. Jochum pointed to Senate districts in Polk County, Lee County and Iowa and Washington counties as potential pickups for Democrats. She said Senate Democratic candidates have already knocked on thousands of doors as they look to grow support in their communities. We really believe we need to get back down to the grassroots kid of politicking again, and campaigning, and meet people face to face, and thats what were doing, she said. Des Moines suburbs a battleground The suburbs of Des Moines like Johnston, West Des Moines and Ankeny will be a major battleground this year as candidates from both parties try to defend seats that were won with narrow margins in 2022. Republican Party of Iowa Chair Jeff Kaufmann said those areas will be the partys top targets to pick up seats. I think clearly it's going to be the suburbs where we're going to make our move, Kaufmann said. And it's important not only to grow those majorities, but as the party chair, thats important to us too. Because a party not busy growing is a party thats busy dying. "So we're not going to back off, we're going to continue to push," he added. In messaging to voters in those areas, Kaufmann said he believes the Republicans focus on parents rights and giving parents a bigger voice in education in recent years attracts people outside the normal GOP voter base. He also said Iowa Republicans position on immigration and border security, a central focus of the national presidential campaign, will help their candidates win elections. Iowa lawmakers passed a bill last week that would allow state officials to arrest and order the removal of immigrants who are not in the country legally, creating state enforcement of what is generally under federal authority. Increasing immigration enforcement is a popular position nationally: In a February Pew poll, 77% of Americans said the situation at the southern border was either a crisis or a major problem. Kaufmann said that would be to Republicans advantage. We're very quickly approaching a time, even though we're not close to a border, we're approaching a time when now immigration and an open border is not only affecting our state, but it's showing in terms of what people are saying are priorities, and it's showing in terms of what people are saying is a wedge issue for them, he said. Democrats have their own suburban seats they hope to flip, including a Senate seat in Johnston and Urbandale represented by Sen. Brad Zaun, and a House seat in Johnston represented by Rep. Eddie Andrews. Jochum said voters in those areas are upset with the majority Republicans agenda that she said has gone way too far. She noted recent education changes led by Republicans, including the passage of a large school choice program last year and the efforts this year to reorganize the states area education agencies. Democrats have sought to cast Republicans recent agenda, including banning abortion early in pregnancy and regulating school library materials, as government interference in Iowans personal lives, and Jochum said voters share that opinion. We are also hearing a lot of people talk about how the government has really interfered in their personal lives, whether it has been reproductive rights or whether it's been book banning, doesn't matter, she said. They believe that Republicans are injecting the government too much into their personal private lives, and they want the government out of it. Other battleground cities Outside the Des Moines metro, some of Iowas mid-sized cities are also gearing up for competitive elections. In Council Bluffs, incumbents in both parties face tough reelection fights. Republican Sen. Dan Dawson is seeking reelection in District 20, where Democrats see potential to flip, though Republicans hold a 2,200 registered voter advantage. Democratic Rep. Josh Turek in Council Bluffs won his election in 2022 by only six votes. Two Republicans are running in the primary for the nomination to challenge him. In Mason City, Rep. Sharon Sue Steckman, a Democrat, is retiring after 16 years in the Legislature, and two new candidates are running to represent the seat that she won by less than 4% in 2022. Democrats are also eyeing House seats in places like Clinton, Bettendorf and Burlington as they look to shrink the Republican majority. Konfrst said the interests of voters in those communities are similar to those in rural and urban communities around the state. Everybody needs costs to go down. Everybody wants good education for their kids, she said. So when we can focus on these issues that unite us, we can stop having some of these urban, suburban, rural battles that people like to put us in. Democrats want to build the bench With only about a third of the seats in each legislative chamber, Democratic leaders are not expecting to gain control of the House or Senate during the election this year. Democrats recruited candidates in 75 House districts this year, including in some districts where Republicans won handily last year. Republicans had candidates file in 74 districts, though both parties could nominate candidates in the future. Konfrst said running candidates in heavily Republican districts helps build the party framework and keep local voters and county Democratic Parties engaged. Beyond growing their numbers, she said she hopes to be able to use this cycle to lay the groundwork to win more seats in future years. Im looking at 15 to 17 seats over the next two to three cycles that can get us to the majority, she said. Everybodys running to win, theres no doubt about that, but I want to get folks out there to boost their name ID, who can meet their neighbors, who can meet folks, and are ready to go when they run the second time. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni promoted his 49-year-old son to top commander of the army, in a move that signals he is preparing him to succession. Musevenis son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has been touring the country to spread patriotism among Ugandans, in a clear violation of a law that bans serving army officers from partaking in politics. Kainerugba had said on twitter that he intended to run for presidency but he deleted the tweet later. Museveni and Kainerugaba have both denied the existence of a scheme to propel him to the presidency, but the appointment of the latter to army chief, accompanied by a ministerial reshuffle, suggests a transition may be under way Kainerugaba previously served as commander of land forces but was removed from the position after threatening to invade neighboring Kenya, which he later said was a joke. Last year, Kainerugaba declared that Uganda would send soldiers to defend Moscow if its ever threatened by the Imperialists, chiding Western nations for sharing useless pro-Ukraine propaganda. King Mohammed VI sent a message of condolences and solidarity to Russias President, Vladimir Putin, following the terrorist attack that targeted a concert hall in Moscow and that left many people killed or injured, describing the assault as heinous and reprehensible. In this message, the Sovereign expressed Moroccos strong condemnation of this cowardly and criminal act, and its full solidarity with Russia. The King voiced his heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathy to President Putin, the grieving families and the Russian people and wished the injured a speedy recovery. In a press release issued by the Foreign Ministry, the government of Morocco strongly condemned the terrorist attack at the popular concert hall complex near Moscow Friday, and voiced its solidarity with the Russian authorities against terrorism and offered condolences to the families of the victims. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack that rocked the concert hall in the north-west suburb of Krasnogorsk, killing at least 133 people and wounding more than 100. According to press reports, gunmen clad in camouflage gear stormed a rock concert at Crocus City with guns and started shooting. The assailants also threw incendiary devices that sparked fire, engulfing the building. The roof of the theatre has partially collapsed. Video footage from the Crocus City Hall shows the vast complex, which is home to both the music hall and a shopping center, on fire with smoke billowing into the air. The Fridays assault came less than a week after the re-election of President Vladimir Putin by an overwhelming majority. The White House said it had warned Russia earlier this month of plans for a potential attack in Moscow targeting large gatherings. A Royal Navy patrol boat intercepted, on Friday, 260 km southwest off the southern city of Dakhla, a pirogue carrying 165 sub-Sharan would-be migrants, including 4 corpses. The pirogue, which had intended to reach the Canary Islands, set sail on March 6, the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces said in a press release. The rescued people received first aid onboard before being taken to the Port of Dakhla and handed over to the Royal Gendarmerie for the usual administrative procedures. The corpses were delivered to the morgue of the Hassan II hospital in Dakhla. The United States has commended the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the first UN resolution on artificial intelligence (AI), which was initially sponsored by Morocco and the U.S.A. The resolution, co-sponsored by over 120 countries by the day of its adoption, is a historic step toward establishing clear international norms for AI and for fostering safe, secure, and trustworthy AI systems, said US Vice President Kamala Harris in a statement following the adoption of the text Thursday. This resolution establishes a path forward on AI where every country can both seize the promise and manage the risks of AI, Kamala Harris pointed out. US secretary of State Antony Blinken on his part stressed that this consensus resolution is a landmark effort and a first-of-its-kind global approach to the development and use of this powerful emerging technology. AI has enormous potential to advance sustainable development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said Blinken in a statement, noting that this resolution helps ensure that the benefits of AI reach countries from all regions and at all levels of development and focuses on capacity building and bridging digital divides, especially for developing countries. The resolution was presented last week to the international press by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas Greenfield, and her Moroccan counterpart Ambassador Omar Hilale. This consensual resolution highlights the need for continued discussions on possible governance approaches that are appropriate, based on international law, interoperable, adaptable, inclusive, responsive to the different needs and capacities of developed and developing countries alike. Ambassador Hilale hailed a historic and consensual resolution resulting from a collaborative and inclusive process, and stressed that Morocco was honored to be associated in the presentation and the negotiation of this landmark resolution. According to the Moroccan diplomat, this resolution is not an end in itself, but rather the beginning of a collective journey to develop safe, secure, and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems for sustainable development that leaves no one behind. The text reflects awareness as to the imperative need to have a common vision of AI applications which must be reliable, inclusive, human-centered, development-oriented, and international law-based, as well as the need to promote an inclusive dialogue between countries, partners, and different stakeholders (businesses, research laboratories, private sector, etc.), and to optimize the exploitation of AI to achieve development goals, Hilale told Medi1 TV station. If we can optimally exploit AI, developing countries, in particular, will save time and enormous amounts of money, energy and human resources, he said. Regarding the potential of AI as a strategic development lever for Africa and Morocco, Hilale recalled that the African continent is abysmally lagging in the field of new technologies, in general, and in AI in particular, emphasizing that this resolution helps developing countries and all South countries to reduce this gap and to cooperate together. Cooperation areas include the transfer of technologies, the financing of AI development, the collective exploitation of applications, as well as various other sectors such as agriculture, health, the fight against climate change and poverty, and food security, he said. The Moroccan diplomat added that developing countries in general, and Africa in particular, must not lag behind in the implementation and especially in the appropriation of Artificial Intelligence, because their development is at stake. Morocco, the advocate of developing countries, especially in Africa, during the negotiation of this resolution, is at the forefront of Artificial Intelligence at the continental level, he said, adding that the Kingdom hosts, within the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) the international artificial intelligence center AI Movement, the first of its kind in Africa. This center is a pioneer in the field of research and sharing of Moroccan experience in this area with sisterly and friendly countries, he said, recalling that the Kingdom will host, next June, the first AI Summit, which will be organized jointly with UNESCO. The resolution is the latest in a series of initiatives by governments around the world to shape AIs development amid fears it could be used to disrupt democratic processes, increase fraud, or lead to dramatic job losses, among other harms. The improper or malicious design, development, deployment and use of artificial intelligence systems pose risks that could undercut the protection, promotion and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the text says. If you have watched any of the commercials or infomercials that have bombarded us on the TV recently, you have probably seen a Damascus knife. There are lots of high-end chef knives that are made with Damascus steel. Damascus steel has lots of wavy lines in it due to the way it was forged. North Platte has a connection with shotguns made with Damascus steel. Guns like this have been a part of the history of hunting in this region for both waterfowl and upland game since before North Platte was even on the map. I have a few of these vintage guns that date back to the mid-1800s and they still hunt well. Europeans discovered Damascus steel during the Crusades. The long-curved sword of the Ottomans, the shamshir, was a truly awesome weapon for the time thin but extremely strong and could maintain a sharp edge through many battles. It was said that this new type of steel was the best steel in the world. The legend of this new steel spread, and it became known to the Europeans as Damascus steel, named for Damascus, Syria, the region of the world in which it was made. This special metal was derived from wootz, a type of steel originating in southern India and unusually rich in carbon. Archaeological evidence indicated it was originally from Tamil Nadu in the southern most part of India. Ancient trade routes carried the wootz steel all across Asia. It was in Syria by 3 B.C. Sword smiths in Syria created what became known as Damascus swords. Japan even had a type of Damascus steel by around 700 A.D. that was used for the best Samurai swords. However, sometime in the late 1700s, the original recipe and forging techniques for making this special steel were lost. Armorers who made these weapons were a small group and very secretive about their methods. The technique may have simply been lost because everyone that knew it died. Many modern attempts have been made to replicate the metal, but no one has succeeded. Original Damascus steel gave rise to many legends, such as the ability to cut through another sword or a rifle barrel. It was also said that a Damascus could be sharpened so fine that a hair falling across the blade would be cut by its own weight. According to Dr. Helmut Nickel, curator of the Arms and Armor Division of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, legend had it that the best blades were quenched in dragon blood. To make the original Damascus steel, the metal was heated and hammered into thin layers. It was folded over on itself and hammered thin again, many times. In some cases, it took hundreds of hours to make a finished blade. I dont know if there is a worlds record for the number of layers in a Damascus blade, but I did find one reference of there being 67 layers used in the best Samurai katanas. The Damascus steel we see today is called pattern welded steel. It took a while to create an adequate replacement for original Damascus forging process. A Frenchman named Jean-Francois Clouet of Liege, was among the first Western gunmakers to experiment with Damascus barrels. Two Englishmen, William Dupein and J. Jones, expanded on his work several years later with Jones patenting a new process of turning a bevel-edged band of metal into a spiral-twist with interlocking threads. To make gun barrels, iron and steel metal was stacked on top of each other. The metals were then heated red hot and hammered to create one block of mixed metal. The block was then re-heated and drawn out to form a rod. The process was repeated until six such rods were made and then the rods were prepared for heating and twisting. Three of the rods were twisted with a right-facing thread while three of the rods were twisted in a left-facing thread. This metal was wrapped around a mandrel over which the barrel ribbons were wound. The threads were connected, heated and hammer-welded into a solid piece of steel. When it cooled the mandrel was removed, and a barrel was formed. It took seven feet of rod to create one foot of barrel and hours upon hours of heating and hammering. English gunmakers like Longthorn, Boss and Purdy produced excellent quality Damascus guns. American gunmakers were not far behind and some high-quality guns were produced by Ithaca, Parker, L.C. Smith and Remington. These guns are works of art and strong enough to shoot most non-magnum modern powder loads. However, the creation of fluid steel by British engineer Sir Joseph Whitworth in the early 1800s began to change things. It was called fluid because it was compressed into shape while in an extremely hot, malleable state. Whitworth initially used this process to make artillery pieces, so it was definitely strong still! Manufactures phased out Damascus barrels for their gun because they could produce fluid steel barrels for far less money and far fewer man-hours of labor. By the early 1900s, only the British were regularly making Damascus barrels for their shotgun. That continues to today, but youll pay tens of thousands of dollars to get one. As with all products, marketing is everything! When fluid steel became the norm, salesmen pitched their new fluid steel as superior to Damascus steel. That wasnt entirely true, but it became fixed in the minds of shotgun buyers. Over time the falsification of fact evolved to Damascus steel was inferior and then to the steel was dangerous to use. Today, if you find a Damascus shotgun is good working condition, cherish it! You are literally holding a piece of history and to hunt with one is just that much more special. Not many people can say they have hunted with one of these works of art. Paying tribute to a choir of jailed January 6 participants. Photo: Evan Vucci/AP At a recent rally in Ohio, Donald Trump stood at formal attention while an announcer instructed the crowd, Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the horribly and unfairly treated January 6 hostages. As Trump saluted, the speakers played a version of the national anthem sung by imprisoned insurrectionists. Theyve been treated terribly and very unfairly, and you know that, and everybody knows that, Trump said at the outset of his speech. And were going to be working on that as soon as the first day we get into office. Were going to save our country, and were going to work with the people to treat those unbelievable patriots. Over the last year, the insurrection has gradually assumed a more central place in Trumps campaign. The J6 version of the national anthem has been playing at rallies since March 2023, and Trump has been referring to jailed insurrectionists as hostages since November. But the prospect of pardoning them, which he has floated for two years, has in recent days been made his highest priority. Trumps promise to save the country, which before encompassed his array of domestic and international policies, now refers principally to vindicating the militia that tried to illegally install him in power and that more and more has come to resemble a classic paramilitary group in the Trump imaginarium, licensed to carry out extrajudicial violence on his authority alone. Among what remains of the traditional Republican Party Establishment, this display prompted the same baffled objections that have followed Trumps periodic racist attacks on fellow Republicans, threats to take revenge upon his enemies, and insistence that any electoral defeat of his is illegitimate. Why must he run such an undisciplined campaign? Joe Bidens team has elevated the threat to democracy posed by Trump and his movement to a place of prominence in its appeals to voters, complained National Reviews Noah Rothman, who has written elsewhere that Trump is no more a threat to democracy than Biden. Making the cause of the January 6 rioters into a central feature of Trumps campaign plays directly into Bidens hands. This is the extent of the Republican concern: Trump is alienating swing voters who might be receptive to messages about high grocery prices but respond nervously to blood-soaked vows to redeem his martyrs and purify the fatherland. But there is a perfectly cogent reason why Trump continues to press his most extreme demands, even at the cost of repulsing potential voters. He is no longer willing to accept the alliance of convenience with reluctant partners that held traditional Republicans like Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, and Reince Priebus by his side during his first term. Trump has long demanded fealty from his party, which has made it harder to discern the acceleration and intensification of his work in the days since he effectively clinched the Republican nomination on Super Tuesday. Trumps primary focus is not outward but inward, tightening his control over the GOP to almost unimaginable levels of personal loyalty. Trumps elevation of the insurrection to a matter of holy writ within the party is a matter of both conviction and strategy, consistent with his intention to stifle even the quietest forms of dissent. This is why Trump deposed Ronna McDaniel as head of the Republican National Committee in favor of election deniers Michael Whatley and Lara Trump. McDaniel had dutifully jettisoned her maiden name (Romney). She had strongly suggested the 2020 election was stolen, saying the vote tabulations had problems that were concerning and not fair, without quite stating as fact that Trump absolutely won. All her genuflections were not enough. This is also why Trump is reportedly bringing back Paul Manafort, who served a prison sentence for bank and tax fraud, and witness tampering and obstruction of justice, and whose business partner, Konstantin Kilimnik, was assessed by the FBI to have ties to Russian intelligence. Manaforts skills are hardly irreplaceable. The point of bringing him back, other than the familiar mob logic of rewarding an underling who took his pinch like a man and refused to rat out the boss, is to signal that loyalty to Trump matters more than any other possible consideration. Normal politicians would distance themselves from staffers who committed crimes, especially crimes on their behalf. Trump regards this as the highest qualification. The day after his rally, Trump wrote about the apostate Republican Liz Cheney, She should go to Jail along with the rest of the Unselect Committee!, using his term for the committee that investigated the January 6 uprising. These comments received little attention, perhaps because they were overshadowed by his remarks, made the next day, that any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion. But the former is more indicative of his intentions. Trump believes that the people who perpetrated the attack on the Capitol should be pardoned and the people who investigated it should be imprisoned. While Trump touts his first term as a historic success, he and his closest allies view it as largely a failure. Trump, in this view, was manipulated by staffers loyal to the traditional party into letting figures like Robert Mueller and Anthony Fauci undermine him. Mike Pences refusal to cooperate in Trumps plot to steal the election was the ultimate betrayal. Trumps project is to ensure that a second term faces no sabotage. An effective Trumpist government has difficulty functioning under the rule of law. If Trumps staffers and allies believe that carrying out his orders, some of them plainly illegal, will lead to prison or other punishment, they will again hesitate to follow them. That belief is one he has to stamp out, especially as he faces multiple criminal charges for his attempts to steal the election in 2020. Republican traditionalists complain that Trump is needlessly alienating potential allies on the right who could help him build a winning coalition. This pursuit of a personal agenda and personal power is weakening the Republican Party at a time when it could have a historic victory and make historic progress in making America great again, former attorney general William Barr told Bari Weiss in 2022. I think the approach that Trump follows is weakening the Republican Party, not strengthening it. This complaint is significantly undercut by the fact that Barr says he will likely support Trump anyway in 2024, as will oncereluctant allies like Mitch McConnell and New Hampshire governor Chris Sununu. Having ensured himself of their vote, he can demand total subservience, creating an atmosphere in which even muted expressions of discontent bring unbearable social sanction upon any who dare utter them. Among the true-believing Trumpists, theres no confusion about what Trumps relentless demands of cultlike submission are trying to accomplish. The Judas Iscariots of the American Right need to understand that their betrayal comes at a cost, rails a recent column in American Greatness, one of the new pseudointellectual organs that have sprung up in the Trump era to meet conservative audience demand for sycophantic content. Excommunication is not enough. Their treachery deserves relentless psychic pain. It adds that Mike Pence, the New York Times columnist David French, and others should never be allowed back into respectable conservative company under any circumstances. Measured in traditional political terms, January 6 martyrdom may be a disadvantageous message for Trump. The stolen-election lie polls terribly with persuadable voters, and his fixation with it is one reason why Bidens catastrophic approval ratings have resulted in only a small Trump lead. But by Trumpian logic, it is the perfect campaign theme. It forces his internal critics to swallow their last objection against him. It sends a message to his allies that they can act with impunity. By November, the J6 national anthem will be burned into our brains as deeply as any campaign jingle. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell meets with Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch and Vice-President Mike Pence on February 1, 2017. Photo: Getty Images Theres a mini-furor in the chattering classes over the proposition that the oldest Supreme Court justice, 69-year-old Sonia Sotomayor, ought to retire right now so that a Democratic president and a Democratic Senate can together secure a liberal successor. The argument is most vociferously being advanced by Josh Barro. He weakened the case he laid out in The Atlantic by dwelling on Sotomayors diabetes (not exactly an imminent death sentence) and then shifting to an attack on Democrats attachment to identity politics, as though Sotomayors Latino heritage is the only reason they arent running her off the Court. But theres a premise in Barros proposal that needs discussion, as it has implications larger than the fate of a single justice: that nowadays, control of both the Senate and the White House is necessary if you want to make a Supreme Court appointment. The grounds for that premise are obvious enough: Mitch McConnells audacious refusal to even consider confirming Barack Obamas March 2016 nomination of Merrick Garland to fill the vacancy created by Antonin Scalias death just over a month earlier. That McConnell was acting strictly as a partisan warrior on this occasion was made clear in 2020, when he quickly discarded his stated prior opposition to presidential-election-year Supreme Court appointments and rushed Amy Coney Barretts confirmation through the Senate just weeks before Trump was defeated by Joe Biden. You could argue that this was an extreme situation generated by the decadeslong conservative drive to capture the Supreme Court and particularly to reverse Roe v. Wade (which, of course, ultimately came to pass in 2022). But then again, when faced with the hypothetical situation of another Supreme Court opening and a Republican takeover of the Senate in 2022, McConnell would not commit to confirmation hearings for any Biden-appointed justice. My colleague Jonathan Chait promptly concluded: McConnell made it clear that Jackson is likely the last Supreme Court justice Democrats will nominate for years, maybe even a decade or more. As it happens, Republicans did not flip the Senate in 2022, and there were no Supreme Court vacancies. But while McConnell has announced that he will step down as Senate leader in November, theres also no reason to imagine that his successor will be more cooperative to a Biden administration if the GOP wins back the Senate this year, as the betting odds suggest they probably will. Indeed, the most frequent MAGA criticism of McConnell was that he was too comfortable with bipartisan Senate traditions and excessively courted the good opinion of bipartisan elites. Its also worth noting that although no Senate leader prior to McConnell explicitly rejected confirmation of any justices nominated by a president belonging to the other party, successful confirmations in such circumstances have by coincidence if not design become unusual. Of the current members of Supreme Court, only one, Justice Clarence Thomas, was confirmed by a Senate controlled by the party opposing the presidents. That was in 1991, and as you may recall, his confirmation did not come easily. But divided control of the White House and the Senate is not so uncommon; it has been the situation in 20 of the last 50 years. Thanks to the odd configuration of Senate elections (in which only one-third of seats are in play in any one cycle) theres no guarantee at all that one partys success in a presidential election will carry over to the Senate. Given the current climate of polarization and the likelihood that this years presidential election will be exceptionally bitter (and perhaps once again contested), the odds seem low that Senate leaders of either party particularly Republicans, since theyve already set the precedent will be open to paving the way to a Supreme Court confirmation by a president they despise. Perhaps the bigger question is whether the abuse of Senate prerogatives by McConnell in blocking Supreme Court confirmation will soon leach over into other Senate confirmation arenas. Recent Senate leaders from a party other than the presidents have sometimes slow-walked lower-court confirmations, and occasionally it has become difficult to confirm Cabinet members. And thanks to the power of the minority in the Senate, you dont even have to control that chamber to make confirmations difficult, as McConnell has shown in the case of Bidens Labor Secretary designate Juli Su. More generally, as we saw in 2021, the filibuster enables Senate minorities to obstruct regular legislation quite effectively, which is the main reason so much important legislation currently has to be enacted via budget reconciliation bills that cannot be filibustered. The struggle to keep the federal government funded in the current Congress is the most obvious illustration of the cost of divided government. But Senate dysfunction is a separate issue. Its offensive to the constitutional framework that the holder of a lifetime Supreme Court appointment like Sonia Sotomayor should have to time her retirement to take into account calculations of future Senate election results, not to mention pundits estimates of her life expectancy. Its another reason Supreme Court reform perhaps limited terms, perhaps mandatory confirmation rules needs to stay on the table even if theres no Supreme Court vacancy at the moment. Eventually there will be vacancies that may go unfilled for extended periods of time, or until partisan polarization has somewhat abated, if ever. As the weather continues to warm up, community organizations and businesses continue to offer fun things to do in the Auburn-Opelika community. If you enjoy art or outdoor activities, you will be in for a treat this weekend. You can also start having some Easter fun with the family. Here are some weekend activities happening in the Opelika-Auburn area: Windhorse Studio Art Show and Workshops: Local artists can join a hands-on workshop at the Opelika Art Haus from Friday to Tuesday. The event includes music, food and drinks. For more information, visit aotourism.com. Water Cycle: Auburn Universitys "Engineers Without Borders" chapter will host its annual Water Cycle event at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Martin Dam in Dadeville. Riders can choose the 15-mile, 30-mile or the 60-mile route. To register, visit the Engineers Without Borders website. Breakfast with the Bunny: The annual Breakfast with the Bunny will take place from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Kiesel Park in Auburn. This event is for children ages 3 and younger. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Purchase tickets at $10 per person to enjoy the buffet-style breakfast from Another Broken Egg and other activities. The Easter Egg Hunt will take place at 9:30 a.m. For more information, visit auburnal.myrec.com. Free Easter Bunny Photos: Opelika's Christie Hill State Farm at 7512 Al Highway 51 will provide free Easter Bunny photos from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. All ages are welcome. For more information, visit allevents.in. Bison Stampede 5K: Southern Union State Colleges Health Sciences Department will host the Bison Stampede 5K race at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. The event offers music, inflatables, a rock wall and face painting before the races. For more information, visit runsignup.com. Tea on Thach: Join 1856-Culinary Residence for its Tea on Thach event from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Enjoy an afternoon tea with the modern twist on the British classic and compliment the affair with coffee service, sparking wine selections and alcohol from the bar. For more information, visit auburn1856.com. onto bigger and better things, like playing as many rapists and wifebeaters as possible Reply Thread Link Ngl, that's really killed his appeal for me Reply Parent Thread Link And given what I see as TikTok discourse (especially BookTok), seems like plenty of other people see that as his big appeal these days. Reply Parent Thread Link Thank you your comment perfectly encapsulates my feelings Reply Parent Thread Link I am truly not prepared for the fangirls of his to be shipping him as Donald Trump with Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn. I don't want it to happen but it is 100% going to happen. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link This wasn't a surprise though??? I thought we all knew this from D23 in 2022 when Sebastian was part of Thunderbolts, not Cap 4. Idk why people are acting like it's brand new information. That said, it's likely there will be a post-credit scene to bridge the movies added on post-production. Reply Thread Link This makes it seem like he is going to be recast or something. He's just going to be in a different movie. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah, this is a needlessly dramatic/click baity headline. The Cap 4 movie has been cursed so idk how successful it'll end up being. Reply Parent Thread Link weird that he's still part of the marvel machine but not in this Reply Parent Thread Expand Link That said, it's likely there will be a post-credit scene to bridge the movies added on post-production. Yeah, good point, like I can't see there not being at least a Bucky cameo in Cap 4, even if he's not an integral part of the movie. Reply Parent Thread Link Why does it feel like Marvel/Disney are just grasping at straws to try to recapture the lightning in a bottle that was the Infinity Saga. It feels like they keep making hasty changes to things in some sort of scramble. Reply Thread Link They've definitely went too big and forgot why people liked the franchise and saga in the first place. Reply Parent Thread Link Honestly them not realizing that people are over this shit genuinely has to make their upcoming projects one of the most monumental wastes of money of all time. Same with the last few DC movies and Sony super hero releases. People are genuinely over this shit. Reply Parent Thread Link Exactly. I think the pandemic lockdown played a part, as it was not safe to be in a giant crowd of people for opening weekend. After Endgame, it felt complete and most people were satisfied with that. Then MCU started to projectile vomit content across different platforms, and had the arrogance to assume that everyone would still be that invested. Going to one or two movies a year is one thing, but going to three or four movies a year, watching three or four series on Disney Plus, following online content, and comic books just to keep up with a poorly defined overall arc, felt like too much like work and a chore. Reply Parent Thread Link Of course they are trying to recapture their insanely successful series of movies! However, it's pretty clear that they have pared down the upcoming releases and are tooling around with standalones (Echo). Reply Parent Thread Link They need to just do a new storyline instead of continuing with these characters. I miss the old MCU too but theres too much going on and its too interconnected. I could keep up and keep invested when it was just 2-3 movies a year. They have a lot of their old property back. Start something new with XMen completely unconnected with the MCU. Say its a whole different universe if you want. Theyre releasing too much content. Its like all the bad parts of comic books. Reply Parent Thread Link They need to shelve it for at least 10 years. They keep telling the same story with different characters, over and over and over. And if the characters are bringing nothing new to the table, whats the point? The Infinity Saga already too many films and the Avengers one's were absolute shite. Reply Parent Thread Link I mean I think once actors who used to clamor for these gigs are not leaving them and turning down offers because of brand damage.....it's over for u M.CU Reply Parent Thread Link Its kind of a dumb decision. Their chemistry was good. That said, Bucky is one of the most overhyped characters in the MCU and he has yet to deliver on his promise (never gonna happen now) Reply Thread Link Cant win any awards if youre just playing Bucky Barnes all the time! Reply Thread Link Okay but can I get Anthony and Emily in an action romcom? I need it Reply Thread Link Maybe I would've cared years ago but now it's whatever. Reply Thread Link The chemistry between those three is the only part I remember about that show. Its weird they wouldnt try and bring that to the movie too but Marvel has made weird decisions left and right post-Endgame. Like what was the point of that Wandavision show? Has she been in anything after that? Why are they making the show for that witch lady villain years later? They have no brain for continuity and keeping momentum, its so weird. Ah well, I lost interest in the whole thing years ago. Reply Thread Link I liked wandavision, but I know it divided people. It set Wanda up as the antagonist in the Dr Strange multiverse movie. Reply Parent Thread Link wanda is an amazing case to me because shes been key to the plot in a bunch of movies and had her own show and ive watched all those things and could not tell you one thing about her personality Reply Parent Thread Link Wanda is just a giant ball of grief, honestly. there's not really anything else to her. Reply Parent Thread Link Interesting. I wonder what will happen to the Bucky character or will it just disappear a la Evans Captain Reply Thread Link He's in Thunderbolts and that's (likely) his last appearance. I would have been happy with his ending in TFatWS tbh. He could have happily retired. Reply Parent Thread Link Sorry to clarify I meant after Thunderbolts. I'm still sad they added White Wolf as an Easter egg we probably won't see into fruition. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yeah Im hoping they dont kill him in Thunderbolts. That would make me sad. Reply Parent Thread Link I'm just adding that Cap 4 sounds like it could potentially be a disaster, and that really sucks for Anthony because I love Sam Wilson and I don't think he's been given the opportunity to shine as Captain America properly yet. It's almost like he's being set up to fail. Reply Thread Link People are done with the MCU. It needs a decade break and then they can reconsider another movie. But I agree that the Falcon and the Winter Soldier was a pretty good series. And honestly I really enjoy Wyatt Russell in general (even if it does seem that the best podcast Ive ever listened to joins the trash pile of great podcasts starring celebrities who never return for a second season - LOOKING AT YOU TOO, STEPHANIE BEATRIZ) Edited at 2024-03-23 01:33 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link I hate Mackie as an actor, he always comes across like hes just waiting to say his lines and nothing he does is believable or compelling to me. Ruined his Black Mirror episode too. Stan is also not a great actor, honestly they both need Evans to play off of imo, they were okay as a duo, but everyone was better with the trio dynamics. Reply Thread Link I...... emphatically disagree. Chris Evans is the most bland actor out of those three. but to each their own I guess Reply Parent Thread Link Oh, I dont think he is a great actor either, but that they all worked better together. Though I do think in the context of this series, he worked without them better than they without him, but it also helps that when they werent around, others who have a lot of charisma were. That said, Mackie could technically be a competent actor, but literally nothing he does registers as sincere to me. I never see the role or character when he acts, just him trying to be the role or character. I acknowledge thats likely a me problem and hes just BEC for me for some reason lol. Reply Parent Thread Link they took away Sams friend and then in Thunderbolts theyre gonna take away Buckys friend literally they both became such fuller characters through their relationship! dumb to tear them apart. Reply Thread Link we're in the needless divorce era, it's sad on one hand he doesn't need to be in the cap movie bc it distracts from Sam, on the other hand they're besties so it's weird if he's not at least mentioned in the movie at least they took out the weird z1onist villain I think....... it's all very depressing how they fucked over Cap4, Sam is like the only character I actually fucking care about so naturally he gets fridged..... they've mentioned him like maybe A HANDFUL of times since he became Cap, it's insulting and clearly antiblack. Like they've mentioned Steve loads of times but cna't mention the new fucking Captain America???? TFATWS was the only good thing Marvel has done in years too (Wandavision was fun but the protag should have been Monica -_-). the Flag Smashers will likely never get mentioned again despite it being a huge thing bc what is Continuity???? in the godawful MCU where quantity outweighs quality at every turn Reply Parent Thread Link According to Bloomberg's sources, Russia and China have sealed a deal with Iran-backed Houthis to allow their commercial vessels to transit the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden without fear of drone and or missile attacks. One of the sources said China and Russia reached a deal with diplomats in Oman with Mohammed Abdel Salam, one of the Houthis' top political leaders. They said the safe passage of vessels is in exchange for the Houthis' political support at the United Nations Security Council. Bloomberg noted, "It's not entirely clear how that support would be manifested, but it could include blocking more resolutions against the group." Since November, Houthi rebels have repeatedly attacked vessels in the Red Sea. Rebels assert that their attacks are aimed only at ships connected to Israel, demonstrating their support for the Palestinians amid the ongoing Gaza conflict. In response to the Red Sea crisis, the Biden administration launched Operation Prosperity Guardian, a military operation led by the US and other allied countries to protect the critical shipping lane. However, months later, the operation failed to protect ships. Furthermore, the US and UK have launched bombing raids on Yemen and other Middle Eastern countries to fight back against Iran-backed terror groups. "China and Russia are deepening their strategic alliance with Iranian-backed terrorists. It's a further sign of an emerging new world disorder that threatens freedom of navigation, commerce, transit, and communications," said David Asher, a senior fellow at Hudson Institute, who commented on the Bloomberg report. Asher continued: "No one should doubt that Putin and Xi are increasingly coordinating their moves with Tehran while the US embraces appeasement, including via releasing billions of dollars to the Iranians with no substantive result to American interests, power, and prestige." In a recent note titled "The Weaponization Of Crude Could Trigger The Next Financial Shock," Asher warned that "Iran is preparing for an oil warand markets ignore the growing risks." By Zerohedge.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Exxon has strong feelings that it is right in its view of the right-of-first-refusal provision in its spat over oil assets in Guyana, Exxon Senior Vice President Jack Williams told Bloomberg on Fridayin part because it wrote the contract governing the project. Exxon has accused Chevron of trying to get around the right of first refusal provision by merging with Hess Corpa deal that would hand Chevron Hesss 30% stake. Chevron has argued that the right of first refusal doesnt apply to mergers. Hess and Exxonand Chinas CNOOC, which has also moved to arbitrate the deal against Chevronhave a joint operating agreement that dictates the terms for all consortium members. Exxon said the dispute will make for an interesting arbitration, but pointed out that since they wrote the provision themselves, theyre pretty sure they know the intent behind it. Exxon balked after Chevron announced it would merge with Hess, arguing that it was owed a chance to purchase its JV partners mouthwatering stake in the Guyana deepwater oil block known as Stabroek. Exxon did say, however, that it was not interested in purchasing Hess as a wholejust that it wanted to establish rights over Hesss assets in Guyana specifically. Exxon currently operates and owns 45% of the block. The arbitration case against Chevron could last as many as 6 months. We have built into that contract a remedy, which is to take it to an arbitration, so were just going to exercise that remedy, and let an impartial panel decide whos right, whose interpretation is right. And so well just let that play out, Williams said. Hess, Exxon, and CNOOC announced yet another oil discovery last Friday, known as Bluefin, adding even more to the attraction of Hesss Guyana assets. ADVERTISEMENT By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Gretna High School started a Revolution years ago, and theyre still surprising people. Revolution, the first of two show choirs at Gretna High, just completed a stellar season. Both of the schools show choirs Revolution and Evolution require auditions for membership. We went undefeated this year which Gretna has never done before, said director Katelyn Wallace, who is in her third year at Gretna High. It definitely was an unprecedented, very exciting season for us. The group competed at events at Millard West, Papillion La Vista South, Elkhorn South, Grand Island and Totino Grace High School in Fridley, Minnesota, Wallace said. After a snowstorm forced the cancellation of one of their home performances, they gave only one concert. The 50-member ensemble, which only accepts students in grades 10-12, works toward the competition season all year, Wallace said. We rehearse starting in August, but we dont actually take the stage until January, she said. In addition, they tap into some high-powered talent to build a winning show, Wallace said. They call on Stephen Todd, a nationally known choreographer from Mitchell, South Dakota, to plan their moves and Drew Firkins of Omaha to arrange their music. Drew takes 20 to 25 songs and arranges them for soprano, alto, tenor and bass, she said. While it may seem to the audience like there are five songs in the show, he works in little snippets of other ones. The choirs costumes are done by Gail McInnis and Randy Laroue at Gail McInnis Productions in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. And they are backed by a live band the Pit Rippers, composed of 10 to 12 Gretna High School instrumentalists. This years show was called, One Last Dance, Wallace said. It told the story of a songwriter who was living his life and his love story through his music, she said. The overall message of our show was, love without limits and never take life for granted. Music captured Wallaces heart early. I have loved music and performing my entire life, she said. Ive been involved in music my entire life. Zach Bjornsen, her music teacher in middle and high school and current Millard West choir director, was influential in her life, Wallace said. He was always my biggest inspiration, she said. He really created a great experience for me and all of my peers. And I was always inspired by the great show choirs in the Omaha area. Wallace taught at Millard South for two years while earning her bachelors degree at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Wallace doesnt perform much now, but shes OK with that. Teaching is really my biggest joy now getting to watch young students fall in love with music, she said. Right now, Wallace is focused on being music director for the schools spring musical, Beauty and the Beast, along with colleagues Dakota Mathew, Kyle Avery, Steve Hydeen and Noah Hickman. The show runs April 25-28. Many of our show choir students are also in the musical, she said. Wallace and her husband, Nathan, a vocal instructor at Northridge Middle School in Elkhorn, plan to take a group of students on a trip this summer through Midwest America Tours. She will also help with the National Show Choir Camp at UNL this summer, along with UNL Professor Pete Eklund. Nathan has taught at Northridge since it opened three years ago and has built that schools vocal program, Katelyn said. Starting with the 2024-25 school year, he will be teaching at the almost-new Gretna East High School. Hes really excited to move and then build a really exciting program at Gretna East, she said. So will the two be competing with each other? We didnt compete with Gretna East this year, Katelyn said. But at the end of the day, we hope they are both competing at a really high level across the state. Gretna is such a terrific community, she said. Were excited to feel even deeper roots in Gretna and maybe start a family. Im biased, but I really think its the best school system in the state. It was still drizzling in Wood River as the sun rose, but the sandhill cranes passing through the area didnt mind the rain. And neither did Vernon Williams. The 90-year-old Lincoln man watched in awe as hundreds of cranes came into view as dawn broke above the riverfront blind he was sitting in. His amazement only grew as the birds known for their migration through Nebraska this time of year slowly lifted their wings and flew off in pairs, barely grazing the water below them. Williams had been waiting for this moment, the chance to see the cranes take flight, since he first caught a glimpse of the birds in Kearney years ago. A dream more than 30 years in the making had finally come true. And it was everything he imagined it would be. It was breathtaking, beautiful, special. In fact, it was more than that, it felt spiritual. Its not possible to express the feelings that I had, he said. Just as the title of the program tells you, it was a wish of a lifetime. Williams wish to see the famous sandhill crane migration in central Nebraska was granted on March 14 by AARPs Wish of a Lifetime program that helps people in older generations live out their dreams. Kristin Johnson, the life enrichment director at AVIVA Woodlands assisted living in Lincoln where Williams lives, nominated him for the program last fall after learning of his wish to see the crane migration in his lifetime. At first, she hoped she would be able to take a group of residents to view the sandhill cranes, but she realized it would be too complicated logistically. So, she kept Williams dream in the back of her mind and started looking at other solutions. Then, about six months later, she came across Wish of a Lifetime. Vernons wish from several months prior flashed in my mind, she said. In October, Johnson got the call informing her that Williams wish had been selected and in just less than five months, he would be able to spend two nights at Crane Trust in Wood River. The months in between were long, though, as Williams anticipation grew. He was so excited the week of his trip that he was ready to go a full day before his departure. While there, Williams woke before dawn each morning and embarked on a quarter-mile hike to the riverfront blinds where he watched cranes wake up, dance, display their wings and take off. It didnt disappoint me, he said. It was everything I could have expected. To top it off, he was able to share the experience with some of the people who made the trip possible. He spent the first day viewing cranes with Johnson, and then a longtime friend from his days as a professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln joined him the second day. When it was time to go home, a driver from AVIVA Woodlands was there to pick him up. That made it so much better, he said. After the final day of his trip, Williams returned to his apartment exhausted, but happy. I feel like Im still flying with the cranes, he said. Williams has a couple of bucket list items he still wants to check off like watching his grandson graduate from Lincoln Southeast in May and seeing a large herd of buffalo in person, a dream he hopes to fulfill this summer at Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge with his son. But until then, hes content reminiscing on his time with the sandhill cranes. I feel blessed. I have really had a life that I wouldnt have asked for anything different. It has just been great, and certainly this visit with the cranes has been, so far, topping it off, he said. Something else may come along, but right now, this is the top. Its the best thing I have ever experienced in my life. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of March 2024 Tinubu had recently implemented a significant ban on foreign trips funded with public money for ministers , heads of government agencies, and other officials in Nigeria The Presidency has revealed the amount the government will save following the recent ban on foreign trips placed by President Bola Tinubu. Speaking on Friday, the presidency said President Bola Tinubu-led Federal government would save N5 billion quarterly from the ban of foreign trips for ministers, chiefs of government agencies, and other official travels paid with public funds. Tinubus Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed this while addressing State House Correspondents on Friday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Tinubu had recently implemented a significant ban on foreign trips funded with public money for ministers, heads of government agencies, and other officials in Nigeria. A three-month ban, effective from April 1, 2024, is part of a broader effort to reduce government spending and promote fiscal discipline. However, Ngelale said Tinubu aims to generate significant savings for the government while demonstrating his commitment to fiscal prudence and prioritizing service delivery over excessive expenditures. Ngelale said Tinubu by urging the people to buy products made in Nigeria and patronise Nigerian services is to boost the economy and keep the Naira valuable. He said the President is also taking action against fraud in cryptocurrency trading and the foreign exchange market, urging people to report any illegal activities. He added that the decision to deal decisively with cryptocurrency trading platforms and with the sharp practices within the parallel market of the foreign exchange ecosystem are now yielding fruit. Gunmen opened fire at a rock concert in a Moscow suburb Friday, killing at least 40 people, wounding 100, and setting off an inferno in the theatre, authorities said. Attackers dressed in camouflage uniforms entered the building, opened fire, and threw a grenade or incendiary bomb, according to a journalist for the RIA Novosti news agency at the scene. Fire quickly spread through the Crocus City concert hall in the Krasnogorsk suburb in the north of the Russian capital, which can hold several thousand people and has hosted top international artists. According to preliminary information, 40 people were killed and more than 100 were injured as a result of a terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall, according to the FSB security service, quoted by Interfax news agency and other Russian media. Authorities said a terrorist investigation had been started, and President Vladimir Putin was receiving constant updates on the attack, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies. Telegram news channels Baza and Mash, which are close to security forces, showed video images of flames and black smoke pouring from the hall. Other images showed two men walking through the hall with at least one person left on the ground near the entrance. Concert-goers were also seen hiding behind seats or trying to escape. Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said there had been a terrible tragedy at the concert by Russian rock band Piknik and cancelled all public events in the city for the weekend. Security services quoted by Interfax news agency said between two and five people wearing tactical uniforms and carrying automatic weapons opened fire on guards at the entrance and then started shooting at the audience. People who were in the hall were led on the ground to protect themselves from the shooting for 15 or 20 minutes, the RIA Novosti journalist was quoted as saying. People started crawling out when it was safe, the journalist reported. About 100 people escaped through the theatre basement while others were sheltering on the roof, the emergency services ministry said on its Telegram channel. But about one-third of the complex was ablaze, TASS reported. Russias foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it had been a bloody terrorist attack. The whole international community must condemn this odious crime, she said on Telegram. The US presidency called the attack terrible but said there was no immediate sign of any link to the conflict in Ukraine. There is no indication at this time that Ukraine, or Ukrainians were involved in the shooting, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters in Washington. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev vowed on Telegram that Ukraines top officials must be found and ruthlessly destroyed as terrorists if they were linked to the attack. I offer my condolences to the families of the dead, said Moscows mayor as a major security operation was launched around the theatre and nearby shopping mall. TASS said that SOBR, special police forces, and the OMON anti-riot squad had been sent to the Crocus hall. It added that all the members of the rock band had been evacuated safely. Orthodox church leader Patriarch Kirill was praying for peace for the souls of the dead, said his spokesman Vladimir Legoyda. Moscow and other Russian cities have been the targets of previous attacks by Islamist groups, but there have also been incidents without any clear political motive. Earlier this month, the US embassy in Russia warned that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, including concerts. In 2002, Chechen separatist fighters took 912 people hostage in a Moscow theatre, the Dobrovka, demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops from the region. Special forces attacked the theatre to end the hostage-taking, and 130 people were killed, nearly all suffocated by a gas used by security forces to knock out the gunmen. Russia launched a military intervention in Ukraine in February 2022, and it has been the target of attacks along the border by anti-Kremlin forces. Ukraines presidency and the Freedom of Russia Legion, whose fighters are part of Ukraines armed forces, denied any role in the concert hall attack. AFP President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerians to patronise made in Nigeria goods in order to strengthen the Naira. The president, who spoke through his special adviser on Media & Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale at the state house in Abuja said the government is focusing on patronizing and purchasing made in Nigeria goods. According to Ngelale, President Bola Tinubu wants to communicate very clearly to our people, that there has never been a more important time in our history to actively agree together. That we will patronize and purchase made in Nigeria products across all value chains across all sectors. We want the spending power of our people to go up. We want every Naira & kobo we earn to be more valuable not just here. But when we travel abroad. In addition to that, Mr. President beyond the appeal to Nigerians to actively & intentionally make that decision every day to patronize made in Nigeria products & services across board. The National Youths Service Corp Scheme got off the ground about half a century ago. For the better part of the last fifty years or thereabout, the NYSC has come under multifaceted externally induced attacks. When the insecurity bedevilling many parts of Nigeria due to the gross incompetence of then president Muhammadu Buhari, many people called for the abolition of the scheme especially when the postings of corpers to certain flashpoints of the terror attacks were halted so as to safeguard the lives of the youngsters. The management somehow, weathered the storms and sinister attacks. But the last two years can be considered as some of the most challenging for the scheme with multiple cases of kidnappings of corpers headed for their camps in the North West where terrorists are controlling and holding sway deep into the thick bushes of Zamfara and Katsina State. Many of these corpers who are obviously youngsters from poor and struggling households, were abandoned by government to languish in the dangerous forests with their abductors who are armed with sophisticated military grade weapons of mass destruction. Terrorists are also very active in some areas of Sokoto State going by the heightened state of insecurity and kidnappings masterminded by them. The North East is already some of the most terrorism prone places and therefore many Nigerians do not want their young graduates posted to those hostile environments. But wait for it. The NYSC didnt expect that politicians who ought to protect the scheme would instigate unprecedented attacks through their actions and inactions. In the last two years too, the NYSC faced some of the fiercest attacks from within the national and state governments with the president appointing a serving youth corper as his minister of culture and creative economy which contravened the enabling Act that set up the scheme. This was one of the most terrible attacks against the soul of the NYSC and it is such an unmitigated tragedy that both the president and his corper minister disregarded public outcry and stayed on whilst serving as a minister and a youth corper. This show of shame was a crying shame! The NYSC protested. The members of the public similarly protested especially after the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) exposed this sinister and dangerous decision to violate the law setting up the scheme by making a serving corper a minister. HURIWA it was that divulge the secret that Hanatu Musa Musawa the creative economy minister was a youth corper serving with a law firm in Barnex plaza Wuse two as at the time she was made a cabinet minister. This was the height of governmental profanity which was allowed to slide because the president who committed the anathema was unwilling to listen to the voice of reason. The NYSC couldnt do so much after the initial official statement confirming the information that was leaked to the media by HURIWA on the corper minister. The NYSC also confronted another kind of fight from a sub-national government official. As aforementioned, the NYSC also had deep-seated animosity with the Engu state governor Mr. Peter Mbah over questions around the authenticity of the NYSCs discharge certificate he paraded. Mr. Peter Mbah went to court and got a favourable judgement which wasnt appealed against for inexplicable reasons. The governor even got a N5 million damage awarded against the NYSC. We havent been told if the Enugu State governor has received his pay cheque from the NYSC since the NYSC refused to appeal that tyrannical judgment overturning their allegation that Peter Mbah forged his NYSCS discharged certificate. That the Federal High Court is now overruling the issuing authority of the NYSC discharge certificate is to say the least, ludicrous. Then recently, the NYSC got a court judgment mandating it to let any prospective female corper wishing to wear skirts to do exactly that. This judgment has counterbalanced the unwise and contentious decision by the NYSC to let Muslim corpers wear modified type of Hijab on top of their traditional NYSC habit. When that controversial decision was introduced allowing religious habit to be worn by Myslim corpers, we warned against it and predicted that legal challenges will emerge that will reshape the dressing modes of the NYSC since the management decided arbitrarily to allow a segment of the corpers to dress in tune with their religious wearing style. Now the harvest of that controversial Hijab order has happened at the Federal High Court and thus the NYSC female corpers can now wear their skirts to render national service to their motherland. This is precisely because the Federal High Court in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital has declared that it is a human rights violation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to compel all female corps members to wear trousers as their uniforms. Justice H.A. Nganjiwa made the declaration while delivering judgment in Suit No: FHC/AI/CS/12/2023 between Miss Ufumaka Glory Ukpanken a corps member with number E/221514 as an Applicant and the NYSC, Director General of NYSC, and the State Coordinator of NYSC as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Respondents. In the landmark decision, Justice Nganjiwa ruled that female corps members must be allowed to wear skirts instead of trousers as their uniforms unless the corps members opt for trousers. The applicant, Miss Ufomaka Ukpanken had sued the NYSC authorities following the harassment and sanction for wearing a skirt instead of the trousers provided as part of her kit. Miss Ukpanken in an Originating Motion dated January 12, 2023 and filed on January 13, 2023, through her lawyer, I. . Okhidievbie, Esq. sought the enforcement of her fundamental rights, averring that being forced to wear trousers against her religious belief is an infringement of her constitutionally guaranteed fundamental human rights. In the judgement delivered on January 31, 2024, a copy of which was was seen on Thursday, Justice Nganjiwa awarded N5 million in favour of the Applicant against all the Respondents as general and exemplary damages for the infringement and violation of her fundamental rights. The judgement partly read: That the application is granted as prayed: A DECLARATION is made that the refusal of the Respondent to recognize and allow skirt as part of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) uniform/kit is a breach of the Applicants Fundamental Right as contained, guaranteed and protected under Section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution (As amended) pursuant to the Applicants Christian belief, faith and injunction as contained in the Book of Deuteronomy Chapter 22, verse 5 in the Holy Bible (KJV) and, is a misreading of 2nd Schedule, Article 1 (I)(a) of the NYSC Bye Laws, 1999. A DECLARATION is made that the use of skirt as her official dressing, uniform/kit by the Applicant forms part of her Fundamental Rights to the Freedom of Religion and Freedom to manifest same in practice observance as CC guaranteed and protect 3/6 Section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended). A DECLARATION is made that the harassment, embarrassment, humiliation and instituted proceedings to discipline the Applicant, to which she is currently subjected to in the hands of the agents of the Respondents is a clear infringement on the Fundamental Rights of the Applicant to Freedom of Religion and Freedom to manifest same in her fundamental right to dignity of the human person and from degrading treatment. Well, the decision of the Court on the skirts is unassailable because the entire fiasco was self inflicted when the NYSC decided to let Religion to fundamentally determine how certain corpers should dress. These judicial skirts are a welcome development and we look forward to seeing some sexy looking female corpers adorning sweet skirts to serve our fatherland or is it motherland? Anyway, those aside, the NYSC also got a gift from the parliament when the long sought after NYSC youths Trust Fund was approved by the Senate awaiting the Presidents signature to become a law of the Federation. The immediate past President, MuhammadubBuhari, a man whose WAECH certificate was allegedly forged failed to sign a similar legislation that was submitted to his desk and departed office in spectacular shame. By the way, when questions surrounding Muhammadu Buharis academic qualifications came up, the Supreme Court gave a politically shameful judgement stating that Secondary school certificate can as well be validated by mere evidence of a group photograph produced by the defendant. So Buhari who had no certificate literally, refused to sign the NYSCS YOUTH TRUST FUND into law before he exited office. This is why most people are of the view that the current President should by now be reading the proposed law setting up the NYSC Trust Fund and it is hoped that he wouldnt spend a day to endorse the law since he was so large-hearted to name two ministers both senior and junior for the small ministry of youths which supervises the NYSC. The following lines will dwell on what transpired at the Senate led by one of the most lousy president GodswillAkpabio. The Senate had said the NYSC Trust Fund Bill would address the issue of unemployment currently being experienced by graduates.It noted that the fund was meant to empower corps members with necessary skills during their one year mandatory service.The red chamber also said each of the corps members would be encouraged to access loans from the Trust Fund for the purpose of establishing small scale businesses based on the skills theyve acquired at the camps. Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu, who sponsored the bill, stated this in an interview with journalists in Abuja.He expressed the hope that if signed into law, the NYSC Trust Fund would also not be subjected to abuse like the other existing social interventions programmes. The structure of the Fund does not give room for that kind of sleaze so to say. It can never give room for it because there is strata and apart from having that strata, there is going to be checks and balances.Not only that, this is a scheme for young adults of Nigerians and in fact, part of the young adults will be represented on the Board of Trustees that will be formed when it comes into practice. So definitely, its not going to be, then the structure of the NYSC as it is now there is little changes only for trustees members and then even procurement. Exactly two years ago, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) had reiterated that the idea for the establishment of its Trust Fund is Purposed towards addressing the challenges confronting the scheme including infrastructural deficit across the orientation camps. NYSC director, press and public relations, Eddy Megwa stated this while debunking a media publication titled How Nigerian Top Military Officers Secretary Push For Establishment Of NYSC Trust Fund To Steal As Their Retirement Package. He urged writers to clarify issues pertaining to the Scheme with the managers before rushing to publish, in order to guard against misleading the public. The statement reads in parts, The attention of NYSC Management has been drawn to a story with the above caption, making the rounds in the social media. The decision to establish NYSC Trust Fund was conceived during a meeting held with some of the Schemes stakeholders; notably: the thirty-six State Governments and FCT Administration; and thereafter strongly supported by civil societies, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) as well as Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON). Primarily, the Fund is purposed to address the infrastructural deficit besetting the Scheme in the area of camp renovation and maintenance; upgrading, building and maintenance of Corps Members Lodges, among others. Statutorily, the Scheme as it were, has a tripartite funding arrangement the Federal, State and Local Governments, with each having varying degree of responsibilities. Over the years, the Scheme has equally partnered governmental and non-governmental institutions in the area of providing start-up capitals to Corps Members to fund their business initiatives under the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme which is a direct answer to the often asked rhetorical question: After the NYSC what next?. The Trust Fund will provide funds to a greater percentage of Corps Members trained under the NYSC Skill Acquisition programme to start-up their businesses. It is appropriate to clarify that the Fund which passed public hearing, with civil societies, the academia, among others, fully represented is not a pool of slush fund meant to gratify the financial cravings of top military officers as erroneously stated by the writer of the story, he added. As someone whose life revolves around defending human rights and also has a unique passion for the NYSC, I think the Trust Fund is an idea whose time has come. The ball is now in the court of president Tinubu to do the needful so the Fund can roll out and for the benefits to trickle down to the Nigerian youths who have passed through the scheme. We must warn that bureaucratic bottle necks must be kept far from this noble interventionist idea of a Trust Fund for NYSC. The fund is not the POS of anyone in government and we expect the fund to be administered by persons of unimpeachable character. *Emmanuel Onwubiko is the head of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA and was NATIONAL COMMISSIONER OF THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF NIGERIA. The Defence Headquarters provided a somber update yesterday regarding the recent massacre of 17 Army officers and personnel in Okuama, Delta State. They confirmed the recovery of decomposing hearts belonging to some of the victims and stated that efforts to apprehend the perpetrators were intensifying, though no significant arrests had been made yet. Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar described the soldiers killing as a national tragedy, emphasizing, This is a national tragedy that has shaken us to the core. Also, the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, condemned it as barbaric, stating, This act is nothing short of barbarism, and those responsible must face the full force of the law. Niger Delta Development Minister, Abubakar Momoh, vowed that the killers would not escape justice, affirming, We will not rest until the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to justice. Residents of the community, fearing reprisals, have fled their homes, enduring the anguish of starvation and deprivation since the incident occurred. Speaking to reporters in Abuja, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, revealed ongoing military operations aimed at recovering the weapons of the deceased soldiers. He disclosed, Our efforts have led to the recovery of the decomposing hearts of some of the murdered soldiers. Troops have conducted operations in several communities, including Akugbene, Ukuama, Okoloba, Ukuama Amusamo, Akwagbe, Arhavwarien, Pirigbene, and Igbomatoro in Delta State. Buba addressed a viral video implicating individuals in the killings, stating, This video aids our investigation, allowing us to focus on persons of interest and their associates. He urged cooperation from state governments and host communities in apprehending the perpetrators, declaring, There can be no hiding place for those who commit such atrocities against our nation. Apart from the Okuama incident, Buba highlighted the successes of troops across various theaters of operation, including the neutralization of 106 alleged terrorists, the arrest of 103 suspected criminals, and the rescue of 96 kidnap victims. Troops recovered numerous weapons, ammunition, vehicles, motorcycles, mobile phones, radios, and cash, underscoring their dedication to protecting the nations citizens. Over 60 people have been killed in Moscow, with 145 more sustaining injuries, marking Russias most devastating terrorist incident in recent years. The attack unfolded on Friday night as armed assailants, clad in military attire, unleashed gunfire and explosives within a prominent concert venue situated on the outskirts of Moscow. According to statements from Russias Investigative Committee relayed by state news agency Ria, the death toll may rise, and details regarding the attackers fate remain uncertain. Among the deceased were three children, as reported by the regional healthcare ministry, contradicting earlier estimates which indicated five child victims and around 60 people in critical condition. On Friday, the Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack through a Telegram post, asserting that their gunmen had successfully evaded capture following the onslaught. The group declared that their fighters had struck on the outskirts of Moscow, killing and wounding hundreds and causing great destruction to the place before they withdrew to their bases safely, although specific details were not provided. Distressing images emerged depicting Crocus City Hall engulfed in flames, while videos captured scenes of panic as four gunmen open fire with automatic weapons, prompting concert attendees to flee in panic. Another Footage depicted the attackers detonating explosives during the assault, causing chaos and devastation within the concert hall. As night fell, Russian authorities initiated an extensive manhunt for the attackers, urging vigilance among Moscow residents and suburban dwellers. Despite these efforts, the suspects remained unidentified, prompting heightened security measures and widespread concern throughout the region. Witness testimonies portrayed harrowing scenes of people seeking refuge amidst the chaos, with some resorting to pleading for help from the venues rooftop as the fire raged below. Others recounted the terror of witnessing gunfire and the ensuing stampede as panicked concertgoers attempted to flee to safety. President Vladimir Putin condemned the attack, expressing solidarity with the injured and affirming ongoing updates from security officials. Images released by Russian investigators depicted weaponry and ammunition allegedly used by the assailants, while reports indicated the deployment of riot police and special forces units to the scene. In response to the tragedy, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced the cancellation of all public gatherings and events in Moscow, underscoring heightened security measures across various sectors. The US had intelligence confirming Islamic States claim of responsibility for the shooting, a US official said, adding that Washington had warned Moscow in recent weeks of the possibility of an attack. We did warn the Russians appropriately, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, without providing any additional details. Russian media reports said riot police units were sent to the area as people were being evacuated and Speznaz units of the Russian national guard began storming the building later on Friday evening. Russia tightened security at airports, transport hubs and across the capital a vast urban area of over 21 million people. All large-scale public events were cancelled across the country. International condemnation followed swiftly, with the United Nations Security Council denouncing the attack as heinous and cowardly. The British embassy in Moscow condemned Fridays attack. We condemn the terrorist attack at the Moscow regions Crocus City Hall. Its a horrible tragedy. We offer sincere condolences to the relatives and loved ones of those hurt and killed in todays events, the embassy said in a statement on its Telegram channel. The White House emphasized solidarity with Russia and dismissing any suggestion of Ukrainian involvement. Images of the attack were just horrible and just hard to watch, the White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said. Meanwhile, Yulia Navalnaya, widow of the late Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, decried the incident as a nightmare, urging accountability for those responsible. This Moscow attack is Russias deadliest since the 2004 Beslan school siege, in which 334 people, including 186 children, were killed after being held captive by militants for two days. This comes a few days after Vladimir Putin won another six-year term as the Russian president, setting the stage for him to become the longest-serving leader in over 200 years. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has saluted the decision of Governor Alex Otti of Abia State to sign into law the bill banning ex governors of the state from receiving pension. A statement by Kazie Uko, the chief press secretary to the Governor, said the former President noted that pensions to the former Governors and Deputies were outrageous while those of ordinary retired workers were owed in Abia from 2014, describing the act as daylight robbery. Addressing Governor Otti, Chief Obasanjo said: I watched the television and I saw repealing of Abia pensions and I asked you what exactly is this, and you said to me that the pensions scheme for former Governors here was too outrageous. Its like trouble because it allowed them to have a house in Abuja and elsewhere, and it allowed them to cart away with whatever they can, yet the pensions of ordinary people from 2014 were unpaid. What sort of leadership! You came and said there would be an end to that rascality. I congratulate you, and I say to you, I hope that your colleagues will follow your footsteps? Chief Obasanjo congratulated Governor Otti for his tenacity and for weathering the storm to become Abia Governor and reminded him that a lot of work needed to be done. I say congratulations. Congratulations for your tenacity, congratulations for your not giving up, congratulations for weathering the storm and congratulations for what you did yesterday (signing the repealing of pension law for former Governors and Deputy Governors) and congratulations for what I found you doing this morning (exercise). READ ALSO: Abia Assembly passes bill to stop pension for ex-governors, deputies This morning, I came in and I met you exercising, a sound mind and a sound body and I say to you, now I know your secret. I was glad when you said you do that every other day. Its just like me playing squash on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I think a leader must keep himself or herself in a healthy condition, he said. He added: There are still a lot of work to be done, I said to you. You have started, but you should never be tired. Dont be discouraged; you will be abused, you will be called names but if we have one third of our states doing what should be done, this country will be a different country. The former President urged Governor Otti to pay attention to infrastructural development of the State, explaining that with infrastructure and good leadership the State will attain greater heights. According to him, Abia and the South East people are industrious and enterprising, adding that what the people of the zone require to achieve greatness is good leadership that will give them encouragement and support. I will urge you to pay adequate attention to infrastructure, because if you give infrastructure and you give the type of leadership you are giving, the people of the state will have nothing to worry about. On their own they are enterprising. All they need is the leadership that will give them all the encouragement. Receiving the former President, Governor Otti assured him that his administration was focused and single-minded on infrastructural development, especially in Aba, as that is at the core of all that is required. He disclosed that his government had in the last nine months completed and commissioned 10 roads in Aba, while 31 other roads are at different stages of completion. In the last nine months, weve completed and commissioned 10 roads in Aba, and at the moment, we have about 31 roads that are in different stages of construction and completion. The last one was flagged off two days ago; the Ozuabam to Arochukwu through Ndiokereke, and Okobo bridge. Its a 30.1-kilometer road and that road has not been used in the last several decades. It connects Arochukwu to the rest of Abia state. Governor Otti thanked the former President for supporting his governments decision to repeal the law that empowered former Governors and Deputy Governors to receive pensions, stressing that cost of governance is a major problem for every State and the Federal Government. I agree with you completely on your comment about infrastructure, that is why we are very focused and single-minded in developing infrastructure particularly for Aba, which is the commercial and industrial hub of the state, and actually the South East. I want to also thank you for supporting our decision to repeal the Pension law for former Governors and former Deputy Governors. I had said yesterday as I signed the bill into law that I strongly believe that leadership is stewardship and if youve come to serve the people, you cant at the same time be fleecing the people, the Governor declared. The former President was accompanied on the visit by Ms Adewunmi Osagie, MD Ocean City, Lagos; Ambassador Okey Emuche, Otumba Oyewole Fasawe, and Barrister Kingsley Ononuju. A senior officer in the Nigerian Navy and Commandant of Command Secondary School of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, has been murdered by some known persons. The Officer identified as Commander Oluwayemisi Ogundana with service number NN/ 2367, was found dead in a well in a village close to the Jaji military cantonment, Kaduna State after he was declared missing last Friday. According to The Nation, the corpse of the murdered Naval officer was dismembered and put in a big sack before being dumped in the shallow well. She is, however, suspected to have been murdered by some known persons, two suspects, including a teacher at the Command Secondary School, Jaji and one other have already been arrested in connection to her murder. A source in Jaji told The Nation that when the military officer was not seen, efforts were made to reach her via her telephone but it was discovered that the phone was left in her room which was locked. The door to the officers room was forced open because the phone was ringing inside the sitting room and efforts to reach her other numbers, failed. Blood stains were observed on her beddings and clothes as well as on the floor from the bedroom to the bathroom. Her vehicle, a Toyota SUV was also missing. It was further learnt that authorities of the military in Jaji kept some of her immediate staff and family members under close observation which finally paid off when two persons were arrested in Zaria while trying to dispose of her car. Upon interrogation, they confessed to participating in the gruesome murder of the senior military officer and subsequently led the investigators to Agwanloyo by the railway inside an abondoned shallow well near the Deeper life Church in Jaji cantonment. It was learnt that the corpse of the murdered Naval officer was dismembered and put in a big sack before being dumped in the shallow well. The deceased was married with three kids, who are in their Lagos residence with their father. Abdulrasheed Ibrahim, a resident of Gwammaja Quarters in Kano, was not seen for days after his return and his neighbour thought he was self-isolating after his return from Abuja last Monday. The neighbours said, he was seen washing his car before proceeding on the alleged self-isolation. Neighbours became worried after an offensive smell started oozing out of the mans house. They thought he had remained indoors for three days. Neighbours alerted the mans relatives who then broke into his home where he was found dead. The director, Public Health and Disease Control, Dr Imam Wada Bello, confirmed the incident. He called for calm, stating that health officials have been deployed to the scene to exercise all requisite medical measures. According to him, the blood sample of the deceased has been collected and subjected to a medical examination. He assured that the public would be informed about the outcome of the test that is currently been conducted on the samples collected. Fitt said two witnesses told officers they saw the minor suspect and someone else hanging outside the window of the vehicle with firearms. One of the witnesses said she was outside with children when she heard tires screech, then saw the vehicle pass by with people hanging out and pointing guns at her and the children, Fitt said. She felt as if she was going to be shot and moved to protect the kids. During Anderson's arrest, the prosecutor said, he initially did not respond to officers' commands and moved his hand around his sweatshirt; when police pointed weapons at him, he laid down on the ground. Officers who searched him asked what was in his pocket and Anderson said it was a phone charger, Fitt said, but they found a loaded 9mm handgun concealed on him. In addition, Fitt said Anderson admitted to police that he shot the firearm earlier in Champaign, and again in the vehicle by accident, grazing his leg. The minor who was involved said Anderson was the one driving the vehicle and that they were all looking for someone near Orlando Avenue at the time of the incident. Assistant Public Defender Wendy Maulson said there was no reason to think home confinement would not work as a pretrial condition to protect the community. Anderson could be monitored by his mother, who was also present in the courtroom, she said. Describing the 20-year-old suspect as "barely an adult," Maulson said her client had never committed a serious crime, "mostly cooperated" with police and is not a violent person. Additionally, she said, he suffers from an epileptic disorder, has scheduled appointments coming up and needs his medication. Judge Scott Kording granted the state's petition to deny pretrial release. He noted that although Anderson does not have a lengthy prior record, his conduct in this case was troubling, and the judge was not convinced that he would abide by home confinement and GPS monitoring. Anderson also was ordered not to have contact with the minor involved in the case. An arraignment hearing for Anderson is scheduled for 9 a.m. April 5. A federal judge this week channeled one of the most famous childrens authors of the last century in telling off ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich for his efforts to regain the right to run for office after his 2009 impeachment. The time has come. The time is now. Just Go. Go. GO! I dont care how, U.S. District Judge Steven Seeger wrote, quoting Dr. Seuss 1972 book Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! In his 10-page opinion, Seeger dismissed Blagojevichs 2021 lawsuit seeking relief from the Illinois Senates post-impeachment vote to bar him from ever again holding state or local office. The judge noted that the former governor had chosen the wrong venue for litigation, writing that the federal court where Blagojevichs first criminal case ended in a mistrial but he was ultimately convicted on 17 corruption charges in 2011 had no jurisdiction over state legislatures. More than that, Seeger said, Blagojevich didnt adequately make the case that any court has the right to review impeachment proceedings in Illinois. No legal precedent exists because the former governor's situation represents an anomaly. In its 205-year history, the Illinois General Assembly has impeached, convicted, and removed one public official: Blagojevich, Seeger wrote. The judge said his decision came down to the centuries-old doctrine of separation of powers. The bottom line is that the judiciary has no power to unimpeach, unconvict, and unremove a public official, Seeger wrote. The legislature taketh away, and the judiciary cannot giveth back. In a statement Thursday, the ex-governor's spokesperson said Seegers ruling was not a surprise. The law banning Rod Blagojevich from running for office in Illinois is unconstitutional, Mark Vargas said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. The people should be able to decide who they want or don't want to represent them not federal judges or establishment politicians who are afraid of governors who fight for the people. Blagojevich was removed from office in January 2009, the month after his infamous early morning arrest by federal agents at his home. He was indicted later that spring on two dozen charges ranging from shaking down a childrens hospital for campaign donations to trying to sell then-President-Elect Barack Obamas U.S. Senate seat, for which the governor held appointment power. After two separate criminal trials in 2010 and 2011, Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison, but only served eight when then-President Donald Trump commuted his sentence in February 2020. In the summer of 2021, Blagojevich summoned TV cameras to the Dirksen Federal Courthouse to announce his lawsuit to regain the right to run for office, though at the time he said he didnt have any particular plans to do so and the very thought of doing all that again makes me groan. Seeger took aim at that waffling and the unusual step of calling a press conference to let the world know that he was filing a complaint. The judge said the book is closed on Blagojevichs public life, and that the case never should have been filed. The case started with a megaphone, but it ends with a whimper, Seeger wrote. Sometimes cases in the federal courthouse attract publicity. But the courthouse is no place for a publicity stunt. He wants back. But hes already gone. Case dismissed. Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. Atik Mohammed has cautioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo against failing to assent to the anti-LGBTQ bill. The bill passed by Parliament is to serve as a check on homosexual practices and offenders will face a six-month to 5-year imprisonment. The bill however awaits the President's assent to become a law but the President has served notice to delay his assent citing an interlocutory application by some persons at the Supreme Court. Supreme Court The President cited a Supreme Court case by some persons in the country challenging the constitutionality of the bill. Due to this, he has asked the nation to hold our hands, and await the decision of the Court before he takes any action. I think it will serve little purpose to go, at this stage, into the details of the origin of this proposed law, which is yet to reach my desk. But, suffice it to say, that I have learnt that, today, a challenge has been mounted at the Supreme Court by a concerned citizen to the constitutionality of the proposed legislation. In the circumstances, it would be, as well, for all of us to hold our hands, and await the decision of the Court before any action is taken. The operation of the institutions of the Ghanaian state will determine the future trajectory of the rule of law and human rights compliance in our country, portions of the statement dated March 4, 2024 further said. President Cautions Parliament The Office of the President has also written to Parliament to refrain from transmitting the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values, commonly referred to as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, for his assent. In a letter addressed to Parliament on Monday, March 18, and signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo, the letter emphasized that it would be improper for Parliament to proceed with transmitting the bill to President Akufo-Addo for any action until the matters before the court are addressed. This office is aware of two pending applications for an order of interlocutory injunction, both filed on 7th March, 2024 in the Supreme Court in Dr. Amanda Odoi v. The Speaker of Parliament and The Attorney-General (J1/13/2023) and Richard Sky v. The Parliament of Ghana and The Attorney-General (J1/9/2024) respectively, to restrain you and Parliament from transmitting the Bill to the President and, also, to restrain the President from signifying his assent to the Bill, pending the final determination of the matter. It is the understanding of this Office that both applications have also been duly served on Parliament. Therefore, it would be improper for you to transmit the Bill to the President and equally improper for this Office to receive the Bill until the Supreme Court determines the matters raised in the suitsIn the circumstances, you are kindly requested to cease and desist from transmitting the Bill to the President until the matters before the Supreme Court are resolved, portions of the letter read. Atik Replies Akufo-Addo But Atik Mohammed says the President's delaying tactics will have dire consequences for him and his New Patriotic Party. "It has political effects and the person I cry for is Bawumia because whether the NPP likes it or not, this tag that they endorse LGBTQ is going to be a tag that will dog them for the entirety of this election and even beyond," he replied and questioned; "Is that what President Akufo-Addo wants to leave behind for Dr. Bawumia?" The former PNC General Secretary further lambasted the President saying "a President who condones these activities in this country is not a President who is worth celebrating". To him, "President Akufo-Addo is giving life to this gay issue. He's showing them that so long as I remain President, I am not someone who stifle your advocacy because my faith is that if you do well, it will be something Ghanaians will accept, meanwhile Ghanaians are saying we don't like this". Atik Mohammed made these submissions on Peace FM's Thursday edition of "Kokrokoo" morning show. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain In recent years, there has been a growing concern about the lack of diversity in workplaces, particularly in terms of ethnic and gender diversity. To address this, many companies have taken action by adjusting their recruiting policies and setting targets for achieving minimum diversity levels. The accounting profession has suffered from the under-representation of women and marginalized people for many years. It has long been considered a white, male-dominant profession. Accounting firms, especially the Big FourDeloitte, Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdelerhave taken various measures to improve the diversity of their workforce by recruiting and retaining employees of various backgrounds. Each of the Big Four audit firms, for example, have created the equivalent position of chief diversity officera position that develops and implements diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the organization. Despite these efforts, diversity at more senior ranks in accounting firms is still very much lagging, especially with regard to ethnic representation. Under-representation in accounting A 2019 survey from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants found that only nine percent of accounting firm partners identify as non-white. Another study from the Association of Accountants and Financial Professionals in Business found that only 8.9 percent of accountants and auditors identified as Hispanic or Latino, 8.5 percent identified as Black or African American and 12 percent identified as Asian. A similar report from the United Kingdom found only 11 out of almost 3,000 (or 0.4 percent) of equity partners in the Big Four firms in the U.K. are Black, compared with their population representation of 3.3 percent. Although we still don't have robust enough data about accounting firms in Canada yet, there is research that suggests women and minorities are under-represented at senior positions in Canadian firms as well. Recognizing the under-representation of ethnic minority accountants at the partner level, my colleagues and I aimed to gain insights into the work environment of ethnic minority accountants who made it to the top of the ladder in U.S. firms. New insights from research My co-researchers and I used the term ethnic minority in our study to refer to those who are Asian, Black non-Latino, Hispanic Latino and white non-Latino as per the U.S. Census' taxonomy. We collected data on audit partners in the U.S. from 2016 to 2020 and conducted a comprehensive analysis of various aspects of their work. We found that ethnic minority auditors were less likely to become partners at accounting firms. The ones that did were more likely to become partners at less notable accounting offices. They were more likely to become partners in firms other than the Big Four firms, in offices that did not have prestigious clients, in smaller offices and in offices that earned less fees. This is despite the fact that, as our research found, they performed better than non-ethnic minority partners. Using various performance measures common in accounting research, we found ethnic minority partners performed better than their white counterparts. It is, therefore, unlikely that the under-representation of ethnic minorities at the partner level is due to their inability to perform well. Our study also found that ethnic minority partners were more likely to be in charge of audit engagements if a client's senior leadership also included ethnic minorities. It also showed that, once an error occurred, white audit partners were more likely to be absolved of audit failures than ethnic minority audit partners. The likelihood of an audit partner being replaced after a material error was discovered in a financial statement was higher for ethnic minority partners (39 percent) versus white partners (24 percent). Improving ethnic representation One of the consequences of ineffective diversity, equity and inclusion practices in the accounting profession is talent drain. Up to 55 percent of accountants from under-represented groups leave their employers, and up to 18 percent leave the profession altogether. This raises concerns about the long-term sustainability of the profession's talent pipeline. Our study points to some major gaps in terms of promotion and treatment of ethnic audit partners in the accounting profession. Diversity at higher levels in the corporate hierarchy appears to be lacking. Our study also suggests two major benefits of closing these gaps. First, because ethnic audit partners appear to outperform their white counterparts, more ethnic representation at senior positions will translate to higher-quality audits. Second, improving the ethnic diversity in senior accounting positions will help combat talent drainage. There must be greater efforts to recruit, nurture and promote talented accountants from under-represented backgrounds, including fast-tracking promising audit managers to partnership. Individuals from under-represented groups should receive opportunities equal to those of their white peers when it comes to career advancement and the choice of work environment. We believe more ethnically diverse accounting leadership will strengthen the profession by attracting and retaining talented ethnic accounting professionals and will position it to deal better with the challenges of the future. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The historic Annie Walsh Memorial School held its march past on Sunday 17 March to climax celebrations marking its 175th anniversary. Controversy had surrounded the enforcement of a dress code for old girls who wished to attend the occasion. Dr Hussainatu Abdullah, an old girl who attended the school in the 1970s, disagrees with the measures. Happy 175th birthday to the Annie Walsh Memorial School (AWMS), the first girls' secondary school in sub-Saharan Africa. Hip, hip, hip, hurrah! Hip, hip, hip, hurrah!! Hip, hip, hip, hurrah!!! Like all other alumni, I am proud to have been a part, however small, of the story of AWMS and grateful to witness its 175th anniversary. 175 years in the life of any institution is a major achievement for which a fulsome celebration is justified. When the institution has left indelible marks in the sands of time as AWMS has done, it is even more reason to mark the anniversary with all the pomp and circumstance that can be mustered. Celebrating the AWMS milestone naturally invites a justified focus on our many achievements and successes. The school's contributions to national development and the personal advancement of all who passed through its walls are immeasurable. For me, the schools motto, Not for Self but for All, was to become a guiding principle that has remained with me over the years. Indeed, that motto influenced my choice of a course of study at the university. I opted to major in Sociology because of the resonance of concepts such as inclusion, diversity, equality, ethnicity, racism, and social stratification that I learnt in my first year with the motto of my Alma mater. For in that motto, and the rallying call it embodies, was a message of social transformation anchored on a commitment to justice and solidarity in which no one is left out or left behind. Everyone who passed through AWMS has a particular value or set of values that impacted us the most as we progressed in life. As we celebrate our 175th anniversary, it is important to recall that we AWOGANs were always socialised to strive to bring everyone into the fold and not try to discriminate against or exclude anyone based, for example, on a divisive or exclusionary implementation of a dress code. There have been whispers in the corridors about AWOGA's dress code for our annual Thanksgiving Service. However, I am only addressing it now because I took it as hearsay until I saw it in print for the first time. Before addressing the specifics of the dress code, I want to state categorically that all AWOGANs, irrespective of our faiths, know that the AWMS was founded by the Christian Missionary Society (CMS) and is headed by the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Freetown and Makeni. In their wisdom, the school's CMS founders saw the need for diversity and, therefore, opened the institution up to the Muslim community in 1896, forty-seven years after its founding. Kiptiatu Agnes George, an Aku girl from the Fourah Bay community, was admitted to the school. Four generations of women in her family have attended the AWMS. Had her great-granddaughters not emigrated from Sierra Leone, the fifth generation of her family would likely have attended their great-great-grandmothers Alma mater, and they would be nurturing the sixth generation to take over the baton from them. One of Kiptiatu George's granddaughters, Raila Rahman, taught at AWMS and was even a vice principal. Having said this, we should not conflate AWMS and AWOGA. AWOGA is an independent organisation created by former AWMS students to foster a sense of community among the alumni whilst promoting the school's ideals and supporting its development. Although I have not seen the Articles of Association of AWOGA, I have good reason to believe that they do not contain any articles or clauses that can be deemed discriminatory; if they did, Muslim alumni would have responded earlier. While I agree that there should be a dress code to ensure everyone is attired appropriately for the Thanksgiving Service, AWOGA's dress code of a plain white dress (just below the knees) and straw hat is not inclusive. Firstly, I am troubled by AWOGA's definition of a dress, as it excludes maxi-length outfits. The definition of a dress that has been adopted does not fit the Oxford dictionary's definition of a dress as "a piece of women's clothing that is made in one piece and covers the body down to the legs sometimes reaching to below the knees, or to the ankles". Also, the insistence that every AWOGAN should wear a straw hat or boater to complete their outfits is worrisome. This is because the current dress code being pushed by AWOGA is discriminatory, restrictive, and retrogressive. Adopting the dress code used in the 1970s and 1980s would be much better. For example, my mother, a Haja and practising Muslim in her lifetime, regularly participated in the annual Thanksgiving Service. She wore her white lace or brocade (brillian) gown, black shoes, and purse and wrapped the school hat band around her head scarf. She was never told that she violated the school's dress code and thus could not march. On the contrary, she was warmly welcomed and marched proudly with her fellow AWOGANS of the decade of the 1940s. Also, Fatmata Hassan-King, the first female Income Tax Commissioner and Maimunata Nicol, a former Secretary of AWOGA, marched with their full Muslim regalia of a long dress and headscarf with their school hat bands. So, to discriminate against Muslim women who started attending AWMS in 1896 is grossly unfair! As we celebrate AWMS's 175 years of existence, I would like AWOGA officials to rethink this rule and expand the space for participation, not shrink it, by embracing AWMS's progressive record and history of including Muslim girls and any other women who, for one reason or another, are uncomfortable with the narrow definition of a dress that has been adopted. AWOGA should apply the simple Oxford dictionary's definition of a dress to embrace and bring in women who currently feel left out of the fold. This piece advocates not only for the rights of AWOGA Muslim women but also for women who have adopted 'age-appropriate' outfits such as gowns, long skirt suits, and ducket and lappa for comfort. AWOGA should focus on bringing us all together in a spirit of love, respect, modesty, and humility whenever we assemble to celebrate the first girls' secondary school in sub-Saharan Africa. Non-Sibi Sed Omnibus! Hussainatu Jummai Abdullah holds a PhD in Sociology and Sociology Anthropology from University of Hull, UK. She's an independent researcher and consultant on Gender and Development. She attended the Annie Walsh from 1973-1979. Copyright (c) 2024 Politico Ann Favro, of Saranac Lake, was indicted for Murder in the second degree and Criminal Possession of a weapon in the second degree on Feb. 28, 2024 by the Hamilton County Grand Jury. Favro was arraigned on March 21, 2024, a release said. Favro was arrested on August 13, 2023 for the murder of David Chenier, a resident of the Town of Indian Lake. This is the first murder in Hamilton County in over 25 years. "I am pleased with the indictment handed down by the dedicated Grand Jurors of Hamilton County," Marsha King Purdue, the Hamilton County District Attorney said in a statement. An extensive amount of time and effort was expended by the New York State Police, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and the DA's office, the press release said. A federal program is waiving some visa requirements in order to bring doctors in critically needed medical fields to Upstate New York and elsewhere in rural areas. The new rules are in effect April 1. The federal Northern Border Regional Commission announced that it is expanding its J-1 Visa Waiver Program. The visa allows people from other countries to work or study for a limited time in the United States, but then requires them to return to their countries of origin for at least two years. The waiver removes the requirement that people in certain fields go home. The waiver in the past allowed general practitioner doctors to participate, but did not include physicians practicing specialty medicine. The new and expanded visa-waiver program for specialty physicians, like anesthesiologists and cancer specialists, is a major shot in the arm for recruiting doctors to address the national healthcare worker shortage in rural communities across Upstate New York, said Sen. Chuck Schumer in a press release announcing the expansion. The need for healthcare professionals has been exacerbated since the COVID-19 pandemic. Liza Ochsendorf, director of Warren County Workforce Development, said that Glens Falls Hospital has around 300 open positions, most of which require degrees and special certifications, though she did not have numbers for open physician positions in specialty fields. Glens Falls Hospital did not return calls asking for details before publication. Warren County is one of the oldest counties in the state so we need as many healthcare professionals as possible to take care of us all as we age, Ochsendorf said in an interview with The Post-Star Thursday. Were working hard to recruit young people to the field as well. And there are many different career paths in the healthcare industry for youth to consider. Ochsendorf said the new expansion could be a valuable recruitment tool, but she remains skeptical of its efficacy. The region must work out plans for credential transfers between countries and must offer affordable housing. Most credentials do not transfer equally and easily from other countries, she explained. We can recruit and hire from near and far but it doesnt matter if there isnt affordable housing available. The NBRC was established as part of the 2008 Farm Bill Act to help bolster economic development throughout the four northern border states of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. One of its initiatives has been the J-1 Visa Waiver Program. With a typical J-1 Visa, the individual is permitted to enter the country as part of a study-, or work-related exchange program. This is the program often used by college-aged students who work at regional grocery stores, restaurants or resorts during the summer. The visa requires everyone to return home for at least two years after their initial stay, but the waiver program has allowed some individuals in specific fields to forgo that requirement allowing them to immediately apply for a more permanent residency. In the past, primary care physicians were afforded this waiver. The new expansion will open the waiver application to physicians who agree to take positions in specialty fields such as anesthesiology, cardiology or oncology. New York Assemblyman Matt Simpson said he was very supportive and pleased to see the program expanded. Were in the midst of a crisis and have been for quite a while, on staffing and this will certainly help alleviate it, he said. He is a Republican in the Town of Horicon. Simpson also pointed to the program as an example of good immigration governance. I think this is an example of what should be happening as opposed to the illegal immigration that has been happening at both the northern border and the southern border of the United States, he said. (There is) an influx of people that are not entering the country correctly. He added that the country needs to do better at the borders, managing those who come in and making sure they have the resources they need. The NBRC waiver program says that eligible physicians do not need to return home after their initial visa has expired so long as they meet certain requirements including an offer of full-time employment in a health professional shortage or medically underserved area. The northern border region of New York State includes Cayuga, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Montgomery, Niagara, Oneida, Orleans, Oswego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Seneca, St. Lawrence, Sullivan, Washington, Warren, Wayne, and Yates counties. Hudson Headwaters Health Network did not respond to requests for comment. WARREN COUNTY, NY -- Registration has opened for Warren Countys next household hazardous waste collection event, scheduled on Saturday, May 11, 2024. Warren County residents who would like to get rid of hazardous materials such as cleaners, pesticides and other household chemicals, can do so at no charge at Queensbury Highway Department, 742 Bay Road, Queensbury, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Online registration is available through this link. Overseen by Warren County Department of Public Works, residents who sign up will be able to safely dispose of materials such as antifreeze, pesticides, gasoline, latex paints, household cleaners and fluorescent light bulbs at no cost at this household hazardous waste drop off event. The Warren County event collection staff will not be able to accept munitions, automotive oil, batteries, asbestos, pharmaceuticals, infectious waste or tires. Those wishing to dispose of oil-based paints, primer and stains can also do so through the PaintCare program at select paint retailers year-round. You can find local collection sites for these paints and primers here. Registration is required for the May 11 event. Register online at warrencountyny.gov/residents/waste, by mail or in person at Warren County DPW, 4028 Main Street, Warrensburg, New York, 12885, or by fax at 518-623-2772. More information about household hazardous waste storage and disposal can be found at warrencountyny.gov/residents/waste-info. Those with questions can call Warren County DPW at 518-761-6556. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. ATLANTIC CITY A former department director sued the Atlantic City Housing Authority and two of its leaders Friday, alleging he was fired in December as retaliation for complaining about unlawful contracting and procurement practices there. Robert Campbell, 69, was hired by former Executive Director Matt Doherty in July 2023 and fired by the Housing Authority board about three months after the board fired Doherty. Campbell also named board Chair Stephanie Marshall, also a city councilwoman, and Executive Director Thomas Sahlin as defendants in the suit. Neither Marshall nor Sahlin responded immediately to requests for comment Friday, and Campbell could not be reached for comment. When Matthew Doherty took over as executive director in May of 2023, he discovered there were significant irregularities concerning the processes with which the housing authority entered into contractual agreements and procured goods, the lawsuit states. Campbell said he was hired to correct those longstanding deficiencies. After starting the job, Campbell found the authority was routinely procuring goods and services without proper invoices or purchasing orders, and often without contracts, the lawsuit states, and that payments to contractors were at times made without proper public bidding and board review and approval. Contracting has been handled by contractor Jerry Volpe, of Governance & Fiscal Affairs LLC, since August 2022. The board named him qualified purchasing agent for the authority and continued to keep him in that position after Campbell started work. HUD rejects emergency contracts for Atlantic City Housing Authority work ATLANTIC CITY Work on testing gas lines, remediating mold and fighting pest infestations h Campbell said he tried to correct the way the authority handled contracts and purchasing, but his efforts were interfered with by the authority board and by Volpe. On July 31, Campbell said he filed a written complaint alleging Volpe subjected him to a hostile workplace. The authority investigated and determined the plaintiff was being harassed by Volpe, the lawsuit states. But on Sept. 7, after Doherty complained publicly about Volpes handling of procurement, Doherty was fired by the board. Campbell said he continued to be the victim of workplace harassment and was advised that he should not get involved in the procurement process. On Dec. 11, Campbell was fired. Volpe also is the interim executive director of the Linden Housing Authority in Union County. Campbell also alleges age discrimination and is seeking reinstatement with full back pay and benefits, compensatory and punitive damages, and other relief under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination and the New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act. In June, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, which oversees housing authorities nationwide, found the agency was inappropriately using emergency contracting processes. Firm gets $2.6M from Atlantic City Housing Authority, but agency says some work bad A contractor received almost $2.6 million for repairs it made earlier this year at multiple public housing communities in the city, only for its service on underground gas lines at Stanley Holmes Village to be deemed "bad work" with "massive leaks and potential system failures" by the Atlantic City Housing Authority. HUD also has designated the agency financially troubled for missing deadlines for filing audits and found the authority has not followed federal rules in the way it has been run for years. In December, the authority signed a recovery and action plan with HUD that gives it six months to a year to address most of its deficiencies. U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., have called for HUD to take over the agency. City Council Vice President Kaleem Shabazz has called for the agency to hire a full-time staff member to handle procurement, rather than using Volpes Governance & Fiscal Affairs. The board had a new contract for Volpe on its February agenda, but it was tabled after Shabazz expressed his concerns. EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP Two of the most controversial issues in recent years in South Jersey recreational marijuana and offshore wind dominated the Township Committee meeting Wednesday. The committee voted to direct the Planning Board to continue a preliminary investigation to determine whether a township block and two lots qualify as an area in need of redevelopment to be included as an amendment to the Cardiff Center Redevelopment Area. Atlantic Shores, an energy company, proposes to build a substation for its offshore wind farm at the site. The five-member, all-Republican committee also voted unanimously to set a public hearing for 5:30 p.m. April 24 on an ordinance to amend the existing licensing provisions regarding taxation of cannabis businesses, compliance mechanisms, issuance of support letters and licenses, and to add prohibitions and the requirement for a host community agreement. Township Solicitor Marc Friedman said his office and a special attorney who has been hired want to tighten the marijuana ordinance to ensure the township is receiving all the money from taxation that it is entitled to receive. A provision also would put an expiration date on resolutions of support the township gives out, so that after a period of time, if a proposed business cannot be opened after 18 months, the resolution would be rescinded, Friedman said. One of the provisions is about increasing the number of retail licenses. At the start of the meeting, the ordinance was written for the township to change the number of retail licenses possible from four to seven. Egg Harbor Township wants state DOT to answer Black Horse Pike questions Flooding on the Black Horse Pike in West Atlantic City and traffic on and around Bevis Mill Road have dominated Egg Harbor Township meetings since the start of the year. We can pass it as it is and have one in our pocket to disseminate for a future application, said Friedman, who added one business had submitted for a license under two names, which created the seventh license. Before the meeting ended, the committee voted to amend the ordinance to offer only six retail licenses. Jonah Smith, a retired chemical engineer from Ventnor, was one of several members of the public who attended the meeting in opposition to the proposed Atlantic Shores substation that is needed for the companys offshore wind project. Atlantic Shores wants to build about 300 offshore turbines that are each about 1,000 feet tall and 9 miles off Long Beach Island and Brigantine. Opponents of offshore wind say the project will hamper commercial fishing operations, harm marine mammals, obstruct ocean views and raise utility rates, among other arguments. Eight shore towns filed a lawsuit Dec. 1 against the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection asking for an independent review of the Atlantic Shores project. The eight towns were Long Beach Township, Beach Haven, Ship Bottom, Surf City, Harvey Cedars, Barnegat Light, Brigantine and Ventnor. The Planning Board is just looking at that particular site to determine whether it can be deemed an area in need of redevelopment, Friedman said. It is not examining the merits of the overall project. For those who are opponents of this, vocal opponents, Im not really sure that this is the body that will put the brakes on the project as much as higher authorities, Friedman said. Egg Harbor Township school district emphasizes safety, security in wake of recent threats During the first school board meeting since Egg Harbor Township High School was affected by a rash of threats last month, Superintendent Kim Gruccio emphasized safety and security. The developer eventually will have to receive site plan approval from the Planning Board for what it wants to do, Friedman said. This will be listed on the Planning Board agenda. You can check online or call upstairs to our planning and zoning office to see when it will be held, and there is public comment at a Planning Board meeting. Come there and speak. Thats what Im going to tell you. Thats the best thing you can do, Mayor Laura Pfrommer said. In other township news, the committee presented certificates of appreciation to nine people connected to a recent 911 call: Police communication Officers Gabrielle Justiniano, Amanda Taylor and Bernadette Cahill-Goldstein, K-9 Officer Christopher Berry, Officer Thomas Rizzotte, Supervisors Virgen Castro and Pamela Shields, and EMTs David Austin and Joel Martin. During the afternoon of Jan. 14, family members of John McCorkell, a township resident, called 911 to report he was unconscious. He was provided CPR until the first EMS units arrived. McCorkell was placed onto a mechanical compression device, and after several minutes and subsequent shocks, the team was able to detect a pulse, and he began breathing on his own. AtlantiCare paramedics arrived and transported McCorkell to the hospital. McCorkell underwent immediate cardiac intervention and spent seven days in the hospital but was able to walk out on his own power, officials said. U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, said Thursday he "will never support any proposal by any party that would make cuts to Social Security or raise the retirement age." He called proposals to cut Social Security being pushed by some of his fellow Republicans a threat to the nation's foundation. "Any proposed cuts to Social Security, no matter who they are coming from, are not only unjust but they are a betrayal of the countless hardworking Americans who have paid their way into this program," Van Drew said. "Our senior citizens should not suffer because of this administration's inability to put America first. According to The Hill, the House Republican Study Committee, made up of more than 170 GOP lawmakers, released a budget plan this week that endorsed modest adjustments to the retirement age for future retirees to account for increases in life expectancy. The committee did not specify how high it would raise the full retirement age, which is now set at 67. The committee budget also called for lowering benefits for the highest earners, The Hill said. If the U.S. stopped using taxpayer money to fund foreign wars, programs for illegal immigrants and subsidies for foreign energy companies, "we would not be facing the budgetary constraints that we are today," Van Drew said. Van Drew asks HUD inspector general to investigate Atlantic City Housing Authority U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew has called on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General to investigate the Atlantic City Housing Authority in the wake of continued issues there. End Citizens United vs. Menendez End Citizens United, a nonprofit dedicated to "getting big money out of politics and protecting the right to vote," reacted Friday to U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez's announcement that he is considering running as an independent in the New Jersey Senate race. Anyone with a pulse knows that Senator Menendez has no path to win as an independent," said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller. "This is a dangerous, self-serving move by Senator Menendez that threatens the Senate majority. Theres a real chance he could play spoiler in November if a weak Democrat is nominated." Muller said her group will do all it can to support U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, D-3rd. "His grassroots people-powered campaign has the momentum and support that can not only win a three-way race, but help win critical down-ballot races that we need to flip the House," Muller said of Kim. "Its time for new leadership that prioritizes integrity and accountability over backroom deals and corrupt machine politics. EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP During the first school board meeting since the township high school was affected by a rash of threats last month, Superintendent Kim Gruccio emphasized safety and security. I know there have been concerns districtwide, Gruccio said during last weeks meeting. But I want to assure you that we take threats or anything a student talks about that is concerning seriously. The administration is trained, we have school safety specialists, and we conduct drills. We take the advice of law enforcement and respond based on the situation. Gruccio spoke to attendees for four minutes at the start of the meeting about the protocols implemented when handling threats of violence. The first incident occurred Feb. 13, which resulted in a shelter-in-place order at the high school while the threat was investigated. After deputies with the Atlantic County Sheriffs Office secured the building and determined there was no cause for concern, the order was lifted and students continued with their day. But it wouldnt be much longer until it happened again. Police responded to the school a day later and again Feb. 27, for similar threats. Then, on March 7, parents received a message from the district that threatening pictures were being shared on social media. However, it was determined the pictures were fake, and there was no viable threat to any of the district schools, police said at the time. Many parents take to social media groups in those moments to relay information and share their childrens experiences. But Gruccio advises against that as the information may not be credible and cause unnecessary panic. Social media has good and bad points to it, Gruccio said. Some of the chatter has interfered with some of the things were doing because false information is being shared. If you see or hear something, tell us. Were the ones who are trained to handle the situation. What happens when a school receives a threat? A rash of threats have been reported recently at local schools, including three within the span of about two weeks at Egg Harbor Township High School. What are the protocols and how do people react when these things happen? When a threat comes in, the district shares whatever information it can with parents through texts, calls and emails. The validity and source of the threat are then investigated by multiple agencies, including police, the FBI, Atlantic County Prosecutors Office and the state Department of Education. Police Capt. Cherie Burgan, who also serves as the departments public information officer, said while it can be frustrating for parents to not know every detail, she works to get information out as fast as possible while also making it as comprehensive as it can be. Most people seem to understand that I cant release anything that may interfere with our investigation, Burgan said. News is instantaneous now; you get a text or a Snapchat from your kid telling you something is going on. When that goes out there, we may have not yet figured out what the circumstance is. We have a great relationship with the school district, and were very transparent. Were doing what we can to keep your kids safe. Gruccio urges parents to pay attention to what their kids are doing online. I ask you to please talk to your children, Gruccio said. Find out and see what social media tools they are using and what platforms they are on. When youre sleeping at night are they on their phones and computers? Its very important to have these conversations so we know what is going on together. NJ Weedman is trading in the blunts for blunt instruments. Police in Miami say that Trenton's "peaceful pothead" bashed a man in the head with a fire extinguisher. Again. Ed Forchion, aka NJ Weedman, was seen on video in 2019 using a fire extinguisher to hit two men in his Trenton establishment, Weedman's Joint. The 2019 incident did not land any charges for Forchion as he said he had been fighting with the men and was defending himself and his business establishment from the men who were trespassing. This time, police in Florida are charging him with "attempted felony murder," a felony count of "burglary with assault or battery/armed," and a misdemeanor count of "battery," according to a police report obtained by The Trentonian. Miami police were dispatched just before 1 a.m. Feb. 12 to Jackson Medical Hospital when a man came to the emergency room with a head injury saying he had been hit with a fire extinguisher. Police say the victim gave a "sworn digital recorded statement" in which he told them the attack happened about 12:15 a.m. at The Joint of Miami, a club owned by Forchion's son. Forchion's Facebook page lists himself as being the "Founder" of the Miami location, and he is the owner of The Joint in Trenton. The police report says the victim waited outside the "Joint of Miami" because his friends wanted to go there. While outside, Forchion allegedly came outside with a fire extinguisher and began spraying the victim, who ran from Forchion and got into a vehicle to avoid being sprayed. Police say Forchion sprayed the victim inside of the vehicle, forcing him to exit the car. Once out of the vehicle, Forchion struck the victim twice in the side of the head with the extinguisher. The report states that police saw the vehicle with fire extinguisher residue on the hood, dried blood on the victim and in the street. Forchion was detained for questioning and subsequently arrested Tuesday by Miami police. He was released from custody Wednesday after a court hearing but is awaiting further court action. His lawyer told a Florida TV news station, Local 10 News, that Forchion was wrongly arrested. "It appears the police simply took the word of the alleged victim without doing their due diligence," Attorney Michael Mirer told the station's reporter. One of Forchion's employees told the reporter that Forchion was defending himself and that the victim had been fired and was trespassing the night of the attack. The victim told The Trentonian that Forchion's narrative was all false. He said Forchion didn't fire him, but that he quit when Forchion was unable to pay his employees, saying the Florida business is "failing" despite how the Weedman portrays things on social media. He also said Forchion's employee quoted by Local 10 News was not there the night of the incident, which would mean the employee was relaying Forchion's version of the events to the reporter. The victim said he worked for Forchion for about eight years and quit two months prior to the attack. "I was not banned nor trespassing, and the reason I left the establishment is because Ed isn't able to pay." He also told The Trentonian that Forchion's actions were "not self-defense. He fled the scene and the state." Vote clears hurdle for legalizing recreational marijuana in NJ TRENTON New Jersey is poised to legalize recreational marijuana after a committee approved Video of Forchion acting out violently also surfaced in 2022 when his former girlfriend and business partner released a video of him pushing her to the ground and threatening her. He said at the time that she was the aggressor and that the video footage was "stolen" from his computers. "She was harassing me. She was the one who could not handle her emotions," Forchion said at the time. "If I wanted to punch her, I could have. If I wanted to beat her up, I could have. I didn't do neither one of those things." Forchion took to Facebook live around 5 p.m. to tell his 16,000 followers about the ordeal. "Last couple days was like a nightmare, like a deja vu type nightmare," Forchion says in the video, speaking only in vague terms about the incident. He also said he would release a public statement soon and that he was getting ready to fly back to New Jersey. "I'm gonna make a formal announcement later. I gotta write up my own press release," Forchion said on the Facebook live video. "Some drama happened this week here in Florida. ... Sooner or later there's gonna be some public issues I'm going to have to address." Court records from Miami Dade County show that Forchion's lawyer demanded a jury trial on the charges and that a surety bond of $2,500 was set. Forchion has posted on his Facebook page that he is back in New Jersey. He posted a link to the Local 10 story about the arrest, disputing many of the details but not challenging the premise that he struck the victim with a fire extinguisher. "Stand your ground includes fire extinguishers," Forchion wrote in the post. "Because I'm a felon I cannot be caught with a GUN. So it's my preferred self defense tool." Forchion repeated the promise to tell his full version of the events, "PS I will release my own PRESS RELEASE with a day or so with exxonerating VIDEO." There are roughly 12 miles between the Park View apartment Taylor Escontrias shared with Christopher Behal and the first floor of the Scott County Courthouse. Behal was in the courthouse Friday, charged with first-degree murder in the killing of 31-year-old Escontrias. He had his preliminary hearing before District Associate Judge Cheryl Traum. Investigators believe Behal, 30, used a bat, knife and screwdriver to kill Escontrias some time between 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13, and 1:47 a.m. Thursday, March 14, in their apartment at 105 Crestview Dr. Ethan Roling, a detective with the Scott County Sheriffs Office, provided Fridays testimony for Assistant Scott County Attorney Gil Carnegie. Rolings testimony included statements he said Behal made to deputies. Behal initially told investigators he acted in self defense, but later gave a different account, Roling testified. Behals later statement included that the first thing he remembered was striking Escontrias with the bat, then finally stabbing her to put her out of her misery, Roling said. Deputies found blood in several places in the apartment and evidence indicates Escontrias tried to get away, Roling told Traum. The autopsy indicated Escontrias had been stabbed and bludgeoned numerous times, Roling testified. Investigators think she was stabbed with a screwdriver and knife. Authorities ruled the death a homicide, but said it was not clear which wound killed her. Seth Harrington, Behals attorney, did not question Roling, but he made arguments about various charges his client faces and whether the state had met the burden required for a preliminary hearing. A preliminary hearing is an initial test of the case against a defendant. A prosecutor presents the outline of the case in court through a law enforcement witness, and a judge decides whether the case has enough merit for the prosecution to continue. The defense has the opportunity to challenge the states case and question the witness. Harrington argued the state had not met the burden required to charge first-degree murder. He argued for second-degree murder instead. A defendant maintains the presumption of innocence at a preliminary hearing. After testimony and arguments, Traum ruled the state had met the burden for the first-degree murder case to continue. Behals next hearing, an arraignment, has been scheduled for April 11. 'I never saw them together' Park View is a bedroom community just north of Eldridge. The unincorporated town is a collection of homes, small businesses and a pair of gas stations along Scott Park Road, a stretch of two-lane blacktop the locals call "Old 61." Kaylee Rhoades works in one of the gas stations and said she was familiar with Behal and Escontrias. "I know I used to see her come in and then she just stopped," Rhoades said. "One of the girls who works here said she was having a hard time but I really don't know what that was all about. "There just came a time when I didn't see her in here anymore." Rhodes said she saw more of Behal. "Especially in the last few weeks, he would come in two or three times a day to buy vodka," she said. "He was quiet. The thing was, I never knew they were together. I never saw them together. He never came in here with her. "I didn't even know they were together until I saw the news. And I couldn't believe it." Prior domestic cases Behal has two domestic violence cases on his Scott County record, both cases involving the same woman, who was not Escontrias. One of the cases is pending, the other was dismissed. The most recent of these cases happened in January 2023, according to court records. Behal initially faced a charge of domestic abuse assault - injury or mental illness - first offense. The charge stems from Behals alleged acts on the night of Jan. 8, 2023, at a residence in Davenport. Authorities accused him of punching the woman in the back of her head. He also picked her up under her arms and threw her down the metal steps outside of the residence, causing scrapes on her legs and one hand, according to court records. She refused treatment, but did request a no contact order, records show. In April, 2023, Behal pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily injury as part of an agreement with the Scott County Attorneys Office. The no contact order also was lifted at this time. He received a deferred judgment, but in May was accused of violating its terms by not completing substance abuse evaluation. The court later gave him further time to comply with the condition of his probation. That case remained pending as of Thursday. The earlier case related to acts authorities accused Behal of committing in January of 2021 at the same residence, records state. Behal initially was charged with domestic abuse assault first offense, but the case was later dismissed. Drinking and driving The investigation that led to authorities accusing Behal of committing murder began with a traffic crash on March 14, which occurred around 90th and Harrison streets, according to a news release from the Scott County Sheriffs Office. A sheriffs deputy responded about 1:47 a.m. to investigate a report of a single-vehicle crash, court records state. When the deputy arrived, he found a silver 2013 Chevrolet Impala that appeared to have hit a light pole. Authorities allege in court documents that Behal was in the drivers seat and was the only occupant of the Impala. They sent him to Genesis Health Systems eastern campus in Davenport for treatment. Behal admitted to consuming alcohol and that he had consumed too much, court records state. He agreed to and failed field sobriety tests. Court documents state he refused to provide blood or breath samples. Court records show Behal also has had two driving under the influence cases filed against him in Iowa, one in Johnson County and the other in Muscatine County. In 2023, Johnson County authorities accused Behal of operating while under the influence - second offense, court records state. The case remained pending as of Friday. In February, the Johnson County courts issued an arrest warrant for Behal because hed failed to appear for a case management conference. The Muscatine County case, filed in 2020, accused Behal of operating while under the influence first offense, court records state. He pleaded guilty as part of a deal with the Muscatine County Attorneys Office and later received a 92-day jail sentence, with all but two days suspended. He was transferred to the countys jail diversion program, court records state. The program gives qualifying people an opportunity to serve on a monitored work crew and to submit to home monitoring rather than serve the time incarcerated, according to the county website. Tensions between Democrats and Republicans in Iowa over how much is enough to increase funding to public schools bubbled to the surface in a legislative forum Friday morning in Davenport, hours after the state House narrowly passed an amended bill that would overhaul the state's Area Education Agencies, raise teacher pay and increase state aid to schools by 2.5%. "The one area we have continued to underfund are our public schools," Sen. Cindy Winckler, D-Davenport, told the audience at the Quad Cities Chamber-hosted legislative forum on the St. Ambrose University campus. Winckler said school districts aren't able to keep up with increasing costs, and that the state should approve a larger increase in State Supplemental Aid than 2.5%. "We should be investing in our public education systems and be giving them more than the 2.5% that we see in the budget," Winckler said. "At this particular time, we can afford it and we can do it." Rep. Mike Vondran, R-Davenport, disagreed, noting that the House's bill on top of a 2.5% increase in supplemental aid, also included funding for teacher pay and supplemental staff. "It's not just talking about numbers, it's talking about what it is that we can do to make things real," Vondran said. "We're talking about lives here, we're talking about our most valued assets, our children, let's get serious about that. It's not just about a percentage. There's a lot more to it." The bill rolled together an overhaul of the Area Education Agencies with state supplemental aid and teacher pay. Previously, those measures were separate proposals. The proposal passed 51-47 with nine Republicans joining all Democrats in voting against it. It is the latest attempt by Republicans to deliver changes to the state's Area Education Agencies. The topic has consumed much of the legislative session after Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds made it a priority in her Condition of the State speech to kick off the session in January. Iowa's nine AEAs oversee special education in the state and provide consulting services to school districts in their areas. The governor argues Iowa's special education test scores have not kept up with the rest of the nation, but her proposal to allow schools to look elsewhere for services prompted fierce opposition from parents of special education students and educators who are concerned diverting funds from AEAs would hurt special education services. Some superintendents are in favor of the proposal who want more control over their special education dollars. The House version passed Thursday evening would, once fully phased in, require schools to spend 90% of their special education funding with the AEA and 10% could be used for special education through a third party. Rep. Gary Mohr, R-Bettendorf, was among the nine Republicans that voted against the bill. Speaking with the Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus, he said he had concerns about centralizing more control at the state level under the Department of Education and making the local boards more advisory rather than a supervisory. "I'm a big proponent of local control," Mohr said. The other reason he voted no was because he preferred the state set up a task force to include special needs parents, teachers and special needs personnel to identify changes needed and put forward a proposal rather than the other way around. He emphasized that he supported the SSA increase and teacher pay raises, but voted no on the overall bill because of his concerns in the AEA provisions. Work-based learning A work-based learning bill proposed by the governor is stalled for now in the statehouse while funding is worked out, Mohr told the audience. The bill would create a workforce opportunity fund for Iowa Workforce Development programs with up to $30 million from a state unemployment reserve fund. Mohr said a work-based learning program fund "in theory I think is very good." But he questioned taking $30 million from the unemployment reserve fund. "It looks to me like we're using one-time money to fund an ongoing expense, and that I don't support. ...It has nothing to do with the value of the bill, but I'm sitting on the bill until I can get answers because I'm not going to use one-time money to fund an ongoing expense," he said. Sen. Kerry Gruenhagen, R-Walcott, said the bill sets up a funding stream for on-the-job learning, for example if a student wanted to become a diesel mechanic or carpenter, they could receive credits for it in community college or high schools. Gruenhagen disagreed with concerns about funding it with the unemployment reserve. He said the reserve fund hasn't been drawn down even in the recession years of '08 and '09 nor during COVID-19, and there was enough funding to put toward the program. Immigration In response to an audience member who asked about how the state is addressing illegal immigration, Republicans praised a bill the House passed this week that would allow state law enforcement officials to arrest and order the removal of individuals who are not legal U.S. residents. A federal judge has put a hold on similar proposals in a ruling on a Texas law. Democrats, however, were more critical of the Republican bill. Rep. Ken Croken, D-Davenport, questioned how the state would send the people it arrests to a port of entry, and whether that would take local law enforcement authorities away from other public safety work. "I take no pleasure whatsoever in knowing that Iowa state troopers will be driving immigrants to the border with Mexico," Croken said. Gruenhagen, referencing earlier comments on education, claimed illegal immigration is increasing costs to schools. "When you have different language coming into our schools, it's costing our teachers money out of their pocket," Gruenhagen said. "They need translation software to teach these students. Every school district I spoke to prior to session...did have an increase. This is not only a direct cost to taxpayers with your property tax with your school funding, teachers are also burdened with these different languages that they have in a class of 20, 25, 30 students." Vondran asked the Davenport schools Superintendent TJ Schneckloth, who was in the audience, how many languages were spoken in the Davenport school district. Schneckloth replied 30 languages. He added that school districts in the area have robust English Language Learning programs, but schools can have difficulty when a student show up unexpectedly and the school must establish a program, which can result in some lost learning for the student. He said locating translators in all those languages has been a big challenge and that the school district is preparing for more refugees to come to the Iowa side, while in the past more resources were located on the Illinois side. Croken then said, "Having 30 languages in your school district is also an asset, it's not just a problem, it's an asset as we're trying to get young people ready to be world-ready, that starts in elementary school." Vondran said he agreed with Croken. "Challenges turn into opportunities, and that's what we need to be focused on," Vondran said. "Instead of looking for the pain and the problem, look for the opportunity that's going to result from that." Other topics: rail, victim services Maggie Tinsman, a former state senator and lobbyist for greater protections against human trafficking, asked legislators again for an additional $5 million for victim services fund in the state. Lawmakers thanked Tinsman for her relentless advocacy on the issue, and Mohr said he hoped to increase the victim services fund by some amount. He said they were also waiting on a federal decision that he said may reduce the federal funding toward victim services. In February, the Iowa House passed a bill that would enter Iowa into the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact to coordinate among Midwestern states to promote development of passenger and high-speed passenger rail in the Midwest. The Quad-Cities has for more than a decade awaited the construction of a rail line connecting Moline to Chicago, and while the Illinois and federal funding is there, negotiations with the rail company that owns some of the lines have stalled for years. Iowa also has proposed in the past supporting a passenger rail system to Iowa City. Mohr said while he's nostalgic for passenger rail, which he said he rode as a kid, he didn't think the math worked out long term for passenger rail to support itself. "I'm not willing to invest your tax money ad-infinitum to a taxpayer assisted passenger rail service," while Amtrack goes across the southern part of Iowa. Croken said he'd support more passenger rail if it got people places more efficiently. Kurth agreed and said more people taking passenger rail would take cars off the road or reduce plane rides, which would have environmental benefits. Will 2024 voter turnout be the same as in the 2020 presidential election? Will 2024 voter turnout be the same as in the 2020 presidential election? Key findings 10 counties with the highest voter turnout in the 2020 presidential election The South Dakota Department of Transportation held an open house to lay out its planning phase of collecting information on the possible closure of one or more bridges or underpasses along Interstate 90 across Pennington County, between 151st Avenue and the Big Foote Road Exit 121 near the Jackson County line. The first public meeting was held Wednesday, March 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the New Underwood Community Center. While no one from the state addressed the crowd in attendance as a whole, a video played on a loop covering a brief history of the bridges, pointed out the crossings under consideration for removal, and the state's reasoning for the removals. SDDOT experts were also on hand to speak one-on-one with residents, asking and answering individual questions. The study will involve a total of 12 crossing which are considered low-volume crossings. Some of these bridges are thought to have such minimum traffic the cost to maintain doesnt benefit the use of keeping them in service. The crossings at risk of removal are 151st Ave., 154th Ave., Weiser Road, 164th Ave., 167th Ave., 169th Ave., 171st Ave., 173rd Ave., 175th Ave., Crooked Creek Road, Cedar Butte Road and Big Foote Road. Any road crossings in the same vicinity not listed in the study are not being considered for removal. Each one of these crossings are near the end of their life span, which will require critical repairs or to be replaced sometime in the next decade. Most of the bridges are in good shape structurally, said local resident Jim Wilsey who lives near exit 90. Sometimes some of them dont have enough width or clearance. Theyre going to rebuild the interstate eventually and this is just part of that project. The I-90 crossing study began in the fall of 2023 and is expected to be completed later this year, possibly in August, but the SDDOT says any action taken would be years from now. Several factors will be considered in which crossings to remove. Traffic amount, accidents, snow drift pileup, year constructed, condition, does it meet the minimum clearance of todays standards, and geometric deficiencies are all things taken into consideration. We're here to gather information on the usage of the process, thats it, said Katrina Burckhard, planning engineer with the South Dakota Department of Transportation. No decision will be made at this time. Were listening to what residents are saying, where they live and what bridge they use the most. Burckhard told the Rapid City Journal any actions taken would not be until 2027, at the very earliest. It depends on politics. It depends on budget, among other factors, added Burckhard. Public feedback at the open house in New Underwood was mixed. Some people were furious at the idea and others wanted to see what would be considered and which bridges were more likely to be removed than others, but no answers could be given at the time. Some people living across the road have land on both sides and are gonna have to go a long ways just to get across, said local resident Wes Reeves. Things wear out and they didnt know that to begin with? They hope to save money, I guess. Steve Gramm, planning squad leader for the South Dakota Department of Transportation, told the Rapid City Journal the public meeting was to only better understand what the crossings are used for, agricultural or transportation, and how often. Gramm said it could possibly be beyond 2030 before any crossing is removed. The South Dakota Department of Transportation has planned to host several other meetings regarding the I-90 crossing study. Gramm said the DOT will post updates online and inform the community for the next public meeting planned for sometime this spring. SDDOT would like to hear from residents and commuters that use the crossings under consideration for removal. For more information and to fill out a survey, visit www.I90LocalRoadCrossingStudy.com or contact Steve Gramm, SDDOT Project Manager, by phone at 605-773-3281 or email, steve.gramm@state.sd.us. On Thursday, after a four-day trial, a Pennington County jury found 45-year-old Jeremiah Hancotte guilty of aggravated assault and second-degree kidnapping for beating a woman at a Hill City motel and confining her to a balcony in the cold. The jury, however, acquitted him of an additional aggravated assault count for alleged strangulation. Around 6:40 p.m. on March 4, 2023, the woman burst into a meeting room at the hotel where a group of retired nurses gathered and quilted together. She had bruises on her face, her left eye was swollen shut, and she had other wounds on her head and body, according to law enforcement reports. The victim met Hancotte shortly before the incident, Senior Deputy Pennington County States Attorney Angela Shute said during closing arguments Thursday morning. She had moved to Hill City on Feb. 18, 2023 to be closer to family and was staying at the hotel while she worked cleaning duplexes. On the day of the assault, the two drank and talked together inside Hancotte's fourth-floor apartment, located above the meeting room. Shute said the quilters remembered hearing noises above them that resembled kids roughhousing or someone scraping snow. Hancotte attacked the woman after she rebuffed his advances, according to a Pennington County State's Attorney press release referencing her testimony. After Hancotte beat the woman and "threw her around the apartment like a ragdoll," he threw her onto the balcony where she lost consciousness for a fourth time. After awaking, she realized he had locked her out. Shute said Hancotte eventually shut the lights off in the apartment and drew the shades. After that, she ran into the apartment, out of the door and into the meeting room. Shute emphasized the woman identified Hancotte on the stand, although she knew him by the name "Jason" when she met him. She also highlighted the woman's blood in the apartment, along with some of her personal items. "The gravity of the injuries and the sheer terror she suffered at his hands is deplorable. Were thankful for the jurys verdict holding this individual responsible for this horrendous assault, Shute said in a statement after the verdict. Angela Colbath, Hancotte's defense attorney, asked the jury in closing arguments to acquit her client. She said no blood was found on Hancotte's body or clothing when he was arrested shortly after the assault, and law enforcement did not find any bloody towels, washcloths or paper towels to indicate he had cleaned himself. Colbath also questioned why the state did not collect fingernail scrapings or hand swabs in the case, and she emphasized the presence of a different man's DNA inside the apartment bathroom. "It's not that it's impossible to get the evidence, they just didn't," she said. Colbath also brought up a jail phone call in which Hancotte said he must have been drugged and someone else was there. Shute said the call was on March 13, 2023, and no one listened to the call until April 2023. At the time of his arrest, Shute said, law enforcement had no probable cause to test Hancotte for drugs or to believe he had anything but alcohol in his system. Richard Schmitz, the 55-year-old man who accepted responsibility for the 2013 death of 38-year-old Meshell Will, was sentenced Friday morning to 10 years in prison for second-degree manslaughter. Will's body was found near mile marker 54 and the Pigtail Bridges on Iron Mountain Road on Aug. 31, 2013. Senior Deputy Pennington County State's Attorney Roxanne Hammond said Will's body was so decomposed it was "barely recognizable as human." Schmitz and Will lived across the hall from one another in Custer and were in a romantic relationship during the summer of 2013. On Aug. 24, 2013, the two checked into the Brookside Motel in Keystone to spend the weekend together, law enforcement reports show. Hammond said the last time a witness saw Will alive was when the hotel upgraded the couple's room because of maintenance issues. "Meshell was thrilled," Hammond said. In July 2021, eight years after Will's body was found, Schmitz was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Schmitz's arrest coincided with a 2021 pathology report that ruled Will's manner of death as either undetermined or homicide. The initial autopsy ruled her manner of death as undetermined. "It's difficult to tell how Meshell died," Hammond said, but she pointed to the circumstantial evidence surrounding the case as enough to prove Schmitz killed Will in the hotel room and discarded her body in the Black Hills. Hammond highlighted Schmitz's lies to law enforcement. Investigators interviewed him several times following Will's death. He initially stated he did not see her in the days prior. He told police conducting a welfare check at her residence she returned to Texas. He later admitted he was with her in Keystone, but denied any involvement in her death until he entered an Alford plea to second-degree manslaughter on Jan. 30. An Alford plea is an acknowledgement that the state has enough evidence to convict without explicitly admitting guilt. The plea, however, functions the same as a guilty plea. Hammond asked the judge to sentence Schmitz to the maximum of 10 years for second-degree manslaughter. "He deserves a lot more time than this court can give him," Hammond said. Martha Rossiter, Schmitz's defense attorney, made an impassioned sentencing argument focused primarily on what she characterized as weaknesses in the state's case. She said Will's family knew her to wander off, and she was a heavy drinker who took medications for mental health issues. Rossiter said evidence indicated Will died at the place her body was found, and her body was not moved. She did not, however, dispute that her client lied to law enforcement. "Mr. Schmitz has an issue being honest, particularly with police," Rossiter said. Hammond stated Schmitz killed Will in the hotel room, but Rossiter said hotel staff did not notice anything unusual about the room after the couple's stay. She also called into question the pathologist who determined Will could have died by homicide, highlighting a 1999 Los Angeles Times article that discussed the overturning of a case where two parents had been convicted of murder based on the pathologist's determinations. Deborah Lemonds, a Custer woman, spoke on behalf of Schmitz as well. She said he took care of her after she suffered an injury, and he "has never, ever hurt people." Rossiter asked Presiding Judge Craig Pfeifle to sentence Schmitz to time served 966 days over two-and-a-half years. Pfeifle said although he "appreciates the passion" of Rossiter's argument, Schmitz agreed to the plea deal. The judge said he based his sentence off of the plea and Schmitz's past conduct, which included convictions of violent crimes against women. "You have a significant challenge dealing with romantic relationships in your life," Pfeifle said. "I think you continue to remain a danger." The judge emphasized Schmitz could have disputed the facts of the case at trial. "You elected not to do that," he said. From Saturday until Tuesday, snow will fall somewhere in the Dakotas, as a strengthening winter storm moves from the Rockies into the Great Plains. Meteorologist Joe Martucci is here to explain when the heaviest snow will be. Joe says a number of locations should have enough snow to be plowed. Be aware of low visibility driving or flying thanks to blowing snow, too. Prism Logistics has one less hoop to jump through if it wants to build a gravel pit at the base of Casper Mountain. Late Monday afternoon, a press release from Governor Mark Gordon's office announced that he had taken action on six bills that day, signing five into law and vetoing one. The bill that was dumped was Senate File 44, which contained an amendment from Rep. Steve Harshman, R-Casper, that would have required entities seeking to kickstart their limited mining operations to obtain a conditional use permit from their respective local leaders first. In his veto letter, Gordon said that "the amended bill would not change the particular circumstances of that gravel operation, and there is not a pending application for a LMO from that operation. However, the bill would have had constitutional consequences as to how state lands are managed to help fund schools. These impacts included making state lands uncompetitive due to an increased setback requirement and a requirement for counties to review and issue a conditional use permit, even though not all counties require one." Kyle True, manager of Prism Logistics, has shared with the public and the Star-Tribune that his company is considering the state-owned land at the south end of Coates Road for a possible gravel mine. This has infuriated residents, who packed a Natrona County Commissioners meeting earlier this month to share their concerns, fears and ire. It will take months before the area is deemed feasible or not for a gravel mine, True told the Star-Tribune. Until then, he shared in a press release, Prism Logistics is choosing not to engage in speculation about "concerns raised by area residents." Amendments that were of particular concern to Gordon, he wrote, were a 500-foot setback requirement from a limited mining operation and any occupied structure that would have only been applicable for state lands, the obligations that this act would place on counties to issue conditional use permits and "undefined approvals" left for the State Board of Land Commissioners post-county permit issuance. Limited mining operations are required to be only 300 feet away from any occupied structure on federal and private lands. Gordon wrote that he thought this would make state lands "uncompetitive." "Statutory changes are not the proper place to address specific concerns for individual operations, Gordon wrote in his decision. While Wyoming seeks to manage her (sic) state lands cooperatively with counties and their land use plans, the state is not constrained by them. State lands and minerals are important to our states economic well-being and need to be treated the same as other lands in the state. In conclusion, he wrote, the Joint Minerals Committee should review the original bill in the "upcoming general session and examine ways to adequately address existing concerns over limited mining operations on state lands." Harshman, who represents the area of Natrona County that would have been most affected by a mine, told the Star-Tribune shortly after the veto was announced that he was disappointed with Gordon's decision and sees the loss of a dedicated public comment period for the proposed mine which a conditional use permit would have required as a serious issue. "How do leases like this go through a consent list, where nobody even talks about them?" he asked. "Nobody gets to know about them. There's no public comment. And I think that's a real issue. "And so now, a bill that will give the public some comment on mining leases on state lands right next to their property hey, sorry, you don't get any voice on that either. ... It's the board of land commissioners and the leaseholder. That's where this is at. And the public has been shut out." Despite concerns about possible effects to Wyomings oil and gas industry, as well as fears about inciting more federal restrictions, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission on March 12 approved continued work on designating the Sublette pronghorn migration corridor. I almost see it as a defensive move for us, said commissioner John Masterson of Casper. Several speakers representing western Wyomings oil and gas industry suggested the commission delay approving the measure until the Bureau of Land Management finishes with new sage grouse and resource planning efforts in the region. The corridor moves through the Pinedale Anticline Project Area, a natural gas development in Sublette County spread across more than 197,000 acres, as well as the 30,000-acre Jonah Field farther south. The Jonah Field contains more than 2,400 producing wells while the Pinedale project has 3,500. Jasmine Allison, of PureWest Energy, a natural gas operator in the Pinedale area, said her company is already overburdened with regulations on its 2,000-acre development. Designating a 165-mile-long pronghorn migration path across five counties from southwest to northwest Wyoming through the Pinedale Anticline may add to them, she said. We do believe that there are enough provisions in place already to support this Sublette antelope herd in the area, she told the commission. Wyoming Game and Fish has the ability to control the timeline to assess what the BLM does, said Director Brian Nesvik. When weighing the risks, the state is better off leading than following on the issue, he added. In public comments collected at three public meetings in the region, and from online comments, WGFD said 90% favored establishing the migration corridor. Slow process Protecting the pronghorn migration route from industrial development, fences, roads and housing has been on Wyoming Game and Fish Departments radar for decades. Rich Guenzel, a retired WGFD wildlife biologist, worked with and studied pronghorn beginning in 1978. He said the migration route was first acknowledged 100 years ago and called the Sublette herd one of the largest and most significant pronghorn populations in the state, if not the whole planet. This is not new information, said Nick Dobric of the Wilderness Society, comparing the issues repeated consideration to the movie Groundhog Day, where the main character must relive the same day over and over again. In advocating to protect the corridor this time around, Guenzel said, There are more threats today than weve seen before. With so many development pressures conspiring against pronghorns, Guenzel said the prairie speedsters are less resilient in responding to disease outbreaks and harsh winters like the ones that decimated the population last winter. Estimates are the region's herds declined from around 43,000 animals to 24,000 from 2022 to 2023. Maintaining the status quo under such conditions, Guenzel said, will not help the population recover. Especially as threats are predicted to continue to grow. Its easier to maintain habitat integrity than to restore it, said Meghan Riley, of the Wyoming Outdoor Council. Data collected Guenzels WGFD successors, in partnership with researchers at the University of Wyoming, have gathered a tremendous amount of information on the Sublette pronghorns. Jill Randall, WGFDs big game migration coordinator, touted the agencys database from 10 years of GPS collared pronghorns as world class. Even though were in this great wide-open space, there is a lot of fragmentation that has occurred, Randall said. Hopefully, identification of this corridor will help ensure maintenance of the route. From its GPS data of collared pronghorns, WGFD has identified the many barriers to the pronghorns annual migration which takes the farthest-traveling animals from sagebrush prairies in the southwest to Grand Teton National Park in the northwest as they pursue the most nutritious vegetation to eat. In 2008, the U.S. Forest Service recognized the uniqueness of the migration and protected a section of the corridor through the Upper Green River and Gros Ventre River drainages in the Bridger-Teton National Forest as the Path of the Pronghorn. Due to recognition of the migration route, Randall said there have been a lot of positive actions taken, including rebuilding 750 miles of fence to make them wildlife friendly, constructing highway crossings to avoid wildlife-vehicle collisions, weed treatment to eliminate invasive grasses that are a fire hazard and outcompete native species, and establishing conservation easements to protect private lands from development. Executive order Despite the Wyoming Game and Fish Commissions decision to continue pursuing designation of the migration corridor, a final decision could be years off. This process is still going to take a while, which it should, said commissioner Rusty Bell of Gillette. The next step for WGFD is to draft a biological risk assessment in collaboration with local government, stakeholders and affected landowners, the agency said. The public will have the opportunity to comment on the assessment. Once completed, the commission will be asked to vote on whether to recommend a formal designation to the governor. That assessment will divide the route into sections and examine things like the density of roads and fences to evaluate risks and opportunities for each segment. The governor has the final say about whether to designate the corridor through an executive order. The order has already outlined what it wont do, which includes: not applying regulations to private land, not affecting federal grazing permits or access to public land, not deterring energy development or other permits, and not affecting any existing recreation. More than 60 projects have been reviewed along the migration corridor since the executive order was created and all were able to proceed in some fashion, according to Will Schultz, WGFD supervisor of the habitat protection program. Angi Bruce, deputy director of External Affairs for WGFD, told the commission the executive order is very specific, enabling the governor to find a way to authorize continued development. WGFD has identified suburban expansion and demand for renewable energy resources as the most concerning threats to the functionality of the corridor. Zach Key, of SOS Well Services in LeBarge, said houses are a bigger concern than oil and gas development since homes are permanent and when natural gas wells dry up they will be reclaimed. An executive order recognizing the migration route could provide access to federal and nonprofit funds for more work along the route, conservation group speakers noted. In Wyoming we have something really special here, and this process will help us keep that, Dobric said. A time slip refers to an experience where an individual or a group of people claim to have temporarily traveled through time. These incidents are typically unexplained and often lack concrete evidence, making them a subject of fascination and speculation. People who claim to have experienced a time slip often note significant differences in their surroundings, such as architecture, clothing styles, vehicles and general ambiance. Time slips are typically brief, ranging from a few seconds to a few hours. The person experiencing it may feel disoriented or confused about their sudden change in environment. Reported instances of time slips have been documented for centuries. However, they gained notable attention in the late 19th century with the emergence of modern media and increased interest in paranormal phenomena. Here are a few of the more famous instances: In one account in Oklahoma in the 1970s, three workers were picking up cattle feeder equipment from a farm and noticed a house on the property. When they came back the next day, however, the house was not only not there there was no sign it was ever there. One possible explanation: the house had existed in a different moment in time, which they collectively experienced as reality. In a photograph taken in 1941 during the reopening of the South Forks Bridge in Canada, a 'hipster' man is seen wearing modern clothing that appears out of place for the era. There is an urban legend about a man who supposedly time traveled from 1876 to 1950. According to the story, Rudolph Fentz was struck by a car in New York City, but his clothing, money, and other belongings were all authentic to the 19th century. In 1968 in Scotland, a couple claimed to have experienced a time slip while staying at Barcaldine Castle. They described interacting with figures dressed in period clothing, only to later discover that there were no historical reenactments taking place. In 1979, two British couples claimed to have booked a night at a hotel called the Royal Oaks in York, England. However, when they returned to the location the following year, they discovered that the hotel had never existed. In 1901, Anne Moberly and Eleanor Jourdain claimed to have experienced a slip of time at the Palace of Versailles in France, where they encountered figures in 18th-century clothing. Their account was documented in the book "An Adventure." A police officer in 1996 reported experiencing a time slip on Bold Street in Liverpool, England. He claimed to have entered a different era, witnessing people in 1950s attire and old-fashioned cars. There is an urban legend about a man who arrived at Tokyo's Haneda Airport claiming to be from a country called Taured, which did not exist. The 1968 man who had authentic passports and documents, soon mysteriously vanished. A woman visiting the Gettysburg National Military Park in 1995 claimed to have seen Civil War soldiers in the midst of battle. In 1978, a woman named Mary Anderson reported stepping into a different era while walking in Guildford, England. She described seeing horse-drawn carriages and people dressed in Victorian clothing. While there is no scientific evidence to support time slips, some theories suggest they could be related to anomalies in the fabric of space-time, or even due to psychological phenomena like deja vu. Skeptics argue that time slips are likely the result of misperceptions or outright hoaxes. Sunshine Raisin Company (d/b/a National Raisin), a dried fruit company out of California, will pay $2 million to settle a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission due to harassment against temporary workers. The settlement will compensate the women agricultural workers who experienced the harassment and retaliation. According to the EEOCs announcement, many of the women only speak Spanish. The EEOC sued both National Raisin and the staffing company which provided temporary employees to the company, Real Time Staffing Services. The settlement involves only the agreement by National Raisin to pay damages. The case against Real Time Staffing is ongoing. This case is a stark reminder to employers who wrongly believe they cannot be liable for actions by their employees towards temporary staffers who do not officially work for the company where they are working. According to the lawsuit, National Raisin has been under contract with Select Staffing for services rendered in California and has been a joint employer with Select Staffing where both Defendants generally controlled the terms and conditions of employment of the Charging Parties and other similarly aggrieved individuals. Thus, employers cannot avoid liability for harassment or retaliation by having temporary staffers that technically are employed by the staffing agency. In many cases, the employer and the staffing agency are joint employers and will be held jointly liable, such as the case here. Select Staffing for over a decade regularly placed temporary and/or temporary-to-permanent employees at National Raisin. Even though they were temporary employees, National Raisin directed their day-to-day work, receiving, responding and/or investigating their complaints and/or subjecting them to discipline and/or termination from their assignment at National Raisin, according to the case. The case also alleged that National Raisin held unexercised control over the terms and conditions of employment for employees placed by Select Staffing. The suit alleged that an employee of National Raisin who was named as John Doe engaged in serious acts of sexual misconduct towards multiple females including touching his genitals while watching female employees, rubbing himself against them, demanding they have sex with him and threatening to fire them if they told anyone about his conduct. When they complained of the harassment, one of the complainants assignment ended, and another was ostracized and mocked and therefore resigned. One employee who complained about John Does actions was given the same disciplinary warning as John Doe. The suit alleged that after the defendants knew about John Does harassment, the defendants failed to take appropriate correction action and his harassment increased towards the complainant to include grabbing his genitals while staring her, touching her without her consent and propositioning her for sex. The suit alleged that other male employees also engaged in sexual harassment. Despite multiple complaints from female employees to both National Raisin and Select Staffing, the suit alleged, Defendants failed to take sufficient reasonable care to prevent and promptly correct John Does and/or the harassers unlawful behavior. The suit also alleged that the company did not have effective policies to prevent harassment. Employers must create a work environment free from harassment regardless of who is working there. In most cases, the temporary employee is integrated into the organization, and a supervisor at the company, not the staffing firm, is directing the temporary employees work. Its difficult to understand how any employer can be so dismissive of a workers complaint, especially those as serious as these. These are vulnerable workers with limited voice as a temporary staffer with limited English. They needed their jobs and sought help from both National Raisin and Select Staffing but were either retaliated against or the conduct was worse after their complaints. Employers cannot ignore complaints whether they are placed there as a contractor, temporary staffer or an employee. If a temporary employee or contractor complains of harassment, the employer should work cooperatively with the contracting firm or temporary staffing company to investigate and then resolve immediately any harassment. The interests in making sure the workplace is free from harassment is a joint interest and both organizations have the same goal to eradicate harassment. Employers must train their managers to understand the employers obligations to investigate and immediately stop harassment. Last year in the Richmond area, an auto theft occurred roughly every three hours. In other words, theres a high probability that a local car was stolen while you were watching Oppenheimer. As local police departments rolled out their 2023 crime statistics, the sudden jump in stolen vehicles stood out as something afflicting the suburbs as well as the city. According to police data, 3,120 car thefts were reported in Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico counties and the city of Richmond combined a 49% increase from 2022. Thats more than eight vehicles per day, so approximately one every three hours. That included 1,847 thefts in the city of Richmond, up from 1,208 the previous year. In Chesterfield, car thefts shot up from 294 in 2022 to 519 last year. By comparison, from 2014 to 2022 the county averaged 272 stolen vehicle reports per year. According to Maj. Mike Louth, commander of Chesterfield polices investigation bureau, vehicle thefts have occurred due to a variety of factors. Louth said his department sees more thefts during the winter, when people leave their cars running to warm them up. He pointed out that some people also leave their vehicles running while making quick stops at convenience stores and other places. Sometimes its a crime of opportunity, Louth said. If youre starting your car, stay with your car. Louth said Chesterfield police have fared well in recovering stolen vehicles with the help of regional partners. The spread of (social media) information as well as our ongoing population growth could be contributing factors to the increase in car thefts, added Chesterfield Commonwealths Attorney Erin Barr. Our office takes these offenses seriously and prosecutes each case with attention to the facts and circumstances of that individual case. 4 ways you can help the Richmond Times-Dispatch cover the community You can help us improve our coverage and deliver the news important to you. Here's how you can help. The number of car thefts has also been on the rise in Henrico, where it increased 46% from 2019 to 2023, going from 486 to 710 in that time. Kia and Hyundai cars became particularly vulnerable to thefts after videos on TikTok and other sites illustrated how to start and steal those models using only a screwdriver and a USB cable. Many car thefts have shown to be connected to recent social media trends/challenges, some specifically involving Kia and Hyundai vehicle brands, said William McCue, a Henrico police spokesperson. Of the total number of auto thefts in Henrico in 2023, 67% were Hyundai and Kia vehicles. Both brands lacked anti-theft immobilizers, making those vehicles easier to steal. According to JDPower.com, most modern cars have immobilizers, which communicate with your cars smart keys or key fobs. If the key doesnt transmit the correct pin code, the car wont start. Police Chief Eric English told the Board of Supervisors at a public meeting earlier this month that juveniles were often involved and that a lot of those stolen vehicles are recovered. Meanwhile, Hanover hasnt seen the same increase in car thefts steadily averaging 42 over the past four years. Chesterfield While the spike in car thefts stood out, overall 2023 crime stats for Richmonds suburbs were mixed. Chesterfield, the regions most populous locality, saw a drop in homicides from 19 in 2022 the highest number in at least a decade to seven last year. (2022) was really kind of the anomaly for us; that was a really hard year, Louth said. Im certainly pleased that (2023) was a much lower year for us, but still at the end of the day, there were seven people that lost their life in Chesterfield. None of its acceptable. However, in the same year, rape and sexual assault cases increased from 358 to 394. Its certainly a tough one for people to report, but we try to encourage people that if youve been a victim of that, to reach out to us because we want to be able to provide resources as well as justice for you, Louth said. While burglary and breaking and entering incidents saw a slight increase last year, they had been steadily declining over the last decade. There were 535 incidents in 2023, up from 447 the previous year, but thats significantly lower than the 1,246 incidents reported in 2014. Louth attributed some of that decline to the rise in affordable Ring cameras and other surveillance systems installed in homes. Louth said break-ins are happening more often at places like vape shops where products are being sold. However, criminals may have traded in one type of crime for another, according to Louth. While burglary cases have gone down, fraud cases rose by nearly one-third last year. Many of those incidents involved online and telephone scams. Henrico In Henrico, the overall number of violent crimes increased by 2.5% in 2023, which continued a trend that has seen violent crimes increase 22% in the county since 2019. Henrico includes homicides, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults in their reporting of violent crimes. Drops last year for the number of homicides (from 30 to 24), rapes (25 to 19) and robberies (117 to 108) were offset by an increase in the number of assaults, which increased from 223 to 254. While homicides did drop last year, 24 is a fairly high number for Henrico. For example, the county had half as many in 2018; and, in 2019, there were only seven. By comparison, Richmond had 67 homicides in 2023. There are natural crime fluctuations year-to-year; while identifying significant spikes in crime over a short period is important, it is equally important to identify crime trends over long periods of time, wrote Henrico police spokesperson William McCue. Notable anomalies that impacted crime trends could be attributed to the COVID-19 impact during the recent years. The highest number of 2023 homicides occurred in the Fairfield District, which had 13. Varina saw seven, and Brookland had two, while Tuckahoe and Three Chopt had one each. Despite the spike in auto thefts, Henrico saw an overall 7% decrease in nonviolent offenses, which include burglary, larceny, auto theft and arson. Burglaries and larceny in Henrico dropped from 7,732 in 2022 to 6,945 in 2023. That included a 17% decrease in residential burglaries, a 38% decrease in toolshed burglaries and an 8% dip in commercial burglaries. Henrico also saw a significant decrease in the theft of catalytic converters, which hit an all-time high in 2022. The county said those crimes were down 75%. Nonviolent crime was highest in the Fairfield District where 2,265 of the total 7,696 crimes occurred. The lowest was 856 in the Tuckahoe District. Hanover Hanover did not have any homicides in 2023, which is not unusual for the county. Thats been the case for three of the past five years. The largest increase among major crime categories was assaults, which increased from 98 in 2022 to 120 last year. This continued an upward trend, as there were 85 in 2019. Larceny and theft have also increased over the past five years, going from 737 in 2019 to 882 last year. Hanover Sheriffs spokesperson Steve Wills said that trend is attributable to changes in Virginia law. In 2018, the General Assembly set a higher threshold for grand larceny for the first time since 1980. In 2020, it raised the threshold again. Grand Larceny was established at $200, then moved to $500, and now stands at $1,000, Wills wrote via email. We also saw the law change related to subsequent convictions of larceny, Wills continued. It used to be a deterrent that upon your third offense you were charged with a felony. That is no longer the case. As Virginia lawmakers continue to press the issue on the states mail crisis, Reps. Rob Wittman, R-1st, and Jennifer McClellan, D-4th, toured the U.S. Postal Service Richmond Regional Processing and Distribution Center in Sandston on Friday. We are grateful that the Postal Service took the time to show us around the distribution center and let us talk to them about the concerns that we have over mail delivery delays, McClellan said. Weve got a ways to go, but at least theyre being a little more transparent now, and we appreciate that. The center, which is undergoing an audit by the Postal Service Inspector General, serves as a centralized hub for outgoing mail and package processing. McClellan said the report is expected any day now. Following her visit, McClellan indicated that the Postal Service has a 90% on-time delivery goal and is currently running in the high 80s. She was not given a time frame for reaching that goal, but said they are close. The visit comes at a time when many people throughout Virginia are figuring out how to pay utility bills and other costs while dealing with an unreliable mail system. Those governments, they dont have the ability to waive late fees or to extend deadlines because state law doesnt give them that ability, McClellan said.We want to make sure that, in particular, that mail is getting delivered on time. Fridays tour of the distribution center comes a month after a February town hall meeting coordinated by U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., which Postal Service administrators declined to attend. Kaine at the time had sought a tour of the Sandston facility. That request had been denied until now. I understand you dont want to bring somebody in when things arent going well, when machines arent working and those sorts of things, Wittman said. But I think its critical for us to see things as they are, at the time when we were getting the largest number of complaints. The Sandston facility underwent a recent modernization, which included new automated equipment. Both representatives indicated that equipment breakdowns played a role in the centers struggles. Doing that modernization, I think doing everything at once caused some challenges that the other distribution centers did not see, McClellan said. I think theyve learned from some of those mistakes, and we are hoping this is the beginning of a dialogue. Wittman said the centers main carrier went bankrupt in December, which also caused major problems. During their tour, both members of Congress were briefed on the distribution centers metrics, numbers and graphics that they had not previously received. Getting that level of specificity, that granularity and what happened, when it happened and how it happened, it was the first time wed gotten that, Wittman said. Seeing how incredibly big the place is, how big the operations are and understanding the magnitude of what they face really kind of put it in perspective. McClellan said her constituents have complained not just about the mail being late, but how late the mail is arriving. She and her colleagues have asked the Postal Service for specific metrics on how late the mail has been on average, but have not been given that information. Kaine was unable to make it to Fridays tour due to the pending Senate spending bill vote to avoid a partial government shutdown, but he has been a vocal advocate for people dealing with mail problems. I will continue to hold USPS accountable for the unreliable service they have provided to Virginians, and urge them to implement effective solutions, Kaine said in a statement. Last week, Kaine, McClellan, Wittman and others sent a letter to the Inspector General that included stories of Virginians struggling with mail delivery delays. Another letter was sent in January expressing concerns about the Richmond Veterans Affairs Medical Center receiving colon cancer tests in the mail late. The delays resulted in unusable tests for hundreds of military veterans. Wittman and McClellan said they want to see the Postal Service continue to have conversations about the mail process. That includes allowing for further visits to the distribution center, as well as getting out into the community. We have implored them to work with our offices, to go to the field with us and talk to people, Wittman said. I think thats the most important thing they can do. From the Archives: Mail in Richmond A group of friends set out for a morning stroll along the James River Park trail on March 1, 1999. They thought it would be a leisurely trip before starting their day. However, their trip quickly became a nightmare when they made a haunting discovery. As they approached the metal walking bridge that carries travelers across the railroad tracks, they saw a severed head in the middle of the path. I thought it was somebody joking. It didnt look real at all, one witness said in the Sunday, March 14, 2004, edition of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, five years after the murder. We walked to Maymont Park, talked to security. They walked back with us ... confirmed it was a human head. Thats when I started shaking. While the victim would later be identified as 39-year-old Henry Edward Northington, 25 years later, his killer or killers remain unknown. The case is considered cold. Henry Eddie Northington Northington was born in Brodnax, Virginia, a small town in Brunswick County. He graduated from Colonial Heights High School and enlisted in the Navy in 1978. A transient, Northington was known to hop from place to place, never choosing to stay somewhere for too long. In the 90s, he found his way to Richmond, where he quickly became a well-known figure in the citys homeless community. Most days, he could be found at one of the many churches in town, helping put together cots for those seeking shelter. In between breaks, he would play the piano one of the things his friends remembered the most. He was a delightful person. Helpful as far as the chores. We all gravitated to him, Virginia Patterson, a member of St. Marys Episcopal Church in Goochland County, told The Times-Dispatch on March 10, 1999. "From the Archives" series "From the Archives" is a series of stories exploring the history of Richmond and the region through the files of The Times-Dispatch. Have a topic you'd like us to check out? Email reporter Em Holter at eholter@timesdispatch.com and visit richmond.com to see more from our archives. To his family, he was an intellectual, an adventurer and a nonconformist. His catchphrase: It aint easy being cheesy. He was trying to live his life to the fullest, said Northingtons mother, Dorothy Webb. He had a home, but he wanted to see it all. Material things didnt mean anything to him. He also had his problems. His autopsy report revealed Northington was HIV-positive, and he suffered from alcoholism and depression. In the months leading up to his death, he had been kicked out of several bars for unruly behavior. March 1, 1999 Northingtons severed head was found on the bridge on the morning of March 1, 1999, near the 1900 block of Texas Avenue. That afternoon, the rest of his body was discovered roughly a mile downstream in the James River. In the weeks following, the Richmond Police Department suggested several possibilities, including the fact that Northington may have been killed elsewhere and his body brought to the footbridge. They had not recovered the weapon and were unclear whether one person or more were involved. His autopsy would later reveal he had died from an acute crush injury to the chest and abdomen. The police suspected a large boulder had been thrown on top of him. At the time, he was staying at the tubes, a hardscrabble homeless site upriver from Hollywood Cemetery and anchored by twin drainage tunnels that served as sleeping shelters. Then, his killer or killers cut off his head between the third and fourth cervical vertebrae, leaving hack marks at the edges consistent with a sharp instrument such as a knife. In the months following, a tip line was established, but nothing panned out. The deliberate placement of Northingtons head in the center of the bridge, however, led to many theories as to why it happened. Investigators believe the killer placed the head to make a statement of some kind, a statement that may be crucial in solving this case one of the strangest in Richmonds long history of homicides, The Times-Dispatch reported on Friday, March 5, 1999. Theories abound For some, Northingtons death alluded to a hate crime. Others thought he was targeted for being homeless. Many argued it may have been drug-related. The James River Park trail was a known gay cruising spot. Northington, who was gay and known to frequent gay bars in the city, could have been the target of a hate crime. In the wake of the murder of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old college student who was robbed, beaten and tied to a fence in Laramie, Wyoming, and the death of Billy Jack Gaither, 39, in Sylacauga, Alabama, it seemed plausible. Shepard was killed on Oct. 12, 1998, and Gaither was killed a few months later on Feb. 19, 1999. Additionally, the city had already racked up several unsolved homicides involving deaths of gay men. It had also had a number of unsolved killings involving homeless men and women. Despite the numerous calls for tips and leads, the years have drawn on with little credible information. The big question is: Why? Its one thing to kill someone, its another to cut their head off, Detective Thomas Leonard told The Times-Dispatch in the March 7, 1999, edition. Somebody knows what happened. From the Archives: The James River WILMINGTON, Del. President Joe Biden on Saturday signed a $1.2 trillion package of spending bills after Congress passed the long-overdue legislation just hours earlier, ending the threat of a partial government shutdown. The White House said Biden signed the legislation at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, where he was spending the weekend. It cleared the Senate by a 74-24 vote shortly after funding expired for the agencies at midnight. The White House had sent out a notice shortly after the deadline announcing that the Office of Management and Budget ceased shutdown preparations because there was a high degree of confidence that Congress would pass the legislation and the president would sign it Saturday. It took lawmakers six months into the current budget year to get near the finish line on government funding, the process slowed by conservatives who pushed for more policy mandates and steeper spending cuts than a Democratic-led Senate or White House would consider. The impasse required several short-term spending bills to keep agencies funded. The first package of full-year spending bills, which funded the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture and the Interior, among others, cleared Congress two weeks ago with just hours to spare before funding expired for those agencies. The second covered the departments of Defense, Homeland Security and State, as well as other aspects of general government. When combining the two packages, discretionary spending for the budget year will come to about $1.66 trillion. That does not include programs such as Social Security and Medicare, or financing the country's rising debt. On Ukraine aid, which Biden and his administration argued was critical and necessary to help stop Russia's invasion, the package provided $300 million under the defense spending umbrella. That funding is separate from a large assistance package for Ukraine and Israel that is bogged down on Capitol Hill. This agreement represents a compromise, which means neither side got everything it wanted, Biden said in a statement. But it rejects extreme cuts from House Republicans and expands access to child care, invests in cancer research, funds mental health and substance use care, advances American leadership abroad, and provides resources to secure the border. Thats good news for the American people. To win over support from Republicans, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., pointed to some of the spending increases secured for about 8,000 more detention beds for migrants awaiting their immigration proceedings or removal from the country. That's about a 24% increase from current levels. Also, GOP leadership highlighted more money to hire about 2,000 Border Patrol agents. Democrats boasted of a $1 billion increase for Head Start programs and new child care centers for military families. They also played up a $120 million increase in funding for cancer research and a $100 million increase for Alzheimer's research. The spending package largely tracks with an agreement that then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., worked out with the White House in May 2023, which restricted spending for two years and suspended the debt ceiling into January 2025 so the federal government could continue paying its bills. Shalanda Young, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, told lawmakers that last years agreement, which became the Fiscal Responsibility Act, will save the federal government about $1 trillion over the coming decade. Prospects for a short-term government shutdown appeared to grow Friday evening after Republicans and Democrats battled over proposed amendments to the bill. But shortly before midnight, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced a breakthrough. "It is good for the country that we have reached this bipartisan deal," he said. "It wasn't easy, but tonight our persistence has been worth it." The House passed the legislation Friday morning by a vote of 286-134, narrowly gaining the two-thirds majority needed for approval. The vote breakdown showed 101 Republicans voting for the bill and 112 voting against it. Meanwhile, 185 Democrats voted for the bill and 22 against. The vote tally in the House reflected anger among Republicans over the content of the package and the speed with which it was brought to a vote. Johnson brought the measure to the floor even though a majority of Republicans ended up voting against it. He said afterward that the bill "represents the best achievable outcome in a divided government." In sign of the conservative frustration, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., initiated an effort to oust Johnson as the House began the vote but held off on further action until the House returns in two weeks. It's the same strategy that was used last year to remove McCarthy. The ongoing political program to keep Americans functionally illiterate about systemic racism brings to mind the sort of quote from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. that you seldom seem to hear. Whites, it must frankly be said, are not putting in a similar mass effort to reeducate themselves out of their racial ignorance, King wrote in his 1967 book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? It is an aspect of their sense of superiority that the white people of America believe they have so little to learn. Gov. Glenn Youngkin apparently feels VCU students have little to learn when it comes to Americas systemic racism. In advance of falls planned rollout at VCU of a requirement that undergraduates take a course on racial literacy, Youngkins education secretary has asked for syllabi on those courses. Inside Higher Ed reports that the administration has made a similar demand regarding a Just Societies course designation at George Mason University. That flag denotes that the course will enable students to be able to define and communicate using key terms related to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion and to be able to articulate obstacles to justice and equity, and strategies for addressing them. Well, we cant have that, can we? The mere mention of DEI diversity, equity and inclusion ensured that this flag would be flagged. And the racial literacy course requirement at VCU is receiving similar scrutiny. Or as Youngkin spokesman Christian Martinez said in a statement: The Administration has heard concerns from members of the Board of Visitors, parents, and students across the Commonwealth regarding core curriculum mandates that are a thinly veiled attempt to incorporate the progressive lefts groupthink on Virginias students. Virginias public institutions should be teaching our students how to think, not what to think and not advancing ideological conformity. With these folks, the accusation amounts to a confession. When you effectively bar discussions of racism in the classroom, under the silly guise of divisive concepts, youre waging ideological warfare against verifiable history and reality. Fotis Sotiropoulos, VCU provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, wrote a letter to Virginia Education Secretary Aimee Guidera in response to her request. I am attaching to this message the syllabi of the 11 courses approved to date. A decision on when the requirement can be implemented is pending on further clarity regarding the total number of courses and course sections that can be offered from the approved courses come fall. Sotiropoulos compliance with the request did not sit well with the VCU Chapter of United Campus Workers Virginia, as expressed in a March 11 piece on Medium. We see this compliance without timely notification or open discussion among the students who requested and began this initiative or the VCU faculty body as the latest of a series of attempts to kill the implementation of the Racial Literacy curriculum requirement. The requirement was to go into effect last fall, but VCU administrators delayed it, saying the university did not have the space and staffing to offer the classes to every new student. The summer before, faculty who might have taught a racial literacy course were laid off. The racial literacy requirement was born out of student requests in the aftermath of the social justice protests. But 2020 seems like decades ago. Amy Rector, who co-chaired the Racial Literacy Subcommittee with African American studies professor Mignonne Guy, says she has been teaching 15 years and has never heard of this sort of syllabi request. Given that the racial literacy requirement has been greenlighted at every level of VCU, from students to faculty to administration to the Board of Visitors, she says whats afoot potentially has troubling implications for higher education. If there is this veto power from the governor, then that basically takes away any of our ability to shape a curriculum for the students for what they need and to prepare them for the world today, she said. Because there is no real legitimate academic or methodological or even theoretical reason why the governor has a problem or a potential problem with these classes except that they are about race. If the governors office is allowed to make decisions based on his understanding of race and racism and its importance in the classroom, then that basically discounts any other type of opportunity in higher education, she said. And then students from not just Virginia but around the country will know that higher education is shaped by an agenda in the governors office. And they will choose not to come here. In a nation awash in resurgent racism and democracy-menacing misinformation, America needs a crash course in both racial literacy and critical thinking. Being around people of different races, religions, nationalities and other differences leads people to interrogate their reality and expand what it means to be human. The pushback against the deconstruction of systemic racism through attacks on such remedies as the Voting Rights Act, affirmative action, and books and classes on the subject speaks to how entrenched systemic racism is in America. Or as Rector said: When your concern is to maintain sort of the status quo and power dynamic, dismantling things like systemic oppression is not in your best interest. Some of VCUs racial literacy courses, such as Race and Racism in the United States and Religion, Racism and Social Justice, are already being taught. But its less than clear that the schools administration is all in with this requirement, despite its approval at all levels. Given the delays in implementation, the notion of academic freedom and faculty governance was little more than illusion, Guy said. Both things can be true. The state can interfere with higher education curriculum and the university can operate under the pretense of valuing academic freedom and faculty governance while undermining both. Whatever opposition exists at VCU to this requirement, the choice is clear: The university can see through the requirement, or it can surrender its academic freedom to politicians. We live in a nation that has come to frown upon education and expertise. Elected officials on the local, state and national level act as if they know better than the trained librarian, the K-12 classroom teacher or the anthropologist with multiple degrees. They dont. Youngkin picked a public health commissioner who dismissed structural racisms documented role in health outcomes. He appointed a Board of Historic Resources member who likened Abraham Lincolns attempt to preserve the Union to Russia invading Ukraine. Neither person lasted in those posts. Sometimes, you dont know what you dont know. Perhaps the governor should take a racial literacy course. Correction: In earlier print and online versions of this column, we misidentified Mignonne Guy, professor of African American studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. From the Archives: RPI and the early days of VCU There is momentum in Congress toward banning TikTok in the U.S. or forcing its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell to a non-Chinese owner. A TikTok ban would significantly impact U.S. businesses. Would a ban pass court scrutiny? What are the options for businesses if a ban occurs? U.S. businesses advertise heavily through TikTok, and with good reason. It has 170 million users in the U.S. TikTok users in the U.S. spend an average of an hour and a half daily on the app far more than the second-place app, Instagram, which averages about 30 minutes. U.S. businesses spent about $6.2 billion in 2023 on advertising on TikTok. There is bipartisan congressional concern about TikTok. ByteDance is widely believed to be controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Members of Congress have several concerns: TikTok gathers an extraordinary amount of information about its app users, such as location data, face and voice information, keystroke patterns, and phone and social network contacts. There is concern that the CCP could use this information maliciously, such as to coerce American residents into cooperating with its aims. Many are concerned that the CCP has and will use its TikTok control to manipulate U.S. opinion. Some are concerned that TikTok is a weapon intended to negatively impact Americans mental health. Interestingly, TikTok is not a permitted app in China. In China, ByteDance operates a similar app called Douyin, which the CCP censors. Some TikTok bans are already in place. The federal government banned the TikTok app from government-owned mobile devices and networks, as have around 40 states. Several U.S. universities banned the TikTok app from school-owned devices and networks, such as campus Wi-Fi. U.Va. banned the app from school-owned devices and prohibited employees from using TikTok via its computer networks. In Congress, a bill that would ban TikTok in the U.S. or force its sale to a non-Chinese owner passed the House of Representatives and is before the Senate. President Biden said he would sign it. If such a law is passed, would it survive court review? Probably so if the bills language is carefully crafted and its passage is handled appropriately. The biggest challenge would be under the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment. The crucial fight will be over the level of legal scrutiny the new law would receive. The choices are strict scrutiny and intermediate scrutiny. Legal restrictions on speech subject to strict scrutiny rarely pass muster. The more forgiving intermediate scrutiny standard can be applied when the law does not target a particular viewpoint and only incidentally restricts speech as a part of regulating conduct. Under intermediate scrutiny, the government has to prove that (i) the law serves a substantial or important governmental interest that is not the suppression of free speech, and (ii) the incidental restriction on free speech is no greater than necessary to achieve those goals. Commentators disagree on whether the legislation proposed in Congress would survive even intermediate scrutiny. Montana passed a law banning TikTok entirely. A federal trial court in Montana preliminarily enjoined enforcement of the law, finding, among other things, that it violates the First Amendment. Montana is appealing that decision. Regardless, it appears Montana failed to put on certain kinds of proof that might have won its case. I believe Congress can craft its legislation to survive intermediate scrutiny. Congress would be on solid ground in arguing national security and consumer protection reasons. Those are important governmental interests. The tougher question is whether that law would be no more impactful than necessary to achieve those governmental goals. Would the governments interests be sufficiently met by enacting a strong federal U.S. data privacy law, or do the governments interests require that an influential app not be controlled by the CCP? If the law is enacted, what are the options for affected U.S. businesses? A business could join the inevitable litigation against the law on First Amendment and other grounds. Some businesses participated in the lawsuit challenging the Montana law. If the law withstands legal scrutiny, then U.S. businesses have only technological and marketing choices available. Even if TikTok is banned in the U.S., that would not prevent accessing it via a VPN, which enables the user to pretend to be in another country where TikTok remains available. Does TikTok have such a powerful grip on the psyche of many Americans that they would use VPNs to access it? Would that be enough for U.S. companies to continue marketing on it? Other short-form video services certainly would benefit. Perhaps a lot of traffic would migrate to Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. The bottom line is if your business depends on TikTok, lay the groundwork now to move whatever you have from it to other platforms. From the Archives: A look back at the Hotel John Marshall Jose Maria Morelos residents collect hail after sudden arrival of cool air Jose Maria Morelos, Q.R. Hail was collected by residents of Jose Maria Morelos Friday night after the passing of a storm. The sky, which began to darken late Friday, was followed by lightning and eventual rain that left the ground littered with hail. The solid pieces of rainwater was collected by residents in the Mayan community of Saban as the system passed over the state. Other communities along the Ruta de las Iglesias were also affected by the storm. Residents in Huay Max, X-Cabil and Sacalaca also reported seeing hail. Recent high daytime temperatures contrasted with the sudden arrival of cool air Friday evening. By the time night officially arrived, the mixture created an impressive lightning and hail storm. Antonio Morales, Solidaridad meteorologist, explained that the passage of the trough through the western region of the state generated unstable weather, which has included strong winds. The sky quickly darkened Friday that resulted in hail. Photo: March 22, 2024. The system passed Friday night, leaving residents to wake up to a cool morning Saturday. More than 2,000 security elements deployed for Cancun-Riviera Maya Easter holidays Riviera Maya, Q.R. The state of Quintana Roo has officially kicked off the start of the 2024 spring break-Easter holidays. Governor Mara Lezama said 2,395 elements are available and will be distributed in the 11 municipalities to serve and protect citizens and visitors. She reported that of those, 104 are Tourist Police agents who serve the municipalities of Benito Juarez (Cancun), Cozumel, Othon P. Blanco (Mahahual), Isla Mujeres, Solidaridad (Playa del Carmen), Tulum and Bacalar. With coordinated work between security authorities, points of interest will be attended to protect citizens, national and international tourists. Those points of interest include beaches, nightclubs, bars and restaurants in tourist destinations. All 11 municipalities will have additional security for the holidays. Photo: CGC March 22, 2024. She said police will also set up safety filters on roads and will be assisted with the monitoring of the C5 cameras. More than 2,300 security elements will be deployed across the state. Photo: CGC March 22, 2024. Lezama reported Friday that between March 24 and April 7, more than 1.3 million visitors are expected in the state of Quintana Roo. Last week, the State Secretariat of Tourism reported more than 500,000 pre-holiday travelers had arrived in Quintana Roo. Playa del Carmen environmentalists protest continued construction of section 5 south Playa del Carmen, Q.R. Dozens of environmentalists intermittently closed both lanes of the federal highway in Playa del Carmen Friday. The closures were due to the governments failed response to a judicial ruling to stop Maya Train work on section 5 south. During the morning road block, the environmental groups invited President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and other Tren Maya officials to see the destruction for themselves. With bullhorns and banners, environmentalists reiterated the damage being done to the caves, cenotes and underground water systems from the Tren Maya construction. During their federal highway protest, they warned of new protests to denounce the destruction since the government has failed to abide by the February judicial suspension to stop work on section 5 south. A large ecocide banner was used to block traffic on a section of the federal highway. Photo: March 22, 2024. The public Playa del Carmen protest was held on International Water Day. The group began their protest around 8:00 a.m. on a northern section of the federal highway. Cars were allowed to pass every 10 minutes. Police continue search for gunmen who killed Felipe Carrillo Puerto woman Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Q.R. The FGE began an investigation Friday into the Thursday night murder of a Felipe Carrillo Puerto woman. The unidentified woman was shot to death Thursday night inside a tortilla factory. Area residents called 9-1-1 to report hearing at least six shots fired in the Leona Vicario neighborhood. Police located a woman who had been shot several times. Paramedics were unable to save her. They pronounced her dead. Responding officers began a search operation for the gunmen but have not announced any arrests. The woman is believed to have been an employee of the factory. She has not been publicaly identified. Authorities have not commented on a possible motive for the deadly attack. In a brief note, the Fiscalia General del Estado (FGE) said after the events recorded in the municipality of Felipe Carrillo Puerto on Thursday night, the FGE immediately began the corresponding investigations to find those who deprived a woman of her life. This internal body works together with all the members of the Coordination Group for the Construction of Peace and Security of Quintana Roo to prevent acts of impunity. Reports of gunfire lead PDC police on chase that ended in arrests Playa del Carmen, Q.R. A police chase that turned out to involve a Playa del Carmen taxi has ended with the arrests of two. Alejandro N and Carlos N were taken into custody after a citizen report of gunfire. Following directions from the report, police located the Playa del Carmen cab. As police neared the vehicle, they noticed the back windshield had been blown out. The driver of the taxi lead police on a city chase that ended in the In-House region with their subsequent arrests. An inspection of the vehicle revealed more than 20 bags of marijuana. Jailed was 39-year-old Alejandro N from Tabasco and 38-year-old Carlos N from Guatemala. Seguridad Ciudadana Solidaridad reported Friday in response to a 9-1-1 call, Solidaridad Municipal Police officers seized two subjects and more than 20 packages with possible marijuana in the In House irregular neighborhood. After receiving the report of possible detonations, the Preventive Police moved to the place where they observed that a Toyota brand vehicle, type Avanza, enabled for taxi service, had its rear window broken. However, it accelerated and after catching up with it, those who identified themselves as Alejandro N, 39 from Tabasco and Carlos N, 38 from Guatemala, got out. Both men were arrested and their drugs seized. Police did not comment on the citizen reports of gunfire or the broken rear window of the taxi. A Roanoke man entered a plea agreement and was sentenced last week to six years in prison in connection with a shooting that injured one person in the city last summer. Dashae M. Motley, 23, was indicted in August on two charges, malicious wounding and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, related to the shooting that injured Shalisha Shawn Smith. Motley was sentenced March 11 in accordance with a plea agreement to 10 years in prison on the wounding charge, suspended after he serves three. On the firearm charge, he was sentenced to three years, the mandatory minimum sentence for the charge in Virginia. Once released, Motley will be placed on supervised probation for two years. He is to have no further contact with Smith. At the party, Motley and Smith got into a verbal argument, McNeil said. During the fight, Motley pulled a handgun and fired several rounds. Two struck Smith and others struck the apartment, then Motley left the scene. McNeil said that there were no independent witnesses to the shooting, but had the case gone to trial prosecutors would have expected Smith to identify Motley as the shooter. The weapon used in the shooting was never recovered, but a 9 mm handgun that belonged to Smiths girlfriend was found on the scene. Smith received serious injuries in the shooting but has made a tremendous recovery and was present for the hearing last week, McNeil wrote. Motleys plea agreement was reached after consulting Smith, who wanted to put this behind him. Motley had no prior criminal record and the six-year sentence was within the recommended sentencing guidelines range, McNeil wrote. RICHMOND University of Richmond officials on Friday identified the person found dead Thursday night in Westhampton Lake on the universitys campus as Christopher Elvin, of New Jersey. Police said crews with Henrico County and Richmond police responded to the scene at around 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Richmond police spokesperson James Mercante told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Mercante said no foul play is suspected at this time, and that the incident looks to be a tragic circumstance. Elvin was a sophomore studying business administration and Chinese studies at UR, according to university President Kevin Hallock. He was a member of the ultimate frisbee team and the president of West Indian Lynk, a Caribbean student organization. We extend our deepest sympathies to Christophers family, his many friends on campus, and all who knew him, Hallock said. Elvins death has profoundly affected the campus, said university spokesperson Sunni Brown. The university flag will fly at half staff in recognition of Elvins passing, and school chaplains will be available to offer support to students and staff. The investigation is ongoing. A Los Angeles man convicted of slaying an elderly neighbor in 1989 cannot seek parole under new state laws that were intended to give youth offenders a shot at freedom, the California Supreme Court ruled. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). Drones are increasingly shaping the warfare in the Syrian civil war. The most widely drones are explosive-laden quadcopters that can be flown into a target. "When the status quo finally breaks, it could happen very quickly and dramatically," an expert said. Drones are increasingly shaping warfare in the Syrian civil war that entered its 14th year in March. Both sides have stepped up drone attacks on each other in recent months, as the attention and resources of the regime's backer, Russia, are focused on Ukraine. Since the beginning of 2024, forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus reportedly shot down at least 33 drones launched by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militant group that controls the northwestern Idlib province. Regime forces have also targeted HTS-controlled territories with at least 48 single-use exploding drones. The current round of tit-for-tat drone strikes began in October when an unprecedented drone attack killed at least 89 and injured as many as 277 at a Syrian military graduation ceremony in Homs. Damascus responded by striking rebel-held Idlib. It has also increased the targeting of civilians using drones. "The increasing use of these drones is likely due to their low prices and high accuracy," Freddy Khoueiry, a global security analyst for the Middle East and North Africa at the risk intelligence company RANE, told Business Insider. "They can hover over their targets before striking, making hits more accurate." The most widely used type in Syria are first-person view drones, typically quadrotors that cost less than $1,000 and are remotely piloted into a target via a video feed. While small compared to more advanced drones like the infamous Iranian-built Shahed-136 loitering munition Russia has used against Ukraine, these inexpensive drones rigged with explosives are still lethal. "They're still dangerous, especially in Syria, where both regime and opposition air defenses against these are scarce or ineffective mostly," Khoueiry said. Story continues Aron Lund, a Syria expert and fellow with Century International, noted that there has barely been any movement along the Syrian war's frontlines since spring 2020, a situation he warns won't last forever. "When the status quo finally breaks, it could happen very quickly and dramatically," Lund told BI. "Despite the geographic stalemate, all sides still fire at each other every now and then. Sometimes, there are serious flare-ups." Khoueiry summed up the current phase in the war as "a continuation of tit-for-tat exchanges we've seen over the past months and years between regime and opposition forces albeit with an increase in frequency and intensity, in addition to the use of drones." "The use of drones falls under the global military trend of increasing loitering munitions usage due to their wide availability and ease of operation," Khoueiry said. Unlike the HTS Islamist militants it is fighting, the Syrian military has other options to strike from a distance, such as artillery and aircraft. A building is destroyed after a March 11 drone attack by the Syrian army and Iranian-backed on Aleppo, Syria. Kasim Rammah/Getty Images However, unlike drones, Syrian Air Force aircraft require significant support from Russia. Given Russia's embroilment in Ukraine, Lund suspects Moscow's "tolerance for escalation" in Syria has decreased. "The Russians might not want to spend any more jet fuel and Soviet-designed bombs on Assad just to help him blow up hospitals and marketplaces in Idlib," Lund said. "They now have their own hospitals and marketplaces to blow up in Ukraine." In addition to being cheap, the regime can manufacture these drones, or at least many of their components, locally. "The Scientific Studies and Research Center, a Ministry of Defense body that also ran Syria's chemical weapons program, has worked on military drones in the past, as well as on Iranian-assisted missile production," Lund said. "I would be surprised if they're not still doing it." The Syria expert also pointed out that it would make "a lot of sense for Iran to help set up production lines" inside Syria. "By supporting local production in Syria, Iran can bypass cumbersome and insecure smuggling routes," Lund said. "It would be a way of supporting both Assad's government and Hezbollah and perhaps other allies, too." RANE's Khoueiry noted that many reports have detailed that these drones are locally assembled and built under Iranian and Russian supervision. Furthermore, several Iran-backed groups including the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Iraqi militias have assembled drones using parts shipped from Iran. "Given the proliferation of pro-Iran militias in Syria and the Syrian regime's dire economy, it would be logical to assume that they're likely assembling these rather than importing them," Khoueiry said. "HTS could be potentially doing the same, but under Turkish supervision and/or support most likely." A swarm of drones originating from Idlib targeted Russia's main airbase in Syria, Hmeimim, in the coastal province of Latakia in January 2018. "It seems well within the means of Tahrir al-Sham, the dominant jihadi militia in Idlib, to manufacture and use kamikaze drones," Lund said. "They might not be the most sophisticated drones around, but I'm sure they can build something good enough to fly to its target and explode unless shot down." Even though many of these opposition drones are often described as crude, low-tech, and DIY, Lund also does not rule out the possibility that Syrian opposition groups have received state backing for some attacks. "While there's no real evidence either way, it also seems possible that Syrian rebels have received under-the-table support from their backer, Turkey," Lund said. "It may even be that Turkey is behind some of these unclaimed drone strikes as part of its own tit-for-tat game with Russia." Read the original article on Business Insider A man was taken to hospital after allegedly falling from a height at Changi Airport Terminal 1. (Photo: Rainy/XiaoHongShu) SINGAPORE A 20-year-old man was found lying on the floor at a taxi stand at Changi Airport Terminal 1 on Saturday (23 March) after seemingly falling from a higher floor in the same building. The Straits Times reported that the police had been alerted to a fall from height in the premises at about 4.10pm. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) also received an alert around the same time and found the man lying on the floor when the ambulance arrived. According to 8world, the man is believed to be a foreigner and was conscious when SCDF arrived. He was then sent to Changi General Hospital. When a reporter from the Chinese website visited the site of the incident, one of the metal handrails at the taxi stand was bent, apparently from the impact of the man who had fell. A user on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu also shared a photo of the man lying face down between handrails that has now been deleted. Another Xiaohongshu user, Rainy, told the English daily that she had been on level two at Terminal 1 chatting with a friend when they heard a loud noise. When she looked over, she saw the man lying on the floor on the level below. Speaking to 8world, a woman only known as Ms Wu said she had heard another witness share that the man who fell had been reaching over the glass barrier with his hands outstretched to take a photo from the floor above and accidently tumbled over the barrier, resulting in the fall. A Changi Airport Group spokesperson told Yahoo Southeast Asia, The member of public has been conveyed to Changi General Hospital by SCDF. The police are currently investigating the incident. Do you have a story tip? Email: sgnews.tips@yahooinc.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Also check out our Southeast Asia, Food, and Gaming channels on YouTube. SIOUX CITY Ten Siouxland women and one Siouxland man were acknowledged Friday night at the South Sioux City Marriott Riverfront for their work throughout the tri-state community. At the 39th annual Women of Excellence Awards Ceremony, hosted by Women Aware of Siouxland, women received honors in categories such as: "Women Striving To Improve The Quality of Life," "Women Taking Risks," "Women Helping Women," "Women Developing The Community," "Young Women Of Excellence," "Women Of Promise," "Barb Wingert Social Justice Hero," "Keeper Of The Dream" and the "Marilyn Murphy Lifetime Achievement Award" which went to two women. A "Men of Excellence" award was also given out as the non-profit organization works to help both women and men transform their life situations. Women Aware bestowed the "Keeper Of The Dream" award to Angela Becker in recognition for her years of service to the organization. "She started out as single parent scholarship recipient, became an intern with the organization while finishing her bachelor's degree. Following her graduation, she became a board member for the organization and served as vice president of the board, and following the unexpected death of Women Aware's Executive Director Flora Lee, Angela stepped up to the task and became the organizations interim executive director," Women Aware said in its event program. The "Barb Wingert Social Justice Hero" award went to Kristy Tremayne, whose nomination was sponsored by Natali Markworth and Jennifer Durant. "Kristy is a person who loves to hear about other people's dreams and is inspired by the people around her," Women Aware said. "She has served on the boards for the Sioux City Symphony, and the Sioux City Community Theatre, and is an ambassador for the South Sioux Chamber of Commerce along with being a "chamberette". She loves the 'arts' and volunteering at the Sioux City Railroad Museum." Camrie Miranda, a Morningside senior and president of the Diversity, Openness and Togetherness (D.O.T.) group, received the "Women Of Promise" honor. She was sponsored by Semehar Ghebrekidan Arguello. "Camries remarkable commitment to community involvement, coupled with her leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at Morningside University, underscores her potential to make a significant impact in the future," Women Aware said. Microbiologist Allison Franks won the "Young Women of Excellence" award and was sponsored by Shannon Claxton. "Allison has shown that being goal orientated and focused has given her the confidence to pursue her passion in microbiology, when early on she experienced discouragement and gender biases from pursuing a STEM field," Women Aware said. The "Women Developing The Community" award went to Penny Rosfjord, former chair of the Woodbury County Democratic Party and longtime volunteer at Hunt Elementary. "Penny is known to exhibit the highest standards of leadership, mentorship, and service to her community, whether measured at the local, county, district, state, or national levels. Penny is said to be a leader by nature with each of her leadership roles being fulfilled in an exemplary fashion," Women Aware said. Teresa Wolff, Sandi O'Brien Bass and Lesa Banks sponsored Rosfjord's nomination. Valerie Trudell, a longtime case manager for The Salvation Army of Siouxland, received the "Women Helping Women" award for actively helping women "set goals and work toward finding permanent jobs, housing, and child care along with other daily needs," Women Aware said. Trudell's nomination was sponsored by Josie Jackson & Karissa Zumwalt. The "Women Taking Risks" award was won by Valerie Uken who served for 27 years with the Iowa National Guard 185th Air Refueling Wing. Melissa Ramirez and Matt Ohman sponsored Uken who Women Aware said "has demonstrated years of unwavering commitment going over and beyond to provide a better future, by advocating for youth and families from all walks of life, while focusing on the Native American community and mental health." Jessica Ryan won the "Women Striving To Improve The Quality Of Life" award and has spent years volunteering for local multicultural events and planning for Siouxland Pride Alliance and Sioux City Pride. Her nomination was sponsored by Meredith Davies-Vogt. "Jessica is known to be dedicated, persistent, and caring, she goes above and beyond to celebrate diversity in Siouxland by helping with the Multicultural and Asian Fairs, she makes it her mission to culturally innovate wherever she goes and makes an effort for inclusivity no matter what," Women Aware said. The Marilyn Murphy Lifetime Achievement Award, which was previously announced, went to Mari Kaptain-Dahlen and Patricia Trudell Gordon. The award is named for Marilyn Murphy, the first president of the Woodbury County Community Action Agency and former chair of Sioux City Human Rights Commission. 2024's "Men of Excellence Award" winner, also previously unveiled, was David Bernstein, the owner of State Steel and cofounder of Sioux Citys long-running summertime music festival "Saturday in the Park." The other women nominated this year were: Bridget Hoefling, Donna Van Horn, Meredith Davies-Vogt, Tracey Akins, Brenda Orlando, Jamie Bockelmann, Kimberly Kenney, Pam Pottorf, Payton Miller and Sheryl Book. Women Aware of Siouxland is a nonprofit and anyone can support the "Women of Excellence Awards" by sending a donation to the organization's office at 505 Fifth St., Suite 422, Sioux City. NEW YORK Donald Trump's new joint fundraising agreement with the Republican National Committee directs donations to his campaign and a political action committee that pays the former president's legal bills before the RNC gets a cut, according to a fundraising invitation obtained by The Associated Press. The unorthodox diversion of funds to the Save America PAC makes it more likely that Republican donors could see their money go to Trump's lawyers, who received at least $76 million over the last two years to defend him against four felony indictments and multiple civil cases. Some Republicans are already troubled that Trump's takeover of the RNC could shortchange the cash-strapped party. Trump invited high-dollar donors to Palm Beach, Florida, for an April 6 fundraiser that comes as his fundraising is well behind President Joe Biden and national Democrats. Anything left over from the donation next goes toward a maximum contribution to Save America, and then anything left from there goes to the RNC and then to state political parties. Adav Noti, the executive director of the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center in Washington, said that is a break from fundraising norms. Usually, Noti said, candidates prioritize raising cash that can be spent directly on campaign activity. Save America, on the other hand, is structured as a "leadership PAC" and thus barred from spending directly on Trump's own campaign activities. Legal spending made up 85% of Save America's total operating expenses during the first two months of this year, roughly the same as 2023, when such expenses were about 89%. It has spent $8.5 million on legal fees so far this year. "The reason most candidates don't do this is because the hardest money to raise is money that can be spent directly on the campaign," said Noti, a former staff attorney for the Federal Election Commission. "No other candidate has used a leadership PAC the way the Trump campaign has." The Trump campaign noted Save America spends on expenses other than legal fees, and donors to the April fundraiser who contribute the suggested $814,600 per person or $250,000 per person will only have $5,000 of their donation go to Save America, sending hundreds of thousands of dollars to the RNC. "Save America also covers a very active and robust post-Presidency office and other various expenses not related to fighting the illegal witch-hunts perpetrated by Crooked Joe Biden. The Trump campaign, the RNC, and state GOP parties ultimately receive the overwhelming majority of funds raised through the Trump 47 Committee. Out of an Individual donor's maximum contribution of $824,600, less than 1% (.006%) goes to Save America," Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign communications director, said in a statement. A separate contribution form for the Trump 47 Committee allows donors to give smaller contributions or a contribution of any size but still spells out in the fine print that the donation is first to be allocated to the Trump campaign and Save America. According to the fine print, any donor who wishes can direct their contribution to be distributed differently. Donors could also bypass the fundraising arrangement and give directly to the RNC or any other entity. Trump's handpicked leadership team for the RNC includes his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, who is the committee's co-chair, and Chris LaCivita, who serves effectively as one of two campaign managers for the Trump campaign and is now also taking on a chief of staff role at the RNC. Lara Trump in February said she thought Republican voters would like to see the RNC pay Trump's legal fees. Before the leadership change was voted in at the RNC, LaCivita told the AP that "not a penny of the RNC's money or, for that matter, the campaign's money has gone or will go to pay legal fees." Before Trump was a candidate, the RNC paid some of his legal bills for cases in New York that began when he was president, The Washington Post reported. Former Chair Ronna McDaniel, who was ousted this month, said in 2022 that the RNC would stop paying once Trump became a candidate. Trump's main campaign account and the Save America PAC reported raising a combined $15.9 million in February and ended the month with more than $37 million on hand, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday night. The rest of his fundraising apparatus is scheduled to report updated numbers in April, along with the new Trump 47 Committee formed with the Republican National Committee. Biden's campaign, meanwhile, said his political operation raised $53 million last month and ended February with $155 million on hand. That includes Biden's joint fundraising with the Democratic National Committee. The full picture will not be available until April, when some of the committees in his political operation are due to file reports. His main campaign account raised $21 million in February, according to its latest filing with the FEC, and ended the month with $71 million on hand. Where each Trump case stands Classified documents case Election interference Hush-money scheme Georgia election indictment Civil cases China's anti-graft chief urges eradication of breeding grounds for corruption Xinhua) 11:17, March 23, 2024 Li Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, visits an exhibition on the "Double-Eight" strategy in east China's Zhejiang Province, March 19, 2024. Li Xi was on a fact-finding mission to east China's Zhejiang Province between March 18 and 21. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei) HANGZHOU, March 22 (Xinhua) -- China's top anti-graft official Li Xi has urged efforts to eradicate the breeding grounds and conditions for corruption. Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, made the remarks during a fact-finding mission to east China's Zhejiang Province between March 18 and 21. There, Li visited local villages, research institutes and historical sites. Li called on discipline inspection commissions and supervision agencies to enhance inspection and supervision while centering around the country's most fundamental interests, to facilitate and guarantee the development of new quality productive forces, and to advance the country's high-quality development. While presiding over a symposium, Li also urged efforts to intensify political oversight, further improve conduct, enforce discipline and combat corruption, and deepen the reform of inspection and supervision system. Li Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, presides over a symposium in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, March 20, 2024. Li Xi was on a fact-finding mission to east China's Zhejiang Province between March 18 and 21. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liu Ning) MOSCOW Russian authorities arrested four men suspected of carrying out the attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall that killed at least 133 people, President Vladimir Putin said Saturday in an address to the nation. He claimed they were captured while fleeing to Ukraine. Kyiv strongly denied any involvement in Friday's assault on the Crocus City Hall music venue in Krasnogorsk; the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate claimed responsibility. Putin did not mention IS in his speech, and Kyiv accused him and other Russian politicians of falsely linking Ukraine to the assault to stoke fervor for Russia's war in Ukraine, which recently entered its third year. U.S. intelligence officials confirmed the claim by the IS affiliate. "ISIS bears sole responsibility for this attack. There was no Ukrainian involvement whatsoever, National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in a statement. The U.S. shared information with Russia in early March about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow and issued a public warning to Americans in Russia, Watson said. Putin said authorities detained a total of 11 people in the attack, which also injured more than 100 concertgoers. He called it "a bloody, barbaric terrorist act" and said Russian authorities captured the four suspected gunmen as they were trying to escape to Ukraine through a "window" prepared for them on the Ukrainian side of the border. Russian media broadcast videos that apparently showed the detention and interrogation of the suspects, including one who told the cameras he was approached by an unidentified assistant to an Islamic preacher via a messaging app and paid to take part in the raid. Russian news reports identified the gunmen as citizens of Tajikistan, a former Soviet republic in Central Asia that is predominantly Muslim and borders Afghanistan. Tajikistan's foreign ministry, which denied initial Russian media reports that mentioned several other Tajiks allegedly involved in the raid, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Saturday's arrests. Many Russian hard-liners called for a crackdown on Tajik migrants, but Putin appeared to reject the idea, saying no force will be able to sow the poisonous seeds of discord, panic or disunity in our multi-ethnic society. He declared Sunday a day of mourning and said additional security measures were imposed throughout Russia. The attack, the deadliest in Russia in years, is a major embarrassment for the Russian leader and happened just days after he cemented his grip on the country for another six years in a vote that followed the harshest crackdown on dissent since the Soviet times. Some commentators on Russian social media questioned how authorities failed to prevent the attack despite the U.S. warnings. The assault came two weeks after the U.S. Embassy in Moscow issued a notice urging Americans to avoid crowded places in view of "imminent" plans by extremists to target large Moscow gatherings, including concerts. Several other Western embassies repeated the warning. Putin denounced the warning as an attempt to intimidate Russians. Investigators combed through the charred wreckage of the hall Saturday for more victims, and authorities said the death toll could rise. Hundreds of people stood in line in Moscow to donate blood and plasma, Russia's health ministry said. Russian lawmakers pointed the finger at Ukraine immediately after the attack. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy angrily rejected Moscows accusations as an attempt by Putin and his lieutenants to shift the blame to Ukraine while treating their own people as expendables. They are burning our cities and they are trying to blame Ukraine, he said in a statement on his messaging app channel. They torture and rape our people and they blame them. They drove hundreds of thousands of their terrorists here to fight us on our Ukrainian soil, and they dont care what happens inside their own country. Images shared by Russian state media showed emergency vehicles still gathered outside the ruins of Crocus City Hall, which could hold more than 6,000 people. On Friday, crowds were at the venue for a concert by the Russian rock band Picnic. Videos posted online showed gunmen in the venue shooting civilians at point-blank range. Russian news reports cited authorities and witnesses as saying the attackers threw explosive devices that started the fire, which eventually consumed the building and caused its roof to collapse. Messages of outrage, shock and support for the victims and their families streamed in from around the world. IS, which lost much of its ground after Russia's military action in Syria, has long targeted Russia. In a statement posted by the group's Aamaq news agency, IS's Afghanistan affiliate said it attacked a large gathering of "Christians" in Krasnogorsk. On Saturday, the group issued a new statement saying the attack was carried out by four men who used automatic rifles, a pistol, knives and firebombs. It cast the raid as part of IS's ongoing war with countries that it says are fighting Islam. The group has claimed several attacks in Russia's volatile Caucasus and other regions in past years. On March 7, just hours before the U.S. Embassy warned about imminent attacks, Russia's top security agency said it thwarted an attack on a synagogue in Moscow by an IS cell and killed several of its members in the Kaluga region near the Russian capital. A few days before that, Russian authorities said six alleged IS members were killed in a shootout in Ingushetia, in Russia's Caucasus region. Ukraine endures a second year of war with scenes of grief, suffering and also joy WASHINGTON The Senate bogged down Friday evening on a $1.2 trillion package of spending bills, increasing the prospects that funding for some key federal agencies could lapse and initiate a partial government shutdown beginning at 12:01 a.m. Saturday. Though passage was not in doubt, Republicans and Democrats were at odds over votes on proposed amendments in exchange for expediting a final vote. Republicans said Friday evening they proposed several amendments on border security and other issues, but Democrats rejected those votes during hours of talks. Any successful amendments to the bill would send the legislation back to the House, which already left town for a two-week recess. "Right now, it doesn't look good," Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said after emerging from talks on the Senate floor. The practical impact of a funding lapse in the near term would likely be minimal, with federal offices closed for the weekend and many government services funded through earlier legislation. Still, there could be varying impacts on the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies that would see a lapse in funds especially if the disagreements drag into Monday. The White House Office of Management and Budget typically sends out guidance to agencies ahead of any potential funding lapse. While Congress already approved money for Veterans Affairs, Interior, Agriculture and other agencies, the bill at issue Friday is much larger, providing funding for the Defense, Homeland Security and State departments and other aspects of general government. The House approved the package of spending bills earlier Friday, a long overdue action nearly six months into the budget year that would push any threats of a government shutdown to the fall. The House passed the bill by a vote of 286-134, narrowly gaining the two-thirds majority needed for approval. More than 70% of the money would go to defense. The vote in the House reflected anger among Republicans over the content of the package and the speed with which it was brought to a vote. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., brought the measure to the floor even though a majority of Republicans ended up voting against it. He said afterward the bill "represents the best achievable outcome in a divided government." In sign of the conservative frustration, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., initiated an effort to oust Johnson as the House began the vote but held off on further action until the House returns in two weeks. It's the same strategy that was used last year to remove the last speaker, Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. The vote breakdown showed 101 Republicans voting for the bill and 112 voting against it. Meanwhile, 185 Democrats voted for the bill and 22 against. Rep. Kay Granger, the Republican chair of the House Appropriations Committee that helped draft the package, stepped down from that role after the vote. She said she would stay on the committee to provide advice and lead as a teacher for colleagues when needed. Johnson broke up this fiscal year's spending bills into two parts as House Republicans revolted against what has become an annual practice of asking them to vote for one massive, complex bill called an omnibus with little time to review it or face a shutdown. He viewed that as a breakthrough, saying the two-part process was "an important step in breaking the omnibus muscle memory." Still, the package was clearly unpopular with most Republicans, who viewed it as containing too few of their policy priorities and as spending too much. "The bottom line is that this is a complete and utter surrender," said Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo. It's taken lawmakers six months into the current fiscal year to get near the finish line on government funding, the process slowed by conservatives who pushed for more policy mandates and steeper spending cuts than a Democratic-led Senate or White House would consider. The impasse required several short-term, stopgap spending bills to keep agencies funded. The first package of full-year spending bills, which funded the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture and the Interior, among others, cleared Congress two weeks ago with just hours to spare before funding expired for those agencies. When combining the two packages, discretionary spending for the budget year will come to about $1.66 trillion. That does not include programs such as Social Security and Medicare, or financing the country's rising debt. Johnson touted some of the spending increases secured for about 8,000 more detention beds for migrants awaiting their immigration proceedings or removal from the country. That's about a 24% increase from current levels. Also, GOP leadership highlighted more money to hire about 2,000 Border Patrol agents. Democrats, meanwhile, are boasting of a $1 billion increase for Head Start programs and new child care centers for military families. They also played up a $120 million increase in funding for cancer research and a $100 million increase for Alzheimer's research. The spending in the bill largely tracks with an agreement that McCarthy worked out with the White House in May 2023, which restricted spending for two years and suspended the debt ceiling into January 2025 so the federal government could continue paying its bills. Today in history: March 22 1941: Grand Coulee 1945: Arab League 1963: The Beatles 1978: Karl Wallenda 1988: Ronald Reagan 1993: Intel Corp 1997: Tara Lipinski becomes youngest women's world champion 2010: Google Inc. 2012: Whitney Houston 2019: Jimmy Carter 2019: Robert Mueller 2021: Elgin Baylor RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) A South Dakota man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for manslaughter in the 2013 death of his girlfriend. Richard Schmitz, 55, took a plea deal in January, one day before he was due to go on trial for the death of Meshell Will, 38, whose badly decomposed body was found along a road in the Black Hills. On Friday, Judge Craig Pfeifle handed down the maximum sentence, the Rapid City Journal reported. Schmitz and Will lived across the hall from each other in Custer. Law enforcement reports show they checked into a Keystone motel about a week before her body was found. But it took eight years until he was charged with second-degree murder. His arrest followed a 2021 pathology report that ruled her manner of death as either undetermined or homicide. The initial autopsy said her cause of death was undetermined. Its difficult to tell how Meshell died, Pennington County prosecutor Roxanne Hammond said in court. But she said circumstantial evidence proved Schmitz killed Will in their motel room and discarded her body. Investigators interviewed Schmitz several times after Wills death. He long denied any involvement but entered an Alford plea Jan. 30 to second-degree manslaughter. That was an acknowledgement that the state had enough evidence to convict without explicitly admitting guilt. Defense attorney Martha Rossiter argued the state's case was weak but did not dispute that Schmitz lied to investigators. Mr. Schmitz has an issue being honest, particularly with police, said Rossiter, who asked the judge for time served over 2 1/2 years. Judge Pfeifle said he based his sentence on the plea deal and Schmitzs prior convictions for violence against women. You have a significant challenge dealing with romantic relationships in your life, Pfeifle said. I think you continue to remain a danger. There are approximately 50,000 active police K-9s in the United States. These highly trained dogs help seize drugs, sniff out explosives, detain criminals, locate missing people, and uncover forensic evidence at crime scenes. There are also countless stories of police K-9s making the ultimate sacrifice to defend officers, protect civilians, and save lives. Police dogs are trusted partners for police and law enforcement officers, represent an integral component of many police departments, and contribute immensely to public safety. However, police K9s are expensive, and this is a major barrier for police departments searching to add a four-legged deputy to their teams. Some estimates suggest that police dogs, on average, can cost anywhere between $15,000 and $45,000, and training them can top $10,000. Not to mention that feeding these dogs and keeping them healthy are also costly endeavors often covered out of pocket by the dogs handlers. Its unacceptable. Police departments are already facing hiring challenges and police officers themselves face higher levels of burnout and stress compared to other fields; they shouldnt be expected to empty their wallets to cover the costs of maintaining police K9s to defend our communities. Thats why I introduced the Honoring Police Officer and K9 Service Act. According to Paws of Honor a national police dog organization approximately 40% of the lifetime veterinary expenses for police dogs occur in the last two years of their lives, which means that the handler could expect $5,000 or more in veterinary bills after a K-9 has retired. These costs cannot simply be transferred to the officer at the end of a police dogs career. To alleviate the financial strain facing K-9 handlers, this legislation which came to life following my conversations with police and law enforcement officers in Iowa would help police departments pay for routine checkups and other veterinary care for police dogs after they retire. Due to their demanding work, police K-9s face higher risks of developing illnesses like hip dysplasia, arthritis, and separation anxiety all of which require high-quality, and potentially costly, veterinary care and our local officers should not be saddled with these expenses. More specifically, this bill would authorize $5 million for a grant program through the U.S. Department of Justice and coordinated by the Attorney General to help ease the significant financial commitment of caring for police dogs and covering veterinary bills. By supporting small and rural police departments which often lack the funding of larger, urban operations my legislation also has the potential to encourage police departments to add a police dog to their team when calculating the financial obligations. Furthermore, the Honoring Police Officer and K-9 Service Act includes guardrails to protect taxpayers and ensure that the appropriated dollars are spent appropriately and responsibly. Under this legislation, any grant recipient would be required to deliver a detailed annual report to the Attorney Generals office demonstrating how funds were used, and the Attorney General would then submit a comprehensive report to Congress outlining that taxpayer dollars were spent in accordance with the law. These measures promote transparency and accountability in government and ensure that only police departments in need receive resources to accommodate a police dog. Our police officers and their K-9 partners are heroes who risk their lives daily to protect our families and communities. I strongly urge the passage of this legislation to honor our law enforcement officers and ensure that police dogs receive the high-quality, dependable care that they deserve during their service and after their retirement. Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, represents Iowa's Fourth Congressional District. SOUTH SIOUX CITY A new CDL truck driving training facility and the expansion of the industrial training building at Northeast Community College's campus in South Sioux City are on track to be complete this summer. Construction on a 11,600-square-foot CDL training facility and truck driving range began last summer. The college is also adding a 1,500 square-foot additional to the existing industrial training facility. A CDL training facility's driving range -- for real-world truck driving practice in a controlled setting -- is mostly completed, with courses ongoing. "This is such a great opportunity for Northeast [Community College] and northeast Nebraska, just to be able to go and get a CDL course and training right in their own backyard," said Bradley Ranslem, associate dean of applied technology. "We are open and ready for business for that training specifically." The new facility and addition are expected to be completed in late June, early July, Ranslem said. "It's really exciting to see where it was just six months ago, seven months ago, when that was still just an open field between the college center and the welding facility," he said. Both the CDL building and the industrial training building are somewhat west of the main campus building, 1001 College Way, across the street from Walmart. Northeast and Wayne State College cooperated in the opening of that building in 2011. NECC Industrial Training facility Construction is shown underway Monday at Northeast Community College's campus at the College Center in South Sioux City. NECC Industrial Training facility Construction is shown underway Monday, March 4, 2024, of an expansion of Northeast Community College's Industrial Training facility at its sat The new CDL facility is part of an estimated at $9.8 million expansion project at the South Sioux City campus, financed largely by federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars. The CDL training building will include two classrooms, a simulator room, instructor offices, drive-thru access, and an outdoor shelter for storing and charging, according to a news release. The CDL training range will provide space for instruction of all required maneuvers to obtain a CDL certificate. Northeast Community College offers these courses at their Norfolk facility, but had the demand in South Sioux and decided to expand. The facility will have room for about 25 students, with room for growth as more instructors are added, said Ed Lewis director of the CDL program. Northeast Community College expansion Northeast Community College's $9.8 million expansion to its South Sioux City campus should be finished by 2024. Their new 11,600-square-foot C Northeast Community College expansion Northeast Community College's $9.8 million expansion to its South Sioux City campus should be finished by 2024. Their new 11,600-square-foot C The addition to the existing Industrial Training facility will support an expanded area for 20 booths and provide space for better student supervision and safety. Ranslem said a part of the existing facility has been blocked off and after classes end in May, the lab space will be turned over to the contractors. The equipment currently in the facility is more than 15 years old, Ranslem said, so the college is excited to offer expanded opportunities with updated equipment and new ventilation. Both Ranslem and Lewis said there has been significant interest from area businesses to utilize the new CDL facility. The investments made here in South Sioux City will help fill the high demand in truck driving and welding across our state and enable northeast Nebraska to sustain and grow a future ready workforce," Rony Ortega, superintendent of South Sioux City Community Schools, said at the groundbreaking in August, according to a statement provided by Northeast. SIOUX CITY The Sioux City school district's new construction trades program has progressed faster than expected, with two houses estimated to be completed this semester. This summer, the school district's Career Academy finished construction on a 12,000-square-foot addition to the Harry Hopkins Center, located along Business Highway 75. Courses started in the fall, with 37 students. The group is made up of a mixture of juniors and seniors, spending half of their day at the trade facility. The addition is intended to provide a controlled environment for students to build two houses simultaneously. It is a fairly simple building with one large bay for a classroom and work space. "I think this is the start of something that could be the future of education in our country," Career Academy Principal Eric Kilburn said. "It used to be 'we're going to college,' but the job market now is telling us, we can pay kids more than they would make after a four-year degree right out of high school." Construction Trades Sioux City Schools students painting siding at the school's construction trades facility on Feb. 1. Construction Trades Sioux City students Francisco Dieguez and Aiden Joaquin cutting siding at the school's construction trades facility on Feb. 1. The program has In June 2022, the school board accepted a $3.8 million bid from H&R Construction of South Sioux City for the project. The total cost was $4.15 million, including architectural and engineering fees. Classes started in the fall with building a house for Habitat for Humanity as well as a district-owned house. The district-owned house is more than 1,500 square feet and was originally expected to be completed over two years. Both houses have been progressing quickly, despite a slight delay in construction material arrival. On Feb. 1, the students were working on the siding of the district-owned house with the next steps being insulation and drywalling. Rick Niles said they expect to be able to complete both houses this semester. Brothers Rick and Gary Niles teach the program. Rick is a retired federal probation officer and was teaching in the police science program at Western Iowa Tech Community College, and Gary was a chief juvenile court officer. They have built more than 200 houses together, including their own homes. During the day, students are broken up into groups to tackle different aspects of the project, Rick Niles said. They are graded on the day based on a variety of factors including timeliness, cleanliness, tool care, attention and so on. "We've really learned to put kids in positions that fit their skill sets," Niles said. Construction Trades A house Sioux City Schools students are building for Habitat for Humanity at the schools construction trades facility on Feb. 1. The house is ConstructionTrades_6.jpg Sioux City Schools students working on a district-owned house at the schools construction trades facility on Feb. 1. The program has been prog With the help of community businesses and local trade unions, the pair have been teaching the students the ins and outs of construction and the different opportunities available to them. With every product or material the students are going to work with, Niles said a YouTube video exists of someone explaining how the material works and how to install it. Often, the instructors will show the students videos so they understand why and how they are doing the installation. This is paired with the in-class instruction and the hands-on instruction to give a full view of what the project is. So far, Niles said many of the students loved doing the roofing. Both Jamie Garcia and Jesus Ruiz said they enjoyed the roofing aspect of the project. Garcia, a junior at North High said she enjoys the program because it's completely hands-on. So far, her favorite part was framing the houses. "It's where you're really learning 'this is real' and because it's where you start to learn, 'I can actually do this, this is an option," she said. ConstructionTrades_9.jpg Sioux City Schools students moving siding to prepare it for installation on a district-owned house at the schools construction trades facility ConstructionTrades_10.jpg Sioux City Schools students working on a district-owned house at the schools construction trades facility on Feb. 1. The program has been prog ConstructionTrades_11.jpg Sioux City Schools students working on a district-owned house at the schools construction trades facility on Feb. 1. The program has been prog Garcia hopes to join the electrical union after graduation. Before joining this course, she wanted to go into the welding career. Ruiz, a junior at North High, said he was taking a welding class when he heard about the construction program and decided to join. He also said his favorite part was framing and roofing the house. He is considering going into the electrical trade after high school. Ruiz said students should join the course and learn skills that may help them in the future or give them a different career opportunity. Omar Orozco-Perez said he took the course because his dream job is buying and flipping houses. Niles said one of the more difficult parts of creating a program like this is figuring out how long things are going to take compared to a traditional construction setting. He said they will be working to restructure the program for next year and implement other projects throughout the year to keep kids engaged, such as sheds and possibly other projects for the community. "It makes us have to kind of change gears and figure out in years to come how are we going to configure that," Niles said. What other types of sheds or similar projects [can we do] to fill time but also to get exposure to other types of things." ConstructionTrades_12.jpg Sioux City Schools students painting siding at the school's construction trades facility on Feb. 1. The program has been progressing faster th Construction Trades Sioux City North High junior Jamie Garcia preparing sheet metal to be cut and bend for installation on a district-owned house at the schools c Construction Trades Sioux City Schools students installing siding on a district-owned house at the schools construction trades facility on Feb. 1. The program has Later this semester, the students will build a storage facility for the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. Niles said the juniors currently in the course will be able to pick up a house project right away next year without learning safety, equipment and how-to's. "Just imagine by Christmas we could be this far or even farther" on the house, he said. District administration visited other schools with similar programs, including Sioux Falls, Harrisburg, South Dakota and Cherry Creek, Colorado, to model the program. Niles said in Sioux Falls, the students were building an elaborate playhouse out of scrap lumber to give students another opportunity to practice. At the end of the two-year program, the students will have received four different certificates, OSHA certification and a construction management diploma. Construction Trades_4.jpg The Sioux City Schools Career Academy construction trades facility completed this summer. The 12,000-square-foot addition to the Harry Hopkins Construction Trades_5.jpg The Sioux City Schools Career Academy construction trades facility completed this summer. The 12,000-square-foot addition to the Harry Hopkins Comments made by South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem during a March 13 bill signing in Mitchell and later at a town hall in Winner have caused three tribes to call for her to apologize. During the two town hall meetings, Noem accused tribal council members of standing in her way, failing youth and benefiting from drug cartel operations. Now, tribal leaders from the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe and Crow Creek Sioux Tribe are responding to those allegations. Her remarks were made from ignorance and with the intention to fuel a racially based and discriminatory narrative towards the Native people of South Dakota, said Rosebud Sioux Tribe President Scott Herman in a March 15 press release. We demand an apology from the governor. During a question-and-answer session after signing two new education bills, Noem commented on low graduation rates and low attendance rates due to a lack of parental involvement. Because they live with 80% to 90% unemployment, their kids dont have any hope. They dont have parents who show up and help them, Noem said. They have a tribal council or a president who focuses on a political agenda more than they care about actually helping somebodys life look better. Noem said as of 2022, six of the 11 poorest counties in the United States were in South Dakota: Todd County, which is part of the Rosebud Reservation; Mellette County, Oglala Lakota County and Jackson County, which are part of the Pine Ridge Reservation; Corson County, which is part of the Standing Rock Reservation; and Ziebach County, which is part of the Cheyenne River Reservation. I have tribal councils that are standing in my way, Noem said. Because theyve got control and theyve got money coming into their pockets, theyre taking from their people and their communities. Theyre not benefiting their kids. That's next on my agenda. A majority of Native children in South Dakota are enrolled in public schools off-reservation. Data from the South Dakota Board of Education indicated only 5,013 children, or 25% of the states Native youth, attended tribal schools for the 2023-2024 school year, 300 fewer than the previous school year. Statewide, one-third of Native students dont graduate from public high schools and 84% are not considered college-ready. Later that day during a town hall in Winner, Noem again alleged that Mexican cartels are operating on tribal lands in South Dakota and are trafficking drugs, children and sex to the rest of the Midwest. She then accused tribal leaders of benefiting from cartel presence. Noem has previously alleged that cartels are operating on tribal land, specifically within the Pine Ridge and Lake Traverse reservations. After the first cartel allegations were made Jan. 31, representatives from the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate held a meeting with Noem to discuss her remarks. The tribe requested she collaborate on a cooperative law enforcement plan with tribal governments. The Oglala Sioux Tribe also moved to ban Noem from the reservation a second time. In response to the March 13 allegations, the Oglala Sioux Tribe pointed to a 2007 publication from the National Drug Intelligence Center stating that most illegal drug activity in South Dakota moves through Sioux Falls and Sioux City. I suggest that Noem as Governor should, perhaps, clean up her own backyard in the Watertown and Castlewood area (where her ranch is located) instead of trying to cast the Sioux Tribes in a false light by insinuating that all the Mexican Drug Cartel trafficking comes to South Dakota population centers like Sioux Falls and Rapid City from the Sioux reservations, said Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out in a March 16 press release. In 2022 The Oglala Sioux Tribe launched a lawsuit against the federal government to try to get the United States to honor its obligation to provide the reservation with adequate public safety resources. For years, the reservation has experienced high rates of murder, suicide, drug offenses, robbery, rape, aggravated assault, burglary and missing persons cases, according to tribal officials. The Crow Creek Sioux Tribe has also struggled with a lack of police officers, leading to the development of a citizen patrol force. The tribe is also requesting additional law enforcement personnel and general public safety assistance. In the 8 months since the citizen patrol force was established, calls to dispatch dropped by 30% to 40% and ambulance calls are down 30% to 35%. Over one dozen employees have been hired by the tribe to aid in the program. Tribal leaders said a majority of the guns and drugs brought into reservations are coming from cities like Sioux Falls and Rapid City, not directly into the reservation. Ian Fury, chief of communications for the governors office, said Noem has attempted to schedule meetings with Rosebud Sioux Tribe President Scott Herman, Crow Creek Chairman Peter Lengkeek and Oglala Sioux Tribe President Star Comes Out, but has not heard back. She is loving all the conversations that shes having with their community members she has appreciated their encouragement and support, Fury said in an email to ICT and the Rapid City Journal. We would challenge the tribes to prove the Governors comment false by banishing the drug cartels from their reservations." Climate - the Movie: a hot mess of (c)old myths! Posted on 23 March 2024 by John Mason, BaerbelW The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In Martin Durkin's recently released film, entitled, 'Climate - the Movie', 17 academics, retired academics and bloggers were interviewed. How big a proportion of them have their own page in the DeSmog database? Go on, have a guess. It's 76%. Climate change denial is like a kind of flying circus. This same old carnival troupe is wheeled out time and again to spread doubt about climate science. Why? Because that's what they are good at doing, with decades of combined experience under their belts. More than 2 dozen long-debunked myths The first 42-odd minutes of this 80 minute long festival of misinformation, once the initial 'elevator-pitch' is done with, are dedicated to "The Science". But instead of that, what one is exposed to is a veritable Gish-gallop of climate myths, with the phrase, "we are told" liberally scattered among them. In order of appearance, with the myth's fixed number in our database, here they are: With 25 myths (and a few more - see below), the list is rather long, so here is a one image summary with the ones we spotted check-marked: Fig 1: most of the myths rehashed in the movie in one handy graphic (click for larger version)! To create your own myth-bingo-card, download it from here. It would be fun to turn up at a Chinese takeaway with just the numbers, to see what you get. Mind you, it would be a pretty expensive surprise! Additional myths and misdirections There are a few claims that are not in our database. Did you know that at the height of the last glaciation, there was a "CO 2 famine" that, had it gotten any worse, would have made life on Earth go extinct? No, neither did we. The claim may have originated from a post at the Wattsupwiththat? blog from June 2017, which doesn't present any actual evidence for it. After that, the movie drifts off into a mixture of stuff. Apparently, until the 1980s, climate change was just a scare caused by a few radical environmentalists. Then Al Gore came along, there was limitless government money all of a sudden for climate research (so long as you sang to the same hymn-sheet) and a Consensus was formed, with which "to bludgeon opponents". Etcetera etcetera etcetera. Never mind the likes of Foote, Tyndall and Arrhenius, who in the 19th Century had pretty much worked out the greenhouse gas properties of CO 2 . Fig 2: The History of Climate Science and how far back it goes. Image source Next thing, we are subjected to 'Climate versus Freedom', which is a mishmash of populist conspiratorial themes that mention the World Economic Forum, the EU and various other perceived bogeymen. The BBC, who only recently stopped giving deniers equal exposure, are not spared. The environmental movement is, the movie mansplains, the sworn enemy of free-market industrial capitalism. Tired old cliches abound, for example the meme that workers, dont attend climate protests because theyre too busy working". Meanwhile, "Big Government" wants nothing more than to control us, with comparisons made to Covid lockdowns. And on and on and on it goes. Finally, they insist that climate mitigation measures will hurt the poor. Erm, are they forgetting that adverse climate events are already impacting the poor disproportionately? In the final thrashings of the movie, Chinese coal-fired power stations get a mention (no surprises there). When, the film pleads with its viewers, will people realise that climate change is an "invented scare", an assault on, "freedom and prosperity"? If you can get through to the end of this 80-minute assault on reality, medals, or maybe replacement head-vices, should be awarded. Arrhenius must be turning in his grave Other debunkings. For two other takes on this non-documentary, see the review at DeSmog here and a short video by The Disproof here. Much has been made of the supposed unadaptability of The Three-Body Problem. I understand where those apprehensions come from. Liu Cixins mega-popular 2008 Chinese sci-fi novelwhich has just been imported to Netflix by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the same creative team that managed to interpret George R.R. Martins dense legendarium with HBOs Game of Thronesis famously knotty. The story itself is a saga of a highly advanced alien race coming to rob Earth of its milk and honey, but Liu, a former computer engineer, stuffs his plot with a fetishistic appreciation for highly speculative futuristic technology: transdimensional supercomputers, austere particle colliders, suspended animation for sub-light speed travel, the whole shebang. Netflixs 3 Body Problemthe second TV adaptation of Lius Remembrance of Earths Past trilogy, following a Chinese series released last yearfaced the challenge, from the outset, of having to provide a ropes course on theoretical physics, while at the same time painting a rich narrative about humans uncovering the intergalactic conspiracy threatening life itself. That sounds like a tall task, considering how there might be, I dont know, 50 people on the planet who have a firm grip on the nuances of quantum entanglement. But Benioff, Weiss, and co-creator Alexander Woo solve this problem with one deft storytelling trick: by allowing everyone on screen to be both astonishing analytical geniuses and the most credulous people alive. Our ensemble contains a cadre of physicists, detectives, and would-be revolutionaries, and when things get weird in 3 Body Problemand they do, very quicklyour heroes entertain the most outlandish explanations for the glitches in reality with an eagerness akin to that of the mildly stoned devouring History Channel theories about the universe at 3 a.m. Theres very little trademark skepticism here, few signs of the scientific methods empirical questioning and testing. Its all wide-eyed wonder and terrorironic, considering how the aliens hostile takeover is accelerated by their discovery that humans are duplicitous, but praise be, because the supreme suspension of disbelief gives us viewers a much more entertaining watch compared to the alternative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres what I mean: One of the first dramatic vectors we encounter in 3 Body Problem involves a young astrophysicist named Auggie Salazar (who, played by Eiza Gonzalez, is one of the many characters that have been freshly Westernized in contrast to her Chinese counterpart in the novel). A rash of suicides has recently stricken the scientific community, and after learning about the death of her former colleague, Auggie begins to hallucinate a foreboding timer, invisible to everyone else, steadily counting down. As someone who is familiar with the usual B-level narrative tropes, I was certain that Auggie would spend the rest of the episode haplessly attempting to convince her friends that perhaps some sort of interloping alien force was directly interfering with her cognition, rather than any of the (if were being honest) far more reasonable explanations for her derangement: a psychotic break, a desperate need for attention, a morning psilocybin microdose gone horribly wrong, and so on. Advertisement Related From Slate The Problem With 3 Body Problem Read More But no, thats not what happens. Like, at all. Everyone is basically on board with Auggies working suspicion from the jump. They accept that some unseen force has warped her visionkicking off what will soon become a race against time on a cosmic scaleand its great. Our crack team of humanists is assembled immediately, no questions asked, so we can instead focus on the real reason weve tuned into 3 Body Problem: to feel enthralled and insignificant against the backdrop of the unknowable expanse of the universe, where all of the tingly, NOVA-on-PBS ideas about the inky blackness beyond the sky have proved to be spectacularly true. I didnt realize, until that moment of relief, just how much I find myself dreading the agonizing decoding process, followed by a lengthy persuasion period, that blights so many other mysteries. (Remember how long it takes for the general public to realize that, maybe, the superheroes from The Boys corporate empire Vought might not be on the up-and-up? Jesus.) A version of 3 Body Problem in which were forced to wait until Episode 5 to sufficiently justify everyones reason for believing that aliens might be afoot would be downright unwatchable. Advertisement Advertisement 3 Body Problem extends that same credulity to the characters who are not nearly as well-versed in particle physics, and therefore might ostensibly be less willing to accept these extremely esoteric postulations out of hand. Benedict Wong, who plays the beleaguered detective Da Shi, has no problem taking Auggie at her word when, during his investigation of the deaths of all these scientists, she tells him that a mysterious woman approached her after dark and informed her that the literal stars will transmit a secret message to her at the stroke of midnight. Shi attempts to corroborate Auggies story, but the mysterious woman doesnt appear on the CCTV footagewhich is usually the sort of thing that would render the teller of that tale a person of interest in an active investigation. And yet, Shi is convinced that the missing figure must be a result of the sabotage of a cabal of time-and-space-subverting interlopers. Frankly, this oversight makes him one of the least discerning police officers on television, but it keeps things moving along. Advertisement I find these moments, when ordinary civilians engage in Ancient Aliens thought, to be some of the more contrived scenes in 3 Body Problem. Of all the theories tossed out in the series, shouldnt someone subscribe to the good old-fashioned principle of Occams razor? But I suppose thats the cost of doing business when one sets out to adapt the unadaptable. Every one of us should be happy to let those weaker leaps of faith pass, so long as the momentum continues to churn. 3 Body Problem is a show about big ideas. Thank God its characters, as sweetly gullible as they are, are allowed to affirm them. In the summer of 1997, Swedish songwriter and producer Max Martin scored his first Top 10 hit in America with a song co-written and fronted by a fellow Swede, a teenager who performed under the mononym Robyn. For a few months, Robyn was very successful, scaling Billboards Hot 100 with the back-to-back Martin-co-written singles Do You Know (What It Takes) and Show Me Love, each of which peaked at No. 7. By the early 2000s, Martin had emerged as pops premier hitmaker, turning out even bigger hits for Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, and NSYNC. But Robyn, chafing under the Swedish hit factorys constraints and with no hard feelings toward Martin, bought out her teen-signed contract and, in 2005, became an independent artist. In the two decades since, Robyn has emerged as one of the great indie-pop acts of the 21st century, churning out pulsating, heartrending classics like Be Mine, Call Your Girlfriend, and her consensus masterpiece, 2010s throbbing Dancing on My Own. Advertisement And Martin? Over those same two decades, he just kept piling up American hitsmore No. 1s after 2005, in fact, than he scored in millennial teen pops heyday, for the likes of Katy Perry, Pink, Taylor Swift, and the Weeknd. Now, in 2024, the man born Karl Martin Sandberg has finally beaten the chart records of two of the big guns of pop history: songwriter John Lennon and Beatles producer Sir George Martin (no relation). Max topped Sir George back in January when he scored his 24th Hot 100 No. 1 as a producer. Now, in March, he has landed his 27th as a songwriter, toppling Lennon. (Only Paul McCartney, who has penned 32 chart-toppers, stands in Max Martins way.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those two Max-penned-and-produced 2024 hits were both performed by Ariana Grande. And the one sitting at No. 1 on the Hot 100 this week sounds an awful lot like Robyns Dancing on My Own. Advertisement We Cant Be Friends (Wait for Your Love) is the second single from Grandes seventh album Eternal Sunshine. (Does that title sound familiar? Film fans, hold that thought.) Its Grandes second consecutive single produced and co-written by her longtime collaborator Martinthe LPs first single Yes, And? was released two months ahead of the album and also topped the Hot 100. In fact, both singles debuted at No. 1. Grande is uncannily good at front-loading her hits. Seven of her chart-toppers opened in the top slot, second only to Drake (who has debuted at No. 1 with nine of his hits) and more than Taylor Swift (six). Advertisement Thanks to the release of Eternal Sunshine, which debuts at No. 1 on the album chart with heavy streaming numbers, not only does We Cant Be Friends shoot to No. 1, Yes, And? bounces back into the Hot 100s Top 10, giving Grande two simultaneous hits in the winners circle. Both singles are bright, up-tempo dance-pop earworms with the sort of satisfyingly symmetrical melodic math for which Max Martin is famous. But the reason both songs opened big is all Grande. In the past half-decadesince she scored her first Hot 100 No. 1, Thank U, Next, in the closing weeks of 2018Grande has marshaled gossipy fans parasocial tendencies better than almost any pop artist besides Swift. She owns, deconstructs, then weaponizes her own narrative. Advertisement Advertisement Lets focus on Grandes current single first, even though both hits are, in a way, part of the same narrative. Musically, We Cant Be Friends is what you might call a pensive bop. Its techno-pop beats burble more than slam. Grande, famously possessed of a rafter-raising Baby Mariah voice, uses her supple instrument to convey wistfulness and interiority rather than abandon. Indeed, if theres a difference between this single and Robyns also pensive Dancing on My Own, its in delivery: Robyns track comes on strong, sweeping the listener up into a fists-up dancefloor anthem, while Grandes Friends encourages you to lean in. Advertisement Advertisement The techno-pop sheen of Friends underpins its vulnerable lyrics. The only question is whom those lyrics are addressing. Several lines scan as plaints to a former lover Grande is trying to move on from: I didnt think youd understand me. How could you ever even try? Or, I dont wanna argue, but I dont wanna bite my tongue. Yeah, I think Id rather die. Given Grandes recent divorce from her pandemic-era husband Dalton Gomezthe million-dollar split was literally finalized just this weekit makes sense shed be in her feelings right now. The music video doubles down on this heartfelt interpretation: Making good on the new albums title, its a remix of the plot of the 2004 Michel Gondry film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The Jim CarreyKate Winslet romantic drama offered a futuristic sci-fi solution to heartbreak: a brain-altering procedure that allows lab patients to move past a breakup by wiping all memories of the relationship. In Grandes We Cant Be Friends video, she plays a version of herself named Peaches in a chilly lab, and the clip re-creates the movies devastating memory-erasing scenes, as moments with Peaches ex-boyfriend (played by actor Evan Peters) literally go poof (including a nod to the films snow-angels sequence and a tabletop birthday-cake scene Grande borrows from Sixteen Candles). Set against the video, the song seems all about Grande innocently, bravely, and perhaps futilely trying to purge her most recent betrothal. Advertisement Advertisement But a closer read of We Cant Be Friends indicates Grande is addressing her fame and the public narrative around the split, more than her own heartbreak. And the you is probably well, us: Know that you made meI dont like how you paint me, yet Im still here hanging. She claps back at haters with, You got me misunderstood, but at least I look this good. The line, You cling to your papers and pens seems directed squarely at tabloid scribes and obsessive fans, whose fickle affections she is left pleading for in the chorus refrain, I wait for your love. Most pointedly, she claims: I dont wanna feed this monstrous firejust wanna let this story die. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The story Grande says she wants to let die sigh. Do I really need to get into it? Last summer, Slates own Heather Schwedel did an expert job breaking down the drama, but heres the short version: For the past year-plus, Grande has been shooting her first starring movie role as good witch Glinda in the two-part film adaptation of the long-running Broadway musical Wicked. While on the set, Grande reportedly began a romance with her co-star Ethan Slater, a theater-trained actor who previously starred as the title character of SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical. Besides prompting online chatter over whether the conventionally attractive Grande was slumming it with the attractively goofy Slater, the hottest tea concerned the fact that Slater was, until very recently, married with a newborn child. Slater only filed for divorce last summer, after the romance allegedly began with Grande, prompting raging online speculation about infidelity, with added fuel coming from Slaters own ex, Lilly Jay. Advertisement Advertisement As a chart nerd who just wants to write about No. 1 hits, I do not relish wading into this conflama but would be derelict in my duty if I didnt. The conflama is the subtext of We Cant Be Friends, and its the text of Yes, And? For just a moment, we need to zap back to that January single, a full-blown eff-the-haters rant, slipped into the Trojan horse of a 90s-style club jam. An homage to two No. 1 hits from the turn of the 90sthe pop-house piano rhythm of Madonnas 1990 classic Vogue, and a video directly emulating Paula Abduls 1989 clip Cold Hearted, with skeptical critics watching a horny dance-studio group gropeYes, And? cant be mistaken for anything romantic or even breakup-related. Sure, its chorus reads as a self-empowerment anthem: Just turn on your light and be like, Yes, and? Say that shit with your chest, and be your own fuckin best friend. But the verses are consumed with Grandes public image in the wake of the Ethan Slater contretemps: At one point Grande even snarls, Your business is yours and mine is minewhy do you care so much whose I ride? (Grande doesnt sing the word, despite the songs plentiful other curse words. Some of her most vicious thoughts are too spicy even for her!) Lest you have any doubts about the theme of Yes, And? the music videos framing scenes, of journalists and bloggers gossiping about her while being herded into her dance performance and being struck dumb, makes the point forehead-smackingly obvious. Advertisement Advertisement Of course, the irony of not only recording these songs but making them singles is Grande is doing everything but letting these stories die. But, to give her credit for her intentionality, Grande knows such tea-spilling and flame-stoking is part of her job description as a social mediaera hitmaker, an object of stan fascination, a contender for Main Pop Girl. Advertisement That said, a pot-stirring single can get you a big opening week, but it doesnt guarantee the more casual pop listener will give a rats ass. I have written before in this Slate series about what I call statement singles, tracks like the Chicks Not Ready to Make Nice, Britney Spears Piece of Me, or Yes Runaway that are consumed with the artists own controversies and blow up briefly but then recede. They are rarely lasting hits. A major example over the past decade was Swifts Look What You Made Me Do, which opened to record-breaking downloads and streams, soared to No. 1 almost instantly, then deflated at radio and YouTube rapidly as casual listeners grew tired of the songs anti-gossipmongers and anti-Ye concept. This is basically what happened to Yes, And? It exploded on impact, debuting at No. 1 two months ago, then plummeted, tumbling as low as No. 31 on the Hot 100 (this weeks album-fueled streaming comeback is probably temporary), all while never really catching on at all in radio. It seems that the only people truly interested in dissing Grandes haters were Grande stans and Grande. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, when done rightas Grande herself did with the more universally relatable but still sassy Thank U, Next back in 2018a veiled statement single can endure, and the dual-level We Cant Be Friends might just pull off that trick. The Friends video is genuinely moving and, again, (mis)directs the viewer away from the media-fueled Leave Ariana alone! message and toward the heartbreak narrative, which is a legitimate way to hear the song. Friends opened to bigger first-week streams than Yes, And? did (32.6 million vs. 27.2 million, respectively), suggesting listeners not only gave Friends a curiosity spin but put it into their regular rotations. Reviews of the Eternal Sunshine album are uniformly strong, citing We Cant Be Friends as a standout. Billboards own reporters and chart analysts are already declaring that, after Yes, And? experienced its launchpad implosion, We Cant Be Friends helped Eternal Sunshine achieve liftoff, with Friends looking like it could have a brighter future at radio. In 2024, maybe imitation Vogue just isnt as alluring as imitation Dancing on My Own. Advertisement Advertisement Plus, it doesnt hurt to have Max Martin in your corner. Martin and Grande have been working together off and on (mostly on) for a decade now, since her 2014 sophomore album My Everything and its summer 14 No. 2 banger Problem. Grande veered away from Martin a bit on her most recent LPson 2019s Thank U, Next, he had no input on the biggest singles (the title track and 7 Rings), and on 2020s Positions, she did not avail herself of Martin or his team at all. Martin, despite his love of American R&B, specializes in mass-appeal pop, and Grandes turn toward rap-adjacent trap pop left less room for the Martin approach. But after a long break to shoot Wicked, Grande needed surefire collaboratorsEternal Sunshine is her first album in nearly four years, easily the longest gap of her careerand Martin and his longtime Swedish deputy Ilya Salmanzadeh, co-writers of such prior Grande hits as Into You and No Tears Left to Cry (plus Salmanzadeh co-wrote her Christmas perennial Santa Tell Me), mustve felt like the ultimate insurance policy to get Grande back on the charts. The bonus for Martin: two more No. 1s to add to his shelf, putting him ahead of all those Beatle-related records. Advertisement Related From Slate The Oral History of Pitchfork, From the Careers It Made to the Bands It Killed Read More Perhaps Martins most underrated skill? Despite his non-native English and his infamous disinterest in lyrical logic, he can help Main Pop Girls channel their narratives with the best of them. Famously, when Martin began working with Taylor Swift a dozen years ago, he encouraged the already prolific and self-revealing songwriter to express her snarkiest romantic feelings even more openly. The result was We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, Swifts first No. 1 on the Hot 100, and the pair soon returned to the top with Shake It Off, Blank Space, and Bad Blood. Similarly, the rejoining of Ariana Grande and Max Martin would not have worked if Martin couldnt credibly turn Grandes own relationship woes and media snark into catchy pop. On Yes, And? he helped Grande get something out of her system. On We Cant Be Friends, he steered her toward something just as barbed but more enduring. The House successfully passed the second and final tranche of government funding for the remainder of the fiscal year on Fridayand this was the bigger, more challenging tranche, covering everything from border security to health programs to defense spending. And since it was a compromise that didnt do everything they wanted, the far-right was characteristically furious. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, in particular, went so far as to file a resolution to oust Speaker Mike Johnson, raising the prospect of a third speakers race in this Congress. But dont take this too seriously yet. First, she didnt privilegei.e., force a vote onher resolution. Its more of a warning than a pink slip, Greene told reporters after House votes Friday. Im not saying that it wont happen in two weeks or it wont happen in a month or who knows when, but I am saying the clock has started. Its time for our conference to choose a new speaker. Yeah. So were skeptical Greene will force that vote anytime soon. Democrats dont have the same toxic history with Johnson that they had with McCarthy, and theres reason to believe theyd backstop a Johnson speakership. In fact, it could even be an opportunity for Democrats to secure a commitment from Johnson to call a vote on Ukraine aid, of which Greene is the most ardent opponent. The vast, vast majority of Greenes GOP conference, including the guy who led the last speakers ouster, have no interest in going through another speakers race. This is plain-old attention-seeking for now. And hey, the Surge had a last-minute switcheroo to make her No. 1 this week, so congratulations to her. From reducing income disparities to improving busy commercial districts, small business grants can benefit communities in numerous ways. Thats why several cities, counties, and local organizations have recently launched their own funding programs. Read about several current opportunities and initiatives related to small business grants below. East Buffalo Small Business Working Capital Grant Program Empire State Development recently launched the third funding round of its East Buffalo Small Business Working Capital Grant Program. The program awards grants of between $5,000 and $50,000 to businesses in designated parts of East Buffalo, largely helping minority-owned establishments. Initially launched in response to the mass shooting at a Tops Friendly Market on Jefferson Avenue in 2022, the program includes a total of $3 million in funds and has already helped nearly 70 businesses, providing more than $800,000 over the previous two funding rounds. The program is currently accepting applications and will continue to do so through May 10. Tacoma Small Business Renewal Grant Tacoma, Washingtons Community and Economic Development Department is now accepting applications for the citys Small Business Renewal grant. The program aims to help small businesses cover damage repair and upgrades to their physical locations. There are two awards businesses can apply for: the Tacoma Community College Damage Repair, which covers up to $5,000 to cover storefront damage occurring since January 1, 2022, and the Impact Upgrade award, which covers up to $10,000 for eligible improvements like safety upgrades or ADA access. To qualify, projects must be able to be completed by July 30, 2024. April 2 is the deadline to apply. New Castle County True Access Capital Grants In New Castle County, Delaware, community development financial institution True Access Capital is offering grants of between $5,000 and $10,000 to small businesses in three commercial corridors. The grants, which are either $5,000 with no required match, or up to $10,000 for businesses with matching funds, can cover various interior and exterior improvements like facades or signage. Businesses must be located on or near North Market Street in Wilmington, along two sections of Philadelphia Pike, or along Route 9/Route 13. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until the $440,000 in ARPA funds is exhausted. Diverse Erie Mini Grant Series Diverse Erie is currently offering small grants funded by the American Rescue Plan Act to small businesses in Erie County, Pennsylvania. The Mini Grant series is available to for-profit, BIPOC-owned businesses that also serve BIPOC communities throughout Erie County. The application period is currently open and will close on April 19. Boulder County Small Business Grants Boulder County, Colorado, is partnering with Colorado Enterprise Fund on a new grant program aiming to help businesses in Unincorporated Boulder County. Eligible businesses can apply for one-time grants of up to $5,000. Theres currently a total of $225,000 set aside for the program. Applications are being accepted now through April 19. The county plans to announce and award funds this June. Louisiana Regions Foundation Grants Regions Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Regions Bank, recently awarded two major grants to support small businesses in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. First, the foundation provided $100,000 to support a collaboration between the Propeller, Thrive NOLA, and Fund 17 Together. These organizations will use funds to support entrepreneurs in New Orleans and address social and environmental disparities. Additionally, Regions Foundation is providing $65,000 to the Small Business Mastermind program, which supports entrepreneurs in Baton Rouge by providing a collaborative space for local business owners. Young people are shunning plumbing as a career option. The number of plumbers retiring is outweighing the number of new plumbers. Research commissioned by bathroom fittings manufacturers, Lixil Americas, shows that the shortage of plumbers in the United States cost the economy around $33 billion in 2022. The report estimates that by 2027, the nation will be short of around 550,000 plumbers. Enrolment at trade schools has fallen. The apprenticeship rate for young people wanting to be trained in skilled trade work like plumbing dropped by 49% in 2022 compared to 2020, according to data from the recruitment platform Handshake. Plumbing shortages across the United States is having negative consequences on households and the economy, including driving up costs for plumbing services. Not being able to call on a professional plumber can also have negative implications on businesses, such as their ability to expand into new buildings. The shortfall of plumbers can also delay flood recovery efforts and building upgrades so that water systems are more efficient. Why Now is a Good Time to Get into Plumbing Amid the shortfall, plumbers are desperately needed to instal and repair water and heating systems, upgrade systems and so on. As such, becoming a fully trained plumber and starting a plumbing business would be a solid and lucrative career move, as a professional plumber will be in high demand. Decent Pay A trained plumber can expect to take home a lucrative salary, though pay does tend to vary significantly across the country. For example, a plumber in the Piedmont region of North Carolina earns $43,000 a year. While the same tradesperson in California, in the heart of Silicon Valley, can pull in around $100,000 a year. However, despite the geographical fluctuations, with an increasing shortage of this vital trade, plumbers can earn a rewarding salary, and always be in high demand. They can also work for themselves, can build up their own network of clients, and be their own boss. The second round scheduled for April 6. On Saturday, March 23, 2024, the first round of the presidential election takes place in Slovakia. (Source: TASR) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Update: The moratorium has been extended until 22:30 due to the opening of the polling station in Norovce, Nitra Region, half an hour later. Polling stations have opened as voting begins in the first round of Slovakias presidential election. Slovak people will be deciding on who will replace President Zuzana Caputova in June. Caputova announced last June that she wouldnt seek reelection. People can vote until 22:00. The moratorium will end at this hour unless unexpected incidents occur in the country. If none of the nine candidates receive a majority of valid votes, the two candidates with the highest number of votes will proceed to the second round, scheduled for April 6. Speaker of Parliament and Hlas party leader Peter Pellegrini, supported by the major ruling party Smer, and former foreign minister and diplomat Ivan Korcok, a non-partisan candidate supported by most of the opposition parties, have maintained their substantial leads over other candidates. They both are expected to meet in a post-Easter run-off. However, Pellegrini remains a favourite. Every Slovak citizen who has reached the age of 18 on the day of the elections can vote for the president. Voting is only possible on Slovak territory though. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240323/arab-group-calls-on-unsc-members-to-vote-in-favor-of-gaza-resolution-saturday---statement-1117501901.html Arab Group Calls on UNSC Members to Vote in Favor of Gaza Resolution Saturday - Statement Arab Group Calls on UNSC Members to Vote in Favor of Gaza Resolution Saturday - Statement Sputnik International The Arab Group said in a statement that it appeals to the UN Security Council members to vote in favor of a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip that was drafted by its non-permanent members. 2024-03-23T02:21+0000 2024-03-23T02:21+0000 2024-03-23T02:21+0000 world gaza strip un security council (unsc) israel-gaza conflict israeli-palestinian conflict palestine-israel conflict un resolution https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0c/1f/1115918660_0:287:3070:2014_1920x0_80_0_0_b76df5fa6118035ddf59e9af070068f6.jpg "The Arab Group therefore appeals to all Security Council members to vote in favor of the draft resolution tabled by elected members and scheduled for a vote on Saturday, 23 March 2024, to allow the Council to speak with one voice and to act without further delay in the face of this grave situation," the statement said on Friday. The Arab Group also calls for the bloodshed in Gaza to be stopped during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, the statement added.The non-permanent members of the UN Security Council have prepared a draft resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza which will be voted on Saturday morning in New York. Earlier on Friday, the UN Security Council voted on the US-drafted resolution on Gaza, which was vetoed by Russia, China and Algeria. The three countries said they found the call for ceasefire in the resolution to be insufficient.Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said that Russia will not tolerate any calls for a ceasefire that lead nowhere. Nebenzia characterized the call for a ceasefire in the resolution as a scam perpetrated by the United States. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240322/the-world-sees-gaza-as-us-genocide-not-just-israels-1117481136.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240322/un-security-council-kills-extremely-politicized-us-resolution-for-ceasefire-in-gaza--1117489264.html gaza strip Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International un security council, un gaza resolution, gaza strip, israel gaza ceasefire, un arab group https://sputnikglobe.com/20240323/belarus-expresses-deep-condolences-over-terrorist-attack-near-moscow---kremlin-1117507690.html Belarus Expresses Deep Condolences Over Terrorist Attack Near Moscow - Kremlin Belarus Expresses Deep Condolences Over Terrorist Attack Near Moscow - Kremlin Sputnik International Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko over the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow, during which the latter expressed his condolences, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday. 2024-03-23T09:30+0000 2024-03-23T09:30+0000 2024-03-23T09:30+0000 world vladimir putin alexander lukashenko moscow concert hall attack https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/04/1108024703_0:0:3175:1785_1920x0_80_0_0_dd8b2def61654ead5bf2ade2bb7fdd6a.jpg "The president of Belarus expressed deep condolences in connection with yesterday's terrorist attack in Moscow. The parties reaffirmed their readiness to cooperate in the fight against terrorism," Peskov said. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International moscow terrorist attack, crocus terror, terrorism, terrorist ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20240323/china-expresses-condolences-to-putin-over-terrorist-attack-in-moscow-region-1117506003.html China Expresses Condolences to Putin Over Terrorist Attack in Moscow Region China Expresses Condolences to Putin Over Terrorist Attack in Moscow Region Sputnik International Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent Russian President Vladimir Putin a letter of condolences over the deadly terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall near Moscow, the state-run Chinese broadcaster reported on Saturday. 2024-03-23T05:48+0000 2024-03-23T05:48+0000 2024-03-23T05:48+0000 asia china xi jinping vladimir putin moscow concert hall attack https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/09/10/1100858742_0:143:3135:1906_1920x0_80_0_0_cf1e65487190720fb6607521484a3665.jpg "China opposes all forms of terrorism, strongly condemns the terrorist attack and firmly supports the efforts of the Russian authorities to maintain national security, the channel quoted the letter as saying. On behalf of the government and people of China, I would like to express my deep condolences over the deaths, and also express my sincere sympathy to the victims and their families, the Chinese leader added. A shooting occurred on Friday evening in the Crocus City Hall concert venue just outside Moscow followed by a massive fire. Preliminary data show that more than 60 people died as a result of the terrorist attack, the Russian Investigative Committee said in a statement. china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International putin xi, china, crocus terror attack, concert hall terror attack, moscow terror attack, concert hall terror attack in moscow https://sputnikglobe.com/20240323/cia-protecting-biden-by-blocking-irs-interviews-says-former-whistleblower-1117505321.html CIA Protecting Biden by Blocking IRS Interviews, Says Former Whistleblower CIA Protecting Biden by Blocking IRS Interviews, Says Former Whistleblower Sputnik International Jim Jordan and Oversight and James Comer revealed that a whistleblower told them the CIA intervened to prevent the IRS from interviewing Kevin Morris, an associate of Hunter Biden. 2024-03-23T04:15+0000 2024-03-23T04:15+0000 2024-03-23T04:15+0000 analysis us hunter biden joe biden bradley birkenfeld cia drug enforcement agency (dea) house judiciary committee internal revenue service (irs) hunter biden charges https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/05/0a/1110232732_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_4e3c6cb37f6d6be66039b286004dec27.jpg The CIA said it would not comment on specific cases but added that while it cooperates with other law agencies, it does not interfere with investigations and claims to be fully cooperative with its oversight committees.Jordan and Comer have sent a letter to the CIA requesting more information, but have not yet received a response. They set a deadline for April 4, 2024.If the whistleblowers testimony is true, it would represent an unprecedented move by the CIA that is tasked with countering foreign threats.Brad Birkenfeld, a whistleblower who exposed tax fraud and money laundering schemes in the Swiss banking system, told Sputniks Political Misfits that the problem is that so many people are trying to help the Bidens get out of the illegal conduct that theyre doing, noting that he has himself attempted to provide investigators with information on the Hunter Biden case, but was met hostile response.Two days later, lo and behold, the Drug Enforcement Agency in Boston raided Dr. Keith Ablows home, Birkenfeld continued. [The DEA] took everything. Now, why would you have 12 people armed with shotguns and machine guns, raid a doctors home in Newburyport, Massachusetts, and four years later never indict him?Whatever the CIA does, Birkenfeld added while discussing the CIAs past, including their support of dictators Augusto Pinochet, Saddam Hussein and Ferdinand Marcos, as well as their alleged efforts to undermine Donald Trump while he served as President. Whatever the CIA does, this is like Cartoon Network over there in Langley. Yes, they do a job and some people work well. But theres a lot of idiots over there that should be fired and prosecuted. And thats the facts.Birkenfeld added earlier that Joe Biden -while serving as Vice President- was briefed in defense meetings about his son interfering in US policies. That, as of yet, has not been alleged by the committees investigating Hunter Biden but Birkenfeld insisted that it is not conjecture.While Democrats have consistently declared that the committees have yet to find any concrete evidence that President Biden committed any crimes, Birkenfeld argues that is because the power centers in Washington continue to obfuscate the case by blocking investigative efforts. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230510/house-panel-says-cia-conspired-with-bidens-team-to-blame-russia-for-hunter-laptop-story-1110242535.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240227/hunters-associate-biden-scion-planned-global-hedge-fund-to-benefit-poppa-joe-1117022954.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ian DeMartino Ian DeMartino News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ian DeMartino cia hunter biden case, kevin morris hunter biden, hunter biden charges, brad birkenfeld, hunter biden whistleblower, does cia help hunter biden https://sputnikglobe.com/20240323/former-cia-officer-us-offered-assange-a-deal-because-they-fear-acquittal-1117501388.html Former CIA Officer: US Offered Assange a Deal Because They Fear Acquittal Former CIA Officer: US Offered Assange a Deal Because They Fear Acquittal Sputnik International Following reports that the US government has offered Wikileaks founder Julian Assange a plea deal, former CIA officer turned whistleblower John Kiriakou told radio Sputnik that they fear what will happen in a trial. 2024-03-23T01:07+0000 2024-03-23T01:07+0000 2024-03-23T01:07+0000 analysis julian assange john kiriakou justice department fault lines https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/15/1117464798_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_860ac35b358cb4b545abc640487021a7.jpg Former CIA Officer, whistleblower and co-host of Sputniks Political Misfits, John Kiriakou told Sputniks Fault Lines that the Justice Department offered the deal because it is worried about what might happen in a trial once the Australian citizen is extradited to the United States.Kiriakou said he doesnt know if Assange will take the deal offered by the US, noting that he heard that they previously offered to let him plead to one espionage case and get out of prison. That deal, it should be noted, has not been reported. I think Im not violating any promises to remain silent by saying [this] now that this news [of the newer plea deal] is out.Assange, Kiriakou said, declined the offer. He said, not just no, but hell no. That he will not be responsible for the future prosecution of an American journalist because he set a precedent by taking a guilty plea to an espionage charge.Assange standing on his principles shows the strength of the man, Kiriakou, comparing it to his own experience. I was facing 45 years in prison and I have five kids. So the government offered me two and a half years. I served 23 months. [My other choice was] I roll the dice and go to trial, face 12 to 18 years. I took the deal. Julian Assange hasnt taken the deal.During the George W Bush administration, Kiriakou revealed aspects of the US torture program taking place at the infamous US military installation in Cuba, Guantanamo Bay. He pleaded guilty to one felony count and became the first CIA officer to be charged for speaking to the press, and remains the only person to serve time in relation to the CIA torture program.I have another soapbox because of them, he added. So, do they really want to take that risk with Julian Assange? https://sputnikglobe.com/20150408/1020598440.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ian DeMartino Ian DeMartino News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ian DeMartino julian assange plea deal, extradition to the us, assange to walk https://sputnikglobe.com/20240323/full-spectrum-psyop-us-whips-up-fear-of-russian-bugaboo-to-subjugate-europe-1117495611.html Full-Spectrum Psyop: US Whips Up Fear of Russian Bugaboo to Subjugate Europe Full-Spectrum Psyop: US Whips Up Fear of Russian Bugaboo to Subjugate Europe Sputnik International From the French presidents threats to send troops to Ukraine to a series of media reports on alleged Russian plans to invade NATO, anti-Russian hysteria has reached a fever pitch in European capitals. Meanwhile, one world power has been able to sit back and quietly collect the dividends, says veteran foreign affairs observer Gilbert Doctorow. 2024-03-23T05:30+0000 2024-03-23T05:30+0000 2024-03-23T05:30+0000 analysis emmanuel macron vladimir putin russia ukraine nato https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/07/04/1083306907_0:168:3043:1880_1920x0_80_0_0_3f1832047008dccc6d7ee910d0ea5ca3.jpg European politicians are doing their best to continue ratcheting up tensions with Moscow, with French President Emmanuel Macron reiterating that he may send thousands of troops to Ukraine, Baltic politicians allying with Paris on the issue, and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski saying its an open secret that NATO soldiers are already in the country.British and German media have done their part to add fuel the hysteria, citing a recent briefing to Bundestag lawmakers on purported plans by Russia to kick off a full-scale land, sea and air war with NATO.This week, Polish President Andrzej Duda claimed it was a matter of common sense that Putin, by putting his economy on a war footing, will have such military might that he will be able to attack NATO. Meanwhile, his top general, Polish Armed Forces Chief of Staff Wieslaw Kukula, has alleged that Russia is actively preparing for a conflict, and urging Europe to do the same.Europes defenses are in an unenviable state. Facing a major economic downturn and a $61 billion spending shortfall after giving roughly the same amount away to Kiev for NATOs proxy war against Russia, European military leaders have warned that they could be left throwing stones within hours of a major conflict breaking out as arms and ammo stocks round dry.But the question no Western officials or media have been able to answer is why Russia which has over the past three decades expressed a preference for economic cooperation with Europe, rather than fighting its western neighbors, would be interested in invading NATO and almost certainly triggering World War III.Puppet Hands at PlayThe problem may just be that Russia is taking the hysterical outbursts by NATO officials and Western media at face value, instead of searching for the man behind the curtain seeking desperately to keep tensions in place.Economically and politically, the US has been able to extract major concessions from the Europeans over the past two years, plucking hundreds of manufacturers from the continent thanks to an energy crisis sparked by the blocs suicidal decision to cut off Russian energy supplies, forcing the EU to purchase American LNG at four times the cost, and even trying to saddle Brussels with economic and military aid to Ukraine as Congress remains deadlocked over a $61 billion aid package.Here in Europe, the war is now being used to whip up popular enthusiasm for war mobilization of the domestic economies and subjugation of the populace to authoritarian and unlimited powers of the ruling elite, Doctorow said.Some countries are resisting, for example Prime Minister [Mark] Rutte of the Netherlands and even the mealy-mouthed German Chancellor [Olaf Scholz, ed.] are publicly opposed to the proposal of a European debt issuance to finance subsidies to the military production companies, all in spite of van der Leyen. Meanwhile, Macron is on the other side, pushing for greater European centralization for which is the proposed common investment in defense is a nice instrument, the observer added.Poking the BearSomething similar can be said of defense budgets, with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute recently estimating that Russias defense budget amounted to $65.9 billion in 2021 a fraction of NATO spending of $1.16 trillion ($753.5 billion of that by the US alone) the same year. Even in 2024, with the proxy war with NATO in Ukraine raging and intensifying, Russia plans to spend the equivalent of $140 billion, still just a fraction of the Western bloc, which has again accounted for more than half of all military spending worldwide this year.Ultimately, Dr. Doctorow emphasized, Western governments are following an old playbook. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240322/there-is-no-way-for-eu-to-replace-us-funding-ukraine-without-tanking-euro-economy-1117480522.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240227/danish-pm-grilled-for-urging-eu-to-cut-social-spending-and-prepare-for-conflict-with-russia-1117021677.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240322/ukraine-talks-havent-started-because-of-us-threats-to-zelensky-seymour-hersh-says-1117480375.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240321/bidens-point-man-visits-ukraine-with-bundle-of-promises-on-getting-aid-out-the-door-1117462999.html russia ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov what does us get out of ukraine proxy war, is us benefiting from ukraine crisis, who is the loser of ukraine crisis https://sputnikglobe.com/20240323/global-majority-forces-west-to-change-rhetoric-about-terrorist-attack-in-russia---moscow-1117511796.html Global Majority Forces West to Change Rhetoric About Terrorist Attack in Russia - Moscow Global Majority Forces West to Change Rhetoric About Terrorist Attack in Russia - Moscow Sputnik International Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova suggested that the West had initially intended not to condemn the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall near Moscow, but to limit itself to general phrases 2024-03-23T15:06+0000 2024-03-23T15:06+0000 2024-03-23T15:06+0000 russia moscow russia maria zakharova margarita simonyan moscow concert hall attack https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/17/1117511770_0:0:3202:1802_1920x0_80_0_0_064da92ab821e00e2d1556ba1f8cde7f.jpg "The global majority has literally forced them [the West] to change their rhetoric, and even throughout yesterday evening and overnight, they were hastily rewriting their press releases. This morning, we even started to receive additional signals from Western countries that they will definitely strengthen their rhetoric [regarding the terrorist attack]," Zakharova said on the Rossiya 24 TV channel.A shooting occurred on Friday evening in the Crocus City Hall concert venue in the city of Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow, followed by a massive fire. A Sputnik correspondent who witnessed the attack reported that at least three men in camouflage had broken into the music hall, shooting people point-blank and throwing incendiary bombs. The Russian Investigative Committee said the number of those killed in the terrorist attack had so far reached 133, according to the latest data, while Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of RT and the Rossiya Segodnya media group, said the death toll had reached 143 people. Eleven people were detained in connection with the attack, including four who were directly responsible, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said. All four were detained in the Russian region of Bryansk, which borders Ukraine, a few hours apart, the FSB added. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240323/putin-addresses-russians-after-moscow-crocus-concert-hall-terrorist-attack-1117499412.html moscow russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International who is behind terrorist attack in moscow, crocus city hall terror attack, shooting in moscow concert hall https://sputnikglobe.com/20240323/israel-the-hermit-kingdom-1117496399.html Israel, the Hermit Kingdom Israel, the Hermit Kingdom Sputnik International Less than six months after the Hamas October 7th attack, polls show that popular opinion in the US and internationally has turned against Israel at unprecedented levels. 2024-03-23T19:22+0000 2024-03-23T19:22+0000 2024-03-23T19:22+0000 analysis opinion middle east palestinians joe biden benjamin netanyahu israel palestine rafah the united nations (un) https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/02/15/1093223684_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_7c0afe40d4638eabd1e8724ad94c84de.jpg Their concern is warranted. Less than six months after Hamas attacked on October 7th, killing 1,200 people with brutality that sparked widespread sympathy as well as materiel support for the Jewish state, polls show that popular opinion in the US and internationally has turned against Israel at unprecedented levels. The UN secretary-general is angry, the International Court of Justice is giving serious consideration to the charge that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza, and even US President Joe Bidena self-described Zionist who has repeatedly visited Israel and rushed to send it weapons after October 7thhas warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that continuing his ground offensive into Rafah, the last relatively intact city left in the Strip, would cross his red line.Israelis and their supporters are confused. Why is Israel rapidly sliding into pariah status now?Netanyahu has forgotten that Israel is a US vassal state. They dont call the shots. The US does. Bibi nonetheless has insolently rejected Bidens ultimatum.Israelis cluelessness is understandable. Theyve been oppressing the Palestinians for decades. Theyve ignored UN resolutions requiring that they stop occupying Arab territory, theyve sent nearly a million religious fanatics to colonize the West Bank, and theyve run the only apartheid state in the world following the end of that system in South Africayet nothing bad has ever happened to them. America kept sending them billions of dollars a year, arming them with high-tech weapons and intelligence, and ran interference for them at the UN whenever the world tried to hold them accountable for human rights abuses. Why should the good times come to an end?The answer, of course, is two-fold. The systemic decimation of Gaza, caught in high-definition videos on social media in an act of ethnic cleansing obviously intended to be succeeded by annexation, is even more extreme than Israels previous crimes. Israels war against the innocent civilians of Gaza is the feather that broke the worlds patience and indifference...a one-ton feather.That the world would turn away from Israel was easy to see coming tens of thousands of dead Gazans ago. For everyone but the Israelis, that is.Israelis are not stupid people. How did they fail to anticipate that they would soon be shunned and despised for what most of the world sees as a grotesque and opportunistic overreaction to October 7th? As a nation created by the UN, no other country depends as much upon international goodwill for its survival.Israel, youll notice if you visit, is along with North Korea and the United States one of the most insular countries on earth. Whereas most of the world and its news coverage is omnivorously internationalist, and floods in Myanmar or a coup in Central America makes the top of the news, Israel, like the US, obsesses over its own domestic affairs to the exclusion of all else with the exception of events that impact it directlyand it does so from an unabashedly nationalist viewpoint.Like the US, Israel is a melting pot of immigrants where assimilation is expected to include learning the national language. Unlike the US, which has been blessed with seeing its mother tongue spread as the 20th and 21st centuries lingua franca, more than 90% of Israelis read and speak one of the most globally useless languages anywhere, an artificially revived form of long-dead Hebrew. Curious Americans looking for viewpoints outside the mainstream media echo chamber can access the BBC and the CBC and Al Jazeera English for foreign coverage in the English language. Israelis looking for alternative news and opinions in Hebrew have no options.Founded in large part by Holocaust survivors, veterans of numerous wars and beleaguered by countless terrorist attacks, it is completely understandable why Israelis are obsessed with security. But security is a two-edged sword. When you keep other people out, you yourself remain inside. And you are deprived of the insights and different ways of looking at things people get when they interact with others and opinions that differ from their own.Its also not very effective. Israel, a self-declared safe haven for global Jewry, is by far the most dangerous country for Jewish people.Consider, for example, the massive smart high-tech security walls Israel built to keep out residents of the occupied territories of Gaza and the West Bank. They were remarkably effective (until October 7th) at segregating populations that Israelis have come to view as dangerous, if not as inherent enemies. At the same time, Israelis now have no day-to-day interaction with their Arab neighbors. They dont do business together, they dont make friends, they dont date, they dont talk, they cant get each other. Walling off Gaza is such an extreme act that it cuts off Israel from the Mediterranean Sea; no country interested in its internal security or military strategy voluntarily relinquishes access to the sea. Even the Arab Israelis, who comprise 20% of Israels population, have found themselves discriminated against, isolated and alienated within their own country.Its the height of irony. Its not just the people of Gaza who live in a giant open-air concentration camp. Survivors of Germanys camps have built their own prison campfor themselvesand its the biggest, most effective one of them all.No wonder Israelis cant relate to the rest of the planet. Theyve been living on the inside so long they dont see the real world anymore. Colonialism, a distinctly 19th and early 20th century project, is an anachronism. Apartheid, too. Israelis dont see that opposing the war against Gaza isnt the same as anti-Zionism, which itself isnt the same as antisemitism. They dont understand that, these days, even if you dont care about the people you are killing to steal their land, you have to pretend that you do (e.g., Bidens parachute drops of food supplies into the same place his bombs are killing the starving locals).It isnt fashionable to trust Palestinians, any Palestinians, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert observed. Thats how white South Africans felt about Blacks during apartheid. Now, of course, theyre fine. So it would/be in a unified post-apartheid Palestine.Now the highest-ranking Jewish politician in the US, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has formally issued a Biden-approved verbal demand for regime change in Israel, saying that Israel should call new elections, which polls indicate Netanyahu might lose.Yet, Netanyahu persists. No international pressure will stop Israel, the prime minister has said, pledging to attack Rafah despite Bidens warning.Isolated, cloistered, militaristic and more unhinged than ever, Israel is becoming the North Korea of the Middle East, Uri Misgav wrote in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Israelis need to tear down their paranoia-grounded security wallsnot just to liberate the Palestinians, though that is way overdue!but to free themselves.(Ted Rall (Twitter: @tedrall), the political cartoonist, columnist and graphic novelist, co-hosts the left-vs-right DMZ America podcast with fellow cartoonist Scott Stantis. You can support Teds hard-hitting political cartoons and columns and see his work first by sponsoring his work on Patreon.) https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/israel-may-use-starvation-as-method-of-war-in-gaza-strip---un-human-rights-chief-1117424516.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240322/the-world-sees-gaza-as-us-genocide-not-just-israels-1117481136.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240320/israel-must-be-treated-like-pariah-state-ended-forever--jewish-activist-1117436921.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/say-the-right-thing-for-the-cameras-the-schumer-biden-netanyahu-clash-1117416925.html israel palestine rafah Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ted Rall https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125340_0:0:360:360_100x100_80_0_0_1ed1a3494a53cde87e19521c3658fe92.jpg Ted Rall https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125340_0:0:360:360_100x100_80_0_0_1ed1a3494a53cde87e19521c3658fe92.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ted Rall https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/13/1082125340_0:0:360:360_100x100_80_0_0_1ed1a3494a53cde87e19521c3658fe92.jpg public opinion on israel, israeli actions in gaza, genocide in gaza, us complicity in hamas-israel conflict, palestine-israel conflict https://sputnikglobe.com/20240323/militaristic-revolution-in-the-eu-brussels-paves-legal-way-for-warmongering-1117512959.html Militaristic Revolution in the EU: Brussels Paves Legal Way for Warmongering Militaristic Revolution in the EU: Brussels Paves Legal Way for Warmongering Sputnik International During the last few days, the European Union went through a real militaristic revolution. A special legal task force is working on allowing the use of EU funds for war. 2024-03-23T19:04+0000 2024-03-23T19:04+0000 2024-03-23T19:21+0000 europe brussels european union (eu) world https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/09/1117219815_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_f63130daac471636693dc20d5191cb57.jpg The so-called European Peace Facility (EPF), officially stewarded by Josep Borrell, will get its money from the EU funds (and not individual states) after reporting the transfer of thousands of weapons systems to Kiev. EPF also reported having trained more than 40,000 Ukrainian military to use them.The Financial Times chose a somewhat routinely sounding lead for its story on the EUs decision to legally stop being an oasis of peace: Brussels proposes legal task force to explore ways to use the common budget for defense.The headline, however, was more disturbing: EU looks to bypass treaty ban on buying arms to support Ukraine.The reality described in the FTs story, however, is more dramatic than the headline and the lead taken together: the European Union, which was conceived as an entirely peaceful organization, becomes one of the worlds most implacable warring empires by law. Very soon the EUs Union Treaty will no longer have a provision prohibiting any expenditure arising from operations having military or defense implications. (Article 41, point 2 of the Treaty on European Union.) Or, at best, this provision will be made devoid of legal force by some new additions to the EUs legislation.FT reports, confirming its story by eyewitness accounts, that the European Commission is creating a legal task force, that would allow the EU to finance wars and military production by European money. In all likelihood, the first beneficiary of this financing will be NATOs proxies in Ukraine, waging a war against Russia and Russians since 2014.At a recent conference of the EUs 27 members in mid-March, 2024, it was decided to create within the framework of the so-called European Peace Facility (EPF) a special fund for financing Ukrainian armed forces (Ukraine Assistance Fund). What the relation is between the word peace and the system of buying and transporting weapons to the zone of conflict, remains unclear.Ukraine Assistance Fund (UAF) will be financed by donations from EU member states to the tune of 5 billion a year. At least 500 million from that sum will be spent on training Ukrainian servicemen to use the EPF-provided weapons. The weapons will mostly be European-made (such was the requirement of France), but not only. Weapons from third countries can be bought and sold, creating opportunities for the spread of dangerous weapons around the world.Judging by the recent EU summit on Thursday, which discussed the ways of stealing immobilized Russias foreign assets and pouring its money into the UAF for military support to Ukraine, no law is an obstacle for the EUs legal task forces.Was such an evolution of the EU unexpected?Not entirely. The EUs quasi-pacifist image started to crumble not now, but back in the 1990s. It transpired back then that the real European Union went a long way from the lofty ideas of the EUs founders. Only naive people can trust the EUs claims, that it is a purely soft power-based institution.In 1995-1999 the EUs member countries participated in military interventions against the former Yugoslav republics, later almost all EU members made their military contributions to the occupations of Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.However, as more and more crusades by individual Western countries or American-British alliances ended in defeats (one can cite Afghanistan in 2001-2021 or the French intervention in West Africa after the coup in Libya in 2011), the dreams about a collective war chest of the EU started to take shape.In 2020 the so-called European Defense Fund (EDF) and later, in March 2021, the European Peace Facility (EPF) started operating at the EU level. Their aim was clear from the start: to collect money from member countries and to buy arms for this money. Later, these weapons will be used against undemocratic countries, whose leaders happen to be at odds with the EU and the US.Real European pacifists immediately smelt the rat and protested both against EDF and especially against EPF, which after the escalation of the Ukrainian conflict became one of the main sponsors of Zelenskys military machine. Back in 2021, 40 pro-peace NGOs, headed by the German group Brot fur die Welt (Bread for the World) came out with a statement denouncing the EPF as an instrument which brings arms into wrong hands and allows to use the EU money to train the military cadres for dictatorial regimes.Now, however, Brussels uses widespread anti-Russian prejudice in the EU, as well as constant reminders about the "threat from Putin to justify the final destruction of the dream of peaceful Europe, which once inspired the pioneers of European integration. In comparison to 2021 critics are fewer and quieter. In this way, Russophobia was spiritually destructive for Europe, stealing its dream of world peace. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240322/there-is-no-way-for-eu-to-replace-us-funding-ukraine-without-tanking-euro-economy-1117480522.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240308/european-vassal-states-mull-arms-production-as-biden-leads-continent-to-destruction-1117198145.html brussels Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Dmitry Babich https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/0e/1116778495_0:120:720:840_100x100_80_0_0_9bf47040bc46073fb920d272be7bc29d.jpg Dmitry Babich https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/0e/1116778495_0:120:720:840_100x100_80_0_0_9bf47040bc46073fb920d272be7bc29d.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Dmitry Babich https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/0e/1116778495_0:120:720:840_100x100_80_0_0_9bf47040bc46073fb920d272be7bc29d.jpg europe military aid to ukraine, europe weapons to ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20240323/ship-catches-fire-off-yemen-coast-after-projectile-strike---uk-maritime-trade-authority-1117513615.html Ship Catches Fire Off Yemen Coast After Projectile Strike - UK Maritime Trade Authority Ship Catches Fire Off Yemen Coast After Projectile Strike - UK Maritime Trade Authority Sputnik International A vessel was hit by an unidentified projectile and caught fire 23 nautical miles west of Yemen's port of Mocha, also known as Al Mukha, the UK Trade Operations (UKMTO) said. 2024-03-23T20:53+0000 2024-03-23T20:53+0000 2024-03-23T20:53+0000 world yemen houthi united kingdom (uk) red sea crisis https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107933/31/1079333186_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_56fc3607485626d60924d4488a0952e4.jpg "UKMTO is aware of an incident 23NM west of Mukha, Yemen. A vessel was struck by an unidentified projectile. The resulting fire was successfully extinguished by the crew. Vessel and crew reported safe," the authority said in a statement on X.UKMTO advised vessels in the area to proceed with caution and report any suspicious activity. 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/20240322/houthis-use-mystery-improved-missile-to-pierce-israels-powerful-air-defenses-1117490582.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/us-flagged-vessels-in-middle-east-advised-to-turn-off-transponders-amid-houthi-threat-1117421600.html yemen united kingdom (uk) Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International yemen's port of mocha, yemeni al mukha, uk trade operations ukmto yemeni reports, red sea crisis, yemeni houthi attack, https://sputnikglobe.com/20240323/ukraine-becomes-den-of-terrorism-in-europe-with-help-of-west--foreign-ministry-spokeswoman--1117507933.html Ukraine Becomes Den of Terrorism in Europe With Help of West Foreign Ministry Ukraine Becomes Den of Terrorism in Europe With Help of West Foreign Ministry Sputnik International Ukraine has been turning into a center for the spread of terrorism in Europe for the past 10 years with the help of the West, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday. 2024-03-23T10:23+0000 2024-03-23T10:23+0000 2024-03-23T10:46+0000 world ukraine ukrainian crisis terrorism anti-terrorism moscow concert hall attack https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/14/1117438850_0:133:3012:1827_1920x0_80_0_0_cdab946e2be725047d12c5b44a190278.jpg A shooting occurred on Friday evening in the Crocus City Hall concert venue just outside Moscow, followed by a massive fire. A Sputnik correspondent who witnessed the attack reported that at least three men in camouflage had broken into the music hall, shooting people point-blank and throwing incendiary bombs. According to the latest data from the Russian Investigative Committee, at least 115 people died in the terrorist attack and many others were injured, with the number of those killed expected to increase. ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International ukraine, ukrainian terrorism, moscow terror attack, crocus terror attack, moscow terror https://sputnikglobe.com/20240323/us-senate-reaches-deal-to-pass-12trln-spending-bill-vote-will-miss-shutdown-deadline-1117505519.html US Senate Reaches Deal to Pass $1.2Trln Spending Bill, Vote Will Miss Shutdown Deadline US Senate Reaches Deal to Pass $1.2Trln Spending Bill, Vote Will Miss Shutdown Deadline Sputnik International The US Senate reached a deal to pass a $1.2 trillion spending bill and will vote on it shortly on Friday night, but they missed the midnight deadline to avert a partial government shutdown. 2024-03-23T04:19+0000 2024-03-23T04:19+0000 2024-03-23T04:38+0000 americas us us senate us government shutdown shutdown https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/09/1d/1101354915_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_fe1c950418dedcb74403b07b2af5ae7c.jpg The government shutdown would officially take effect on Monday, given the upcoming weekend, but the Senate is expected to pass the legislation later on Friday night. The US House of Representatives passed the government funding bill earlier on Friday. The bill includes funding for the US Departments of Defense, Financial Services, Homeland Security, Labor, Health, and Education, the Legislative Branch, and the State and Foreign operations, including $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and $3.3 billion for Israel. The most recent and the longest shutdown in the United Stated happened in late 2018 into early 2019 under Donald Trump, lasting for 34 days.No Need for Government Shutdown The White House said in a statement that it is confident the US Senate will pass a $1.2 trillion spending bill shortly after missing the midnight deadline late Friday night, so it has ceased preparations for a government shutdown. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240228/time-is-running-out---big-four-leave-oval-office-without-plan-to-avert-shutdown-1117024667.html americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International us senate deal, us shutdown, us senate shutdown, us government shutdown, us crisis, government shutdown us https://sputnikglobe.com/20240323/who-was-real-mastermind-behind-shooting-in-moscow-1117510871.html Who Was Real Mastermind Behind Shooting in Moscow? Who Was Real Mastermind Behind Shooting in Moscow? Sputnik International At least 143 people were killed in the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack outside Moscow on March 22, with the death toll expected to further increase. 2024-03-23T15:41+0000 2024-03-23T15:41+0000 2024-03-23T15:41+0000 analysis russia moscow region terrorist attack crocus city hall terrorists russian federal security service (fsb) detention https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/17/1117510683_0:254:2740:1795_1920x0_80_0_0_12f7f3c7b04c952b4fbf9ad5718772f6.jpg Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) Director Alexander Bortnikov reported on Friday the arrest of 11 suspects in connection with the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue, including all four supposedly directly involved in it. The suspects were detained in the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, according to Bortnikov.The fact that the suspected terrorists were going to cross the Russian-Ukrainian border shows that they planned their evacuation routes via Ukraine, Andrey Popov, a reserve FSB colonel and member of the Association of Veterans of the Alfa anti-terror group, said in an interview with Sputnik.It would be unrealistic for the terrorists to cross the Ukrainian border without contacts with the countrys special services or the Ukrainian side on the whole, Popov said.He also suggested that Washington could "directly or indirectly" organize this deadly shooting rampage and that the US could definitely finance it, because "terrorism in the form of Ukraine has no other sources of funding except from the US and the UK."He recalled in this vein that the US had not extended condolences to Russia in connection with the Crocus City Hall attack, which was not the case with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who offered his condolences in light of the 9/11 terrorist attack in America.The death toll from the Crocus City Hall attack currently stands at 143, with the Russian Investigative Committee warning that the number of those killed in the bloodbath may be further on the rise.*ISIS (ISIL/Islamic State/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries russia moscow region Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International the arrest of 11 suspects in connection with the terrorist attack on the crocus city hall concert venue, the crocus city hall terrorist attack, a shooting rampage at the crocus city hall concert venue They may be small in stature, but to a traumatized child, a Rudy Bear can be a big comfort. The Cool Spring Ruritan Club recently donated 15 Rudy Bears to the Cool Springs Fire Department, which plans to share the stuffed animals with the Ebenezer Fire Department. The bears are designed to be given to children involved in traumatic situations, such as automobile accidents and fires. Rudy Bears are the mascot of Ruritan Clubs across the country and were created in 1988. Cool Springs VFD Chief Andy Webster and Assistant Chief Todd Bowers were on hand to receive the bears. Webster expressed his appreciation for the donation and said the bears will be put to good use. Webster talked to the club about the history of Cool Springs Fire Department, which began in the wake of a tragic fire that claimed five lives. After the fire in February 1960, the residents of the community met and began the process of starting a fire department. By the end of the year, the department was chartered and began running calls. The donation of the stuffed animals to the two fire departments is one of the ways in which Cool Spring Ruritan provides support for the community. The organization gives out scholarships to local students each year and uses donations to provide Christmas presents and food to families at Cool Spring Elementary School. One of the ways the organization raises the money necessary to fund the scholarships and the Christmas donation is through fundraisers. The next fundraiser the club will hold is a chicken barbecue dinner on April 13 beginning at 5 p.m. until the plates are sold out. This fundraiser will benefit the scholarship project. Chicken, baked beans, slaw, and dessert will be served and meals may either be picked up or eaten at the clubhouse at 1414 Old Mocksville Road. Drinks will be available for those who eat at the clubhouse. Students from Kelso, Woodland and Castle Rock high schools used their artistic talents to get a head start in careers in the arts when more than a dozen were recognized in a regional art show Wednesday. Kelso High School senior Yoselin Sanchez, Kelso junior Marina French and Woodland High School senior Lauren Popp were among 15 out of more than 100 students who received top honors at the 2024 Southwest Washington Regional High School Art Show, hosted online each year by the local Educational Service District 112. Winners are slated to receive $3,000 scholarships, renewable for four years, toward future enrollment at Portlands Pacific Northwest College of Art, and represent the Southwest region in the 51st Annual State Superintendent of Public Instruction Art Show in Olympia. Frenchs entry, Yoga Kitty, was also featured in the Annual National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition. Kelso sophomore Wyatt Straw, juniors Elizabeth Ruff and Emerson Norton, seniors Krysta Mattus and Hailey Smith and Castle Rock High School senior Rey Acrey received ESD 112 Awards. For this award, sophomores receive $100 scholarships toward the 2024 Pacific Northwest College of Art Pre-College Intensive Program, and juniors and seniors receive renewable $3,000 scholarships toward future enrollment at the college. Honorable mentions were given to Castle Rock senior Ryland Davis, Woodland senior Milo Raught and Kelso senior Chloe Moore. They will receive renewable $1,000 scholarships toward future enrollment at the Portland college as well. Ruff, Mattus and Woodland junior Samantha Brown also received $2,000 scholarships toward future enrollment at the department of art and design at Central Washington University. To view the shows entire gallery, visit www.esd112.org/artshow/gallery2024. Longview Mayor Spencer Boudreau and his political bloc have finally gotten their pound of flesh. We hope they feel they got their moneys worth and are now ready to move on. The friction between the Longview City Council and ousted City Manager Kris Swanson was no secret. Their feud has cast a large shadow on council meetings, especially since the surprise resolution to audit Ann Rivers came to light in February. Since then, it has been one of the top concerns in public comment sessions. Last week, the council made its move, voting 4-3 to suspend Swanson immediately and to fire her without cause in 30 days. First and foremost, this was the wrong move for the city from a financial standpoint. The city will have to give Swanson six months pay as severance, which comes to $89,500. Theyre also covering her insurance for the next six months and paying out her remaining vacation time. The council has decided that theyd rather pay someone to not work than iron out their personal differences. In doing so, theyve also opened the city up to possible legal repercussions. As weve previously reported, Swansons contract states she can only be terminated without cause through a five-vote supermajority. Yes, state law says that you can use a simple majority, which means the council didnt break the law. But contracts can and do add stipulations beyond the baseline requirements of the law, and this seems to be a pretty clear violation of that agreement. When and we do believe its a question of when, not if Swanson brings civil action, the cost of that case can be added to what the city will be paying in severance. The fact that this was a firing without cause shows that this was driven by preference and personality, not competency. As The Daily News has previously reported, Swansons last performance review was a positive one, with an average score of 4.34 out of 5. And we know Boudreau knows this too, as his signature is on the document. The firing of Swanson and her subsequent replacement with Jim Duscha, who endorsed Kalei LaFave during the November election, is reminiscent of a business getting a new owner, who then comes in to toss out old procedures and install their guys with no concern for how it impacts the bottom line. Yes, it probably is tough to work with people you didnt select, and with whom you have personal friction. However, billions of people manage to do that every single day all over the world. Just because you happen to be an elected civil servant, that doesnt mean you should get to spend $100,000 of the taxpayers money so you dont have to put up with that. But ultimately, these mistakes have been made. The egg cant be unscrambled. Now its time to look ahead. The next city manager This brings us to the topic of the next city manager. Boudreau told TDN he wants an open hiring process, and that a lack of transparency leads to public distrust. Lets hope he actually means that, because it seems like they really want Duscha for the role, and named him interim city manager Thursday. The council seems to like Duscha so much that theyre willing to risk violating Washington law by hiring him as the interim manager rather than naming an existing administrative officer of the city as state law dictates. We hope the City Council will really go above and beyond to try and bring in top candidates, rather than going through the motions of a competitive hiring process when, in truth, the majority may have already made up their mind. We also believe there should have been a competitive hiring process to hire Swanson, which there wasnt; she was appointed by the majority council. Moving through the hiring process in the light can avoid criticism, especially from the two sides who seem to be going tit for tat over such issues. The removal of a clause preventing Duscha from terminating department heads or other employees at Thursdays council meeting is equally concerning. The clause was expressly intended to preserve staff stability, so seeing it axed is naturally going to raise eyebrows. The contract also states Duscha is also interested in preserving stability, so we hope the spirit of that clause will continue going forward. Bringing in a new city manager and having him immediately start firing people is likely to create a lasting image of him as the councils hatchet man. Such reputations are hard to shake once acquired. Terminating one employee has a way of getting others to start looking for the doors, which can result in an exodus of talented employees. Mass firings can also make it difficult to attract the best possible replacements. A rash of high-profile terminations done without cause can have a chilling effect on recruitment for any place of employment. Furthermore, were also concerned about the legal ramifications of such firings. Several department heads spoke in favor of Swanson prior to her termination, and dismissing them in the same no-cause fashion the council did with Swanson would leave the city open to accusations of retaliation, which could result in additional civil cases. Even if the city proved their actions were not retaliatory in nature, thats still additional court costs that the city will need to cover. We think that, at this point, the wise move would just be to try and move on. Not all the city staff might agree with the councils decision to replace Swanson. Others may support the councils prerogative to have the city manager they choose. A plurality of viewpoints is a healthy thing. Whats important is ensuring those personal disagreements dont escalate to professional dysfunction. I was surprised and disappointed when I learned of the decision by of the Regents of the Texas A&M University System to cancel the contact with The Qatar Foundation, effective 2028. I wish they had provided additional information in support of their decision. Having expressed this wish, I understand they deal with difficult and frequently complex issues. I respect the fact that the decision they made is within their authority. The source of my surprise is the 20-plus year reputation of the partnership as one successful in every aspect. In the early days, I had a small role in the decision to partner with the Qatar Foundation. They made their request to Texas A&M University a few months before I ended my time as president. In response to that request, Provost Ronald Douglas, took a small delegation of faculty and administrators to Doha to evaluate whether we should pursue the opportunity in Qatar. This group returned with a strong positive assessment of the opportunities in Qatar. Nothing significant took place on the request until Bob Gates became President in August 2002. With the help of his Provost, David Prior, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved the program and, subsequently, the first contract was accepted by the then Board of Regents. As a former CIA Director, it is sensible to speculate that President Gates supported the partnership after a careful evaluation of its long-term benefits to the university, the state and our nation. In the environment of a now terminated contact, it is ironic to look back and recognize that our partnership was negotiated and accepted in the wake of the 911 attack on our nation. As is well known, our nation has significant long-term relationships with Qatar. For example, Qatar is the home of our Al Udid Air Base. The Al Udeid Air Base is the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East. Over 10,000 American troops are housed at the base. The relationship between our countries led our government to recognize Qatar as a Major Non-NATO Ally. In addition to military relationships, U.S. companies like Chevron Phillips Chemical, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips are successfully holding interests in Qatar. These companies, and others, I am told, have benefited from the availability and quality of the Aggie engineers produced by Texas A&M Qatar. Until the recent decision, the partnership of Texas A&M University with the Qatar Foundation has been viewed as successful. Any student of higher education will acknowledge that international partnerships are often difficult to manage and sustain. The partnership between Texas A&M University and Qatar is an exception. One indicator of the success is reflected in the decision of the Qatar Foundation to invest over $500 million in a building to house the Texas A&M engineering programs. This building is located within what is called The Education City. Along with Texas A&M University, Education City houses some of the leading universities of the United States. In 2017, I was invited to the dedication of the new engineering building. I was surprised and, admittedly, amazed by the impact made by the history and traditions of Texas A&M University on the students. The practice of organizing student exchanges between the College Station and Education City campus was effective in creating bonds between the two campuses. As an engineering faculty member, I personally taught Qatar exchange students. Without exception, they were good students with a strong pride in their Aggie education. It is going to be interesting to see the future impacts of the more than 1,500 engineering graduates that have received A&M degrees and the Aggie ring. Over 40% of the graduates and the current students are women. This fact goes against the stereotypical image of how majority Islamic nations evaluate the role of women. An issue that arose surrounding the partnership with the Qatar Foundation is a November 2023 report entitled Hijacking Higher Education Qatar, The Muslim Brotherhood and Texas A&M, published by The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism & Policy. Shortly after it was published, Mark Welsh, the President of Texas A&M University responded with an effective rebuttal to the disinformation propagated in the report. Subsequently, ISGAP published a criticism of the A&M response. In a recent statement, ISGAP appears to be taking credit for the Board of Regents action. While any further action by an A&M person will result in additional disinformation, it is troubling to think that this report and its later assertions remain before the public. I am troubled by the disinformation spread by ISGAP. Texas A&M University for almost 150 years has been populated by patriotic people willing to defend and protect our nation. Driven by that understanding, it is my opinion that the Board of Regents should employ the services of an independent group to study and evaluate the management of Texas A&Ms contract with Qatar. An objective evaluation from a group that is independent of A&M would serve to make public the facts surrounding the Texas A&M and Qatar partnership. If the findings show improper management by A&M, then they should be made public. If they show ISGAP was wrong, that also should be made public. A study by an independent group would be consistent with how the Texas A&M University I know has historically conducted its business in an open and transparent fashion. I have other opinions, but a broad criticism from a long-departed former president and faculty member is not helpful to a university I love and respect. I just hope Texas A&M University finds a way to protect the interests of the current students, faculty, and staff of the Qatar campus. Some of these individuals have been with the Qatar campus for all of its twenty-one years. Monterey Private Wealth Inc. reduced its position in shares of Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE:XOM Free Report) by 1.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 22,341 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 336 shares during the period. Exxon Mobil makes up approximately 1.0% of Monterey Private Wealth Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest position. Monterey Private Wealth Inc.s holdings in Exxon Mobil were worth $2,234,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Axiom Financial Strategies LLC increased its stake in Exxon Mobil by 17.4% during the 1st quarter. Axiom Financial Strategies LLC now owns 7,909 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $680,000 after buying an additional 1,173 shares during the period. Retirement Income Solutions Inc acquired a new position in shares of Exxon Mobil in the 1st quarter valued at about $275,000. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P boosted its holdings in shares of Exxon Mobil by 318.8% in the 1st quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 17,163 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $1,417,000 after buying an additional 13,065 shares during the period. Ergoteles LLC boosted its stake in Exxon Mobil by 95.6% during the 1st quarter. Ergoteles LLC now owns 15,843 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $1,308,000 after purchasing an additional 7,744 shares during the period. Finally, Bridgefront Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Exxon Mobil in the 1st quarter worth approximately $237,000. 58.53% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Exxon Mobil alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms have recently issued reports on XOM. UBS Group cut their price target on shares of Exxon Mobil from $133.00 to $132.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Mizuho upped their price objective on shares of Exxon Mobil from $119.00 to $125.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of Exxon Mobil from $134.00 to $127.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Piper Sandler dropped their price objective on shares of Exxon Mobil from $142.00 to $130.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 14th. Finally, Redburn Atlantic upgraded shares of Exxon Mobil from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the company from $116.00 to $119.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $128.18. Insider Buying and Selling at Exxon Mobil In related news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 2,400 shares of Exxon Mobil stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.00, for a total value of $252,000.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 30,189 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,169,845. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.06% of the companys stock. Exxon Mobil Stock Performance NYSE XOM remained flat at $113.49 during trading hours on Friday. 14,581,375 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 18,769,764. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $104.09 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $106.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.48 and a quick ratio of 1.09. The firm has a market capitalization of $450.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.76, a P/E/G ratio of 4.14 and a beta of 0.96. Exxon Mobil Co. has a 12 month low of $95.77 and a 12 month high of $120.70. Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The oil and gas company reported $2.48 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.20 by $0.28. Exxon Mobil had a net margin of 10.45% and a return on equity of 18.51%. The business had revenue of $84.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $90.03 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.40 earnings per share. The companys revenue was down 11.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Exxon Mobil Co. will post 9.11 EPS for the current fiscal year. Exxon Mobil Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 11th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 14th were issued a dividend of $0.95 per share. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.35%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 13th. Exxon Mobils payout ratio is 42.74%. About Exxon Mobil (Free Report) Exxon Mobil Corporation engages in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas in the United States and internationally. It operates through Upstream, Energy Products, Chemical Products, and Specialty Products segments. The Upstream segment explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Exxon Mobil Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Exxon Mobil and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wealthsource Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP Free Report) (TSE:CP) by 3.4% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 31,724 shares of the transportation companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,054 shares during the quarter. Wealthsource Partners LLCs holdings in Canadian Pacific Kansas City were worth $2,508,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Cetera Investment Advisers grew its stake in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 3.4% in the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 16,828 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,389,000 after purchasing an additional 559 shares in the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 69.1% during the first quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 5,539 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $457,000 after buying an additional 2,263 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 2.4% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 30,249,662 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $2,496,807,000 after buying an additional 695,215 shares in the last quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 5.1% in the 1st quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 49,524 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $4,087,000 after purchasing an additional 2,417 shares during the period. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. boosted its position in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 116.4% in the 1st quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 14,274 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $1,178,000 after purchasing an additional 7,678 shares during the period. 67.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Canadian Pacific Kansas City alerts: Canadian Pacific Kansas City Trading Down 0.8 % Shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City stock traded down $0.72 during trading on Friday, hitting $89.28. 820,942 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,783,622. Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited has a 1-year low of $68.92 and a 1-year high of $91.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 0.53 and a quick ratio of 0.46. The firm has a market capitalization of $83.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 0.94. The firms fifty day moving average price is $84.26 and its 200 day moving average price is $78.00. Canadian Pacific Kansas City Increases Dividend Canadian Pacific Kansas City ( NYSE:CP Get Free Report ) (TSE:CP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $0.87 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.83 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $2.77 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.71 billion. Canadian Pacific Kansas City had a return on equity of 8.52% and a net margin of 31.29%. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited will post 3.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 29th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 28th will be issued a dividend of $0.1415 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. This is a positive change from Canadian Pacific Kansas Citys previous quarterly dividend of $0.14. This represents a $0.57 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.63%. Canadian Pacific Kansas Citys payout ratio is presently 18.15%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. StockNews.com raised Canadian Pacific Kansas City from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. Susquehanna Bancshares lowered Canadian Pacific Kansas City from a positive rating to a neutral rating and lowered their target price for the company from $90.00 to $87.00 in a report on Monday, January 8th. TD Securities lowered Canadian Pacific Kansas City from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, January 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $121.00 to $116.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, December 21st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered Canadian Pacific Kansas City from a buy rating to a hold rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $85.00 to $77.00 in a report on Monday, November 27th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $92.94. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on CP Canadian Pacific Kansas City Company Profile (Free Report) Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates a transcontinental freight railway in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The company transports bulk commodities, including grain, coal, potash, fertilizers, and sulphur; merchandise freight, such as forest products, energy, chemicals and plastics, metals, minerals, consumer products, and automotive; and intermodal traffic comprising retail goods in overseas containers. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP Free Report) (TSE:CP). Receive News & Ratings for Canadian Pacific Kansas City Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canadian Pacific Kansas City and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE:CX Get Free Report) saw unusually-strong trading volume on Thursday . Approximately 11,420,930 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 84% from the previous sessions volume of 6,207,521 shares.The stock last traded at $8.47 and had previously closed at $8.43. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages have issued reports on CX. Bank of America upgraded CEMEX from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $8.20 to $9.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. StockNews.com lowered CEMEX from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Finally, Barclays lowered CEMEX from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and set a $9.00 target price for the company. in a report on Friday, February 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $9.37. Get CEMEX alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on CX CEMEX Stock Performance The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.74 and a quick ratio of 0.47. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $8.00 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $7.31. The stock has a market capitalization of $12.45 billion, a PE ratio of 71.67, a P/E/G ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 1.45. CEMEX (NYSE:CX Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The construction company reported ($0.30) EPS for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $4.24 billion for the quarter. CEMEX had a return on equity of 1.50% and a net margin of 1.06%. Research analysts expect that CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. will post 0.94 EPS for the current year. Institutional Trading of CEMEX Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV acquired a new stake in shares of CEMEX in the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of CEMEX in the 2nd quarter worth $40,000. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its position in shares of CEMEX by 65.0% in the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 5,232 shares of the construction companys stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 2,062 shares in the last quarter. Engineers Gate Manager LP acquired a new stake in shares of CEMEX in the 4th quarter worth $41,000. Finally, Cetera Advisor Networks LLC acquired a new stake in CEMEX during the 2nd quarter worth about $53,000. Institutional investors own 31.81% of the companys stock. About CEMEX (Get Free Report) CEMEX, SAB. de C.V., together with its subsidiaries, produces, markets, distributes, and sells cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates, urbanization solutions, and other construction materials worldwide. The company also offers asphalt, concrete blocks, concrete block paving, rail sleepers, and flooring systems; architectural concrete products; and box culverts, bridges, drainage basins, barriers, and parking curbs. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for CEMEX Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CEMEX and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. FactSet Research Systems (NYSE:FDS Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The business services provider reported $4.22 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.83 by $0.39, reports. The firm had revenue of $545.95 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $547.93 million. FactSet Research Systems had a net margin of 22.72% and a return on equity of 34.36%. FactSet Research Systems updated its FY24 guidance to $15.60-$16.00 EPS and its FY 2024 guidance to 15.600-16.000 EPS. FactSet Research Systems Stock Performance Shares of NYSE FDS opened at $447.78 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $17.06 billion, a PE ratio of 35.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 0.73. FactSet Research Systems has a 12 month low of $377.89 and a 12 month high of $488.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83, a current ratio of 1.79 and a quick ratio of 1.68. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $468.71 and a 200-day simple moving average of $454.99. Get FactSet Research Systems alerts: FactSet Research Systems Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 21st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 29th were issued a dividend of $0.98 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.88%. FactSet Research Systemss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.04%. Insider Transactions at FactSet Research Systems Institutional Investors Weigh In On FactSet Research Systems In related news, CEO Frederick Philip Snow sold 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $476.02, for a total value of $1,428,060.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 12,915 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,147,798.30. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink . In other news, Director Laurie Siegel sold 1,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $475.84, for a total transaction of $713,760.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 595 shares of the companys stock, valued at $283,124.80. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website . Also, CEO Frederick Philip Snow sold 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $476.02, for a total transaction of $1,428,060.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 12,915 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,147,798.30. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold a total of 5,514 shares of company stock worth $2,617,640 over the last ninety days. 1.00% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of FDS. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. boosted its holdings in shares of FactSet Research Systems by 12.6% in the third quarter. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. now owns 2,118 shares of the business services providers stock worth $926,000 after buying an additional 237 shares during the period. Nordea Investment Management AB grew its stake in shares of FactSet Research Systems by 45.1% in the third quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 185,103 shares of the business services providers stock worth $81,723,000 after acquiring an additional 57,502 shares during the last quarter. Fiera Capital Corp boosted its stake in FactSet Research Systems by 1.6% during the third quarter. Fiera Capital Corp now owns 441,046 shares of the business services providers stock worth $192,852,000 after buying an additional 6,960 shares in the last quarter. Royal London Asset Management Ltd. boosted its stake in FactSet Research Systems by 27.3% during the third quarter. Royal London Asset Management Ltd. now owns 84,137 shares of the business services providers stock worth $36,800,000 after buying an additional 18,031 shares in the last quarter. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its holdings in shares of FactSet Research Systems by 15.3% during the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 503,467 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $220,146,000 after acquiring an additional 66,986 shares during the period. 89.50% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research firms have recently commented on FDS. Stifel Nicolaus restated a hold rating and issued a $469.00 target price on shares of FactSet Research Systems in a research note on Friday. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on shares of FactSet Research Systems from $377.00 to $419.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a research note on Friday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a hold rating and issued a $480.00 target price (up previously from $471.00) on shares of FactSet Research Systems in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and issued a $464.00 price objective on shares of FactSet Research Systems in a research note on Friday. Finally, Oppenheimer reiterated a market perform rating on shares of FactSet Research Systems in a research note on Friday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and ten have assigned a hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, FactSet Research Systems has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $442.89. View Our Latest Research Report on FDS About FactSet Research Systems (Get Free Report) FactSet Research Systems Inc, a financial data company, provides integrated financial information and analytical applications to the investment community in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The company delivers insight and information through the workflow solutions of research, analytics and trading, content and technology solutions, and wealth. See Also Receive News & Ratings for FactSet Research Systems Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for FactSet Research Systems and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC bought a new stake in Enviva Inc. (NYSE:EVA Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 45,300 shares of the energy companys stock, valued at approximately $45,000. FNY Investment Advisers LLC owned approximately 0.06% of Enviva at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in Enviva by 6.0% during the third quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,954 shares of the energy companys stock worth $237,000 after acquiring an additional 224 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Enviva in the first quarter worth $26,000. Raymond James Trust N.A. raised its stake in shares of Enviva by 15.2% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 3,575 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $283,000 after buying an additional 473 shares in the last quarter. American International Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Enviva during the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Enviva by 8.3% in the 1st quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 6,500 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $514,000 after purchasing an additional 500 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.21% of the companys stock. Get Enviva alerts: Enviva Stock Down 5.4 % Shares of NYSE EVA traded down $0.02 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $0.43. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,792,259 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,457,217. Enviva Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $0.25 and a fifty-two week high of $29.46. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $0.48 and a 200-day simple moving average of $2.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.89, a current ratio of 1.42 and a quick ratio of 1.06. Enviva Company Profile Enviva Inc produces, processes, and sells utility-grade wood pellets. The company's products are used as a substitute for coal in power generation, and combined heat and power plants. It serves power generators in the United Kingdom, European Union, and Japan. DS: The company was formerly known as Enviva Partners, LP and changed its name to Enviva Inc in December 2021. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EVA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Enviva Inc. (NYSE:EVA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Enviva Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Enviva and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton lessened its position in shares of iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF (NYSEARCA:IEUR Free Report) by 10.8% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 8,238 shares of the companys stock after selling 998 shares during the period. Rosenberg Matthew Hamiltons holdings in iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF were worth $453,000 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. Spire Wealth Management lifted its position in shares of iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF by 58.5% in the third quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 683 shares of the companys stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 252 shares in the last quarter. Buck Wealth Strategies LLC acquired a new stake in iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF in the 3rd quarter worth about $39,000. AlphaCore Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF in the third quarter worth approximately $43,000. Sheets Smith Wealth Management acquired a new position in iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF during the third quarter worth approximately $49,000. Finally, Financial Freedom LLC acquired a new stake in shares of iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF during the 4th quarter worth $50,000. Get iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF alerts: iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF Stock Performance iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF stock traded down $0.11 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $57.53. The stock had a trading volume of 301,949 shares, compared to its average volume of 873,029. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.67 billion, a PE ratio of 12.11 and a beta of 0.95. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $55.40 and its 200 day simple moving average is $52.83. iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF has a twelve month low of $47.10 and a twelve month high of $57.99. iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF Profile The iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF (IEUR) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI Europe IMI index, a market-cap-weighted index of developed European securities. IEUR was launched on Jun 10, 2014 and is managed by BlackRock. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IEUR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF (NYSEARCA:IEUR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC reduced its stake in Macys, Inc. (NYSE:M Free Report) by 70.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,200 shares of the companys stock after selling 7,600 shares during the period. FNY Investment Advisers LLCs holdings in Macys were worth $64,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Macys during the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Quarry LP purchased a new position in Macys in the first quarter valued at about $33,000. Belpointe Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Macys by 267.1% during the 1st quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 1,964 shares of the companys stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 1,429 shares during the last quarter. Estabrook Capital Management raised its position in shares of Macys by 77.8% in the 1st quarter. Estabrook Capital Management now owns 1,600 shares of the companys stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 700 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp boosted its stake in shares of Macys by 221.4% during the 3rd quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 3,506 shares of the companys stock valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 2,415 shares during the last quarter. 82.69% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Macy's alerts: Macys Stock Performance M traded down $0.54 on Friday, hitting $20.25. The company had a trading volume of 6,580,128 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,593,946. Macys, Inc. has a 1-year low of $10.54 and a 1-year high of $22.10. The stock has a market cap of $5.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.73 and a beta of 2.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 0.39. The companys fifty day moving average price is $19.35 and its 200 day moving average price is $16.11. Macys Increases Dividend Macys ( NYSE:M Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 27th. The company reported $2.45 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.98 by $0.47. The business had revenue of $8.12 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.07 billion. Macys had a net margin of 0.45% and a return on equity of 23.34%. Macyss quarterly revenue was down 1.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.88 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Macys, Inc. will post 2.57 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be paid a $0.1737 dividend. This is an increase from Macyss previous quarterly dividend of $0.17. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $0.69 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.43%. Macyss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 186.49%. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms recently commented on M. TD Cowen downgraded Macys from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $23.00 to $20.00 in a research note on Thursday, February 29th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Macys in a research report on Saturday. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Citigroup upgraded shares of Macys from a sell rating to a neutral rating and increased their price objective for the company from $14.00 to $18.00 in a report on Friday, February 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Macys from $23.00 to $25.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, March 18th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on Macys from $16.00 to $22.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 28th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $17.45. View Our Latest Report on Macys Macys Company Profile (Free Report) Macy's, Inc, an omni-channel retail organization, operates stores, websites, and mobile applications in the United States. The company sells a range of merchandise, such as apparel and accessories for men, women, and kids; cosmetics; home furnishings; and other consumer goods under the Macy's, Bloomingdale's, and bluemercury brands. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding M? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Macys, Inc. (NYSE:M Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Macy's Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Macy's and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA Get Free Report) major shareholder Foundation Mastercard sold 200 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $487.25, for a total transaction of $97,450.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 97,543,308 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $47,527,976,823. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Major shareholders that own at least 10% of a companys shares are required to disclose their transactions with the SEC. Mastercard Stock Performance Shares of MA stock opened at $481.67 on Friday. Mastercard Incorporated has a 52 week low of $346.31 and a 52 week high of $490.00. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $460.20 and a two-hundred day moving average of $424.59. The stock has a market capitalization of $449.35 billion, a PE ratio of 40.72, a P/E/G ratio of 1.85 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a quick ratio of 1.17, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.06. Get Mastercard alerts: Mastercard (NYSE:MA Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 31st. The credit services provider reported $3.18 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.08 by $0.10. The company had revenue of $6.55 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.46 billion. Mastercard had a net margin of 44.60% and a return on equity of 191.22%. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.65 earnings per share. On average, research analysts predict that Mastercard Incorporated will post 14.36 EPS for the current fiscal year. Mastercard Announces Dividend Mastercard announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock repurchase plan on Tuesday, December 5th that allows the company to repurchase $11.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the credit services provider to buy up to 2.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are typically a sign that the companys board of directors believes its shares are undervalued. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 9th. Investors of record on Tuesday, April 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.66 per share. This represents a $2.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.55%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, April 8th. Mastercards dividend payout ratio is currently 22.32%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades MA has been the subject of several research reports. Tigress Financial upped their price target on shares of Mastercard from $476.00 to $495.00 and gave the company a strong-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, December 7th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on Mastercard from $433.00 to $482.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 11th. Mizuho boosted their price objective on Mastercard from $462.00 to $480.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. Oppenheimer reiterated an outperform rating and set a $510.00 price objective on shares of Mastercard in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $480.00 to $490.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, February 1st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $476.35. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Mastercard Institutional Trading of Mastercard Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MA. Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC lifted its position in Mastercard by 5.0% during the 4th quarter. Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC now owns 484 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $206,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares during the period. Cypress Wealth Services LLC raised its position in shares of Mastercard by 2.9% in the 4th quarter. Cypress Wealth Services LLC now owns 864 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $369,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares during the period. Syntegra Private Wealth Group LLC raised its position in shares of Mastercard by 1.2% in the 4th quarter. Syntegra Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 1,996 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $851,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares during the period. TRUE Private Wealth Advisors raised its position in shares of Mastercard by 2.4% in the 4th quarter. TRUE Private Wealth Advisors now owns 1,037 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $442,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares during the period. Finally, Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO raised its position in shares of Mastercard by 4.4% in the 4th quarter. Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO now owns 598 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $255,000 after acquiring an additional 25 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.94% of the companys stock. About Mastercard (Get Free Report) Mastercard Incorporated, a technology company, provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services in the United States and internationally. The company offers integrated products and value-added services for account holders, merchants, financial institutions, digital partners, businesses, governments, and other organizations, such as programs that enable issuers to provide consumers with credits to defer payments; payment products and solutions that allow its customers to access funds in deposit and other accounts; prepaid programs services; and commercial credit, debit, and prepaid payment products and solutions. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Mastercard Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mastercard and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. NanoXplore Inc. (TSE:GRA Get Free Report) Senior Officer Rocco Marinaccio bought 7,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 22nd. The stock was purchased at an average price of C$2.66 per share, with a total value of C$18,620.00. Rocco Marinaccio also recently made the following trade(s): Get NanoXplore alerts: On Tuesday, March 19th, Rocco Marinaccio acquired 1,980 shares of NanoXplore stock. The shares were bought at an average price of C$2.72 per share, with a total value of C$5,385.60. On Friday, March 8th, Rocco Marinaccio bought 4,500 shares of NanoXplore stock. The stock was acquired at an average price of C$2.87 per share, with a total value of C$12,915.00. On Wednesday, March 6th, Rocco Marinaccio bought 2,300 shares of NanoXplore stock. The stock was acquired at an average price of C$2.76 per share, with a total value of C$6,348.00. On Wednesday, February 21st, Rocco Marinaccio acquired 9,000 shares of NanoXplore stock. The stock was purchased at an average price of C$2.10 per share, with a total value of C$18,900.00. NanoXplore Stock Down 0.4 % TSE GRA opened at C$2.64 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.01, a current ratio of 2.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 20.38. The company has a fifty day moving average of C$2.35 and a two-hundred day moving average of C$2.35. The firm has a market capitalization of C$450.15 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -37.71 and a beta of 1.35. NanoXplore Inc. has a 52 week low of C$1.87 and a 52 week high of C$3.57. Analysts Set New Price Targets NanoXplore ( TSE:GRA Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 13th. The company reported C($0.01) EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of C($0.01). NanoXplore had a negative net margin of 8.63% and a negative return on equity of 9.61%. The business had revenue of C$29.06 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of C$32.35 million. On average, analysts predict that NanoXplore Inc. will post 0.02 earnings per share for the current year. A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on GRA. Royal Bank of Canada set a C$3.25 price objective on shares of NanoXplore and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, December 4th. Echelon Wealth Partners restated a speculative buy rating on shares of NanoXplore in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat, NanoXplore currently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of C$3.75. Get Our Latest Report on NanoXplore NanoXplore Company Profile (Get Free Report) NanoXplore Inc, a graphene company, manufactures and supplies graphene powder for use in industrial markets. The company offers graphene-based solutions, including GrapheneBlack powder and graphene-enhanced masterbatch pellets. It provides standard and custom graphene-enhanced plastic and composite products to customers in transportation, packaging, electronics, and other industrial sectors. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for NanoXplore Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NanoXplore and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. New Hampshire Trust cut its stake in Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB Free Report) by 0.6% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 14,410 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 84 shares during the period. New Hampshire Trusts holdings in Chubb were worth $3,257,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. State Street Corp raised its holdings in Chubb by 1.0% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 18,670,426 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $3,610,928,000 after acquiring an additional 181,441 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in shares of Chubb by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 18,522,413 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $3,855,996,000 after purchasing an additional 138,142 shares during the last quarter. Deutsche Bank AG increased its stake in shares of Chubb by 426.8% in the 3rd quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 16,119,520 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $3,355,762,000 after purchasing an additional 13,059,385 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors increased its stake in shares of Chubb by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 10,259,488 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,975,364,000 after purchasing an additional 27,110 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Chubb by 102,751.3% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 8,289,814 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,828,733,000 after purchasing an additional 8,281,754 shares during the last quarter. 86.30% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Chubb alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets CB has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. JMP Securities lifted their price target on Chubb from $250.00 to $280.00 and gave the company a market outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. Roth Mkm lifted their price target on Chubb from $260.00 to $280.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. TD Cowen initiated coverage on Chubb in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. They issued a market perform rating and a $254.00 price target on the stock. StockNews.com lowered Chubb from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on Chubb from $255.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $255.06. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, EVP Timothy Alan Boroughs sold 14,303 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $258.78, for a total transaction of $3,701,330.34. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 35,662 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,228,612.36. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, EVP Timothy Alan Boroughs sold 14,303 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $258.78, for a total transaction of $3,701,330.34. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 35,662 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,228,612.36. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider John J. Lupica sold 34,464 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $258.92, for a total value of $8,923,418.88. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 130,937 shares in the company, valued at $33,902,208.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 116,043 shares of company stock valued at $29,766,694. 0.37% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Chubb Stock Down 0.3 % Shares of NYSE:CB opened at $255.51 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $103.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.70, a P/E/G ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a current ratio of 0.29 and a quick ratio of 0.29. The businesss 50-day moving average is $247.58 and its 200-day moving average is $227.98. Chubb Limited has a 1 year low of $183.40 and a 1 year high of $260.58. Chubb (NYSE:CB Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 30th. The financial services provider reported $8.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $5.07 by $3.23. The company had revenue of $13.38 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.88 billion. Chubb had a return on equity of 16.45% and a net margin of 18.11%. Equities research analysts predict that Chubb Limited will post 21.16 earnings per share for the current year. Chubb Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 5th. Investors of record on Friday, March 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.86 per share. This represents a $3.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.35%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. Chubbs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 15.76%. Chubb Profile (Free Report) Chubb Limited provides insurance and reinsurance products worldwide. The company's North America Commercial P&C Insurance segment offers commercial property, casualty, workers' compensation, package policies, risk management, financial lines, marine, construction, environmental, medical risk, cyber risk, surety, and casualty; and group accident and health insurance to large, middle market, and small commercial businesses. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Chubb Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chubb and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending Corp. (NYSE:NCDL Get Free Report) have received an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the six analysts that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and three have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price target among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $18.50. A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on NCDL shares. Bank of America started coverage on Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. They issued a buy rating and a $19.00 target price on the stock. Truist Financial started coverage on Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. They issued a buy rating and a $19.00 target price on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. They issued an equal weight rating and a $18.00 target price on the stock. JMP Securities raised Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $18.50 target price on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 28th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods started coverage on Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. They issued a market perform rating and a $18.50 target price on the stock. Get Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on NCDL Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending Stock Down 0.4 % Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending stock opened at $17.89 on Friday. Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending has a one year low of $16.00 and a one year high of $18.10. Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending (NYSE:NCDL Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 27th. The company reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.62 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $48.95 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $48.40 million. Equities analysts forecast that Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending will post 2.23 earnings per share for the current year. Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 29th. Investors of record on Saturday, March 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.10 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 10.6%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. About Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending (Get Free Report Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending Corp. is a specialty finance company focused primarily on investing in senior secured loans to private equity-owned U.S. middle market companies. It has elected to be regulated as a business development company. Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending Corp. is based in NEW YORK. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Premier Path Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS Free Report) during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm acquired 1,767 shares of the investment management companys stock, valued at approximately $682,000. Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of GS. Fairfield Bush & CO. acquired a new position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in the 1st quarter valued at $66,000. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. raised its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 1,505.1% during the 1st quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. now owns 41,300 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $13,633,000 after buying an additional 38,727 shares during the period. Baird Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 18.5% during the 1st quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 118,609 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $39,153,000 after buying an additional 18,540 shares during the period. Zions Bancorporation N.A. increased its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 79.4% during the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 827 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $273,000 after purchasing an additional 366 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Covestor Ltd increased its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 118.3% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 310 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $102,000 after purchasing an additional 168 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.06% of the companys stock. Get The Goldman Sachs Group alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, CFO Denis P. Coleman sold 12,680 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $394.43, for a total transaction of $5,001,372.40. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 29,417 shares of the companys stock, valued at $11,602,947.31. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In related news, CFO Denis P. Coleman sold 12,680 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $394.43, for a total value of $5,001,372.40. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 29,417 shares of the companys stock, valued at $11,602,947.31. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Treasurer Philip R. Berlinski sold 11,650 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $390.64, for a total transaction of $4,550,956.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the treasurer now owns 18,408 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,190,901.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 38,907 shares of company stock valued at $15,080,021. 0.54% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. UBS Group increased their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $382.00 to $440.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, January 9th. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $357.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, January 18th. JMP Securities reiterated a market outperform rating and set a $440.00 target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. Barclays increased their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $437.00 to $493.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 2nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $421.00 to $424.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, The Goldman Sachs Group presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $406.87. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on The Goldman Sachs Group The Goldman Sachs Group Price Performance NYSE:GS traded down $6.89 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $406.82. The stock had a trading volume of 2,190,278 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,365,624. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $386.18 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $354.96. The stock has a market capitalization of $132.03 billion, a PE ratio of 17.83, a P/E/G ratio of 1.61 and a beta of 1.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.29, a current ratio of 0.76 and a quick ratio of 0.76. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $289.36 and a 12 month high of $416.76. The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 16th. The investment management company reported $5.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.62 by $1.86. The business had revenue of $11.32 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.80 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 7.85% and a return on equity of 8.03%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $3.32 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts anticipate that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 32.6 earnings per share for the current year. The Goldman Sachs Group Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 29th will be paid a dividend of $2.75 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $11.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.70%. The Goldman Sachs Groups payout ratio is presently 48.20%. The Goldman Sachs Group Profile (Free Report) The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in financing under securities to resale agreements. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Premier Path Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 14,839 shares of the consumer goods makers stock, valued at approximately $969,000. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 8.7% in the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 98,375 shares of the consumer goods makers stock valued at $5,909,000 after buying an additional 7,887 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. grew its position in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 8.2% in the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 26,865 shares of the consumer goods makers stock worth $1,614,000 after acquiring an additional 2,028 shares during the period. Citigroup Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 13.2% during the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 57,729 shares of the consumer goods makers stock worth $3,468,000 after purchasing an additional 6,742 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its stake in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 14.1% during the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 35,077 shares of the consumer goods makers stock worth $2,154,000 after buying an additional 4,342 shares during the period. Finally, BlackRock Inc. boosted its position in shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 11.8% during the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 356,048 shares of the consumer goods makers stock worth $21,384,000 after buying an additional 37,476 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 5.53% of the companys stock. Get Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV alerts: Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Stock Performance Shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV stock traded up $0.21 on Friday, hitting $59.50. The stock had a trading volume of 2,951,511 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,770,945. The company has a current ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 0.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV has a 52-week low of $51.66 and a 52-week high of $67.09. The companys 50 day moving average price is $62.49 and its 200 day moving average price is $60.27. The stock has a market cap of $103.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.45, a P/E/G ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 1.13. Analyst Ratings Changes Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV ( NYSE:BUD Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 28th. The consumer goods maker reported $0.82 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.76 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $14.47 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $15.34 billion. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV had a net margin of 8.99% and a return on equity of 13.57%. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.98 earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate that Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV will post 3.47 EPS for the current year. A number of brokerages recently commented on BUD. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, November 29th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their price target for the company from $60.00 to $76.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. TD Cowen decreased their price objective on Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV from $67.00 to $65.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, December 4th. Finally, UBS Group raised Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV from a sell rating to a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, December 5th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $71.70. Read Our Latest Report on BUD About Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (Free Report) Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV produces, distributes, exports, markets, and sells beer and beverages. It offers a portfolio of approximately 500 beer brands, which primarily include Budweiser, Corona, and Stella Artois; Beck's, Hoegaarden, Leffe, and Michelob Ultra; and Aguila, Antarctica, Bud Light, Brahma, Cass, Castle, Castle Lite, Cristal, Harbin, Jupiler, Modelo Especial, Quilmes, Victoria, Sedrin, and Skol brands. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BUD? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, March 21st, Zacks reports. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 25th will be given a dividend of 0.09 per share by the semiconductor producer on Tuesday, July 2nd. This represents a $0.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.83%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 25th. This is an increase from STMicroelectronicss previous quarterly dividend of $0.06. STMicroelectronics has increased its dividend payment by an average of 8.9% annually over the last three years. STMicroelectronics has a dividend payout ratio of 8.9% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Research analysts expect STMicroelectronics to earn $4.01 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.36 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 9.0%. Get STMicroelectronics alerts: STMicroelectronics Stock Down 0.4 % STM stock opened at $43.30 on Friday. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $45.22 and its 200-day simple moving average is $44.88. The company has a market capitalization of $39.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.85 and a beta of 1.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 3.17 and a quick ratio of 2.44. STMicroelectronics has a 12 month low of $37.21 and a 12 month high of $55.85. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth STMicroelectronics ( NYSE:STM Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The semiconductor producer reported $1.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.95 by $0.19. STMicroelectronics had a net margin of 24.36% and a return on equity of 27.70%. The firm had revenue of $4.28 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.08 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.32 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was down 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that STMicroelectronics will post 3.06 earnings per share for the current year. Several brokerages have weighed in on STM. HSBC began coverage on shares of STMicroelectronics in a research note on Thursday, February 22nd. They set a buy rating for the company. Craig Hallum lowered their price objective on shares of STMicroelectronics from $50.00 to $48.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. StockNews.com lowered shares of STMicroelectronics from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. Finally, UBS Group upgraded shares of STMicroelectronics from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, December 15th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven 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 $50.75. View Our Latest Report on STM Institutional Investors Weigh In On STMicroelectronics Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in STM. Prudential Financial Inc. acquired a new position in STMicroelectronics in the 1st quarter valued at about $231,000. Bridgefront Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of STMicroelectronics during the 2nd quarter valued at about $229,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of STMicroelectronics during the 4th quarter valued at about $229,000. Captrust Financial Advisors increased its stake in shares of STMicroelectronics by 109.8% during the 2nd quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 7,129 shares of the semiconductor producers stock valued at $224,000 after acquiring an additional 3,731 shares during the last quarter. Finally, SVB Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of STMicroelectronics during the 2nd quarter valued at about $209,000. 5.62% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About STMicroelectronics (Get Free Report) STMicroelectronics N.V., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and sells semiconductor products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates through Automotive and Discrete Group; Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group; and Microcontrollers and Digital ICs Group segments. See Also Receive News & Ratings for STMicroelectronics Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for STMicroelectronics and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. TSP Capital Management Group LLC boosted its holdings in Newmont Co. (NYSE:NEM Free Report) by 445.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 178,320 shares of the basic materials companys stock after purchasing an additional 145,623 shares during the quarter. Newmont comprises approximately 2.6% of TSP Capital Management Group LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 18th largest holding. TSP Capital Management Group LLCs holdings in Newmont were worth $7,381,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC grew its position in Newmont by 22.3% in the 3rd quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 145,639 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $5,382,000 after purchasing an additional 26,599 shares during the period. Muhlenkamp & Co. Inc. acquired a new stake in Newmont in the 4th quarter valued at $5,944,000. Fulton Bank N.A. boosted its holdings in Newmont by 14.3% during the 4th quarter. Fulton Bank N.A. now owns 8,838 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $366,000 after acquiring an additional 1,107 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its holdings in Newmont by 5.6% during the 3rd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 899,297 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $33,229,000 after acquiring an additional 47,485 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Royal London Asset Management Ltd. boosted its holdings in Newmont by 12.5% during the 3rd quarter. Royal London Asset Management Ltd. now owns 456,662 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $16,876,000 after acquiring an additional 50,794 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.53% of the companys stock. Get Newmont alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Newmont In other news, COO Robert D. Atkinson sold 5,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 54,251 shares in the company, valued at $2,238,396.26. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.07% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts have issued reports on NEM shares. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price objective on shares of Newmont from $45.00 to $40.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 8th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Newmont from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Monday, February 26th. Scotiabank cut their price target on shares of Newmont from $50.00 to $43.50 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 28th. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Newmont in a report on Thursday, February 29th. They issued a buy rating and a $38.00 price target on the stock. Finally, TD Securities cut their price target on shares of Newmont from $40.00 to $36.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $52.97. Read Our Latest Report on Newmont Newmont Price Performance NEM traded down $0.76 on Friday, hitting $33.77. 9,521,376 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 18,280,172. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $33.70 and its 200-day simple moving average is $37.08. The firm has a market cap of $38.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -14.19, a P/E/G ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.49. Newmont Co. has a one year low of $29.42 and a one year high of $52.76. The company has a current ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. Newmont (NYSE:NEM Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 22nd. The basic materials company reported $0.50 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.51 by ($0.01). Newmont had a negative net margin of 20.95% and a positive return on equity of 6.21%. The business had revenue of $3.96 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.44 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.44 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 23.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Newmont Co. will post 1.88 EPS for the current year. Newmont Cuts Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 5th will be issued a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.96%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 4th. Newmonts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -42.02%. 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, Papua New Guinea, Ecuador, Fiji, and Ghana. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NEM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Newmont Co. (NYSE:NEM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Newmont Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Newmont and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wealthsource Partners LLC decreased its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG Free Report) by 26.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 391,479 shares of the companys stock after selling 141,143 shares during the quarter. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF makes up 2.5% of Wealthsource Partners LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 6th largest position. Wealthsource Partners LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF were worth $37,915,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Osaic Holdings Inc. boosted its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 3.3% in the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 3,110,935 shares of the companys stock worth $296,877,000 after purchasing an additional 100,616 shares during the period. Consilio Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 8.5% in the 4th quarter. Consilio Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 143,526 shares of the companys stock valued at $13,901,000 after acquiring an additional 11,222 shares in the last quarter. Fragasso Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 49.6% in the 4th quarter. Fragasso Group Inc. now owns 23,572 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,283,000 after acquiring an additional 7,820 shares in the last quarter. Choreo LLC raised its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 8.8% in the 3rd quarter. Choreo LLC now owns 84,603 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,301,000 after acquiring an additional 6,863 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Essex Savings Bank purchased a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at about $282,000. Get iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF alerts: iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Price Performance Shares of BATS:EFG traded down $0.35 on Friday, hitting $103.82. The companys stock had a trading volume of 322,824 shares. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $99.96 and a 200 day simple moving average of $93.55. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF has a 1 year low of $67.58 and a 1 year high of $85.81. The company has a market capitalization of $13.91 billion, a PE ratio of 18.69 and a beta of 0.89. About iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE Growth Index (the Index). The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EFG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund (NYSEARCA:XSOE Get Free Report) traded up 0% on Thursday . The company traded as high as $29.67 and last traded at $29.51. 185,406 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 63% from the average session volume of 497,697 shares. The stock had previously closed at $29.50. WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund Stock Down 0.7 % The firm has a market cap of $2.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.97 and a beta of 0.78. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $28.49 and its 200 day simple moving average is $27.75. Get WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund alerts: Hedge Funds Weigh In On WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of XSOE. Ameriprise Financial Inc. boosted its stake in WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund by 58.8% during the first quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 922,891 shares of the companys stock worth $25,715,000 after acquiring an additional 341,602 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its stake in shares of WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund by 202.4% in the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 431,398 shares of the companys stock worth $12,010,000 after buying an additional 288,760 shares in the last quarter. ESL Trust Services LLC lifted its stake in shares of WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund by 8.8% in the third quarter. ESL Trust Services LLC now owns 772,118 shares of the companys stock worth $20,592,000 after buying an additional 62,131 shares in the last quarter. Tompkins Financial Corp lifted its stake in shares of WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund by 205.8% in the third quarter. Tompkins Financial Corp now owns 83,511 shares of the companys stock worth $2,227,000 after buying an additional 56,201 shares in the last quarter. Finally, NBC Securities Inc. bought a new position in shares of WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund in the third quarter worth approximately $545,000. WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund Company Profile The WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund (XSOE) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund tracks a market-cap-weighted index of emerging market companies, excluding state-owned enterprises. XSOE was launched on Dec 10, 2014 and is managed by WisdomTree. Read More Receive News & Ratings for WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Yamana Gold Inc. (LON:AUY Get Free Report) rose 1.1% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as GBX 475 ($6.05) and last traded at GBX 475 ($6.05). Approximately 295 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 86% from the average daily volume of 2,096 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 470 ($5.98). Yamana Gold Stock Performance The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 23.61, a quick ratio of 1.25 and a current ratio of 1.44. The firms 50 day simple moving average is GBX 475 and its 200 day simple moving average is GBX 475. The firm has a market capitalization of 4.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -572.29 and a beta of 1.29. Yamana Gold Company Profile (Get Free Report) Yamana Gold Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a precious metal producer. It has gold and silver production, development-stage properties, exploration properties, and land positions throughout the Americas, including Canada, Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. The company was formerly known as Yamana Resources Inc and changed its name to Yamana Gold Inc in August 2003. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Yamana Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Yamana Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tomas Pablo from Guatemala and Israel Hilario from Mexico have joined forces to bring a true culinary fusion and unique dining experience to Grand Island residents. The duo transformed their shared passion for cooking into the successful Fusion Gourmet food truck, showcasing a blend of Italian and Chinese gastronomy under one roof. Located at 202 E. Fourth St. in Grand Island, Fusion Gourmet officially opened March 18. Both Pablo and Hilario, who met in Grand Island while working as cooks, bring their expertise in Chinese and Italian cooking and cuisine to the forefront of their culinary venture. We were friends and we liked to cook, Hilario shared. Encouraged by their friendship and culinary skills, the pair decided to take the entrepreneurial plunge and offer a fusion of the two popular cuisines. With an array of Italian and Chinese delicacies on the menu, Fusion Gourmet tantalizes taste buds with offerings such as chicken alfredo, shrimp alfredo, General Tsos chicken and Mongolian beef. Pasta lovers can indulge in dishes like cheese tortellini and spaghetti marinara, while Chinese food enthusiasts can savor specialties like sesame chicken and sweet and sour chicken. All Italian dishes come with a side of salad and bread, ensuring a well-rounded dining experience for patrons. For those craving a blend of flavors, Fusion Gourmet provides the perfect culinary marriage. We are both good at what we do, Pablo said, who handles the Chinese cuisine, while Hilario takes charge of the Italian fare. The food truck plans to expand to various locations for celebrations, festivals, special occasions and parties, offering catering services and the convenience of online ordering in the near future. Operating hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday trough Thursday, extending to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 10 p.m. on Sundays. Fusion Gourmet can be contacted at 308-267-6273 and can also be found on Facebook and Instagram. Pablo and Hilario invite Grand Island residents to savor the delectable fusion cuisine at Fusion Gourmet, where two culinary worlds collide to create a dining experience like no other. KEARNEY Growing up in his homeland of Venezuela, Carlos Rodriguez started running at age 3. When I was a boy I ran without shoes, he said. Later, he joined the Venezuelan military, where he managed logistics and payroll for his unit. He tried not to let his military responsibilities come between him and his almost-daily runs. In 2016 Rodriguez and his wife, Lisvey Rivera and their two sons, Anthony, then 10, and Enlic, then 8, migrated to the United States. The Venezuelan economy had collapsed and the country was riddled with crime. Rodriguez and Rivera had a successful business, but that made them targets for criminals, who attempted to kidnap the family and force them to pay a ransom. Kidnappings in South America can stretch over years if families cant pay the criminals to release loved ones. For Rodriguez and Rivera, their kidnapping nightmare was the last straw. They departed Venezuela for the United States, and found themselves in Kearney. Rivera, a former school principal, works as a teacher/social worker helping migrant families. Rodriguez found work at Eaton Corp. and later BluePrint Engines. Daily runs helped Rodriguez to keep one foot in his new country and the other foot in his South American homeland. If he had time, Rodriguez would run 22-30 miles at a time. The long runs abruptly ended several months ago when Rodriguez was attempting to repair a car in his driveway. He had jacked up the vehicle and crawled underneath it, but the jack gave way. Pinned under the car, he yelled for help. Luckily, family members were nearby and heard Rodriguez yelling. A sister-in-law, Ingry Barroso and niece, Nikol, ran out of the house and lifted the car. Rodriguezs son, Enlic, called police. Officers dispatched an ambulance, and emergency responders arrived in just minutes to rescue Rodriguez. His lips were purple for lack of oxygen. Responders took him to the CHI Health Good Samaritan emergency room. After his injury Rodriguez was unable to take deep breaths. The shallow breathing continued for about three months, the couple said. Pain in his ribs also continued. Rodriguez tried to sleep, but the pain frequently forced him from bed to the living room sofa where he struggled to find a position to relieve the pain in his ribs and allow him to breathe deeper. Rivera frequently joined her husband on the sofa. I was worried, but not totally worried. I am a woman of faith, Rivera said. She said her faith has seen her through four serious, life-altering challenges: the loss of a son who died after he was born, the kidnapping, coming to the United States and her husbands accident. The couple said they are grateful to friends and employers for their support, and to the medical professionals who were committed to Rodriguez recovery. An American friend, June Peterson, put her nursing experience to work helping Rodriguez. The Good Samaritan nurses are very good, Rivera said. Off and running Rivera and Rodriguez have launched a cottage industry to pay hospital bills. At 2:30 a.m. each Thursday, Rivera rises from bed to make white corn masa for Venezuelan-style arepas. Rivera and Rodriguez fry the masa into the shape and size of English muffins. They slit open the arepa to stuff it with meat, cheese and other ingredients. A $10 order includes three arepas and two small containers with mild green salsa and a second container with spicy pico de gallo. The average is 50 orders per week, Rivera said. Rodriguez said BluePrint Engines employees purchased 200 orders, which came to a total of 600 arepas. Rivera said her patience and faith, along with Rodriguez determination, finally produced results. Rodriguez used to run miles and miles, but he and Rivera considered it a major victory when he finally managed to walk one block. A while later, it was four blocks, with several stops to rest and regain his breath. I cried, but it wasnt because I was sad, Rivera said. My faith is more strong now, Rodriguez said. His recovery is continuing. On Sunday he ran 13 miles, Rivera said. Rodriguez said he cant remember being pinned under the car. He also cant remember his hospital stay, but he is recovering his memory and his sense of humor. People never visited me before, but after the accident I had lots of visitors and even some gifts, Rodriguez laughed. He shared some hard-earned advice. For anyone working on a car, follow safety rules. PHOTOS: Sandhill cranes descend on Central Nebraska Latest Headlines Nebraska's Platte River Valley: A critical stopover for cranes during migration The Platte River Valley in Nebraska hosts up to 90% of the world's sandhill crane population during migration season, with an estimated 650,00 Cranes in Central Nebraska Matt Urbansk, Saunders Conservation Fellow at the Crane Trust, right, photographs guests walking to a Platte River observation blind around 5: Capturing images Grace O'Dwyer, 5, her parents Christian and Lilla, and brothers Paul and James of Denver had their first sandhill crane season experience Marc Cranes in Central Nebraska Among the Crane Trust's staff and volunteer blind tour leaders is Matt Urbansk, the Saunders Conservation Fellow at the Trust, who watches cra Cranes in Central Nebraska As daylight faded to dusk March 1, sandhill cranes in silhouette lowered their legs and spread their wings to float down to overnight roosts o Cranes in Central Nebraska At dusk, sandhill cranes start flying to the Platte River in this case at the Crane Trust near Alda from nearby grasslands and harvested c Cranes in Central Nebraska Record numbers of sandhill cranes arrived early this year, according to estimates based on aerial surveys taken by the Crane Trust Science Tea Bison in the fog A lone bison ambled through a Crane Trust pasture near the headquarters complex southeast of the Alda I-80 exit on a foggy March 1 morning. Ot Cranes in Central Nebraska Sandhill cranes, ducks, geese and people in Crane Trust observation blinds along the Platte River woke up to dense fog March 1. That made cran Cranes in Central Nebraska Sandhill cranes, ducks, geese and people in Crane Trust observation blinds along the Platte River woke up to dense fog March 1. That made cran Cranes in Central Nebraska Grace O'Dwyer, 5, her parents Christian and Lilla, and brothers Paul and James of Denver had their first sandhill crane season experience Marc Bison in the fog A lone bison ambled through a Crane Trust pasture near the headquarters complex southeast of the Alda I-80 exit on a foggy March 1 morning. Ot Thailand works to conserve coral reefs By Sat, March 23, 2024 | 1:55 pm GMT+7 Thai marine biologists are making efforts to save the countrys reefs from degradation driven by warming oceans and human activity like tourism. As reported by Reuters, four of them dived through shallow waters off an island in the country's south as billions of pink specks floated up from the ocean floor in a spectacle that takes place only once a year. The pink specks were sperm and eggs released by coral. The scientists collected as many samples as possible for breeding. Coral reefs in Thailand's waters. Photo courtesy of Oyster Worldwide. Their research is painstaking because the coral only spawn once a year, and it can take up to five years to raise the juveniles in a lab before they are ready to be transferred back onto the seabed, said the news service. The coral breeding and restoration project was started by Thailand's Department of Marine and Coastal Resources in 2016 in the southern island of Man Nai, which houses over 98 species of coral. The project came after as much as 90% of Thailand's coral reefs were affected by a mass bleaching event that started in 2010, most likely triggered by rising water temperatures. Since the project was initiated, more than 4,000 coral colonies around Mun Nai island have been restored, the department said As a writer at work on a book thats taken far longer than expecteda story collection begun in 2008 now a novel in-progressIm interested in how, in a world that values speed, the slow writer learns to tolerate the uncertainty that comes with the long project. Is it possible to tune out the noise of doubt and the proverbial ticking clock when writing goes into overtime? Having lost count of my revisions, and in need of advice, I went looking for other slow writers and discovered that more often than not, a books gestation takes place over years, frequently decades. I found too that the slow writer embraces the protracted and unpredictable timeline, seeing it not as fraught or frustrating but an opportunity for openness and discovery. As J.R.R Tolkien said to W. H. Auden, on the 12 years he spent writing Lord of the Rings, I met a lot of things on the way that astonished me. The world can be impatient with slow writers. Nearly a decade after Jeffrey Eugenides published Middlesex, Dwight Garner wrote in The New York Times, It has been a long, lonely vigil. Wed nearly forgotten he was out there. Garners 2011 article, Dear Important Novelists: Be Less Like Moses and More Like Howard Cosell, argues the long gestation period among the periods young writers (Middlesex was written over nine) marks a desalinating tidal change in the place novelists occupy in our culture. The writer, hidden away in monkish solitude, is no longer a commentator on events of the moment in the vein of, say, Saul Bellow. Bellow wrote four massive books in 11 years, and in doing so, Garner says, snatched control, with piratical confidence and a throbbing id, of American literatures hive mind. Comparing Eugenidess books, he notes, So much time elapses between them that his image in dust-jacket photographs can change alarmingly. Write slowly and not only do you risk being forgotten, you may no longer be recognizable. Books known for their protracted writing time10, 20 years or morespan genre, length, and era. Salingers Catcher in the Rye, 10 years. Min Jin Lees Pachinko, 28 yearsand 11 for her debut, Free Food for Millionaires. Edward P. Jones imagined The Known World in his head for over a decade before writing it out in seven months, and John Steinbeck made notes for East of Eden for 11 years before writing it in a year of continual work. Still, there are those writers who seem to work best at a clip. Anne Rice wrote Interview with a Vampire in five weeks and Muriel Spark The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie in less than four. Kazuo Ishiguro drafted The Remains of the Day in four weeksachieved, hes said, by implementing a process he calls The Crash: do nothing but write from 9am to 10.30pm, Monday through Saturday. [] One hour off for lunch and two for dinner. Id not see, let alone answer, any mail, and would not go near the phone. Donna Tartt, known for long intervals between books, gets through on faith in the process. The Secret History was written over a decade, and The Little Friend appeared 10 years later. Of the 11 years Tartt spent on The Goldfinch (Garner describes the author during this time as vanished), shes said, Things will come to you and youre not going to know exactly how they fit in. You have to trust in the way they all fit together, that your subconscious knows what youre doing. Min Jin Lee has described the 28 years spent writing Pachinkobeginning with the novels inception during her student days at Yale to publication in 2017as far too long. It wasnt until years into the novels writing that the project took a turn. During a four-year stay in Japan, after interviewing Japanese Koreans in Osaka, Lee came to realize shed been wrong about everything, and soon after rewrote the manuscript from the beginning. I was so impressed by the breadth and complexity of the people I met in Japan, she said, that I had to start the book again in 2008, and I continued to write it and revise it until the sale of the manuscript in 2015. The writer engaged in the long project hopes for such turns of luck, and wanting to know firsthand how luck and persistence inform the long project, I turned to writers I know, hoping for advice on how to tune out my own questioning and cultivate a next-level order of patience. John Huddleston, photographer and professor emeritus at Middlebury College, is the author of four bookshybrid works of text and image that examine time, history, and place. Killing Ground: The Civil War and the Changing American Landscape (2003), is the product of 15 years of travel and research, and pairs historical photographs of Civil War battle sites with contemporary photos of the same locations. Healing Ground: Walking the Farms of Vermont (2011), and At Home in the Northern Forest: Photographs of the Changing Vermont Landscape (2020) each took a decade, as Huddleston says, to better understand what I was seeing. His current project, an interrogation of Mexicos religious sites and his own Catholicismhas run nearly 50 years. How does he pace himself? I think the long periods of constructing my books have engendered a maturity in the editing and printing of images, he says. A more nuanced and interesting perspective develops with time. Drue Heinz prizewinner Leslie Pietrzyk, the author of This Angel on My Chest (2015), believes in staying open to change: My advice is to remain flexible. Perhaps my greatest being flexible moment was working on what I imagined was a novel about a political family for two and a half years, abandoning it, and picking it up again four years later. She repurposed much of that material, including random and forgotten prompt pieces, into her most recent collection, Admit This to No One (2021), linked stories about power in Washington, DC. Poet, essayist, and Fulbright fellow Natasha Sajes five books include The Future Will Call You Something Else (2023), a book of criticism, Windows and Doors: A Poet Reads Literary Theory (2014), and a memoir-in-essays, Terroir (2020). Windows and Doors was written over 16 years, and Terroir, 10. A self-professed feedback junkie, she seeks out frank, even harsh readers. Theres always some truth in what they dont like, she says, and then revises extensively, as she puts it, like a maniac. Thais Miller wrote her first two books in less than a year and published both before she was 21. The author of Our Machinery (2008) and The Subconscious Mutiny and Other Stories (2009), Miller says of those early quicksilver efforts, Beginners luck is an understatement. Currently a PhD candidate in Creative Writing, her dissertation includes a novel begun in 2009, one thats still finding its shape. These days, Samuel Becketts words, Fail better, are pinned on a board above her desk, a reminder that writers are always failing to achieve a perfectionist ideal. [] These words let me off the hook and enable me to experiment and play with my work, to try out new things. How, amid doubt, does a writer keep focus, and pace herself over years, even decades? Saje says, I write and then get pieces published, which gives me confidence that there will be readers for the book. Pietryzk writes prompts around her novels characters and settings and the material often becomes short stories she publishes in literary journals. For Huddleston, over time the work integrates into the self, into ones life. I generally work intensely until I cant stand it anymore, let the work sit, then repeat. If I have a particular problem Ill often hold it in mind without actively thinking about it. This immersion over years, or decades, what George Saunders calls rigorous, iterative engagement, can be fruitful, but it can also make a books endpoint more difficult to see. Huddlestons 50-year project, which is nearing completion, has in the end surprised him. Ive returned to the project many times after feeling it was done, he says, and in doing so, encountered an unexpected complication: wishing the work could go on. Similarly, Vauhini Vara, author of The Immortal King Rao (2022), says of the 13 years it took to write her debut novel, On some level I wanted to keep spending time with it, finding its unexplored corners, tunneling into its wormholes. I didnt want to let it go. Soknow when to let go, keep faith in the process, be flexible, fail better, and whenever possible, stay astonished. Though perhaps most importantly, recognize the value that comes with the passing of time itself. In The Art of Slow Writing: Reflections on Time, Craft, and Creativity, essayist Louise DeSalvo writes, Weve internalized the idea that that the only actions worth taking are those that can be accomplished quickly, [] that if our writing takes so long, we might not be cut out for the writing life. The Art of Slow Writing is a manifesto for giving a book the time it needs, for cultivating patience and connection. DeSalvo describes, among other things, the challenge of not knowing how long a book will take, and being comfortable with not knowing. Of Jeffrey Eugenidess slow pace, DeSalvo writes that he works with rather than against the fact that his books take long to write. The years writing Middlesex, she notes, saw both the death of his father and the birth of his daughter, and over time these significant life events led to preoccupations with family history and genetic discourse that found their way into the book: He wanted the novel to respond to those changes as he worked. This synergy can blur the line between life and art and make completing a long project its own challenge. But as DeSalvo observes, finishing isnt really the end if we see our writing life as a continuum, a larger process that connects each project, whether short or long, within the learned experience of the writers practice. And as DeSalvo notes, theres always the next book. Art: David Klocker Ehrenstrahl, Two Turtles (1690) Its no secret that Congressman James Clyburn has had an immense impact on South Carolina and greater U.S. Democratic politics over the years. Political leaders across the aisle who have worked with and know the 83-year-old congressman easily portray why the Palmetto State has greatly benefited from the work hes done. Clyburn winter meeting Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., speaks during the Democratic National Committee Winter Meeting on Feb. 4, 2023, in Philadelphia. Democratic leaders said that probably wont change because of his recent departure from a House leadership role. Clyburn is an American political figurehead and that doesnt change. Even if he leaves the role, he is still Jim Clyburn, said Jalen Elrod, S.C. political operative. He has built such prominent political capital across the country that he doesnt need any official title to extend that political capital. During a press conference kicking off his re-election for Congress on Monday, a group of supporters and community members crowded into the Waverly-Clyburn Building Auditorium in Columbia, where the congressman went through his campaign points and the work he had been most proud of as a politician. From community-funded projects to infrastructure investments, Clyburn talked through his and President Joe Bidens efforts for the Democratic party and greater good of South Carolina. His accomplishments are much more from his time as congressman than just Assistant Democratic Leader, Clyburn said in an interview with The State. Although his leadership position had little to do with his district, the most impactful contribution he is most proud of is the Lake Marion water agency, formed in 1995. We got it established against a lot of opposition. There are people who do not speak to me to this day, because they, to them, that was a waste of government money, Clyburn said in an interview. We have pumped into that regional water agency $129 million to provide clean drinking water for those children in the schools along that corridor to provide water for industrial development. Politicos in the state emphasized that while he had tangible successes as a politician, he also brought the state into the national political light. South Carolina would not have been First in the Nation if it wasnt for Jim Clyburn, Elrod said. As South Carolina Democrats, our national relevancy begins and ends with Jim Clyburn. That probably wont change because he left this position in the House but that will definitely change once he retires from Congress. In terms of the state of South Carolina, he will definitely go down as one of the greatest statesman that the state has ever had, said Jaime Harrison, Democratic National Committee chairman. Jim Clyburn has always been able to deliver, regardless of what party is in control. Elrod said most people in Clyburns district probably dont even know he was majority whip or in House leadership, because his political capital is not his position. Clyburn is one of the most senior Democrats in the country. The relevancy of South Carolina Democrats begins and ends with Jim Clyburn, Elrod said. If he doesnt run in '26 theres a very good chance South Carolina is not First in the Nation primary in 2028. South Carolina would have a completely different landscape without Clyburn, including fewer roads, federally funded construction projects and buildings, and education funding, said state Sen. Dick Harpootlian, D-Richland. Clyburn passed bills and ensured South Carolina was fully funded, he said. Harpootlian cited Clyburns ability to engage and persuade people over the years. His political influence is clear, especially in recent elections. He was a very important part of the '08 primary, Harpootlian said. Of course, we know in 2020 he was the factor, in my opinion, that his endorsement got Joe Biden and made him president of the United States. Harrison said the impact of Clyburns endorsement shows hes not a show horse, hes a workhorse. He has really really been the ace in the hole for so many people in politics, Harrison said. His passion to get Biden re-elected rings true today. I heard he stepped down because he wants to be in a position to be a better ally and partner in saving democracy alongside President Biden, said Antjuan Seawright, Democratic strategist. But also he wanted to be in a position where he could influence public policy in a different way. Clyburn said this was true. We have forces at work in this country today that are violating everything that this country stands for, Clyburn said. Im convinced that if Joe Biden had not won that election, we wouldnt recognize this country at this point, and if Joe Biden doesnt get re-elected, Im convinced we will never have another free election in this country. And so Ive spent hours upon hours with Joe Biden, with his staff working on what we will do in this country to make sure he wins this election and I didnt want to have to go to meetings up in Washington. When he fights for issues, its not just for the Democratic party, Seawright said, its for the greater good. Gov. Henry McMaster said wherever he is, whether he is in leadership or not, Clyburn would have a strong voice. McMaster said he had the privilege of working with him over the years, even when McMaster was attorney general. He emphasized working with Clyburn on issues across the aisle was the South Carolina way. He is a strong personality deeply committed to the state, McMaster said. Im confident that we will be relying on him, and I know hes relying on us, and I dont expect his influence to dim much, if at all. Seawright said Clyburn will very much still be at the influence table, even without his role in House leadership. Jim Clyburn is perhaps, or will go down as the most consequential leader, one of the most consequential leaders to ever serve this country, and certainly one of the most consequential elected officials to ever serve from the state of South Carolina. His political network and his political net worth speaks for itself. Clyburn said he doesnt expect his role to look different at all. Im just giving up Washington stuff. Thats all that is, going to meetings sitting around a table and giving the benefit of your experiences, Clyburn said. Ill still go to those meetings, and sit around the table and give the benefit of my experiences. I just wont be obligated to do so. However, some politicos emphasized while South Carolina wouldnt necessarily look too different, there may be some change. Its going to be tough, its tougher now for South Carolina, said Bakari Sellers, former South Carolina state representative. But hes a hero and an icon and nobody will be able to replace him. Clyburn is still going to be great at what he does, Sellers emphasized, but it will be different, and the person who follows him will have huge shoes to fill, he added. I think hes demonstrated that hes a political king- and queen-maker, Seawright said. You can win with him, and you can certainly lose without him. You wont find there are not a lot of people who would disagree about the respect that Jim Clyburn has commanded, not just political respect, but personal respect and professional respect, and I think that means something. While everyone agreed his influence is stronger than a title, no one, including Clyburn himself, could answer what 2026 would look like, and whether Clyburn would decide to run again for congress. I would not get too far out over my skis. I have no idea, Clyburn said about running in 2026. I feel fine. I wake up every morning trying to figure out what I can do this day to improve upon this country. Ive said to my daughters that I want on my tombstone He did his best to make the countrys greatness accessible and affordable for all of its citizens. I wake up every day trying to figure out what I can do to fulfill that. How long I will be waking up doing that? I dont know. Im gonna take it one election at a time. On the ides of March, Judge Scott McAfee published his decision on the motion to disqualify Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis. Two weeks prior, the world watched the plethora of evidence against Willis and her paramour Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade for misconduct. Willis picked Nathan Wade as special prosecutor in November 2021 and Wade billed extravagantly (unethically) then took Willis on five expensive vacations over a seven-month period. Despite what appears to have been perjured testimony by Willis and Wade, witnesses and electronic forensics showed Willis and Wade began their affair two years before married Wade was picked by Willis. Wade paid for the vacations on his firm credit card after having billed almost a million in taxpayer money. Willis claimed, without any documentary evidence, that she reimbursed Wade for her costs out of some kind of stash or cash she kept at home. Unbelievable. As one attorney put it, Willis misconduct and her unbelievable testimony was a global laughingstock. Judge McAfee claimed Willis left an odor of mendacity (lies) and ordered that either Wade or Willis must go to prevent disqualification. Judge McAfee not immediately disqualifying Willis left much of the nation (and world) dumbfounded. The public perception of the justice system, both in Willis misconduct and McAfees order, took a major blow. For our republic to continue functioning, we must regain trust in justice. First, the shoddy and perceived politically driven motivations in the other cases against Trump are leaving a great deal of the odor of mendacity with Americans. Within days of McAfees ruling, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs hush money case against Trump took a huge trust hit. With trial only a couple weeks away, the defense discovered prosecutors had withheld over 100,000 documents from the federal investigation into the case (which the Feds decided not to bring). These documents included records and information about DA Braggs star witness with Trump lawyers called exculpatory and favorable to the defense. Thankfully, the judge put the trial on hold for at least a month for the defense to review. Of note, the DA theory of this case is based on a record-keeping misdemeanor beyond the statute of limitation. Multiple prosecutors declined to prosecute. Just as Willis came up with a highly questionable racketeering theory against Trump (intended for criminal organizations and already six counts have already been dismissed), Bragg turned the misdemeanor into a felony by claiming the personal money Trump paid Daniels constitutes a federal elections violation. The other cases against Trump are running into the same types of perception issues, like with Joe Biden having committed more egregious classified document violations than Trump and yet Biden faced no charges due to his alleged faulty memory. At this point, polls show almost two-thirds of Americans believe the federal charges against Trump are politically driven and even worse numbers for the state charges. This and the Fani Willis fiasco are causing a severe breakdown in trust that we have seen before. Get TheTandD.com for $1 for 26 weeks Support local journalism by becoming a member at www.TheTandD.com. View our latest offer at https://thetandd.com/subscribe. When I advised the Afghan National Security Forces against the Taliban in 2007-08, I learned how the Taliban had come to power in the 1990s. Lack of trust in the judicial system of the Afghan government. This was after the Soviets had withdrawn from Afghanistan in 1989, and the system became perceived as corrupt. In particular, the court system lost credibility for either not prosecuting/convicting those who had clearly committed heinous crimes, or for selective prosecution/conviction driven by political motivations. The Taliban developed shadow courts under Sharia law and those courts, though with harsh punishment, were perceived as more just. As the perception of justice went, so went the country and the Taliban took power. When I was deployed after we overthrew the Taliban, the coalition put a substantial focus on ensuring Afghan courts were perceived as independent and just. Even at that time, we knew the Taliban were attempting to set up shadow courts. They knew that if the government courts were seen as illegitimate, the coalition-backed government would lose legitimacy. This dynamic was also seen in Iraq and many other countries in which U.S. troops have deployed. A reason America revolted against the British Empire was perception of the abrogation of Americans' judicial rights in the 1760-70s. This included trials for Americans in England, lack of a right to jury, or questionable trials by Admiralty Court judges (not juries) who were perceived as biased. We must regain the full public trust in our sacred justice system before the perception of illegitimacy becomes prevalent. The lefts hatred of Donald Trump appears to have trumped the credibility of the justice system. They justified to themselves that Donald Trump was such a danger America could afford to tip the scales of the justice system against him. That alleged end justified the means. The truth is that corruption of the justice system is a means to the worst of all ends that we cannot afford. Its time to let the American people become the ultimate jury over Donald Trump this November. In the meantime, the perception of justice under God in America matters far more than targeting any one man. (TBTCO) - Tong cuc Thue cho biet, hien a truy van thong tin nguoi nop thue ca nhan voi co so du lieu quoc gia ve dan cu uoc khoang 70% tong ma so thue co quan thue ang quan ly. Nganh Thue ang tiep tuc phoi hop voi Bo Cong an ay manh cong tac nay, e tien toi hoan thanh viec su dung ma inh danh cong dan lam ma so thue, tao nen tang quan trong e trien khai dich vu cong truc tuyen phuc vu nguoi dan, doanh nghiep, gop phan ay manh phat trien chinh phu so, kinh te so, xa hoi so. Cheyenne Rep. Jared Olsen announced Friday morning his campaign for State Senate District 8. Cheyenne Sen. Affie Ellis who represents District 8 announced on Thursday her retirement from the Senate. Olsen has served in the House of Representatives since 2017 and was House Majority Whip from 2021-2022. For the past 8 years I have been blessed with the honor to serve the people of Cheyenne in the House of Representatives, Olsen said in a press release. Olsen has served as chairman of numerous committees such as the Select Committee on Blockchain, Financial Technology and Digital Innovation from 2020-2022; House Judiciary Committee from 2021-2022; and the House Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions since 2023. Olsen also served on the House Appropriations Committee from 2019-2020. In my tenure as a Representative, I have been a relentless advocate for economic development, low taxes, a balanced budget, and educational freedom, Olsen said. It is more important than ever for our community to have a strong and experienced voice in the Senate to continue the fight for Laramie County businesses, families and our community. FOLLOWING a spate of robberies at its outlets across the country in just over a year and a half, Massy Stores yesterday replaced the firm responsible for its security. G4S Secure Solutions Trinidad Ltd yesterday assumed the role of security provider for Massy Stores, replacing Amalgamated Security Services Ltd. An elderly man visiting Trinidad from Canada has been murdered in his familys home by intruders. The body of Hilton Smith, 75, was found on Friday on a bed. His mouth was gagged, and his feet and hands tied. Last Tuesday, 17 prison officers and six inmates were injured at the Port of Spain prison. Social media had described the incident as a riot, but when contacted by the Express, Commissioner of Prisons Deopersad Ramoutar downplayed the event, stating in a media release later that it was all in a days work for the prison officers who are at times, undervalued, and unappreciated. Everyones injuries were said to be minor, although all the officers involved were still sent on sick leave. Perusing Hanna-Barberas library gives you the distinct impression that their whole catalog was brainstormed in a single afternoon by a 25-year-old on ketamine and a 5-year-old on Pixy Stix. You can easily see Jenna Maroney or Tracy Jordan starring in any one of these. 15 The Abbott and Costello Cartoon Show (1967) You know what kids love? The comedy stylings of a World War II-era punny goofball duo. This show had 39 episodes from 1967-1968, about a decade after they were at the pinnacle of American comedy. 14 The Peter Potamus Show (1964) This show ran from 1964-1966, and was three shows in one: Peter Potamus and So-So, a hippo and a monkey who travel the world in a hot air balloon; Breezly and Sneezly, a polar bear and a seal who keep pranking the army; and Yippee, Yappee and Yahooey, three goofy guard dogs employed by a king. 13 Sinbad Jr. and His Magic Belt (1965) The son of famed sailor Sinbad, Sinbad Jr. sailed around the world in a tiny little sailboat with his parrot companion, Salty. When he tightened his belt, he gained the strength of 50 men. Only a few of the 102 episodes remain intact. 12 Shazzan (1967) Two teenage siblings travel around a fictional Arab country on their camel, Kaboobie, while a magic genie named Shazzan helps them fight evil. It has nothing to do with Shazam, aka Captain Marvel, which came out in 1940. Nor is it affiliated with Kazaam. Advertisement Advertisement 11 The Perils of Penelope Pitstop (1969) This spin-off of the more popular Wacky Races features the dastardly Sylvester Sneekly (along with the Bully Brothers) trying to steal Penelope Pitstops inheritance through Rube Goldbergian traps. 10 Dumb and Dumber (1995) This 13-episode trainwreck featured none of the talent and one of the writers of the 1994 film. Animated versions of The Mask and Ace Ventura came out that same year, though neither was produced by Hanna-Barbera. Advertisement Advertisement 9 The Further Adventures of SuperTed (1989) SuperTed was a Welsh cartoon about a rejected teddy bear that was brought to life by cosmic dust and given superpowers by Mother Nature. Once the creator broke into the American market, he moved to the U.S. to make some other crazy shit. While he was busy with that, Hanna-Barbera brought the character out of retirement for exactly 13 Further Adventures. 8 Shirt Tales (1982) This was a two-season animated television show adapted from a particularly popular series of greeting cards. Tyg Tiger, Pammy Panda, Digger Mole, Rick Raccoon and Bogey Orangutan wore shirts that emblazoned their inner monologues on their torso, which somehow helped them fight crime. Advertisement Advertisement 7 The Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour (1982) They got Robin Williams, Pam Dawber, Henry Winkler and Penny Marshall to reprise their roles. Conspicuously absent from that list is Cindy Williams, who had quit the live-action Laverne & Shirley earlier that year, and had to be replaced in the animated series. 6 Rubik, the Amazing Cube (1983) This sounds like a Hollywood blockbuster that was supposed to give Jenna Maroney her big break in 30 Rock. But it was a real show about a Rubiks Cube that comes to life as a freaky little alien when its solved. It ran for 12 episodes as part of the Pac-Man/Rubik, the Amazing Cube Hour. Advertisement Advertisement 5 Foofur (1986) Foofur is a skinny blue bloodhound who invited all of his friends to live with him in his mansion. His neighbors chihuahua is furious at Foofur for having too many roommates. Pepe the chihuahua is always trying to get them evicted, while the Bowser Busters dog catchers are constantly trying to get them put down. 4 Fish Police (1992) This was Hanna-Barberas answer to the adult humor of The Simpsons, and it lasted exactly three episodes. Inspector Gil, under the watchful eye of Chief Abalone, solves underwater crimes committed by the dastardly Biscotti Calamari. Advertisement Advertisement 3 Moby Dick and Mighty Mightor (1967) This show was mainly about Mighty Mightor; they just chucked Moby Dicks name up front because kids love Herman Melville I guess? Mighty Mightor is a teenage caveman with superpowers, who can turn his pet flying dinosaur (already very cool) into a dragon. Moby Dick doesnt even exist in the same cinematic universe, and they gave him a couple minutes of screen time every half hour. 2 Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles (1966) Similar to the whole Moby Dick thing, Frankenstein Jr. is barely in this thing! He gets a short between two segments of The Impossibles, in a brazen attempt to hook kids on a traditional character they loved, and get them to watch new superhero content. Appropriately, they brought the Frankenstein Jr. segments back from the dead in 1976, for a show called Space Ghost and Frankenstein Jr. Advertisement Advertisement The demand for outdoor living spaces has hit new highs. When it comes to outdoor living it seems that the sky is the limit. Question: We like the idea of having an outdoor living area. How would we go about getting started creating a space? Answer: We find that the best way to start is with shade! The most comfortable months for eating and entertaining outside on the desert floor are typically from February to late May and October thru November. But even the hottest part of year, May 28-Sept. 19, can be made comfortable with the addition of shade. Q: What is the fastest way to get shade? A: Trees are an excellent source of shade of course, but if you dont have a mature tree like a pine, Chilean mesquite, or Texas ebony, consider creating shade with structures like patio covers, extensions, ramadas and cantilevers. Q: What is the difference between the types of structures. A: Here are the most common structures we see. Ramada A ramada is a free-standing unit with four posts. Weatherwood is a product we like. Structures made with Weatherwood are made of a heavy gauge, rolled aluminum. Unlike wood it never needs to be sanded or painted and is available in different colors and textures. The best options for the roof are a lattice cover, allowing filtered light onto the surface below, or a solid foam core roof. Porch cove rs Customers who dont have a porch cover can consider installing a cover that is directly tied into the structure of the home. If a home has an existing patio cover, and it does not supply sufficient shade, it is common for homeowners to extend shade cover with a shade structure that starts at the end of the patio. The shade can be customized to follow the line of the porch giving it a coherent look. Like the ramada, the roof of the cover can be solid or a latticed cover as preferred. Cantilevers The cantilever is a cover that is engineered with just two legs. This look is a great choice for those who have mid-century modern or modern architecture. Cantilevers can be stand-alone units or tied into the structure of the home. The 4K Aluminum product is a handsome choice. The design allows for a better view of your surroundings. Cantilevers are very popular and make a statement with their unique construction. The cost of patio products like these ranges from $25 to $100 per square foot. Common additions include low voltage lighting and overhead fans and misting systems. Other shade options: Closed in porches A closed in sunroom can be added to the house with non-removable screens. This makes a great Arizona room. Homeowners who are gone for long periods of time sometimes prefer glass to enclose the room to keep the dust out. The addition of a mini split for heating and cooling could be a consideration here. Privacy walls Privacy walls are made of the same aluminum material as the porch covers. Slats are hung in a frame that is placed in the ground with footings. The slats are positioned so that neighbors and others cannot see through to your outdoor space. These walls are especially popular in neighborhoods where there are no block walls between houses. Q: Which one is right for you? A: To narrow down your choices, start by thinking about how you use your outdoor space now and what you would like to be able to do going forward. Consider what limits you from spending time in your backyard space and what would it take to encourage you to spend more time there? If it is the sun that prohibits you, observe what times of day direct sun chases you away and think through where a shade structure would make the most sense. Patio products are an investment, and it is important to put time and thought into the design. It is also a good idea to invest in a quality product that can stand up to the Arizona sun and wind year after year. Q: Is this a DIY project? A: An onsite visit from a professional is the best place to start and recommends a licensed and bonded contractor. Be sure to check out Rosies How to Choose a Contractor Guide. It will give you steps to ensure you choose a qualified company! Next, check the companies reviews for customer service and then observe how the company operates. Do they communicate well? Does the sales representative listen to you or is he more interested in selling to you. Is he knowledgeable about his product? Does he show up on time? Does he keep his commitments when he says he will do something? Remember, this is the dating phase and likely as good as it gets. If a contractor is not on his game when he is courting you, it is doubtful he will improve as the project goes on. A qualified patio expert will be able to: Walk you through the choices you have. He or she will ask lots of questions and have suggestions based on how you want to use the space and the orientation of the property to the sun. Access your cities code and establish parameters for where a ramada can be placed. Often the setbacks for auxiliary buildings are 3 ft at the back of the yard ad 5 ft on the side. There is generally a height restriction between 9 and 10 feet. Remember, each city has its own set of codes and restrictions. Determine whether a permit is needed. In many municipalities, a structure under 200 sq ft does not need a permit. A permit is also not required for low voltage lighting. Offer design ideas that reflect that he/she was listening and can contribute to the conversation. An investment in a shade structure can greatly enhance your outdoor living experience enabling you to do more activities for longer hours of the day and more weeks or months of the year. Shade can make you feel 10- 15 degrees cooler as the sun is not hitting you and warming your body. Shade can also keep you from the full force of the UV rays from the sun. Shade is a win-win, and we love the practicality and look of ramadas, and porch covers. For a brief moment Friday night when the Tucson Symphony Orchestra was silent, Katie van Kooten sent her shimmering soprano to glorious heights. It was one of those moments where you held your breath, waiting to see if the commercial was true and somewhere in the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall a glass was about to break. It didnt, but that didnt stop many in the audience loosely filling the hall from holding their collective breath to see where that final high note would land. Van Kooten was one of four superb guest soloists sharing the Music Hall stage with the orchestra and its 100-voice chorus for Verdis Requiem. It was the first time the orchestra had performed Verdis behemoth oratorio since they did it in 2013 as the signature concert of the inaugural Tucson Desert Song Festival. Fridays performance it repeats at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 24 brought the Song Festival full circle in some ways. The 2024 festival, which wraps up next weekend, has had several concerts that could be signature events, from tenor Michael Fabianos world premiere recital of Jimmy Lopez Bellidos Quiet Poems in February to Lawrence Brownlees recital with Arizona Opera on March 13. But the Requiem stands out for its sheer vocal power. That was a central motivator of the festivals creator Jack Forsythe, who was thinking about concerts like this when he imagined back in 2010 what the song festival would look like. He knew that if you brought the cream of the nations vocal crop to Tucson, it would resonate with audiences and artists alike. That played out larger than life on the Music Hall stage Friday night. The powerful bass Morris Robinson, who summoned a soulful, nuanced tone from his 6-foot-2 linebacker-built frame, performed his part from memory without a score in his encore appearance in the Requiem; he was one of the soloists 11 years ago under the baton of then TSO Music Director George Hanson. Friday was the second time weve seen van Kooten with the orchestra for a song festival event and the first time for the marvelous tenor Mario Chang, whose other festival appearance was playing Rodolfo in the Arizona Operas 2020 production of Puccinis La Boheme. Friday marked mezzo Ronnita Millers festival and Tucson debuts as she showed off an impressively flexible range from a soulful lower register to a soaring high. TSO Music Director Jose Luis Gomez coaxed a wonderful sound from the orchestra, from breathtakingly sobering and somber in the opening Kyrie to dramatic and exuberant in the Dies Irae, where trumpets punctuated Alana Wiesings ferocious timpani and Trevor Barroeros pulsating drums. Verdi approached the Requiem like he did his many operas, infusing it with moments of exuberance, sublime melodies and dramatic twists and turns, including the brassy fanfare that introduces the Sanctus, where van Kooten cries out to be delivered from eternal death when God comes on judgment day. The soloists do the heavy lifting in the Requiem, but the TSO Chorus, under Director Marcela Molina, earned some of the biggest applause at the end of the night. They were terrific in going from quiet and delicate when they were backing the soloists to a sudden rush of intensity and considerably louder in the final passage of the second movement and in the Sanctus midway through the work. Tickets for Sundays performance at Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave., are $14-$90 through tucsonsymphony.org or at the Music Hall. A pair of upcoming job fairs in Tucson are aimed at recruiting skilled professionals and University of Arizona students and graduates. On Wednesday, April 3, local employers will host the ME+ Job Expo from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Tucson Convention Center. The event is free for job seekers and focuses on jobs in the medical, engineering and mining industries and will feature presentations and job interviews with local employers Dependable Health Services; local startup Lunasonde, which has developed satellite sensors to map mineral and other ground resources; and the Southern Arizona Sports, Tourism and Film Authority. The expo will feature keynote speakers, resume-building workshops, business networking, food trucks and self-care providers. For more information on attending or reserving a table as an employer, go to meplusjobs.com. A portion of booth-fee proceeds will benefit the Southern Arizona Regional Science Engineering Fair. UA local job fair, shadowing Meanwhile, the University of Arizona will host its Tucson Jobs Now fair from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, at the Bear Down Gym Building on the UA main campus at 1428 E. University Blvd. UA students and grads can find full- and part-time jobs and internships with local employers at the event and register via Handshake, the UAs student-engagement service. Local employers wishing to participate may contact Marbila Rocha, UA career events manager, at marbilarocha@arizona.edu. The UA also is looking for students and employers to participate in its summer one-day Job Shadow Program, which allows students to spend a day shadowing a person in their job, between May 13 and June 7. Student registration opens April 1 and ends April 21. Employers interested in hosting a UA student for a job shadow may contact Kriss McClellan at kriss@arizona.edu or Lyndsey Edmonds lyndseyedmonds@arizona.edu. In 1922, the Colorado River Compact that divided the rivers water rights among seven U.S. states and Mexico left tribes out of the picture. No water was allocated to them, even though the U.S. Supreme Court had already issued a precedent-setting 1908 ruling that a Montana-based tribe had rights to use enough water to fulfill the purposes of its reservation. Tribes were left out of the process again in 2007, when the states and the U.S. government drew up operating guidelines for the river that remain in force today. Despite this history of exclusion, a number of tribes scraped their way, through lawsuits, threats to sue and pushing Congress, to obtaining water rights to the point that they now control about one-fourth of all rights on the river. But theyre worried state and federal officials will squeeze them out in trying to deal with the long-term drought and climate change imperiling the Colorados future. Now, the tribes have written a pointed letter to the feds seeking to protect those existing rights and to gain a stronger, more formal voice in the negotiations over who will get future access to river water. The seven river basin states and the feds are thrashing out how to revise the rivers operating guidelines when they expire at the end of 2026. Sixteen of 30 tribes living in the river basin, including eight in Arizona, signed the March 11 letter to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Specifically for Arizona, they ask that the federal government find other water supplies to replace whatever cuts are made in Central Arizona Project supplies to tribes that either have or could have legal water rights settlements. That could prove a knotty and controversial issue, given the limited availability of alternative supplies to Colorado River water such as groundwater. The CAP, the canal system that delivers Colorado River water to Central and Southern Arizona, plays a huge role in the tribal water rights issue. About 46% of the projects total supply is or will be reserved for tribes, the project says on its website. The Tohono Oodham Nation in and west of Tucson, the Gila River Indian Community in Sacaton southeast of Phoenix, and the White Mountain Apache Tribe in eastern Arizona are among Arizona tribes with river water rights today that were obtained through settlements. We have an opportunity now, in which most states understand the importance of tribal water rights, and theres finally understanding and recognition of the need for inclusion, said Daryl Vigil, co-director of the Water and Tribes Initiative, which seeks to build water-using capacity for all 30 basin tribes. The tribes legal share of the water rights will grow as river water diminishes, because many or most of those rights pre-date the rights of other users, tribal leaders have said. Hard-won rights A long-debated congressional water rights settlement brought CAP water to the Tohono OOdham in the 1990s enough CAP that because less groundwater is pumped on the tribes San Xavier Reservation south of Tucson, the long-dormant Santa Cruz River has started flowing again there. Vigil himself recalls his own Jicarilla Apache tribes struggle to gain water rights, through threats of litigation that led to an agreement through settlement negotiations. When the Colorado River Compact was signed in 1922, our tribe was living on subsistence rations on land that wasnt part of our homeland, Vigil said. The group agreed to a settlement based on Colorado River in 1992, after giving up prior claims to rights on the Arkansas, Pecos and Rio Grande Rivers, he said. In winning those rights, we only had a short bit of time to try to develop and utilize those rights, given 100 years of existing legal structures that had been built, he said. Generally, tribes in the basin are starting to build the capacity to put to use the water rights won in settlements on their reservations, he said. Without water, you cant build economies. Without access to clean water, you die during a global pandemic. If you dont have access to waster rights, you dont have access to develop, Vigil said. Vigil, a former Jicarilla Apache tribal water administrator, said efforts toward producing this months letter date back to late 2021. Thats when 20 tribes wrote a similar missive to newly named Interior Secretary Deborah Haaland. They sought to be formally included in the process of drawing up the new guidelines and to have their water rights protected. The reason thats important is that there is a track record of what tribes have been asking for, Vigil said about the 2021 letter. They cant use the smokescreen that We dont know what the tribes want. Weve been telling you and youre not listening. One purpose of the new letter is that rather than trying to propose a single tribal alternative that takes a position in disputes between the Upper and Lower states of the Colorado River Basin, we want to think holistically in terms of realities, of the things, that as tribal sovereigns, we feel need to be included in any alternative that is developed, Vigil said. The spirit is about doing this together and about planning a water future together, Vigil said. The letter was generated by a 14-tribe group known as the Basin Tribal Initiative. Threading the needle Overall, we collectively have to thread the needle as to how to get to a place that is a more stable system that everyone can live with, said Jason Hauter, a Gila River community tribal attorney who helped draft the new letter. The community is well aware of the difficulties in this. its looking for practical solutions, not winning. Theres no way to be a winner in this situation. The scope of the problem is too big, Hauter said. Its one thing to say you need to meet your trust responsibility to tribes, he said, referring to the U.S. governments legally enforceable obligations to protect tribal treaty rights, lands, assets, and resources. If you dont define that, the tribes and the U.S. are just sitting there, scratching their heads, Hauter added. Each tribe will have its own specific issues and demands. We want to lay out basic principles. States locked in standoff The letter comes as the Upper (Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico) and Lower Basin (Arizona, California and Nevada) states are locked in a standoff over the future guidelines. Five days before the tribes sent their March 11, the two groups of states submitted to the Bureau of Reclamation dramatically different proposals. The Lower Basin states want both basins to share the cuts and the Upper Basin states want all cuts to fall upon the Lower Basin. In addition, the Gila River Indian Community will submit its own plan to the bureau, its chairman Stephen Roe Lewis said this month. The community didnt sign onto the tribes new letter but Hauter said its likely to sign later. The bureau is launching an environmental review of the proposals, and wants to approve a final plan to take effect when the current operating guidelines expire. Asked to respond to the tribes letter, Tyler Cherry, a spokesman for Reclamations parent agency the Interior Department, cited a detailed statement affirming federal tribal obligations Acting Deputy Interior Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis made during a call with reporters on March 5. Daniel-Davis noted federal regulatory efforts such as the push to revise the 2007 guidelines can be long and slow-moving. But because the process will be transparent and inclusive, she said, its path forward is strengthened by public input, interest group participation, the best-available science and Indigenous knowledge, and accountability. This is especially true in our work with tribal governments and communities, who are indispensable partners in our work to address the climate crisis. Tribes in the Colorado River Basin not only have long-standing rights to water resources that we must honor and uphold, but they also have millennia-worth of Indigenous knowledge that will help us to conserve and protect precious water resources. The department is particularly proud to have launched last year what it called the first formal partnership of the federal government, the states and tribes to insure that tribes have a seat at the table at the beginning of this journey, Daniel-Davis said. The Arizona Department of Water Resources and the CAP staff declined to comment on the tribes letter. Moral obligations The tribes new letter to Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton keys in on three basic principles: The feds must take actions to actively protect tribal water rights, whether or not theyre formally quantified in a legal settlement. The tribes say this is part of the federal trust responsibilities to them. Besides legal obligations, the trust responsibility consists of the highest moral obligations that the United States must meet to ensure the protection of tribal and individual Indian lands, assets, resources, and treaty and similarly recognized rights, said a 2014 order by then-Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. Give tribes power to determine how and when they use their water rights, by adopting and supporting what the tribes call flexible tools. One suggestion is that the feds insure that when water conservation programs are established to carry out the post-2026 rules, the eligibility and participation requirements maximize the tribes ability to take advantage of them without incurring onerous financial burdens. Another is for the feds to enhance tribes ability to lease or otherwise market their water supplies off their reservations, by clarifying their legal authority to do that. Create a permanent, formalized structure for tribes to participate in to implement not only the expected post-2026 guidelines, but in any future Colorado River policy and governance. At a minimum, anything in the Post-2026 Guidelines that formally triggers an obligation on the part of Reclamation to consult with the Basin States should trigger a similar obligation to the basin tribes, the letter said. This should be in addition to, not in place of, existing consultations between the feds and individual tribes, the letter said. Tribes in the Upper Basin took a step forward on that issue on March 4, when the four-state Upper Colorado River Commission signed an agreement with six Upper Basin tribes to meet every two months to discuss shared interests on the Colorado. Although tribes wont have voting rights or permanent seats on the commission, the agreement is a mark of progress because it formalizes the requirement for continued discussions among tribes and states in the Upper Basin, observed the University of Colorado Law Schools Getches-Wilkinson Center. Also last year, the federal government, the seven basin states officials and 30 tribes formed the 38 Sovereigns Group to give tribes more of a voice in water issues. The group meets regularly. Still, when it comes to the formal, governmental process of drawing up the new guidelines, We have no inclusion, not at the state level, not at the federal level, not at any level, Vigil said. The Law of the River, the compact, the Boulder Canyon Project Act (which in 1928 authorized Hoover Dams construction), the CAP, we were not included in those discussions. Ramifications for Arizona The first of the three tribal principles carries significant ramifications for Arizona tribes and CAP. Of 22 federally recognized tribes in Arizona, 10 have fully or partially resolved federal water rights claims that rely on Central Arizona Project water, CAP says. Eight others have unresolved claims. Overall, CAP is the largest single supplier of Colorado River water to tribal water users in the Colorado River system, the projects website says. The tribes letter also calls for the post-2026 plan to reject any alternative imposing involuntary or uncompensated cuts on five tribes whose rights were decided in the 1963 Arizona vs. California decision that also awarded Arizona 2.8 million acre-feet total. The Cocopah Tribe lies wholly within Arizona., while the Chemehuevi Tribe lies wholly in California. The Colorado River Indian Tribes,which have the largest water rights of the five, and the Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe, have land in Arizona and California. The fifth tribe, the Fort Mojave, has portions of its reservation in Arizona, California and Nevada. The tribes letter also calls on negotiators for the new guidelines to reject any alternative that would put limits on tribes ability to develop their river water rights by building pipelines and other infrastructure to make use of the water. That provision is particularly important for tribes in the Upper Basin states, which typically use far less than their total river water supplies. Tribes there, like state officials in the Upper Basin, have resisted the idea of limiting future development of their water rights despite the rivers limits. Carrying out a settlement for the Navajo tribes water rights claims means connecting 70,000 people who are still hauling water on a daily basis, Vigil said. How can you cap a tribal water right when to connect (to a water system) is to connect to someone to flush its toilet? Vigil said. When you say put a cap on developing water rights, youre saying you cant hook up someone with clean water. As for water to replace whats cut from tribal CAP-based water settlements, the only location tribes have mentioned publicly is the Butler Valley, a heavily rural area in Western Arizonas La Paz County thats dominated by agriculture. Its one of three basins in the state from which groundwater can be legally transported to cities in other basins under a 1990 state law that sought to protect other basins from having their groundwater sold out from under them. Butler Valley is best known as a basin where Saudi-based Fondomonte had until recently been pumping groundwater to grow alfalfa on leased state-owned land. Gov. Katie Hobbs terminated that lease last month. The valleys groundwater is being pumped by farmers four times faster than its being replenished by natural forces, a recent Arizona Department of Water Resource report shows. Otherwise, Hauter said hes uncomfortable discussing at this time what areas are being looked at as potential replacement water sites. There is no single project that is going to solve this problem. Theres going to be a lot of water projects, the Washington, D.C.-based tribal attorney said. We all are looking collectively in the state at a lot of options. They could be something that may not be practical, for whatever reason. I dont want to generate any sense of expectation or concern, by disclosing other potential project sites, he said. Theres always people talking about desal, but thats probably years away. It could be something in the future. A lot of cities are looking at reclaimed water reuse, he said. He acknowledged its a challenge for the U.S. to try to meet all the diverse demands from tribes. How do you meet your trust responsibility when rights are in conflicts with one another because of the nature of water rights, whether through settlements or by decree? Difficulty finding other supplies Eric Kuhn, a Colorado-based author and retired water official, said I would guess it would be very difficult to come up with that amount of water to replace whatevers lost in Arizona, due to cuts in water right settlement supplies. Arizona State University water researcher Sarah Porter said, With enough money, you could find alternative supplies. That would be the sticking point. Where would the money come from? Kuhn and Porter agreed this tribal position could draw pushback from other states officials Youll have a lot of folks who say they dont have a lot of sympathy for tribes in Arizona who cut a deal for CAP water, said Kuhn, co-author of a book on how the Colorado River Compact was drawn up. Theyll say (the tribes) did a deal knowing CAP was a junior water right on the river. Also, a lot of states will look at it as an internal issue within Arizona. Responding, tribal attorney Hauter noted that at the time of the Gilas water rights settlement in 2004, the sense was that future cuts in CAP supplies would be much smaller than theyve turned out to be. The time of settlement matters. A blanket statement like that fails to understand that at the time we werent in the situation we are in now. CAP water was provided to address tribal settlements, because non-Indians didnt want to give back the water their ancestors took from tribes, he said. You can blame the victim for taking water when political forces are so stacked against you its the only water you can get, Hauter said. Generally, tribes make a very strong argument that they should be treated differently in these negotiations from non-tribal water users because of their trust relationship with the U.S. government, said Porter, director of ASUs Kyl Center for Water Policy. They are different, they need to be treated with special consideration, thats how it is. These kinds of negotiations put the bureau and the Department of the Interior in an awkward position, Porter said. Everybody wants to find an agreement that will avoid litigation, she said, but the tribes are raising some points that will essentially say at bottom there could be litigation over some of these principles. Given recent news, youd be excused for concluding that conspiracies are what caused our housing affordability crisis. You would be right, but maybe not in the way youre thinking. Thats because the conspiracies that weve learned about the last few weeks appear real, but they likely only have had a relatively small overall impact on housing prices. Theres the one conspiracy related to homebuying that is so embedded in our real-estate culture that weve just accepted it all these years. Here Im referring to the 6% commission for buyers and sellers agents on every home sold that has predominated in the industry for decades. Many of us paid it without thinking, because thats just the way buying a house worked. Now, thanks to a lawsuit settlement, its going away. Then theres the conspiracy related to the rents for apartments. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes office filed suit against an apartment service company called RealPage and a series of apartment owners in Phoenix and Tucson, alleging they colluded and fixed prices at higher than market levels. The lawsuit makes a compelling argument, which has also been made in news stories and other lawsuits around the country. But then theres the conspiracy that is so engrained in our cultures and ordinances that we are only beginning to notice it. Its the conspiracy of the haves versus the have-nots. And when Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs had a chance to side with the have-nots last week, she sided instead with the haves. Price fixing The allegations of a rental-market conspiracy make for compelling and dismaying reading in a city where rents have gone up almost 40% since 2020. They center on a company, called RealPage, hired by firms that own apartment-complexes to help them maximize their revenue. It burst into public knowledge in October 2022, when the online news outlet ProPublica published an investigation into RealPage. The story quoted a RealPage executive bragging that his company is driving double-digit rent increases around the country. If true, how do they do it? The attorney generals lawsuit puts it this way: RealPage collects and shares pricing and occupancy information for many multifamily apartments in the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas. It feeds this data into a common algorithm and then tells the participating landlords what prices to charge based on all this data. And so, competitors have stopped using independent judgment to set prices and started working together. In fact, participants are told to use RealPages prices or risk being thrown out of the system altogether. This is price fixing, and it is illegal, the AGs lawsuit says. It adds that more than 70% of apartment units in the Phoenix area and more than 50% in the Tucson area set their rates using RealPage. And they operate all over the country: A consolidated lawsuit by renters against RealPage is playing out in Tennessee. Home prices driven up While the alleged price-raising conspiracy in the rental market looks newfangled, the one in the homebuying market is comparatively ancient. For decades, the national standard established by the National Association of Realtors has been that both the buyers agent and the sellers agent get 3% of the value of the sold home as a commission, paid out as an add-on to the price of the home. In November, a jury in Missouri found the association, plus Keller Williams and Homeservices of America, liable for $1.8 billion in damages for artificially inflating commissions. The association enforced these commissions in part by limiting access to their multiple listing services, the central databases around the country for most home sales. Home sellers needed to disclose the commissions they would pay to the buyers agent in order to be able to list the homes, which incentivized some buyers agents to prioritize homes with higher commissions. Now, its my experience that real-estate agents are sometimes flexible with their commissions. But the effort to enforce 6% commissions undoubtedly made this flexibility less common than it otherwise would be and drove up the price of home sales, at least the commissions. Thanks to a settlement arrived at on Monday, a shakeout will happen and perhaps lower the cost of a home by a bit some forecast a decrease of 25%-50% in the commissions. But that doesnt lower the underlying cost of a home. Disparaging renters This brings me to the conspiracy that we all participate in without even thinking about it the haves vs. the have-nots. Many factors have driven up the cost of homes, but one of the most fundamental is simple lack of supply. In Arizona, the shortfall is about 270,000 units, according to an ASU report published in January. And in urban areas, one of the key factors limiting supply is zoning that restricts much of the cities residential areas to single-family homes, the ASU report says. Even President Joe Bidens White House said so in the Economic Report of the President sent to Congress on Thursday: Research consistently finds that increasingly stringent zoning restrictions lead to lower housing construction and a lower price elasticity of the housing supply. How does that work? Apartments, townhomes or even small single-family homes on little lots never get built because they are not allowed. Or, they are proposed but require a rezoning, which brings out home-owning opponents who convince the officials to turn them down. In January, for example, opponents of two new apartment developments at East Tangerine Road and North Rancho Vistoso Boulevard filled the Oro Valley Town Council meeting to oppose the 207 apartments. Oro Valleys planning and zoning commission had approved the plan, but after the residents outcry, the town council voted 7-0 to reject it. During the session, Mayor Joe Winfield even felt it necessary to warn commenters not to disparage renters: I imagine all of us in this room have rented at one time or another, including myself. Lets be good to each other and not disparage, whether we own a home or dont own a home. Still, he voted against the rezoning. Desperately need an apartment Cities arent completely unaware of this problem. Tucson has approved changes to zoning in recent years that would allow what Zoning Administrator Elisa Hamblin calls gentle density. There was the citywide approval of casitas, or accessory dwelling units, and some small shifts in parking requirements to allow for more townhouse-type development. Still, the haves-vs.-have-nots dynamic is one of the reasons some Democratic legislators joined Republicans in supporting HB 2570, a bill called the Arizona Starter Homes Act, which limits cities ability to stop new housing. We typically do not hear from the working person who is living in their car, Rep. Analise Ortiz, a Democrat, told me. We dont hear from the single mother who is facing eviction and needing to couch surf. Theyre not showing up to the city council and saying I desperately need an apartment. Please approve this low-income housing project. The bill prohibited minimum sizes for new single-family homes and forced cities to accept lot sizes as small as 1,500 square feet for single-family home developments greater than five acres. It also prohibited local requirements that new homes have certain design features or be part of a homeowner association. In her veto message, Hobbs said the bill lacks the nuance necessary for statewide reform. But so far she has refused to provide the nuance that she would accept. And so even a relatively modest proposal to take power from the haves has so far failed. Its this conspiracy really, better termed a system that will need to change if were going to make housing affordable again. The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer: On January 24, the Star printed a letter to the editor I wrote with the headline of Moral clarity. For the sake of continuity in this opinion piece, I want to restate some of those thoughts here. On Friday, January 5, at a campaign event, Donald Trump mocked Joe Biden for his stutter. Every time Trump becomes a mega bully, you have the hope this will be the last time. This behavior is what gets children placed in time out, teenagers sent to the principals office, military personnel discharged, and employed adults fired. Why would we tolerate this behavior in a presidential candidate and nowhere else? Then I read an article on March 11 in the Washington Post written by Lauren Weber and Carolyn Johnson, entitled Trump Mocks Bidens Stutter Again, and I was even more flabbergasted. Outraged because once again, most of the people in his audience at a campaign rally in Rome, Georgia laughed when Trump made these remarks. This is scary stuff. Anyone who does not think this is scary does not understand mob behavior, cult followers and where it might lead us as a nation. And yet, I do not want to believe most of these people are also bullies and bully enablers. Some of these people, in order to excuse their behavior, say Biden is faking his stutter; false theories circulated by conservative media. This is a disability, not an act. Do people really believe someone would fake an obvious war injury? That Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, is faking his need for a wheelchair? That Gabby Giffords is faking her aphasia? So why would our President, someone who needs to be an effective communicator, fake this type of disability? If you are reading this opinion piece and are not appalled by former President Trumps behavior, or even worse, believing the rumors that President Biden is faking it, I would ask you to take a minute to look inside and ask yourself why you feel this way? What is motivating you to support this person? A person whose behavior might turn on a dime to decide, for some reason, you are not one of his loyal supporters or that there is something imperfect or weak about you. And we know plenty of people in Trumps former circle who have had that fate befall them. I welcome comments from Star readers who might have been one of those cheering on the former President to explain this to me and other Star readers. I often read in this newspaper that those on the right, Republicans, and conservatives, are not given ample opportunity to speak their truth, to voice their opinions. Please, help explain to some of us your defense of this behavior. Drought has plagued Oklahomans periodically since statehood in 1907, and many have wanted to make it rain. Many have tried. Have they been successful? That remains debatable. The idea that rain could be produced by dropping dry ice crystals into a cloud was developed in 1946 when a scientist at the General Electric laboratory in New York dropped dry ice into clouds near Albany, N.Y., and produced precipitation. The ice crystals form a nucleus for water droplets, and when the droplets become large enough, they fall as rain. That scientist, Vincent Schaeffer, was awarded a Nobel Prize for discovering that dry ice forms ice crystals that will produce rain. A few months later, both the Tulsa World and The Tulsa Tribune tried their own experiments at creating rain over Tulsa. Tribune editor and publisher Jenk Jones flew into a large cumulus cloud above Tulsa on Aug. 24, 1947, with 100 pounds of crushed dry ice that he dumped into the clouds at 16,000 feet and then at 20,000 feet. Ten minutes later, he wrote, a shower developed over the north end of the city. Had he made it rain or was it coincidence? Jones didn't draw any conclusion but noted that scattered showers had been predicted and that rain had fallen in Osage County earlier. Additional rain fell later that day. A World story the next morning said the Tribune's rain-making effort was a "fizzle" but noted that a few drops of rain fell two hours after the experiment. A World reporter, who had been talking with a government meteorologist about the possibility of a similar experiment, tried a rain-making effort the next day -- but the reporter obviously didn't take the effort very seriously. "For nearly 30 minutes, I flew over Tulsa with a tray of ice from the family ice box," reporter Bob Freeland wrote. "Approximately every two or three minutes we tossed out a cube." When the remaining ice cubes melted, he added, he just threw the water out of the plane. Freeland said nothing unusual appeared except holes in the cloud where the ice cubes had been thrown, but he couldn't tell what was happening on the ground 2,000 feet below. He said he had given a Brownie camera to a boy on the ground with instructions to take pictures of anything unusual that developed -- so he was confident there would be a picture of the holes in the clouds. But when the plane landed, the boy and the camera had disappeared. "After about an hour searching for traces of rain -- and our disappearing cameraman we headed for town," he said. Although that reporter and the Tulsa World may not have taken rain-making seriously in 1947, the city of Tulsa did seven years later when it approved a $12,000 contract with the Weather Corp. of America of St. Louis to seed clouds over the Spavinaw watershed. Two months later, Water Commissioner John Thomas said the money had been well spent, noting that "drought conditions still prevail but the seeded area has received more than normal rain during the period." The project engineer told a World reporter that making rain was a simple operation -- if you have the right equipment and the proper weather conditions. All it takes, he said, are proper clouds, some dry ice and an airplane to drop the ice pellets into the clouds. Or clouds could be seeded from the ground with silver iodide vapor released from a generator. The Weather Corp. used both methods. A World reporter rode with the engineer during one of his Spavinaw area seedings from the ground. Rainmakers were hired during the 1970s by several Oklahoma cities, by Oklahoma State University, by the Bureau of Reclamation and by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to produce rain in various parts of the state. Some claimed increased precipitation; others said it was a waste of money. A state program to enhance rainfall and reduce hail began in 1996, and two years later Mike Matthews of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board said the program had shown promising results. But Edwin Kessler, a meteorologist and retired director of the National Severe Storms Laboratory, said the program had not demonstrated any increase in rainfall. That program ended in 2001 when Gov. Frank Keating vetoed a spending bill. Like this column? Read all the columns in the Only in Oklahoma series from the Tulsa World Archive. Michael Dekker Tulsa World Business Writer Follow Michael Dekker 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 As campus president of Tulsa Welding School, Shalisa Powell has a personal connection with the institution she has led for about the last 2 years. Her son Lorenzo Perry went to a traditional college, but it wasnt for him. He hated it, she said. Hes taking sociology and humanities and (said), Why do I have to do this? I dont want to do this. He didnt want to go into the military. What do you have left, son? I know a great trade school you can go to, because your mom works there and shes got that place running, so you come down from Chicago. He completed his welding training after seven months. So now he can go anywhere he wants, Powell said. And starting at 20 bucks an hour for a 21-year-old with no kids, its a pretty good come-up. Thats what we do here is change lives. We use that term a lot, that lives do change. Tulsa Welding School, established in 1949 by two welders who aimed to meet the demand for skilled tradespeople, is marking its 75th anniversary this year. Its the largest and oldest, Powell said. The name is big. If students are looking for a solid career pathway, theres nothing better than the skilled trades. Expansion puts Tulsa campuses in other states Tulsa Welding School is located just east of the Mother Road Market on historic Route 66 at 2545 E. 11th St. It has expanded its programs and opened new campuses to meet the growing demand not only for welders but also for technicians in HVAC and refrigeration. Tulsa Welding School Jacksonville opened in 2001 in Jacksonville, Florida. Tulsa Welding School & Technology Center opened in 2014 in Houston. Tulsa Welding School opened a new campus in the Dallas metro area in 2023. And yes, the name Tulsa is in all of those campuses in Texas and in Florida, too. In addition to welding, the school offers several programs in electrical and heat/refrigeration trades that each last seven months. There is also a 14-month Associate of Occupational Studies in Welding Technology degree, which can take welding careers to the next level and the possibility of career opportunities virtually anywhere across the country and globe, the school says on its website. The cost for each seven-month program is about $20,000. The school has financial aid advisers and up to $2 million in scholarships. It also has a Career Services Department, where students can receive help in every step of a job search, from resume writing to interview preparation and job leads. In addition, welding students receive equipment worth about $850 when they start classes and are able to keep it when they graduate. They get that when they first start, and if they take care of them, it will last them. They can take those to the job when they come out, Powell said. Programs at the school begin every five weeks, and students attend a five-hour class five days a week. Eighty to 100 students enroll in welding programs for each seven-month program; about 30 enroll in HVAC and electrical programs, Powell said. Tulsa Welding School currently has 588 students. More than 37,000 students have graduated from its programs. Powell said the school usually sees a big influx of high school graduates enrolling in programs in May. However, the majority of the schools students are nontraditional, she said. About 40% of students come from outside the state. Big demand for skilled trades Skilled trades in general its just a huge demand. The demand for welders is very high, Powell said. The average starting salary for a welder in the United States is $49,500, she said. The figure is lower in Oklahoma closer to $40,000 but skilled welders and electrical/refrigeration technicians usually see their salaries go up quickly, Powell said. Much like traditional schools, students receive grades on projects that start simply and become more complex. Tulsa Welding Schools accrediting body requires that it place at least 70% of students who graduate with jobs, but the schools internal rule is 90%, Powell said. And we hit it every time. Of the schools students, she said, A lot of them are either not making anything (financially), or theyve been jumping around with these little retail jobs 12 bucks an hour or 14 bucks an hour, and now theyve got families, and thats just not enough, Powell said. To get a trade and in seven months go from 12 to 14 bucks an hour cycle to now being able to get 18, 20, 21 bucks an hour, its life-changing for these students. Dave Wilkins is a graduate and has been a welding instructor at the school for more than 26 years. He said it usually takes students a few days before they start to become comfortable with the welding equipment, which involves very high temperatures. The melting temperature of mild steel is a little under 3,000 degrees. Were melting it immediately when we weld, so the weld that is following your (work) is around 4,000 degrees or more, he said. He said that for many students, after a nervous first few days, they start feeling a whole lot better about it, and their welds start looking better. Thats the big thing. And ability has a lot to do with it. This isnt for everybody, but most of our students that have come through here, they are good to go. More female students now Tulsa Welding School has tripled its number of female students since Powell has been campus president. Steven Key is an electrical instructor at the school. Women are our best electricians, he said. They see everything from a 10,000-foot-above-picture of the entire circuit, whereas men, we focus on one little part and dont think about the rest of it, and the women just blow the guys away down here. The school also works with the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma and has a stocked pantry of food for students who need it. It also offers bus passes and other services for students. We go every Friday and we stock our pantry up for our students and their families, Powell said. So many students, you ask what their concerns are. Youve got single moms and single dads who may need help with groceries or transportation, she said. Those are the issues that they struggle with, and getting them past those first two things is really critical. Tulsa Welding School also invites representatives from many of the dozens of local companies it works with regularly to discuss current trends in welding and other trades. Twice a year, we invite the employer community to the campus to review our curriculum, to review our equipment, to look at our books and say, Nobody uses that out in the field anymore, or to say, You guys should get this, because its coming down the pike, Powell said. Thats how we keep things current and fresh, because we keep the (business) community in with us, she said. According to Powell, prospective students at Tulsa Welding School should understand that, though the program itself is likely to help them find work, they still have to put in a lot of time and hard work. Wilkins echoed the sentiment. I tell my students: I graduated from here 32 years ago. Ive traveled the United States as a welder and being an instructor all this time, and I say, I dont regret a day of it, Wilkins said. Tulsa Welding School's 75th anniversary event Tulsa Welding School will have a 75th anniversary event from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 5 at its flagship campus at 2545 E. 11th St. Shalisa Powell, president of the Tulsa Welding School campus, said local civic, chamber and employers have been invited. The event, she said, will be a sort of "come-and-go" affair, with a kickoff event for the news media at 10 a.m. Later in the afternoon, she said, there will be a tent, food, a bar and live music to mark the anniversary. Employees, staff and students will be at the event. "We are inviting everyone from the Tulsa community to come out," she said. "We're so exited to have everybody come out in April." The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today After more than two months without representation, voters in Tulsa Public Schools District 6 will head to the polls April 2 to select a school board member. Maria Seidler and Sarah Smith are seeking the seat, which carries a four-year term and has been vacant since Jan. 2, when Jerry Griffins resignation took effect. Campuses in District 6 include Bell, MacArthur, Salk and Zarrow elementary schools; Hale and Memorial middle schools; Hale High School; and Street School. An attorney with degrees from Missouri Southern State University, Pittsburg State University, the University of Tulsa and Yale University, this is Seidlers second run at elected office. She finished third in the 2020 Republican primary for House District 79. After 30 years of working in the energy industry and a stint as an adjunct at the post-secondary level, Seidler launched a nonprofit pro bono law practice in 2022 to serve parents and students who think their rights have been violated by a school district. Through her role as chief counsel for Legal Overwatch for Parents School Rights, Seidler is the attorney of record for two lawsuits currently pending against Tulsa Public Schools. One was filed in August in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma on behalf of the parents of a special education student who allege that school and district administrators did nothing to address the bullying their child experienced while attending East Central Middle School. The second suit was filed in January in Tulsa County District Court on behalf of two current school board members and a charter school parent over the process used to hire Ebony Johnson as TPS permanent superintendent. Four current board members, Johnson and former Superintendent Deborah Gist are also named defendants in the matter. As of Friday, no court dates have been set. Seidler said she would hand over the TPS litigation to another attorney if elected to the board but would continue to represent clients in cases against other school districts, including a still-pending appeal in a suit filed in 2022 against Stillwater Public Schools over its restroom policy. Everything that we say, the wokeness, people take it as youre attacking the sacred institution, the public school, she said. What were trying to do is clean up the public school system. Seidler said she is not affiliated with the Tulsa County chapter of Moms For Liberty, but she did acknowledge speaking at events hosted by Moms For Liberty chapters in the Oklahoma City area as part of her efforts to promote Legal Overwatch for Parents School Rights. Citing the calls she has received through her law practice, Seidler said she would look for ways to increase parental involvement on campuses, including seeking out additional perspectives on safety policies and procedures as a bullying deterrent. With respect to the looming threat of a state takeover from the Oklahoma State Department of Education, Seidler questioned whether State Superintendent Ryan Walters has the legal authority and the resources to take over TPS similar to how Texas officials took over the Houston Independent School District in 2023. The most he could do is just lower their accreditation, and then they would have to figure out how to deal with that, she said. Meanwhile, Smith is a graduate of Nathan Hale High School and the University of Tulsa. After stints in television and marketing, she currently works for TUs information technology department and has four teenage sons attending TPS. She has held leadership positions with the parent-teacher associations at her childrens schools, as well as volunteer roles with Court Appointed Special Advocates, the Tulsa County Post-Adjudication Review Board and her neighborhood association, which manages a local pool. Although disappointment with her previous school board representative was a factor in her decision to run for office, Smith said the accreditation threat from the Oklahoma State Department of Education was the final straw. To say that I was concerned would be a mild statement, she said. Im a little fearful that without the right people on the board, the loss of local control could be a reality. And I just dont want to see that happen. Citing her PTA experience and volunteer roles, Smith said one of her priorities if elected is digging into the districts budget and vendor policies, including volunteering to serve on the boards Finance Committee. During the Feb. 27 candidate forum co-hosted by the Tulsa World, TU and the Tulsa Press Club, Smith said her interest in volunteering for that particular task was in part because she had heard that the board has had a hard time finding members willing to serve on the Finance Committee, and when theres nobody serving on a committee, that work cant be done. In order to constructively address staffing challenges and other issues impacting educational outcomes for students, Smiths priorities also include relationship building both with the community and with other board members. Smith pointed out that chronic absenteeism in particular is an issue that TPS and its board cannot control on their own, hence the need for more tailored engagement with students, parents and community partners. The approach on how you handle things and how you work with people is important, she said. If you are part of a group and you are difficult all the time, then when you ask for help or if you indicate that theres a need, you might not be listened to as well. Working with people and having a two-way open line of respect and communication is how you build the respect enough to get people to listen to you when you have a concern or a red flag. I think thats the first step in how to govern well in this situation. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. WUHAN, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The 2024 Cherry Blossom Viewing: Business Cooperation & Fortune Global 500 with Hubei, a talk platform, held a series of activities on Thursday in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, with an eye on international cooperation between European enterprises and Hubei. More than 600 attendees, including diplomatic envoys, representatives of domestic and overseas governmental agencies and international economic organizations, as well as executives of Fortune Global 500 enterprises and well-known multinational companies, were involved in discussions on deepening investment in the Chinese market, promoting green and open development, and enhancing supply chain efficiency. Hubei is a vital growth pole for the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. It has great market vitality and serves as the financial and technological center of central China. Over the years, the province has been working closely with European countries to facilitate the expansion and improvement of bilateral trade and investment. According to the provincial department of commerce, Hubei's total foreign trade volume with Europe was 124.12 billion yuan (about 17.5 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023, up 28.3 percent year on year. There are about 700 European companies that have invested in Hubei, including 74 Fortune Global 500 firms. Ezhou Huahu Airport, located in the city of Ezhou in Hubei, has successfully opened international freight routes to countries such as Belgium and Germany, and China-Europe freight trains now serve 109 cities in 40 countries across Eurasia, with over 1,000 train trips operated last year. "We've been deeply involved over 40 years in the Chinese market, and we are one of China's largest foreign investors in electricity generation with nuclear power," said Fabrice Fourcade, chairman and CEO of EDF (China) Holding Ltd., at a celebration of the 10th anniversary of an agreement to build the Sino-French Wuhan Ecological Demonstration City. On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and China, EDF is happy and ready to continue deepening cooperation with Hubei for a successful energy transition, Fourcade said. The event also showcased promising Germany-China cooperation prospects in fields such as green development and rail transportation. Since the Wuhan Sino-German International Industrial Park was constructed more than four years ago, it has attracted 58 foreign-funded enterprises. Germany-based Knorr-Bremse Group established ties with Hubei over 10 years ago, exploring cooperation in the commercial vehicle sector, and it has since participated extensively in the construction of multiple rail transit projects in Wuhan. By the end of 2023, Knorr-Bremse had contributed to the design of nearly 380 kilometers of rail in Hubei, designing 12 subway and tram lines, and providing safe and reliable daily travel services for millions of Hubei residents, said Eric Bi, president and member of the Knorr-Bremse RVS China Board. Knorr-Bremse will continue increasing its investment in R&D and local capacity-building for key technologies such as braking systems, and it will build an innovative system based on the local supply chain, Bi said. Hubei is now consolidating its green and high-quality development momentum. Since 2016, the province has implemented more than 28,000 major technological transformation projects, with energy consumption per unit of GDP decreasing by 20.2 percent, construction land use by 23 percent, and carbon emissions by 23.9 percent. China and Europe are each other's major partners in investment and trade, said Ning Jizhe, executive vice chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges. A long-term, favorable future for China-Europe relations relies on the new achievements of complementary and mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation, he noted. Kevin Canfield Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Kevin Canfield Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Interactive graphic City of Tulsa payroll as of February 2024 Tulsas next mayor will likely be paid much more than Mayor G.T. Bynum. City councilors this week are expected to finalize a proposal that would nearly double the mayors annual salary from $105,000 to approximately $190,000. The proposal also is expected to include pay hikes for city councilors and the city auditor. Councilors salaries, which must be approved by voters through a City Charter amendment, would increase from $24,000 annually to either $32,000 or to approximately $47,500 to $54,000. Councilors set the mayors salary, and the City Charter sets the auditors pay at 70% of the mayors salary, though the proposal would likely ask voters to increase that percentage to 75%. None of the pay increases, if approved, would take effect until after this years municipal elections and the new class of elected officials are sworn into office in early December. Bynum, who is not seeking reelection, wont see an extra penny if the raise is approved. The proposal comes after a year of off-an-on discussions among councilors that was informed by the City Councils Human Resources Committee, which gathered data on what other municipalities pay their mayors and city councilors. Part of the calculation was simple and therefore relatively easy to resolve: How does the city increase elected officials salaries to ensure that their new pay reflects todays cost of living? In other words, how do you give elected officials today the same buying power they had when their salaries were last set? The answer: Total the annual Consumer Price Index adjustments since the salaries were last set. For the mayor, that was 2002, when the job paid $70,000; for councilors, it was 2014, when Tulsans voted to increase their salaries from $18,000 to $24,000. The other proposed salary for city councilors is based on a different calculation: paying them 25% of what the $190,000 salary proposed for the mayor. When it came to comparing what Tulsa pays its elected officials and what other comparable-size cities with strong-mayor forms of government pay their elected officials, the math was not so cut and dry. The HR Committee made up of four city councilors and council staff worked with the citys Human Resources Department to gather salary information, but other data related to staffing levels and benefits were less readily available. In addition, city officials noted, salaries from other cities changed over the course of the committees work. The mayors salaries in the 10 cities included in the committees report ranged from $99,251 a year in Lincoln, Nebraska, to $216,000 a year in Oakland, California. As of 2022, Lincoln had a population of 292,627 and Oakland had a population of 430,553, according to the committee report. Tulsas population as of 2022 was 411,867, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Memphis, with a population of 621,056, pays its mayor $210,000 annually, according to the committee report, while St. Louis, population 286,578, pays its mayor $161,820. The mayor of Omaha, Nebraska, earns $114,068 overseeing a city of 485,153 people. The mayor of Oklahoma City makes $24,000. But Oklahoma Citys form of government is different, with the city manager responsible for the day-to-day operations of the city. The HR Committee found that city managers generally earn more than elected mayors. City councilors who have argued that the mayors position should be paid more than $190,000 have made that exact point, noting that the mayor of Tulsa, who oversees more than 3,000 employees and a nearly $1 billion budget, acts in many ways like a city manager. In examining city councilors salaries, the committee looked at 13 comparable-size cities. The annual salaries ranged from $109,846 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to $23,100 in Nashville, Tennessee. In Oklahoma City, councilors are paid a base salary of $12,000 annually. Even if the mayors salary is increased to $190,000, he or she would not be the highest paid employee in the city. The city physician, the city attorney, the police chief, and the Public Works director each make more than $190,000, according to city records. The city physician, Phillip Berry, is the highest-paid employee at $234,316. The effort to increase elected officials salaries comes with two new wrinkles: a built-in mechanism to increase or decrease, based on the annual Consumer Price Index, salaries at the start of each term; and a proposal to provide a pension-like benefit that would be separate and different from the citys Municipal Employees Retirement Plan. Currently, neither the mayor, the auditor nor city councilors are eligible to participate in the citys retirement program. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Randy Krehbiel Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Randy Krehbiel Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Note: This story has been updated to include reaction from 1st District Congressman Kevin Hern. Fourth District Congressman Tom Cole appears to be the favorite to replace Texas Kay Granger as chair of the House Appropriations Committee, following Grangers surprise announcement on Friday that she would resign as soon as the Republican Steering Committee chooses her successor. Granger, who previously announced her intention not to seek reelection to the House, said she will finish her current term as a member. I am the right person to lead the House Appropriations Committee, and I hope my colleagues (think so), too, Cole said in formally announcing his candidacy on Friday. Cole is one of the 12 cardinals Appropriations subcommittee chairs who decide how discretionary dollars will be spent. He is also chairman of the House Rules Committee and is considered one of Houses most respected members. First District Congressman Kevin Hern quickly endorsed Cole's candidacy, saying on X: "I strongly support my dear friend and fellow Oklahoman @TomCole0k4 as the next chair of @HouseApproposGOP. He's a remarkable leader in our conference, and I look forward to working with him as we fight to rein in out-of-control spending in Congress." Coles becoming Appropriations Committee chairman could set up an interesting situation Hern. In just his third term, Hern has done his best to flex policy muscle as a member of the Budget Committee and as chairman of the Republican Study Committee. Under his direction, the RSC released a budget proposal last week that includes deep spending cuts, tax reductions and lower projected outlays for nondiscretionary programs such as Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare. The budget proposal is 180 pages long, but getting the most attention is a nonspecific increase in the Social Security retirement age. Hern says not making changes to Social Security and Medicare will result in mandatory across-the-board reductions in less than a decade. Because around 80% of House Republicans, including four of Oklahomas five members, belong to the RSC, its budget proposal is seen as a likely preview of GOP rule should it retain a House majority and win control of the Senate and White House. Hern, in a speech to the Ripon Society last week, said the RSC budget is an aggressive roadmap to a balanced budget but may not be the roadmap. As an unsuccessful candidate for speaker of the House last time around, Hern is likely to be in the mix again should Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greenes motion to vacate the speakers chair lead to current occupant Mike Johnsons ouster. Cole and Hern have been on different sides of the recent spending bills that have kept the federal government from shutting down but rankled Republicans who are trying to leverage their partys narrow majority. Cole has voted for the bills, Hern against. In announcing his candidacy for Appropriations Committee chairman, Cole said his goal would be to keep the government functioning while restraining spending. He also noted that the Appropriations Committee now controls only 28% of federal spending. If we are going to produce a balanced budget, which I strongly believe we should be striving to do, we should be having serious discussions on how to fund and reform our entitlement programs, which makes up approximately 60% of all spending, Cole said. According to Roll Call, one of Coles leading rivals for the chairmanship is Alabamas Robert Aderholt, an Appropriations cardinal who voted against Fridays spending bill because of provisions insisted upon by the Democrat-led Senate. Ultimately, more Republicans voted against the budget agreement than for it, which could cause Cole difficulty in winning the chairmanship. At the end of the day, I am a budget hawk, said Cole, also a member of the RSC. I believe in stretching our budgets dollars as far as we can, but I also recognize there are critical needs and challenges that must be funded if our great nation is going to be protected, preserved and improved. However, as chairman, I will ensure that, in doing this, we are not wasting and abusing. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Randy Krehbiel Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Randy Krehbiel Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Embryo imbroglio: Second District Congressman Josh Brecheen last week became the first member of Oklahomas congressional delegation to publicly support the concept that frozen embryos are human. Brecheen was one of four House Republicans to sign a letter criticizing expansion of in vitro fertilization for unmarried veterans and veterans in same-sex marriages. In part, the letter says: IVF is morally dubious. IVF treatments result in a surplus of embryos after the best ones are tested and selected. These embryos are then frozen at significant cost to the parents abandoned, or cruelly discarded. Parents uncertainty of what to do with the additional embryos and inclination to leave them frozen for many years rather than discarding them points to their inherent humanity. Earlier this month, U.S. Sen. James Lankford blocked legislation that included access to IVF, claiming that the bill also would have protected human cloning and embryo discrimination. On Monday, Lankford hedged on his assessment of IVF, saying: I stand for the value of every child starting at conception. The decision of any family to pursue IVF when starting a family is a difficult, moral conversation. Like me, many Republicans support IVF but want to be careful how many eggs are fertilized and how those eggs are cared for because we believe every child is valuable. Two-way player: Politico says U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin is one of three senators who are about to become even more important. In Mullins case, its because of his ability to shuttle between the House and Senate and his close ties to former and possibly future President Donald Trump. That, said Politico, makes Mullin a bigger-than-anticipated player when it comes to the fate of Ukraine aid in the House. Mullin is part of a group of conservatives who have been pitching Republican leaders including Trump on turning Ukraine assistance into a no-interest, waivable loan. The other two senators on the rise: Washington Democrat Maria Cantwell, chairwoman of the Senate Science Committee, and Idaho Republican Mike Crapo, ranking Finance Republican. Theres an app: Brecheen criticized the Biden administrations allowing those seeking asylum in the U.S. to schedule appointments through a cellphone application. The apps use has drawn considerable abuse from critics of Bidens immigration policies because most of those utilizing it are quickly paroled into the United States. Oil slick: Lankford joined Senate Finance Committee Republicans in chastising Treasury Secretary Janet Yellin for the Biden administrations treatment of the petroleum sector. Lankford singled out an item in the administrations budget proposal that strips the intangible drilling costs deduction from the tax code. The industry contends that the term intangible is misleading because it includes very real expenses such as equipment, labor and materials. Every other business in America that does manufacturing can deduct their normal business expenses, but in the presidents proposal, it is except oil and gas production, Lankford told Yellin. Lankford also complained that the administration has allowed oil imports from Venezuela to resume and said news reports suggest that the U.S. has not effectively enforced oil sanctions against Iran. Bice v. CONAN: Fifth District Congressman Stephanie Bice has it in for CONAN. Not Conan the Barbarian, or even Conan the comedy writer and talk show host. Shes after CONAN the Constitution Annotated, a behemoth whose print edition runs to 3,000 pages and nearly 10 pounds and is priced at more than $100. On sale. Federal law requires that the print edition be updated every 10 years, even though hardly anyone reads it since a digital edition went online several years ago. Bice, as chairwoman of the House Administration Subcommittee on Modernization, figures thats a waste of time, space, money and trees. Producing this hardbound version is costly, Bice said while hefting a volume during a subcommittee hearing. The 2012 hardbound CONAN cost taxpayers approximately $1 million to produce. Were waiting on estimates for the 2022 version but expect theyll be nearly the same. Getting rid of the print requirement enhances efficiency and is an easy cost-saving measure. Dots n dashes: Lankford said he is a candidate for vice chairman of the Senate Republican Conference. Cole gave Speaker Johnson a vote of confidence, telling the Christian Science Monitor ahead of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greenes motion to unseat Johnson: Im very proud of what hes been able to do. Hes in a more secure position than most people seem to think. Brecheen endorsed a South Carolina state lawmaker whos trying to beat incumbent Republican Congressman William Timmons. Jeffrey Yass, the Pennsylvania billionaire who was the primary funder of Brecheens 2022 congressional campaign, is reported to be a possible Cabinet secretary in a second Trump administration. The House Science, Space and Technology Committee chaired by 3rd District Congressman Frank Lucas continued churning out bipartisan bills with the passage of eight last week and called for replacement of top leadership in the Commerce Department Inspector Generals Office. Lankford said the U.S. has about $300 million worth of high tech gear for detecting fentanyl sitting in warehouses because Congress hasnt appropriated the money to install it. Hern was among several Republicans urging free trade with Israel. An Economist/YouGov poll put President Bidens net favorability at -15, former President and presumed 2024 GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump at -18, Congressional Democrats at -16 and Congressional Republicans at -32. Randy Krehbiel, Tulsa World The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Anna Codutti Tulsa World Breaking News Editor Follow Anna Codutti 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 State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters acknowledges an extraordinary level of scrutiny on his administration and his policies while repeating that he will never back down to a woke mob. Several lawsuits filed against Walters and the Oklahoma State Department of Education ask state and federal courts to weigh in on whether that characterization of the plaintiffs applies. For those who want to follow the cases in which Walters is named as a defendant, it can be challenging as multiple lawsuits have bounced between state and federal courts. The list of cases below excludes lawsuits Walters administration inherited from Oklahomas previous state superintendent. Edmond Public Schools v. Ryan Walters The Oklahoma Supreme Court has been asked to decide whether the Oklahoma State Board of Education or a local elected school board has the authority to establish policies concerning books in public school libraries. Edmond Public Schools Superintendent Angela Grunewald said the lawsuit was filed after the Oklahoma State Department of Education threatened to have the state board lower the districts accreditation 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. How Walters has responded: This is an ongoing subversion of accountability. 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. Kara Bojorquez and Kristina Stadelman v. Ryan Walters Kristina Stadelman teaches special education to kindergarten through fourth-grade students in the Oklahoma City metro area. This is her fifth year in the classroom, so the Oklahoma State Department of Education said she qualified for a $50,000 bonus, the maximum under Walters new Teacher Signing Bonus program. The state then asked for the bonus money back, saying she was ineligible because she taught in an Oklahoma school district last year. Kay Bojorquez applied for the bonus as someone who obtained special education certification in the past five years. On the application, she reported being employed as a teacher at Epic Charter Schools last year, but OSDE said she would be getting a $50,000 bonus. Two months later, the department asked for the money back. Both are suing in Oklahoma County District Court over breach of contract. I dont think its my mistake, Stadelman told Oklahoma Watch. And I think that they need to take the brunt of it because they made the error. How Walters has responded: They signed a contract agreement that said they didnt work in a school last year. KOCO reported that the contracts had no such clause. J. Doe (of Moore Public Schools) v. Ryan Walters The Oklahoma Equality Law Center and the Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law and Justice are suing Walters on a Moore students behalf after the State Board of Education denied the students request to change their pronouns in school records. A temporary rule approved in September prohibits school districts and local schools from altering sex or gender designations in past student records without authorization from the State Board of Education. During its meeting on Oct. 27, the board voted 5-0 to reject such a request despite a Cleveland County court order that OSDEs general counsel called illegal. The case was filed in state court before being bounced to federal court, where a U.S. District Court judge reassigned it to Cleveland County. How Walters has responded: Radical gender theory has led some people to fight the obvious, God-given biological nature of human beings: that there are two genders, male and female. Our pronoun policy aligns with common sense, truth, and reality and protects schools and teachers from unfounded accusations of discrimination. This frivolous lawsuit, propped up by the extreme left, is an unserious distraction from the very serious business of improving Oklahoma schools for all our students. Summer Boismier v. Ryan Walters The state board scheduled a hearing to revoke the certification of former Norman English teacher Summer Boismier after she resigned in August 2022 over House Bill 1775, a law that bans educators from teaching certain concepts related to race and gender. Walters initially told the board Boismier had been fired after a parent complained that she had covered her classroom bookshelves with red butcher paper that read, Books the state doesnt want you to read. She also posted a QR code giving students online access to banned books. A judge found that the state failed to prove its case and recommended that Boismiers certification remain intact. Her lawsuit filed in federal court alleges that Walters personally owes her $75,000 or more for defamation, slander, libel and false representation. How Walters has responded: There is no place for a teacher with a liberal political agenda in the classroom. Ms. Boismiers providing access to banned and pornographic material to students is unacceptable, and we must ensure she doesnt go to another district and do the same thing. Janessa Bointy v. Ryan Walters A former employee at the Oklahoma State Department of Education, Bointy says she was fired because she spoke out at an Edmond Public Schools board meeting. OSDE claimed Bointy, a school counselor specialist, violated the agencys media policy when she was quoted in a local news story. Bointy said she was speaking as an Edmond parent about mental health after a students suicide. The wrongful termination case was filed in Oklahoma County District Court but has since been moved to federal court. How Walters office has responded: Contrary to public servants, these individuals are political activists who have no business being funded by Oklahoma taxpayers. The people of Oklahoma overwhelmingly voted for Ryan Walters during the course of three separate elections last year as such, this administration will not tolerate pre-existing bureaucrats who are not 100% committed to empowering parents, ending leftist indoctrination, and making Oklahomas public education the best in the nation. Cheryl McGee and Matthew Colwell v. Ryan Walters After an email trap to determine whether OSDE had any leaks at the agency, two staffers were fired when the information in the email was reported by Oklahoma media outlets. Cheryl McGee, former executive director of school-based mental health, said she was fired for leaking an email from Walters adviser Matt Langston with a termination threat for noncompliance with OSDEs media policy. Matthew Colwell claims he was fired as program manager of school success after sending the email to Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond and an Oklahoma state representative. He reportedly was trying to alert authorities that Walters teacher pay plan might run afoul of the law to the tune of $18 million. Both former OSDE employees are represented by the same attorney in separate lawsuits in federal court. How Walters office has responded: These legal claims are absurd, frivolous, and a waste of taxpayer time and money. Its a political stunt with no legal merit. Infinity School v. Ryan Walters Located in northeastern Oklahoma City, Infinity General Preparation School has 28 students. The private school opened in 2014 and voluntarily sought state accreditation in 2021. The school alleges that Walters held a sham hearing to revoke its accreditation. Despite a lack of evidence, school officials say, the action resulted in the schools being temporarily closed in spring 2023. Infinity filed suit in Oklahoma County District Court alleging that Walters and OSDE are inappropriately holding the private school to the standards that statutorily apply only to public schools. World staff writer Curtis Killman contributed to this story. Pardon me but youre wrong: While Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt often confronts issues head on, he has signed onto the National Governors Associations Disagree Better initiative, the stated aim of which is to promote healthy disagreement. To me, disagreeing better means learning to persuade the other side in an uplifting way, not by tearing each other down or diminishing each other, Stitt said in a press release. Americans need to disagree better, NGA Chairman Spencer Cox of Utah said during the organizations meeting in Washington last month. By that we dont mean that we need to be nicer to each other, although thats helpful. We need to learn to disagree in a way that allows us to find solutions and solve problems instead of endlessly bickering. Stitt is paired with Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver, a nephew of former President John F. Kennedy and former U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy. Not wanted poster: While House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, said last week that he will introduce legislation next week to allow state and local law enforcement agencies to detail people who cant prove theyre legal residents of the United States, a bill that would have criminalized illegal immigrants died in the House last week for want of a vote. House Bill 4090, by Rep. David Hardin, R-Stilwell, would have carried a penalty of not less than five years in prison or deportation for anyone caught in Oklahoma without proof of citizenship. Originally, the minimum prison term was 10 years. This legislation could have served as a significant move toward addressing the urgent problem of illegal immigration within our state. Instead, we continue to ineffectively manage the influx of individuals entering Oklahoma illegally, Hardin said in a press release. Written in stone: The Freedom from Religion Foundation called on state Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, to resign after Deevers declared on the Senate floor that he would not follow federal laws he found to be in conflict with Gods word. Government doesnt make the law, Deevers said. Power rises up from the people, and the people make the law. And that law should be in accordance with Gods word and the conscience. And these federal laws are restricting both of those things so when this authority, namely the federal government, commands what Gods forbid, we are not to obey them. Its unclear whether Deevers feels the same about state and local laws. In this case he was arguing against federal regulations promoting clean energy. Population: Thirty-two of Oklahomas 77 counties lost population from 2020 to 2023, including every county west of the Oklahoma City metro area except Comanche (Lawton), according to Census Bureau estimates. Tulsa County grew by 2%, or 13,591 people, which was slightly ahead of Oklahoma County. The Oklahoma City metro, though, outpaced the Tulsa metro, with Canadian (+14.1%) and McLain (13%) counties leading the way. In the Tulsa metro, Wagoner County grew 10.2%, the third-highest rate in the state, and Rogers County grew by 5.3% to top 100,000 for the first time. Work stats: Oklahomas unemployment rate rose from 3% to 3.6% over the past year despite the states adding more than 25,000 jobs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. According to the bureau, the number of employed and unemployed Oklahomans both grew from February 2023 to February 2024. Neighhhh: Stitt is trying to get the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission to pass a resolution saying it will not allow automatic renewal of the states gaming compacts when they recycle in 2034, NonDoc reported. The resolution would be nonbinding. The commissions renewal of an agreement involving the states pari-mutuel horse tracks and the tribes blocked Stitts attempt to renegotiate the gaming compacts shortly after he took office in 2019. So far, the commission has said No. Power move: Oklahoma Corporation Commission Chairman Todd Hiett was elected vice president of the Southwest Power Pool Regional State Committee. The SPP manages regional power distribution in 14 states, including Oklahoma. Hiett also was named to the Washington Action Program, a federal affairs arm of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. Meetings and events: In something of a switch, the Oklahoma Democratic Party is holding its annual convention outside of the states two metro areas, in Ardmore, on April 6. Convention business will include choosing delegates to the Democratic National Convention Aug. 19-22 in Chicago. Second District Congressman Josh Brecheen announced a series of in-person townhalls for early April. Most are in southern Oklahoma, but on April 4 he will be at the Okfuskee County Historical Society, 407 W. Broadway St., Okemah, at noon; the Henryetta Civic Center, 114 S. Fourth St., Henryetta, at 1:30 p.m.; and the Morris Community Center, 400 S. Hughes Ave., at 3 p.m. Tulsa City Council candidates will speak to the Tulsa County Republican Mens Club at 11:30 a.m. April 10 at Oklahoma Joes, 6175 E. 61st St. State Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa, will be guest speaker at the revived Democratic Luncheon Club, meeting at 11:30 a.m. April 12 at Baxters Interurban, 717 S. Houston Ave. Former U.S. Senate candidate Jackson Lahmeyer is bringing retired Gen. Michael Flynn back to town on May 20 as part of a tour to promote Flynns direct-to-DVD movie. Previously announced was an April 11 appearance by Rudy Giuliani at Lahmeyers Sheridan.Church, 7901 E. 41st St., in the former Caravan Ballroom. Bottom lines: House Minority Floor Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, was among several legislators nationwide participating in a Zoom press conference sponsored by the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. State Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola, argued that the use of license plate scanners facilitates what amount to warrantless searches that should be barred. The Cherokee Nation received a $2.5 million planning grant for a bridge in rural Cherokee County. Randy Krehbiel, Tulsa World The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Amid the artificial intelligence (AI) trend and the deployment of Resolution 98 with special mechanisms for Ho Chi Minh City, it is now the ideal time to develop an international financial center in the city, Vietnamese-born Philipp Rosler, former vice-chancellor of Germany, said during an interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. Rosler, who is now Vietnam's honorary consul in Switzerland and chairman of the Vietnam-Switzerland Economic Forum, was invited to join a team in charge of studying and providing proposals for the development of the international financial center. He said he had arranged a meeting between a Vietnamese delegation led by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to the 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and the Swiss banking and financial community in January this year, as the Vietnamese government had already decided to build up an international financial center in the southern metropolis. Rosler returned to Vietnam to get in touch with Vietnamese banks as well as companies in the financial industry in order to prepare a master plan for this endeavor. Regarding the benefits that an international financial center could bring to the Vietnamese economy, he said it would undoubtedly offer significant advantages to the banking and financial sector. The financial sector serves the Vietnamese economy by offering credit, especially to small and medium enterprises and household businesses. A financial center will definitely benefit not only Ho Chi Minh City but also the southern region and entire Vietnam, even the ASEAN region, Rosler believed. Financial centers will also aid in attracting enterprises that provide housing and school infrastructure to meet the demands of the workforce located around these financial hubs. He emphasized that it is not too late to establish a financial hub in Ho Chi Minh City. It would have been too early five years earlier, but it will be too late if local authorities keep waiting for too long. Now is the right moment, he affirmed, explaining that Vietnams economy is developing strongly and is on a steady growth trajectory. The local economy should be supported by a good financial foundation, hence a financial center. An employee is at work at Intel Products Vietnam Co. Ltd. in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Supplied It should be designed to be unique and typically Vietnamese to meet the needs of the Vietnamese economy. He was confident that the international financial center project in Ho Chi Minh City would be a success as most of the domestic financial enterprises are headquartered and operating in the city, which is one of the countrys three largest economic hubs, besides Hanoi and Da Nang. The southern city is well positioned to lure more enterprises. Ho Chi Minh City can draw from the experiences of existing financial centers worldwide and leverage technology, such as AI, to develop its own center and attract investors. The city needs real estate planning and legal frameworks for the financial center as well. The legal systems in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Dubai, and Singapore, all renowned for their financial centers, share similarities with the UK, particularly with London's longstanding financial hub. The adoption of regulations similar to those in other financial centers helps international investors easily understand Vietnams legal system and bravely make investments. Vietnam should also pay more attention to the development of large computer centers, which will help lure leading fintech companies to Ho Chi Minh City. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Thirty shipments of Vietnamese durian exported to China have been found to be contaminated with excessive cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) has warned and requested the Vietnamese side to probe the contamination. The Plant Protection Department (PPD) under Vietnams Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, recently received a GACC notice warning that the contents of cadmium in these shipments have exceeded the threshold prescribed in Chinas food safety regulations, Huynh Tan Dat, director of the department, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. As a toxic heavy metal, cadmium is a human carcinogen that can accumulate over time in the human body with detrimental effects on the kidneys, lungs and bones, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. As requested by GACC, the department on Monday requested plant quarantine sub-departments and relevant businesses to coordinate in tracing origin of the contaminated durian shipments and investigating the cause of the contamination, Dat said. He emphasized that the exporters of these shipments must strictly comply with the ministrys regulations on traceability, recall and handling of unsafe food. They are required to review all their processes of production, harvest, collection, processing and export of durian, and obtain lists of plant protection drugs and fertilizers having been used for these 30 shipments. All businesses involved must set out measures to remedy such contamination and prevent similar cases from occurrence in the future. Reports on tracing origin of contaminated durian, the causes of contamination, and remedial measures are required to be submitted to the PPD before April 1, Dat stated. The PPD also requested the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety of and the departments of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hanoi and the provinces of Tien Giang, Lang Son, Dong Nai and Dak Lak to direct functional agencies to supervise involved businesses in the origin tracing process. These departments must also verify the reports on the contamination causes and remedial measures, and check the food safety conditions at durian producers and traders involved. All relevant reports should be completed soon and sent to the PPD so that the agency makes an official reply to the GACC before April 3, avoiding the Chinese side releasing conclusions that can be detrimental to Vietnams durian exports. Last year, China spent US$2.1 billion on 493,000 metric tons of Vietnamese durian, up 1,036 percent in value and 1,107 percent in volume compared to 2022, making it the largest importer of durian from Vietnam, according to VietNamNet. Such results sharply increased Vietnams durian market share in China from 5 percent in 2022 to 34.6 percent in 2023. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnamese students will benefit from a special training program launched by the Taiwanese Ministry of Education (MOE), covering semiconductor and other industries, according to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Ho Chi Minh City. The International Industrial Talents Education Special Program (INTENSE Program), intended for talents coming to Taiwan for study and work after graduation, was recently announced by the MOE, Han Kuo Yao, general director of the TECO told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. The program, which focuses on the fields of semiconductor, STEM and finance, will first target students from Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines starting from 2024, the TECO said on its website. Eligible candidates will be international students who have completed their second or third year at an overseas university or junior college graduates and bachelors degree holders. Free Chinese language courses will be provided for prospective candidates in the overseas offices, and students should pass A2 level Chinese language proficiency (TOCFL A2) before enrolling in the training courses. The Taiwanese government covers tuition fees and other administrative costs during the training period of two years, while participating companies provide each student with a living allowance of NT$10,000 (US$1,380) per month, and students will have an additional allowance during their internship. Upon completion of the training, international students will work for participating companies for two years at minimum before they can choose to continue working in Taiwan or return to Vietnam, Han said. In its first year, the program is expected to recruit 6,000 students from Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines in two admission times: autumn (in September) and spring (in February). Representatives of Taiwanese universities will directly interview potential students in the three countries. To facilitate recruiting students for the program, the MOE subsidizes three universities to establish overseas consulting offices in these countries. These offices will provide administrative and interview venue support, offer consultation services for students, and serve as a venue for future Mandarin language training courses for potential students. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Newspaper clippings, books and first-hand accounts of people who said they visited other planets are catalogued in a giant Swedish archive on paranormal phenomena, attracting the curious and researchers from around the world. The Archives for the Unexplained (AFU) claims to be the world's biggest library of paranormal phenomena, with 4.2 kilometres (2.6 miles) of shelves running underground. Clas Svahn, 65, and Anders Liljegren, 73, who run the archive located in the southeastern town of Norrkoping, say they are neither superstitious nor believers, but rather "curious investigators of the unknown". The AFU -- the name of both the library and the association that has collected documentation for more than 50 years -- is mainly comprised of books, but also more original documents, such as first-hand accounts of paranormal activity recorded on tape and photos of ghosts. "What we are building here at AFU is depository knowledge," explains Svahn, showing AFP journalists around the 700-square-metre (7,535-square-foot) library. "We're trying to get as much as we can on... every kind of unsolved scientific mystery that we can find... to make this available for the world." The library receives around 300 visits each year, by appointment only. The archives are in the process of being digitalised and many of the documents can already by consulted on a server. All that is needed is an access code, which the pair are more than happy to share. Growing acceptance Greg Eghigian, a professor of history and bioethics at Pennsylvania State University in the United States, visited the AFU to do research for a book on the history of UFOs (unidentified flying objects). "I have worked in countless archives in Europe, the United States and the UK. My time at the AFU was easily the most fascinating and most productive," he told AFP. "The AFU is without question the... most comprehensive archive for materials involving the global history of the UFO phenomenon in the world," he said, adding: "One cannot study the subject thoroughly without consulting its holdings." The study of UFOs has long been stigmatised, but is becoming a more accepted field of scientific research. In September 2023, NASA officially joined the search for UFOs, saying the discipline required "a rigorous, evidence-based approach." Swedish artist Ida Idaida poses next to her sculpture at the Museum of Art in Norrkoping, Sweden on March 12, 2024. Photo: AFP At the AFU, Svahn flips through the yellowed pages of a book with a red cover. The work is from the underground UFO scene in the former Soviet Union, typed up clandestinely in only seven or eight original copies. The book is "one of the rare things we have", Svahn says as he peruses the handwritten notes in Russian in the margins and sketches of rockets. "They didn't know what they were seeing... but we can compare this with our own files and (can conclude it was) rocket launches from the Plesetsk rocket base" which were secret at the time, he says. Victor Hugo and Vietnam The AFU archives contain some surprising material, including a little-known anecdote about French writer and politician Victor Hugo, currently on display at the Norrkoping museum of art. In notes he wrote during his political exile on the British island of Jersey from 1852-1855, Hugo described having encounters with his dead daughter. These writings contributed to the birth of a new religion now practiced by several million followers in Vietnam, Caodaism, said exhibition curator Magnus Bartas. A fresco of Victor Hugo today adorns the wall of a temple a dozen kilometres north of Ho Chi Minh City. The AFU, administered by an association of volunteers and hobbyists, "also covers the folklore, the beliefs" associated with paranormal phenomena in general, said Svahn. "We love to see this as a social thing, impacting society all around the world and impacting people's lives." Beliefs evolve over generations and what was superstitious and rejected as such in the past may not be as stigmatised today. Swedish artist Ida Idaida spent a month doing research in the AFU archives to create a giant sculpture made of dark wood. She sought inspiration from the experiences of witches, detailed in books, whose knowledge has been disdained throughout history, she told AFP. People whose experiences and accounts are not taken seriously in society can find their rightful place in the archive, says museum curator Magnus Bartas. "The archive says something is unexplained. That means we shouldn't reject it. We should investigate it. We should be open." Traffic police during a Friday afternoon patrol detained four men who were caught parking their truck on the emergency lane of the Hanoi-Hai Phong Expressway, located in northern Vietnam, and illegally gambling. The suspects include trucker P.V.H, aged 39; N.T.C, aged 42; V.H.N; aged 36; and N.H.T, aged 43. They all reside in Hanois Son Tay Town. These four admitted to the police that they engaged in illegal gambling while in the truck. The police officers then handed over the four men, the truck, and gambling items to the police agency in Thanh Ha District, Hai Duong Province, northern Vietnam for further investigation. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! People attend the 2024 HSK Study In China Education & Career Expo held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng) KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Fostering international education cooperation is crucial to shaping a more promising future for everyone in the world, a Malaysian official said here on Saturday. In his speech at the ASEAN (Malaysia)-China Higher Education Forum, Higher Education Deputy Minister Mustapha Sakmud noted education is not solely a national concern but also a shared global responsibility. "Malaysia recognizes China as one of the most important partners in the field of higher education. We commend China's effort on enhancing people-to-people exchanges and higher education cooperation through bilateral engagement and also through multilateral platforms such as ASEAN," he added. Mustapha said that currently there are over 40,000 Chinese students in Malaysia, and that he takes the opportunity to welcome graduate students and researchers from China to Malaysia and do their research as well as pursue their tertiary education. "Therefore, as we celebrate our 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, we are committed to strengthening cooperation in higher education between Malaysia and China," he added. Meanwhile, Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Center (ACC) Shi Zhongjun said that education plays a pivotal role in science and technology, economic and social development with educational exchanges and cooperation being a key part of the China-Malaysia bilateral relations. "The high-quality development of higher education is an area of focus for both China and ASEAN, with Malaysia included. With this in mind, our forum today could serve as a platform to enhance mutual understanding between the two sides, form partnership and exchange ideas on key issues including quality assurance, student service, language teaching as well as digital development," he said. For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing said 2024 is the China-ASEAN Year of People-to-People Exchanges and also the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia. "This forum is not only an important platform for us to deepen cooperation in higher education, but also a valuable opportunity for us to jointly explore educational innovation and promote talent cultivation," he said. Co-organized by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education and ACC, the forum runs concurrently with the 2024 HSK Study In China Education & Career Expo 2024, offering prospective students a glimpse into educational opportunities in China. People attend the 2024 HSK Study In China Education & Career Expo held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng) Witnessing neighboring fishers preparing to slaughter a dolphin caught in a net, a group of fishermen in Quang Binh Province, central Vietnam pooled their funds to purchase the fish and release it back into the sea. On Friday, Dong Vinh Quang, chairman of the Peoples Committee of Canh Duong Commune in Quang Trach District, Quang Binh, confirmed that the group of local fishermen had successfully released the dolphin back into the sea. The dolphin, caught by fishermen in Quang Xuan Commune, adjacent to Canh Duong Commune, was intended for sale upon arrival at Canh Duongs pier. Upon learning of the incident, Canh Duong fishermen pooled funds to buy the dolphin. Afterwards, the dolphin was nursed to health, placed in a styrofoam box, and returned to the ocean. Measuring approximately two meters in length and weighing around 40kg, the dolphin appeared healthy upon release. Canh Duong, a commune with a centuries-old tradition of offshore fishing, holds dolphins in high regard, believing their presence brings good fortune. Therefore, local fishermen refrain from harming or trading dolphins, and if one washes ashore deceased, it receives a burial ceremony. The local people here always consider dolphins as friends, Quang stated. Earlier, on March 16, fishermen in Cuong Gian Commune, Nghi Xuan District, Ha Tinh Province, north-central Vietnam caught 19 dolphins weighing between 40kg and 60kg each. Local authorities and community efforts raised VND32 million (US$715) to buy and release these dolphins into the sea. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Netherlands Trade Mission to Vietnam has held a networking event in Ho Chi Minh City to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Netherlands and Vietnam, as well as to promote green business, culture and sustainability between stakeholders of the two countries. From Monday to Thursday, the trade mission, led by the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Mark Harbers and the Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Christianne van der Wal, spent a visit to Vietnam. The sectors in focus of the trade mission were water tech and management, agrifood and horticulture, and green and digitalised logistics. On Tuesday, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a reception to the mission at the Government Office in Hanoi. Under the framework of the visit, the networking night took place at the Independence Palace in Ho Chi Minh Citys District 1 on Thursday, connecting businesses, organizations, local governments and individuals and contributing to bilateral trading and people-to-people exchange. Miss Vietnam H'Hen Nie with a design from Vu Thaos collection at the networking event on March 21, 2024. Photo: Huu Hanh / Tuoi Tre According to Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Kees van Baar, the event featured the linkages and sustainability between two countries. Together, we bring the best to the bilateral relations, in terms of economy, trading, culture and society, the ambassador said. Joining the event, chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai claimed the city's steadfast commitment to its collaborative ties with the Netherlands, as well as acknowledgement of the support from the Dutch government and partners in a variety of sectors. Mai said Ho Chi Minh City has developed strategies for green development until 2050, so it needs the Dutch experience. We welcome Dutch investors to Ho Chi Minh City for green infrastructure development, green industry, green consumption and green finance, and for the building of a green metropolis, Mai said. The event also included two sustainable fashion collections by Vietnamese designer Vu Thao and the Vietnamese Dutch designer Xuan Thu. Thao shared with Tuoi Tre News that her team spent six months preparing the materials. The team planted organic plants for the materials, such as cotton and hemp. Moreover, the items of her collection were dyed using natural substances. For designer Xuan Thu, her collection conveyed the message of raising the Vietnamese consumers awareness of slow fashion, as well as the origins of the items. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A 21-year-old student in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam has succumbed to avian influenza A(H5N1) infection after contracting the virus about a couple weeks ago, a local official confirmed on Saturday. The victim, identified as B.T.D., was pronounced dead at around 8:00 am on Saturday morning at the Khanh Hoa Hospital for Tropical Diseases, where he received intensive treatment, said Ton That Toan, deputy director of the provincial Center for Disease Control. Before being transferred to this hospital, he had fallen into a coma and was placed on a breathing machine, adding that he experienced severe pneumonia due to the H5N1 virus. Local health authorities are still working to identify the transmission source of his infection, Toan said. The deceased patient was studying at Nha Trang University and staying in the schools dormitory in the namesake city. He developed symptoms such as a fever and mild coughs after returning home in Ninh Hoa Town on March 11. He took over-the-counter medications and sought medical attention in his hometown, but the symptoms did not abate. His family rushed him to the Khanh Hoa General Hospital for intensive treatment as his health worsened on March 17. Two days later, the general hospital sent his samples to the Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang, with the latter confirming that he was infected with the avian influenza A(H5N1). Since his health continued deteriorating, he was transferred to the Khanh Hoa Hospital for Tropical Diseases for quarantine and treatment. Prior to his death, a team of healthcare workers came to his home where they discovered that his family used to raise wild birds in captivity. The team was unable to collect samples of the wild birds as the animals had been released into the wild before the student fell ill, Toan elaborated, adding wild birds could be a transmission source of the avian influenza. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Anchorage, Alaska. Rex Lisman/Shutterstock Millions of workers left their jobs in what's known as The Great Resignation. Some states are still seeing higher rates of job quitting than others. Alaska had the highest quits rate in January at 3.6%. The COVID-19 pandemic sparked a recognizable shift in working culture in the US, as factors like pay, working conditions, and cost of living prompted millions of workers to quit their jobs in an era appropriately coined The Great Resignation. But while workers are still quitting especially in industries like retail trade and leisure and hospitality, USA Today reported overall, they're doing so at a much slower rate than they were during the pandemic, in a shift called The Big Stay. ADVERTISEMENT Nick Bunker, the economic research director for North America at the Indeed Hiring Lab, told Business Insider in January 2024 that "while employers are still hiring at a healthy rate, the demand for new hires is cooling down. Less demand for new hires means fewer people quitting old jobs to take new ones." Less demand for workers can be seen in weaker monthly job openings compared to 2022. The most recent available data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows there were 8.9 million job openings in January, higher than pre-pandemic openings but short of the peak in March 2022 when there were over 12 million openings. Additionally, a news release from the BLS noted the number of job openings in January didn't change much for most states 39 states as well as for Washington, DC. The number of people quitting fell in January by 54,000 to around 3.4 million, per the BLS. A year ago, the number of quits that month was around 3.9 million, representing a decrease in the total US quits rate from 2.5% to 2.1%, the BLS reported. As seen in the state map above, Alaska kicked off 2024 with a quits rate that was far higher than other states. Here are the 10 states with the highest resignation rates in the country, according to January's seasonally adjusted data released by the US BLS. Story continues 9 (Tie). Colorado Denver, Colorado. Charles Knowles/Shutterstock Quits rate: 2.8% 9 (Tie). South Carolina Charleston, South Carolina. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Quits rate: 2.8% 6 (Tie). Idaho Boise, Idaho. Charles Knowles/Shutterstock Quits rate: 2.9% 6 (Tie). Louisiana New Orleans, Louisiana. Kevin Ruck/Shutterstock Quits rate: 2.9% 6 (Tie). West Virginia Charleston, West Virginia. Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock Quits rate: 2.9% 4 (Tie). Mississippi Jackson, Mississippi. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Quits rate: 3.0% 4 (Tie). Montana Swiftcurrent Lake in Montana. SNEHIT PHOTO/Shutterstock Quits rate: 3.0% 2 (Tie). Delaware Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Ritu Manoj Jethani/Shutterstock Quits rate: 3.1% 2 (Tie). Wyoming Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Pat Tr/Shutterstock Quits rate: 3.1% 1. Alaska Anchorage, Alaska. Rex Lisman/Shutterstock Quits rate: 3.6% Read the original article on Business Insider The new coffee shop will open in High Baxter Street (Image: Google Maps) A new cafe serving coffee from South America is getting ready to open its doors next week. At the end of January, Alema Coffee confirmed it would be moving into a premise on High Baxter Street in Bury St Edmunds. The family-owned business will be serving coffee "from farm to cup" using beans grown in Ecuador. Fabian Macas, the founder of Alema Coffee, said: "Although we are new to Bury St Edmunds, coffee has been in our family for generations. "Our farm in Ecuador we grow arabica beans, which are hand picked at peak ripeness." READ MORE: Village coffee shop up for sale eight months after opening The cafe will be opening on Tuesday, March 26, from 9am until 3pm. A post on the business's Facebook page said: "I can't be more excited to announce Alema Coffee's grand opening date. "Hope everyone in town can enjoy the freshly brewed coffee directly from Ecuador." Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) has taken credit for attacks by other terror networks in the past, but it is almost certainly behind the deadly assault in Russia, though nothing is impossible. The group has claimed responsibility, and the chatter picked up by Western intelligence services in the days leading up to the atrocity also indicated something was coming. The number of people killed in Friday's shooting near Moscow is grim and likely to keep climbing. Many people presumed Islamic State (IS) had been neutered, but it has been growing in strength in recent years, particularly IS-K. Russia attack latest: Suspects detained in car chase Khorasan is an ancient term referring to regions of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Iran. IS-K's members are primarily disaffected fighters from the Pakistani Taliban, but the group also draws its numbers from other areas. Central Asia is a fertile recruiting ground, as are the restive republics of the Russian Federation, Ingushetia, Dagestan and Chechnya. As IS was gathering strength in Iraq and Syria, IS-K was emerging in eastern Afghanistan at the end of 2014 and into 2015. US operations seriously reduced its numbers, but after the withdrawal in 2021 the group renewed and grew. The Taliban is now regularly engaged in combat against IS-K, as it threatens its ability to govern Afghanistan. But unlike other terror groups, IS has transnational ambitions. Counter-terror officials have foiled numerous attacks in Europe in recent years. Russia is of particular interest to the group and would have been targeted because it claims President Vladimir Putin and his regime are killing Muslims. Read more from Sky News: Kyiv worries Putin will exploit attack to escalate war Russia sends five children out of thousands back to Ukraine Members of IS-K point to Russia's military operations in Chechnya, Syria and Afghanistan. Russia has been targeted by Islamist groups numerous times over the last two decades. Story continues The Nord Ost theatre siege in 2002 and the Beslan massacre in 2004 are the most notorious attacks. The group will also want to sow chaos in Russia at a time when it is fighting a war in Ukraine. Like all terror groups, its grand design is to push people to extremes and to try to elicit an overreaction and overreach. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Education & Career Bihar Inter Result 2024 Out; 24 Students in Top 5 List; Read Toppers Name, Score The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) declared today i.e. Saturday March 23, 2024 Class 12 (Class XII Intermediate) 2024 result on its official website biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in. Read More Saturday March 23, 2024 3:30 PM , ummid.com News Network BSEB Inter Topper List 2024: The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) Saturday announced the result of the 12th Inter 2024 exam and also released the BSEB 12th Toppers List 2024 on its official website biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in. Along with announcing the 12th results, the Board Secretary, Anand Kishore, Saturday also released the names of 12th Inter Toppers in Arts, Science and Commerce streams. BSEB Inter 2024 Toppers List "As many as 11 students of the state are among top 5 in the Science stream, 5 students are among the top 5 list in Arts and 8 students in the top 5 list of Commerce stream", he said. "Mrityunjay Kumar is the Bihar Inter 2024 Topper in Science. He scored 481 marks and a percentage of 96.2%", he said. "In Arts, the top scorer was Tushar Kumar, securing an outstanding 96.4% with a total of 482 marks. Priya Kumari emerged as the topper in Commerce, achieving an impressive 95.6% with 478 marks", he said. Science Stream Toppers 1. Mrityunjay Kumar (481 marks) 2. Simran Gupta (477 marks) 3. Varun Kumar (477 marks) 4. Prince Kumar (476 marks) 5. Akriti Kumari (475 marks) 6. Raja Kumar (475 marks) 7. Sana Kumari (475 marks) 8. Pragya Kumari (474 marks) 9. Anushka Gupta (474 marks) 10. Ankita Kumari (474 marks) 11. Prince Raj (474 marks) Art Stream Toppers 1. Tushar Kumar (482 marks) 2. Nishi Sinha (473 marks) 3. Tanu Kumari (472 marks) 4. Kumar Nishant (469 marks) 5. Abhilasha Kumari (468 marks) Commerce Stream Toppers 1. Priya Kumari (478 marks) 2. Saurav Kumar (470 marks) 3. Gulshan Kumar (469 marks) 4. Kunal Kumar (469 marks) 5. Sujata Kumari (468 marks) 6. Sakshi Kumari (468 marks) 7. Dharam Veer Kumar (467 marks) 8. Dipali Kumari (467 marks) The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) declared the 12th Inter result 2024 on its official website. Overall Pass Percentage According to the result data uploaded on the Patna board website, the overall pass percentage in the 2024 Higher Secondary board exams is 87.21%. "A total of 1,291,684 students appeared in Arts, Science and Commerce streams of the 2024 BSEB Inter exams. Of them, 11,26,439 students passed the exam registering a pass percentage of 87.21%," Board Secretary Anand Kishore said. "This the best pass percentage in five years", the BSEB Secretary said. 5,24,939 bag 1st division Out of a total of 12,91,684 students who appeared for the BSEB Inter 2024 exams, 5,24,939 students secured first division. A total of 5,04,897 students got second division marks, and 96,595 students received third rank, according to the BSEB 12th Merit List 2024. Girls have outperformedd boys in all three streams. In Arts, the passing percentage of girl students is 88.07%, while 8317% boys have passed. In Commerce, 96.91% girl students have passed, while the passing percentage of boys is 93.86% whereas 89.71% girl students have passed, while the passing percentage of boys is 86.73% in Science. The BSEB conducted the 12th Inter exams 2024 from February 01 to 12, 2024. BSEB 10th and 12th results 2024 are available for download on the board's official website "biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in". Steps to Check BSEB Class 12 Result 2024 1. Go to the result website: biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in. 2. Click on the link "BSEB Class 12th Result 2024". 3. Enter your roll number. 4. Click on "Get Results". 5. Take a printout Candidates should note that along with board official websites - onlinebseb.in, biharboardonline.com, biharboard.ac.in and bsebinteredu.in, the Bihar board exam results are also declared on bihar.indiaresults.com - board's partner website to host results. Bihar Inter result 2024 on SMS The result can also be checked via SMS and using Mobile App. Earlier, the Bihar Board of Secondary Education (BSEB) had released the Answer Key ( Answer Sheet ) of 12th Board Exam 2024 and asked the students to raise objection till March 05, 2024. The board after completing the assessment of the 12th answer copies of the students conducted the interview of board exam toppers . The Bihar board decided in 2022 to interview the board exam toppers before the announcement of the results and the release of the toppers list. The decision followed the allegations of rigging and malpractices in the exams levelled after board exam toppers failed to answer simple queries of the media post result announcement. Bihar Board Result History The Bihar board has a history of declaring Classes 10 and 12 results in a record time. BSEB 12th Inter exams last year was held from Feb 1 to 11, 2023 and the result was announced on March 21, 2023 . In 2023, Bihar board 10 Matric exams for Theory Papers were conducted from February 14 to 22, 2023. The result of the Bihar Board 2023 Class 10 Board exams was declared on March 31, 2023. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Fundamentals of Object Storage Underjord is a tiny, wholesome team doing Elixir consulting and contract work. If you like the writing you should really try the code. See our services for more information. I did a livestream where I talked about Object Storage. The how and the why. The Bad Old Days. And also the neat and interesting stuff just beyond the basics. I figured Id cover that in text as well. You can watch the stream here. Transparency notice: The livestream and this blog post have been work supported by Tigris. We collaborate on the topics, they provide resources and pay for some of my time so I can do this stuff instead of writing software for clients. I am very glad and thankful that I have someone funding my publishing and creative ideas. Expect more output from me near term, and give them a try! Background When I cut my teeth architecting systems we didnt have Objects outside of Object-Oriented programming languages and we had precious little Storage. And if we did have Storage it was either on the same physical server or some kind of NFS-based abomination. Imagine you set up your n-tier architecture. Application scales horizontally in front of the database. You can cache heavy loads with some Redis or Memcache that were the rad things then. For file storage we had to set up a shared store of some sort. And they were finicky bastards. The mounts would come loose and files got written in a local folder. The performance would randomly degrade. I remember installing a filesystem cache thing for my servers and with NFS it would suddenly just hard-lock the system at the kernel level. Because NFS lives or at least lived then, in the kernel. When it works well it can be very practical to have a networked filesystem pretend to be a real one. But it is a pretty little lie that you are telling yourself and the system you are building. And if you lean into the file-ish nature of the NFS lifestyle well, there are risks. And scars you can get. I found AWS annoying when it arrived. Unreliable VPS:es that you werent supposed to put files on. Bah. Humbug. So it took a while before I got into Object Storage (all object storage is essentially S3-compatible these days). But much like the dumbness of EC2-instances enforced good scalability practices the simplicity of S3 made it tremendously effective. What people want from a network file store is usually reliability and space. The data stays where you put it and does not get lost. And your data must fit. And as data grows it must still fit. So essentially infinite unknown unbounded storage growth. And ideally you dont want to pay more than disk utilization you currently need. Simplicity, restraint and constraints are good for starting most things. But especially to delivering on ambitious things. Like infinite* file storage. * not actually infinite, but for most purposes close enough Object Storage is much more clearly a service. It is not a file system. And when you scratch the surface the name clarifies itself a bit. It is not necessarily about files either. It is just the most successful NoSQL DB of all time probably. Keys, values and it doesnt sweat the rest so much. The fundamental operations are: Put object Get object List objects Delete object The full list is much, much longer. With Elixir To show how we can work with Object Storage fundamentals in Elixir I set up a mix project: mix new bla . Then I added the following deps in mix.exs : defp deps do [ { :ex_aws , "~> 2.5" }, { :ex_aws_s3 , "~> 2.5" }, { :hackney , "~> 1.9" }, { :sweet_xml , "~> 0.7" }, { :jason , "~> 1.4" } ] end I then created a config/config.exs with the following contents: import Config config :ex_aws , :s3 , scheme : "https://" , host : "fly.storage.tigris.dev" , port : 443 To get your deps: mix deps.get To create a bucket, if you have the fly command-line tool ready to go it is very simple to do fly tigris create . It is also free until your really use it, 5Gb and 10k+ requests/month. Of course take whatever bucket you prefer. But that will spit out credentials. :ex_aws_s3 will automatically slurp up your credentials if you set them as environment variables but not the bucket name. If you need multiple buckets you can wrangle them explicitly. These examples assume one set of credentials. I started the module I called Tigris like this: defmodule Tigris do alias ExAws.S3 defp bucket!, do : System . fetch_env!( "BUCKET_NAME" ) end Then I tackled the listing of objects: #.. def list!(prefix \\ "" ) do bucket!() |> S3 . list_objects( prefix : prefix) |> ExAws . request!() |> then( fn %{ body : %{ contents : contents}} -> contents end ) end #.. You can try things in iex -S mix to get everything we have in this project compiled and ready to go in the prompt: iex( 1 ) > Tigris . list!() [] Next some putting and getting. I am not suggesting you do error handling like this. This is for the purposes of simplicity and the stream, not a best practice and definitely not financial or legal advice. # .. def put!(key, data) do bucket!() |> S3 . put_object(key, data) |> ExAws . request!() :ok end def get(key) do result = bucket!() |> S3 . get_object(key) |> ExAws . request() case result do { :ok , %{ body : body}} -> body { :error , { :http_error , 404 , _}} -> nil { :error , error} -> { :error , error} end end # .. I tried those out in iex as well to show the fundamentals. Then I wanted to hint at scale I guess. Task.async_stream/2 ensures things are run in plenty parallel according to your machine. # .. def put_tons!(kv) do kv |> Task . async_stream( fn {key, value} -> IO . puts(key) put!(key, value) end ) |> Stream . run() end # .. And then: iex( 1 ) > kv = for d <- 1 .. 100 , f <- 1 .. 100 , into : %{}, do : { "dir- #{ d } /file- #{ f } .txt" , " #{ d } #{ f } " } # snip iex( 2 ) > Tigris . put_tons!(kv) And then to tidy up. Dont run this on buckets where you keep data you like or need: # .. def exterminate! do stream = bucket!() |> S3 . list_objects() |> ExAws . stream!() |> Stream . map( & &1 . key) S3 . delete_all_objects(bucket!(), stream) |> ExAws . request() :exterminated end # .. Presigned URLs No we are getting a bit fancy. So an enormously beneficial thing with Object Storage is that it can have features that spare your application server from a bunch of horrible work. Have you ever let your app receive a file upload only to save it somewhere else? Ludicrous! We have a service for that! There are protocols! # .. def presign_get(key) do :s3 |> ExAws.Config . new([]) |> S3 . presigned_url( :get , bucket!(), key, []) end # .. Use that. Get a presigned URL (you can configure expiration and such) for either downloading or uploading which you can hand off to the client and let them deal with the upload without you. Just between them and your object storage. Fun thing about doing that with Tigris btw. Tigris will place the data globally close to the uploader. It will then replicate as a cache if needed to other regions but this means your customers in Australia get local latencies. This is equally nice for uploads and downloads. Your application server does not have to go between. At worst a download is: Client asks your application server for a file. Your application checks if the request makes sense and should be signed for. Presign URL. Client receives a response with a redirect to the presigned URL. Transparent download but your application doesnt serve the bytes. Multipart upload (streaming up!) Up to 5Gb can be a single upload according to AWS. But typically that gets unwieldy. We can chunk uploads at 5Mb chunks. # .. def put_file!(key, from_filepath) do from_filepath |> S3.Upload . stream_file() |> Stream . map( fn chunk -> IO . puts( "uploading..." ) chunk end ) |> S3 . upload(bucket!(), key) |> ExAws . request!() end # .. This is a form of streaming upload. Which means if you need to do processing and then want to offload the result immediately you can reduce your memory usage to about 5Mb (it depends) by streaming the upload instead of holding on to the whole beastly thing. This specifically builds a Stream from a file for upload but there are many variants you can do using the Elixir Stream and IO tools. Range requests (streaming down!) Sometimes we just want a few parts of a file. Sometimes we want to build a hell-beast that does read-only SQLite VFS over S3 API. Sometimes we want to do a graceful streaming download. For this we have straight up HTTP range requests. # .. def get(key, range \\ nil ) do opts = if range do [ range : "bytes= #{ range } " ] else [] end result = bucket!() |> S3 . get_object(key, opts) |> ExAws . request() case result do { :ok , %{ body : body}} -> body { :error , { :http_error , 404 , _}} -> nil { :error , error} -> { :error , error} end end # .. This is incredibly useful and powerful. Sure. You might mostly be dealing with files. Until you dont. Or until you realize how many file formats expose useful information with just the right bytes. Zip archives are streamable with Packmatic because they allow you to keep the index of files to decompress at the end of the archive. Thats a known location. We can search the last part of the file and only get the index, and so, the file listing. And that means we can pick out files. One can do similar things with ID3 tags on MP3s and get metadata without getting the whole file. If you use the Elixir library Explorer the underlying Rust library supports the S3 API and will let you lazily read data from .parquet files and such that are stored remotely. Same thing. I hope this clarifies why range requests are rather useful for a file storage service. Why the S3 API became standard All Object Storage services Ive used so far have exposed an S3-compatible API. It makes sense. It helps you support the expected featureset and you get a trillion clients and SDKs compatible with your thing for free. Is the S3 API just that good? I dont think it is. And I had a whole spiel here about how it is simply good enough and that the value proposition of reliable infinite storage with a common protocol makes it worth it. It clearly has been. In discussing this post with Ovais Tariq, CEO of Tigris, he actually shared a much more interesting viewpoint. Contrarian to my lukewarm take. It makes sense for Tigris to ship as S3 API compatible to make switching and getting started simple. The S3 API turns out to be a significant constraint however. Tigris has a metadata system and infrastructure that is different from S3. There are improvements, innovations and some really great features that are not easy to implement nicely in the fairly stagnant S3 API. Sure you can finagle features into headers and other clever stuff but there is a downside to it as any new ground you break will be missing in client implementations. From my conversations with Ovais and his team we will still see innovations on Object Storage from them. I guess well have to stay tuned to see if the S3 API can handle it. If you want to share some of the more interesting usages youve seen of Object Storage or just want to tell me about whether you found this helpful, feel free to reach out. I am on the Fediverse as @lawik and you can just email me as well at lars@underjord.io. Thanks for reading. Underjord is a 4 people team doing Elixir consulting and contract work. If you like the writing you should really try the code. See our services for more information. Note: Or try the videos on the YouTube channel. China, UK shall complement respective strengths, achieve win-win results: ambassador Xinhua) 11:22, March 23, 2024 Chinese Ambassador to Britain Zheng Zeguang addresses the 2024 UK-China Business Forum in London, Britain, March 20, 2024. The forum, organized by the China-Britain Business Council, a major business network promoting trade and investment with China in the UK, attracted nearly 200 representatives from the business communities of both countries. (Xinhua/Li Ying) LONDON, March 22 (Xinhua) -- China and the United Kingdom (UK) must complement their respective strengths and achieve more win-win results, Chinese Ambassador to Britain Zheng Zeguang has said. Addressing the 2024 UK-China Business Forum here on Wednesday, Zheng called on the business communities of both countries to work together to deepen cooperation in traditional areas, align development strategies, and tap into emerging areas. The forum, organized by the China-Britain Business Council, a major business network promoting trade and investment with China in the UK, attracted nearly 200 representatives from the business communities of both countries. In his keynote speech, Zheng introduced the main messages of the "two sessions" by using four keywords "confidence, development, openness and cooperation." The two sessions, or the annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, were held earlier this month in Beijing. Zheng said the main economic targets set by the government work report this year, including around 5 percent of GDP growth and over 12 million new urban jobs, have fully demonstrated China's confidence in its economic prospects. "The long-term trajectory of China's economy remains positive," said the ambassador, noting that the country enjoyed multiple strengths, including strong political leadership, a supersize market and a full-fledged industrial system. The ambassador said China is firmly committed to advancing high-quality development and to the Chinese path to modernisation as it will pursue higher-standard opening up and promote mutual benefits. "The Two Sessions stressed that China will stay committed to an independent foreign policy of peace and to peaceful development. We will remain firm in pursuing a strategy of opening up for mutual benefit," he added. Zheng said there is huge complementarity and cooperation potentials between China and the UK and people with insight from both countries must make concerted efforts for the development of stable and mutually-beneficial China-UK relations. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liu Ning) KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia has expressed its condolences on Saturday over the terrorist attack on a concert hall in Moscow. It also wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the attack that occurred on Friday, the Malaysian foreign ministry said in a statement. "Malaysia reaffirms its stance in rejecting terrorism and violent extremism in all forms and manifestations. Malaysia continues to underscore the urgent need for a concerted international effort to eliminate the scourge of terrorism in a comprehensive and effective manner," it said. Gunmen stormed the concert hall in Russia's Moscow Oblast on Friday, killing and injuring over 100 people. IEN BIEN PHU Ban (bauhinia) flowers can be seen in different regions in Viet Nam but talking about ban is talking about ien Bien, the true home land of the beautiful blossoms. Representing purity and innocence, they are also a symbol of happiness and love. They start to bloom in mid-February and are in full bloom in March. The flowers have been mentioned and honoured in poetry and music as a typical symbol associated with the cultural life of Northwestern people, especially those of ien Bien, which has become a must-visit destination every March. Passes, mountains and roads leading to mountainous villages are filled with the soft flowers of pure white with a pinkish hue as ien Bien is home to many ancient ban forests, one of which being Nam Cum in Ngoi Cay Commune, Muong Ang District. About 60 families are located in Nam Cum Village, all of whom are Mong ethnic minority people. Although it is a Mong village, its name is taken from the Thai ethnic group language. Nam Cum means cold water, roughly understood as a place close to the water source flowing to the ravine so it is cold all year round. The people here live on a steep mountainside, with their houses built clinging to concrete roads. According to local residents, every year in March, the whole village is immersed in white ban flowers from many ancient trees, setting a stunning scenery that people are unable to take their eyes off of. Departing from ien Bien Phu City, visitors go to the intersection of Phieng Ban Valley in Na Tau Commune, turn left and go through the centre of Ngoi Cay Commune, Muong Ang District. There they will get to Nam Cum Village, where big ancient trees with white buds and flowers will welcome you to the kingdom of ban. The beautiful scenery of ancient white ban forests, winding roads, and pristine villages on majestic mountain slopes will be an unforgettable experience which should not be missed, highlighting the Northwest region in general and ien Bien in particular. The Northwest region has favourable conditions for travelling such relatively close proximity to the capital city, convenient transportation and magnificent natural scenery. HA NOI On March 23, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang responded to questions from journalists regarding recent statements by Chinas Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin on March 14, 2024, and the declaration by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs on March 17, 2024, concerning the East Sea issues (internationally known as the South China Sea). "Viet Nam has full legal grounds and ample historical evidence to affirm its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos under international law, as well as having the sovereignty and sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its maritime zones established in conformity with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS)," said the spokesperson. Regarding any unlawful claims in the East Sea that infringe upon Viet Nams sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly Islands, as well as its rights and jurisdiction over its maritime zones, Viet Nam has a consistent unwavering position that it categorically opposes and rejects all such claims. Viet Nam hopes that the relevant countries will respect and adhere to UNCLOS 1982 and pursue long-term solutions to disputes, contributing to peace and stability in the East Sea. VNS HA NOI The visit to Viet Nam by Speaker of the Parliament of Finland Jussi Halla-aho from March 24 to 26 is expected to help strengthen the cooperative relations between the two countries in various areas, said on Tuan Phong, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly (NA)s Committee for Foreign Affairs. Speaking to the media ahead of the visit, made at the invitation of NA Chairman Vuong inh Hue, Phong said that this is the first visit outside Europe by Jussi Halla-aho since he took office and he will visit only Viet Nam this time, showing the country's special position in Finland's foreign policy, as well as the good friendship between the two countries' legislatures. The visit also aims to mark the 50th anniversary of the two countries diplomatic relations (1973-2023), he added. According to the official, for the last 51 years, the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Viet Nam and Finland have been maintained and developed well. Finland always gives Viet Nam much attention and support. Finland has continuously provided non-refundable aid to Viet Nam since the two countries established diplomatic relations. Economic-trade-investment cooperation is a top priority in their relations. Two-way trade has continuously increased, reaching nearly US$380 million in 2023. However, it is still a modest number, especially in the context of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) taking effect in 2020. Regarding investment, Finland currently ranks 58th out of 140 countries and territories investing in Viet Nam with 35 valid projects worth over $47 million, which also remains modest rate compared to Finland's economic potential and strengths, Phong said. Therefore, Phong said through this visit, leaders of the two countries will discuss measures to further strengthen economic, trade, and investment cooperation, particularly how to raise trade turnover, increase Finnish investment in Viet Nam, and attract more Finnish businesses to the country, especially in fields where the European country has strengths and Viet Nam has demand like high technology, digital transformation, education-training, and component production. The two sides also expect to strengthen their cooperation in education and training, as now about 2,500 Vietnamese students are studying in Finland, he added. Viet Nam will take this occasion to thank Finland for supporting the 12,000-strong Vietnamese community in the country and calling on the country to keep creating favourable conditions for the community to integrate deeper into the host nation and further contribute to the socio-economic development of Finland as well as the relations between the two countries, he noted. He stressed that the legislatures of Viet Nam and Finland have been closely coordinating and supporting each other. Their cooperation has been maintained properly through the exchanges of high-level NA delegations. The two sides have coordinated and supported each other at regional and international parliamentary forums. Speaker Jussi Halla-ahos visit to Viet Nam will contribute to consolidating and further promoting the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Viet Nam and Finland, including their legislatures. Phong informed that the top legislators of Viet Nam and Finland will discuss measures to strengthen cooperation between the two legislative bodies, especially in exchanging experience in legislation and supreme supervision and deciding on important national issues. VNS HA NOI - Viet Nam's tuberculosis burden remains high, according to the Global Tuberculosis Report 2023 by the World Health Organization. The country has risen from 16th to 11th place among nations with the most tuberculosis patients globally and also ranks 11th for multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis among 30 countries. Particularly in the Southern region, the tuberculosis situation is severe and more complex than in the Northern and Central regions. Provinces such as An Giang and Can Tho in the Southwestern region reported a high number of tuberculosis cases in 2023, with incidence rates of 270 and 218 cases per 100,000 people, respectively. In some areas, the high-risk group exhibits extremely high tuberculosis rates, reaching 400 to 500 cases per 100,000 people. At the World Tuberculosis Day (March 24) commemoration on Friday in Ha Noi, inh Van Luong, Director of the Central Lung Hospital and Head of the National Tuberculosis Control Programme, highlighted Viet Nam's ongoing struggle with tuberculosis. Luong noted that Viet Nam ranked 11th globally for both overall tuberculosis burden and multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis burden, indicating a persistent and concerning situation. He emphasised the complexity of tuberculosis trends in Viet Nam, citing a slow decline rate and inadequate investment in tuberculosis control efforts, which raises the risk of a community outbreak. Luong also expressed concerns that the number of tuberculosis patients detected annually in Viet Nam only accounts for about 60 per cent of the estimated total meaning more than 40 per cent of tuberculosis patients in the community remain undetected and untreated. During the COVID-19 pandemic, tuberculosis control efforts in Viet Nam were severely affected. The number of patients detected in 2021 decreased by 22 per cent compared to 2020 and 24.5 per cent compared to 2019, making Viet Nam one of the countries with the highest reduction in tuberculosis detection globally due to the pandemic's impact. Additionally, changes in the policy mechanism for procuring tuberculosis drugs from state budget sources pose challenges for the drug supply system of the National Tuberculosis Control Programme, according to Luong. The existence of locally sourced medicines with short-term shelf life risks expiration without approved policy mechanisms while funding for purchasing drugs for tuberculosis patients without health insurance cards remains uncertain. Tuberculosis patients at facilities lacking conditions for health insurance payment face difficulties. Financial autonomy at the grassroots level also impacts control activities to some extent. Many provinces and cities face challenges due to insufficient manpower and funding. Coordination between public and private healthcare sectors is not sufficiently tight, affecting the referral of suspected tuberculosis cases from healthcare facilities outside the National Tuberculosis Control Programme. A collective effort from society is needed Following the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Tuberculosis Control Programme has implemented comprehensive interventions to boost tuberculosis control. These efforts aimed to increase patient detection, improve diagnosis, and facilitate treatment admission to halt community transmission, effectively restoring tuberculosis detection activities post-COVID-19 impact. The programme focused on enhancing and broadening active case-finding in communities, detecting positive cases at healthcare facilities, and employing advanced diagnostic strategies such as X-ray and Xpert testing methods. Integration with grassroots healthcare systems significantly improved diagnosis, treatment quality, and sustainable tuberculosis prevention. To address financial constraints, the programme successfully transitioned tuberculosis drug payments from state budgets to the Health Insurance Fund. Additionally, it leveraged Ministry of Health support to facilitate payment for other tuberculosis-related services via the Health Insurance Fund, ensuring easy access to treatment options and transmission prevention for tuberculosis patients. The Central Lung Hospital, under Ministry of Health guidance, developed "Guidelines for Active Case-Finding Activities, Tuberculosis Detection, and Respiratory Disease Management," aiming to standardise and synchronise nationwide active case-finding and tuberculosis detection activities. This initiative maximises the role of healthcare systems, particularly grassroots healthcare, in tuberculosis prevention and control. Across the nation, 51 out of 63 provinces and cities have established specialised hospitals such as Lung, Tuberculosis and Lung Disease hospitals. This expansion reinforces tuberculosis control efforts and enhances case detection capabilities. Dr Luong outlined that the Ministry of Health - National Tuberculosis Control Programme would persist in executing suitable strategies and policies to bolster the role and capability of grassroots healthcare systems, encompassing personnel involved in tuberculosis control endeavours. This would entail proactive case-finding activities and the active detection of tuberculosis within communities and healthcare establishments. Moreover, the National Tuberculosis Control Programme, along with provinces and cities, would provide counsel and proficiently implement documents and directives to reinforce the role of grassroots healthcare systems, healthcare services and drug procurement utilising the Health Insurance Fund. This would encompass the adoption of information technology in deploying electronic medical records. Simultaneously, efforts to sustainably mobilise resources domestically and internationally would be intensified, alongside the effective execution of the National Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Strategic Plan, with the ultimate objective of eradicating tuberculosis in Viet Nam by 2035. Minister of Health ao Hong Lan underscored the aspiration for Vietnamese citizens to live in a tuberculosis-free environment, entrusting responsibility to the Ministry of Health, pertinent ministries, and localities through robust engagement. The Ministry of Health would oversee the assessment and synthesis of the objectives, tasks, and solutions outlined in Decision 374, which endorsed the National Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Strategy from 2020 to 2030. This would entail consultations, reviews, adjustments, and supplementation to align with global objectives. In tandem with the implementation of the tuberculosis control programme, Viet Nam must bolster the capacity of grassroots healthcare and preventive healthcare, according to the minister. Integration of tuberculosis control initiatives with grassroots healthcare is imperative, alongside proactive efforts to locate and identify tuberculosis patients directly within communities. Additionally, establishing a robust legal framework is essential to execute tuberculosis prevention and control at the grassroots level. Furthermore, devising sustainable financial plans for long-term tuberculosis control funding sources poses a significant challenge, necessitating suitable transformation strategies to address this circumstance. VNS HA NOI Reforms in the State management method for food production facilities, businesses and goods have seen positive results. Enforcement agencies and the business community highly appreciated the changes brought about by Decree No. 15/2018/N-CP and hoped that it would set a good precedent for reforms in other areas of State management. Nguyen Thi Minh Thao, head of the Business Environment and Competitiveness Research Division under the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), on Friday presented the results of the impact assessment of the decree after five years of implementation at a workshop in Ha Noi. The workshop "Five years of implementing Decree No. 15/2018/N-CP on food safety: results, issues, and recommendations" was organised by the institute. It aimed to provide a forum for discussing changes in food safety management methods, achieved results, lessons, shortcomings and proposals. She further added that prominent changes in the decree such as applying risk management principles based on the level of legal compliance of enterprises and the risk level of goods; adding exempted inspection subjects; comprehensive reform of State management on food safety for imported food; had addressed issues of overlapping management, provided flexibility for businesses in administrative procedures; shifted from pre-inspection to post-inspection. Additionally, the adjustments and amendments of the decree compared to Decree No. 38/2012/N-CP on food safety were in line with international practices, facilitating the production and business activities of enterprises, reducing pressure on customs authorities, and enhancing the management capacity and quality of State management agencies regarding food safety. She said that the survey results from the institute showed that businesses had significantly reduced time, costs, and risks and had more opportunities to diversify production and business activities. Consequently, the number of food-industry businesses had increased rapidly, creating job opportunities and income for millions of workers as well as making significant contributions to GDP and economic growth. On the side of State management agencies, post-inspection activities had been strengthened and carried out more regularly. Customs authorities had reduced the pressure of customs clearance; cargo release time was faster, meeting international customs commitments. Speaking at the workshop, ang uc Anh, deputy director of the institute said that Decree No. 15/2018/N-CP was evaluated as a breakthrough institutional reform, reflecting fundamental changes in the State management mindset, shifting from pre-inspection to post-inspection. The decree had been implemented for five years. That was a legal document with significant impacts on the food-industry business community and changed the State management approach to food safety. The assessment was crucial for formulating and organising the implementation of policies on food safety management as well as State policies in other specialised fields, he said. However, au Anh Tuan, deputy secretary-general and head of the Legal Department under Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), said that although there were many positive reforms, the decree still had some points that need further research and improvement. For example, there were unclear regulations in determining the percentage of imported batch inspections in case of applying reduced inspection methods; or inconsistent enforcement for cases where products were trial samples. In some local authorities, officials were found to still request businesses to submit documents multiple times even though there were requirements beyond regulations. The decree also lacked regulations on registering imported foods containing new additives. VNS HA NOI Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has urged ministries, sectors and relevant units to expedite the construction progress of the 500 kV circuit 3-line project linking the central province of Quang Binh Province to the northern province of Hung Yen. He wants the project completed and up and running by June this year. The PM stressed this was a crucial national and key project with an important role in national energy security, especially for the northern region. This will be a milestone in the history of the electricity industry when building a 500 kV power transmission line within such a short period. To achieve this requires the resolute involvement of the entire political system, ministries, sectors, and localities through which the power lines pass. The 500 kV power transmission line from Quang Trach District in Quang Binh Province to Pho Noi District in Hung Yen Province includes four component projects, including the 500 kV Quang Trach Quynh Luu power line, the 500 kV Quynh Luu Thanh Hoa power line, the 500 kV Nam inh 1 Thermal Power Plant Thanh Hoa power line and the 500 kV Nam inh 1 Thermal Power Plant Pho Noi power line. The 519-km line passes through 211 communes and wards in 43 districts of nine provinces, including Quang Binh, Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh, Nam inh, Thai Binh, Hai Duong and Hung Yen. The total investment is about VN22.3 trillion (US$899 million). The project aims to reduce the risk of overloading for the existing 500 kV lines, especially when transmitting high capacity via the north central interface at times when hydroelectric power plants generate low power, ensuring electricity supply for the region in the years to come. The projects are undertaken by the National Power Transmission Corporation (EVNNPT) as the investor, with the Northern Power Project Management Board and the Central Power Project Management Board the project operators and managers. At the recent online conference of the Government's standing committee with ministries and nine localities, PM Chinh stated that previously, the construction of the 500 kV circuit 1-line project with nearly 1,500km of cables through 14 provinces and cities finished in a mere two years. The 500 kV circuit 3-line project, which is more than 500km long, but with the better conditions in terms of experience, technology and expertise, the construction time must be faster within eight months, he said. Given the urgency of the project, on August 15, 2023, the PM issued the plan to ensure electricity supply for the last months of 2023 and 2024, emphasising the need to implement the 500 kV power line stretching from Quang Binh to Hung Yen. On September 4, 2023, he issued the directive regarding the construction of the 500 kV circuit 3-line. During the working session with the Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) on January 13 this year, the Prime Minister praised EVN, EVNNPT for working in three shifts through holidays to enhance progress. He also requested localities where the line passes through to focus on handing over the necessary land. The Government leader gave specific directions to ministries, sectors and localities to mobilise forces, materials and resources on the spot to implement the project. All efforts on construction Chairman of the Member Board of EVNNPT Nguyen Tuan Tung said that the 500 kV circuit 3-line projects would increase the inter-regional transmission capacity from the current 2,200 MW to about 5,000 MW, contributing to ensuring electricity supply for the northern region in the future. With a clear understanding that this is a crucial and urgent project, EVN and EVNNPT have proactively worked with relevant ministries, sectors and localities to complete legal procedures early for project implementation. EVNNPT has established a steering committee for the project, set up four operating boards and 13 preparatory boards in cities and provinces to urgently implement the projects construction. At the end of October 2023, EVNNPT commenced the construction of the 500 kV line project from Nam inh 1 Thermal Power Plant to Thanh Hoa Province, then simultaneously commenced the remaining three projects on January 18, 2024. Tung said EVNNPT had allocated sufficient funds for project deployment, coordinated with localities in land clearance, mobilised human resources, machinery and materials, especially for foundation and pole construction. EVNNPY had worked with 20 construction contractors and equipment suppliers. The contractors had committed to quickly supply all materials and equipment for the project. Additionally, it had established detailed project operation schedules for each day. The steering committee held weekly meetings to handle emergencies at the construction site. This project included 226 main bidding packages. Of which, 93 are construction bidding packages. To mobilise contractors and manufacturers to participate in the bidding packages of the project, EVNNPT had developed and approved plans for selecting contractors with suitable package values. Contractors could participate in bidding as independent contractors or joint venture contractors, ensuring compliance with State regulations on bidding. The Government, ministries, sectors and localities had resolved issues within their jurisdiction and related responsibilities, especially in resolving issues during the forest use conversion, land clearance for the project. However, the implementation process of the project up to mid-March still had many risks that could affect the overall progress, such as a large number of large foundation piles, long pile construction time, design requirements for large pile loads, resulting in difficulties in mobilising pile driving equipment and providing access roads for pile driving equipment. Many locations have high, rugged terrain, making it difficult for machinery to access sites, leading to prolonged foundation casting progress. The biggest bottleneck was the excessive supply of pillars within a short period, causing contractors to overload pillar supplies beyond their actual production capacity, according to Tung. Recently, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour and EVN launched a 120-day and night workload at the construction site of the 500 kV circuit3-line project from March 1 to June 30. According to EVN's report, as of March 10, all four component projects have completed handing over the entire land for 1,177 pillar foundation locations and 216 out of 503 corridor clearance areas. Casting has been completed for 166 out of 1,177 locations, and simultaneous construction is underway for 1,174 locations, with 184 out of 1,177 locations having completed pillar erection and 18 locations currently under erection. To meet the project completion schedule this June, EVNNPT is striving to complete casting for the entire line by March 30; complete pillar erection for the entire line by May 30; and complete stringing for the entire line by June 30. This will help put the 500 kV circuit 3-line project into operation in accordance with the Prime Minister's directives. VNS NGHE AN The Northern Nghe An Irrigation System Upgrading Project in o Luong District in the central province of Nghe An was inaugurated on Friday. The project was implemented during the period of 2013-23, with the loan provided by JICA, worth JPY19,1 billion (US$126.3 million) at the time of the loan agreement signing. Through the implementation of the project, the irrigation system in four districts of o Luong, Dien Chau, Yen Thanh and Quynh Luu has undergone significant updates under component 1. This expanded system now covers a total irrigation area of 28,801ha, providing essential water supply for domestic, livestock, and industrial needs, as well as serving various other purposes. The training center of the Viet Nam Academy for Water Resources, located in Thach That District, Ha Noi, was established as part of the project's component 2. Its main objective is to enhance the skills and knowledge of technical and research staff members in irrigation management across the country. The project has also helped to increase the agricultural cultivation area and productivity, improve the inundation and environment, reduce the drought impacts, therefore enhancing the living standards of the people in the project area. The project inauguration ceremony is one of the important events celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Japan. At the ceremony, Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development awarded JICA with the Certificate of Appreciation for JICAs support and contribution to Viet Nam agriculture and rural development. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Hoang Hiep, Deputy Party Secretary of Nghe An Province Hoang Nghia Hieu, Minister, Embassy of Japan in Viet Nam Watanabe Shige, Senior Representative of JICA Viet Nam Office Takebayashi Yoko and representatives from many relevant agencies attended the ceremony. VNS It's looking simple and clean, like something I'd put in my sanctuary, and I've been told "don't think twice" about buying it so I guess I'll face my fears and do just that. Data Blitz What's New What is most likely to happen if Nintendo is looking to revisit the Super Smash Bros. series in the near future Surprise! Smash Bros. Ultimate Sora amiibo Is Now Up For Pre-Order (UK) Sora's Smash Ultimate Amiibo Release Date Confirmed for February 16, 2024 Sora Amiibo to complete Super Smash Bros. Ultimate collection amiibo - Sora (Kingdom Hearts) - Super Smash Bros. Series - Nintendo Official Site Amiibo Sora Kingdom Hearts Super Smash Bros Series Nintendo Switch From Japan so excited to have my hands on this!! #sora #kingdomhearts #supersmash IGN - Revealed during Nintendo Direct, Sora from Kingdom Hearts will get his own amiibo sometime next year. This marks the completion of the Super Smash Bros. amiibo Series, 10 years after Not only will Sora receive an amiibo, I am willing to bet he will receive multiple, due to Nintendo/Disney going all out with his alts, and him being the final fighter like amiibo - Sora (Kingdom Hearts) - Super Smash Bros. Series : Video Games Game One PH - Amiibo Sora, with his trademark smile and Finally Here ! Sora Amiibo Reaction Sora from Kingdom Hearts & Super Smash Bros Ultimate version 13.0.0 now live - Vooks Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Update 13.0.2 Patch Notes - News by Misbah Saba Malik, Jiang Chao ISLAMABAD, March 23 (Xinhua) -- As the sleek silhouette of the JF-17 Thunder jet fighter streaked through the sky, its powerful engines roared in harmony with the beating hearts of hundreds of spectators gathering to witness the grandeur of the parade ceremony, held to commemorate the 84th Pakistan Day here on Saturday. Amidst the backdrop of fluttering flags and patriotic fervor, the jet's aerobatic maneuvers elicited a symphony of cheers and applause, echoing the nation's admiration for its technological prowess and military strength. The day commemorates the historic Lahore Resolution passed on March 23, 1940, following which a united struggle for an independent homeland for the Muslims of the region was launched, culminating in the independence of Pakistan in 1947. The day is celebrated annually in the South Asian country, with the military displaying its might and expressing resolve to keep the nation safe from internal and external security challenges. "For me, it is not only a commemoration of the historic day but also a celebration of Pakistan's strength. Despite many hardships, we remain united and always emerge stronger in the face of challenges. National unity is our spirit and our hope for a better tomorrow," said Sadia Ambreen, a banker witnessing the parade. Talking to Xinhua, Ambreen said that she wishes to see a prosperous Pakistan and such ceremonies of the display of the country's strength not only elevate her patriotic spirit but also instill confidence in the potential of the country and its people. In the parade ceremony, contingents of the Pakistani army, navy, air force, special services group, frontier corps, and scouts marched past the dais, presenting salutes to the country's civil and military leadership, as well as state guests. Mechanized columns including tanks, armored personnel carriers, rocket launchers, air defense systems, guns, and missiles were also showcased on the occasion. The parade also featured the march-past of the forces' helicopters, and skydivers exhibited free falls from a height of 10,000 feet, carrying national flags and those of the services. The people of Pakistan observed the day with national spirit, and the parade was broadcast live on almost all news channels, witnessed by thousands of people on screen. Speaking at the event, President Asif Ali Zardari noted that the Pakistani nation, from its independence to date, has experienced ups and downs, yet has seen development in many areas. The country faces economic, social, and political challenges, alongside issues like population growth, climate change, education, and poverty. However, the newly elected government is taking actions to encourage foreign investment and boost the agriculture, livestock, minerals, mining, information technology, and energy sectors, he said. The president also expressed gratitude to China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and other friendly countries for standing with Pakistan during difficult times. The parade culminated with the presentation of a patriotic song named "When Someone Asks Name, You Tell It's Pakistan," jointly performed by Pakistani youths from different provinces and ethnic groups dressing in traditional costumes and waving national flags. "This is our message to the world that the people of Pakistan, from different regions and ethnic groups, stand under one flag, united as one family," an Air Force officer told Xinhua. Fitbit Charge 6: Features, Specs, Release Date 91.00 5 (647) En stock Por un escritor de hombre misterioso Camara Digital Sony Cyber-Shot Negra 20.4 Megapixeles Mod. DSC-HX300 110.00 5 (562) En stock Por un escritor de hombre misterioso New California Bill Passes: Warehouse Workers Can Get Some Power : NPR 16.99 4.5 (258) En stock Por un escritor de hombre misterioso Compra en Capi los mejores y mas variados morrales, bolsos, loncheras, cartucheras, accesorios y mas, de las mas reconocidas licencias, con variedad de disenos para ninos Back to school! Frozen and Hello Kitty Ani and Ona NENUCO backpack and toiletry bag Hello Kitty USJ L/E Princess Pink 10.6 27cm Plush Dolls NWT Sanrio 2014. This item was sold only USJ(Universal Studios Japan)in Japan. Sanrio 2014. Munecas de peluche Hello Kitty USJ L/E princesa rosa 10,6 27 cm Sanrio 2014 nue The Kidrobot x Hello Kitty Zodiac Plush Series is out of this world! Meet Hello Kitty Libra: artistic, diplomatic and very social! She's the newest addition to Kidrobots Hello Kitty collection, which features the sweet Kitty themed as each of the star signs for an adorably cute collection spanning the entire year. Hello Kitty 13 Star Sign Plush- Libra Hello Kitty - Peluches: Juguetes Y Juegos Hello Kitty Plush 6 - License Princess Peach Plush Hello Kitty - Peluches: Juguetes Y Juegos Aloha from Hello Kitty! Hello kitty tanned and ready for her trip to Hawaii. Hello Kitty Plush 6 - License Show your love for your Zodiac sign and Hello Kitty with this sweet plush! Includes 1 plush. Plush measures 13 inches tall. This is an officially Kidrobot Hello Kitty Zodiac Interactive Plush - Libra Edition The Kidrobot x Hello Kitty Zodiac Plush Series is out of this world! Meet Hello Kitty Libra: artistic, diplomatic and very social! She's the newest addition to Kidrobots Hello Kitty collection, which features the sweet Kitty themed as each of the star signs for an adorably cute collection spanning the entire year. Hello Kitty 13 Star Sign Plush- Libra HOLA DECO Distribuidora Item will make great gift or an excellent addition to your collection. Hello Kitty Plush Toy 9.5 inch Rainbow Sherbet with Bow. NWT. Licensed 5 to 7 Years in Stuffed Animals & Plush Toys Item will make great gift or an excellent addition to your collection. Hello Kitty Plush Toy 9.5 inch Rainbow Sherbet Bear. NWT. Official Pulp Fiction [Blu-ray] 9.50 5 (495) En stock Por un escritor de hombre misterioso Make a bold statement of strength and celebrate the quest for ultimate toughness with the limited-edition G-SHOCK 40th Anniversary Carbon Edition.The evolution of the G-SHOCK since the debut of the very first DW-5000 is a story of constantly advancing functionality, performance, and materials all while staying true t Make a bold statement of strength and celebrate the quest for ultimate toughness with the limited-edition G-SHOCK 40th Anniversary Carbon Edition. The evolution of the G-SHOCK since the debut of the very first DW-5000 is a story of constantly advancing functionality, performance, and materials all while staying true to the beloved design of the original. The 40th Anniversary Carbon Edition takes up this quest with three different carbon materials used for the bezel, the band, and the monocoque case. The bezel and band are made of forged carbon, which can be molded into complex shapes. The clasps folding arm is made of multilayer carbon, which boasts a high degree of longitudinal bending strength. The carbon monocoque case is made with carbon fiber-reinforced resin. Passionate attention is paid to the specific characteristics of each material produced with a certain technique. The right material is selected for each component, taking advantage of carbons lightness and high rigidity to create a strong, lightweight, comfortable timepiece. Inspired by the unique textural look of the forged carbon used for the bezel and band, the color schemes evoke the Milky Ways magnificent band of hazy light. Two color options are offered: the GCW-B5000UN-1JR is clad in a pattern of mixed black and grey, while the GCW-B5000UN-6JR combines black carbon fiber with blue and pink coloured resin and opal specks for a mysterious appearance. This innovative style delivers full-on functionality, as well. Download the dedicated app to pair with your smartphone via Bluetooth. With Multiband 6 radio control for automatic precision timekeeping, Tough Solar charging system, high-brightness full auto LED backlight, world time, day display in six languages, and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, this timepiece keeps you at peak performance. The carbon monocoque case, engraved with the logo designed by Eric Haze to commemorate the 40th anniversary, adds the final touch to an incomparable limited-edition celebration of G-SHOCK. Due to the characteristics of forged carbon, which is a mixture of carbon fiber and resin, the pattern, color tone, and distribution of opal powder on the surface of each part (bezel, band, and clasp) varies from model to model. *Opal powder is not included in the clasp. Case size (L W H): 49.1 45 14.5 mm Weight: 65 g Case and bezel material: Carbon fiber-reinforced resin / Forged carbon Band; Forged carbon Band, One-touch 3-fold Clasp Construction: Shock Resistant, Carbon Core Guard structure Water resistance: 200-meter water resistance Time adjustment: Radio-controlled Watch; Multi band 6 Power supply and battery life: Tough Solar (Solar powered) Smartphone Link feature: Mobile link (Wireless linking using Bluetooth) Apps: CASIO WATCHES App connectivity feature: Auto time adjustment Easy watch setting Approximately 300 world time cities + user-added point Time & place Reminder Phone finder Glass: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating Compatible band size: 150 to 205 mm World time: 5 World time 39 time zones (39 cities +coordinated universal time), auto summer time (DST) switching, home city/world time city swapping Stopwatch: 1/100-second stopwatch Measuring capacity: 00'00''00~59'59''99 (for the first 60 minutes) 1:00'00~23:59'59 (after 60 minutes) Measuring unit: 1/100 second (for the first 60 minutes) 1 second (after 60 minutes) Measuring modes: Elapsed time, split time, 1st-2nd place times Timer: Countdown timer Measuring unit: 1 second Countdown range: 24 hours Countdown start time setting range: 1 second to 24 hours (1-second increments, 1-minute increments and 1-hour increments) Alarm/hourly time signal: 5 daily alarms (with 1 snooze alarm) Hourly time signal Light: LED backlight (Super illuminator) Full auto LED light, selectable illumination duration (2 seconds or 4 seconds), afterglow Light color: LED:White Calendar: Full auto-calendar (to year 2099) Mute feature: Button operation tone on/off Energy saving feature: Power Saving (display goes blank to save power when the watch is left in the dark) Battery display/alert: Low battery alert Run time: Approx. battery operating time: 10 months on rechargeable battery (operation period with normal use without exposure to light after charge) 22 months on rechargeable battery (operation period when stored in total darkness with the power save function on after full charge) Accuracy: 15 seconds per month (with no signal calibration and mobile link function) 12/24-hour format Date/month display swapping Day display (days of the week selectable in six languages) Regular timekeeping: Hour, minute, second, pm, month, date, day Time adjustment details: Time Calibration Signals Station name: DCF77 (Mainflingen, Germany) Frequency: 77.5 kHz Station name: MSF (Anthorn, England) Frequency: 60.0 kHz Station name: WWVB (Fort Collins, United States) Frequency: 60.0 kHz Station name: JJY (Fukushima, Fukuoka/Saga, Japan) Frequency: 40.0 kHz (Fukushima) / 60.0 kHz (Fukuoka/Saga) Station name: BPC (Shangqiu City, Henan Province, China) Frequency: 68.5 kHz Time calibration signal reception Auto receive up to six* times a day (remaining auto receives canceled as soon as one is successful) *5 times a day for the Chinese calibration signal Manual receive The latest signal reception results [] G-Shock 40th CASIO G-SHOCK WristWatches japan-select Page 4 G-SHOCK 40th Anniversary G-SHOCK 40th Anniversary CASIO G-SHOCK WristWatches japan-select tagged G-SHOCK Page 4 G-SHOCK 40TH ANNIVERSARY ADVENTURER'S STONE GM-5640GEM-1JR japan Casio G-Shock 40th Anniversary AdventurerOs Stone Limited Edition G-SHOCK Official Website G-SHOCK 40th Anniversary Models - Promotion CASIO G-SHOCK WristWatches japan-select tagged G-SHOCK Page 4 CASIO WATCH G-SHOCK 40TH ANNIVERSARY MULTIPLEX CARBON EDITION G-SHOCK 40th Anniversary G-SHOCK 40th Anniversary A Close-Up Shot of a Sony A7iii Camera Free Stock Photo 924.00 4.7 (769) En stock Por un escritor de hombre misterioso 31 inches high x 18 inches wide x 19.3 inches deep Weight capacity: 300 pound adult Constructed from beech wood Finished in white A classic 31 inches high x 18 inches wide x 19.3 inches deep Weight capacity: 300 pound adult Constructed from beech wood Finished in storm grey A classic Stokke Tripp Trapp Modern Classic Storm Grey Beech Wood Kids Chair 31 inches high x 18 inches wide x 19.3 inches deep Weight capacity: 300 pound adult Constructed from beech wood Finished in warm red A classic Stokke Tripp Trapp Modern Classic Red Beech Wood Kids Chair Tripp Trapp High Chair and Cushion with Stokke Tray -- Oak Natural / Nordic Blue Tripp Trapp Disney Collection Classic Cushion A CHAIR FOR LIFE - The Tripp Trapp Chair is essential for families, bringing your baby, toddler, or child right up to your table. The all-in-one chair Stokke Tripp Trapp Chair from, White - Adjustable, Convertible Chair for Toddlers, Children & Adults - Convenient, Comfortable & Ergonomic - Classic Tripp Trapp High Chair- Glacier Green - HipBabyGear 31 inches high x 18 inches wide x 19.3 inches deep Weight capacity: 300 pound adult Constructed from beech wood Finished in storm grey A classic Stokke Tripp Trapp Modern Classic Storm Grey Beech Wood Kids Chair Stokke Tripp Trapp Chair from, White - Adjustable, Convertible Chair for Toddlers, Children & Adults - Convenient, Comfortable & Ergonomic - Classic Design : Baby Tripp Trapp Adjustable High Chair Stokke Tripp Trapp Chair from, White - Adjustable, Convertible Chair for Toddlers, Children & Adults - Convenient, Comfortable & Ergonomic - Classic Design : Baby 31 inches high x 18 inches wide x 19.3 inches deep Weight capacity: 300 pound adult Constructed from beech wood Finished in storm grey A classic Stokke Tripp Trapp Modern Classic Storm Grey Beech Wood Kids Chair Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair I The Montessori Room Canada Stokke tripp trapp High chair Cushion Queens Baby STOKKE Tripp Trapp Chair with Baby Set - The Chair That Grows with The Child The chair that grows with the child. From birth. The iconic STOKKE Tripp Trapp was the first high chair of its kind when designed by Peter Opsvik in 1972. Made of solid European wood that can support up to a 300-lb adult, its intelligent design grows with your child, providing a comfortable, ergonomic seat at any age. Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair, Hazy Grey Tripp Trapp fits right up to your dining table, bringing your baby into the heart of your family, allowing them to learn and develop alongside you. The intelligent, adjustable design allows freedom of movement with both depth and height adjustable seat and footplates. When adjusted correctly, your child is ensured a comfortable and ergonomic seating position at any age. Specifications Easy to clean Classic, iconic design that will never go out of style. Tripp Trapp Chair Hazy Grey by Stokke Arctic Monkeys: 'We want to get better rather than get bigger', Arctic Monkeys 2.99 4.9 (92) En stock Por un escritor de hombre misterioso The challenge is part of a project themed "Promoting career and business development for youth and women". The 2024 Business Initiative Challenge was launched on March 22 In Lao Cai, the project is being implemented in Lao Cai city, Sa Pa town and Bac Ha district from 2023-2026. The Business Initiative Challenge aims to encourage ethnic minority youths, especially young women aged 18-35, to build local startup initiatives and increase incomes in target areas. Startup entrants to the competition must be innovative, creative, feasible, practical, and associated with socioeconomic development goals and local strengths with priorities giving to those aimed at solving social and environmental problems. The 2024 Business Initiative Challenge was launched on March 22 Participating in the contest, winning ideas and initiatives will have the opportunity to receive financial support and technical expertise and training to improve capacity and business management skills. In addition, winners will have the opportunity to expand their network of business partners and learn experiences from investors and startup experts. The competition is being organised in the form of a written project proposal. The application submission period is from March 7 to April 15. The final round of the competition will take place on June 30, 2024. At the launch ceremony, Nguyen Thi Tu Nga, programme manager of AEA, said that the Business Initiative Challenge is a great opportunity to promote the innovative startup movement, contributing to local socioeconomic development while further enhancing the position and role of Vietnamese youth and women. Grab introduces Women Programme for driver-partners On March 6, Grab announced the launch of its Women Programme for driver-partners, an initiative that aims to support women in Vietnam to become drivers on its platform. Vietnamese womens association in Belgium convenes first congress The Vietnamese Womens Association in Belgium convened its first congress for the 2024-2027 tenure in Brussels on March 10, providing a chance for Vietnamese women working and living in the European country to meet and foster their connections. United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on March 23, 2024. Guterres reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in the besieged Palestinian enclave. (Photo by Mohamed Ahmed/Xinhua) CAIRO, March 23 (Xinhua) -- United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip, reiterating his call for an immediate ceasefire in the besieged Palestinian enclave. "Now more than ever, it's time for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. It is time to silence the guns," the UN chief told a press conference at the border crossing. Israel's ongoing massive strikes in Gaza have so far killed 32,142 Palestinians and injured 74,412 others, the Gaza-based Palestinian Health Ministry updated in a statement on Saturday. The Israeli escalation came in retaliation for the attack launched by the Gaza-ruling Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, on Israeli towns adjacent to the strip, in which Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people and took over 200 as hostages. "Nothing justifies the horrific attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, and nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people," Guterres told reporters. Since late October last year, the Rafah crossing has served as a major lifeline for the delivery of humanitarian aid donated by Egypt and other countries as well as local and international organizations to Gaza amid the conflict. "Palestinians in Gaza -- children, women and men -- remain stuck in a nonstop nightmare. Communities (were) obliterated, homes demolished, and entire families and generations wiped out, with hunger and starvation stalking the population," Guterres said. He noted that the UN will continue working with Egypt to ensure the flow of aid into Gaza, appreciating "the full Egyptian engagement in support of the Gaza people." Guterres regretted that the current Israeli siege of Gaza continued during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. "I am deeply troubled to know that so many people in Gaza will not be able to have a proper Iftar (fast-breaking meal)," the UN chief said. "I want Palestinians in Gaza to know: You are not alone. People around the world are outraged by the horrors we are all witnessing in real time," he added. The visit of the UN chief to the Rafah crossing comes while Israel has been announcing plans to launch a large-scale ground operation in Gaza's Rafah city where about 1.5 million internally displaced Palestinians reside, a move widely rejected by the international community. After Cairo, the UN secretary-general is scheduled to head to Amman, Jordan, and visit the facilities of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, according to the international organization. United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visits the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on March 23, 2024. Guterres reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in the besieged Palestinian enclave. (Photo by Mohamed Ahmed/Xinhua) United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (C) speaks at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on March 23, 2024. Guterres reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in the besieged Palestinian enclave. (Photo by Mohamed Ahmed/Xinhua) United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on March 23, 2024. Guterres reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in the besieged Palestinian enclave. (Photo by Mohamed Ahmed/Xinhua) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) State officials on Friday doubled the amount of water California agencies will get this year following some strong storms that increased the snowpack in the mountains. The State Water Project is a major source for 27 million people. The majority of contractors who supply the water are located south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Previously, the Department of Water Resources had told them to expect 15% of their requests this year. The department increased that to 30% on Friday. The department said contractors north of the delta can expect 50% of their requests, while contractors in the Feather River Settlement can expect 100%. While 30% is certainly better than 15%, SWP agencies continue to pay for 100% of the system's operation and maintenance regardless of how much water they receive, said Jennifer Pierre, general manager of the State Water Contractors, a nonprofit association of public water agencies that contract with the state. California gets much of its water from snow that melts in the Sierra Nevada. In January, the snowpack was just over half of the normal average. Friday, the snowpack was 98% of normal. A late-season storm was entering California on Friday as winter storm warnings were posted for the Sierra Nevada. The National Weather Service predicted snowfall accumulation of as much as 18 inches (46 centimeters) above 6,000 feet (1,800 meters). Higher peaks could see snowfall of up to 3 feet (0.9 meters). California's reservoirs are at 115% of average for this time of year. The State Water Project's largest reservoir, Lake Oroville, is at 125% of average and at 86% of capacity. Actually, for the success of our cause, it would be nice if the restless French dispatched a couple of regiments to Banderaland. It would be very problematic to hide such a number of servicemen, so systematically eliminating them would not be the most difficult task, but surely the most important one. But, just think of the beneficial knock-on effect! he wrote on his Telegram channel. Read More: https://tass.com/politics/1762557 Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (1622 March 2024) Today, the Russian Armed Forces carried out a massive long-range air-launched, sea-launched, ground-based and unmanned aerial attack against power facilities, military industrial complex, railroad hubs, arsenals, deployment areas of AFU troops and foreign mercenaries. The strike disrupted the functioning of the manufacturing enterprises involved in issuing and repairing weapons, military hardware and ammunition. In addition, foreign military equipment and weapons delivered to Ukraine from NATO countries have been destroyed, the transfer of enemy reserves to the front line has been disrupted, and AFU and mercenary units have been neutralised in reconstitution areas. All the targets have been achieved. From 16 to 22 March 2024, in response to shelling of Russian territory, attempts to break through, and capture Russian border settlements, the Russian Armed Forces carried out 49 air high-precision strikes, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, missile systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The strikes hit AFU decision making centres, airfield infrastructure, an armament and military hardware repair workshop, UAV storage depots, and uncrewed surface vehicles, logistics support bases, as well as temporary deployment areas of special operations forces and foreign mercenaries. In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces have engaged the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of Kotlyarovka, Berestovoye, Kislovka, Yagodnoye, Timkovka (Kharkov region), Chervonaya Dibrova and Nadiya (Lugansk Peoples Republic). Thirteen counter-attacks of assault groups of the AFU 57th Motorised Infantry Brigade, the 30th and 32nd Mechanised brigades, as well as of the 18th Ukrainian National Guard Brigade close to Sinkovka (Kharkov region) and Terny (Donetsk Peoples Republic) have been repelled. The AFU losses amounted to up to 400 Ukrainian troops, three tanks, three armoured fighting vehicles, 25 motor vehicles, and 19 field artillery guns. Over the past week, Ukrainian fighters attempted to breach the border areas of Belgorod and Kursk regions. All the attacks have been repelled by the coordinated actions of the Russian State border covering force. In Belgorod direction, more than 3,000 Ukrainian servicemen and militants of terrorist formations, seven tanks, 15 armoured vehicles, and 17 motor vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been eliminated during the week. In Donetsk direction, the Yug Group of Forces has liberated the Alebastrovaya railway station (Donetsk Peoples Republic) and improved the situation along the front line. One airborne assault brigade, one tank brigade, two airmobile brigades, four mechanised brigades, and three assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as three territorial defence brigades have been hit close to Razdolovka, Krasnoye, Andreyevka, Kleshcheyevka, Kurdyumovka, Konstantinovka, and Georgiyevka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Ten counter-attacks of the AFU 46th and 81st airmobile brigades have been repelled near Belogorovka, Krasnogorovka, and Novomikhailovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The enemy losses amounted to more than 1,885 Ukrainian troops, six tanks, 13 armoured fighting vehicles, 41 motor vehicles, 17 field artillery guns, and nine field ammunition depots. In Avdeyevka direction, the Tsentr Group of Forces liberated Orlovka and Tonenkoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic) in cooperation with aviation and artillery. Strikes were delivered at manpower and hardware of seven brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Berdychi, Netaylovo, Semenovka, Pervomayskoye, Novogorodskoye, Umanskoye, and Ocheretino (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Forty-two counter-attacks of the AFUs 47th Mechanised, 59th Motorised Infantry, 78th Air Assault, and 3rd Assault brigades have been repelled close to Leninskoye, Novobakhmutovka, Orlovka, and Vodyanoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Over 2,195 Ukrainian troops, two tanks, 21 armoured fighting vehicles, 65 motor vehicles, and 28 field artillery guns have been eliminated during the week. In South Donetsk direction, the Vostok Group of Forces liberated Mirnoye (Zaporozhye region) and improved its tactical position along the front line. In addition, strikes were delivered at units of the 1st of Ukrainian National Guard Brigade, 127th and 128th territorial defence brigades close to Shakhterskoye, Rovnopol, and Urozhaynoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Five counter-attacks of the AFU 72nd mechanised, 58th motorised infantry brigades have been repelled close to Urozhaynoye and Vladimirovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The AFU losses amounted to more than 935 Ukrainian troops, three tanks, 11 armoured fighting vehicles, 25 motor vehicles, and seven field artillery guns. In Kherson direction, the Russian troops inflicted fire damage on the 28th, 65th mechanised, 128th assault brigades, the 121st and 126th territorial defence brigades, the 35th marine brigades close to Rabotino, Stepnogorsk, Shcherbaki, Stepnoye (Zaporozhye region), Ivanovka, and Nikolskoye (Kherson region). The AFU losses amounted to more than 330 Ukrainian troops, 22 motor vehicles, and 11 field artillery guns. During the week, the Groups Missile Troops and Artillery and unmanned aerial vehicles have neutralised nine Czech-made Vampire MLRS launchers, one German-made IRIS-T air defence battery, two U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 and AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery warfare stations, as well as four Ukrainian Anklav-N, Nota, and Bukovel-AD electronic warfare stations. Russian air defence systems have shot down one Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian Air Force during the week, along with two Tochka-U tactical missiles, two S-200 converted surface-to-surface guided missiles, 156 projectiles of HIMARS, Vampire, Grad, Olkha, and Uragan MLRS, and 992 unmanned aerial vehicles. In total, 577 airplanes and 270 helicopters, 16,565 unmanned aerial vehicles, 487 air defence missile systems, 15,572 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,252 combat vehicles of multiple rocket launcher systems, 8,490 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 20,057 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation. Tags: WtR HSHS St. Josephs Hospital is closing, but it leaves behind a legacy of caring for body, mind and spirit. The hospital's staff worked together as a close-knit family, providing care and support to patients and each other. Its not just a hospital. It's a place where people can come for a bed or services but then pray, too. You know, it's a Catholic hospital. So anything that involves prayer involves people people that really genuinely care about each other, HSHS emergency department manager Regi Geissler said. HSHS is a true community of caring, past and present staff agree. We're not a big hospital, but we're a big family here. When anyone needed something, you could call on anybody and they'd be there in a minute. Its really a special place. And I'm grateful to be a part of it, Geissler said. Tiny but mighty St. Josephs pharmacy technician Jane Sonnentag said because the hospital was so small, the employees worked together well as a team. She said that the camaraderie and sense of purpose was the greatest joy of the job. We're tiny but mighty. We pitched in to help each other, she said. During COVID, I did a lot of hand-holding when people werent able to have loved ones in the hospital. We were fighting the disease and fighting burnout and fighting to help each other. Being a small staff in a small town came with some unique upsides, she said. I was starting to care for the third generation of patients because I was coming up on almost 30 years of employment. That's a very rewarding experience, she said. The sense of community among workers also meant that when one of their own was struggling, the hospital staff came running to help. Sonnentag delivered 10 children at St. Josephs Hospital. Two did not live long, however. It was heartbreaking, but I wouldnt have wanted to be anywhere else when I went through that, she said. On Sunday, Sonnentag showed off photos of her kids while discussing her work at St. Josephs. These were my two children that passed away. So this was my Ellie. She was born here in 2005. The reason I love this picture is because she lived two minutes and so this is her being alive. This was our hospital chaplain baptizing her, she said. He stood outside my room for 10 hours, waiting for her to be born. Sonnentag expressed appreciation not just for Deacon Dan Rider, who baptized Ellie, but for everyone at the hospital who helped her and her husband get through that loss. Twelve years later, she went through another loss. This is my daughter, Lucy Tracy; shortly after she passed away. We knew she wasn't going to live. Once again, this man stood outside of my room for about 12 hours. It was a four-day delivery, and he wanted to be present for us, she said. This is another part where it breaks my heart because I was also a patient here. We were family. The nurses, as much as they rejoiced over my children that lived, they were here for the tough part, to hold my hand when my babies died, to help me pick out a casket, to help me fill out the death certificate. Sonnentag said that the HSHS legacy of caring is going to be hard to let go of. We wont be working together anymore. But we cared about everyone. We cared about their body. But when the body part was exhausted, we cared about the spirit, she said. Mission and medicine Hospital Sisters of St. Francis arrived in western Wisconsin 135 years ago on a mission to minister to the sick and needy in Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls and surrounding towns. Hospital staff agree that one thing that set HSHS St. Josephs and Sacred Heart apart was their dedication to living the mission of the Catholic Sisters who founded and then worked at the facilities for decades. I love the rural hospitals and rural medicine. To me, my faith was strong and I wanted to work in a place that was mission-driven, Geissler said. Thats what I wanted 24 years ago. Thats what Id love to do until the day I retire. I thought I would be here until I was old. While staff come to terms with the closure of the two HSHS regional hospitals, many find themselves reminiscing about the things that made St. Josephs and Sacred Heart special, including the commitment to living the mission of the Sisters. Retired HSHS community health director and Chippewa Health Community Partnership director Rhonda Brown talked about her experiences at HSHS St. Josephs and Sacred Heart hospitals on Tuesday inside the near-empty Chippewa Falls hospital. Brown said the locally famous Sister Francis Elizabeth Schmitz, a St. Joseph's Hospital administrator from 1982 through 2005, was particularly adept at making sure that the hospital staff got things done. She was a tough bird, but she knew her stuff. And she was gonna make sure that you did what you were supposed to do, Brown said. I remember one time she grabbed my face. She wheeled herself up because she was in a wheelchair and she grabbed my cheeks and said, Honey, you are going to get it done. Brown said she appreciated Sister Francis can-do attitude and approach to life. The sky was the limit, especially if your heart was in the right place and you were dedicated. Thats how it felt when the Sisters were here, Brown said. And I think the staff maintained that level of excellence in all they did when the Sisters left. Even after the Sisters pulled out of western Wisconsin, hospital employees continued to focus on the principles on which the hospitals had been founded. They were, and are even now, committed to our mission: to help children, to care for the poor and the vulnerable. Other hospitals do great work but just weren't doing as much of that kind of work, Brown said. I think we all felt that sense of belonging, that sense of mission, that dedication and loyalty to not just our employers per se, or our administration, but to our community. And the fact that we took care of the people that needed to be taken care of, regardless of their ability to pay, makes people feel just devastated to lose this place. Alyssa Van Duyse joined the marketing department at HSHS in 2010 after leaving a career as a local journalist. She stayed on until 2021. She said the idea of working with a mission in mind was new to her when she arrived. But it felt like I was really in the right place, she said. Van Duyse said she had only worked a couple of other jobs before joining HSHS, and the shift to mission-based work was profound. We never talked about servant leadership at those other places. We never talked about work that is mission-driven. They wanted you to do your work, but at HSHS they wanted you to really live the mission, she said. I'm not religious, but I valued that. This religious organization was living the mission. They wanted us to live the mission. I knew that it had come from somewhere really special. Van Duyse said after having that concept instilled in her at HSHS, its hard to wrap her head around HSHS behavior now. The mission was ingrained in us in a really good way. So it's really depressing to see this organization seemingly not care about the community now, she said. Van Duyse, who now works in media relations for CVTC, said she feels like the mission-centric environment of HSHS has waned over the years since the Sisters were called back to Illinois. She said she is frustrated with HSHS as a business. But HSHS the business does not live in Chippewa Falls, and does not live in Eau Claire. The people who live in Eau Claire and Chippewa are the people who are working in the hospitals, she said. I've seen with my own eyes as a colleague of theirs, but also as a patient of theirs, how hard they work and how dedicated they are to the patients. Geissler said that despite the shift in administrative priorities and management styles at HSHS over the years, she thinks that the mission of HSHS was passed down to the workers in a way that did not disappear with the Sisters relocation. Thats something that she and other staff cherish. One year we had what we called our Christmas miracle because on Christmas Eve there was somebody that came in in a cardiac arrest. We worked on that person for an extended period of time. He would go in and out, and we brought him back several times. It was really hard to get him stabilized, she said. We were able to resuscitate him, and after that he had to wear a vest basically to help keep him alive. He ended up getting a heart transplant. Every year at Christmas time, we think about that and say a little prayer for him. Thats the stuff that makes it worth it. Thats what I hope I never forget. The last week: photos from HSHS St. Josephs Hospital in Chippewa Falls The Dawn Manor site is going from Wisconsin Dells area history nostalgia to that of childhood, with two unrelated Nelson families collaborating on a unique resort project. Kalahari Resorts and Conventions announced plans for the development of the Kalahari Treehouse Collection at Dawn Manor on Wednesday. The resort expansion will feature 21 luxury treehouses and 31 additional rental houses on the Lake Delton property along Highway A, where the historic house, which is being relocated, stood for more than 160 years. The expansion will cost more than $50 million and is slated to open in late 2024. Nelson partnered with Washington state-based treehouse designer Nelson Treehouse to design the treehouses, which will feature screened-in porches, kitchenettes and lake views. Nelson Treehouse is owned by Pete Nelson and his family, who starred on Treehouse Masters, a television show that aired on Animal Planet from 2013 to 2019. Our family, along with our thousands of dedicated associates, have been bringing beyond-expectations experiences to millions of guests for decades, Kalahari CEO Todd Nelson said in a statement. We intend to continue that legacy with our new luxury treehouse resort by creating a truly unique experience for guests who want to escape from it all, surrounded by nature, while only being minutes away from all the amenities the Dells area has to offer. Along with the 52 resort houses, Kalahari is adding Daylenes Supper Club, a 10,000-square-foot dining facility overlooking Lake Delton. A reconstructed beach area along the lake with 18 boat slips will also be part of the new resort addition, along with a gazebo and boathouse. A boat access to Wisconsin Dells Ducks currently on the property will remain. Guests at the Kalahari Treehouse Collection at Dawn Manor will receive free access to the indoor waterpark at the main Kalahari Resorts and Conventions campus. The original Dawn Manor house is being moved to a location on Ishnala Road south of its roundabout with Xanadu Road bear the Mirror Lake Dam, according to owner Steve Uphoff. Uphoff, who sold the Dawn Manor property to Nelson in 2021, maintained ownership of the structure as part of the purchase agreement. With the help of an Amish contractor and Architectural Design Consultants, Uphoff preserved 94 pallets of stonework, woodwork and other house components to relocate the house while maintaining its historic appearance. We made the decision that we would basically cannibalize the building, removing from it every single piece of hardware, Uphoff said in 2022. Kalahari is the second large resort to open treehouse-style cabins in Wisconsin Dells. Wilderness Resort opened the Treehouse Cabins, a series of eight five-bedroom cabins modeled after treehouses, in last summer and fall. The Kalahari treehouses will feature luxury cabins suspended by trees on the property. District attorneys in three Wisconsin counties have declined to pursue charges against former president Donald Trumps fundraising committee and state Rep. Janel Brandtjen over allegations that the two illegally funneled money to county Republican parties in an effort to oust Assembly Speaker Robin Vos in 2022. The Wisconsin Ethics Commission last month recommended felony charges against Brandtjen, R-Menominee Falls; Vos 2022 primary challenger Adam Steens campaign committee; workers for Trumps fundraising committee Save America; three Republican county parties; and several others over the alleged scheme. However, county prosecutors in Chippewa, Florence and Langlade counties informed the commission in a memo ahead of the agencys Friday meeting that they will not be prosecuting the matters, with some citing conflicts of interest due to their active involvement in their respective county Republican parties. Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell had previously said he planned to return the prosecution recommendations to the commission due to his membership with the Chippewa County Republican Party. Charges alleging multiple campaign finance violations were also referred to district attorneys in Racine, St. Croix and Waukesha counties, but responses from those counties had not been received by the time the memo was posted. Racine County District Attorney Patricia Hanson, who received the recommendation to prosecute Steen, said last month that all efforts will be made to reach a decision quickly. If a prosecutor declines to pursue charges, the ethics commission is required to refer charges to neighboring counties through a public, random process. Using a blind draw, the commission on Friday referred charges originally sent to prosecutors in Chippewa, Florence and Langlade counties to district attorneys in the counties of Taylor, Forest and Menominee/Shawano, respectively. If district attorneys in contiguous counties also decline to pursue charges, the commission can forward the matter directly to Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul. The alleged scheme highlighted the animosity some Republicans still feel toward Vos, who resisted calls from the former president and election deniers to overturn the states 2020 presidential election that Trump lost. That led Steen to mount a GOP primary challenge against Vos in 2022, coming about 250 votes short of ousting the longtime Assembly speaker. Wisconsin law prohibits campaign donations over $1,000 to Assembly candidates, but it allows county parties to donate an unlimited amount. Still, Wisconsin law prohibits people from directing their donations to a candidate through a committee that doesnt belong to the candidate. Candidates also are prohibited from accepting money they know was routed through an external committee for their purpose. The ethics commissions February report alleges Steen and his campaign committee told people who wanted to contribute more than $1,000 to his unsuccessful effort to oust Vos in 2022 to instead donate to the Langlade County Republican Party with the numbers 63 written in the memo line of the donation, referring to the district Steen was hoping to win. By seeing the district number, the party knew to forward those funds or to use them for in-kind contributions to Friends of Adam Steen, the report states. Steens campaign committee received over $40,000 from the Langlade County GOP, the commission stated. Steen and his campaign also directed a $5,000 donation from Save America, Trumps joint fundraising committee, through the Chippewa County Republican Party, the commission alleges. The party returned the donation because some members feared a campaign finance violation, the allegations state. Save America directed another $5,000 through the Florence County Republican Party, and party officials were told to send that money through to Langlade County, the commission states. The ethics commission further alleges that Brandtjen, a state representative who has become isolated from many fellow GOP Assembly members, spoke with Steen about the scheme involving the three county parties, though the complaint doesnt specify what they discussed. She also facilitated contributions from Trumps joint fundraising committee to the three Republican parties that partook in the scheme, the ethics commission alleges. Today in history: March 22 1941: Grand Coulee 1945: Arab League 1963: The Beatles 1978: Karl Wallenda 1988: Ronald Reagan 1993: Intel Corp 1997: Tara Lipinski becomes youngest women's world champion 2010: Google Inc. 2012: Whitney Houston 2019: Jimmy Carter 2019: Robert Mueller 2021: Elgin Baylor ACCRA, March 23 (Xinhua) -- A total of 11 members of the 12th batch of the Chinese medical team have won the hearts of Ghanaians with their dedication and hard work to improve the country's medical services. The team, which arrived in Ghana last March, has wrapped up its year-long mission, receiving close to 20,000 local patients and performing more than 2,400 surgeries. At a farewell ceremony last week, Anastasia Yirenkyi, director of the Traditional and Alternative Medicines Directorate at the Ghanaian Ministry of Health, said the Chinese doctors have impressed Ghanaians both in the delivery of health services and in sharing knowledge and expertise with their Ghanaian counterparts to enrich the human resource capacity of the health sector. Yirenkyi praised the Chinese medical team's unwavering commitment, expertise, and compassion over the past year. "The contribution of the Chinese medical team to Ghana's health care goes a long way in strengthening the country's efforts to have a healthy population that contributes to national development." On the same occasion, the Ghanaian Ministry of Health presented certificates of honor and various gifts to the Chinese doctors dispatched by southern China's Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital. Georgina Addy, an 80-year-old Ghanaian patient, shared Yirenkyi's sentiment. One of the beneficiaries of a free surgery program conducted by the team last year, she was able to rid herself of the eye disease she had been living with for five years. "My eye was painful because of cataracts, and a neighbor recommended Chinese doctors to me. They performed the surgery for me, and I am fine now. I am very grateful to them," she told Xinhua. Last September, local employees of Sinohydro, a Chinese state-owned company, and low-income residents of the Akuse community in Ghana's Eastern Region also received free medical care from the team. "They brought us the free health screening and helped the workers know about their health status and take action if necessary. They care about our health, and we are grateful," said Benjamin Annim, a Ghanaian worker. According to Du Yushan, chief of the medical team, the team has introduced 16 new clinical technologies and projects within six departments at the LEKMA Hospital, where the team was based, to meet the needs of these departments and the hospital. "We are deeply honored to have had the opportunity to contribute to the development of medical services in Ghana and look forward to continued collaboration in the future," he said. In a recent interview with Xinhua, Li Wenhua, deputy director of Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, said his hospital has reached much consensus with the LEKMA Hospital on human capital exchange and medical cooperation. "We hope that more Ghanaian medical staff will be trained in our hospital, and we are always willing to help them further improve their medical services," Li added. In this photo made from body camera footage and released by the Twin Falls, Idaho, Police Department, Skylar Meade, right, is arrested in Twin Falls on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Police said Meade, an Idaho prison inmate, escaped from custody when an accomplice ambushed corrections officers who were preparing to transport him back to prison from a hospital in Boise on Wednesday, March 20. Authorities say Meade and his accomplice, Nicholas Umphenour, may have been responsible for the killings of two men in northern Idaho while on the run. (Twin Falls Police Department via AP) Catherine, the Princess of Wales, whose recent whereabouts and hospitalization this year has caused speculation for months, announced Friday the huge shock that she has cancer and has started preventive chemotherapy treatment. In a video posted on social media, the former Kate Middleton, 42, did not specify what kind of cancer has been diagnosed. She said she is doing well and getting stronger every day, but asked for continuing privacy while she is undergoing treatment. The news is another jolt for the royal family since the announcement last month that King Charles III (Kate's father-in-law) was being treated for an unspecified type of cancer that was discovered while undergoing a procedure for a benign enlarged prostate. A message from Catherine, The Princess of Wales pic.twitter.com/5LQT1qGarK The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 22, 2024 When Kensington Palace first announced in mid-January that the princess was hospitalized for scheduled but unspecified abdominal surgery, palace officials said she would be out of sight until Easter and that her ailment was believed to be noncancerous. The surgery was successful, but further tests after the operation found that cancer had been detected, Kate said. This of course came as a huge shock, and (Prince) William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family, she said. She said it has taken some time to recover from surgery and then start the treatment. The couple also had to take time to explain the situation to their young children, Prince George, 10; Princess Charlotte, 8; and 5-year-old Prince Louis, in a way that is appropriate for them and to reassure them I am going to be OK. Catherine, Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales, Prince George of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Louis of Wales and Mia Tindall attend Christmas Morning Service at Sandringham Church. Samir Hussein/Getty Images I am well, and getting stronger every day, by focusing on the things that will help me heal in my mind, body and spirit, she said. She appeared to be sitting on a park bench, dressed in casual clothes, her hair in loose waves falling down her chest. She said William has been a great source of comfort, as has the love, support and kindness shown by so many of you. We hope that youll understand that as a family we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment, she concluded. KABUL, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan caretaker government has described the recent attack on a concert hall in the Russian capital Moscow as a cowardly terrorist attack and strongly condemned it, foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said Saturday. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan condemns in the strongest terms the recent terrorist attack in Moscow, Russia, claimed by Deash, and considers it a blatant violation of all human standards," Balkhi said in a statement posted on his X account. More than 60 people have been killed so far, according to the Investigative Committee of Russia. Tina Jose, Head of Corporate Communications, Allstate India, has played a pivotal role in driving the growth and reputation of the organization through her strategic communication efforts. With a focus on fostering transparency, engagement, and innovation, Tina has spearheaded initiatives to strengthen internal alignment, amplify the company's voice in the market, and cultivate a culture of continuous learning and development. Her leadership style, shaped by diverse challenges and a commitment to self-improvement, emphasizes collaboration, empathy, and recognition. Through initiatives like "Be the face of Allstate India," Tina has demonstrated a keen ability to leverage the power of employee storytelling to reinforce organizational values and bolster employee morale. With a proactive approach to motivating and inspiring her team members, Tina is dedicated to nurturing a positive work environment where individuals feel valued and empowered to contribute to the company's success. Looking ahead, Tina prioritizes collaboration over competition, embracing opportunities for learning and growth to drive impactful outcomes for Allstate India. In conversation with Adgully, Tina Jose, Head of Corporate Communications, Allstate India, speaks about her current role, development of leadership skills and knowledge, as well as some challenges that she had faced in her journey, how she shaped her leadership style, and more. Could you elaborate on how your role has shaped and contributed to the growth of Allstate India? As Head of Corporate Communications, I have been fortunate to be part of our organizations growth journey. While Ive had the privilege of leading communication efforts, its important to acknowledge that individual growth is intertwined with the growth of the company. That said, I have taken a multi-faceted approach. Firstly, by clearly communicating our companys mission and values both internally and externally. This clarity of direction helps in fostering a strong sense of alignment and purpose among employees and is reflected in the work they do. Maintaining transparency between teams inside the organization helped cut silos and redundancy. The next approach was how to find our share of voice in the market. So, we leveraged our social media, website and PR initiatives to spread the word out there. Not only about the good work we do, but also how we enjoy what we do. We called for volunteers from the company who have been with us and put their testimonials out as to why they joined Allstate India and what made them stay. The industry and our target audience recognized our work, which reflected clearly in the engagement rates on our social platforms growing by leaps and bounds. I am in constant pursuit for fresh approaches to support the growth of my organization, internally and externally. As a Communications Head, what are your roles in the organization? As a Communications Head, my responsibilities encompass overseeing all aspects of internal and external communication. This includes crafting and disseminating key messages within the organization, managing media relations and developing communication strategies that align with our overarching business objectives and values. Additionally, I serve as a liaison between various departments, supporting their internal campaigns for effective communication and collaboration across the organization. What initiatives have you taken to develop your leadership skills and knowledge? Developing leadership skills and expanding knowledge is a continuous journey that involves a combination of learning, practice and self-reflection. Few of my constant lookouts to better myself are: Learning opportunities I am happy that my organization has a very elaborate selection of Learning and development programs that our employees can choose for free. I take up certification courses offered within the organization and also externally that focus on leadership development, bettering communication skills and increasing my industry knowledge. I am happy that my organization has a very elaborate selection of Learning and development programs that our employees can choose for free. I take up certification courses offered within the organization and also externally that focus on leadership development, bettering communication skills and increasing my industry knowledge. Participating in seminars and workshops I regularly attend workshops and seminars and network with fellow industry peers to exchange ideas, collaborate or even to seek guidance. This becomes crucial when you are working in a very volatile market, and you can seek guidance from others experiences. I regularly attend workshops and seminars and network with fellow industry peers to exchange ideas, collaborate or even to seek guidance. This becomes crucial when you are working in a very volatile market, and you can seek guidance from others experiences. Reading and Researching A very important pillar to sharpening ones own skill. Regularly reading articles, industry publications and books help me to widen my knowledge, gain fresh perspectives and keep up with current trends. A very important pillar to sharpening ones own skill. Regularly reading articles, industry publications and books help me to widen my knowledge, gain fresh perspectives and keep up with current trends. Feedback for self-reflection Soliciting feedback from my peers, my subordinates and internal stakeholders goes a long way in identifying areas of growth and improvement. Overall, these initiatives have been instrumental in my continuous growth and have helped to effectively navigate the dynamic challenges of my role. What challenges have you faced in your journey, and how have they shaped your leadership style? Throughout my journey across many organizations, I have faced several challenges like crisis management, rebuilding a reputation damage within a time period or even changing employee perspectives within an organization. But I always believe that challenges are your blessings, disguised as rings of fire, which if you can pass, can transform you into a phoenix. All my challenges have shaped me into being better, more resilient, and wiser. This has brought a lot of patience in me, helped me understand different perspectives and make unbiased decisions. Could you share a specific example of a successful initiative or project that reflects your commitment to fostering innovation and transformative culture at Allstate? A successful initiative is one where we asked for volunteers within our employees to come forward and share their story of why they joined Allstate India and what made them stay. We called the campaign Be the face of Allstate India. We made our employees as our brand ambassadors. This made the campaign more relatable to employees, potential recruits and played a key role in reaffirming the culture of belonging within our organization. The volunteer numbers when we called for nominations, the engagement numbers on our social media and the response to the campaign within the company not only took us by surprise but also taught us how if we put our people first, transformation wont be far behind whether its in business or in workplace culture. What strategies do you use to motivate and inspire your team members or peers? Recognition and appreciation are the first steps to creating a happy workspace. To make every team member feel valued, whether through verbal praise, acknowledging them in open forums or even giving them points on our internal Applause platform does make a world of difference in boosting their morale and motivation. Setting clear goals is also a vital part in helping them get a sense of direction and working towards it. Helping them see how they contribute to the bigger picture and ultimately the success of the company is what makes them feel valued. I also help them identify training programs that will help boost their career goals. Helping them with their career progression and exploring new avenues of work also helps convert their work into their passion. Is there any organization that you would like to compete with in the future? I would stay away from competition, but something healthy as learning from each other and exploring new avenues to make a bigger and better impact will always help me and my organization to excel. Brahmins, a vibrant brand hailing from Kerala and now proudly part of Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting's Food portfolio, is thrilled to unveil its first television commercial. The commercial beautifully captures the heart of the brand Brahmins through an emotional and heartwarming narrative set in a home kitchen. This new communication uniquely positions the brand as a facilitator that resolves frictions within relationships, showcasing how a wife, striving to balance work and passion while managing her home, still provides her family with the trusted taste of Brahmins Sambar, ultimately bringing them closer together. The storyline features a relatable scenario of a young couple navigating through the daily nuances of life, with Brahmins Sambar Powder playing a pivotal role in resolving a lighthearted argument. The fusion music and captivating visuals showcase the meticulous preparation of Brahmins Sambar and the various ingredients that it is made with. The creative also emphasizes the brand's extensive range of spices, offering a delightful array for every culinary need. At the launch of the TVC, Anil Chugh, President at Wipro Food Business said, "For over three decades, Brahmins has remained the go-to choice for Sambar Masala, and this TVC stands as a testament to that enduring dedication. It emphasizes our commitment to delivering the quality and authenticity that today's new-age women, particularly millennial mothers, seek in their cooking endeavors. Understanding the modern millennial mom's desire to balance work, passion, home life, and culinary excellence, Brahmins continues to provide the trusted taste they rely on, ensuring that every meal prepared is delicious and tasty." Sreenath Vishnu, a member of the founding family at Brahmins, said, "Brahmins is a brand with a rich legacy that has always been committed to delivering pure flavors of high quality. Our commitment to these values has only been strengthened further after becoming a part of Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting. The current TVC showcases a young family sitting at the dining table highlighting the importance of good food and how it can instantly uplift the mood! The film plays on a relatable situation - a father focused on work, ignoring family events, leaving his wife in a huff. What makes it work is the real insight that good food can instantly change the mood at home, said Venugopal R Nair, Creative Director, Maitri Advertising Works Pvt Ltd. Brahmins has been a trusted name in the culinary world since its establishment in 1987. The brand offers a diverse range of spice products that have become a staple in households across Kerala. Acquired by Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting, the brand offers a diverse range of spice products, including breakfast pre-mix powders, spice mixes, straight powders, wheat products, pickles, dessert mixes, and more. With a strong legacy in Kerala, Brahmins has consistently dominated the ready-to-cook and spices markets, providing consumers with authentic and high-quality culinary experiences. The TVC has been conceptualized by Maitri Advertising Works and directed by Rajiv Menon. Production for the same has been done by Rajiv Menon Productions. Indias Leading Pipes Manufacturer, KPT Pipes, joins forces with Royal Challengers Bengaluru for T20 Season 2024 Partnership. KPT Pipes, a prominent name in pipes and fittings manufacturing, proudly announces its partnership with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as the Official Piping Partner for the upcoming one of the biggest T20 leagues in the world. In this collaboration, KPT will capitalize on RCBs player imagery across various communication platforms, including print, digital, and outdoor, enhancing its offline presence and fostering better engagement with dealers and distributors. Ankur Periwal, Managing Director of KPT Pipes, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, Partnering with RCB, a team with a widespread fan base, was a natural choice for us. With the PPRC pipe category gaining momentum in India, this collaboration gives us a competitive edge. Rajesh Menon, Vice President & Head of Royal Challengers Bangalore, echoed the excitement, saying RCB is thrilled to join forces with KPT Pipes, emphasizing our commitment and shared ethos to promote sustainability. Established in 2008, KPT Piping System Private Limited has emerged as a leading PPR pipe manufacturing company, renowned for its quality, innovation, and comprehensive range of piping solutions tailored to diverse needs across various sectors. With their focus on innovation and sustainability, KPT Piping leads the industry with first in India in PPR to have NSF certified pipes and only manufacturer to use 100% raw material from Hyosung chemicals, South Korea. The eighth edition of Adgullys flagship event DIGIXX Summit and Awards 2024 was held yesterday (March 22, 2024) amid the presence of whos who of the Digital and Marketing Universe. Each year, DIGIXX has been raising the bar, recognising the visionary leaders and groundbreaking campaigns that are shaping the future of digital marketing. This year has turned out to be even more exciting, exploring the newest trends, strategies, and insights that are transforming the digital landscape. In the vibrant world of digital marketing, the spotlight recently shone on the intricate dance between technology and personalization during the panel discussion, titled Martech Magic: Orchestrating A Personalized Customer Journey. Chaired by Mansi Bhatia, Chief Business Officer, Shoogloo, the discussion brought together a distinguished panel of industry leaders: Ekta Arora, Associate Vice President of E-commerce at Swiss Beauty Shayakh Mirza, Vice President of Digital (North) & E-commerce at PHD Kiran Rathore, Head of Growth at FS Life Aruna Daryanani, Director and Business Head at Amazon miniTV Each of the distinguished speakers offered unique perspectives on the evolving landscape of personalized customer experiences. Ekta Arora emphasized on the profound impact of digitization on bridging the gap between brands and consumers. The customers perspective, browsing, and purchasing behaviors have undergone significant transformations, Arora remarked. She highlighted the importance of customer journey mapping and targeted segmentation to tailor offerings to specific stages of the buying cycle. Arora stressed the role of content in differentiation, citing the example of the flirtatious allure of lipstick and the criticality of crafting compelling narratives to resonate with diverse target groups. Reflecting on the dynamic nature of consumer journeys, Shayakh Mirza underscored the need for uncomplicating messaging to engage with diverse cohorts effectively. Personalization establishes a profound connection with audiences, Mirza asserted. He observed the gradual shift towards automated personalization driven by advancements in technology, emphasizing its pivotal role from targeting to creative content delivery. Kiran Rathore spoke about the holistic nature of personalization, extending beyond mere communication to encompass product evolution and marketing strategies. To keep up with changing customer behaviors, adaptation is key, Rathore remarked. She illustrated this with the transformation of FSlife from a conservative apparel brand to a fashion-forward label, driven by insights into evolving consumer preferences. Aruna Daryanani shed light on the intricacies of personalization in the realm of content streaming and advertising. Daryanani emphasized on Amazons prowess in leveraging machine learning and vast data sets to curate personalized recommendations tailored to individual viewing habits. She elucidated the symbiotic relationship between personalized content recommendations and targeted advertising, citing enhanced engagement metrics and ad recall as testament to its efficacy. In the tapestry of digital marketing, personalization emerges as the linchpin driving meaningful interactions between brands and consumers. As consumer behaviors continue to evolve, the insights shared by these martech experts serve as guiding beacons for brands navigating the ever-changing landscape of personalized customer journeys. Through innovation, adaptation, and a deep understanding of consumer needs, brands can forge enduring connections in an era defined by the magic of personalization. These are edited excerpts. For the complete panel discussion, please watch below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS3a2araZsQ Riding on the wave of excitement around the 17th season of the Indian Premier League, set to commence on 22nd March 2024, The Body Shop, a British-born international ethical beauty brand, has partnered with streaming platform Jio Cinema. The strategic collaboration will help amplify its reach and spotlight on the brands ethos as a Changemaking Beauty brand. At the heart of this partnership is a captivating 10-second video featuring The Body Shops British Rose campaign with Bollywood actress Diana Penty. The impactful video clip encapsulates the brand's unwavering commitment to celebrating women's strength, beauty, and resilience. As a part of this collaboration, The Body Shop's empowering video will air during prime IPL matches streamed on Jio Cinema's OTT channel. This move allows the brand to tap into the immense viewership and cultural phenomenon surrounding the IPL to significantly expand its reach across India. Viewers will witness the brand's inspiring message during crucial matches of IPL 2024. The IPL's 17th season runs from March 22nd 2024. Viewers can catch The Body Shop's ads on Jio Cinema during the live match broadcasts. Bunks in airline cabins harken back to the glamorous, glory days of flying, the long flights where your white-gloved flying butler would show you to your sleeping quarters and draw the curtains of the flying cocoon before you emerged, hours later, at either your destination or at an exotic stopover. 18-hour-plus flights are the new normal now, with the definitions of long-haul and ultra-long haul stretching ever longer. So is it time to revisit the idea of bunks? Once you know flat, its impossible to go back As Daniel Baron of LIFT Aero Design explains, ultra-long-haul used to be ultra-niche. But with Russian airspace no longer used, some very large markets such as East Asia to Europe or China to the east coast of North America now have flight times of 1517 hours. And the situation is not likely to return to normal anytime soon. Plus, rising fuel costs mean higher fares, Baron notes. The current comfort-price equation will be tested. Will travellers say if Im paying this much for economy class, I expect to be flying flat? In that scenario, if the economics work, bunks as an entirely new class or product could become the next big disruptor. And once you know flat, its impossible to go back. Barons best-known recent work is perhaps the renewing of Philippine Airlines cabins, and coincidentally enough that was the carrier to offer the last proper bunks, on its Boeing 747-200B, delivered in the early 1980s, in which first-class passengers would leave their reclining armchairs in the nose of the plane and climb up to either an upper, lower or side bunk in the jumbos small top deck. For a long-haul-focused airline, bunks certainly sound like an attractive concept, but functionally, certifying bunks in the age of 16G requirements is complicated, particularly around accessibility and egress. Their concept of operations is equally complex: who are they for, how should they be used, and how much will passengers pay? And, as Baron says, one of the key questions has always been for segments that are mostly daytime: Would there be a pronounced lack of demand for beds, with passengers preferring a lounge or upright position to work, read, eat, and so on, and occasionally snooze but without moving to a dedicated bed? Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Air New Zealand had been working on its Economy Skynest three-tier, six-bunk system for several years. Skynest has so far been presented only in isolation as a mockup, but in the centre section of the main cabin floor, with economy class seats ahead of it. The airline did not respond to a request for an update before this piece went to press. So whither Skynest? Air NZ is presently working on a new configuration for its B787-9 aircraft, with the details of its new business suite leaking at the end of April via a US DOT accessibility filing. If the Economy Skynest were to be aimed at these aircraft too, it would be impressive if the certification of the product, including for accessibility, had not leaked as well. The airlines forthcoming B787-10 fleet, which would be the other candidate for the debut, is stuck in the current Boeing Dreamliner production stoppage. Might the Skynest re-emerge on the other side of Covid? The bunk market The prospective market for bunks differs based on the class of service. In first class and business class, modern long-haul seats go fully flat, most have direct access to the aisle for every passenger, and a growing number offer privacy doors that create mini-suites. The passenger experience benefits of a bunk versus an individual seat that turns into a bed are, as a result, minimal. Indeed, as Martin Darbyshire of the Tangerine design house explains, the key question for bunks is: how do you stack them in a way that actually improves the passenger experience and is genuinely better than going from a reclining chair to a lie-flat solution? Weve explored bunks on a number of occasions and never quite got there for a number of reasons, he says. At the other end of the aircraft is the economy bunk proposition, where the desire to get up out of increasingly cramped seats and spend part of the flight stretched out horizontally is so great that many airlines safety cards have to specifically point out that lying on the floor is prohibited. The demand here is clear, but the willingness to pay both in economic and general terms remains untested. In the middle lies premium economy, where the ow, my knees factor is less pressing than in regular economy, but depending on pricing and flight length there still may be demand for bunks from premium economy passengers. Bunk operations models are complicated On flights long enough for bunks to be an attractive proposition, passengers need to be able to enter and exit the bunk (including to stretch, visit the lavatory and so on), eat, sleep and entertain themselves. Key questions for how bunk operations might work include whether each bunk comes with a specific assigned seat, whether any passenger can book a bunk for the whole flight, or whether a submariner-style hot-bunking arrangement should be in effect. If each bunk comes with a specific assigned seat, as is the case in most of the business class concepts and many of the premium economy ones, when one is in use, the other will be empty. That creates wasted inflight space that could instead be given over to a much easier convertible seat option. If any passenger can book a bunk for the whole flight, this raises questions about how meal service works. Does the passenger return to their seat? Would passengers be given a tray in their bunk? Some sort of portable packed lunch service? A different option that might involve standing around a fold-out bar in the galley area for tapas? One option is certification of jumpseat-style seating for bunk passengers to use during taxi, takeoff and landing (TTL), and then to show them to their bunk once the seatbelt signs are off. This seating would likely need to be further developed and refined in order to be occupied by naive users rather than by specially trained safety experts like cabin crew. If the concept is hot-bunking, this poses a raft of complicated operation questions: how long are each of the hot-bunking sessions? Can passengers book more than one session in a row, and how much of a complication is that? What happens during bunk switching? Does the crew come round and strip the bunks, clean the surfaces, remove any rubbish or detritus, and remake them with fresh pillows, blankets and linens? Where would all this extra bedding be stowed? Another question is how much disruption the changeover period between hot-bunking sessions would cause for other passengers whether those in the regular economy class seats or those who are also sleeping in bunks especially as this would presumably occur during the quietest times of the flight, when the cabin would be dimmed, with the shades drawn. Passenger sentiment issues might also come to the fore with various bunk operations and models. There might be perception of risk to ones personal belongings, suggests Daniel Baron, giving an example: theres space in the bin right at or above my economy class seat, but not at the bunk. I would want my belongings near me, and would not want to schlep them back and forth. Baron also makes a point about personal safety and cultural or social issues: would some passengers feel less comfortable sleeping in lower or upper bunks? How would that change in terms of social status and other personal attributes? What complications are there around gender, religious observance, and other individual characteristics of passengers? Designing with sensitivity for all these factors would clearly be needed. Certification of bunks is a big unknown Safety certification naturally comes up whenever any kind of bunk design is considered. Helpfully, the first big question also has a relatively straightforward answer according to the experts we talked with: it seems unlikely that bunks could ever be certified for occupation for the entire flight. If there are upper and lower bunks, there is potential for injury to self and others while trying to evacuate from the upper bunk, so I cant see certification for use during taxi, takeoff and landing, says Daniel Baron. A more feasible scenario might be a high-density seat for taxi, takeoff and landing, and a bunk for use in between. Passengers would thus need to be seated for these critical phases of flight, entering a bunk only in the cruise segment. Presumably, every bunk would have a seatbelt for unexpected turbulence. The remaining certification questions then revolve around access to the bunk and, in an emergency, egress. One comparison could be the inflight egress requirements for crew bunks, whether that is in the crown space or in a lower-level bunk area. Its very tempting to just suggest that airlines create a version of the overhead crew rest areas for passengers, but this would get very complicated, very quickly. Crown spaces are not as straightforward as you might think, explains designer Ben Orson of Orson Associates, highlighting that rest areas in the crown require an emergency escape hatch, usually concealed within a replica overhead bin. Ive only looked at this in the context of the first-class environment, but anything below the hatch has to be able to withstand somebody leaping from a metre or two up onto it. So, when we were designing a meal table for JAL [for a seat below the hatch], you had to be able to stand on it, and so it had to be extraordinarily strong. Im not quite sure what that would look like when considering dropping down on top of an economy class seat, but it would be an interesting load case. In terms of lower-level bunks, egress is via a ladder that usually emerges upwards into the cabin via a hatch in the floor where a passenger seat would be. On the Airbus A380, this is visible in the cabin as a missing seat, as seen in the absence of seat 70D on Qantas A380. But there are real questions to ask about how much certification overlap there would be between cabin crew who have specific height, weight and physical ability requirements for doing their job, and who are provided with special emergency egress training in order to be able to use these very compact and cramped rest areas safely and average passengers with varying height, weight and ability levels. Access for disabled travellers and people with reduced mobility is also a concern, particularly for any concept using the upper crown area or lower lobe of the aircraft, or where bunks are layered on top of each other and require steps for access. Its unclear what accessibility requirements would apply to bunks, especially if they are sold not as seats but instead as some kind of ancillary product. Would something like the US Department of Transportations 14 CFR Part 382.21 requirement for a minimum of 50% of the aisle seats to offer movable aisle armrests be needed, for example, in requiring some proportion of bunks to be accessible for transfer from an aisle chair? Supply of airflow, including oxygen masks in the event of a cabin depressurisation, would also need to be engineered, as would power for lighting and, these days, power outlets for passenger devices. Fundamentally, bunks may well serve best as a sort of halo product, suggests Ben Orson. Especially for economy class, we dont get a lot of halo products, he notes. Its a really attractive idea. But quite how how effective it is, or how much extra revenue you can expect, just from having a halo product over and above anything you might actually get from selling the seats is hard to quantify. Indeed, of all the bunk concepts Tangerine has explored, concurs Martin Darbyshire, you end up compromising the offer, I think, in a way that doesnt really make it adequately palatable at the moment. Thats the challenge. Take a look at a few other bunk designs that have emerged over the years AirSleeper A bunk concept was in the first round of the 2022 Crystal Cabin Awards: the AirSleeper from Mmillenniumm, whose chairman and CEO, A. I. Indi Rajasingham tells us that as a tiered architecture for aircraft cabins, AirSleeper is positioned for several price points in the premium economy segment. The product essentially splits the cabin into a lower level and an upper level, each of which has seating arranged in a way reminiscent of the PriestmanGoode sofa concept which became the Collins AirLounge on Finnair. For taxi, takeoff and landing the passenger sits in an aisle-side, forward-facing seat, and can slide slightly round to the side into a kind of armchair position. When converting to bed mode, a cushioned layer folds down from the seat in front to create a sleeping surface angled away from the aisle in a herringbone layout. To access the upper bunk, every upper-tier passenger has a fold-out ladder, and children are catered for with a special child booster seat in what would otherwise be their parents footwell space. Since the upper bunk stretches to the ceiling, storage for all passengers is at the foot level at the aisle. While the concept is interesting, the certification and evacuation pose immediate and obvious questions. We have carefully considered the evacuation requirements and we believe we will comply, Rajasingham tells us. We have also done extensive engineering to create a product that should meet the stringent structural constraints in an airframe and most importantly the safety requirements, particularly under crash conditions. Slumbered, not stirred A converted military cargo aircraft may not initially sound very glamorous, but the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser was one of the ultimate aircraft for a luxury passenger experience. The inverted figure-8 double deck fuselage provided 6,600 ft (187 m) of interior space designed specifically for luxury air travel. Boeing offered flexible configurations and Teague was involved in the design. A 114-seat all-economy aircraft could be ordered, but a popular configuration was to have 75 seats, 56 of which could be converted into lie-flat sleeper berths, complete with privacy curtains, and a further 19 reclining seats. On the luxury services, such as BOACs Monarch service in the 1950s, passengers had a fantastic destination space, as there was a midship spiral staircase, which led down to a horseshoe-shaped 14-seat lounge in the lower lobe area, with a bar under the stairs. Thus sated, guests could change into their nightwear in the dressing rooms (one for gentlemen and two for ladies, all of which could accommodate three people) before retiring to their bunks. Some carriers even had a Stateroom in a forward compartment, which converted into a bedroom for two passengers to share. In Ian Flemings book For Your Eyes Only, James Bond loved the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser passenger experience, in which he could have dinner in peace, sleep for seven hours in a comfortable bunk, and get up in time to wander down to the lower deck and have that ridiculous country house breakfast while the dawn came up and flooded the cabin with the first bright gold of the Western hemisphere. Air Lair In 2012 Factorydesign was challenged to create a fantasy concept for Contour (now Zodiac Seats UK), and devised the striking Air Lair design, which was a double-deck system of individual pods, claiming to offer 30% additional passenger accommodation in the same footprint as a single-deck layout. The concept lay somewhere between premium economy and business class. We did have a weather eye on creating something that had a basic intelligence about what it was suggesting a cabin could do in terms of new innovation, explained Adam White, director of the studio. What we were trying to say was that thinking about the cabin in layers was important. The concept had a very mixed reaction at its reveal at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2012, but soon after White noticed that more people were approaching him to talk about the validity of Air Lair as an idea to optimise cabin space. Perhaps the concept was just a little ahead of its time. That would be our ultimate wish. That people are able to look back at Air Lair and say, That was the first moment I thought that what we have launched today was possible. See here for a video of Adam White explaining the design StepSeat Jacob Innovations has been creating ideas to maximise use of the available vertical space in the cabin to enhance comfort. The company has created several ideas for several classes, all using vertical levels to increase comfort without sacrificing cabin density. The original is the StepSeat, an economy-class concept that sees alternate seats mounted on steps, which are small platforms the height of a conventional step. This arrangement increases legroom for all seats and enables occupants to recline to around 45 within the fixed shell, with an optional leg rest further enhancing comfort. The inventor, Emil Jacob (also president of the company) says that while access to the seat looks rather narrow in the renderings, the access space is actually almost the same as a conventional economy seat at a tight pitch. Cloud Capsule Concept In response to the impact of the global coronavirus pandemic on aviation, a special Judges Choice Award category was added for 2021, in recognition of aircraft cabin and on-board products that address the latest air travel challenges. Toyota Boshoku made it to the final judging round with the Cloud Capsule Concept, which could offer economy passengers the option of both a seat and access to a comfortable bunk bed berth located above the window seats. Collapsible beds for the Flying V The Flying V, a V-shaped wing body aircraft concept that is currently under development by TU Delft in association with KLM, has a cabin in the wing that is oval-shaped in cross-section. The university has developed collapsible beds for the economy class cabin that effectively use the oval cabin space at the rear side of the wing. This configuration is optimised to work with the structural body enforcements and make it possible for three passengers to lay down horizontally. By allowing the middle bed to slide up, and half of the bottom bed to fold down, this triple-height bunk bed can easily be converted into three seats for take-off and landing, which is a requirement for quick evacuation. To provide ultimate bed comfort, the bunks include a built-in infotainment system, overhead display, charging points for personal electronics, a tray table and an inflatable backrest to allow for a more upright sitting position whilst in the bunk. TU Delfts research has found that getting into the proposed beds would not be problematic, even for elderly passengers, provided they enter head-first. A bi-level investment High-density economy cabins have been a source of concern for IpVenture, which is not an aviation designer or manufacturer, but rather a Silicon Valley-based specialist in partnering with innovators to develop technology patents and then monetising the patents through licences and sales. The company believes it has a space-creating solution on its hands with a design for safer and more spacious economy class seating with no loss of seat count. The key to this claimed achievement is a bi-level staggered-seat approach that increases each passengers space and gives them easy access to the aisle. Passengers in the lower level window seats can slide backward, allowing passengers to move behind the seats, even when the aisle seats are in a reclined position. On the upper level, all passengers have room to walk to the aisle from the front of their seats. This space to manoeuvre also means that aircraft can be evacuated in a swift and orderly fashion, according to the company. IpVenture believes that the design, if implemented, would deliver rested passengers to their intended destinations. As it stated, The only thing passengers should recover from is their excitement. An Airbus patent Airbus made international news in 2015 when it filed a patent application for a double-deck business class cabin. The company files around 600 patents each year, but this one really provoked strong public reaction, from oaths never to fly again if the design took to the skies, to the inevitable comparisons with sardine cans that meet most high-density ideas, and even 19th century slave ships. The patent described rows of seats alternately arranged at lower and higher levels, with the upper mezzanine seating making use of upper lobe space. The design makes more optimal use of available cabin space, and passengers would have flat beds and direct aisle access, so what upset the public so much? . Perhaps it was the rather unappealing patent drawings Flex Tangerine developed the Flex concept as part of an airline pitch, with the design giving window seat passengers a separate bunk located above the inner seats. The two spaces are entirely separate, giving window seat customers a comfortable reclining seat for TTL and relaxing, and a separate, private sleeping area across the aisle and up five steps. While the inner passengers do not have access to the mezzanine-level bunks, their seats do convert into lie-flat beds. The concept sketches show the inner seats facing sideways in the cabin, but that is not a necessity for the arrangement to work, so long as there is sufficient space for the centre seats to be converted into flat beds. There is clearly a big disparity in the passenger offer for window and centre occupants, which would have to be addressed in the ticket pricing. However, the concept does have a big drawback, as Martin Darbyshire, CEO of Tangerine explained: The scary thing is that the number of seats that you get is not bigger than using a current lie-flat solution in a fairly dense form. I think that is really going to call into question the validity of the concept for a lot of airlines. Economy Sky Dream Dutch transport engineering firm, ADSE, has developed Economy Sky Dream, an economy comfort class concept for wide-bodies, with a focus on enabling sleep without impacting airline operations, cost of ownership or airworthiness. The premise sounds like a dream for long-haul travellers, so how does the concept work? Economy Sky Dream offers three-tier bunk-beds for the centre triples in a 3-3-3 seating configuration, the centre location having the maximum cabin height, which is maximised by not having central overhead luggage bins. During TTL and cabin service, the fore and aft layout sees passengers seated opposite each other, with their hand luggage stowed and secured under the seats. Once the cruising phase begins, crew fold away the armrests of the triple seat to form a bed surface, and then lower two further beds from above, accessible by a fold-down ladder. Each bed is 76-80in long (1.93-2.05cm) depending on the aircraft and 23.6in (60cm) wide, and features an individual PSU with USB charging port. The result: beds for each Economy Sky Dream traveller, and more of the glorious sleep that makes ULH routes feel shorter and that helps passengers arrive at their faraway destination feeling refreshed. The downside is that there is some disruption during meal service, when the bunks have to be stowed and the bottom bunk restored to a triple seat, but that is a minor niggle. The concept has no downside for airlines though, according to ADSE, as the modular hardware has a similar footprint to economy plus, and the bunks represent an ancillary revenue opportunity. The company also says that the design conforms to current operational and evacuation procedures and would not represent a major certification issue. As the hardware fits into the existing seat tracks and luggage rack suspension system, the concept would be easy to retrofit into wide-body aircraft using existing installation techniques and would not affect the residual value of aircraft. A 12-year-old Birmingham boy was shot while playing with friends outside his apartment Friday afternoon. Police and Birmingham firefighters responded about 3:15 p.m. Friday to a small apartment complex in the 1800 block of Carson Road. Sgt. LaQuitta Wade said they arrived to find the young victim inside an apartment on the floor. Police radio communications indicated the boy had been shot in the back. He was taken by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service to Childrens of Alabama. The boy responsive when he left the scene, but authorities said he is in critical condition. Wade said the boy was in the grassy courtyard area of his home when they were approached by a group of males and one of the suspects began firing a gun. The victim was running away from the gunfire when he was struck. The suspects are possibly juveniles or in their late teens. Anyone with information is asked to call investigators at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. Three people were killed in a single-vehicle crash in Russell County. Alabama State Troopers identified two of the fatality victims as Riley S. Witt, 20, and Shennan N. Darst, 19. Both lived in Cummings, Ga. The third victim was 18 years old. Troopers do not release the names of anyone 18 or under. The crash happened 7:50 p.m. Thursday on U.S. 431, about 14 miles south of Phenix City. Trooper Sgt. Jeremy Burkett said the 18-year-old was driving a Toyota 4Runner that left the road, struck a ditch, and overturned. The teen driver and both passengers were pronounced dead on the scene. Authorities are searching for a missing teen who was last seen on March 18 in Enterprise. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency on Friday issued an emergency missing child alert for 15-year-old Niurka Butz-Rax. According to ALEA, Niurka Butz-Rax is a 15-year-old Hispanic female who was last seen on Monday, March 18 in Enterprise. The alert was officially issued the Friday following her disappearance. The missing persons report states that Butz-Rax is 4 feet, 11 inches tall and weighs 125 pounds. The teen has brown eyes and black hair. According to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons database, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, more than 600,000 people go missing annually. Those with information regarding the whereabouts of Niurka Butz-Rax are asked to contact the Enterprise Police Department at 334-347-2222 or call 911. TOKYO, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Two elderly men died at a nursing home in Kitakyushu City in Japan's southwestern prefecture of Fukuoka on Saturday, sparking a police investigation over a suspected murder case, local media reported. A worker at the nursing home for seniors in the city's Kokuraminami Ward made an emergency call at around 6:20 a.m. local time, saying, "Two elderly men are suffering cardiopulmonary arrests and are bleeding a great deal," Japanese daily Mainichi Shimbun reported, citing Fukuoka Prefectural Police and the Kitakyushu City Fire Department. The two men, both in their 70s, were found collapsed inside the facility when police officers and rescue crew arrived and were pronounced dead at the scene, the report said. The two men were residents of the facility. One of them had sustained injuries to the neck, and either that person or the other had wounds to the abdomen, it added. There were no signs of a third-party individual having been present at the scene, according to investigative sources. The police suspected that there may have been some sort of trouble between the two and are investigating the case as possible murders. Its difficult for Tiffany Irvin to talk about what the past 10 months have been like without her brother. It was May 11, 2023, when gunmen opened fire on 37-year-old Erskin Irvin Jr. outside his familys Norwood home. When the ambush shooting stopped, the father of two sons had been hit more than 20 times. The family has no idea who killed him or why. It has been hurtful. My family has a lot of questions, Tiffany said. Its scary knowing theres individuals out there, free, that can do something so gruesome. Erskin, a truck driver, had gotten off work and been home only about an hour. He was at the home he shared with his mother in the 1400 block of 33rd Street North. Home security camera footage showed what happened next. You can watch him leaving out of the house, Tiffany said. He was telling my aunt bye and as he walked down the steps and got in his car, they ran from darkness across the street and shot up his car. She said the video showed three masked gunmen carrying out the ambush, standing at his car and unleashing more than 35 rounds. Family members heard the shots and ran outside, including Erskins grieving mother. Gunfire rang out at 9:51 p.m. Thursday, May 11, 2023, in the 1400 block of 33rd Street North, leaving one man dead. (Carol Robinson) Police said they believe Erskin was targeted, but no motive has been released. You wouldnt shoot and kill an animal the way they did my brother and did it right in front of our mothers home, Tiffany said. What could he have possibly done that was so bad? My family hasnt been the same since this tragedy happened, she said. You all took someone special to us. You took a father, you took an only son, you took a brother, Tiffany said. You took someone I looked up to as my protector, and we want justice. Tiffany said her brother enjoyed his work and enjoyed being with friends and family, especially his two sons who are now ages 3 and 20. He just enjoyed a good time. He put a smile on your face, she said. You were going to laugh every time you were around my brother. Erskins youngest son just turned 3. Gunfire rang out at 9:51 p.m. Thursday, May 11, 2023, in the 1400 block of 33rd Street North, leaving one man dead. (Carol Robinson) He loves cars, and he has this one thats white, the same color as his dads car, she said. He just walks around with it saying, Dada car.' His oldest son is just lost without his dad, she said. While answers wont bring him back, Tiffany said they could help the family to heal. For somebody to do something like this is heartbreaking, she said. Its hard to trust people, not know what it was all about. It was just senseless. You took a life. You dont deserve to walk around free, Tiffany said. What does life mean to you? Erskin, she said, is remembered for his smile, his jokes and his laughter. He didnt deserve what happened to him, she said. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. Three men pleaded guilty to federal charges they were receiving cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico to their locations in the Florida Panhandle, according to the Walton County (Fla.) Sheriffs Office (WCSO). An investigation between October 2019 and June 2023 found that 44-year-old Omar Josue Morales-Rodriguez of Freeport; 39-year-old Marcos Aguilar Gonzalez of Santa Rosa Beach; and 33-year-old Edmar Agustin Gonzalez of Crestview conspired to ship cocaine through the mail from Puerto Rico to the Florida Panhandle. During the investigation conducted by the WCSO, four packages were seized, including one located by a K9 officer which was a karaoke machine which had been manipulated to hold a kilo of cocaine, according to the sheriffs office. Three men pleaded guilty to federal charges they shipped cocaine to locations in the Florida Panhandle. In one instance, they used this karaoke machine in which to hide a kilo of cocaine.(Walton County Sheriff's Office) In all, 20 packages were found, each containing an estimated kilo of cocaine, and had been shipped to addresses in Walton County, as well as Okaloosa County. In addition, a search warrant executed at a storage unit in Walton County led to the seizure of four firearms and ammunition illegally owned by Morales-Rodriguez. The three men each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Morales-Rodriguez and Aguilar Gonzalez also pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Morales-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to an additional charge of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, having previously been convicted in federal court in Puerto Rico for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Sentencing hearings are set for May 23 and June 6. Morales-Rodriguez faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years with a maximum term of life, while Aguilar Gonzalez and Agustin Gonzalez face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years with a maximum term of 40 years. In addition, all three could be subject to lifetime post-release supervision. Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a resolution Friday to remove U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson from his position, using the same parliamentary measure that led to Johnson ascending to the speakership last year. Following a bipartisan vote to approve the six remaining government spending bills for fiscal 2024, Greene filed a motion to vacate the office of the speaker of the House. The $1.2 trillion spending measure passed despite a slim majority of Republicans voting against it. House Republicans ousted Johnsons predecessor, Californias Kevin McCarthy, over a similar situation. This is basically a warning, Greene told reporters outside the Capitol after filing the motion. Its time for us to go through the process, take our time and find a new speaker of the House that will stand with Republicans and our Republican majority instead of standing with Democrats. Greene opted not to make the motion privileged, which would have forced a floor vote within days and scuttled a two-week recess set to begin Friday. House rules allow her to force a vote on the measure at any time. More from Alabama Reflector Greene, a conservative who often antagonizes her partys leadership, said she didnt aim to throw the House into chaos, and wouldnt put a time limit on her request. But Greene indicated she will seek to evict Johnson at some point. Im not saying that it wont happen in two weeks or it wont happen in a month or who knows when, she said. But I am saying the clock has started. Its time for our conference to choose a new speaker. A spokesperson said Johnson will continue doing the job he was elected to do. Speaker Johnson always listens to the concerns of members, but is focused on governing, Johnson spokesperson Raj Shah said in a statement. He will continue to push conservative legislation that secures our border, strengthens our national defense and demonstrates how well grow our majority. Second motion to vacate in five months Because the measure is not privileged, the chamber will not vote on it at least until members return from recess. Republicans, who lost more than three weeks of governing as they sought to replace McCarthy after Floridas Matt Gaetz and seven other Republicans forced his ouster in October, may not be enthusiastic about enduring another round of leadership uncertainty. Republicans voted to make the previously little-known Johnson speaker last October after the chamber was virtually frozen following McCarthys removal. Greene made a big mistake, Rep. Clay Higgins, Johnsons fellow Louisiana Republican, said in a video posted to X. To think that one of our Republican colleagues would call for (Johnsons) ouster right now is really, its abhorrent to me, Higgins said. I stand with Mike Johnson. He is maybe the only guy in history that could potentially perform and help us navigate these very dark and challenging times. But because of the conferences razor-thin 219-213 majority in the House, only a handful of defections from Johnson could force him from office just months into his speakership. That edge could shrink further in coming weeks as Wisconsins Mike Gallagher said Friday he will leave office April 19. If all Democrats vote to remove Johnson as they did with McCarthy only three other Republicans, or two after Gallagher leaves, voting with Greene would be enough to remove him. That would force the House to again pause its other business to select a new speaker and risk another acrimonious period of House GOP infighting as the party seeks to unify ahead of November elections. McCarthys removal was the first time the House successfully vacated a speaker. It resulted from a deal the California Republican made in January 2023 to mollify House conservatives skeptical of him as speaker. McCarthy accepted a rules package that allowed a single member to file a motion to vacate. Jennifer Shutt and Ashley Murray contributed to this report.G Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen said his office will work to implement a new state law that criminalizes payments for the distribution and collection of absentee ballot applications for the general election in November. But he emphasized new law generally does not affect volunteers giving voter assistance. Allen said his office will update the absentee ballot application forms, talk to local officials who run elections, and get the word out to the public. Alabama lawmakers passed SB1 by Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, a bill that Republicans said would stop ballot harvesting, the distribution and collection of absentee ballot applications by third parties to influence elections. The Republican majority passed the bill over the objections of Democrats and others who said it was unnecessary and would keep elderly and disabled voters from getting the help they need with absentee voting. They pointed to the lack of examples of ballot harvesting cases in Alabama as evidence that the law was not needed. Allen noted that the new law does not stop people who are disabled, blind, or cannot read and write from receiving help with voting, assistance that is protected by the federal Voting Rights Act. Allen said the new law generally does not affect volunteers giving voter assistance. And he said the scarcity of examples of ballot fraud prosecutions cited by opponents of SB1 is because the law was weak. Ballot harvesting is a big term, obviously, Allen said. And our opponents always point to us, Show us the prosecutions. Well, there was few prosecutions because it was so vague and there was no penalties. So, DAs and the AG, theyre just not going to focus on that particular code section on ballot harvesting. But we know it goes on. We receive calls. We know it happens out there. There are instances where there are paid political operatives, paid ballot traffickers, or whatever you want to call them, that go and put influence on the absentee process, going out and gathering up these applications and trying to influence the absentee process. Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, reasserted what Democrats have long said about the bill, that ballot harvesting is not a problem in Alabama and that the bill is part of a national GOP effort to bolster former President Trumps unsubstantiated claims that mass fraud caused his defeat in the 2020 election. I think this was just a national, red meat, Republican bill thats pushed down from the national groups, and they just have to adopt something in Alabama based on Trump losing, Singleton said. And so, here we are, Alabama can say that they did something, they contributed. But its nothing at the end of the day. We dont have voter fraud in this state. Gudger said his bill was not related to Trumps voter fraud claims. Gudger said he traveled the state and worked to develop a bill that targeted ballot harvesting, as opposed to volunteer help for voters. Allen, who was elected secretary of state in 2022, introduced a similar bill when he was a Republican member of the Alabama House. It did not pass. Similar legislation also failed last year. This year, the Republican majority was able to pass Gudgers bill, and Gov. Kay Ivey promptly signed it into law. Although the bill said it takes effect immediately, Allen said it will not be in effect for the primary runoff election on April 16 or for two upcoming special elections for legislative seats. Allen noted that voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2022 requiring election law changes to be implemented no less than six months before the general election. The new law adds new restrictions and criminal penalties to section 17-11-4 of the Code of Alabama, which governs absentee voting applications. The strictest penalties apply to those who receive a payment or pay someone else for helping with applications. Some parts of the new law apply to situations not involving a payment. The new law: Makes it a Class C felony, punishable by one to 10 years in prison, to receive a payment or gift to distribute, order, request, collect, complete, pre-fill, or deliver an absentee ballot application for another voter. Makes it a Class B felony, punishable to two to 20 years, to knowingly pay or provide a gift to a third party to distribute, order, request, collect, prefill, complete, obtain, or deliver a voters absentee ballot application. Says an applicant for an absentee ballot can receive assistance filling out the ballot and that the application must be signed by the applicant and the witness. Makes it a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail, to deliver an absentee ballot application to a voter that is pre-filled with the voters name or any other information required on the application. Specifies that only the voter can return their absentee ballot application to their countys absentee election manager, either in person or by mail or commercial carrier. Requires applicants for absentee ballots to declare they are not barred from voting because of a disqualifying felony conviction or, if they were were convicted of a disqualifying felony, that they have had their right to vote restored. The League of Women Voters of Alabama, which has opposed the legislation since last year, released a statement about the bill. SB1 and bills like it are just another form of voter suppression that do nothing to protect the integrity of our elections but do a great deal to make it harder for voters with disabilities to cast their ballot, the League said. Voter assistance is not a crime and should not be treated as such. The League of Women Voters of Alabama believes the state should be making it easier for people to vote, especially people with disabilities, and we will continue to fight unjust laws like SB1. Allen said people who can continue to help voters with the absentee process as long as the work is not for pay. If they want to go out and do it on their own, thats fine, Allen said. Charitable organizations. They can go help anybody that needs assistance. They just cant get compensated for it. They cant receive any kind of gift for it. Allen said the distribution and collection of absentee ballot applications when compensation is involved takes on a different meaning than the volunteer efforts. We wanted to make sure that we, again, clarified that law and make sure that its really the intent of the voter, and they want to utilize the absentee process, not necessarily because somebody is coming and knocking on their door harvesting these applications and these ballots, Allen said. Singleton said he thinks part of the intent of the new law is voter suppression, but he said campaigns and organizations will work around it. I think were just going to have to adopt to the law, Singleton said. I think its voter suppression at best. We should be opening up the free and fair exercising of the right to vote. But at the end of the day that bill dealt with the application part of the absentee ballot, not the ballot itself. So therefore I think its only punitive if someone is paying someone to go out and do it. You still do everything you used to do if you are deemed a volunteer. So, I think well find ways to work around it. Its always another bump in the road but well get through. Allen, who oversaw elections as a probate judge in Pike County before he was elected to the Legislature, said the bill adds strength to the law that he said has been needed for years. I think this is a strong piece of legislation that makes sure that we protect the absentee process, Allen said. Voters can still gain assistance if they need it from anybody that they choose. We just want to make sure they cant get paid for it. And a third-party organization out there cannot compensate individuals to go out there and try to manipulate the absentee process. The ban on compensation for absentee ballot assistance includes compensation for expenses, such as the cost of gas. Allen said his office will work to implement the law for the general election on Nov. 5. Were going to update the language on our application to update what the language says in the law, Allen said. Were going to talk to our local elected officials that run elections, the probate judges, circuit clerks, sheriffs, boards of registrars, to make sure they understand what has changed and if they get questions, they can answer. Listen, we want people to vote. We want to make sure they have complete confidence in what were doing, in the elections process, and give them the information that they need. A call of shots fired at a Hoover apartment complex early Saturday launched a police chase with shots fired along the way that traveled into Georgia and ended with a shootout there that wounded the suspect. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified the injured suspect as Marcus Andrew Eaddy. The 29-year-old Lithonia, Ga. man is in critical condition at a Georgia hospital. Hoover police Capt. Keith Czeskleba said officers responded to the complex on Wisteria Drive about 2 a.m. Authorities said a man - later identified as Eaddy - was shooting an AR-style gun. They did not find anyone injured, and no property damage. Vestavia police officers spotted the suspect vehicle a Chrysler 200 and gave chase. They continued the high-speed pursuit along Interstate 65 to Interstate 20, heading eastbound. They dropped off when the St. Clair County Sheriffs Office picked up the pursuit. St. Clair Sheriff Billy Murray said they entered the pursuit and continued eastbound on I-20. St. Clair County deputies, Oxford police officers, Heflin police officers, the Cleburne County Sheriffs Office and the Haralson County Sheriffs Office in Georgia all took part in the chase. During the pursuit, deputies took gunfire from the suspect and subsequently returned fire, Murray said. Cleburne County sheriffs officials said they were advised that the driver had been firing shots at law enforcement officers during the pursuit. As the chase continued, Eaddys vehicle was traveling at extremely high speeds and was spiked by a Cleburne County deputy and a Heflin police officer. The Chrysler continued into Georgia where it became disabled and crashed between Exit 3 and Exit 5, just over the state line. A shootout ensued between Eaddy and deputies from Haralson and St. Clair counties, according to the GBI. Multiple law enforcement vehicles took gunfire, but no officers were injured. The vehicle spun out at mile marker two and the driver opened fire on deputies and other officers, who returned fire, Haralson County sheriffs officials said in a press release. The incident shut down parts of I-20 for several hours. GBI officials said they found a handgun near Eaddy and an assault rifle inside his vehicle. They are leading the investigation and once it is complete, the case will be turned over to the Haralson County District Attorneys Office. A 14-year-old Tennessee boy died after he was shot on an Alabama nature preserve in what authorities are calling a very tragic hunting accident. The teen, from Pleasantville, Tennessee, was shot on the Sugar Foot Hunting Preserve near Highway 183 in Perry County on March 6, said Bibb County Coroner Patrick Turner. The teen was taken to Bibb Medical Center in Centreville, where he was pronounced dead, the coroner said. Everythings leading to this being a very tragic hunting accident, Turner told AL.com. The boy was with his family, who were in Scott Station, in Perry County, for a construction project when the property owner led the teen, his father and others on a feral hog hunt. A loaded rifle accidentally discharged, hitting the teen in his chest. English News "Science and technology backyards" contributes to agricultural, rural development Alwihda Info | Par People's Daily - 18 Mars 2024 To date, over 1,200 STBs have been set up by 74 institutions across the country, which involve more than 2,700 experts and 5,200 postgraduate students. According to incomplete statistics, these STBs have introduced and made innovations on 284 green agricultural production technologies, which are applied on a total area of 566 million mu and have increased income or cut costs by over 70 billion yuan. By Xu Peiyu Jujube farmer Ding Taiping in Xiawa township, Binzhou, east China's Shandong province recently made some new friends - students of a "science and technology backyard" (STB) program that studies the cultivation of jujubes from China Agricultural University. "I've been growing jujubes for many years, but this is the first time I've interacted with university students in the fields," said Ding. He said he thought it would be impossible for these students, who had never set foot in the field, to solve farmers' problems when the STB was established in the township earlier this year. "But after spending some time together, they've actually tackled some challenges that had troubled me for a long time. Particularly by combining traditional 'local methods' with new techniques through standardized cultivation practices, efficiency has improved significantly," Ding told People's Daily. The STB is a practical and integrated talent cultivation model that China Agricultural University began exploring in 2009. It dispatches postgraduate students in agricultural majors to the field, where they, based on what they have learned theoretically, study and solve real-world problems in agricultural and rural development, with an aim to cultivate high-level agricultural talents and serve the modernization of agriculture and rural areas. Since the first STB program was launched in 2009, this model has soon gained widespread recognition, attracting an increasing number of research institutes and universities to join in, including Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University (NAFU). In 2021, NAFU set up a STB program for the studies of vegetable technologies in Jingyang county, Xianyang, northwest China's Shaanxi province, which serves three counties and 17 demonstration agricultural parks in Xianyang. Zhang Mingke, associate research fellow at NAFU and chief expert at the Jingyang STB, said the program develops and introduces new crop varieties, and studies techniques such as efficient cultivation and facility soil secondary salinization improvement and restoration. New varieties and technologies developed by the program have been introduced to 12 counties and districts in Shaanxi province, as well as Qinghai province and Ningxia Hui autonomous region. They have been applied on over 1.52 million mu (around 101,333 hectares), generating over 200 million yuan ($27.8 million) in economic benefits, Zhang told People's Daily. "Over the past more than a decade, the STB model has pioneered a new path of deep integration between scientists and farmers, and close collaboration between technology and industry. This has unleashed the potential of increasing farmers' incomes, while cultivating a high-quality agricultural talent pool that is rooted in rural areas," said Zhong Denghua, Party head of China Agricultural University. To date, over 1,200 STBs have been set up by 74 institutions across the country, which involve more than 2,700 experts and 5,200 postgraduate students. According to incomplete statistics, these STBs have introduced and made innovations on 284 green agricultural production technologies, which are applied on a total area of 566 million mu and have increased income or cut costs by over 70 billion yuan. While emerging across China, the STBs have also been sharing their experiences with the rest of the world. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has been promoting the STB model globally for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023, hailing it as a typical case of assisting smallholder farmers. Last September, FAO official Selvaraju Ramasamy visited Quzhou county in north China's Hebei province, where China's first STB was established. He was impressed to learn that local farmers were actually "experts" in technology and marketing and were able to earn over 2,800 yuan per mu annually. "Remarkable! This demonstrates the value of promoting the STB model worldwide," he exclaimed. In 2019, China Agricultural University launched a training program to cultivate young African talents that would help improve smallholder production in Africa. Augustine Talababi Phiri, an agronomist from Malawi, joined the program. Last November, three STBs were established in Malawi. Thanks to his knowledge learned and experience gained in China, Phiri was appointed the head of a STB in Lisasadzi, Malawi's Kasungu District, promoting the Chinese model locally. A staff member of China Agricultural University told People's Daily that the training program has nurtured 72 agriculture-related graduate students from over 10 African countries so far. African farmers said they welcome the STBs and hope these programs can bring practical technologies to help them grow more food. Moreover, NAFU has taken the lead in establishing the Silkroad Agricultural Education and Research Innovation Alliance, which has been joined by 106 scientific and educational institutions and enterprises from 18 countries so far. Zhang said the universities are responsible for the research, development, and talent support related to crop varieties, products, and technologies, while local governments organize order-based production. Chinese enterprises then demonstrate the achievements and procure the products, achieving deep integration of production, education, research, and application. "In the next step, NAFU and China Agricultural University will cooperate with the FAO, as well as relevant countries' agricultural departments and enterprises to establish more STBs and cultivate more young talents willing to work on the frontline of agricultural production," Zhang said. Dans la meme rubrique : < > Keeping pace with China is keeping pace with opportunities 5G technology sees application in various industries in China New journey begins for fourth phase of China's lunar exploration program Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) English News Shenzhen accelerates development of low-altitude economy Alwihda Info | Par People's Daily - 18 Mars 2024 In fact, food delivery by drones is no longer a novelty in Shenzhen. From sightseeing to urban security, from medical assistance to emergency rescue, and from agricultural and forestry protection to power line inspections, the low-altitude economy is finding more and more application scenarios in Shenzhen. By Cheng Yuanzhou, People's Daily After meals were packed, weighed, and mounted to drones, these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) took off under unified control, and arrived at office buildings across an overpass in just two minutes. They autonomously delivered the meals and returned. The delivery drone fleet has become a spectacle in a commercial area in Longgang district, Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province. "In this commercial area, the drones deliver over 300 orders every day. During the lunchtime, they take off and land almost every minute," said Yan Yan, head of public affairs for drone operations at Meituan, a Chinese shopping platform for locally found consumer products and retail services. According to Yan, Meituan has opened multiple drone routes in Shenzhen, delivering a total of over 200,000 orders to communities, office buildings, tourist attractions, hospitals, and universities. The platform has established a community drone delivery model that is able to delivery orders to destinations within 3 kilometers in 15 minutes. In fact, food delivery by drones is no longer a novelty in Shenzhen. From sightseeing to urban security, from medical assistance to emergency rescue, and from agricultural and forestry protection to power line inspections, the low-altitude economy is finding more and more application scenarios in Shenzhen. For instance, taking a helicopter ride operated by Heli-Eastern has become a convenient transportation option for citizens going from Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport to areas like Guangming and Pingshan districts of Shenzhen; a "lifeline" for transporting blood products via drones from the Shenzhen Blood Center to hospitals in Nanshan and Bao'an districts has been established; at the power transmission management office of Shenzhen Power Supply Bureau Co., Ltd., 5G-enabled drones have been employed regularly in high-voltage cable terminal inspection on transmission towers. "Shenzhen has listed the low-altitude economy as one of the 20 key strategic emerging sectors for development. The city aims to drive the development of this new sector with technological innovation and by creating more application scenarios," said Zhao Ke, an official of the Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Transport. According to Zhao, Shenzhen has opened 126 low-altitude air routes and established 89 unmanned aerial vehicle takeoff and landing points. Last year, the city saw 600,000 flights of cargo drones and 20,000 flights of helicopters, Zhao said. Yang Jincai, chairman of the Shenzhen UAV Industry Association, revealed that by 2023, Shenzhen reported low-altitude economy output of 96 billion yuan ($13.35 billion), and was home to over 1,700 companies engaged in the industry. The city has developed a complete industrial chain covering drone R&D, design, manufacturing, operation and support. Currently, Shenzhen holds a market share of over 70 percent in the consumer drone sector globally, and 50 percent in the industrial drone sector. The rapid development of the low-altitude economy in Shenzhen is attributed to the city's strategic efforts to seize development opportunities and continuously improve relevant policy systems. In 2017, Shenzhen became a comprehensive demonstration zone for the general aviation industry. In 2019, measures were introduced to designate airspace for micro and light UAVs. On Feb. 1 of this year, regulations on the promotion of the low-altitude economy in the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone officially came into effect, normalizing the development of the low-altitude economy in terms of infrastructure, flight services, industrial applications, technological innovation, and safety management. Zhao said that the first phase of a project on promoting infrastructure for intelligent low-altitude integration in Shenzhen is currently accelerating its pace. The project aims to preliminarily establish an infrastructure network, air connectivity network, flight route network, and service network to support the low-altitude economy. Besides, innovative platforms such as a smart air traffic operation laboratory are also being constructed. In the future, Shenzhen will gradually carry out UAV operations and integrated flight verification, as well as develop regulations, standards, and norms for low-altitude flights. Dans la meme rubrique : < > Keeping pace with China is keeping pace with opportunities 5G technology sees application in various industries in China New journey begins for fourth phase of China's lunar exploration program Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) In the spring of 2021, volunteer investigators from Ohio acquired publicly available voter data for all 88 counties and started their analysis. Over the next year the researchers found hundreds of thousands of records in their states voter rolls with irregular data for which they couldnt identify consistent explanations, no matter who they asked. In late summer of 2022, they reached out to Marly Hornik, co-leader of New York Citizens Audit, whose team had identified similar inaccuracies in the New York State data. In 2023, Hornik and Harry Haury, an expert in cybercrime and election law, founded United Sovereign Americans and developed a legal strategy for securing the validity of the 2024 election based on federal civil rights law and Supreme Court precedent, which established for election officials that ignorance of the law is no excuse. Congress seeks... to guard the election of members of Congress against any possible unfairness by compelling, under its pains and penalties, everyone concerned in holding the election to a strict and scrupulous observance of every duty devolved upon him while so engaged... The evil intent consists in disobedience to the law. In re Coy, 127 U.S. 731 (1888). The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 requires election rolls to be accurate. The Ohio team had collected more than a million pieces of evidence of apparent violations of law that called into serious question the accuracy of Ohios statewide voter roll database at the time of the 2022 general election and its subsequent certification. The 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution stipulates that only legally qualified voters may vote. The Ohio team uncovered evidence that thousands of voters in Ohio had apparently registered before they were born! Hornik soon invited the Ohio researchers to join United Sovereign Americans and shared more of their data investigation skills and litigation strategies. As a result, the Ohio team, in conjunction with USA, has been able to conduct a peer-reviewed audit of the states voter rolls at the time of the 2022 Ohio election and has prepared a report that summarizes the issues they encountered. The day after certification in 2022, the Ohio statewide voter roll database showed: 58,209 resided in an apartment or in a mobile home lot but had no unit number as required on their voter registration application to ensure proper delivery of mail, including mail-in ballot material. 4,143 were older than the oldest person in the U.S. at the time or were too young to legally register. 6,348 had a date of birth that was different in 2022 than it was in 2020. 253,486 voters supposedly registered on January 1st, 84,221 voters registered on another Federal holiday and 201,693 voters registered on Sunday -- all times when Ohio boards of elections and state offices are closed. 120,094 had registration dates in the 2022 state voter file that were earlier than their registration date in the 2020 file. 59,025 people were listed as registering to vote before they were born. 243,583 had state identification numbers that had changed since 2020, even though federal laws require each voter be issued a unique state identifier. 34,233 had 2 to 5 registration records with different state identification numbers, making it possible for them to vote more than once. Federal law governing elections specifies that the error rate in Ohios 2022 election allowed a mere 34 errors. Instead, the election in Ohio had been certified despite 713,296 apparent voting violations. In addition to federal laws cited above, theres also the law of common sense. In elections, the number of votes counted must equal the number of voters who voted. On December 10, 2022 -- 11 days after the Ohio canvass officially concluded and one day after the election was certified as accurate and compliant -- the number of votes reportedly cast (4,201,368), and the number of records identified in the states official list of legally registered voters as having voted (3,039,289) differed by more than a million. In fact, the day after certification, 15 counties had each updated fewer than 10 names to the states voter history. Four hadnt updated any. On January 19, 2024, the Ohio team submitted a written report to Frank LaRose, Ohio Secretary of State, sharing their concerns about serious breaches of statutory standards on both the Federal and state level required by law. Our concern, obviously, is that the resulting election certification apparently was made despite objective, factual data raising concerns that the State had massively compromised systems, and that the certification may represent serious disregard of the voters civil and constitutional rights within the state. The Secretary of State offices response placed responsibility on shortcomings in county boards staffing, IT expertise and database technology, and claimed the core problem is almost always human data entry. It also asserted, contrary to Ohio law, that the county-maintained voter registration list is the official list. In actual fact, Ohio Revised Code 3503.15 establishes: The statewide voter registration database shall be the official list of registered electors for all elections conducted in this state. Next steps for United Sovereign Americans include filing for injunctive relief in federal district court against dilution of the vote and the use of a noncompliant voting system against our right and duty to choose our representatives. On March 6, with Maryland Election Integrity, USA filed its first challenge in federal court citing similar irregularities in Maryland Board of Elections data. With the Ohio teams help, United Sovereign Americans will be engaging in a nationwide educational and advocacy effort to raise public awareness and support, as much work remains to ensure that the 2024 election will be provably accurate and compliant with federal and state laws. In coming weeks, Marly Hornik and Harry Haury will be sharing results of their investigations from other states. Image: Internet Archive Book Image Landlords are now beating squatters at their own game. They are learning how to turn the tables by squatting on the squatters. This concept of invading the homes of the squatters was made very public by Mr. Flash Shelton: He became a national inspiration to landlords when he employed bold strategies to evict a mother-daughter grifter team from his mothers family home. The dramatic event was recorded by Mr. Shelton and uploaded on YouTube. His amateur production of outwitting the mother-daughter grifter team offered a glimpse of what could be accomplished when the injured party (i.e. landlord) refuses to be handcuffed by an inept and morally bankrupt judicial system. He is a handyman by trade and used to getting the job done himself. Landlords must have been gobsmacked by the simplicity of his strategy as evidenced by the more than two million views in less than 48 hours. The informal eviction process would prove to take approximately 24 hours. Shelton simply staked out his mothers home and waited for the grifters to leave: Then he proceeded to enter the premises to install security cameras, change the locks, and record the squatters personal property piled high in every room. The grifters appeared ready for a long and cozy stay, placing their expectations on the law-abiding landlord getting lost in the nightmare of drawn-out legal filings and costly judicial fees. Things did not go as anticipated for the squatters. They returned to the home to find Shelton waiting for them and waiving a lease in their face (with his mother naming him as the legal tenant) and alerting them to the changes in the house. Ninety percent of the time, Mr. Shelton says, The lock-out procedure works. Thats his strategy of choice. One can only guess at the number of landlords watching the YouTube outtakes -- which (of course) the handyman produced himself -- and wished they had demonstrated the same determination and tactics to remove con artists from their properties. The actions of Shelton signals a new era in the squatting crisis in which landlords must depend on themselves to avoid what could potentially erupt into months or years of legal wrangling. And squatters certainly know their "rights." Many of them refuse to give an inch initially because they realize if they can hang on for 30 days or longer, they enter a new tier of protection for their illegal behavior in the bluest of blue states. Who would have thought it possible that the longer you engage in violating the law the more protection youll receive under the law in progressive states? Shelton is teaching landlords an invaluable lesson as he gains more and more notoriety on YouTube and appears in a multitude of media interviews. He has pointed out that as a tenant he has more rights than a landlord. Whereas a landlord cannot enter his or her own premises, Shelton, armed with a new lease, can walk in on the squatters proclaiming his status as the new occupant and becoming the squatters worst nightmare. That is exactly what hes doing for landlords who have heard of the handyman and have engaged his services for days or weeks at the fixed rate of $5,000.00 Shelton is not above eating the squatters food, occupying their favorite spot for television watching, or blasting loud music. Can he do that? Apparently, hes doing it routinely and he has yet to get arrested. After all, hes a tenant: And just like squatters, he, too, has rights. The advice Shelton gives landlords may not match the instructions offered by high-priced law firms (no other kind), but his tactics have proven effective for a fraction of the cost. Shelton receives hundreds of calls from landlords seeking advice after having been failed by the legal system. He offers his services (via Zoom) for a nominal $150.00 fee (which has been donated to a non-profit aimed at changing the corrupt legal system). There is some hope on the horizon for landlords. The squatters may wish to place themselves on high alert with landlords changing tactics in the face of this unprecedented surge in criminal cases: Shelton is hardly alone among an emerging group of informal eviction servers. The squatter hunters are growing exponentially in step with the epidemic of shocking tales involving families and landlords feeling caught in a cycle of nightmarish encounters with con artists. Horror stories abound over serial squatters turning homes into strip clubs and hosting all-night parties. Those scenarios are only matched by squatters who have developed a taste for the high life and move into posh neighborhoods. Sang Kim, a case in point, made headlines as a serial squatter who refused to move out of a $2 million Seattle property. Kim and his wife, have enjoyed the benefits of a broken legal system as evidenced by their record as serial squatters: They failed to pay rent on a $1.3 million property at their previous residence for (wait for it) two years. This became known to residents in the Seattle area where the Kims currently live. Neighbors are now backing frustrated landlords, and 200 residents congregated outside of Kims squatter-location to protest his presence. This is often the tipping point for squatters -- getting exposed in the media. Shelton routinely used that psychological ploy when confronting illegals tenants. He assures the grifters that he has recorded them and he will expose their conversations and their actions on YouTube for all the world to view. Or they can decide to move out. Squatters may find their lucrative tactics -- from showing fake leases to filing for bankruptcy -- coming up against a new wave of beleaguered landlords turning to alternative sources for seeking justice (of course) outside of the judicial system. Image: OpenClipArt YANGON, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar earned 262.236 million U.S. dollars from mineral exports in over 11 months of the 2023-24 fiscal year through March, according to the Ministry of Commerce on Saturday. From April 1 last year to March 15 this year, over 37 million dollars was earned from the government sector, while over 225 million dollars was netted from the private sector. During the cited period, the mineral exports declined compared to 326.820 million dollars recorded during the same period last year, the ministry's data showed. Myanmar mainly exports agricultural, animal and marine products, minerals, forest products and manufactured goods to its foreign trade partners, including China, Thailand, Bangladesh and India. As of March 15, the country's total export earnings amounted to over 13 billion U.S. dollars. William Kelly was charged with killing Christine Falzone by blunt force trauma in New Hampshire last December. At the time of her death, Falzone was 35-37 weeks pregnant, i.e., less than a month away from giving birth. Is William Kelly guilty of one crime? Or two? 8 month fetus (YouTube screengrab) New Hampshire while not exactly the most prolife state (theres an effort afoot to write abortion-on-demand into the state constitution) charged Kelly with two counts of second-degree murder. The Granite State, like 37 others, permits homicide charges if a violent act causes the unborn childs death. Is New Hampshire and 37 other states guilty of undermining reproductive choice? Thats how pro-abortionists have tried to paint Alabama because of its state Supreme Courts February 16 ruling involving in vitro fertilization. Pro-abortionists pretend that the decision bans in vitro fertilization (IVF) and is the next creeping step to an American Gilead. The truth is that the Alabama case was brought by two parents who used IVF to create a child. The clinics security procedures were lax. An unauthorized person got into the cryogenic storage section and destroyed their embryo. Those parents were clearly injured. But under what law could they claim an injury? They sued under the states wrongful death of a minor statute which had long been recognized to cover the death of an unborn child through actual malice or negligence. The clinic tried to get off by saying the law only covered embryos implanted in a womans uterus, not those in the frozen embryo section of the IVF clinic. The Alabama Supreme Court refused to accept that distinction and held the clinic liable. Now, if we were to listen to the pro-abortionists claiming this ruling was wrong, the aggrieved parents who lost their embryo would have had only two alternatives: to sue the clinic for property damages (their embryo was irreparably damaged, not unlike a totaled car) or to be told, sorry, Charlie, but your loss. Maybe well give you a discount next time. Alabama may be prolife. New Hampshire is not that strongly prolife. But both states recognize that, at least for certain purposes, the law has to protect unborn children: in Alabamas case, from negligence, in New Hampshires, from criminal assault. In the name of protecting reproductive justice, should the Alabama parents be denied justice for the loss of their unborn child? Did they only suffer property damage? And should William Kelly face no account for the death of a child in the eighth month of pregnancy? Canada which has no abortion regulations at all at any time prior to birth also has no law allowing recourse for the loss of a preborn child through criminal action. Is that what protecting abortion rights means? Lets be honest. Thats why a fetal homicide law has been blocked in Canada. And those who want to make political hay out of the Alabama IVF case are saying the same thing, refusing to admit that a child prior to birth can ever have any separate rights prior to birth. This same problem came up in 2017 in Texas. A mass shooting occurred in Sutherland Springs, where a gunman murdered people at a Sunday church service. Like Falzone in New Hampshire, Crystal Holcombe was eight months pregnant. When Devin Kelley opened fire in that church, did he commit 25 murders? Or 26? One boy was one month prior to birth. One boy was one year after birth. Did only one boy count? Ask your local pro-choice politician to explain that difference. Why should Noah Holcombe count and Carlin Holcombe not? When that politician insists that the unborn child is a clump of cells or part of a womans body, ask him or her whether to let William Kelly off on one count of second-degree murder. Lets even engage in a thought experiment. Lets imagine that Christine Falzone survived but lost her baby. She did not want to lose her child. So, could a second-degree murder charge be brought for that babys loss? Or was the only crime the assault on her? And if the unborn child is just part of the womans body as those politicians who do not believe in science act then what crime would an assault resulting in miscarriage constitute? Especially aggravated assault? How do you rank the injuries for civil tort compensation purposes? Is a baby miscarried in the eighth month worth more or less than, say, a collapsed lung that might accompany such assault? If you treat a prenatal child as simply part of its mothers body, then you have to start assigning values, just as when insurance companies pay less for a lost toe than a lost leg. Is that the kind of country we really want to be? Do you imagine these same politicians would be parroting the same line if a police officer were accused of wrongly shooting a pregnant minority woman if the result killed her and her baby? Or perhaps even more problematically if he killed the baby but injured the woman? There are such cases. Does anyone believe that, in the name of reproductive justice, the loss of that child under such circumstances would just be written off? The fact that the vast majority of Americans are at least ambivalent about abortion-on-demand and that that proportion increases along with the gestational age of the unborn child indicates a visceral awareness of the humanity of that child that advocates of abortion refuse to admit because they fear their whole narrative will then unravel. Thats why some people feel a need to lie about the Alabama IVF ruling. Or when life begins. The Democrats last good chance of keeping the White House, aside from trying to steal the election outright, is to quickly take Donald Trump to trial after the Supreme Court hands down its decision in the presidential immunity case, insofar as a guilty verdict is virtually a given. (The jury will be selected from a jury pool in a place thats about 95% Democrat.) The hope of Democrats is that a guilty verdict in a criminal case involving Jan. 6 will turn off enough voters to keep Trump from winning the election. They arent guaranteed satisfaction, but many agree that its their best chance of winning the presidency. Oral argument in the case will be on April 25. The Court could conceivably hand down its decision within a week or two afterward but will most likely hand it down no earlier than mid-June. That might or might not be enough time for a quick trial before the election, but it likely wont be enough time for an appeal of the trial verdict, however expedited. Thats integral to the Democrats plan: a D.C. jury is almost guaranteed to be biased against Trump. The formal issue in the case is the extent of a presidents (or ex-presidents) immunity in criminal cases. SCOTUS presented the question as Whether and if so to what extent does a former President enjoy presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office. That issue has never been considered by the Supreme Court. What, then, is the crime of which Trump is supposed to be guilty? Its the crime of acting in a practicable way on his belief that the election was stolen (or may well have been stolen). Its a reasonable belief. No rational decision can be made about immunity for the crime of obstruction without the appellate judges having a definite, and defensible, view of whether or not its unreasonable to believe that the 2020 election was stolen. Earlier articles have explained why the Unreasonableness View must be rejected. Trumps opponents should take the view that its mistaken albeit reasonable to believe that the election was stolen, or else be guilty of question-begging. The curious fact is that nearly all, if not uniformly all, of Trumps opponents embrace the unreasonableness position. That turns out to be their Achilles heel. (See Jack Smiths Impossible Task.) Though its not directly part of the formal issue presented in the immunity case, SCOTUS cant easily ignore the question-begging of the unreasonableness position, and the implications of that question-begging for the outcome. True, the Court need not explicitly talk about the unreasonableness position and its epistemological travails. But Trumps actions up to January 6 cannot be made sense of without keeping it firmly in mind. If its reasonable to believe that the election was stolen, then surely Trump was not doing anything wrong. On the contrary, he was trying to preserve the rule of law in elections. If things happened to get ugly on Jan. 6, look to see where the fault really lies. Maybe with those who were, perhaps, trying to steal an election? Trump wanted to send 10,000 National Guardsmen to the Capitol on Jan. 6, but that was nixed by D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser and Speaker Nancy Pelosi. This fact alone ought to give Trump immunity for obstruction even if it were unreasonable to believe that the election was stolen. Even more does it entail immunity effectively non-culpability for obstruction, or for interference with an official proceeding, or for defrauding the United States, insofar as its reasonable to believe that the election was stolen. (And it is; see the books by Mollie Hemingway and Joe Fried.) Presidential immunity is necessarily shaped by whether the actions the president undertakes follow from a plausible conception of the presidents duties, and a plausible conception of those duties must, in this particular case, be framed in terms of whether or not its reasonable to believe that the 2020 election was stolen. Not all of a presidents duties are enumerated in the Constitution, nor is every duty necessarily implied. (War Powers, anyone?) Something like a plausible-conception thesis is therefore arguably needed for a correct description of presidential duties, and for whatever degree of immunity covers those duties. In light of that, the question of the reasonableness or unreasonableness of believing that the election was stolen is integral to the immunity case. If Trump had a reasonable belief that the election was stolen even if that belief turned out to be mistaken he deserves immunity from all Jan. 6related charges. And certainly, he cannot be fairly, or even coherently, convicted of such charges at trial. Note, by the way, that free speech generally includes unreasonable beliefs in its ambit. Free speech is thus by far the weaker argument in defense of Trumps Jan. 6-related actions unless, of course, Trumps or anyone elses belief that the election was stolen is in fact unreasonable. A free speech defense might imply that Trumps belief in a stolen election was unreasonable. Theres a danger that independents and other swing voters might conclude precisely that and, blaming Trump for having such an unreasonable belief, decline to vote for him even if the free speech defense saves him from conviction in connection with the Jan. 6 events. After the Court hands down its decision, Jack Smith will promptly urge a trial in the summer, concluding shortly before the election. Such a trial cannot possibly be fair to Trump if Smith or the jury is allowed to operate on the basis of the unjustified assumption that its unreasonable to believe that the 2020 election was stolen. The immunity case will be important because it can be expected to develop fundamentally new constitutional doctrine, as the first Supreme Court decision touching on a presidents criminal immunity. The Court will effectively be shaping criminal immunity for the presidency for a long time to come. So its all the more noteworthy that the reasonableness of Trumps belief that the election was stolen is part of the warp and woof of that case. The plausible conception thesis, or something like it, is needed. Yes, such a standard will be good for Trump because it inevitably brings into play the reasonableness or unreasonableness of the belief that the election was stolen, which Democrats (and the government) have been hell-bent on leaving unexamined. But such a standard will also be good for constitutional law and principled adjudication. Trump recently declared, in a vernacular that Mark Twain might have envied, When you think of the fake things, nobody has been treated like Trump, in terms of badly. Fact check: true. But its also America that Democrats are treating badly. Let SCOTUS and the voters together expose the Democrats mindless and dangerous chicanery and destroy it. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. Hertz just fired its CEO for one single, awful business decision. He is taking the fall for Hertzs decision on his watch to buy 100,000 electric vehicles from Tesla, all for the American fleet. To say the decision was a flop is putting it mildly. Hertz has about 3,000 domestic locations, and a fleet of about 430,000 cars, SUVs, and minivans. Each location obviously ranges widely from high volume to low, so this estimate wont be exact, but that works out to about 35 E.V.s per location. When announced a few years ago, this decision that almost a quarter of their cars would be E.V.s looked either bold or reckless, depending on your point of view. With the advantage of hindsight, we now know reckless was the right call. We should stipulate two points at the start: Some people absolutely love E.V.s, usually either because they love their handling and their technology, or because, having bought the climate hoax, they believe in them. Be that as it may, the popularity of E.V.s among some fraction of the population is genuine. Also, its worth noting that Tesla is generally agreed to be the best of the E.V.s, across the board. They are well-made vehicles. If Hertz were going to buy some EVs, they chose the right one. That being said we must ask ourselves: One hundred thousand? The cheapest entry level Tesla base model is currently about $40,000. Rental companies buy vehicles at various trim levels above the base, but in the interest of avoiding exaggeration and being conservative, we can agree that this meant the Hertz board of directors decided to commit somewhere over four billion dollars (maybe a lot over) on this gamble. Thats quite a decision. Hertz (like all the other rental car companies) has a certain mix of clients singles and families on vacation, businessmen on business trips, non-car-owners who need a car for a fixed period of time, car owners who need a replacement while their own cars are in the shop the proportions vary by location, but this is the big picture. Some of these renters pay the bills themselves, out of their own funds. Some have their rentals paid for them by their employers, with specific limitations on luxury level and coverage. Some have their rentals partially paid for by their insurance companies. Again, it varies. A car rental companys job is to meet those customers needs, in a profitable way. So they stock mostly midsize and economy cars, because thats what most of their customers will choose. They also stock a few odd vehicles, like high capacity vans for large families, and luxury cars for big spenders. Many locations will have a couple of convertibles and exotic cars, for the few who will pay for them. Besides having to be mindful of a budget, what do the majority of renters have in common? They are often strangers to the locale, and they need to rush to an airport at the end of their rental, so convenience and speed in keeping the car gassed up, and especially, the final refill process, are critical elements of the rental. The first thing a business traveler does when renting a car is to take note of where he can quickly fill up the tank when the trip is over and he has a plane to catch. None of this would be news to anyone running any car rental company. These are the basics. Now, what do we all know about E.V.s? E.V.s even the best ones have higher maintenance and insurance costs than regular gasoline-powered vehicles, for a number of reasons: more expensive parts, more accidents, fewer qualified mechanics. E.V.s even the best ones take much longer to recharge than regular gasoline-powered vehicles. A fill-up takes two to five minutes; a charge takes fifteen minutes (if all the stars align), but can take much longer, even hours, and thats if you can find a working charging station when you need one. E.V.s even the best ones pose a higher risk of being totaled by insurance companies, either after accidents, or after all the odd circumstances that cause spontaneous combustion. E.V. fires have destroyed homes, garages, even cargo ships. The battery is usually irreparable. As a result, insurance companies are increasingly determining that the damage threshold between repair it and scrap it is a lot lower for E.V.s than for other vehicles. All this isnt to say that E.V.s shouldnt be a part of the mix, but they clearly ought to be viewed as another niche segment, at just a few percent, like luxury cars and convertibles, not as a quarter of the fleet. But corporations make failed business decisions all the time. Every business decision is a gamble, and some dont pay off. So why does this particular one merit discussion in a public policy publication? Because of the reasoning behind the decision. Hertz could have done proper research before deciding to switch a quarter of the fleet to E.V.s. A day or two of meetings with their sales force would have presented everything stated above. The recharging challenge alone is an obvious deal-breaker for most travelers returning to an airport. Hertz either didnt do this basic research or they did, and disregarded the inevitably negative feedback. Hertz clearly made this choice whether they admit it or not for political reasons. Either the leadership has bought the baseless claim that America will be fully switched over to E.V.s in a few years, or they believe that they should be part of the effort. Theres no business reason for it. The government is pushing E.V.s on the public, and Hertz decided to hitch its wagon to the governments horse, in spite of their customers needs and preferences. Hertz is a publicly traded corporation, largely owned by mutual funds such as Knighthead Capital Management. As a result, most Americans, both private sector and public, have an ownership stake in Hertz, through our 401K plans, IRAs, pensions, and other investments. When Hertz irresponsibly chose to spend all these billions on E.V.s that their customers wouldnt rent, it hurt all of us. When a sole proprietor makes a bad business decision, he hurts his own pocketbook and those of his employees. But when a publicly traded corporation makes a bad business decision, millions suffer the consequences. Publicly traded companies are expected to be far more cautious than privately held ones, but they havent been, lately, have they? For decades now, corporate boards have become less and less bound to the best interests of their stockholders, and more and more driven by pop culture and political philosophies. Corporations have embraced DEI over merit in hiring, at the expense of quality. They have accepted ridiculously long lead-times by abandoning proven domestic vendors for overseas vendors in third world low cost countries, decimating American manufacturing (or worse). They have sacrificed their own patents and trade secrets, by literally teaching Chinese vendors to become their replacements, in the interest of claiming a short-term cost savings to satisfy todays mutual fund managers and drive up the value of their stock options at todays close; sacrificing tomorrows reality and profitability as a result. And the whole motivation is prompted by a lie pushed by our own government. The federal bureaucracy is illegally applying all the power of the regulatory state and the tax code, to force a change that it has no constitutional right to promulgate at all. This Hertz experience represents the problem with Americas big businesses today and our government as well in a microcosm. Pray that we learn from it, and apply the brakes quickly, before our economy itself has to be totaled. John F. Di Leo is a Chicagoland-based international transportation manager, trade compliance trainer and speaker. A one-time Milwaukee County Republican Party chairman, he has been writing a regular column for Illinois Review since 2009. Read his book on vote fraud (The Tales of Little Pavel) and his political satires on the current administration (Evening Soup with Basement Joe, Volumes I and II), and the recently released Volume Three. Image: Free image, Pixabay license, no attribution required. Recently, The New York Times called one of their little exposes of normal people with government jobs no one had ever heard of the deep state and then went on to say that those people and their jobs are kind of awesome. It is always enlightening when the incompetent media tries to use propaganda and fails spectacularly. Its obvious that they never even consulted the official definition of the deep state a body of people, typically influential members of government agencies or the military, believed to be involved in the secret manipulation or control of government policy before writing a completely bogus piece. The NYT does not know it, but the NYT is dead. Go woke, go broke. You see, they can no longer report uncomfortable truths. With COVID, it became abundantly clear that the bureaucrats at the Food and Drug Administration were the deep state. (Actually, that coterie of scientists and doctors at CDC, and the NIAID, are largely deep state too.) As government employees, they were supposed to share a common interest: perform work to protect Americans. Before it became the deep state FDA, they worked to protect the national blood supply of America, ensuring blood products were free of contaminants, viruses, and infectious diseases. No longer. Now, the FDA is fully compromised and is actually facilitating the contamination of the national blood supply. (Maybe you read reports last year that the deep state FDA was finalizing new guidelines to remove certain safeguards in place to prevent HIV transmission in blood products.) Before there was the deep state FDA, there was the dedicated to patient safety and do no harm FDA. With respect to the national blood supply, the old FDA reduced the risk of HIV transmission (and the chance of acquiring AIDS) into the nations blood supply by preventing it from occurring. Period, full stop. Gay men were not allowed to give blood, and if they lied during the blood donating process, blood was still tested and destroyed as a biohazard if the hepatitis virus or HIV were detected. Before they had been infected with the woke virus, the FDA could be counted on for professionalism, and to not play mind-numbingly stupid political games by allowing the contaminated blood from gay men to enter the national blood supply. But now they did it. Why is the deep state FDA trying to normalize gay men into society without regard to their risky behaviors? In my previous American Thinker article, Why are Children Coming down with Monkeypox?, the corrupt media, the deep state FDA, and their Democrat handlers sought to tamp down the ultimate questionhow do children come down with Monkeypox when Monkeypox in America is fueled by sex between men? Now the deep state FDA has succeeded in overturning the decades-long moratorium of gay men giving blood. What the deep state FDA did was provide a backdoor way to void the Nuremberg Code, where voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential. The deep state FDA has, and continues to contaminate, the national blood supply. They are freakishly conducting human experiments on unsuspecting surgery patients with contaminated blood. Surgery patients have not volunteered to take blood possibly contaminated with HIV or hepatitis. It should be a felony to knowingly give contaminated blood to a patient. And, as expected, you can now add to the list of blood contaminants, anyone who has been injected with the experimental COVID-19 vaccines. From The Expose: On Friday, Japanese researchers published a pre-print paper that warned about the risks associated with using blood from covid vaccinated people for blood transfusions and are calling on medical professionals to be aware of these risks. The health injuries caused by genetic vaccination are already extremely serious, and it is high time that countries and relevant organisations [sic] take concrete steps together to identify the risks and to control and resolve them, they said. This is also a national security issue at the highest level, and the Department of Defense should be raising hell. But because they have also been fully compromised with woke BS, they will not say a thing to their co-conspirators, the deep state FDA. Like the buffoonery and illegitimacy of the COVID mandates, coercing troops to take experimental Wuhan wet market sewer water or whatever is in those little vials of death, military doctors have long known that allowing HIV-tainted blood into the national blood supply would guarantee infection of the men and women in uniform who are serving across the globe, protecting Americans. There is a 100-year history of unethical human experimentation; the FDA and the CDC are just the latest thugs to neuter the Nuremberg Code, the primary directive being that voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential. Now, the deep state FDA and the CDC negated the Nuremberg Code and are conducting unethical human experiments with the nations blood supply. Yes, the COVID mRNA vaccines were unethical human experiments. For profit. For politics. Negating the Nuremberg Code means the FDA, Anthony Fauci, and the CDC breached the legal firewall that once prevented the government from conducting unethical human experimentsin this case, contaminating the national blood supply or mandating unapproved experimental drugs on children against the will of their parents. Most noteworthy, this is Fauci and the HIV children all over again. Was Fauci serious when he went on the record and on camera, repeatedly declaring that Americans should give up their individual freedoms for the greater good of society? The media swooned while Americans were unaware of Faucis other remarks: Right to informed consent is a dangerous idea that risks going viral and infecting the masses, so it must be disposed of carefully like all other hazardous materials. A growing number of parents are rightfully refusing to have their children subjected to COVID vaccine-contaminated blood; when HIV-contaminated blood is introduced into Americas bloodstream, what parent will accept that either? In New Zealand, reports of children who needed blood for surgery or blood transfusions were removed from their parents custody by government authorities on the premise it is simply impractical to have a designated donor. The concerns of these parents are non-criminal actions but the American left will find their way to inflict this level of nuttiness and craziness on American childrenbe it HIV or COVID vaccine-contaminated bloodall under the greater good of society argument. Lets be clear, when parents did not voluntarily accept COVID-vaccine contaminated blood introduced into their children during surgery, New Zealand treated these parents as if they were members of a cult and removed the children from their parents custody. These children were given COVID-vaccine contaminated blood and died. Americans will be next if something isnt done immediately to prevent these lunatics from enacting woke terroristic policiesintroducing HIV or COVID vaccine-contaminated blood into the national blood supplyin the name of the government. However, there are state legislatures working to bring transparency and consent to blood-receiving therapies; of course, Democrats are protesting these initiatives. Effective immediately, American blood banks need to stop accepting blood from those with HIV as well as those who have been uselessly vaccinated with the untested, mRNA experimental and unapproved gene therapy marketed as effective against the COVID where there is no third-party or peer-reviewed data to back up the governments claims. A growing number of the public knows the blood supply is now being targeted and contaminated with HIV-tainted blood as well as the experimental COVID vaccine concoctions. It is time for Congress to put a stop to this madness. Image: Free image, Pixabay license, no attribution required. Some days I think I must be dreaming. Two deranged public servants -- the vindictive New York State attorney general and a leftist judge with a bad haircut -- are being given free rein to subvert our justice system by placing titanic barriers against the Republican nominees ability to run for president. What is happening to our country and who will stop it? How is it possible that someone with Trumps extraordinary accomplishments can be brought down by two vile and inconsequential persons such as Letitia James and Arthur Engoron? Their lawsuit has the support of, and is the consequence of, the Democratic Partys efforts to interfere with the 2024 presidential election. To begin with, James fraud case against Trump is a farce. There is no crime and no victim. No one has been harmed. It is purely a weaponization of the legal system for political ends. As Shark Tank investor Kevin OLeary has observed, what Trump is alleged to have done -- overvalue his real estate properties when applying for a bank loan -- is normal business practice all over the globe. The bank made money and is anxious to do business with him again. Thanks to a publicity-hungry, overtly anti-Trump judge, James phony indictment has been backed up with an unheard-of $460-million judgment. And they want it now. No one has that kind of cash floating around. Unless he comes up with an impossible-to-obtain bond, Trump is precluded from his right to appeal. Without waiting for the outcome of an appeal, James wants to seize Trumps real estate holdings. Adding insult to injury, Judge Engoron has ordered a court to oversee the Trump organization for a minimum of three years. This is the Soviet-style textbook for How to Take Down a Billionaire. If the Democrats can get away with this partisan assault on someone like Donald Trump, imagine what they will do to you and me in pursuit of their leftist policies. The American public is no longer protected by due process and the rule of law. The rule has just changed to, Whatever the Democrats want. It all starts at the top. Joe Biden has made a career out of using the government and the legal system to attack his political enemies. He has the backing of the Justice Department, the FBI, and the IRS. Trump supporters Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn, George Papadopoulos, Rick Gates, Roger Stone, and Peter Navarro have seen their civil rights disappear. The same goes for the January 6th defendants. There is a glimmer of hope. The James/Engoron anti-Trump judgment could be overturned by the New York State Appellate Division. It would be a massive miscarriage of justice if it is not overturned, but given the Democratic Partys hold on New York judges and juries, the judgment may be upheld. Even if it is overturned, Trump will have been irreparably harmed by the seizure of his assets. If the Democrats succeed in destroying Trump, the doors will be open to perverting the legal system as required for the leftist agenda of the Democratic Party. In short, we will have a one-party state and Americas justice system will be history. Will anyone stop them? The whole world is watching, said Kevin OLeary. Where are the adults in this crazy narrative? We need an adult in the room. This is the United States of America under siege. Ed Brodow is a conservative political commentator and author of two No. 1 Amazon Best Sellers, AMERICA ON ITS KNEES: The Cost of Replacing Trump with Biden, and THE WAR ON WHITES: How Hating White People Became the New National Sport. Image: Library of Congress The American Revolution channeled power away from the government and empowered individuals. The French Revolutionthe first socialist revolutionviolently switched totalitarian power from a king to a cabal of insiders. That happened in all subsequent socialist revolutions, too (e.g., Russia, China, and Cuba), although the mantra was invariably about power to the people. Last week, a Canadian outlet dropped the mask: Its never been about power to the people; its always been about power to the elites, and free speech needs to be abolished to keep that power structure intact. The editorial appears in Canadas The Globe and Mail, which is essentially Canadas New York Timesread all across the country, with a powerful political effect. The author, Lawrence Martin, not unsurprisingly, has a Harvard degree in his background. His editorial is boldly titled, Excessive free speech is a breeding ground for more Trumps. The essays springboard is Murthy v. Missouri, a case asking whether the government can coerce private communicative enterprises (e.g., social media) to censor citizens, all in the name of silencing opposition to government policies. It was during oral argument in this case that affirmative-action hire Ketanji Brown Jackson complained that the plaintiffs First Amendment arguments were hamstringing the government in significant ways. Public domain. Martins essay usefully explains why he, Brown Jackson, and others like him (the self-styled elite) want to silence the common people. According to Martin, free speech was once a sensible system in which governments populated with people like Martin and Brown Jackson placed civilized limits on discourse. The internet, however, took the government out of the equation: When other communications revolutions like the printing press, radio, and television came along, they were still largely controlled by the elites. But when the internet came along, regulatory bodies like Canadas CRTC backed off. It was open season for anything that anyone wanted to put out. No license needed. No identity verification. What a far cry from the days when the masses had no outlets save things like man-on-the-street interviews or letters to the editor or protest placards. We moved from one extreme to the other. The masses were finally weaponized not with arms, but with a communications instrument that empowered them against establishment forces like they had never been empowered before. The change represented one of historys significant power shifts. The horror of this revolution was the internet changed vox populi (that is, the voice of the people) into the actual voice of the people. Before the internet, democracy, as leftists use the term, was a pleasant fiction keeping power in the hands of the academically credentialed aristocrats and their hangers-on. The internet turned the fiction of democracy into actual democracy and the Martins of the world hate it: Unchecked, the internet dumped megatons of raw sewage on the public square. With filters that had been around for ages now removed came mountains of misinformation and disinformation. And propaganda, polarization, child pornography. And threats against leaders and bigotry and conspiracy claptrap. In this world, misinformation and propaganda are unrelated to the lefts repeatedly exposed lies about COVID, ivermectin, the Russia hoax, January 6, and the election. Polarization doesnt refer to Biden using the State of the Union address to launch into a screaming attack at the political opponent hes subjecting to relentless civil and criminal lawfare. And child pornography doesnt count if it means forcing abnormal sexual practices onto kindergarteners and inviting to schools fetishistic men in womens clothes who routinely get arrested later for child pornography. If you look at what the people (the ones who now have a voice) see, its obvious that Martin and his elite comrades are naked Emperors preening in front of mirrors, convinced that they look dazzling. Thanks to the warped mirror into which he views the world, Martin can reveal the true horror of free speech, which is that it gives the little people a real say in politics (i.e., it creates democracy): Would the rise of the hard right and Mr. Trump have been possible if the internet had been given guardrails? Not a chance. The internet gave him before his account was suspended in 2021 88 million Twitter followers. With that came the freedom to circumvent traditional media and create an alternate universe, a smearsphere wherein he could lie like he breathes and get away with it. The internet undermined the established newspaper business model, greatly reducing the number of papers and coverage and creating a void for Mr. Trump and the like-minded to fill. His cries of fake news had the impact its charted well in former Washington Post editor Martin Barrons book, Collision of Power of compartmentalizing the media landscape into left-right silos, which helped bring on the extremes of polarization. Fortunately, Martin has a prescription for the horror of the peoples choice in a democratic republic: Repression. And no, Im not exaggerating. The way to reverse the trend is with rigid regulation, he explains. Shorn of that bureaucratic language, hes demanding government censorship. Starting with COVID, nations that once had a tradition of free speech (e.g., Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, etc.) have been criminalizing and regulating speech. Thats because a tradition is not a right. America, by contrast, has a contract between the government and the people (i.e., the Constitution) acknowledging that free speech is a citizens right, not a governments prerogative. But people break contracts all the time, and that is what the Biden government is doing now. Once it fully succeeds, theres no going back, so vote wisely in November. (And no, a protest vote against both Biden and Trump is not wise.) You are a woman, in your early forties, with young children whom you adore. You have a loving husband, supportive parents, and admiring in-laws. Out of the blue, you are diagnosed with cancer. Surgery is performed, followed by chemotherapy, and perhaps radiation. The treatment is gruelling. After the trauma to the body of invasive surgery, and with scant time for recovery, chemotherapy commences. Its a bitch. Doses of chemotherapy are typically followed by nausea, vomiting, weakness, exhaustion, and weight loss. For women, hair loss is the most devastating aftereffect. Most resort to wigs, which are worn throughout the treatment and until ones own hair is restored, if ever. If the cancer progresses, many trips to the hospital are necessary, and more invasive methods of pain control required. Atop a bald scalp, the netting that molds the hair of the wig can be very irritating. Expensive wigs have silk netting that are non-irritating; less expensive ones do not. Of course, in this case money is no object. But, privacy is. Many individuals, when faced with a diagnosis of cancer, do not want anyone to know. They fear being stigmatized, labelled as a victim, and someone not in full control of their destiny. Moreover, they dont want to be the recipient of pitying looks, constantly questioned regarding how one is feeling, treated as an invalid, gossiped about regarding ones life expectancy, and how long it will be until one is replaced. Those are the fears of a private citizen. Can anyone imagine how one copes, as Princess Kate has been forced to, while living in the goldfish bowl of the British royal family, where her every step is photographed and detailed? It is impossible to imagine the pain of hearing the howling, greedy, crowd bruiting about rumors of infidelity, body doubles, and even death, when one is actually fighting for ones life with a loyal, loving spouse fighting with you. Think about undergoing the horrors of chemotherapy, while pictures of a faux mistress are splashed across the globe, and knowing that your children will be taunted by those pictures as they fear for their mothers life. Recent television commercials in the United States tout that if one is treated at a certain hospital for cancer, one is not alone. That is more so true in families. Parents, siblings, spouses, and children are all deeply affected and forever changed. The human condition mandates that each of us experiences tragic events. Most dont have to deal with them in public. Now that the gory details have been disclosed, lets pray for Princess Kates speedy recovery, and that the public will allow her to be treated and to heal in private, and with dignity. (The author was a witness to the ravages of the disease on an adored family member who was so afflicted until her death). Image: Nick Warner, via Wikipedia, (cropped) // CC BY 2.0 DEED Back in October, 2023 I wrote about internal government documents, not for public view, which leaked. They warned of terrorists streaming across the border and how that might pose a terrorism problemor something. That was shortly followed by FBI Director Chris Wrays sudden, repeated, warnings about imminent terrorist attacks, warnings that continue to this day. As always, he has stopped short of blaming this new phenomenon on President Bidens closed and secure borders, but the mere fact he was suddenly talking about terrorist attacks indicates he believes were going to get hit and hard, and needs to cover his bureaucratic posterior. North Carolina is now a believer: With an immigrant terrorism scare far from the U.S.-Mexico border, North Carolina now officially joins the no longer very exclusive every-state-is-a-border state club. An immigrant reportedly from Yemen or an area near Yemen [as this is written, his country of origin hasnt been confirmed] appeared in North Carolinas rural northwest Gates County and began firing a rifle outside a Carolina Quick Stop store in the small town of Eure, then attacked responding Gates County Sheriffs deputies and barricaded himself in a four-hour standoff with them. After the eventual arrest on assault and weapons charges, Sheriff Ray Campbell reported that Awet Hagos was on the FBIs terrorism watch list and that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) wanted him on an arrest warrant detainer. ICE detainers arent worth much these days. Not only are ICE agents often prevented from acting on them by Bidenites, sanctuary states and cities wont honor them. Hagos came to North Carolina via Haitisurprise!and had been in NC for at least six months. Why Haiti? Who knows? Government doesnt, and if they do, they arent telling Americans who have no need to know such things. What we do know is cartels and other criminal enterprises are engaged in smuggling people and everything else across the border, and Haiti has always been among the most lawless, corrupt places on Earth. We also know since the beginning of the Biden Administration, hundreds of people on the Terrorist Watch List have been contacted. What we dont know is what the government has done with them, other than releasing them into America. Worse, as many as two million or more gotaways are in the country. These are people Border Patrol agents may have seen and roughly counted as they streamed across the border because the Border Patrol doesnt have enough personnel to stop them. Instead, theyre resigned to merely processing people who have no ID. There is no medical screening, and no way to know who these people are, if they have criminal records, or what their intentions might be. Surely there are millions more unknowns, people neither processed nor seen as gotaways, who have been smuggled into the country. We can be certain most terrorists are among that category of newcomers as the Biden Administration calls them. And is our processing effective at finding terrorists? Not so much: Just this March, a Lebanese immigrant on the FBI watch list who crossed from Juarez to El Paso confessed to medical personnel, not federal agents, that Hezbollah had sent him to build a bomb in New York. It seems that Basel Bassel Ebbadi was on track to be freed had he not tried to ingratiate himself with a voluntary confession to untrained personnel. Ebbadi is one of the few gone public, likely only because those medical personnel blabbed. The Biden Administration was supposed to be the most transparent ever, but has proved to be anything but. We can be certain whatever numbers theyre providing the public about illegal immigration, and particularly about terrorists, are less than fully accurate and forthcoming. The FBI wont release the Nashville Covenant School murderers manifesto and thats almost certainly only because it would reflect badly on their trans advocacy. Imagine how reluctant theyll be to release information on how badly the entire Biden Administration has purposely screwed up when organized terrorist attacks start breaking out across the country. In the meantime, well have to content ourselves with the earnest, though belated, warnings of our FBI Director, whose agents appear to be directed not to preventing Islamist terrorism at home, but at arresting grandmothers who happened to stand on the grass somewhere near the Capitol on January 6. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. Graphic: WRAL Screenshot Two sayings are pertinent to this essay. The first is that correlation does not imply causation. Just because two events seem connected doesnt mean they are. The second is that timing is everything. Think about both as you consider the Department of Justices decision to dismiss a massive corporate fraud lawsuit a short time after the corporations founder made a sizable donation to Joe Bidens presidential campaign. DISH Network is an American satellite network. In 2015, the DOJ sued DISH under the False Claims Act. The suit was based on Whistleblower Vermont National Telephone Company, Inc.s allegation that DISH and its affiliates were allegedly using fraud to get small business discounts for wireless spectrum licenses. As recently as November 2023, a federal judge kept the case alive in the face of DISHs motion for a judgment on the pleadings (i.e., DISH contended that the DOJs complaint contained within it the seeds of its own destruction). On December 15, 2023, less than one month after the federal court refused to dismiss the DOJs suit, one of DISHs founders, Charlie Ergen, along with his wife, Candy, donated a total of $113,200 to keep Biden in the White Houseand, inevitably, to keep his currently constituted Department of Justice in power. Image: A downed DISH receiver by frankieleon. CC BY 2.0. On January 10, 2024, only three-and-a-half weeks after Ergen sent his money to Biden, and while the fraud suit was still pending, DISH received $50 million in taxpayer funds when the Department of Commerces National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced an $80 million round of five grants. The other four grantees divided the remaining $30 million in grant money. A mere two days after the $50 million grant, the attorney for Vermont Telephone, which had triggered the DOJs initial action against DISH, complained that the DOJ was putting pressure on Vermont Telephone to enter into an unethical settlement or it would dismiss the suit: The move to dismiss the case scrapped plans to depose the Ergens about their knowledge of the allegedly fraudulent scheme, prompting Vermont Telephones attorneys to accuse the Justice Department of political interference. [I]t appears that the effect if not the purpose of the DOJs rush to seek dismissal of this case is to protect Mr. Ergen from being questioned under oath, Ross wrote in a Feb. 8 letter to the lead DOJ attorneys handling the case, according to a copy reviewed by The Post. We do not believe it is a coincidence that Mr. Ergen, his wife (who also is scheduled to be deposed next week), and DISHs Political Action Committee collectively contributed in excess of $5 million to Democratic candidates and causes between 2008 and 2022, he added. With the upcoming election, this case looks like just the latest example of the DOJs two-tiered justice system under which the well-heeled, politically connected are treated one way, while everyone else is treated differently. The last item in this chronology is that on March 8, the DOJ moved to dismiss the case. You can read more details about the whole case, from its inception to the motion to dismiss, in this New York Post article. Indeed, the article is worth reading as an expose about how corporate money and politics work in D.C., with most money flowing to Democrats but surprisingly large sums keeping individual Republicans afloat. As I noted at the start of this post, just because there seems to be a connection between things, that doesnt mean there is a connection. The chronology suggests that, once Ergen started throwing large sums of money at a sitting president whose re-election campaign is in trouble, that same president told his Department of Justice to lay off his good friend. It could just be, though, that the case has been kicking about for years so that the DOJ decided it was time to unload it because it was hogging resources without any discernable benefit to the American people. But as always, timing is everything, and the appearance of impropriety can be just as powerful as actual impropriety. Weve long known that Garlands DOJ is driven by politics, not principle. Now, we have the strong suggestion that it can be bought, too. In the wake of yesterday's border rush on El Paso, where hundreds of illegals armed with knives and shanks stormed the border on the Texas National Guard, local conservative politico Amy Reichter got word about something pretty interesting on the San Diego end of this same border. Border Patrol on high alert: Multiple cuts in the border wall signaled something big was coming. Last night, over 200 people were dropped off by smuggler vehicles on the Mexico side & entered the U.S. illegally. Photo is from a source @CoryGoat last night: pic.twitter.com/j1UFSyJNIT Amy Reichert (@amyforsandiego) March 23, 2024 Yesterday, the border looked like this in El Paso: Hundreds of illegal aliens overwhelm Texas troops in El Paso and storm the border Americans are so sick and tired of seeing this invasion ENOUGH pic.twitter.com/joycpX2wmv DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) March 21, 2024 Now San Diego has blow-torched areas of its border wall featuring cuts and holes that weren't there before and the Border Patrol is expressing concern that something looks as though it's coming down? Reichert's first tweet picture didn't feature visible cuts in the wall (update: her new one, further below, does), but did show that such cuts look or could look like this, from a 2019 NBC News story: Here is an example: pic.twitter.com/A3AbyXlfK5 Amy Reichert (@amyforsandiego) March 23, 2024 Update: And she now uploaded this photo showing us an actual cut in the wall now: Here is the actual photo pic.twitter.com/KQ2cCEM2dr Amy Reichert (@amyforsandiego) March 23, 2024 Which taken together with the El Paso incident, suggests that cartels aren't going to take a closed border lying down. They're getting more aggressive and planning ever more heinous acts now that public frustration has reached a boiling point in the U.S. The sudden cuts in the border wall can only indicate that they're looking to maintain their control over border travelways, using ever more violent tactics to get what they want. If the report is correct, the Border Patrol is now on high alert, because something seems to be coming down. Thanks a lot, Joe. Image: Twitter video screen shot UNITED NATIONS, March 22 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Friday strongly condemned the terrorist attack at a concert hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region, the Russian Federation. The members of the Security Council condemned "in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack," said the Council in a press statement. "This reprehensible act of terrorism resulted in the grievous loss of dozens of lives and has left more than 100 injured, some in critical condition," the statement added. The Council members expressed their "deepest sympathy and condolences" to the families of the victims and the Russian people, and they wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured. They reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes "one of the most serious threats" to international peace and security. The Council underlined the need "to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice." It urged all states to cooperate with Russia and other relevant authorities. The Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. It reaffirmed the need for all states to combat threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. According to Russian authorities, more than 60 people have been killed in Friday's terrorist attack after gunmen stormed the concert hall. Time flies, but in Mexico, some questions remain unanswered. On this day in 1994, I left a Toastmasters meeting and got the news from the radio The Mexican PRI party's presidential candidate, a 40-something man known by his supporters as Luis Donaldo who was certain to win the election in two months, was killed in a rally in northern Tijuana, not too far from the U.S. border. It was quite a shock, to say the least. Nobody remembered the last time that a major Mexican political figure was assassinated. It shook up the country to such an extent that Mexicans were imagining tanks in the streets and hearing talk of President Carlos Salinas declaring martial law and a coup de etat. Colosios victory in the upcoming election was a done deal. Back in 1994, the PRI had a monopoly on nominating and electing presidents. They controlled every inch of the electoral process, so he was going to be the next president. The PRI had run the country since the 1920s. Nevertheless, Colosio inspired a lot of people with his talk about reform and ending corruption. At times, it sounded like he was being critical of the incumbent President Carlos Salinas, something that the incoming guy never does. He didnt sound like uno del PRI, someone from the PRI, as Mexicans would say. Within years, there were books and theories about the assassination. How did a guy with a gun get that close to him? Did President Salinas have him shot over the criticism? No one really knows, but the official word is that the guy got through security and shot him. Every time the topic comes up, and it comes up a lot more often than you may realize, Mexicans compare this one to President Kennedys assassination. Theyll say: Dont you think that the explanation of both assassinations are a bit strange? I always say respectfully, no. I believe that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone but I have my doubts about the guy who ended Colosios life one late afternoon in 1994. Alongside releasing a fix for the recent bugs in Edge and implementing control panel features inside Settings, Microsoft has officially acknowledged and accepted responsibility for its recent server crash issues and informed that the reason was a critical memory leak in the system. The issue was introduced with the March 2024 Windows Server Security Update. It has been causing widespread crashes in Windows domain controllers. Microsoft confirmed that the issue occurred due to the update released on March 12 The reason behind the recent Microsoft server issues was a memory leak in the LSASS process. It affected servers running Windows Server 2022, 2019, 2016, and 2012 R2. Following widespread reports and complaints from system administrators, Advertisement Advertisement Microsoft confirmed that the issue was caused by the update released on March 12. It was the OS Build 20348.2340 or KB5035857. Affected servers experience unexpected freezes and restarts, with LSASS memory usage continuously increasing until system failure occurs. Microsoft has assured users that they are actively working on developing a fix for the issue. And they will release it in the coming days. The company acknowledges the severity of the problem and emphasizes its commitment to resolving it promptly. While Microsoft has made progress in identifying the root cause, they stated that uninstalling the problematic update appears to be the only temporary solution at this time. It is worth noting that this issue specifically impacts environments within organizations that utilize certain Windows Server platforms, with home devices remaining unaffected by the update. This isnt the first time Microsoft has faced issues related to LSASS The recent memory leak problem is not the first time Microsoft has encountered issues related to LSASS. Similar incidents occurred in December 2022 and March 2022, where memory leaks in LSASS resulted in unexpected domain controller reboots after installing Windows Server updates. Microsoft has previously addressed such issues with patches and updates. While Microsoft works to develop and deploy a fix for the memory leak problem, affected organizations are advised to monitor official communications from Microsoft for updates and instructions on how to proceed. In the meantime, system administrators can take necessary precautions to mitigate the impact of the issue on their environments. Additionally, administrators may consider implementing backup and recovery strategies to safeguard critical data and minimize disruptions caused by this kind of incident. The Edinburgh Filmhouse is to reopen two years after it closed with the help of 1.5 million funding from the UK Government. The independent cinema opened in 1979 in a former Presbyterian Church with only one screen but became a cultural icon with a programme compared to the British Film Theatre in London. It closed on October 6, 2022 following the collapse of umbrella company Centre for the Moving Image and a grassroots campaign began to save it, backed by actors including Ewen Bremner and Brian Cox. A business model was created to relaunch the cinema, with a board of trustees including some who worked there for two decades. A Crowdfunder which aimed to raise 300,000 has almost met its target at 254,430. The trustees learned on March 19 their application for money from the Levelling Up Fund was being granted by the UK Government and they are now preparing to sign the lease on May 1 ahead of a huge refurbishment. Plans include a complete refit, the addition of a fourth screen for educational use, and reducing the seating capacity from 450 to 350 to make it more comfortable, as well as increasing accessibility inside the cinema. James Rice, who began working in the box office in 2003 before leaving in 2019, said without the funding the future would have been uncertain. Mr Rice said: If we hadnt got the grant, I dont know what the outcome would have been. Scotland Office minister Donald Cameron with Filmhouse trustee Ginnie Atkinson (handout/PA) The refit matters because it helps us to attract new people in. We want to try to introduce people to a broader range of cinema. The core message is to deliver a full programme, including documentaries and 2001: A Space Odyssey. A large proportion of what we do is not screened at other cinemas. We have got to this point because of the strength of feeling and support, from letter writing and public meetings. Theres some people who worked here who went onto be film-makers. Mr Rice said cinema faced new challenges from streaming services and firesticks, but that Edinburgh had seen an increase of 33% turnout in cinemas over the past year compared to 2022. The Filmhouse described its programme as the most ambitious cultural film programme outside the British Film Theatre in Londons Southbank and also hosted the Edinburgh International Film Festival for many years. The Edinburgh Filmhouse aims to reopen in October (PA) Options are being explored regarding pricing, including pay what you can, and efforts are being made to ensure cost is not a barrier to accessibility. Trustee Ginnie Atkinson said another 800,000 has been raised from donors and philanthropists but described the UK Government funding as transformational. She said plans were afoot to modernise amid complaints the original seats did not provide enough space and were threadbare. Ms Atkinson said: This is absolutely transformational. When we applied the amount was aspirational. We have to attract new audiences and make it a modern, comfortable cinema experience. Our aspiration is to open on October 6, the two-year anniversary of it closing. We are hoping before Christmas. Scotland Office minister Donald Cameron announced the funding during a visit to the Filmhouse (handout/PA) However, she said an opening date could be between six months and a year. Scotland Office minister Donald Cameron was given a tour of the building and welcomed the funding boost. He said communities which benefited included artists, international students and people living outside Edinburgh. Mr Cameron said: Its really important that a facility like this is accessible to everyone. People travel from the Borders to visit. We hope it attracts people from across Scotland. We hope the Filmhouse will be able to open again. It is for the local community. I think its right that the UK Government is funding it. High-profile diagnoses of cancer such as the Princess of Waless lead to a significant increase in public awareness, Cancer Research UK has said. The charitys executive director of policy Dr Ian Walker said there was an uplift in traffic to its website after announcements from royal figures such as the King and Kate. He added that high-profile diagnoses such as Kates on Friday evening could have real positive effects. Dr Walker told the PA news agency: We see significant increase in uplift in terms of the number of people that visit our website for health information after these types of announcements. A statement from Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, Michelle Mitchell: On behalf of everyone at Cancer Research UK, I wish Her Royal Highness a full, swift recovery and return to good health. During this difficult time, its important that the Princess is given the time Cancer Research UK (@CR_UK) March 22, 2024 High-profile cancer cases, like the King and the Princess yesterday, can act as a prompt to encourage people to find out more. I think for anyone being open and talking about cancer diagnosis can have a positive effect. It encourages people to find out more and to think about their own health. He added: On behalf of everyone at CRUK, we wish her Royal Highness a full swift recovery and return to good health. During difficult times, its really important that the Princess and her family are given time and space to focus on treatment and recovery. Dr Walker said awareness was vital as early detection of cancer was really important. For many cancers, by finding them early on in their progression, you will have better treatment options, and ultimately it can have a significant impact on the overall outcome in your survival of your cancer diagnosis. Dr Walker said dealing with a cancer diagnosis was a personal journey, adding there were support groups available for those affected. He said: I think its really important for people to take their time and think about how they want to talk with their family and their friends about their cancer diagnosis. Cancer Research UKs executive director of policy said doctors will quite often prescribe chemotherapy after surgery, adding that these cycles of chemotherapy typically last three to six months, but this timeframe can vary. Therapies known as adjuvant chemotherapy try to reduce the risk of cancer coming back by killing any remaining cancer cells that might not have been removed by the surgery or broke away from the tumour before the operation. Dr Walker said the incidence of cancer was rising and that the charity expects around half a million cancer cases per year by 2040 across the UK as the population ages. However, he added that there had been a doubling of cancer survival in the UK over the last 50 years and some fantastic innovations in recent times. Dr Walker said a lot of this had been driven by progress through research and the emergence of novel technologies, new therapies and drugs. He added: Weve also seen huge progress in terms of how we deliver radiotherapy we can now provide much more targeted radiotherapy that focuses very much on the cancer and protects and preserves the surrounding tissue much better than we could historically. Also, with surgery weve seen innovations like a tool called the iKnife, which essentially can tell the difference between cancerous tissue and healthy tissue. Dr Walker said progress had also been made in combination therapies, which allow drugs to be used together more effectively. The Irish High court ruling is the latest setback to the government's controversial plan to send migrants to Rwanda - Victoria Jones/PA Britain is not safe for migrants because of the risk of deportation to Rwanda, the Irish High Court has ruled. In a judgment on Friday, Ms Justice Siobhan Phelan said the Irish Governments declaration of the UK as a safe third country to which it could return asylum seekers was unlawful. She ruled in favour of two asylum seekers who argued the designation was unlawful because it meant they were at risk of onward removal to Rwanda if they were returned from Ireland to the UK. The declaration will be seen as embarrassing for Rishi Sunak but echoes last years Supreme Court judgment that ruled Rwanda was unsafe for migrants. Home Office sources said the new treaty signed with Rwanda and the Bill, which has been delayed in Parliament, were designed to answer the Supreme Court criticisms with measures to ensure the central African country was safe for migrants. The Bill is in limbo after the House of Lords defeated the Government on seven amendments on Monday, forcing it back to the Commons on April 15 after the Easter recess. The move has pushed back potential Royal Assent for the legislation by three-and-a half weeks and could delay deportation flights to Rwanda from May to June. Unlawful The High Court ruling stems from Britain leaving the EU, which meant the Irish Government had to decide whether the UK could be treated as a safe third country outside the EU bloc. In her decision, Ms Justice Siobhan Phelan held that the designation of the UK as safe, made by Helen McEntee, the minister for justice, in response to the UKs exit from the EU on January 31 2020, was unlawful as a matter of EU law. By designating the UK as a safe third country, it meant that Ireland could return an asylum seeker to the UK so that their application could be considered there. It mirrors similar provisions pre-Brexit that Britain had with the EU where it could return migrants to France or other EU states that they had passed through on the basis that they were safe third countries and should have claimed asylum there. The two legal challenges, which were contested by Ms McEntee, were selected from a large group of cases that alleged the designation of the UK as a safe third country is unlawful because of the risks that arise from a potential transfer to Rwanda. A government spokesperson said: We entirely refute the notion that our Partnership with Rwanda makes the UK an unsafe country. We also make no apology for pursuing bold solutions to stop illegal migration, dismantle the people smuggling gangs and save lives. We have worked closely with the Rwandan government to address the Supreme Courts findings, including through our Safety of Rwanda Bill. This makes it absolutely clear in UK law that Rwanda is a safe country. Fulani herdsmen killed 15 Christians in a cluster of predominantly Christian villages in central Nigerias Benue state Tuesday through Thursday (March 19-21), area sources said. The herdsmen on Tuesday (March 19) attacked Ijaha village, Apa County, where they killed five Christians and wounded many others, area resident James Okoche told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News in a text message. They also burned down houses, Okoche said. The herdsmen killed two Christians and injured several others in Apa Countys Ediku Oji and Akpete villages on Wednesday (March 20), and the next day they killed eight Christians in Ugbobi village, Okoche said. Eche Akpoko, president of the Apa Development Association, confirmed the attacks. It has become a recurring problem, and during such attacks children and women have become the majority of the victims killed, Akpoko told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. A Christian woman went to the farm to harvest some yams on her farm. These terrorists ambushed her and slaughtered her to death. It has become dangerous for area Christians who are mainly farmers to go to their lands as they may never return home alive, Akpoko said. Abu Umoru, a Benue state legislator from the area, described incessant attacks in Apa County as genocide against Christians. Christians in the area are under siege from Muslim terrorists collaborating with herdsmen, he said. Umoru said predominantly Christian villages the terrorists have invaded include Edikwu, Opaha, Odugbo, Akpete, Ikobi, Akpanta, Ochumekwu, Ijaha and Adija. Theyve now been destroyed, and Christians who survived the attacks have been forced to flee to other areas, Umoru said. The attacks are taking place daily, he said. Every day, these terrorists destroy houses of Christians and lay ambush on Christians, killing many of them during these attacks, Umoru said. In fact, not less than five Christians are killed daily by terrorists; these killings are terrible. These killings have gone beyond us. We can only cry to God to rescue us. Catherine Anene, spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, said police and other security agencies have deployed personnel to the affected communities in order to curtail the attacks. Nigeria remained the deadliest place in the world to follow Christ, with 4,118 people killed for their faith from Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023, according to Open Doors 2024 World Watch List (WWL) report. More kidnappings of Christians than in any other country also took place in Nigeria, with 3,300. Nigeria was also the third highest country in number of attacks on churches and other Christian buildings such as hospitals, schools, and cemeteries, with 750, according to the report. In the 2024 WWL of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria was ranked No. 6, as it was in the previous year. Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdoms All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a 2020 report. They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity, the APPG report states. Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigerias Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds. The then Prince Charles with the Duchess of Cambridge in September 2021. Photograph: Chris Jackson/AP A decade ago, the royal family notched up more than 4,000 engagements in a year, travelling across the UK and criss-crossing the globe. The then Prince of Wales travelled to Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Colombia; Prince Harry went to Brazil and Chile and the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh carried out more than 660 engagements between them, including trips to France and Italy. This year the royal family commonly referred to as the firm is operating on a significantly smaller scale. It is likely to conduct little more than half of the engagements that were carried out in 2014, with both the King and the Princess of Wales being diagnosed with cancer. Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said: Its a remarkable situation and a significant moment for the monarchy and the institution so early in the kings reign that two senior figures should be out of action. The pressure was now on a much smaller team. Little added that a time of pomp and pageantry in early summer was approaching with all manner of events. These include the kings birthday parade, also known as Trooping the Colour, and Royal Ascot. Tim ODonovan provides a tally of the royal familys engagements in a letter to the Times each year and found in 2023 there were 2,270 engagements. This was reported to be the lowest figure since 1983, excluding the years affected by pandemic lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. It was briefed before the king ascended to the throne that his vision was of a slimmed-down monarchy to ensure value for public money. But this is a strategy that has its own perils. In one version you have a narrower number of people living off the public purse, a friend of the king told the Financial Times in 2022. It will be less about the royal family and more about direct successors, less about the history, heritage and glamour, more focused on the role of head of state. The death of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, the sexual abuse scandal involving financier Jeffrey Epstein that embroiled Prince Andrew and the family schism with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have meant a focus on a much smaller circle of senior royals. It means when things go wrong, there are fewer royals to call on or what Prince Harry might call spares. Ed Owens, a royal historian and commentator, and author of After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself?, said: They have not got the depth in ranks. The substitutes they have are elderly, or not so well known. Owens said the model of monarchy over the last century was an emphasis on public duty and visibility, with the royal family travelling across the country, attending events and cutting ribbons. I think they recognise that the amount of work that was needed in the 20th century of the monarch is unsustainable, given the current size of the family, he said. Why not then focus on one or two major projects which you can make your calling cards? As well as fewer royal engagements, the slimmed-down monarchy and recent crises may also raise constitutional questions. If Prince William ascends to the throne in the next few years, then in the event of his being incapacitated Prince Harry would be regent, if he was prepared to return to the UK, since Prince George would still be under the age of 18. There would be questions about such constitutional arrangements given that Prince Harry is no longer a working member of the royal family. It appears there may been misgivings in the family about the slimmed-down strategy. In an interview with the Canadian channel CBC News last year, Princess Anne played down the idea of a smaller monarchy. She said: Well, I think the slimmed-down [monarchy] was said in a day when there were a few more people around to make that seem like a justifiable comment. It doesnt sound like a good idea from where Im standing. Writing on the website of the current affairs title Prospect on Friday, its editor Alan Rusbridger noted the potential vulnerability of the monarchy in this new era. He wrote: Kates announcement heightens the increasing sense of fragility about the institution of which she has become such an iconic member. Take two key members of the family out of action (four, if you include reduced participation from partners looking after them) and the whole operation begins to teeter a bit. Rusbridger added: Whos in charge of drawing up plans for what happens if the monarchy runs out of puff? Self-made businesswoman and TV star Ann Kaplan-Mulholland at Lympne Castle. When Ann Kaplan Mulholland sold her North American consumer fintech company, the Canadian businesswoman initially forged ideas of entering the credit scoring space. Instead, last February, she purchased Lympne Castle in Kent for 11 million and is now using her acumen to scale a medieval property into a profitable business. The idea wasnt to buy a castle when I sold my finance company, she says. I had the idea of doing something that was more familiar to me. But this has become a full-time job. Kaplan Mulholland, who also starred in reality show Real Housewives of Toronto, launched iFinance in 1996 and propelled the multi award-winning business towards loan applications exceeding $2 billion. Read More: 'We turned down Dragons' Den offers - our eyecare company is worth 7m now' Now, the mother-of-eight is already making hay in the UK. Twelve months into taking ownership, the 139-acre castle uses weddings as its core business, with revenue also generated by the castles upgraded medieval bar, conference facilities and accommodation. Lympne Castle in Kent hosted more than 20 weddings in its first 12 months. If I didnt have my background I wouldnt have seen the castle as an opportunity for a business and wouldnt have the trust to build a business, she says. The Grade I listed castle was once on the water and now overlooks Romney Marsh. To me it was just a beautiful view and I could see France, adds Kaplan Mulholland. Now I understand what that history meant. Growing up in Canada, we dont embrace history as they do in the UK. History, of course, comes with its share of challenges. Thus, she has set about, along with husband and renowned plastic surgeon Dr Stephen Mulholland, a multi-million pound restoration project to meet Historic England's standards. She also envisages costs to be in the region of 15m. Read More: Bra pain inspired Evelyn & Bobbie founder to become go-to solution brand Kaplan Mulholland says her new venture was a balance of not only becoming a tourist destination, wedding and conference venue but also how it would affect the locals. In all your business decisions you need to think of all the stakeholders," she says. "It could be your employees, people who use the castle, the media or your neighbours and impacting on their privacy. We had to scale it back and almost give the community a key to the castle. They dont pay entrance fees, there is a discount on food. The 1,000-year-old Lympne Castle is a booming wedding venue "You have to consider all stakeholders, given I have come in to create something disruptive. I just wasnt aware buying a castle would have an impact on the community. When we were decorating a room, what is the perception for the people who go in there? Are you embracing history? Does it matter if I change it to pink? Am I making a decision which is exciting for people or a slap in the face of history? There has to be a fine balance and its quite a learning curve. Back in Canada, Kaplan Mulholland sat at the same desk for 25 years with the door largely shut as her business adapted from faxes to being a leading fintech. I learned quickly that I didnt want people to know that I was [then] a single mum with two children, she says, especially when you are in banking. I wanted people to see I was a business person in a male-dominated industry. Ann Kaplan-Mulholland and her husband Dr Stephen Mulholland The perception of a female leader ... I was never invited out for cognac and cigars and rooms would go silent when I walked in. It wasnt an easy task and so I began to run my company in a methodical way and hopefully made decisions that made sense for the company without being front-facing. At some point I realised I could actually be a woman. She is still financially involved with iFinance and was recently asked to come back to work on its senior marketing and sales strategy. In running the castle today, she would still prefer to orchestrate from her office. Read More: 'One Freja customer said his grandmother called it the Italian penicillin' The difference is todays society wants to see a face or personality to gain trust, admits Kaplan Mulholland, adding that a reality show on her taking over the castle will start filming this summer. We are building a 210-seat event space, so how do I attract people to rent it and market it? You have to do that as a public face and to be able to make money for the castle. We are in a position that we can make sound business decisions and that we can take care of people. Im aware that people can be out to get you. But I hope I am doing something good and can look back and say that I was very proud of it. Watch: AI reskilling must be a continuous investment for businesses Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. People stage a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Ottawa, Canada, on 16 March 2024. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images A group of students at McGill University have spent more than three weeks on hunger strike in an effort to force the Canadian college to divest from companies supporting the Israeli military. The move follows months of protests and sit-ins at McGill and at universities around the world, as students and faculty members have protested against Israels military offensive in Gaza. Documents on McGills website show that it held investments in companies including Lockheed Martin, a defense contractor which has sold fighter jets to Israel, and Safran, a French air and defense company. Related: Our families are dying: outrage as program fails to bring Palestinians to Canada The university of McGill has left us no choice because theyve been ignoring the peaceful protests, the actions that have been taken by students and student groups on campus, said Rania Amine, an undergraduate student at McGill who on Friday marked her 33rd day on hunger strike. McGill has ultimately pushed us to take this extreme form of action and put our bodies and our health and our lives on the line to make them know that it is absolutely unacceptable that they use our tuition money to invest in this way. The students are calling for McGill, one of the most prestigious universities in Canada, to divest about $20m from various companies. Amine said the McGill administration had acknowledged the strike, and agreed to a public forum on the issue, before cancelling the meeting. The school proposed a private meeting in early March, the students said, which was turned down. Chadi, an undergraduate student who asked that his last name not be published, said Friday was his 21st day of continuous hunger strike. All of this stops when McGill divests, Chadi said. Were hunger striking for divestment and were in it for the long haul. Weve already proved were in it for the long haul just by the sheer number of days weve done this. McGill on Friday issued a statement saying it is concerned about the well-being of the students participating in this initative. McGill repects the right to free speech and free assembly, within the limits of university policy and the law, the statement added. We have repeatedly offered to meet with [the student protesters] directly. Though they have so far declined, this offer still stands. We have clearly communicated the procedures available for expressing concern about the universitys investment holdings, or for advocating policy changes. These students have chosen a different approach; our hope is that they will understand that university policies will not be determined in this way before their well-being is affected. We urge them to make choices that prioritize their health. In February, McGill said it would divest from companies listed in the Carbon Underground 200, a list of the top 100 coal and the top 100 oil and gas publicly-traded reserve holders, following a years-long campaign by students and faculty members. In a video message released on Friday, Catherine spoke of how her condition was discovered after she underwent major abdominal surgery in January. Photograph: BBC Studios/PA Cancer charities have praised the Princess of Wales for her brave decision to speak out about her cancer diagnosis as a way to encourage others to get their symptoms checked. In a video message released on Friday, Catherine, 42, spoke of how her condition was discovered after she underwent abdominal surgery in January. In the weeks that followed her procedure, wild rumours flew around her absence and silence but she said she and her husband, Prince William, had needed time to explain the situation to their three children, George, 10, Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five. Related: Catherine, Princess of Wales, receiving chemotherapy treatment for cancer This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family, she said. As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK. Catherines announcement prompted the cancer charity Maggies to post tips on how to talk to young children about cancer. We are incredibly sorry to hear the Princess of Waless news and our thoughts are with her, said Dame Laura Lee, Maggies chief executive. We also know how challenging and worrying a cancer diagnosis can be for the whole family, especially with young children, and our thoughts are with them all. Cancer Research UKs chief executive, Michelle Mitchell, said high-profile cancer cases such as the princesss can help others to seek help early, when treatment is more likely to be successful. Nearly one in two of us will develop cancer during our lifetimes, but many more are affected when someone they love is diagnosed with cancer, she said. High-profile cancer cases often act as a prompt to encourage people to find out more or think about their own health. If people spot something thats not normal for them or isnt going away, they should check with their GP. About 393,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with cancer each year, according to Macmillan Cancer Support. We hear from people all over the country, every day going through the experience the princess has described, and our thoughts are also with His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and their children, the charity said. Many families will be sending solidarity to them. Amanda Pritchard, the chief executive of the NHS, said: We know how difficult a diagnosis and treatment journey can be for patients and their families. Speaking out is really brave and can help others to get worrying symptoms checked. Having Kemi Badenoch as Tory leader rather than Rishi Sunak would increase Labours lead over the Conservatives, according to the new Observer Opinium poll. Composite: Toby Melville/Reuters, Hollie Adams/EPA Three out of the four Tory MPs seen as the most likely replacements for Rishi Sunak would fare even worse than the current prime minister in a general election battle against Keir Starmer, according to the latest Opinium poll for the Observer. The Conservatives have been involved in a fresh bout of leadership speculation over the past week, after rumours surfaced of a plot to dump Sunak and replace him with Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the House, before the next election. But Opinium found that of the four most likely replacements for Sunak, were there to be a contest Mordaunt, James Cleverly, the home secretary, Suella Braverman, the former home secretary, and Kemi Badenoch, the business and trade secretary only Mordaunt would have any positive effect at all on the Tory vote. And even then, the Mordaunt bounce would only be marginal and still end in a large defeat. When asked if voters would prefer a Tory government led by Sunak or a Labour one led by Starmer, Opinium found that Labour under Starmer would have a lead of 18 points. If Mordaunt were to lead the Tories against Starmer, Labour would be 15 points ahead. This would still mean a sizeable majority in the House of Commons. But if Braverman or Badenoch were to lead the Tories, the Labour lead would be even more, increasing to 24 points, and with Cleverly in charge it would go up to 21 points. Overall, when asked which party they intended to vote for, without citing current or potential leaders, Labours lead remained unchanged from a fortnight ago at 16 points. Labour is on 41%, the Conservatives 25%, Reform 11%, the Liberal Democrats 10%, and the Greens 8%. The poll comes as Labour today claims that a clear majority of 2019 Tories (61%, according to its own polling) now support its plan for a new state run company, Great British Energy, which it says would secure the countrys energy independence and bring down prices. Despite having recently abandoned their plans to spend 28bn a year on green investment, Starmer and shadow energy secretary Ed Miliband will this week promote the partys scaled-back ideas on the latest of Starmers missions tours, focusing on its aim to turn the UK into a clean energy superpower. Miliband said it was encouraging that so many 2019 Tories were now supporting Labours energy and green policies. The Conservative partys opposition to a publicly owned energy company is shortsighted and self-destructive. Even their own voters know it is preposterous that the governments of other countries profit from our energy system while British families struggle with rising bills. Jhoann Reyes, left, and his family report to the arrival center to request a new shelter placement in New York, on 25 January 2024. Photograph: Olga Loginova/The Guardian On 25 January at 10am, Jhoann Reyes carried his familys belongings several suitcases, a jumbo plastic checkered bag, three backpacks, and two baby strollers from their room at the Stewart Hotel to the sidewalk. The New York City hotel-turned-emergency-migrant-shelter had been their home for a year. Originally from Venezuela, Reyes first moved to Ecuador fleeing political persecution. There he met his wife Katherine. Over a year ago, the Reyeses and their kids left Ecuador because of gang violence, and came to New York through Colombia, Mexico and Texas. That misty day in January was their eviction date. Related: Quality of life will go to hell in a handbasket: what will happen to New York if right to shelter ends? Reyes, 31, loaded their possessions into the trunk of a friends gray hatchback while Katherine waited under the hotels scaffolding to hide from the drizzle with their one-year-old in her arms, and two older boys by her side. The family headed to the Bronx, hoping to get a room at the NYC department of homeless services (DHS) Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing (Path) shelter for families with kids. But three hours later they were back in midtown, rerouted to the Asylum Seeker Arrival Center at the closed Roosevelt Hotel. They waited all night until they finally received a new placement at The Row Hotel near Times Square at 5am the next day. The room came with a new 60-day eviction notice limiting their time at the hotel, and marking the resumption of a taxing journey after a yearlong reprieve for the family. *** New York Citys mayor, Eric Adams, has framed the citys shelter-eviction policy as a tool to direct human traffic in the strained, overflowing shelter system. First announced in October 2023, it encourages the families to look for alternative housing after they get served 60-day notices. The Reyeses were one of the roughly 9,100 families with children staying in the citys 17 Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers (HERRCs), who received eviction notices between October 2023 and February 2024. (The situation is even more dire for single people without children, who, starting September 2023, had to re-apply for shelter every 30 days. On 15 March, the city limited the 30-day shelter stays even further. From now on, single adults wont be able to re-apply for extended stays unless they can present extenuating circumstances.) The 60-day eviction notices for families start the timer for the city to make the new arrivals self-sufficient, according to city officials. Its not just a time limit for a family to be in a hotel room, explained Ted Long, MD, MHS, the senior vice-president for Ambulatory Care and Population Health at NYC Health + Hospitals. Long oversees 15 HERRC sites, which first opened in October 2022, as a response to the growing need for housing migrants. In New York City, where the Right to Shelter is enforced by the state constitution, anyone in need of a place to live is guaranteed safe, decent and appropriate shelter. Its a deadline for us as a city to effectively help you, said Long, adding that before an eviction happens, every family gets to brainstorm their next steps with case managers. According to Long, the fact that less than half of the evicted families return to the Asylum Seeker Arrival Center for new shelter placement is a testament to the systems efficiency. But the Guardian spoke to several non-profits and human rights organizations that say the reality is completely different. From interviews with the Legal Aid Society, the New York Immigration Coalition, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, Project Rousseau, and Advocates for Children of New York, what emerged was a picture of a systematic eviction practice that many are calling unfair, unnecessary and a tool to deter people from coming to New York. Still, these organizations are stopping short of calling the practice a violation of the right to shelter. Its not that these people are losing that right [to shelter], explained Liza Schwartzwald, the director of economic justice at the New York Immigration Coalition. Its that theyre just making it more difficult to access that right. Over the course of three weeks after 25 January, the Guardian interviewed several families during and after their eviction and reintake processes. Though unanimously grateful for the help they are getting from the city and its agencies, all of them described their experiences as confusing, frustrating, and exhausting. Behind the citys rhetoric of helping asylum seekers in the citys care take the next steps in their journeys stands a palpable need to cut costs and manage the number of people in the strained shelter system more than 65,000 people are currently staying in the citys 216 sites across several shelter systems, including HERRC sites. Each family with an eviction notice can work with case workers who help families find alternative housing, many of which are out of state. The city also offers one-way tickets to every migrant who asks for it, and some families agree to leave. They may move further in the countrys interior in search of better options or to be reunited with family members who live here already. Others return to their countries of origin. Related: No words for the anxiety: migrants desperate for jobs trapped in US asylum maze About half of the families who have been served eviction notices have nowhere to go, so they report back to the Arrivals Center and re-apply for shelter. If the shelters are full, families receive vouchers for 28-day hotel stays under the Hotel Vouchering Program. At the end of their cycles, they have to start the process again. The practice leaves families scrambling between finding a new place to live, simultaneously applying for asylum and work authorization, and keeping their children in schools. It is a process filled with uncertainty, and there are no signs that it will become easier with time. *** Sara Munoz, 18, has been evicted twice already. On 12 January, she left The Row Hotel with her two-year old daughter Zoeh and reported to the Roosevelts Asylum Seeker Arrival Center for a new placement. Munoz was only 12 when she had to leave her home country of Venezuela: her family was on the brink of starvation, she told the Guardian. She went to Peru with her mother, Jennidey, but five years later, economic instability in the country uprooted them again. Jennidey came to the US first, then Munoz followed with her partner Michael and their newborn. She said her journey to the US was horrible, describing a harrowing trek through the Darien Gap jungle with Zoeh clinging to her chest. When Munoz eventually crossed the border more than a year and a half ago, she had been separated from the father of her child. They have since been reunited. Life at The Row wasnt easy. As the shelter filled up, the atmosphere got tense, and food scarce. But Munoz was glad to have a room. Waiting for her name to be called at the Roosevelt, the young mother was mentally preparing herself for a tent shelter at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn. If you are going to send me there, OK, said Munoz. I cant say no. I cant get down. I cant get sad because of my daughter. She spent the whole day in the centers waiting room, but her turn didnt come. Together with other families, she was allowed to spend the night in the Roosevelts common area lined up with cots. Her baby cried all night. My daughter didnt want to sleep on stretchers, said Munoz, who documented the steps of her reintake on her phone and shared her notes with her lawyer who is also helping other migrants. Munoz wanted other families to know what to expect, said Andrew Heinrich, the founder of Project Rousseau. The non-profit organization provides full-scope immigration services to the new arrivals, and is helping Munoz apply for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), which would make it possible for her to qualify for lawful permanent residency and to get a green card. We want to work. We dont want to depend on the government and have them say these bums dont do anything Sara Munoz The day after her eviction, Munoz was relieved to get a room in a shelter in East New York. But her worry is not over. Just like the Reyeses, Munoz was handed a new 60-day eviction notice as soon as she got to the new shelter, which is a standard practice at the HERRCs now. On 16 March, she was evicted again, and is currently staying at the Roosevelts Asylum Seeker Arrival Center with her daughter. Her partner Michael left New York for a job in another state. Munoz is afraid she might eventually end up in the streets, as 15 May, her latest eviction date, looms and her work authorization awaits approval. We want to work, said Munoz. We dont want to depend on the government and have them say these bums dont do anything. While Munoz waits for her SIJS paperwork and work authorization, and prepares for the General Educational Development test, an alternative to the US high school diploma, she volunteers at La Morada, a restaurant in the Bronx that provides free meals to the migrants. For migrant families with school-age children, the eviction and reintake process is especially stressful because it can lead to disruptions in education. According to H+Hs Long, the city is working hard to keep the families in the same boroughs close to their kids schools. But this is not what is happening in practice, migrants advocates say. The mayor has consistently said that hes rolling out this new [shelter eviction] policy, but it wont impact their ability to go to school, said Jennifer Pringle, the director of Project Lit Learners in Temporary Housing at Advocates for Children of New York. In reality, The Guardian learned, some families are sent so far away from their original placements, their kids have to switch schools midyear. If youre placed over an hour away in a new hotel for 28 days or another 60 days, said Pringle, it is going to be very difficult, if not impossible, for you to regularly get your kid to school. This was the reality for the Reyes family. For about two weeks after the family got a new shelter placement, their 10-year old son Jose Andres did not attend school. Its really far, and my wife cant take him, said Reyes. The Row is under a mile away from their old shelter, but for Katherine, who stays at home with their other two kids while Jhoann hustles, it was overwhelming to walk the distance twice a day. The family tried to hire someone to take Jose Andres to school, but it was too expensive. If youre placed over an hour away in a new hotel for 28 days or another 60 days, it is going to be very difficult, if not impossible, for you to regularly get your kid to school Jennifer Pringle Technically, the city has the necessary tools to keep children in school without interruption. For example, the Reyes could request a bus service for their son as soon as they changed shelters. But it is a lengthy, hard-to-navigate bureaucratic process. If the parent isnt able to get their kid to school, they have to find a phone number for the school [] The school may say, we need proof of change of address. They have to find someone who will give them a letter saying where theyre living, then the school has to update the address information, then someone has to submit an online busing request, explained Pringle. She is concerned about the negative effects of the evictions, and short new placements on children. If there are so many barriers and obstacles to getting that [uninterrupted education] actually set up, its an elusive service. The Reyeses eventually arranged busing for Jose Andres, the Guardian learned. On 26 March, however, they will be evicted again, and will likely have to repeat the process. *** For the young new arrivals and their families, schools have become a safety net and a community to lean on. In PS 139 in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, for instance, a parent group united to help migrant families facing evictions. Christian Perticone, a father of eight-year-old twin daughters, recalled a message in the groups WhatsApp chat that made him first realize that several families in their second-grade dual-language class lived in a shelter. Sorry. Who could give me two large suitcases? asked Suerkis Polanco in Spanish. Polancos family was one of the three families at The Brooklyn Vybe Hotel in Flatbush who were handed eviction notices. The request for suitcases started a discussion, which led to the Ditmas Park parents coming together to help the families in need. That was a turning point for me, said Perticone. Everybody has started to step up. On the day the eviction notices expired, the migrant families went to The Roosevelt hoping to get new placements close to their school. But the closest anybody was being sent [...] was an hour away, said Perticone. The families sort of had to choose between making sure that kids were going to be in school again on Monday, or riding it out in the system, when they were getting offers to be sent to other boroughs. Megan, an eight-year-old from Venezuela, was sad about the prospect of leaving her school and new friends, her mother Laura Sosa said. Luckily, she didnt have to. The Polancos, the Sosas and two other families who chose not to disclose their names are now staying with their Ditmas Park hosts, members of the parent group, until at least the end of the school year. Sosa has finally received her work authorization, and she is hoping to be able to rent her own place soon. Perticone said that their parent group is currently helping approximately 13 families in their school, running a GoFundMe campaign which has already raised more than $61,000 for long- and short-term housing solutions. *** Despite the confusion and stress that migrants experience when they receive eviction notices, city officials are adamant that evicted families do not end up in the streets. Each family with an expired notice that came back for the reintake has received a new placement, advocates confirm. The situation is vastly different for single adults who spend weeks and months waiting for a spot in a shelter. Some of them are homeless, others end up in makeshift shelters in basements, unsanctioned commercial spaces, and even vehicles. All the families the Guardian has spoken to are Latinx. But the experiences of Black migrant families and single adults are exacerbated by racism and over-policing, said Melissa Johnson, the New York organizer from Black Alliance for Just Immigration. The new wave of migration has strained New York City, and the municipal agencies are scrambling to manage the volume of daily arrivals while upholding the rights to seek asylum and shelter. Mayor Adams is requesting additional $400m from the state to help contain the crisis. Additionally, the city is rolling out a pilot program to provide 500 families in shelters prepaid debit cards for food and baby supplies. In a situation that has polarized the city, public advocates, officials and New Yorkers all seem to agree that the solution to the so-called migrant crisis should come from the federal government. Perticone, of the PS 139 parent group, concurred: It seems like this is a lot for a city to have to figure out all on its own. Sharpe: he rejected the modern tendency to dismiss witch persecution as evidence of the barbarity and ignorance of past ages - PA Images/Alamy Professor James Sharpe, who has died aged 77, was a social historian of early modern England who wrote about crime and punishment, witchcraft and violence. His 650-page history of violence in England, A Fiery & Furious People, was chosen by the Telegraph as a Book of the Year in 2016. The title was the chronicler Froissarts description of the mob that ran amok in the Peasants Revolt of 1381. Sharpes book looked back to a time when endemic violence was part of everyday life, and, drawing on an astonishing variety of archives, examined the history of English violence from riots to 18th-century highwaymen, and from executioners to 20th-century serial killers, charting the steep decline in overall levels of violence. He showed that average annual homicide rates in 13th-century rural England were 20 per 100,000 of population; the equivalent figure in England today is 1.15 per 100,000. Life for the medieval English peasant was more dangerous than for Mexicans today. Oxford, where the murder rate in the 1340s was 120 per 100,000, was particularly prone to violence, pitching town against gown, students against college servants and student groups attacking other student groups. His 650-page history of violence in England had as its title the chronicler Froissart's description of the mob in the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 In contrast to today, when most murderers are close relations of their victims, people in the Middle Ages were much more likely to be killed by strangers. Murders within the family occurred at about the same level as they do today. Statistics could give a false impression, however. The high murder rate in the Middle Ages was due in part to the fact that without the benefits of modern medicine, victims of violence were more likely to die; and the superficially significant nearly fourfold increase in serial killings between 1960 and 2006 was entirely due to the activities of one man: Harold Shipman. Nevertheless, Sharpe observed some interesting trends. In the 19th century, for example, the expansion of the life insurance industry led to a rise in murder for profit. In a disturbing number of cases, parents took out insurance on their children and then killed them; 20 per cent of victims of homicide in the Victorian period were aged under 12 months. Sharpes study went up to the wave of rioting that broke out in English cities in 2011, sparked by the shooting and killing by police of Mark Duggan, who was being investigated for involvement in gangland crime. Given the historical background, Sharpe observed drily, the fact that the riots seemed so shocking tells us something about the sheer orderliness of English life today. A witchcraft trial: lowering a suspected witch into water to find out if she would survive - Alamy James Anthony Sharpe was born on October 9 1946 in Lewisham, to James, a labourer, and Margaret, a cleaner. From Colfes School in Blackheath he read history at Oxford, staying on to take a doctorate under Keith Thomas, author of Religion and the Decline of Magic (1971), a landmark study that set the agenda for decades of scholarship on the history of popular religion and supernatural beliefs. In 1973 he was appointed lecturer at the University of York, which he helped to turn into a leading centre for social history. He retired as professor in 2016. He began as a historian of crime in the 16th and 17th centuries, delving into court records to publish a series of books in the 1980s. But it was as a historian of witchcraft that he became best known. Instruments of Darkness: Witchcraft in England 1550-1750 (1996) showed that belief in black magic was remarkably persistent during the period. Science and the Enlightenment may have led the educated social elite of the 17th century to dismiss such beliefs as superstition, but poorly-educated, marginalised, mainly rural communities continued to believe. His research into Dick Turpin cast doubt on the robber's final resting place Sharpe did much to put flesh on the bones of those accused of witchcraft, their accusers, and those who sought them out for trial and punishment, notably the self-proclaimed Witchfinder-General, Matthew Hopkins, who, in the 1640s led the biggest witch-hunt ever staged in England, covering most of East Anglia and the East Midlands and producing at least 100 executions between 1645 and 1647. Sharpe argued that underlying the bloodletting was the collapse of government during the English Civil War. Trials of witches had been declining for decades because of scepticism on the part of government and courts. But fear of witchcraft among ordinary people remained strong and burst into the open at a time of civil strife. Hopkins stepped into the vacuum. The stone in York said to mark the grave of the highwayman Dick Turpin - Loop Images/Alamy Sharpe remained unconvinced that any of the people he had met through his source material were any more stupid than I or the generality of people I encounter on a daily basis and he rejected the modern tendency to dismiss witch persecution as evidence of the barbarity and ignorance of past ages. In a century that had witnessed Auschwitz, it was more important than ever to understand the social and psychological forces that give rise to horrendous happenings. His other books included The Bewitching of Anne Gunter (2000), about a 17th-century girl who, under pressure from her abusive father, simulated possession by the Devil to accuse neighbours of being witches but was unmasked as a fraud. And while researching Dick Turpin: the Myth of the English Highwayman (2004) he became sceptical that the grave marked with a headstone in York really contains the robbers remains. In 1993 Sharpe married Krista Cowman. She survives him with their two sons. James Sharpe, born October 9 1946, died February 13 2024 The King said he was proud of his daughter-in-law for speaking publicly - Royal Household/PA The King has revealed his pride in the Princess of Wales, his daughter-in-law, after she spoke publicly about her cancer diagnosis. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said that His Majesty, who is also undergoing cancer treatment, was so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did. The spokesman added that the King had remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks. The King and the Princess are understood to have been supporting each other ever since they were treated at the same London hospital together in January. At the time, neither realised that they had cancer. The palace said that both the King and the Queen will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time. The Kings warm tribute was echoed by hundreds of others, from world leaders to health professionals and members of the public. Joe Biden, the US president, was incredibly sad to hear of the news, his official spokesman said. Jill Biden said: You are brave, and we love you. We just heard, obviously, all of us just heard the terrible news, Karine Jean-Pierre said at the White Houses daily press briefing. I think its important that we respect their privacy, especially at this time, so Im not going to go further than that. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said the Princess of Waless strength and resilience inspires us all. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Macron added: Your Highness. In this difficult period you are going through, Brigitte and I wish you a full recovery. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex sent wishes of health and healing to the Princess. The couple said in a statement: We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace. A spokesman for the Sussexes has not confirmed when the couple learnt news of Prince Harrys sister-in-laws diagnosis. The statement used the popular version of the Princesss name of Kate, rather than the Catherine used by the Waleses and the palace in their public statements. Prince Harry is thought to have last seen the Princess at the Coronation of his father. The Waleses and Sussexes are not known to have spent significant time together since Prince Harry and Meghan left the UK. Leaders share support At home, leaders of all political parties were united in their messages of love and support. Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, commended the Princesss bravery in speaking out, while Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, said she was in the nations thoughts and prayers, adding that he was heartened by her message of faith and hope. Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat Leader, said his thoughts and prayers were with the Princess as he expressed hope that the Royal family would be given space and privacy. Liz Truss, the former prime minister, said the entire country would be wishing the Princess a speedy recovery. Meanwhile, Amanda Pritchard, the NHS chief executive, said that the Princess speaking out about her diagnosis was really brave and could help others in a similar situation. On behalf of the NHS, Im really sorry to hear this shocking news, she said. The King said he was "so proud" of his daughter in law - Chris Jackson/2021 Getty Images Our thoughts are with the Princess of Wales and the Royal family, especially while her treatment continues. We know how difficult a diagnosis and treatment journey can be for patients and their families. Speaking out about it is really brave and it can help others to get worrying signs and symptoms checked. If youre worried about cancer, the NHS website has more information. Former prime minister Boris Johnson wished the Princess all possible strength and a full and rapid recovery. Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf said: Im deeply saddened to hear the news about the Princess of Wales/Duchess of Rothesay. I am praying for her swift recovery. It must be an incredibly difficult time for the whole family. Royalty or otherwise, she has a right to privacy, which I hope will be respected. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle sent well wishes on behalf of the House and said the Princesss candour would make a difference to others facing their own battle against cancer. He said in a statement: The Princess of Wales has been incredibly brave in revealing her cancer diagnosis and I am sure her candour will make such a difference to all those facing this dreadful disease. On behalf of the House of Commons, I would like to send my best wishes to Catherine and her family and hope she will be back to full health very soon. The Queen and King pictured with the Prince and Princess of Wales - Chris Jackson SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said: We all know the suffering and distress that a cancer diagnosis brings to individuals, their families and friends. I wish Kate well in her battle, and have no doubt that her words will be of comfort and support to others facing their own. Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said: Incredibly moved by the bravery of Her Royal Highness. At this extremely difficult time, her message to others affected by cancer will mean so much to so many. Wishing The Princess of Wales, and the whole Royal Family, the very best in recovery. May all respect their privacy. Stormonts leaders, Michelle ONeill and Emma Little-Pengelly, both sent messages of support on social media shortly after the Princess revealed the news in an emotional video message. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said his thoughts and prayers were with the Princess of Wales and her family. Praying for her full recovery Sarika Patel, the chairman of trustees at Action for Children, of which the Princess is a patron, said staff sent their very best wishes to the Princess. We want her to know we are thinking of her at this very challenging time and send her our love and support, she said. Michelle Mitchell, the chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said it was important that the Princess was given the time and space to focus on her treatment. Nearly one in two of us will develop cancer during our lifetimes, but many more are affected when someone they love is diagnosed with cancer, she said. Thanks to research there is hope: cancer survival has doubled in the last 50 years. High-profile cancer cases often act as a prompt to encourage people to find out more or think about their own health. If people spot something thats not normal for them or isnt going away, they should check with their GP. It probably wont be cancer. But if it is, spotting it at an early stage means treatment is more likely to be successful. The Archbishop of Canterbury hailed the Princesss spirit of optimism as he said: I join the whole country, and the world, in praying for her full recovery. He added: Her bravery in sharing in this way and her continued commitment to supporting others speaks to her compassion and sense of service. Please join with me in praying for the Royal family as they deal with this private matter and I would urge people to respect their privacy at this time. The Church of England also released A prayer for HRH The Princess of Wales in which hope was made for her continued recovery along with support for her family and all who are affected by sickness. Islamic State claimed responsibility for a deadly attack that saw gunmen in combat gear burst into a concert hall in Moscow on Friday night, spraying bullets into the crowd and throwing explosives. At least 40 people were killed and more than 145 injured after the attack at in north-west Moscow, with a major fire burning through the building for hours. Several children taking part in a dance competition at the same venue were among those injured in the attack, according to reports, with one apparently killed. Footage showed at least four people in military-style fatigues walking up to a crowd of people at the entrance of the and shooting them at point blank range with automatic weapons. The gunmen as they entered the Crocus City Hall The gunmen also blew up part of the concert hall, prompting a fire that had caused the roof of the building to partially collapse by yesterday evening. The gunmen were still believed to be at large late Friday, after the Russian National Guard left the building following an extensive search for the perpetrators. There may be several armed men in green camouflage suits in [a white] car. A large number of roadblocks have been set up around the Moscow region, Russian security forces said. IS, the militant group that once sought control over swathes of Iraq and Syria, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to a statement on the groups Telegram channel. Fighters attacked a large gathering of Christians in the city and they killed and wounded hundreds and inflicted great damage on the place before safely withdrawing to their bases, the statement said. Gunmen attacked the concert venue - Shutterstock Blaze burns at Crocus City Hall near Moscow - Anadolu IS is active in Russia and the five neighbouring Muslim former Soviet Central Asian states, with thousands of Russian and Russian-speaking jihadists headed to Syria at the height of so-called Islamic Caliphate in the 2010s. Russia is seen as a target because it helped defeat IS in Syria and assists allies in Central Asia root out Islamist cells. Russias FSB security services says it deals with dozens of Islamic terrorist plots every year. Earlier this month, the FSB killed two Kazakh nationals who it said were part of an IS cell planning to attack a synagogue in Moscow. Moscows foreign ministry called the incident a bloody terrorist attack that world leaders should condemn. Vladimir Putin has not yet commented but his spokesman said that he was being kept up-to-date on events. Kyiv earlier denied any involvement. Lets be clear, Ukraine absolutely has nothing to do with these events, Ukraines presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said on Telegram. A Russian servicemen patrols the area as the Crocus City Hall burns in the background - AP/Dmitry Serebryakov A Kalashnikov assault rifle lies on the ground as Russian investigators work inside Crocus City Hall concert venue following a terrorist attack in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow - Shutterstock The White House also said Kyiv was not behind the attack. There is no indication at this time that Ukraine or Ukrainians were involved in the shooting, John Kirby, National Security Council spokesman, told reporters. Moscow retorted that it was too early to rule out a Ukrainian link to the attack. on the concert in Moscow. On what basis do officials in Washington draw any conclusions about anyones innocence in the midst of a tragedy? the foreign ministry said. Dmitry Medvedev, the former president, said that if Ukraine was found to be behind the attack, Russia would hunt the perpetrators down and kill them. If it is established that these are terrorists of the Kyiv regime, all of them must be found and ruthlessly destroyed as terrorists, Mr Medvedev wrote on Telegram. Official representatives of the state that committed such a crime would also be punished, he added. Analysis Moscow terror attack raises questions about FSB failure to prevent it Read more The attack, the deadliest in Russia for years, comes less than a week after Vladimir Putin won a presidential election, extending his 24-year presidency to at least 2030. He has outlawed anti-Kremlin protests, especially over his war in Ukraine. The US embassy in Moscow has issued warnings for the past fortnight that a terror attack was planned in Moscow and had told US citizens to stay away from large crowds, specifically mentioning concerts. Footage from the attack showed people shot dead lying slumped across blood-soaked benches and crumpled by the glass doors of the venue. Another video showed people who had been waiting for a concert by the Soviet-era rock band Picnic to begin. At least 6,200 people had bought tickets to the concert. Some 6,200 people had tickets for the concert - Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency In the video, word spreads of an attack and people start leaving. Less than a minute later there are shots in a corner of the concert hall, people start screaming and ducking for cover. One witness described his escape to Russian media. Someone broke a window into the parking lot and we just ran out without our things, without anything, only with what we were wearing, he said. A state media journalist at the hall said they saw people crawling to safety. People who were in the hall were led on the ground to protect themselves from the shooting for 15 or 20 minutes, the journalist was quoted as saying. Other people described locking themselves in the basement, smashing down fire doors with axes and running across broken glass to escape. Apartment attacks in 1999 Putin has previously been accused of using terror attacks in Russia to tighten his rule. Chechen terrorists were blamed for bomb attacks on apartment blocks in Russia in 1999 that killed 300 people shortly before Putin took over as president, promising to improve security. In 2002, Chechen terrorists captured the Nord-Ost theatre in Moscow and in 2003 Chechen rebels captured a school in Beslan in North Ossetia, southern Russia. Several hundred people were killed in both attacks, forcing Putin to promise to improve security. Since the promotion of the Kremlin-backed Ramzan Kadyrov in 2007 as Chechnyas leader, though, most Chechen rebels have laid down their arms. There is considerable concern that new government rules around voting could act to silence students. Photograph: monkeybusinessimages/Getty Images/iStockphoto Hundreds of thousands of students could be left unable to vote if the government calls an October general election, because there may not be enough time to register them, universities and student unions have warned. Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, last week hinted at a possible election October date during questioning by a House of Lords select committee. Universities and student unions were already nervous about the idea of an autumn election, when students are settling into new halls or houses and less likely to be focused on applying to joining the electoral register or acquiring photo ID that will be compatible with the governments new voter rules. They also say that an October election potentially just two or three weeks after freshers week in many university towns would not leave local councils enough time to put many thousands of new student addresses on the electoral register. Related: Jeremy Hunt hints at October election in spending review remarks Paul Greatrix, registrar of the University of Nottingham, told the Observer that if an election was called for mid-October he did not think the data could be processed in time. You could easily end up with hundreds of thousands of students being disenfranchised and left without a voice, he said. Greatrix said if this happened Nottingham and other universities would launch an urgent information campaign to tell students who were registered at a different university address the year before that they could still vote at a polling station nearby. Even without an October date there is concern in the sector that new government rules around voting could act to silence students. Since 2015 universities can no longer register their students en masse at the start of the year, as the onus now falls on every individual to register to vote. With data suggesting that thousands of student voters had fallen off the electoral roll as a result of the new rules, many universities have introduced a system to sign students up automatically. This requires every student to tick a box when they enrol at the university at the start of each year if they want their details to be passed on to their local council to register them to vote. But new research suggests that around 100 universities have yet to do this, leaving it up to students, many of whom will not have voted before and will be living away from home for the first time, to register themselves online. Nehaal Bajwa, a vice-president of the National Union of Students, said: The danger is that autumn is such a busy time that many students wont get around to registering themselves. She urged all universities to prioritise introducing automatic enrolment systems while there is still time. The NUS is also warning that many students wont realise that their student card will not be accepted as proof of identity at polling stations under the new requirement for approved photo ID. Almost 13,000 students have signed up for a free citizen photo ID card, following an NUS campaign, but Bajwa said thousands could still be shut out. She said: There was no crisis in voter fraud. This is active voter suppression and we need to make sure all students know its happened. Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) think tank, said: You now need to be pretty organised to apply for ID and register to vote in time, and not many young people on the cusp of a major change in their lives will be. A HEPIHepi analysis of the student vote in the 2019 general election showed that Labour did much better in constituencies with lots of students, while the Tories performed considerably worse. Labours share of the vote was 25% higher in English student seats than in England as a whole, and the Conservatives vote share was 25% lower in these seats. Students have proved decisive in some university towns, for instance helping Labour to win both Canterbury and Leeds North West in 2017 and hold them in 2019. UK general elections tend to take place in May or June. The last general election held in October was in 1974. Muslim extremists on March 8 ambushed and killed an evangelist from Kenya and severely injured three others from Uganda near a town on Kenyas border with Uganda, sources said. The four Christian workers were returning to Bugiri, Uganda after a four-day outreach in Kenya when they were attacked near Busia, Kenya. At least 10 Muslims blocked their return by placing stones in front of their motorcycles at about 6:30 p.m., said a survivor, evangelist Rooney Masaba of Uganda. The attackers began asking us many questions and said not to involve Muslims in open-air outreach, Masaba told Morning Star News. The evangelists explained to them that their campaigns were not meant to be dialogues about Islam and Christianity targeting Muslims but merely imparting the Good News of Christ, Masaba said. During the campaign the workers had spent mornings in home visits and afternoons in open-air evangelism, he said. The Muslims further questioned us that they were not happy about the conversion of their fellow Muslims, especially their relatives during their door-to door mission outreach, Masaba said. This led the discussion getting more tense, and there and then one of the Muslims got hold of Ismail Wafula and pierced him with a sharp knife on the neck, chest and in the stomach, and he sustained terrible wounds on the head. He then fell down bleeding. Others tore their Bibles to pieces and began assaulting members of the team, he said. We started screaming, wailing and calling for help, Masaba said. Thank God there came an approaching vehicle that arrived as well as some people living close by. The attackers fled and the arriving helpers took them to a nearby hospital, where Wafula was pronounced dead, Masaba said. Wafula, a convert from Islam, was 30. At this writing Martin Senkubuge, 32, was still receiving hospital treatment for wounds to his head, a broken left leg below the knee and an injured eye, Masaba said. Masaba, 28, and 26-year-old Ruben Were sustained minor injuries. During their outreach, several Muslims put their faith in Christ, including two prominent men who had made a recent pilgrimage to Mecca and a wealthy woman who sponsored Islamic activities in the Busia area, Masaba said. Previously the team had received threatening messages from Muslim leaders warning them to stop Christian outreach, he said. Church leaders have notified police, and officers are investigating, he said. Wafula, of Busia, Kenya, was formerly a Muslim who had put his faith in Christ in January 2021 as a result of the outreach by the three evangelists from Bugiri, Uganda. He joined the evangelistic team from Uganda in December, and in the March 8 attack, the assailants accused him of being a traitor and an enemy of Islam, Masaba said. 2023 Morning Star News. Articles/photos may be reprinted with credit to Morning Star News. https://morningstarnews.org. Morning Star News is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that relies solely on contributions to offer original news reports of persecuted Christians. By providing reliable news on the suffering church, Morning Star News mission is to empower those in the free world to help and to encourage persecuted Christians that they are not forgotten or alone. The Crocus City Hall concert venue after a shooting in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow, Russia on 22 March. Photograph: Vasily Prudnikov/EPA Speculation about who carried out the shooting at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow has quickly indicated that the terror attack will have outsized political implications in Russia and abroad. A claim has surfaced that the attack was carried out by Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) a regional affiliate of the IS terrorist organisation. IS has been implicated in some of Russias largest recent terror attacks, including the 2017 bombing in the St Petersburg metro that killed 15 and injured 45. US intelligence told American news agencies that theres no reason to doubt the IS claims of responsibility. Related: Moscow concert hall attack: what we know so far The group, which is a branch of IS mainly based in Afghanistan, has increasingly focused its attention on Russia since the United States left Afghanistan in 2021. The group was formed in 2015 by members of militant groups, including those from Pakistan and Uzbekistan, and is active in central Asia and Russia. It carried out twin bombings in January in Iran that killed nearly 100 people. Isis-K and its allies retain a safe haven in Afghanistan, and they continue to develop their networks in and out of the country, said Gen Michael Kurilla, the commander of US Central Command, during testimony to the House armed services committee in early March. Their goals do not stop there. They have called for attacks globally on anyone not aligned with their extremist ideology, and Taliban efforts to suppress the group have proven insufficient. The attack in Iran demonstrated the groups resiliency and indicates that they retain the capability and will to conduct spectacular external operations. Russias FSB security service said that on 7 March it had prevented an armed attack by the group on a synagogue in the Kaluga region near Moscow. It was established that the militants of an international terrorist organisation are preparing an attack on the parishioners of the synagogue using firearms, the FSB said in a statement. Related: Fire and chaos after mass shooting at Russian concert hall in pictures Within hours, the US embassy issued an unusual warning for American citizens to avoid large gatherings and in particular concerts, repeating calls for US citizens to leave Russia. The embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and US citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours, the embassy said on its website. CNN reporters said they had been told that since November there has been fairly specific intelligence that Isis-K wanted to carry out attacks in Russia US intelligence warned Russia about it. Putin changed the course of the Syrian civil war by intervening in 2015, supporting President Bashar al-Assad against the opposition and Islamic State. Isis-K has been fixated on Russia for the past two years, frequently criticising Putin in its propaganda, said Colin Clarke of the Soufan Center, according to Reuters. The claim by the group will largely divert attention by Russian officials that the attack may have originated in Ukraine. Dmitry Medvedev, the former president of Russia who now is deputy head of the security council, said that if Kyivs involvement in the attack on the concert hall is proved, all those involved must be tracked down and killed without mercy, including officials of the state that committed such outrage. Ukrainian officials had insisted that they had no link to the attack. Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia). It makes no sense whatsoever, said Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidential administration. Ukraine has never resorted to the use of terrorist methods, he said. It is always pointless. Nigel Farage poses with two anti-Ulez protesters in Biggin Hill - Facebook/Claire Dyer Nigel Farage has described the Ulez charge as the most unjust, unfair tax after joining a group of protestors to show his support for them. The former Ukip leader was pictured at an anti-Ulez demonstration in Biggin Hill in south-east London on Friday after spotting the protest while driving past. Mr Farage said he supported the protestors, adding that he did not believe any of the current mayoral candidates could beat the incumbent Labour mayor, Sadiq Khan. A picture shows a smiling Mr Farage in a pink jacket and trousers, posing with two local protesters against the scheme charging drivers in Ulez areas. Describing how he saw the protesters and felt moved to join them after driving past the protest site near Biggin Hill Airport on Friday, the Reform UK honorary president said: And I saw on the junction on the left, opposite where the Spitfire and Hurricane replicas are, a gaggle of people standing with anti-Ulez boards. I thought good for them! Im going to stop and pull over and go and talk to them and say you keep at it. Because this is the most unjust, unfair tax. I feel very strongly about Ulez, I really do. Khan has got it sewn up When asked who Londoners should vote for in Mays mayoral election to challenge the Ulez scheme, Mr Farage suggested the outcome was likely to be a third term for the Labour incumbent. Obviously Howard Cox is the veteran campaigner on fuel prices and congestion charges and Ulez charges, Mr Farage said, referring to the Reform UK candidate for London mayor. Id love Howard Cox to beat Khan but with the best will in the world that probably isnt going to happen. The Conservative [candidate] now says shed scrap the outer Ulez but not the inner Ulez. But I rather sense that Khan has got it sewn up, frankly. Susan Hall, the Conservative candidate, has previously said she would scrap the Ulez expansion on day one. Last year Mr Farage joined an anti-Ulez protest outside Downing Street as Mr Khan prepared to expand the zone to all of Londons 32 boroughs. The London Ultra Low Emission Zone sees a 12.50 daily tax levied on old, polluting road vehicles. Cars made after 2016 broadly comply with the emissions rules underpinning Ulez, which are designed to eliminate vehicles that emit harmful levels of nitrous oxide gases, as well as exhaust particulate emissions. The rules, however, have hit thousands of people across the capital, forcing many to give up older but perfectly serviceable cars. Sustained criticism Transport for London offers a scrappage scheme that encourages owners of older cars to scrap them in exchange for 2,000. Mr Khan has faced sustained criticism over the scheme, which he says is vital to improve Londons air quality. Mr Farages support for anti-Ulez protestors came on the same day that a Government-backed bid to reverse the schemes expansion last summer was blocked in the House of Commons. Gareth Johnson, Conservative MP for Dartford, tabled a Bill that would have given the Government the power to overrule the mayor of London. But Labour MPs spoke at length against the change to ensure the Bill failed to progress in a process known as filibustering. Queen Camilla inspecting the riflemen during a parade at Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn, County Antrim on March 21 - Mark Owens/UK MOD Crown copyright The Queen is proud to shoulder a greater burden of official duties in the absence of the King and the Princess of Wales as she prepares for a packed schedule of royal events this week. The Princesss cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy treatment means she is likely to be out of action for several more months, and there is no date set for the King to return to full public duties either. Royal aides say Her Majesty is resilient and will step up to do whatever is asked of her, with the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh also filling in gaps in the royal diary. In the past week the Queen, 76, has already carried out one of her most significant solo visits, flying to Belfast to fulfil a series of engagements on a high-profile trip planned before the King received his cancer diagnosis. This week she will become the first consort to distribute Maundy money on behalf of a monarch when she attends the annual Royal Maundy service as the Kings representative. The Queen at Hillsborough Castle in Belfast where she marked the start of her official visit to Northern Ireland - SplashNews.com A royal source said: She is proud, resilient and devoted and if it serves the King and the nation to step up and serve the nation she will do it. She does have incredible energy, she does ballet classes once a week, shes very fit and healthy. Of course, shes juggling. She wants to spend as much time as possible with the King to support him however she can. The Royal family has never needed Camilla more than it does now, and her trip to Belfast last Thursday showed just how much trust is placed in her. Northern Ireland is one of the most sensitive places in the world for Royal family members to visit, and on previous visits, the King has of course been front and centre during diplomatically tricky engagements as the Queen played a supporting role. As she toured the Lisburn Road in south Belfast, her easy manner went down well with locals, who gathered in numbers to see her and pass on get well cards for the King. The Royal family has never needed Camilla more than it does now - Chris Jackson - Pool/Getty Images She had visited the Isle of Man the previous day, and stayed alone at Hillsborough Castle, the official royal residence in Northern Ireland, on Wednesday night before touring Belfast. Day-long royal visits usually combine joint engagements attended by the King and Queen with portions of the day when they split up and do some engagements on their own. It was significant that the Queen decided to press on with her own engagements rather than the Kings programme, suggesting she was very much in charge. She always, however, makes sure she emphasises how much her husband would like to have been able to attend in person, telling people how disappointed he is to be missing out on a visit, and how much he was looking forward to it. Royal staff would have been pleased to see her back after the visit: she alluded to the fact that the King is a difficult patient when a member of the public suggested men were less easy to look after than women and she replied: I try to keep him in order. On Tuesday, Her Majesty will host a reception at Clarence House with authors and neuroscientists to celebrate the results of The Queens Reading Room study into the link between reading fiction and well-being, which has proven a clear link between reading fiction and increased mental health, brain health and social connectedness. Then on Wednesday, she will visit Shrewsbury in Shropshire, where she will visit the local farmers market and the recently restored Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings, the worlds first iron-framed building, which is used as a hub for volunteer groups. King Charles and Queen Camilla at last year's Royal Maundy service in York - this year she will be alone to distribute Maundy money on behalf of the King at Worcester cathedral - Samir Hussein/WireImage Thursday will see the Queen visiting Worcester, where she will distribute Maundy money on behalf of the King at the annual Royal Maundy Service in the citys cathedral. It will mark one of the most significant royal events from which Charles, 75, will be absent and will also mark the first time that a consort has stood in to perform the duty on behalf of the monarch. On the rare occasions that Queen Elizabeth II could not attend Maundy services, she was represented by the then Prince of Wales, her mother Queen Elizabeth and her aunt Princess Mary, but never by Prince Philip. The Queen will not be alone as she takes on a bigger share of royal duties not just in the absence of the King and the Princess, but in addition to the permanent absence of the Duke of York and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The Princess Royal, already regarded as the hardest-working member of the family, will carry out nine engagements this week, starting with a visit to Lockerbie on Monday where she will visit the memorial to the 270 victims of the terrorist attack on a Pan Am jet in 1988. During the week she will also visit Glasgow, Inverness and County Durham. The Duke of Edinburgh will also be in Scotland, visiting Aberdeenshire on Monday. After Easter, the Prince of Wales, who is currently spending the Easter break supporting his wife and children, will return to public duties, though he will be anxious to spend as much time as possible with the Princess as she continues her chemotherapy treatment. Vladimir Putin said Russia had arrested all four gunmen responsible for the shooting that killed 133 people at a concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow, claiming that the perpetrators of one of the worst terror attacks in the countrys history planned to flee to Ukraine. In his first public comments on the terrorist attacks that shocked the nation, the Russian president made no mention of Islamic States claim to have carried out the attack. Instead, Putin suggested without evidence that Ukraine may have been involved in Fridays attack at the Crocus City Hall just outside Moscow, saying that the Ukrainian side had prepared a window for the terrorists to cross the border from Russia into Ukraine before they were apprehended. They tried to hide and move towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them from the Ukrainian side to cross the state border, Putin said in a televised address. Putins comments fell short of directly blaming Ukraine for the attack, as he said those responsible would be punished, whoever they may be, whoever may have sent them. The four suspected gunmen were all foreign citizens, Russias interior ministry later said. Putin said authorities detained a total of 11 people after the attack. Islamic State, through an affiliated news agency, claimed responsibility for the attack late on Friday in a post on Telegram, in which the group claimed the gunmen had managed to escape afterwards. On Saturday, IS released a photo of what it said were the four attackers behind the shooting rampage. Related: Who is thought to be behind the Moscow attack? In a statement, the group said the shooting came within the context of the raging war between Islamic State and countries fighting Islam. Russian officials and state news channels have been quiet about Islamic States claim to have carried out the attack, but a US official said Washington had intelligence confirming it. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said it was typical of Putin and other thugs to seek to divert blame. Ukraines foreign ministry said in a statement that Russian officials were engaged in accusations against Kyiv with the goals of stirring up anti-Ukrainian hysteria in Russian society and creating conditions to boost mobilisation of Russian citizens into the criminal aggression against our state. Some Russian officials also speculated that Ukraine, the country against which Russia launched a full-scale invasion two years ago, was responsible. Alexey Chepa, the first deputy chair of the state duma committee on international affairs, said the events were connected to Ukraine. The death toll from the attack had risen to 133 by Saturday afternoon, according to a statement from Russias investigative committee. Putin declared a day of mourning for Sunday and passed his condolences on to the families of those killed in the attack. Russian authorities said at least 145 people had been injured, with 16 people in a critical state on Saturday. The number of victims of the terrorist attack will grow significantly, said Andrei Vorobyov, the governor of the Moscow region. Photographs on Friday evening showed Crocus City Hall engulfed in flames as graphic videos appeared to show several people being killed by the unidentified gunmen. In one clip, three men in fatigues carrying rifles fired at point-blank range into bodies strewn about the lobby of the concert hall. Other video footage showed people screaming, crawling on their hands and knees out of the music venue or fleeing down stairwells. The attack came minutes before a veteran Russian rock band was to start playing in front of a sold-out audience. Witness accounts described scenes of chaos and confusion, with many concertgoers initially assuming the sound of gunshots was part of the show. We entered the hall and took our seats right in the centre. At some moment we heard a large bang coming from outside the room, we thought it was part of the concert, Arina, a clinical psychologist from Moscow told the Guardian. But at some point, we understood something was seriously wrong, we realised there were shootings. Then we saw a man in camouflage holding an automatic gun we all lay on the ground, she said. I looked beside me and I saw many injured people covered in blood. Investigators said a man who jumped on one of the gunmen as he was shooting at the concert-goers, immobilising him and thus saving the lives of people around him, would receive an award. The Russian investigative committee said those killed in the concert hall died of gunshot wounds and poisoning related to the fire. The committee added that the attackers had used a flammable liquid to set fire to the premises of the concert hall. Baza, a Telegram channel close to Russias security services, said more than 10 bodies of victims had been found in one of the toilets at Crocus City Hall. According to the channel, the victims were hiding from the shooting but later died because of the smoke. The international community condemned the incident, with the UN security council calling it a heinous and cowardly terrorist attack. The British foreign secretary, David Cameron, said the UK condemns the deadly attack in the strongest possible terms. The Crocus City Hall shooting was the deadliest attack in Russia since the 2004 Beslan school siege, in which 334 people, including 186 children, were killed after being held captive by militants for two days. Questions will be raised as to why Putin appeared to have rejected a terror warning weeks before the attack. The attack on Friday came two weeks after western countries led by the US had issued terror warnings and told their citizens not to join public gatherings in Russia. The group that claimed credit for the deadly terrorist attack was an Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan called Islamic State Khorasan Province, or ISKP. According to US officials, Washington had collected intelligence in March that ISKP had been planning an attack on Moscow, according to officials. ISKP seeks to create a caliphate across Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Putin had called the March warnings from western embassies a provocation. But, citing a source in Russias security services, the state agency Tass on Saturday admitted that Russian security services did indeed receive information from the US over a potential terrorist attack. The FSB previously said it had foiled an attack on a Moscow synagogue by ISKP. On Saturday, Russian state news aired footage of interrogations of three alleged attackers, including one where the suspect was speaking in Tajik through an interpreter. ISKP has previously been reported to have recruited radicalised nationals from central Asia, including Tajikistan. In one of the clips, circulated by Russian bloggers, members of the security forces are seen cutting off the ear of a man who is later interrogated over the attack. Russian authorities had also recently carried out a series of raids against armed Islamist militants in the region of Ingushetia, leading to firefights between police and the fighters. Pawe Wojcik, a specialist in Islamic State messaging and propaganda, said IS messaging after the Moscow attack was similar to previous attacks that the group claimed in Tehran and Kabul. The messaging we saw from IS following the attack was standard, Wojcik told the Guardian. Wojcik said IS would have many motives to launch a terrorist attack in Russia, including Moscows involvement in the campaign against IS in Burkina Faso, Mali and Syria. Putin changed the course of the Syrian civil war by intervening in 2015, supporting the countrys president, Bashar al-Assad, against the opposition and IS. Wojcik added that ISKP had recently strongly embraced anti-Russia narrative in its propaganda output. People walk past an electoral billboard of candidate Amadou Ba of President Macky Sall's ruling coalition, in a street in Dakar. Photograph: Luc Gnago/Reuters Senegal heads to the polls on Sunday after weeks of chaos, violence and uncertainty prompted fears that democracy had been fatally undermined in one of west Africas most stable countries. Analysts say the presidential election is the most wide open in Senegal since it secured independence from France more than 60 years ago. Voting day comes only seven weeks after the president, Macky Sall, abruptly cancelled the election, compromising Senegals reputation as one of Africas model democracies. Faced with protests that have left four people dead and hundreds in jail, Sall was forced to backtrack on what critics believe was an attempt to cling on to power. Experts say the contest is likely to be a straight fight between Amadou Ba, the man Sall has picked as his replacement, and Bassirou Diomaye Faye, a leading opposition candidate who was released from prison only a few days ago. Olayinka Ajala, a senior lecturer in politics and international relations at Leeds Beckett University, believes Ba might shade it, largely because he has the apparatus of the state behind him. But really, its too close to call, said Ajala. However, Pat Thaker, the editorial director at Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), believes Faye has the highest chance of winning, mainly because he has been anointed by the charismatic Ousmane Sonko, also just released from jail, but who cannot contest the election after being barred from standing. Sonko and his brand of anti-establishment, anti-corruption politics have cultivated a sizeable following in Senegal, one of the few African countries not to have suffered a coup since securing independence in 1960. However, as the countdown to voting nears, Ba has come out fighting, telling his supporters last week that the bandits will not win. Although most expect the election will signal an end to Senegals recent violence, some experts have warned of the potential for fresh tensions on Sunday, particularly if Ba prevails. Neither, though, is likely to win in a landslide, with the result anticipated to go to a runoff. The race has been described as the most open of the 12 presidential votes held under universal suffrage since Senegal gained independence from France, said Sidy Diop, the deputy editor of the countrys daily newspaper, Le Soleil. Whoever wins will be tasked with steering Senegal out of its recent troubles along with managing revenues from recently discovered oil and gas reserves. The finding of more than 1bn barrels of oil and 900bn cubic metres of gas has prompted hopes of future riches, a significant prospect in a country where the UN World Food Programme says 39% of people live in poverty. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has bolstered such hopes, predicting 8.8% economic growth this year because of the expected start of oil and gas production more than double last years figure. Senegals massive youth population will play a key role in determining Salls successor. According to Unicef, the average age in Senegal is 22 years, demographics that strongly favour Faye and Sonko. The latters passionate youth following has been built on his attacks on elites and the former colonial ruler France. Nearly a third of young people in the country are out of work, and many have set their sights on getting to Europe or America to try to improve their prospects. Seven million Senegalese are due to vote on Sunday, with 18 men and one woman on the ballot. Although the only female presidential candidate has little chance of winning, activists say the presence of Anta Babacar Ngom, a 40-year-old business executive, is helping to advance long-running campaigns to achieve gender equality in the country. Jacqueline Eustache-Brinio one of the senators behind the report said 'fashion played a big role' the in rise of treatment - OLIVIER CORET/SIPA/SHUTTERSTOCK French Senators want to ban gender transition treatments for under-18s, after a report described sex reassignment in minors as potentially one of the greatest ethical scandals in the history of medicine. The report, commissioned by the opposition centre-Right Les Republicains (LR) party, documents various practices by health professionals, which it claims are indoctrinated by a trans-affirmative ideology under the sway of experienced trans-activist associations. The report, which cites a tense scientific and medical debate, accuses such associations of encouraging gender transition in minors via intense propaganda campaigns on social media. Jacqueline Eustache-Brinio, an LR senator who led the working group behind the report, concluded that fashion plays a big role in the rise of gender reassignment treatments. If this factor and the risks involved are underestimated, she added, the sexual transition of young people will be considered as one of the greatest ethical scandals in the history of medicine. LR senators now want to table a Bill by the summer that would effectively ban the medical transition of minors in France by halting the prescription or administration of puberty blockers and hormones to people under the age of 18. Les Republicains party plan to timetable a Bill banning the treatment in under-18s in the summer - PHOTO 12/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO Sex reassignment surgery could also be banned for minors. Reacting to the report, Ypomoni, a French parents group, said: We welcome this return to reason. Maud Vasselle, a mother whose daughter underwent gender transition treatment, told Le Figaro: A child is not old enough to ask to have her body altered. My daughter just needed the certificate of a psychiatrist, which she obtained after a one-hour consultation. But doctors dont explain the consequences of puberty blockers, she added. My daughter didnt realise that life wasnt going to be so easy with all these treatments... She was a brilliant little girl but now shes failing at school. And she is far from having found the solution to her problems. Shocking and ideological Transgender activists and certain health professionals expressed alarm at the report. Clement Moreau, the clinical psychologist and coordinator of the mental health unit of the association Espace Sante Trans (Trans Health Space), said the report was shocking and called the move ideological. Using blockers if necessary or hormones before coming of age reduces the rate of suicidality, depression and anxiety, he added. The French report comes after the NHS banned children from receiving puberty blockers on prescription earlier this month. Frances health regulation body, the Haute Autorite de Sante, was already examining a similar move. The LR senators want to accelerate the process following the report. Citing British, Swedish and American studies, the report said that the number of children identifying themselves as trans has exploded over the past decade. One hospital in Paris receives around 40 new requests from minors every year, with 16 per cent of those under the age of 12 and the report points out that many suffer from other issues. A quarter of the children seen at the Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital for gender dysphoria have dropped out of school, 42 per cent have been victims of harassment, and 61 per cent have experienced an episode of depression. One in five has attempted suicide. Their conclusions are in line with those of British experts called in to investigate Londons Tavistock clinic over its use of mass gender reassignment surgery on minors. David Bell. a British psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, found that a third of the children consulted at the Tavistock suffered from autistic disorders, and many were victims of family violence or had difficulty in accepting or expressing homosexuality, yet they were rushed into gender transition regardless. The attack on Shakespeare's works has been condemned by many authors - DeAgostini/Getty Images The disproportionate representation of William Shakespeare in the theatre has propagated white, able-bodied, heterosexual, cisgender male narratives, according to researchers in an 800,000 taxpayer-funded project. The claim has prompted critics to accuse the Arts and Humanities Research Council, which has funded the study by academics at the University of Roehampton, of promoting cultural clickbait. The project, devoted to centring marginalised communities in the contemporary performance of early modern plays, is due to be completed in two years time. The researchers want to challenge the normative trend in classical theatre arising from the disproportionate representation of William Shakespeare in scholarship and performance. In response they are mounting a production of a comedy by Shakespeares contemporary John Lyly, Galatea, which features characters disguised as the opposite sex. The researchers say the play offers an unparalleled affirmative and intersectional demographic, exploring feminist, queer, transgender and migrant lives. They say the play has almost no stage history since 1588, adding that Diverse Alarums, the name of the project, will transform this state of affairs with a unique combination of methods, ranging across early modern studies, practice-as-research, audience studies, qualitative research, trans, queer and disability studies. Writing for the website Before Shakespeare, Andy Kesson, the projects principal investigator, said that masculinity and nationalism were crucial motivating factors in the rise of Shakespeare as the arbiter of literary greatness and that [w]e need to be much, much more suspicious of Shakespeares place in contemporary theatre. His themes are timeless Lionel Shriver, the author, told The Telegraph: In Shakespeares day, half the European population was white and male. They didnt have rainbow flags. Being disabled like Richard III was a matter of character rather than politics, and luckily for them no one had ever coined the linguistic abomination cisgender. Still germane because his themes are timeless, Shakespeare will survive even this dogmatic mangling, and his plays will continue to be enjoyed long after todays intersectional performances have foreshortened into a freakish comical footnote in theatrical history. Andrew Doyle, the comedian and author, said: Theres a very good reason why Shakespeare is performed frequently and John Lyly barely at all. Shakespeare was by far the superior playwright. Yet again, ideologues are reducing great art to mere mechanisms for the promotion of an ideology. A production of Galatea would be welcome, but given that those behind it are already using anachronistic pseudo-religious terms such as cisgender suggests that it will be a tedious affair. They evidently believe what they are doing is radical, but virtually all theatre companies today are obsessed with identity and gender, and so this is likely to be just more conformist and insipid propaganda. Jane Stevenson, the Conservative MP, who sits on the culture, media and sport committee, said: Theatre does and should entertain, challenge and educate us. Im all for widening repertoire to bring lesser-known works to audiences, but Im not sure reducing Galatea to a celebration of all things woke, or knocking Shakespeare for being pale, male and stale is much more than cultural click-bait. Shakespeares works have been translated into 100 languages and clearly still resonate with people all over the world. Love, hate, ambition, loss, jealousy all universal emotions we all still identify with. An Arts and Humanities Research Council spokesman said: The Arts and Humanities Research Council invests in a diverse research and innovation portfolio. Decisions to fund the research projects we support are made via a rigorous peer review process by relevant independent experts from across academia and business. A spokesman from the University of Roehampton said: This project was funded by a national organisation following a rigorous review process. We support academic colleagues to seek external funding to pursue high-quality research in their areas of specialism, which in this case involves national theatre heritage. An RAAF FA-18 Super Hornet. UK defence secretary Grant Shapps, who is in Australia for annual ministerial consultations, travelled in one of the fighter jets from Canberra to Adelaide. Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images The UK defence secretary, Grant Shapps, has caught a ride in the back seat of an Australian air force fighter jet after meeting with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese. The visiting dignitary met with Albanese in Canberra on Thursday before being flown to Adelaide in a FA-18 Super Hornet, according to a report by the ABC. Two of the aircraft, valued at $100m each, took off from Canberra shortly after 7pm, one with Shapps in the back seat. Related: Australia moves to prop up Aukus with $4.6bn pledge to help clear Rolls-Royce nuclear reactor bottlenecks in UK A spokesperson for the Department of Defence confirmed the flight took place and said it was a good opportunity to show off Australias defence capability to a key ally. The flight was part of a demonstration of an important element of Australias defence capability, to one of our key defence partners, a defence spokesperson said. As the Royal Air Force do not operate the F/A-18F Super Hornet, it was selected to demonstrate one component of Australias air combat capability. The trip was a smooth ride compared to an incident that occurred over a week ago when a Royal Air Force plane that was carrying Shapps from Portugal to the UK had its satellite signal jammed, according to a Reuters report. Shapps is in Australia for annual Australia-UK ministerial consultations, his first visit since picking up the defence portfolio in a ministerial reshuffle by the British prime minister, Rishi Sunak. On Friday the Australian government revealed it would seek to prop up the Aukus defence pact by sending $4.6bn to the UK to clear bottlenecks at the Rolls-Royce nuclear reactor production line. The facility is based near Rafah, where 1.5 million Palestinians are crammed in, having fled other parts of Gaza The first UK-funded field hospital in the Gaza Strip is being set up and will soon be able to provide services from basic healthcare to surgical procedures. The tented hospital was dispatched from Manchester, and arrived a few days ago in Gaza. Once fully built, it will be able to handle at least 250 patients a day, according to UK-Med, a medical NGO. Our field hospital has arrived in #Gaza. Already, our team of medics in Gaza are seeing nearly 200 patients per day at their self-built hospital. The field hospital will add to this, enabling us to treat at least 250 people per day with additional surgical capacity. pic.twitter.com/apmY8HETiD UK-Med (@UKMed) March 19, 2024 International doctors and nurses, including many from the UK, will help at the hospital. This new field hospital will replace a temporary facility previously set up by UK-Med, which has already been handling about 100 patients a day. That was built with local timber from destroyed buildings while trucks were held up at the border. Using timber from destroyed buildings, our medics in #Gaza have constructed a makeshift hospital built in only 10 days - to treat the ill and injured, while waiting for the UK-Med field hospital to arrive. The team are seeing more than 100 patients per day at this facility. pic.twitter.com/PJvfyhA8Km UK-Med (@UKMed) March 15, 2024 The scale of the need is simply staggering, UK-Meds chief executive David Wightwick told the BBC. There are very few services of any kind and the health services have been eroded to the extent that if you are sick, if you are ill, if you are wounded, you are in a very difficult situation. UK-Med has also already been operating five mobile health clinics on routes going north of Rafah, dubbed GPs on wheels, offering primary care. So far, these mobile clinics have already seen more than 1,200 patients, though many more require care in the besieged Gaza Strip, bombarded as the Israel-Hamas war rages into a sixth month. UK-Med has also dispatched a surgical team to help at Al-Aqsa Hospital, the only remaining functioning hospital in Gaza. Together, more than 530 surgical procedures have been performed so far, with about a quarter of them on injured children under the age of 18. Mr Wightwick said that there are also cases of acute malnutrition in very young children. Basic necessities such as food and water have been hard to come by given constant clashes between Israel and Hamas throughout the Strip. Aid convoys, too, have been attacked by the Israeli military. Some air drops of supplies have occurred, but relief organisations have said this is an imperfect solution, as its hard to control exactly where packages fall where they land may not always be in close proximity to those most in need. Jordanian air force personnel air-drop urgent medical aid to a field hospital in Gaza - REUTERS Humanitarian organisations have been warning of the catastrophic conditions in the Gaza Strip, particularly in Rafah, the most southern point, where about 1.5 million Palestinians have been displaced. Rafah is the last remaining refuge as Israel-Hamas battles have pushed Palestinians from other parts of the Strip further south to the border with Egypt. Egypt, however, has not allowed refugees to cross en masse, with Cairo instead emphasising the need for Palestinians to remain on their land in Gaza. Israel has in recent weeks continually vowed to bombard Rafah, claiming it the last Hamas stronghold that needs to be extinguished. But many nations have urged Israel to reconsider its plans, given how many people fled to Rafah given the ravages of war. If the Israeli military moves ahead with its Rafah offensive, the UK-Meds field hospital will likely be key in providing emergency healthcare. A damaged apartment building in Belgorod, Russia, after aerial attacks - STRINGER/AFP Multiple Ukrainian drone attacks in Russia killed two people and set fire to another major oil refinery, despite US warnings to stop targeting such sites. Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Belgorod, wrote on Telegram that two districts in his region, which borders Ukraine, as well as the regional capital, also called Belgorod, had been hit in drone and air attacks. Its shaping up to be a difficult morning, Mr Gladkov said. Two people had been killed and at least seven injured, the governor said. As a result of an air attack by Ukrainian armed forces on Belgorod, three balconies collapsed in an apartment building. One of these apartments was occupied by a married couple. To much grief, the man died from his injuries on the spot, he said. Several cars were also destroyed in Belgorod - STRINGER/AFP He posted a photo of a residential building with the facade partially destroyed. Another person was killed in a drone attack on districts outside the city, he said. Further east, in the Samara region 620 miles away from the front lines in eastern Ukraine the local governor reported several drone attacks on local oil refineries. One of them caused a major fire at the Kuibyshev refinery, Dmitry Azarov, the governor of Samara, said in a statement on Telegram, noting that there were no casualties. Oil refineries legitimate targets Ukraine said on Friday that Russian oil refineries were legitimate targets, despite reports that the US has been warning it to halt drone strikes amid fears they could hinder Joe Bidens re-election chances. There have been at least nine attacks on major Russian refineries this year, which have caused crude oil prices to jump in recent weeks. The refinery, run by the Russian oil giant Rosneft, is one of the largest in the region, with a production capacity of seven million tons per year, according to its official website. A drone attack on another refinery in the region, Novokuibyshevsk, was repelled without damaging the technological equipment, Mr Azarov said. Retaliatory attacks The attacks came 24 hours after Russia unleashed one of its largest aerial barrages of the two-year conflict, hitting dozens of Ukrainian energy sites and leaving more than a million temporarily without power. Ukraines air force said it had downed 31 of 34 Russian drones fired at its territory overnight, while Russias defence ministry said it had intercepted 12 Ukrainian drones. Ukraine, which has been facing a Russian offensive for more than two years, has stepped up its attacks inside Russia in recent weeks, targeting energy sites in particular. And Russia has also launched a barrage of what it calls retaliatory attacks, targeting Ukraines energy sector and the capital, Kyiv, in recent days. Chinese writing contest held in Zimbabwe Xinhua) 11:27, March 23, 2024 HARARE, March 22 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese writing competition for Zimbabwean students was held in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, Friday. Students from primary, and high schools and colleges showcased their writing skills and understanding of the Chinese language and culture at the first edition of the Chinese Character Hero Competition, organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Zimbabwe (CIUZ). They were expected to write, read and match Chinese characters with pictures. In his opening remarks at the competition, Fainos Mangena, the University of Zimbabwe executive dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, said the competition resonates with the university's strategic objectives such as community outreach and talent identification. "As a university, we are glad to be part of this competition because it gives us a platform for our students from various levels of Chinese proficiency to showcase their knowledge of Chinese characters," said Mangena. "It is quite an impressive feat to see young learners from our primary schools enthusiastically taking part in this competition." Due to the ever-growing importance of Chinese, the language is part of a university-wide module including other foreign languages, he noted. The first-prize winner of the university student segment, William Kamuchuruka, who is currently learning Chinese at CIUZ, said while reading and writing Chinese characters is challenging, knowing their historical background makes the learning process interesting. "Every character has its history, every character has a certain story to it, and that makes learning characters interesting," said Kamuchuruka. "If you are a person who likes to acquire a lot of knowledge on things, this makes you really want to find out more about them, and to know more about the background and history of characters." Rutendo Ndoma, the first prize winner of the high school student segment, said although learning to write Chinese characters is challenging, it is fun, especially with an appreciation of the culture. "I like studying Chinese because there is something about the culture. The culture is so deep and it involves so many aspects that cannot be understood at first glance, so I really enjoy studying it because it helps me to really understand that cultures are different, but there is always something that ties different cultures together," she said. The CIUZ has been promoting Chinese culture in Zimbabwe since it was founded in 2007. Since then, many primary and high schools in Zimbabwe have introduced Chinese language lessons. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liu Ning) Schools are increasingly becoming a target of abductions in some parts of Africa triggering concerns over the violent expansion of radical groups and the safety of school-going children. In a span of 10 days in early March 2024, 372 children were reportedly kidnapped in Nigeria and Mozambique by armed men suspected to be either bandits involved in the herder-farmer conflicts or Islamist militants. The northern region, notorious for kidnappings, saw two back-to-back attacks by armed men on motorbikes. On March 9, 287 students between the ages of eight and 15, who were attending a morning parade in a government primary and secondary school in Kaduna state, were kidnapped by armed men on motorcycles. This is the single largest abduction since 2021 where 150 children were kidnapped and released months later after the families paid ransom money. Two days later, 15 other children were abducted in a school in Sokoto state, northwestern Nigeria, leaving scores of parents in shock and despair as some households have up to six children missing following the spate of kidnappings. A week after the abductions in Kaduna, the gunmen demanded a ransom of $621,848 to be paid within three weeks threatening to kill all the hostages if their demands were not met. Nigerian authorities have vowed not to pay any ransom money to the abductors. It is estimated that 1500 students have been abducted by armed gangs and Boko Haram in the last 10 years. The 2014 abduction of 276 girls in Chibok, Borno state brought into sharp focus the efforts of Boko Haram to disrupt modern education, which the group sees as an affront to radical Islamic beliefs. Despite worldwide condemnation and a protracted campaign to rescue the Chibok girls, 98 of the abducted students are yet to be reunited with their families. A report by Amnesty International that has tracked the conflict in Northeast Nigeria from 2012 states that children have been the most impacted, through repeated attacks on schools; widespread abductions; recruitment and use of child soldiers; and forced marriage of girls. This recent spate of abductions marks a resurgence to mass kidnappings with an immediate demand for ransom revealing one of the main motives behind the kidnappings. Security expert Bulama Bukarti believes that paying the ransom would embolden the bandits. Paying the ransom will only exacerbate the problem because the more money these violent criminals get, the more weapons and logistics they would stock; and the more people they would abduct and the more terror they would unleash on Nigerians, commented Bukarti in a TV news show. Nigerian investigative journalist, Ibe Pascal, told Christian Daily International that when 300 school children were abducted in Kankara in Katsina state in 2022, the Nigerian government ordered the military to hunt down the bandits. But local sources revealed that a huge amount was paid as ransom to ensure the release of the children Apart from kidnapping of school children, we have seen many times where the citizens are abducted and ransom is paid by either the families (of the victims) or by the government, said Pascal. Thousands displaced in Mozambique In Mozambiques northern province of Cabo Delgado, Jihadists with links to the Islamic State (IS) group are believed to be behind the disappearance of 70 children and displacement of close to 100,000 people fleeing the attacks that started early February. Aid agencies and local authorities confirmed that several people were killed during the March 6 incident and 500 buildings, including schools, homes and churches were torched by the IS-affiliated group that has been making in-roads in the province since 2017. Reports that an unspecified number of children had been rescued by a vigilante group known as local forces is yet to be independently verified. Southern Africa security analyst, Jasmine Opperman, noted that the insurgents, who refer themselves to IS-Mozambique (IS-M), focused on influencing (local) communities in Eastern Cabo Delgado. Mozambique In Eastern Cabo Delgado, insurgents prioritize influencing communities, while recent assaults in Chiure (22 reported incidents) reveal a pattern of selective strikes against institutions diverging from their extremist ideology.https://t.co/AzAXfAauAL pic.twitter.com/Ar0TK2tBD6 Jasmine Opperman (@Jasminechic00) February 20, 2024 Policy and research organisation, Hudson Institute, notes that IS-Ms affiliation with IS suggests that the insurgents are seeking to establish an Islamic state in northern Mozambique. However, while insurgents have always claimed to target Christians, many Muslims have (also) been killed throughout the conflict, which has resulted in the displacement of over a million people since 2017, analysts at the institute stated. A little muntjac deer started eating fruit skittishly. Photograph: Family handout On my birthday, I made my way into the woods carrying a plate of fruit, scrambled egg, cat food and peanut butter on toast. The bait for my new trail camera had to be as pungent as possible. Beside a small tree deep in the woods, we laid out the food and set up the camera. The trees were thick and the sky was growing darker, so we quickly returned home. That night, I heard muntjac deer barking and felt hopeful. The next morning, trying to remember the spot, we went to collect the camera. The food was gone we raced home to look at the footage, and to my delight something ginger flashed past the camera. Could it be a fox? Suddenly my greedy cat Jaffa appeared. He took some food then pranced off. I had a sinking feeling. Had Jaffa eaten all the food? But then, a little muntjac deer with pointed horns appeared on screen and started eating fruit skittishly. Several hours later (after a second visit from Jaffa) something else appeared. Not one but two foxes, wary at first, but soon creeping closer. One grabbed some toast and seemed to love it. Once the toast was consumed the foxes started to interact. At first it was a playful swipe, then both foxes got on their hind legs and did a tango they were play fighting! By showing their full height and baring their teeth they were attempting to show dominance over each other. I watched in awe, wondering what to leave in the woods that night. Right on cue, Jaffa waltzed in, expecting dinner. Eilidh, 13 Read todays other YCD piece, by Alice, 8: The day I became more garlic than girl Young Country Diary runs every 4th Saturday of the month. To submit a springtime piece, use the form here The body of a University of Missouri student who went missing after leaving a downtown Nashville bar two weeks ago was found Friday in the Cumberland River, police said. There were no signs of foul play. Riley Strain, 22, was on a weekend trip to the Tennessee city when he was kicked out of Lukes 32 Bridge, country singer Luke Bryans bar, on March 8, authorities said. Strains friends and family had since been unable to reach him, and police searches had been unsuccessful. Metro Nashville Police Department Police Chief John Drake said Friday Strains body was found about 7:30 a.m. local time after it was spotted by a worker in the area. There is no other evidence to suggest anything other than the young man falling into the river, Drake said. University of Missouri President Mun Choi informed students and staff in a statement Friday that Strains body had been found. Counseling and supports services were available, he said. As the Mizzou community mourns Riley, we are keeping his family in our thoughts and offering support, Choi said. The medical examiners office confirmed the body was that of Strain, said Drake, adding that a shirt, a watch and other identifying factors helped police make the identification. Drake said an autopsy was pending, and Strains family had been contacted. Riley Strain - Metro Nashville Police Department The body was recovered from the river about 8 miles from downtown, police said. Drake said police had planned to search the area where the body was found Friday morning. We have reports that, normally, under these circumstances, with his height and weight, that he could have surfaced between 14 and 20 days. This is the 14th day, so we were really expecting anytime soon to find him, Drake said. So we were in the right spot. Its just unfortunate, the chief added. Strain was last seen on March 8 at 9:52 p.m. on Gay Street after drinking downtown, according to a police department social media post. The bartender said he had been overserved, Strains stepfather, Chris Whiteid, told CNN affiliate WZTV. He was trying to pay his tab. Strains bank card had been found on an embankment between Gay Street and the Cumberland River, Nashville police said Sunday. On Monday, the department released bodycam video of an encounter Strain had with a police officer the night he disappeared. The video showed Strains brief exchange of greetings with Officer Reginald Young on Gay Street, south of the Woodland Street bridge, the department said. Riley did not appear distressed. Officer Young was there on a vehicle burglary call and remained on that portion of Gay Street for 45 minutes. No video has been discovered that shows Riley away from Gay Street after the 9:52 p.m. timeframe, according to the social media post. Police previously released surveillance video showing Strain wearing a two-tone shirt, crossing a street at 9:47 p.m. The area was searched by ground and helicopter. Though Strains cell phone was off by the time police were looking for him, Verizon Wireless said the last known location of the phone was less than a mile from a cell tower located at 19 Oldham Street, according to a police report. Police said they searched that area without success. State alcohol commission investigating Bryan said in an Instagram post last week that he was praying for Strains safe return. Lukes 32 Bridge told CNN in a statement that Strain was served one alcoholic drink and two waters during his time at the bar. At 9:38 p.m., our security team made a decision based on our conduct standards to escort him from the venue through our Broadway exit at the front of our building, the statement read, adding that Strain was followed down the stairs by a member of his party, who did not leave the bar and returned upstairs. The Tennessee Alcohol and Beverage Commission said in a statement it is investigating. There are no specific rules or statutes that governs escorting out intoxicated patrons from their businesses or providing assistance in getting someone home, Aaron Rummage, the commissions director of legislation, policy and communication, said in the statement. However, state law prohibits serving alcoholic beverages to someone who is visibly intoxicated. A violation is a class A misdemeanor. The TABC has opened an investigation into this matter to see if any violations have occurred. Strain was in Nashville attending a private event, the University of Missouri said in a statement, adding that university officials were in touch with his family and Nashville authorities. Strains stepfather had said the disappearance is the familys worst nightmare. He talks to his mom three or four times a day, he told WZTV. For him to go this long without talking is not normal by any means. Hes my baby, Strains mother, Michelle Whiteid, told the station. Through tears, the grieving parent thanked everyone for their prayers and support over the past two weeks as police searched for him, according to CNN affiliate WSMV. I just ask that you mommas out there, hug your babies tight tonight, please, she said. Please for me, just hug your babies tight tonight. This story has been updated with additional information. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Hospitals and insurance giants are clashing over wildly popular Medicare Advantage plans as both sides try to protect their profits. Many seniors enrolled in these plans are caught in the crosshairs. More hospitals and healthcare providers are terminating agreements with insurers that provide these private-sector alternatives to Medicare, citing too many denials, delays, and refusals to pay for care that government-run health insurance would typically cover. The fracas is deepening this year as the federal government issues new guidance on how the plans can be run, posing a major new threat to a profit engine for some of the country's largest insurance companies. "We call these knife fights in the industry and I think we're seeing more and more," Whit Mayo, an analyst with Leerink Partners, told Yahoo Finance. "And is this something that these insurers are going, 'OK, this could become a bigger problem for our bottom line.'" Seniors also have a lot at stake. If more hospitals ditch these plans, seniors who rely on that coverage will be forced to pay higher costs or may even be kept from seeing the doctor of their choice. Many have little recourse if they face these challenges. "It stinks," Mayo said. "You're putting consumers in the middle of these negotiations and they really value being able to know if they're facing out-of-network costs if they do see a provider that's not within their network. So the emotional strain that this takes on the people caught in the middle is the worst." 'The deck is heavily stacked in favor of MA enrollment' This year, 33 million Americans have MA plans, representing just over half of Medicare-eligible individuals, according to research from Chartis. They are offered by giant companies like UnitedHealthcare, which is owned by UnitedHealth Group (UNH), as well as Humana (HUM) and CVS/Aetna (CVS). These MA plans have only grown in popularity since the program's inception, with enrollment outpacing that of traditional Medicare in the last six years. Two big allures of these plans are their perks and cost. MA plans provide benefits traditional Medicare doesn't offer, such as dental and vision coverage and a grocery allowance. Many also offer a low or $0 monthly premium. That's cheaper than Medicare's $174.70 monthly premium and any supplemental coverage seniors who choose Medicare often buy. "MA plans are very well compensated. With that extra money, MA plans are able to offer services that Medicare doesn't offer," David Lipschutz, the associate director for the Center for Medicare Advocacy, told Yahoo Finance. "The deck is heavily stacked in favor of MA enrollment." Of course, there's a tradeoff. Depending on the MA plan, enrollees have to go to a network of providers who have contract agreements with the insurer. If an enrollee goes out of network, they either must pay higher costs for the care or may not be allowed to see that provider at all. (Credit: Chartis) 'They deny it' The consequences of that tradeoff came to a head in 2022 as MA insurers began denying more coverage for necessary care just as seniors who had delayed elective procedures flooded back into hospitals that were already struggling with major labor shortages. The practice has infuriated healthcare providers. "This practice does cost substantial amounts of time and money, but more important, its not right for our patients who are often caught in the middle or receive coverage that is different than that offered to patients enrolled in traditional Medicare," wrote a spokesperson for Louisville, Ky.-based Baptist Health Medical Group, which last year terminated its MA agreement with Humana. Some hospitals move forward with care without prior authorization because it's an emergency and the appeals process takes too much time. "There are patients out there that can't wait. The delay of a cardiac procedure or cancer procedure could be life-threatening," said Chris Van Gorder, the president and CEO of San Diego-based Scripps Health. And when the hospital files a claim, "They deny it saying, 'We didn't approve it,'" Van Gorder said. Houston's TIRR Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital. (ASSOCIATED PRESS) 'Going to get ugly' Many healthcare providers are losing money as a result. Scripps Health lost $75 million last year from its MA-insured patients, Van Gorder said. Scripps Clinic and Scripps Coastal, the medical groups that have exclusive medical service contracts with Scripps Health, tried to renegotiate with MA insurers to reach acceptable terms, but that ultimately wasn't successful. The medical groups then withdrew from their MA HMO agreements with UnitedHealthcare, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, Health Net of California, SCAN Health Plan, UnitedHealthcare of California, and Alignment Health last year. "The last thing in the world I wanted to do is cancel a contract for 32,000 patients. I'm in the business of delivering healthcare, not canceling healthcare," Van Gorder said. "We just can't afford it financially." In the last 18 months, more than a dozen other healthcare and hospital systems nationwide have dropped out of MA plan networks, many of them citing denial-of-care issues. "I think we are sadly the vanguard of what is going to be some pretty confrontational contract negotiations between payers and hospitals in the next few years," Van Gorder said. "I think this is going to get ugly." In the last 18 months, more than a dozen other healthcare and hospital systems nationwide have dropped out of MA plan networks, many of them citing denial-of-care issues. (Hispanolistic via Getty Images) UnitedHealthcare told Yahoo Finance that "each year, we successfully renegotiate the vast majority of our contracts with providers. Our goal is to be a good steward of the resources available to cover our members cost of care by ensuring they are charged fair, sustainable prices for the services they need." Humana and Centene did not respond to requests for comment. Still, the tumult also has gotten the attention of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which recently put out new rules on processing prior authorizations, patient risk coding, and other reporting and transparency requirements designed to address some of the medical providers' concerns. It also adds more pressure on insurers by making it harder to deny claims, potentially forcing insurers to cut back on the perks their MA plans offer. "The industry is engulfed in just a historically high level of controversies right now. It's a very tough environment for the plans," Mayo said. "And I think we're going to see a sector that's going to really pull back on benefits." 'People don't have much recourse' In the meantime, seniors who need healthcare are stuck in the middle. Seniors can opt for a different MA plan or original Medicare during the Medicare Advantage open enrollment period from Jan. 1 to March 31 and they have been. Plan swapping was up in January and February, Mayo said, based on monthly data from the CMS. Still, switching to traditional Medicare is no panacea, either. While seniors will have no problem getting Medicare, they may find it harder to get a Medigap policy, a supplemental policy that covers the 20% of costs that Medicare does not cover for medical care. When a senior first signs up for Medicare at age 65, Medigap policies which are provided by many of the insurers that offer MA plans cannot deny or charge a higher premium based on preexisting conditions. But insurers can deny or charge more for preexisting conditions when someone wants to switch to traditional Medicare down the road. That's why seniors may choose another MA plan instead, one that could be dumped later by their medical provider. "That is a danger each and every year," Lipschutz said. "People don't have much recourse if their doctor leaves the network." Janna Herron is a Senior Columnist at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @JannaHerron. Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices. Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance After being flat for nearly two decades, demand for power in the U.S. is soaring. A recent report by Grid Strategies, a power sector consulting company, estimated that yearly electricity demand is set to grow by 0.9%, while the capacity added to the grid is planned to increase by just 0.5%. Whats the cause of this crunch? First, a boom in domestic industry, and growing need for AI-driven computing power which is projected to increase the amount of data centers across the country. But there are a few lesser-known factors that could push Americas grid over the edge. The AI boom, the ongoing popularity of crypto mining, and legalized marijuana are all adding potential strain to the grid at a time when extreme weather is making it more vulnerable. Data centersessential for cloud computingtoday make up about 2.5% of the nations energy consumption. By the end of the decade, their power use is expected to triple, according to Boston Consulting Group, boosted by the growth in AI applications as well as cryptocurrency mines. The International Energy Agency had a similar take, projecting that data centers power demands would double between 2023 and 2026. In the U.S., the growth in data centers is responsible for one-third of the added demand in that time period. PJM, an interconnection utility that covers parts of 13 states, from Ohio to Virgiania, has observed unprecedented data center load growth, according to Grid Strategies. Virginia contains the U.S. largest concentration of data centers, with Loudoun County nicknamed Data Center Alley., The states utility, Dominion Energy, has delayed or turned away centers saying it cant meet power demand, according to industry publication Data Center Dynamics. AI and crypto are both energy-intensive activities. Training an AI model on terabytes of data as well as feeding it prompts are data-dense processes that use much more power than, say, an equivalent Google search. One study in Joule projected that, globally, AI applications could use as much power as the entire nation of the Netherlands by 2027. Crypto is a power hog for a similar reason. Miners compete to be the first to solve complex problems that are rewarded with crypto; because the chances of solving it first are infinitesimally small, miners have an advantage by using more and faster computers, which translates into intense energy demands. It really is just a matter of luck, Samantha Robertson, a member of the strategy team at the Bitcoin company Bitdeer, told the Texas Tribune. In order to increase your chances, it makes sense to have these computers running at scale. Nationwide, crypto mining claims as much as 2.3% of Americas energy use, according to the Energy Information Administration. In Texas, a popular destination for crypto mining operations, miners have requested the equivalent of 41 new nuclear reactors worth of power, according to the Guardian. Texas grid has experienced continued rapid load growth since last summer, according to Grid Strategies. Then there's another burgeoning, power-hungry industry: Marijuana. The rapid decriminalization and legalization of the drug, not to mention younger Americans preference for bud over booze, has created tremendous growth in the weed market. Half of U.S. states now have some form of legal cannabis, either recreational or medical, and all that weed needs to be grown somewhere. And growing the plant, it turns out, is an electricity-intensive undertaking. Cannabis plants demand lighting as intense as youd see in a hospital operating room, fans for air circulation, and frequent temperature changes. More than a decade ago, the National Conference of State Legislatures estimated that the marijuana industry used about 1% of the nations electricity. Today that number is surely larger based on its explosive popularity. In Massachusetts, marijuana today accounts for 10% of the states indoor energy use; in Colorado, one of the first states to legalize weed in 2014, it now emits as much carbon as mining, according to a letter from two members of Congress to the Energy Department, who wrote with concerns about the industrys rapidly growing demands on our countrys energy systems. All this means that, after decades of Americas electricity demands being flatthanks to economic shifts and more efficient power generationits set to boom again. And the nations regulators may not be prepared. The nonprofit North American Energy Reliability Council recently said that energy demand was rising faster than at any time in the past five or more years, and estimated that 13 of the continents 20 power interconnection areas are at risk of a power shortfall this summer. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Antony Blinken A security guard thrust open the door of Antony Blinken's armoured car and the US secretary of state strode out down a line of yellow barricades. "We're working to get them home," he declared, gripping the hands of Israeli protesters in Tel Aviv calling for a deal to release the hostages held by Hamas. It was a striking moment but not altogether spontaneous. The street had by now been buzzing with security officials readying his route towards the protesters. Those of us in the travelling press were told to expect the interaction in the 20 minutes or so leading up to it. It was firmly caught on camera. This was a strong message from America's top diplomat to both the Israeli public and its prime minister - the US was committed, engaged and pushing everything to get a ceasefire-for-hostage-release deal over the line. In other words the message is: The US is trying to stop the war - albeit with firm conditions. Washington has been under growing domestic and international pressure due to the unprecedented crisis unfolding in Gaza and the catastrophically high number of civilians killed. President Joe Biden and Mr Blinken have spent weeks now publicly ramping up pressure on Israel to surge more aid in, and they want to develop a plan to secure the territory's long-term future. But as the crisis deepens, the limits of American influence have become increasingly clear. Just hours before the moment filmed at the barricades, the US had resorted to a vote in the UN Security Council to try to shape the actions of its ally. This was a sign of President Biden's growing exasperation. The American-drafted text called on Israel to surge more aid into Gaza amid UN warnings of imminent famine. It endorsed the current process mediated by Qatar to get a ceasefire in return for the release of hostages by Hamas. But it also warned Israel against a military assault on the city of Rafah, home to more than 1.4 million displaced Palestinians, saying an offensive could violate international humanitarian law. The resolution failed. It was vetoed by Russia and China. Speaking at Ben Gurion airport on Friday afternoon, Mr Blinken castigated those who voted it down. He implied they did so for reasons that had nothing to do with the substance, while also warning that a Rafah offensive could leave Israel without international support. "It risks killing more civilians, it risks wreaking greater havoc with the provision of humanitarian assistance, it risks further isolating Israel around the world and jeopardising its long term security and standing," he said. Amid the growing rift between Washington and the Israeli leader, Mr Netanyahu struck back at Mr Blinken's assessment. "I told him I hope we'll do it with the support of the United States," said the prime minister, "but if we have to, we'll do it alone". This was a superpower being pushed back, despite its pressure. 'More humanitarian aid needs to be allowed in' I've seen the phenomenal force of US diplomacy at close quarters this week, trailing Mr Blinken on a time-zone shattering tour of Europe, Asia and ending in the Middle East trying to stem the current crisis. To America's critics the paradox is clear: the US is sending weapons to a key ally, while at the same time urging it, without success, to do much more to alleviate the civilian suffering the military action has unleashed. A UN-backed food security assessment this week said 1.1 million people in Gaza were struggling with catastrophic hunger and starvation, adding that a man-made famine in the north was imminent between now and May. A growing number of US politicians have also spoken out. This week a group of Democratic senators and nearly 70 former US officials, diplomats and military officers said President Biden should consider cutting weapons supplies to Israel if it keeps restricting humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israel blames the UN for a failure to distribute supplies. The UN categorically rejects this but Israel insists that checkpoint restrictions and attacks on police securing aid convoys have been a necessary part of its campaign to eliminate Hamas. I asked Mr Blinken in Manilla whether the security vacuum in Gaza was a harbinger of its future. How could he convince Israel to accept the his proposals? Hamas could end the suffering tomorrow, he said, if it surrendered. But he reiterated that more humanitarian aid had to be allowed in. Answering my question, he gave a US endorsement for the first time to a UN-backed measure on hunger, saying "100% of the population in Gaza is at severe levels of acute food insecurity. That's the first time an entire population has been so classified." The US is pressing Israel to do much more to alleviate the civilian suffering in Gaza Much of Mr Blinken's trip was crisis management. Trying to get aid into Gaza, get the hostages out and secure an end to the conflict, which the US says must ensure Hamas's attack on Israel on 7 October "can never happen again". At the same time it is trying to shape a post-war future. Washington wants the Palestinian Authority running Gaza. It is the entity formed during the 1990s Oslo Accords and driven out of Gaza by Hamas in 2007. The Americans think they can patch together a grand bargain for the Middle East. They want to pursue the long sought-after independent state for Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza - albeit demilitarised - alongside a secure Israel: the so-called two-state solution. Gaza, rebuilt, would be governed by the internationally-backed Palestinian Authority, which is revitalised with money and security forces trained by Arab states, including Saudi Arabia. Added to this Riyadh would recognise Israel, a long-sought after goal for the Israelis that would further integrate it into the region. In return the Saudis would get advanced American weapons, a security pact with Washington and a US-backed civilian nuclear power programme. It sounds impossibly ambitious, and perhaps it is. The Americans are not naive about the chances of achieving the most illusive of goals in the Middle East, amid some of the worst bloodshed in the region's modern history. But just as he did at the barricades, Mr Blinken thinks he can use a moment of crisis to grasp the initiative. Joseph H. Crowley is a retired educator. He lives in Cranston. Writer Ken Kossak ("A ban on assault weapons is really an assault on all firearms," Commentary, March 3) follows the logic of many gun advocates. If you take away any of our weapons, then you will take them all. Interesting conclusion. But is it logical? The ad hominem logical fallacy states one should not suggest the argument of ones opponent is invalid because there is something wrong with ones opponent. Correct logic requires one to provide a cogent counter argument the goal of this commentary. Here is the technical definition of one logical fallacy. Denying the antecedent is a logical fallacy based on drawing an untrue conclusion from an ifthen argument. If X is true, then Y must also be true. More: RI Senate approves 'safe-storage' gun bill. What to know. To suggest banning assault rifles will lead to an assault on all firearms, as Mr. Kossak suggests, is a classic example of denying the antecedent fallacy. Does passing gun laws result in an assault on all guns? With reference to Mr. Kossaks contention that a ban on assault rifles will result in all weapons being taken away, rapid fire weapons were addressed in the National Firearms Act of 1934. Banned were machine guns, short-barreled shotguns and short-barreled rifles. In the 1930s the issue was criminals. The law denied them their most potent weapons. In the 90 years since, no one has taken anyones weapons away except those addressed by the Firearms Act. Both sides of the gun debate attend a hearing in the House lounge at the State House earlier this month. Today our issue is mass murderers. Assault rifles are designed to kill as many as possible in a short period of time. They are being used by those with mental health issues to quickly kill children and others. One does not need an AR-15 to hunt deer. Nor does one need an AR-15 to defend ones home. The mentally ill do not need an AR-15 to become mass murderers. There is no reason for anyone other than the military to possess assault-type weapons. Mr. Kossak went on to suggest while the Second Amendment was being drafted, our forefathers could have addressed assault weapons since, there were some deadly weapons in 1791 which in those days could have been defined as assault weapons. Really? A musket took 30 seconds to reload and was not very accurate at 100 yards. A blunderbuss, a short-barreled gun, took 10 seconds to reload with a range of up to 50 yards. These were the 1791 assault weapons. Prudent gun laws save lives. Gun advocates would have us believe guns are needed to protect ourselves and our homes. The more guns we own, the safer we are. Really? More: Gun control advocates are again pushing for a RI 'assault weapon ban.' Now, the AFL-CIO is helping. The highest gun death states are Mississippi, Louisiana, Wyoming, Missouri and Alabama, all with a 50% gun ownership rate. Rhode Island and Massachusetts have some of the lowest gun death rates with roughly 15% gun ownership. Logic would suggest one is far less likely to die from a gun if there are fewer, rather than more, guns. Gun advocates are besieging our legislators in an effort to intimidate them into not passing gun laws that by all reasonable logic will protect lives while not interfering with the Second Amendment right to bear arms. Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It is the analysis of ideas and arguments using reason and rational thinking. Logical fallacies, such as those used by many gun advocates, are the antithesis of reason and rational thinking. Let our legislators use logic to protect the people of Rhode Island rather than guns that have no logical defensive purpose. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: There is no reason for anyone other than the military to possess assault-type weapons. Dren LaPhayne, 31, a junior data analyst apprentice for a nonprofit healthcare network, never completed her college degree. I tried college for eight years, but it ultimately wasnt for me, LaPhayne told Yahoo Finance. I have always been interested in a tech career but struggled with the abstract math concepts, and I was the only person of color in high-level classes, which was daunting. LaPhayne, who lives in Tulsa, Okla., enrolled in a free boot camp through Multiverse, a tech startup that offers an apprentice program, which led to her position, which began in December. My current job is an actual dream, she said. Im working in a flexible environment that allows me to learn things at a pace that is feasible for me. The company is ethnically diverse, and Im earning a salary of $60,000 a year. Finding a job without a four-year college degree has been a tough slog for decades, but there are signs that it could be getting easier. Three new reports flag the surge in jobs being posted that dont require four-year college degrees. College wasn't the path for Dren LaPhayne, but her current data analyst position that did not require a degree is "an actual dream. (Photo courtesy of Dren LaPhayne) (Photo courtesy of Dren LaPhayne,) Fewer degree requirements even in specialized fields A third of employers said they have nixed degree requirements, according to a new survey from Payscale examining compensation across industries. And only about a fifth of organizations say they still require a college degree for all salaried positions this year. That said, for half of the firms surveyed, education does matter when it comes to how much someone is paid. Skills-based hiring is gaining momentum in light of ongoing skills shortages and a shrinking workforce, Ruth Thomas, pay equity strategist at Payscale, told Yahoo Finance. But this is really the beginning of that journey. The survey of more than 5,700 employers based primarily in the US is promising but that may not mean that they're actually hiring people without degrees just because they consider them, Amy Stewart, Payscale associate director and the author of the report, said. More evidence of the shift: A recent report from Indeed Hiring Lab revealed that more than half of the jobs posted on Indeed in January didn't list any formal education requirements. That's up from 48% in 2019. And the share of US job postings requiring at least a college degree has inched down in the last five years. Formal educational requirements are declining in nearly every sector and occupational group analyzed by Indeed. In the last five years, sectors with historically high educational requirements have seen the biggest changes, according to the research. Project management jobs, for example, showed the largest shift away from bachelors and graduate degree requirements 58% of these postings required at least a bachelors degree this year, down from 67% in 2019. We've had a couple years of tighter labor markets, and that can explain some of the reason why we've seen employers trying to expand their pool of workers by removing some of those requirements, Cory Stahle, a labor economist at Indeed Hiring Lab, told Yahoo Finance. But this is a trend that was happening before the pandemic and these tight labor markets that we had. We've seen a bigger push for these kinds of skills-focused hiring practices, especially for the purpose of hiring a more diverse workforce and expanding the type of workers that are being hired. Fraction of Americans have four-year degrees The reality is that most US workers have had to battle educational hiring barriers for decades. Just over a third of Americans ages 25 and up had a bachelors degree in 2022. The unemployment rate for those 25 and older with a high school degree, but no college, is nearly twice as high as for college graduates. The news that more employers are opening up the gates for those who dont have a degree is a good thing for so many reasons, but the biggest one is purely economic. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees to attend a ranked public college is nearly $10,662 this school year and $42,162 for a private university, U.S. News data shows. Those lofty prices dont even consider what students must pay for housing, food, and books, which can easily run thousands of dollars. Jettisoning degree requirements could also help close the pay gap. When we study racial pay gaps, a key driver is access to education, which limits the earning potential amongst people of color, Thomas added. Payscale 2024 Compensation Best Practices Report (Payscale) Lip service or meaningful change? But are non-college-graduates getting hired? I would just say that these trends vary significantly by job type, Mona Mourshed, founder and CEO of Generation, a global employment nonprofit, told Yahoo Finance. For example, our June 2023 research showed that more than half (61%) of employers of entry-level tech roles have raised requirements for education degree and work experience over the past three years. A further reason for skepticism: Nearly half of the firms seem to be making the change in the job requirement, with no meaningful difference in actual hiring, according to a recent report, a collaboration between the Harvard Business School's Managing the Future of Work project and the Burning Glass Institute, an independent nonprofit research center, examining 316 million online job postings since 2012. The report details how the trend toward no degree prerequisites for job applicants has ramped up as state governments like Pennsylvania and Maryland, tech firms, and big industries have all publicly removed requirements for thousands of jobs. Some of the leaders include Koch Industries, Walmart, Apple, General Motors, Target, Cigna, Tyson Foods, ExxonMobil, and Yelp. The number of roles that fall under the no-degree requirements almost quadrupled from 2014 to 2023, per the report. But when set against the backdrop of the millions of roles employers hire for annually, it has made only modest inroads, according to the researchers. The most important thing, though, is that simply removing a condition for applying for a job does not change the ultimate outcome of the hiring process, Joseph Fuller, a professor at the Harvard Business School and a co-author of the report, told Yahoo Finance. The job posting is only the first step in the hiring process. Only a little over a third of the firms in the analysis followed through and made a tangible change in the profile of those they hired after revising the job's educational prerequisite. Jobs with no degree requirements have multiplied, but nearly half of firms seem to be making the change in the job requirement, with no meaningful difference in actual hiring, according to a recent report by the Burning Glass Institute, an independent nonprofit research center. (Getty Creative) (Paul Bradbury via Getty Images) Education still wins out Employers highly value job candidates with a college education, said Bradley Schurman, a workplace expert and founder and CEO of Human Change, a global strategic research and advisory firm. So, if it comes down to two applicants with equal abilities, he said, the one with the college degree is more likely to get the job. The future labor market may demand faster change. We are at near-record levels of labor market participation. At the same time, we also have an aging population, Stahle said. With the demographic pressures from the falling US birth rate which will produce fewer workers to replace those retiring being able as an employer to expand your hiring pool is going to be vital, he added. Kerry Hannon is a Senior Columnist at Yahoo Finance. She is a career and retirement strategist, and the author of 14 books, including "In Control at 50+: How to Succeed in The New World of Work" and "Never Too Old To Get Rich." Follow her on X @kerryhannon. Click here for the latest personal finance news to help you with investing, paying off debt, buying a home, retirement, and more Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Zwy Aldouby (left) interviewing IRA member Rita O'Hare A Nazi hunter with ties to Israeli intelligence was given access to some of the IRA's most sensitive secrets just when the group believed it was about to drive Britain out of Northern Ireland. An upcoming BBC documentary follows the story of Zwy Aldouby, who was monitored by the CIA and was once jailed for attempting to kidnap a Nazi in Spain. He then turned up as the unlikely director of an American documentary about the IRA that, once completed, disappeared for almost 50 years. Former IRA members who have spoken to the BBC say it was a huge mistake to allow Aldouby to meet most of the group's leadership at the time. Making an IRA documentary Zwy Aldouby appeared in Ireland in March 1972 as the director of an US crew making a film about the IRA called "The Secret Army" - despite having no apparent track record as a filmmaker. The team had unprecedented access to the IRA at a time when it was carrying out daily attacks and many in the organisation believed Britain could be forced to withdraw. Zwy Aldouby (right) was the unlikely director of the US documentary The 1972 film recorded IRA members planning and carrying out attacks while unmasked. The subsequent disappearance of the potentially incriminating footage is the subject of a feature-length BBC documentary, also called "The Secret Army", which is appearing on the BBC iPlayer on 27 March. While filming between March and June 1972, Aldouby met and filmed the majority of the IRA's secret leadership, known as the Army Council. Also among those filmed handling guns and bombs was Martin McGuinness, then a rising young IRA leader. Decades later, as a Sinn Fein politician he became the deputy first minister of Northern Ireland and, in that capacity, met Queen Elizabeth on several occasions. He died in 2017. Martin McGuinness met the Queen for the first time in June 2012 Former IRA members who took part in the film and spoke to the BBC said they were unaware of Aldouby's intelligence connections. "I find myself wishing that I really knew more about my own father," his son, Ilan Aldouby told the BBC. "He's really - I'm tempted to say, like Austin Powers, the international man of mystery." Who was Zwy Aldouby? Born Herbert Dubinsky in Romania in 1931, Aldouby lost family members to the Nazis but escaped to Palestine after the Second World War. There he joined the Haganah, the paramilitary organisation fighting the British to set up the state of Israel. "He was in the Palmach," Israeli historian Prof Michael Bar-Zohar told the BBC. "The Palmach were the shock, the elite troops of the Haganah, and he was commander of a small unit, as far as I know. "He was one of these guys who were taken out of high school at the age of 17 and recruited to the army in order to fight in the War of Independence, and he was very proud of that." According to declassified American files, after Israel gained independence, Aldouby joined Shin Bet, the country's internal intelligence agency. Aldouby is named in several declassified US government documents A source later told the CIA that Aldouby was hunting former Nazis as part of a Jewish group based in Vienna "under the guidance of Israeli intelligence". Nazi war criminals were tried in Germany and Israel after the war. Aldouby later became a journalist and moved to the US in the 1950s. In 1961, he came up with an audacious plan - to kidnap a Belgian Nazi Leon Degrelle. Degrelle had been sentenced to death in his own country but was living openly in Spain, under the protection of the dictatorship there. "Degrelle was called the Quisling of Belgium," said Prof Bar-Zohar. "He was the top Nazi official in Belgium. "And according to the information which was published, Hitler said that `if I had a son I would have loved him to be like you'." Leon Degrelle (left) pictured with Adolf Hitler The plot failed when Aldouby and an accomplice were captured with guns by Spanish police. Aldouby spent the next three years in jail, with Israel denying being behind the plot. The whole affair was monitored by US intelligence. Long-time Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director J Edgar Hoover even sent a memo about Aldouby to his counterpart in the CIA, famed spy James Jesus Angleton. Ireland and the IRA Aldouby surfaced in Ireland at a key moment - just as Israel's enemy in Libya, Colonel Muammar Gadaffi announced his support for the IRA. Within a short time Libya was supplying weapons to men filmed by Aldouby. "At that point Gaddafi was selling or giving arms to terrorists that were attacking Israel and Gaddafi was also giving arms to the IRA, and Israel at this point was in a very precarious state," Ilan Aldouby said. "So my father, if he worked with or collaborated with the Mossad, or Israeli intelligence, it would be a clear fit." Ilan Aldouby said he wished he knew more about his father's life Prof Bar-Zorhar said that, from what he knew of Aldouby, Mossad wouldn't have relied on him. For their part, Mossad denied that he was a member of their organisation. But Richard Kerr, a retired deputy director of the CIA, told the BBC team that Aldouby was "almost certainly" feeding intelligence to his former comrades. "Mossad, they have long ties and connections," Mr Kerr said. "They maintain those. I don't think many of them have left it totally. "They're still involved, supporting Israel." BBC IPlayer The Secret Army will be available on the BBC iPlayer on Wednesday, 27 March, and will be shown on BBC Two Northern Ireland. It will also be shown on BBC Four on 02 April. Jeffrey Childs observes an experiment inside a space radiation effects chamber on Aerospace's El Segundo campus in 2010. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times ) Research and development lab Aerospace Corp. moved its headquarters this week to Virginia from El Segundo but reaffirmed its commitment to its South Bay campus by announcing a $100-million investment there. The federally funded nonprofit corporation, which supports government and private-sector space work, said there would be no "significant relocation of current employees" in the move to Chantilly, Va., where it has another campus, but said industry changes required it. Read more:Caltech receives $100-million gift to develop new technologies at the speed of SpaceX The space domain has transformed over the last decade, reshaped by rapidly advancing threats, cutting-edge technologies and a fast-growing commercial sector, Chief Executive Steve Isakowitz said in a prepared statement. "By shifting our headquarters to the Washington, D.C. metro region, we will deepen our ties with key decision makers and stakeholders, and reaffirm our commitment to working side-by-side with our partners as they carry out our nations critical missions. In relocating its top management to the nation's center of politics and government, Aerospace joins a growing number of aerospace and defense contractors that have made the move. Last year, RTX Corp., which has facilities in El Segundo and was based in Waltham, Mass., announced it was moving its headquarters to Arlington, Va. Embattled Boeing Corp., a major defense contractor, also said it was moving its global headquarters to Arlington, from Chicago. They joined major defense contractors already headquartered in the region, including General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, whose 2011 move from Los Angeles was a blow to Southern California's aerospace industry, though it continues to maintain extensive operations here. Aerospace Corp. is nowhere near the size of large defense contractors but plays a key role in supporting the nation's space industry with cutting-edge technologies and consulting services. It has 4,600 employees nationwide, including 2,800 in El Segundo. Other major facilities are in Chantilly, Albuquerque and Colorado Springs, Colo. Founded in 1960, the lab has provided assistance to projects that include the Defense Department's Global Positioning System (GPS), NASA's 1960s race to the moon, the nation's ballistic missile defense system and multiple satellite deployments. Its current work includes research to improve satellite solar arrays, developing electric propulsion for spacecraft and improving space micro-electronics. It is also working on NASA's Artemis program to return astronauts to the moon. The nonprofit's primary customer and sponsor is the U.S. Space Force, but it also works with NASA and other civil agencies, as well as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, the intelligence community and international partners. Among the private-sector companies it has worked with is SpaceX. Aerospace said its $100-million investment in the El Segundo campus would seek to expand its technical expertise and strengthen ties to the region's workforce, talent base and universities. Among the projects it will fund are the modernization of facilities that date back to the 1960s and consolidation of labs and other space on the main campus, a company spokesperson said. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. An artist in the U.K. has taken legal action against a local council for banning her art exhibit and reporting a hate crime to police after she said in a private conversation that sex transition harms children. Victoria Culf, 43, talked about transgender ideology over a cup of tea on June 6 with an employee of the Watford Museum, where she had set up a self-funded exhibition, according to a press statement form advocacy group Christian Concern. The employee told Culf that her child was socially transitioning and that she had tried to obtain puberty blockers from Tavistock Gender Identity Clinic. Referencing her Christian faith and her experience working with youths, Culf replied that transitioning is harmful. I wouldnt be being true to myself if I agreed with you, Culf reportedly said. The artist also told the employee that the human brain develops until the age of 24, and so children are too young to properly assess risk. She also pointed out that the Tavistock clinic had closed because of various scandals. Culf thought the conversation ended well, but the council worker later tweeted on X (formerly Twitter) that the artist subjected her to a transphobic rant, noted Christian Concern. Watford Borough Council then contacted Culf to inform her of harassment allegations and banned her from entering her own exhibition without giving 24 hours notice. The council alleged the ban safeguarded the offended council worker, according to Christian Concern. At the same time, Culf discovered that her artwork in the museum appeared to be damaged as a result of vandalism. Christian Concerns Tom Allen told Christian Daily International that it is quite a coincidence. Police launched an initial investigation against Culf for an alleged hate crime, and the council said she needed to prepare a statement. When I received the call to tell me that the police were investigating me, I was so shocked, Culf said. I was afraid that the police were going to turn up on my doorstep at any moment and arrest me in front of my children. The council told her that she needed to prepare a statement because the police were involved. They also told me that I was not allowed into the exhibition as they had to safeguard, she said. Police initially recorded a non-crime hate incident against Culf without her knowledge, according to The Free Speech Union, citing what police reported to The Times. Officers later decided against the hate incident filing, however, because the complaint did not meet the legal threshold for it. We are seeking to establish how the police handled the hate crime report, Allen of Christian Concern told Christian Daily International. The police initially said they had recorded it as a non-crime hate incident, and then later said it had not met the threshold after being told that recording such incidents are now illegal in light of Miller v. College of Policing. Harry Miller is a former police officer accused of transphobic gender-critical tweets between November 2018 and January 2019 on X (formerly Twitter). Humberside Police recorded it as a non-crime hate incident, but Miller successfully challenged this under Article 10 of the Human Rights Act relating to freedom of expression. The case is now seen as a legal benchmark to guide police in similar incidents. Culfs involvement in a community art project also stopped after the council ban. BEEE Creative, a private company, terminated her contract. The Christian Legal Centre is now supporting Culfs legal action against the Watford Borough Council on grounds of breach of contract, discrimination, harassment, misfeasance in public office, negligence, intimidation, defamation, conspiracy and malicious falsehood. The artist called the situation complete madness. She said she believed that the conversation with the council worker was civil and calm. During my work and life experience, I have experienced children and young people regretting all sorts of decisions, and continually changing their minds as they grow and develop, said Culf. The trouble with medical transitioning is its permanent. My conscience and Christian beliefs will not allow me to lie over something that I believe to be very harmful. Are we supposed to be silent and allow the harm to continue unchecked? The artist said a dangerous cultural shift has taken place if opposing transgender ideology risks being reported to police. At first what happened really knocked my confidence and made me doubt myself and my sense of reality. I was depressed and, as an artist, struggled to motivate myself as the strength of the attack made me feel unqualified, she said. My faith has kept me going, and I cannot waiver from what I know to be the truth. Culf said she is determined to fight for justice and to speak about what has happened to her. I believe there are probably many other Christian artists, and artists from all walks of life, who have been treated similarly and have had to suffer in silence, she said. The council refused a request by Culf via a Data Subject Access Request to receive documents, correspondence and WhatsApp messages to show why action was taken against her. The artist wants damages, a written formal apology and restrictions lifted against her entry to the museum, according to Christian Concern, whose press statement added: She will also seek a retraction of the allegations made to be given to all parties, and a commitment by the council that nothing like this will happen again. Her ordeal happened not long after the National Health Service (NHS) issued a ban on puberty blockers for children. Victoria has the courage to speak into her colleagues situation because of her love for Jesus and love for her colleague and their child, said Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre. It is a disturbing trend in society when Victoria, who was motivated by kindness and compassion, is subjected to such extreme punishment merely for expressing Christian truth. Puberty blockers are harmful to children, according to Williams. She said the case showed the trans lobby to be pervasive and tyrannical. We cannot allow this trans tyranny in our culture to trample over beliefs that are protected in law, backed by expert evidence and which truly safeguard vulnerable children, Williams said. Sanity must prevail. The fear that professionals feel over speaking truth on these must end. CAIRO (Reuters) - Lebanon will file an urgent complaint with the U.N. Security Council over what it called Israel's violation of its sovereignty by disrupting its navigation systems, the foreign ministry said on Friday. In a statement, the foreign ministry said Israel was affecting the safety of civil aviation in the airspace of Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport. "Lebanon also holds Israel internationally responsible for the consequences of any accident or disaster caused by Israel's deliberate policy of jamming air and ground navigation systems, and deliberately disrupting signal receiving and transmitting devices," the statement read. Lebanon did not provide specific details regarding the nature of Israel's actions disrupting its navigation systems. "Lebanon enables and allows Hezbollah to attack Israeli civilians from its territory," an Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson said. "Lebanon is the last country to discuss sovereignty while it is harboring a terrorist organization that has displaced tens of thousands of citizens." The Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel have been locked in hostilities since war broke out in Gaza five months ago, trading fire across the border. It has marked the worst conflict between the heavily armed adversaries since a 2006 war, fueling fears of an even bigger confrontation. The border violence has forced tens of thousands on both sides to flee and raised fears the conflict in Gaza could spiral into the rest of the region. (Reporting by Yomna Ehab, Hatem Maher and Emily Rose; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Nia Williams) HONG KONG When Britain returned Hong Kong to Chinese rule in 1997, Beijing assured the former colonial power that civil liberties in the city would be preserved. On Saturday, Hong Kong enacted a measure that critics charge will further stifle free expression in a city that until recently was known for its freewheeling style, aggressive media and politically active populace. The bill, called the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance but also referred to as the Article 23 law, took effect following unanimous approval earlier this week by Hong Kongs opposition-free legislature, where it was deliberated over and passed in a record 11 days. Article 23 is designed to supplement an earlier national security law Beijing imposed on Hong Kong in 2020, one that critics say supercharged the erosion of civil liberties here. This is the bill that basically creates crimes against everything, Kevin Yam, a senior fellow at Georgetown Universitys Center for Asian Law, told NBC News in an interview from Australia. Yam is one of 13 overseas pro-democracy activists accused of national security offenses by Hong Kong authorities, which are offering bounties of 1 million Hong Kong dollars ($128,000) on each of them for information leading to their arrest. It is basically whatever they say, and whatever they want it to be, Yam said of the Article 23 legislation. And the problem with this compared with the National Security Law is that while its vague in many areas, it also covers a lot more ground. In some ways, critics say, Article 23 could have an even bigger impact on free expression in Hong Kong than the 2020 law. With the new local legislation, Yam said, we are basically seeing the Hong Kong government trying to slam shut the really last vestiges of room for criticizing it. Government touts stability In contrast, Hong Kongs top leader, John Lee, said the new law would bring safety to society after huge and sometimes violent anti-government protests in 2019. With safety comes stability; with stability comes prosperity, he said in signing the bill late Friday before it took effect at midnight local time. A safe and stable environment is crucial to the success of business activities and enterprises. The ordinance fully implements constitutional responsibilities stipulated under Article 23 of the HKSAR Basic Law, and is considered crucial for fixing loopholes and weak links in the HKSAR's system on protecting national security. (Xinhua News Agency / Xinhua News Agency via Getty Ima) Regina Ip, a senior Hong Kong official, said the legislation was mostly about updating and modernizing existing laws, many of which are left over from British colonial times. It will have minimal impact on most people in Hong Kong, and is aimed only at those who have ill intent, Ip said in an interview Friday. Hong Kong was required to enact the Article 23 legislation under its Basic Law, a mini-constitution that took effect in 1997. It focuses on five types of crimes: treason, insurrection, theft of state secrets and espionage, sabotage that endangers national security, and external interference. I am confident that very few prosecutions will be made, if at all, said Ip, a veteran Hong Kong politician who resigned in 2003 after a protest by 500,000 of Hong Kongs 7.5 million people forced the government to withdraw its first attempt to enact Article 23 legislation. Ip said that constructive criticisms have not been criminalized, and that one of the guiding principles of Article 23 was to ensure Hong Kongs fundamental rights and freedoms. Hong Kong officials have accused Western governments of hypocrisy, saying their national security provisions are in line with those adopted in countries such as Australia, Britain and Singapore. But that comparison is misleading, said Eric Yan-ho Lai, a research fellow at the Georgetown Center for Asian Law, as those countries have stronger democratic protections to check and scrutinize executive government abusing powers on the ground of safeguarding national security. Article 23 is a strong legal instrument for the government to enhance its surveillance and control over Hong Kong, and to further cut ties between the local community and the international community, he said. In a statement on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the law will have broad implications for the people in Hong Kong as well as U.S. citizens and companies operating there. He also expressed concern that, as with the 2020 national security law, Hong Kong authorities could seek to use Article 23 against individuals and companies whether they are in Hong Kong or not. United Nations rights chief Volker Turk also criticized the law, as well as its rushed adoption, calling it a regressive step for human rights in Hong Kong. Turk said the laws external interference provisions, which only vaguely define the meaning of external force, could even deter Hong Kongers from engaging with international human rights organizations and U.N. rights bodies. Tone has darkened Combined with the malaise in the mainland Chinese economy, with which Hong Kongs fortunes are closely tied, and U.S.-China tensions that have Hong Kong caught in the middle, the Article 23 legislation has also raised questions about whether the city can retain its status as an international business center. Last year, Hong Kong lost its position as the worlds freest economy to Singapore in an annual ranking by the Fraser Institute, a think tank in Canada. It had topped the list since the rankings began in 1970. Hong Kong officials point out the city is still ranked second. But the authors of the report said its dethroning was an example of how economic freedom is intimately connected with civil and political freedom, and that Hong Kongs score is likely to only fall further. Stephen Roach, a senior research scholar at Yale Law Schools Paul Tsai China Center and the former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, said the tone has darkened in Hong Kong since the protests in 2019. In his interactions with business people, students and academics, theres a pervasive sense of weariness, said Roach, who lived in Hong Kong from 2007 to 2012 and has continued to visit since then. I always get asked the question in my presentations or discussions, what do you think of the future of Hong Kong? he said. That question was never raised when I lived there or in the years immediately after I returned. Roach caused a stir here with two recent commentaries in the Financial Times and the South China Morning Post, the former of which was headlined, It pains me to say Hong Kong is over. At the time he wrote it, he said, Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index was down almost half from 2021, returning to its level at the time of the 1997 handover. Hong Kongs defenders argue that the city has always bounced back from any challenge it has faced, including pro-Communist riots in 1967, the Asian financial crisis of 1997, and the public health crises of SARS and Covid-19. Just because theres been resilience in the past, theres no guarantee that will be the case in the future, said Roach, author of the 2022 book Accidental Conflict: America, China, and the Clash of False Narratives. Lai and Yam, meanwhile, warned the new legislation could have profound implications for international businesses in the city. Whereas the main impact of the 2020 national security law was loss of talent, as spooked foreign companies moved operations out of the city and some skilled professionals left on their own, Yam said Article 23 pertains more directly to the way businesses operate. The new law very clearly talks about things like extending mainland Chinese concepts of state secrets to Hong Kong, state secrets being one of those issues that international businesses have had a lot of trouble with in China, he said. Some business groups welcomed the legislation, however. It will make Hong Kong a safer destination for local and foreign businesses and professionals operating here, the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce said. The group added that it hoped the government would continue to clarify any misinterpretation or misconceptions about the law. Johannes Hack, president of the German Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, said the ability to do business in Hong Kong probably isnt going to be impacted all that much. While companies may seek additional legal advice, he said, they already made adjustments after Beijings national security law was imposed in 2020. The bigger concern, he said, is that our shareholders in Germany, when they think of Hong Kong, we want them to think of Hong Kong as it still is today, quite a different place from mainland China. It may have changed over the past few years, but its still distinctly different, he said. Hack cautioned, however, that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. If there were to be prosecutions or even rumored prosecutions under Article 23, then I think obviously the business community will watch that closely and will see what impact those potential prosecutions might have on their business dealings, he said. But until that day, I think were fairly comfortable in saying this is a different place. The European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong declined to comment. The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong did not respond to emailed requests for comment. Ambivalence and fear The large-scale protests that put a stop to Article 23 the last time the government proposed it would hardly be possible in todays Hong Kong, where the vast majority of pro-democracy figures are in jail, living in self-exile or have resigned from politics. Some residents reacted to its passage with ambivalence. Some would feel that they now have less free speech and freedom. However, those who prefer safety and a stable life might welcome it, said student Cheng Chung Yau, 21. Others who did not wish to be named lamented the tightening of government control and the shrinking space for expression. Regarding whether Hong Kong is over, Roach, the former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, said, Whats over to me is not the city itself, but what the citys stood for historically. The dynamism and energy long associated with Hong Kong and its free market, he said, I think is over for the foreseeable future. Whether theres a phoenix-like resurrection, that remains to be seen, he said. But the Hong Kong that I knew and lived in and loved, and still love, that character has really been drawn into serious question. Jennifer Jett reported from Hong Kong, Janis Mackey Frayer reported from Beijing and Mo Abbas reported from London. One nervous traveler touches the outside of the airplane while boarding and prays before takeoff. Another brings anti-anxiety medication. A third has been watching YouTube videos narrated by pilots to understand what happens during flights. Such rituals have helped anxious passengers overcome their fear of flying. But in recent months, several travelers said, news of issues on Boeing planes has made these strategies insufficient and has threatened their ability to walk down the jetway. So they have come up with a plan: avoid flying on Boeing aircraft, even if it means re-booking flights. I just cant step on that plane, said Leila Amineddoleh, an art lawyer who lives in Hoboken, New Jersey. Even if the chance of getting hurt on a Boeing flight, even with all these incidents, is slim. The chance is indeed slim: Aviation is the safest form of transportation by far, with significantly fewer fatalities than motor vehicles and trains, and aviation-related deaths and injuries are at nearly all-time lows. Leila Amineddoleh (Courtesy Leila Amineddoleh) But after a series of quality control incidents, starting with the dramatic door panel blowout on a Boeing 737 Max midair during an Alaska Airlines flight in January, Amineddoleh prefers to fly on non-Boeing planes. She recently asked for a refund for upcoming flights she had booked to Miami and Europe, and bought replacement tickets on Airbus flights, despite a layover in her new Europe itinerary. Its an inconvenience, she said, especially because she and her husband are traveling with their young daughter. But Im not going to feel guilty, because I think her safety is more important than fatigue. Amineddoleh and three others told NBC News that the headlines about Boeing have made them uneasy, even though its not clear whether the problems were the result of manufacturing, maintenance or other issues. Earlier this month, flames came out of the engine of a Boeing 737-900 operated by United Airlines; dozens of injuries were reported aboard a Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by Latam Airlines that experienced a sudden drop; and a tire fell off a Boeing 777 operated by United. This week, NBC News reported on previously undisclosed issues related to a wiring flaw with the Boeing Max, which has been plagued with troubles since two deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019. Adding to the negative sentiment has been federal scrutiny of the safety culture at Boeing, along with the apparent suicide of a Boeing whistleblower. When asked for a response to the hesitancy among some consumers to fly on its aircraft, Boeing declined to comment. The company has previously said that it is squarely focused on taking significant, demonstrated action with transparency at every turn. Airlines have also said they are committed to safety: Alaska Airlines CEO sincerely apologized after the January blowout, and Uniteds CEO said in a letter to customers earlier this week that the recent incidents, while unrelated, have our attention and have sharpened our focus. Still, aviation industry watchdog groups say air travelers are concerned enough that they are inquiring how they can select non-Boeing flights. The good side is consumers are becoming more informed, said Ed Pierson, a former senior manager at Boeings 737 factory who is now executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group The Foundation for Aviation Safety. But heres the sad part: You shouldnt have to be dealing with this. Travel search engine Kayak, which offers the option to include or exclude certain plane models from flight searches, said there has been a spike in people seeking information about types of aircraft since the door-plug blowout. While the overall fraction of users filtering the 737 remains small, usage increased following the Alaska Airlines incident in January, Kayak CEO Steve Hafner said in a statement, adding that use of the filter was 15 times higher in January than in December but has since dipped to 10 times higher. Both Kayak and aviation experts cautioned that airlines often substitute planes at the last minute, so customers who book non-Boeing aircraft may end up getting a Boeing anyway. There arent many other options: Planes made by Airbus, and sometimes Embraer, are the other common ones for major carriers. Stephanie Walls (Courtesy Stephanie Walls) Some airlines dont fly Boeing planes at all including Spirit and JetBlue. Others, such as Southwest, operate an all-Boeing 737 fleet. Stephanie Walls, an IT project manager who lives in Houston and describes herself as an anxious flyer, said she recently changed an upcoming flight to Philadelphia to be on an Airbus. Despite the routines she has created to make flying less nerve-wracking including praying, choosing a window seat and watching the flight tracker she is not confident that Boeing has taken enough action to improve the safety of its planes. Adrian Rojas (Courtesy Adrian Rojas) We really need to see that change being put in place pretty urgently, Walls said. Adrian Rojas, a Chicago-based communications consultant for a labor union, has done therapy to ease his fear of flying and takes anti-anxiety medication on flights. Unlike the other passengers who said they are avoiding all Boeing planes, Rojas specifically doesnt want to fly Boeings Max series and changed a return flight from Austin, Texas, for next month so he could be on an Airbus instead of a 737 Max. I just know that its something I would be thinking about a lot right as I get on the plane, so Im just trying to limit that for my mental health, he said. Leonyce Moses. (Courtesy Leonyce Moses) Even some passengers who feel relaxed in the sky are changing their flights. Leonyce Moses, a consultant who lives in Richmond, Virginia, loves to travel and said she flew one to two times a month last year. She had to pay about $70 extra to change an upcoming Phoenix trip to be on an Airbus instead of a Boeing plane, but it was worth it for my safety, she said. She acknowledged that aviation is very safe but said she is spooked nonetheless. I am not willing to take that risk, Moses said. A clinically diagnosed extreme fear of flying, known as aerophobia or aviophobia, is rare: Some estimates put it as low as 2.5% of the population. But as much as 40% of people say they have anxiety about flying. The condition is treatable, according to Elizabeth Austin, an assistant professor of psychiatry at UMass Chan Medical School. She recommended cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy, which she said can be done using virtual reality programs that simulate getting on a plane. She said she supported people with a phobia of flying switching their tickets to be on different aircraft as long as they are realistic about how few dangers they face on any plane. Its still an extraordinarily low-risk situation, she said. That is not enough for flyers like Amineddoleh to get on a Boeing plane. But she thinks she will be open to it again someday. I really do hope that things change at Boeing, in part because it really makes my life easier, she said. When I fly to Europe, I always take direct flights. Its the first time in years that I havent. Kate, the Princess of Wales, said Friday that she is in the early stages of preventative chemotherapy for cancer that was found following abdominal surgery in January. In a taped video statement, the future queen of England said that at the time of her surgery, doctors did not believe her condition was cancerous. Tests done afterward, however, found that cancer had been present, she said. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy, and Im now in the early stages of that treatment, Kate said in the video. A Kensington Palace representative said the chemotherapy began in late February. Kate did not say what type of cancer doctors found, or how advanced it was. But cancer doctors say that in general, preventive or, more specifically, adjuvant chemotherapy is quite common following surgery that finds cancer. Its almost like an insurance policy, said Dr. Andrea Cercek, a gastrointestinal oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. The person has had surgery to remove all the cancer that is visible, and then we give chemotherapy to try to eliminate or get rid of any remaining cells that might be in the body but are too small to be seen. The surgery was successful, and thats the most important thing, said Dr. Eleonora Teplinsky, head of breast and gynecologic medical oncology at Valley Health System in New Jersey. The objective of adjuvant chemotherapy is to reduce the chance for the cancer to come back in the future. None of the physicians interviewed for this story has been involved in Kates medical care. The type of adjuvant chemotherapy and the length of treatment depends on the type of cancer thats been diagnosed. Its given within a specific window of time proven to increase the chances that the cancer will never progress or return, said Dr. Ben Ho Park, who leads the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee. You get one shot on goal when you have cancer thats been surgically removed, he said. Chemotherapy can lead to a host of possible side effects, including extreme fatigue, poor appetite and nausea. Hair loss can occur, but not always. It also has the potential to lower a persons ability to fight off viruses and other illnesses. Depending on which drug shes getting, there may be more individual side effects that we assess for and monitor, Teplinsky said. At age 42, Kate is relatively young and, by all public accounts, otherwise healthy. Someone who is 42 has more decades of life ahead of them than someone whos 82. That somewhat colors our thinking in terms of, Hey, should we be as aggressive as possible to make sure that this cancer will never come back? Park said. Cancer experts worldwide have noted rising cases in younger adults. In general, were seeing more and more people who are younger who are getting cancer. In my area of expertise, colorectal cancer, we know colon cancer is definitely on the rise. The screening age has turned to 45 because of that, said Dr. Aparna Parikh, an oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. But beyond just colon cancer, other cancers are also rising in younger people. While it is unknown what type of cancer Kates doctors found, its important to raise awareness for young adults that this can affect anyone, Cercek said. By Vivian Sequera CARACAS (Reuters) -Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Friday named Corina Yoris as her successor to take on President Nicolas Maduro in the country's presidential election in July, following the arrest of two of Machado's close aides. With Venezuela's opposition under pressure to pick a candidate to register their candidacy with the National Electoral Council before the March 25 deadline, the decision to pick historian Yoris, 80, all but marks the end of Machado's presidential aspirations. Engineer Machado, 56, saw her ban on holding public office upheld by the country's top court in January - even after winning a landslide 93% of votes in the opposition primary last October - which sources said caused other members of the opposition to pressure her to pick a replacement. "We have found a person who has my complete confidence ... who will see this process through with everyone's support and trust," Machado said, adding that her fight against disqualification was not over. Yoris' appointment as opposition candidate follows the announcement by Venezuela's attorney general earlier this week of the arrest of close Machado allies Henry Alviarez and Dignora Hernandez, as well as the issue of warrants for the capture of seven others, including Machado's rumored replacement, Magalli Meda. The arrests of Machado's allies and the issue of warrants against other members of her campaign prompted international outcry. "The decision by Maduro and his representatives to detain two members of the leading opposition candidate's campaign and issue warrants for seven others represents a disturbing escalation of repression," U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement on Friday. If she wins the election in July, Yoris said her first act as president will be to release Venezuela's political prisoners, who number at least 250 and include civilians and members of the military. (Reporting by Vivian Sequera; Writing by Oliver Griffin; Editing by Daniel Wallis) An Indiana woman is accused of holding a dryer repairman at gunpoint after he told her he couldnt accept a warranty, police said. Reba LaJoy Wilson, 43, of Indianapolis, was arrested March 20 after police said she held a dryer repairman at gunpoint and shot at him as he tried to escape, according to a probable cause affidavit. Wilson told the man who came to fix her dryer on March 18 that a previous company said her machine was under warranty, according to court documents. The repairman said he could not honor another companys warranty, documents show. Wilson refused to pay for the repair and told the man to fix her machine or put it back together, according to police. The worker told Wilson he didnt work for free, but would be happy to put it back together if she paid his $70 house call fee, police said. Wilson threatened to call the police and blocked the door so the repairman was unable to leave, records show. She then pointed the gun at him and told him to sit down, according to the affidavit. The repairman ran out Wilsons back door and through her yard before making it to the safety of his truck, police said. He told authorities Wilson said, Ill pop cap in your (expletive), as she fired shots in his direction, according to the affidavit. Wilson is charged with criminal confinement, intimidation, criminal recklessness, pointing a gun at someone and unlawful possession of a gun as a serious violent felon, according to court records. Wilsons attorney told McClatchy News on March 22 they had no comment at this time. Video captures day care staff violently slamming kids at nap time, Indiana cops say Dad threatens school principal over kids homework and is arrested, Ohio cops say Uncle fatally shoots nephew at birthday party, then takes gun to hospital, MI cops say Americana outfit Driftwood returns to their Upstate New York roots with the release of their new album, "December Last Call," which was made available on all major streaming platforms last Friday, March 22. The record is a retrospective collection of tracks highlighting the musical journey of the band and the relationship they built with one another through their 15-year-long career. Through their lead singles off of the record, Driftwood has already generated critical acclaim for their foremost project, receiving props from No Depression, Holler, Glide Magazine, and the Americana Music Association, among others. In essence, "December Last Call" is an amalgamation of "down-to-earth" narratives told through folkish ballads that honor the band's bluegrass roots while also looking towards the future by incorporating contemporary sounds like hard-rocking guitars and driving percussion. On the Inception of Driftwood's 'December Last Call' The record was self-produced and recorded in the basement studio of guitarist Joe Kollar's home, a scene reminiscent of the band's start when they were still filling up their "musician shoes" and making music in the same space. Similarly, Driftwood's album goes full circle and loops back to narratives surrounding ways in which the group grew closer, and at times, farther away from each other. Tracks like "Up All Night Blues" exemplify this theme, as it is about the arduous yet fulfilling journey of being an upstart parent, especially amid the global pandemic where the issues are exacerbated. Their coming-of-age anthem: "Just a Kid," on the other hand, fully leans on the retrospective element of the album and embraces its "callback" nature. Similarly, "Every Which Way But Loose" latches on the record's narrative as a "catchy, uncomplicated gem" (Magnet Magazine). And for the album's title track, "December Last Call," everything culminates into what Glide Magazine describes as "the kind of big-hearted roots rocker that is meant to be cranked up." Driftwood's defining feature as a band is the overflowing songwriting and vocal talents of its members, which comprise vocalist/violinist Claire Byrne, Kollar, guitarist Dan Forsyth, bassist Joey Arcuri, and drummer Sam Fishman. This creative "free-for-all" makes for a diverse record, which inherently had a sense of vulnerability and "community" baked into it upon creation, something that is beautifully apparent in every track on "December Last Call." Spreading the beauty of their new record, Driftwood is set to embark on a band tour going through New York, Boston, Washington, and DC, among other cities across the coming Summer. A full list of the dates can be found here. You can now stream "December Last Call" by clicking here, or you can preview the album's tracks below. Read Also: Australia's Museum of Old and New Art Faces Lawsuit For Denying Men Entry to Its 'Ladies Lounge' Art Installation 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. New York City saw its population of millionaires jump by 48 percent in a decade, according to a new report. The Big Apple still leads the U.S. and the world among wealthy cities. It has nearly 350,000 millionaires and 60 billionaires, according to the USA Wealth Report from an investment migration consultancy firm Henley & Partners and New World Wealth. New York also has the most centi-millionaires in the country with 744. The San Francisco Bay Area came in second place and in fact has more billionaires than New York. The Bay Area has more than 305,000 millionaires, 675 centi-millionaires and 68 billionaires. San Franciscos millionaire growth contributed to its rise in the ranking, amassing 82 percent growth over the past 10 years. Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston round up the top five list in the U.S. Los Angeles has more than 212,000 millionaires, 496 centi-millionaires and 43 billionaires. Fourth-ranked Chicago has more than 120,000 millionaires, 290 centi-millionaires and 24 billionaires. Austin, ranked 10th, has experienced the largest millionaire growth on the list with 110 percent over the past decade, now counting 33,000 of them, along with having 92 centi-millionaires and 10 billionaires. The report examined cities with more than 25,000 resident millionaires; it used figures from December. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Have you seen some flags at half-staff in Washington today and wondered why? Washington Governo Jay Inslee issued a directive on Friday to lower state and United States flags to half-staff in honor of the 10-year anniversary of the Oso landslide. The Oso landslide, which occurred on March 22, 2014, is remembered as the deadliest landslide in United States history. The town had experienced heavy rainfall, causing a surge of mud and debris to plow into the Steelhead Haven neighborhood below. The recovery process took several months. In total, the disaster destroyed 49 homes and claimed the lives of 43 people. Today marks the 10-year anniversary of the tragic event, therefore we honor both the victims and first responders, Inslee stated in the directive. All U.S. and Washington flags at state agency facilities are ordered to half-staff until sunset or the close of business. Other organizations are encouraged to join in. A permanent memorial for the disaster opened on Friday following a dedication ceremony. The Slide Memorial on State Route 530 results from a multi-year coordinated effort to honor the events victims, survivors, first responders, family members, and surrounding communities. The massive mudslide that killed 43 people in the community of Oso, Wash., is viewed from the air on March 24, 2014. Flag directives in Washington The state governor is responsible for issuing flag directives. There is a set list of days that flags should be flown at half-staff, and the Governors Office will announce any additional dates. You can sign up for email updates to be notified whenever a flag directive is ordered. In the past, Inslee called for lowered flags for deaths in law enforcement, state employee deaths, and in recognition of significant events, like the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, in October 2023. The president can also issue a federal flag directive, leading to a subsequent governor directive. Kate Middleton received a message of support from actor Olivia Munn, who recently opened up about her own cancer diagnosis. Credit - Middleton: @KensingtonRoyal/X, Munn: Jon KopaloffGetty Images After weeks of speculation and concern about Kate Middletons health and whereabouts, the Princess of Wales released a video announcement to the public on March 22, revealing the reason behind her break from public life. Kate, 42, announced that she is currently undergoing preventative chemotherapy for an undisclosed type of cancer, which was discovered after she had a planned abdominal surgery in January. It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, but Ive had a fantastic medical team who have taken great care of me, for which Im so grateful, the Princess shared. Of her diagnosis, she said: This of course came as a huge shock, and [Prince] William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately, for the sake of our young family It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment, but most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to [our children] George, Charlotte, and Louis, in a way thats appropriate for them and to reassure them that Im going to be OK. Kate, whose father-in-law King Charles III is also undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, sent her well wishes to others whose lives have been affected by the illness. In a heartfelt sign-off, she said: For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone. Following the Princess of Wales announcement, there has been an outpour of supportive messages. From the U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to the U.S. President Joe Biden, people have been sending their well wishes from around the world. One such public figure to make a comment is actor Olivia Munn, who recently opened up about her own diagnosis, and the surgeries she underwent after learning she had breast cancer. Commenting under Kates video posted on the Prince and Princess of Wales Instagram account, Munn wrote: Thank you for showing what its like to fight with grace and determination for yourself and for your family. Wishing you all the best, followed by three white hearts. Underneath Munns comment, one social media user wrote: I am glad women like you and Kate have shared their experiences. Sending nothing but love and prayers. Another remarked: Wishing you a speedy recovery, as well. This is so incredibly sad to go through. Both you and Princess Kate are showing so much grace through this trying time. God bless. Munn, 43, who welcomed her son Malcolm in Nov. 2021, opened up about her own experience with the disease in a poignant Instagram post shared on March 13. Alongside a series of pictures of herself in hospital, she penned the caption: I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I hope by sharing this it will help others find comfort, inspiration, and support on their own journey. The Newsroom actor went on to explain that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023, when her doctor sent her for an MRI after calculating her Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score. After a biopsy discovered she had cancer in both breasts, Munn went on to have a double mastectomy. In the past 10 months, I have had four surgeries, so many days spent in bed I cant even count, and have learned more about cancer, cancer treatment, and hormones than I ever could have imagined, she wrote. In addition to thanking her medical team and her partner, SNL alum John Mulaney, Munn expressed gratitude to the friends who have had breast cancer, and the friends who connected me to friends who have had breast cancer, for guiding me through some of my most uncertain and overwhelming moments. Write to Olivia-Anne Cleary at olivia-anne.cleary@time.com. Despite Mother Nature's best efforts to wash out night one of the FSU Relays, the annual track meet showered fans with excitement Friday night. Records were shattered and personal best runs were posted as some of the top track and field athletes from across the country competed in the first of two days of competition at Florida State's Mike Long Track. The night culminated with a wild 3200-meter race. Leon's Patrick Koon took home second place with a time of 8:42.74, 10 seconds better than his FSU Relays meet record of 8:52.60 in 2023, however, Buchholz senior Riley Smith set a new meet and state record, running a blazing 8:39.71 to win the race. "I kind of wanted this race to be a faster first mile and it was, but just an incredible closing to an incredible race like," Koon said. "I PR'd by two seconds, was well under my state record and I just happened to race someone even faster. Can't look down on a PR and I ran 10 seconds faster than I did here last year, so I'm looking forward to Arcadia and future races." Even with the loss, Koon still ran a personal best run and is coming off a national championship win at the Nike Indoor Nationals, winning the 5000-meter race to claim the honor of nations best. The loss has motivated Koon, who says he's excited to compete for the remainder of the season and showcase his abilities. "I thought I could have closed out faster, but he's [Smith] just an incredible guy and took off the last few 50. I can't complain much about today though," Koon said. "I'm excited for the rest of the season now." Maclay's Couch sets PR, places third in 3200 Track and field athletes from Florida and other states compete at the annual FSU Relays at Mike Long Track for night one action on Friday, March 22, 2024. Maclay sophomore Caroline Couch has quickly established herself as one of the area's best runners. Competing in the 3200-meter race on Friday night at the FSU Relays, Couch placed third with a personal best time of 10:44.19. "It's really nice and lovely, especially since this week I've not felt the best, I felt really bad and the race was running so early, so it really surprised me that I did so well," Couch said. "It was a really good race." Couch, like Koon, is coming off an impressive outing at the Nike Indoor Nationals, placing 22nd in the 3000-meter race with a time of 10:03.41, a personal best time for the sophomore. Returning to the Florida high school tracks for the first time since her races at Nike Nationals, Couch felt it was nice to get fresh competition. "It's just so nice to have more competition than locally here in Tallahassee and to have a pack to run with," Couch said. "Having the competition and people that will help you pace and you can stay with and do the work for you. It's so nice to have that." Finishing second in the 3200-meter state title race and fifth in the 1600-meter state race in her freshman season, a year in which Maclay won a team state title, Couch is excited for what the remainder of the track calendar has in store for her sophomore year. "I am really excited for what the future has to bring, and the fact that I'm just a sophomore I have so much more time," Couch said. "It makes me really, really excited for the future." How did Big Bend Athletes fair Full results can be found here Boys 800-meter Justin Greenwood, Sr., Rickards: 44th, 1:59.90 200-meter Micahi Danzy, Sr., Florida High: 7th, 21.72, Rance Grace, Sr., Lincoln: 12th, 21.90, Isaiah Bighem, Sr., Leon: 26th, 22.65 3200-meter Patrick Koon, Sr., Leon: 2nd, 8:42.74, Jackson Rowe, Sr., Chiles: 25th, 9:21.25, Henry Lewis, So., Wakulla: 48th, 9:36.27, Matthew Hauser, So., Lincoln: 60th, 9:39.90, Xavier England, Sr., Florida High: 66th, 9:41.87, Will Winsor, Sr., Leon: 84th, 9:49.88, Will Springer, Sr., Leon: 105th, 10:15.47, Quinn Carrasquilla, Sr., Leon: 107th, 10:25.01 Girls 800-meter Savannah Stanley, Fr., Chiles: 10th, 2:16.52, Mary Clayton Soto, Sr., Maclay: 29th, 2:20.81 200-meter Sacori Gardner, Fr., Rickards: 11th, 25.15, Alana Wilson, So., Maclay: 24th, 26.10 3200-meter Caroline Couch, So., Maclay: 3rd, 10:44.19, Susan Koppel, Sr. Maclay: 30, 11:20.81, FSU Relays Saturday Schedule FIELD EVENTS 7:30 a.m.: Boy's javelin 10:00 a.m.: Boys Pole Vault Girls High Jump Girls Discus Boys Shot Put Boys Long Jump Girls Long Jump 1:00 p.m.: Girls Pole Vault Boys High Jump Boys Discus Girls Shot Put Boys Triple Jump Girls Triple Jump RACES 11:10 am Girls 100 hurdles, 11:20 am Boys 110 hurdles, 11:30 am Girls 4x800 relay, boys start following the end of girls races, 12:20 pm Girls 400 dash, boys start following the end of girls races, 12:40 pm Girls 100 dash, boys start following the end of girls races, 12:50 pm Girls 400 hurdles, boys start following the end of girls races, 1:20 pm Girls 4x100 relay, boys start following the end of girls races, 1:45 pm Girls Invitational 1600, boys start following the end of girls races, 2:25 pm Girls 4x400 relay, boys start following the end of girls races Liam Rooney covers preps sports for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Track state, personal records shattered during night one of FSU Relays A potential office building and underground parking garage is being proposed for development on Whitaker Street between Waldburg Street and Park Avenue, currently the site of Sterling Seacrest. Development plans for the site of a few mid-century buildings on Forsyth Park, which sparked debate during a Savannah City Council meeting that green-lit their demolition, may move forward next Thursday. The City of Savannah will vote on a development agreement with Forsyth Commons Holdings LLC to partner for a two-level, 450-space parking garage below ground of the to-be-demolished properties, according to next week's meeting agenda. The city would issue bonds through the Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA) to fund the parking project. A copy of the agreement is not yet attached to the agenda item. Above ground, the developer has plans for an office complex for a few Savannah business titans. HunterMaclean, Sterling Seacrest Pritchard, Evans General Contractors and Dulany Industries are set to be tenants in the space, according to Jeff Jepson, executive vice president of Evans General Contractors, which is leading the project. "There are a number of things of what we believe are going to be community benefits, the first of which is providing parking near one of (the city's) biggest and largest green spaces," Jepson said. Forsyth Commons Holdings registered as a business in May 2023 with the registered agent listed as Thomas Cullen, a partner at HunterMaclean. Leaders from HunterMaclean, Sterling Seacrest Pritchard, and Dulany Industries are expected to be principals of Forsyth Commons Holdings. Council's decision to keep the three mid-century properties 1001 Whitaker St., 1015 Whitaker St., and 124 West Park Ave. off of the Victorian District Contributing Resources Map drew criticism after the vote in September. Mayor Van Johnson's reelection campaign received donations from David Paddison, president of Sterling Seacrest Pritchard. Johnson also received donations from Dulany Industries, HunterMaclean Georgia PAC, and Jepson. Throughout the campaign, Johnson defended his voting record, stating that each decision he makes is based on the benefit to the city. Jepson said it's important to note the developers are paying a full share of taxes on the property and are not receiving any business incentives from the city in the partnership. An approved development agreement would allow Evans Contractors to begin engaging the architectural team consisting of Greenline Architecture and The Nelson Group, Jepson said. From there the developers can engage neighborhoods and businesses on designs appropriate for the area. The Victorian Neighborhood Association supported council's decision in September to leave the currents buildings off the contributing resources list. The Historic Preservation Commission considered demolition applications on the existing properties in June 2023, and made the recommendation to city council in July to add the properties to the contributing resources list. City council voted on the contributing resources item in September 2023 which ended in a 7-2 decision to leave the buildings off the list. The no votes came from former Alderwoman Kesha Gibson-Carter and Post 2 At-Large Alderwoman Alicia Miller Blakely. City council's next meeting will be at 2 p.m. on March 28. This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah council set to vote on Forsyth Park parking garage project The man who shot and wounded a police officer in a Fort Lauderdale hotel room on Thursday had a history of arrests and mental health problems severe enough that police invoked Floridas touted red flag law to take his guns away two years ago. But that was only temporary. Karl Chludinsky got them back last year with no additional psychological screening required. And, armed and likely unstable, he was found dead after exchanging fire with police who burst through a barricaded door to confront him. The fatal encounter, which shut down traffic for hours as dozens of officers swarmed a hotel filled with tourists and spring breakers, was just the latest example of the limits of a Florida gun control law often cited as a national model. READ MORE: Man who shot Fort Lauderdale cop had history of abuse, mental health issues: sources Passed just three weeks after the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre that left 17 dead and 17 others severely injured, the states red flag law even six years later continues to be viewed as a potential blueprint by some other states. Two years ago, Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, a vocal critic of lax gun laws since the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre that took 26 lives, told ABC News that the law in Florida adopted in a state with Republican political leadership is a signal of whats possible. For the first time in Florida, the law tied the right to possess or own a weapon to mental health and spelled out the legal steps to take guns away under certain circumstances. Specifically, it provided police a path to ask a judge to bar anyone who might be considered a potential threat from possessing or purchasing firearms. Thats exactly what Margate Police did two years ago with Chludinsky after, records show, his mother and then-girlfriend found him with a gun in his mouth and called police. Baker Act used in 2022 Chludinskys then-girlfriend and mother were so worried about his state of mind in January of 2022 that they took him to a behavioral health center. Margate police records show that the centers director contacted police and had him committed involuntarily under the Baker Act. Family members said hed been violent and hallucinating. Diagnosed with unspecified psychosis and schizophrenia, Margate police were then granted what is known as a temporary risk protection order by a judge under Floridas red flag law, That allowed them to seize two handguns and a shotgun. When the order expired 15 months later, Chludinsky as is permitted under the law was allowed to retrieve the weapons. No additional or new mental health screening was required. Though it now appears Chludinsky remained deeply troubled, Margate Police spokesman Lt. Michael Druzbik said Friday they agency did all it could do. The law doesnt require them to get clearance from a doctor before returning weapons. I just thank God that he didnt harm anybody else and the officer obviously [doesnt have] life-threatening, serious injuries because that would have been terrible, he said. Fort Lauderdale Police have not yet said whether the 46-year-old took his own life or was killed by gunfire from officers who broke into the Holiday Inn Express. Police had rushed to the hotel off the busy 17th Street Causeway because Chludinsky had allegedly called 911 and reported he had murdered a woman on a nearby roadway, a claim that police had not yet verified. Before he was killed, police said Chludinsky opened fire on a Fort Lauderdale police officer, who is expected to recover. A Fort Lauderdale police officer was shot by a suspect near the Holiday Inn Express on Southeast 17th St. on Thursday morning, March 21, 2024. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Chludisnkys case and others underline that while the states red flag law focuses on mental health, it goes only so far. Under the law, police can seize weapons from anyone involuntarily committed as Chludinsky was with a judges order, which generally lasts anywhere from several weeks to a year. But after the order expires and that person to retrieve weapons, the local law enforcement agency is only required to notify the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which must then conduct a criminal background check. If no crimes have been committed during the period, the law states that the guns must be given back. Its nothing but a feel-good measure Its not fool-proof, said Miramar Police Chief Delrish Moss, a former police chief in Missouri, which has no red flag laws. While its a good step, theres still the potential for something to happen. Even some gun rights advocates find glaring holes in the law. Sean Caranna, founder of Florida Carry, says the risk protection orders issued by judges under the law are band-aids on a bigger problem. His group, which advocates for Second Amendment rights, has lobbied Tallahassee for increased funding for mental health. Its nothing but a feel-good measure. Someone that dangerous should not be allowed back in society. I wouldnt let this person near pool chemicals or a car, let alone have a gun, said Caranna. Until we start locking up bad people and getting treatment and true community control for people who are insane, things wont change. State Sen. Jason Pizzo, a Democrat whose district covers coastal MIami-Dade and Broward, said the latest shooting underlines that more than a criminal background check should be called to assure the safe return of firearms. When were dealing with mental health, a simple criminal background check is not enough to ensure that the return of a persons firearms is safe, either for that persons own self or the public, he said. We need to make sure the courts are looking at mental health and substance abuse, and that they are doing so before a risk protection order expires. State records show Chludinskys problems were lengthy. He had been arrested a number of times since 2006. Most of the charges were for illegal drugs and traffic violations. Hes also had six domestic violence complaints filed against him, ranging from sexual assault to battery. His ex-wife told the Miami Herald that he long struggled with drug and mental health problems. It remained unclear Friday whether weapons Margate police returned to Chludinsky were used in the hotel shootout or if he had acquired new ones since. A Fort Lauderdale police officer was shot near the Holiday Inn Express Fort Lauderdale Cruise Airport on Southeast 17th Street on Thursday morning, March 21, 2024. Bullet holes can be seen in the window above the pool deck at the hotel. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Parkland shooting led to law The risk protection order provision was just one piece of a much larger gun reform package signed into Florida law just three weeks after the Feb. 14, 2018 Parkland high school massacre. The bill also included about $400 million for school security and mental health resources. The age for owning a rifle or shotgun gun was raised to 21 and a three-day waiting period to purchase rifles was put in place. This year, a proposal passed by the Florida House to drop the age back to 18, failed. The law has been used thousands of times since it was implemented and a number of studies have shown it has cut down suicide rates and domestic murders. Still, it has holes. That was abundantly clear in the case of suspected Miami serial killer Willie Maceo, who had his weapons seized by law enforcement a year before he became the suspect in a string of murders. Miami Police records show that more than a year before he caught the agencys attention, his parents called 911 and said their bipolar son was acting strangely inside their Kendall home. They told police he had refused to take medication and rambled on about conspiracies while repeatedly racking the slide of his Glock 9mm pistol. After a psychiatric evaluation, a judge gave police permission to seize Maceos Glock. Eighteen months after Maceo retrieved the Glock, Miami Police say it was used to shoot two homeless men in Wynwood, one of whom died. Current court records show Maceo, who had no previous criminal history, is awaiting trial for only one of the murders. The alleged murders and Maceos arrest made national headlines. But it also clearly illustrated the difficulties police have in trying to pre-empt grievous crimes, even with red flag laws in place. Fred Guttenberg, whos been outspoken about the dangers of gun violence since his 14-year-old daughter Jaime Guttenberg was killed in the Parkland shooting, said even though Florida has some of the better gun laws in the country, more work can be done. On Saturday, coincidentally, Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to visit the long shuttered school building, which has finally been scheduled for demolition. Her office says gun safety will be one of her topics. Doing everything we can to get weapons back to the people as soon as possible is a mistake, Guttenberg said. We cant ignore the reality that weve armed so many people to the point that we have to get weapons away from dangerous people. Donald Trump, in his third run for the White House, has made "retribution" central to his agenda if elected. "For hard-working Americans, Nov. 5 will be our new Liberation Day," Trump said as he headlined this year's Conservative Political Action Conference. "But for the liars, and cheaters, and fraudsters, and censors and imposters who have commandeered our government, it will be their Judgment Day." Potential targets include former Rep. Liz Cheney and other individuals critical of his efforts to overturn his 2020 defeat. He recently said Cheney and fellow members of the House committee that investigated him "should go to jail" despite the fact they've not been accused of any crimes. Last year, as he complained of "weaponization" of the Justice Department after being indicted, Trump said he would appoint a special prosecutor to go after President Joe Biden and his family. MORE: Trump claims Liz Cheney and Jan. 6 committee should be jailed "Donald Trump's campaign strategy has been to say that everything is chaotic, that the world is a dangerous place and the nation is falling apart, that Joe Biden is an incompetent leader and the only way to save the nation is to vote for Trump," said Jennifer Mercieca, a historian of political rhetoric at Texas A&M University. "That's not unusual for him. He has been saying that since 2016. But the strategy has been darker this time around." "He really wants to avenge his loss in 2020," she added, "and he is very good at using language as a weapon." PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump arrives at a campaign rally, Mar. 9, 2024, in Rome Ga. (Mike Stewart/AP) But how far could Trump go, if elected, in carrying out such a vision? Or how much is it just designed to rile up his supporters, many of whom appear eager to embrace his message. "The answer is, it depends," said Bruce Green, a Fordham Law ethics expert who examined this exact issue back in 2018. At the very least, a retribution campaign as Trump has described would require a significant reshaping of the modern-day Justice Department, which has a tradition of independence dating back to the post-Watergate era. Internal policies enacted at the department after the Richard Nixon Watergate scandal sought to separate politics from law enforcement, and presidents of both parties have since abided by that construct -- until Trump, according to Green. But those policies aren't codified by law, Green noted, and if Trump were to appoint an attorney general who embraced his theory of sweeping presidential power and discretion, investigations could be launched into perceived enemies. PHOTO: Supporters of former President Donald Trump stand outside of the Alto Lee Adams Sr. U.S. Courthouse as they await his arrival on Mar. 1, 2024, in Fort Pierce, Fla. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Even then, there are still backstops in place to deter Trump's more pointed threats. DOJ officials and prosecutors who are not politically appointed could threaten revolt, as has happened in the past. Evidence of wrongdoing would still need to be presented, and courts could reject politically-motivated cases that lack sufficient proof of a crime. "So, you'd have whatever the traditional limitations are created by our judicial process, including the Constitution and statutes, but you wouldn't have the gatekeeping function that we've counted on the Justice Department to exercise," Green said. MORE: Trump's 'retribution' campaign theme has apparent roots in old Confederate code, new book says It's also worth noting Trump tried to target his political foes during his last administration and faced resistance. He fumed at Jeff Sessions, his first attorney general, when Sessions recused himself from the DOJ's investigation into Russian meddling into the 2016 election. In various social media posts, he named people Sessions should go after, including then-FBI Director James Comey, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. After firing Sessions, Trump found what many believed to be a friendlier ally in Bill Barr. Barr framed special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia report in what many said were more favorable terms for Trump than the findings warranted. He also drew scrutiny for intervening in the government's case against Trump's first national security adviser Michael Flynn and for suggesting a lighter sentence for longtime Trump ally Roger Stone. The actions led many Democrats and former DOJ officials to decry the politicization of the department under Barr's leadership. PHOTO: President Donald Trump and Attorney General William Barr step off Air Force One upon arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, Sept. 1, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) But when Trump urged Barr and the Department of Justice to push a narrative of election fraud after his loss to Biden in November 2020, the attorney general and others declined to fall in line. Then-Vice President Mike Pence, a loyalist to Trump, also resisted his demands to unilaterally reject the election results during the certification on Jan. 6, 2021. Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow of governance studies at the Brookings Institution, said she believed Trump would be stopped again if he tried to use his office to go after enemies or other acts of retribution. "The Founding Fathers anticipated a Donald Trump," Kamarck said. "They built a system of checks and balances, and it's working so far. If Donald Trump won, what would it take to dismantle that checks and balances? It would take a clean sweep of the Congress -- 60 senators in the Senate and an overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives -- and the courts to start the dismantling. And I don't see that happening at this time and I don't see it happening within the four years that he has to do it." "In other words," Kamarck said, "we're not a banana republic yet even if he'd like to make us one." Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung, in response to expert comments that retribution would require never-before-seen politicization of the DOJ, told ABC News, "As President Trump has repeatedly said, the best retribution is the overall success of the American people." Trump's dark 'retribution' pledge at center of 2024 bid, but can he make it reality? originally appeared on abcnews.go.com The facility is based near Rafah, where 1.5 million Palestinians are crammed in, having fled other parts of Gaza The first UK-funded field hospital in the Gaza Strip is being set up and will soon be able to provide services from basic healthcare to surgical procedures. The tented hospital was dispatched from Manchester, and arrived a few days ago in Gaza. Once fully built, it will be able to handle at least 250 patients a day, according to UK-Med, a medical NGO. Our field hospital has arrived in #Gaza. Already, our team of medics in Gaza are seeing nearly 200 patients per day at their self-built hospital. The field hospital will add to this, enabling us to treat at least 250 people per day with additional surgical capacity. pic.twitter.com/apmY8HETiD UK-Med (@UKMed) March 19, 2024 International doctors and nurses, including many from the UK, will help at the hospital. This new field hospital will replace a temporary facility previously set up by UK-Med, which has already been handling about 100 patients a day. That was built with local timber from destroyed buildings while trucks were held up at the border. Using timber from destroyed buildings, our medics in #Gaza have constructed a makeshift hospital built in only 10 days - to treat the ill and injured, while waiting for the UK-Med field hospital to arrive. The team are seeing more than 100 patients per day at this facility. pic.twitter.com/PJvfyhA8Km UK-Med (@UKMed) March 15, 2024 The scale of the need is simply staggering, UK-Meds chief executive David Wightwick told the BBC. There are very few services of any kind and the health services have been eroded to the extent that if you are sick, if you are ill, if you are wounded, you are in a very difficult situation. UK-Med has also already been operating five mobile health clinics on routes going north of Rafah, dubbed GPs on wheels, offering primary care. So far, these mobile clinics have already seen more than 1,200 patients, though many more require care in the besieged Gaza Strip, bombarded as the Israel-Hamas war rages into a sixth month. UK-Med has also dispatched a surgical team to help at Al-Aqsa Hospital, the only remaining functioning hospital in Gaza. Together, more than 530 surgical procedures have been performed so far, with about a quarter of them on injured children under the age of 18. Mr Wightwick said that there are also cases of acute malnutrition in very young children. Basic necessities such as food and water have been hard to come by given constant clashes between Israel and Hamas throughout the Strip. Aid convoys, too, have been attacked by the Israeli military. Some air drops of supplies have occurred, but relief organisations have said this is an imperfect solution, as its hard to control exactly where packages fall where they land may not always be in close proximity to those most in need. Jordanian air force personnel air-drop urgent medical aid to a field hospital in Gaza - REUTERS Humanitarian organisations have been warning of the catastrophic conditions in the Gaza Strip, particularly in Rafah, the most southern point, where about 1.5 million Palestinians have been displaced. Rafah is the last remaining refuge as Israel-Hamas battles have pushed Palestinians from other parts of the Strip further south to the border with Egypt. Egypt, however, has not allowed refugees to cross en masse, with Cairo instead emphasising the need for Palestinians to remain on their land in Gaza. Israel has in recent weeks continually vowed to bombard Rafah, claiming it the last Hamas stronghold that needs to be extinguished. But many nations have urged Israel to reconsider its plans, given how many people fled to Rafah given the ravages of war. If the Israeli military moves ahead with its Rafah offensive, the UK-Meds field hospital will likely be key in providing emergency healthcare. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The British Ministry of Defense Intelligence Services announced on March 23, 2023, a new strategy by Ukraine aimed at weakening Russian oil production. In a series of bold and strategically significant aerial attacks, Ukraine has reportedly used Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to strike 12 Russian oil refineries, causing considerable disruptions to Russia's fuel supply and underlining the extended operational reach of the Ukrainian military. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link Several Russian Telegram channels report that explosions rocked a local oil refinery in Novokuibyshevsk, Samara region, during the night of March 23, 2024. (Picture source Telegram) The attacks carried out between March 15 and 17, 2024, targeted several large refineries, including three in the Samara oblast in southern Russia. The Ukrainian intelligence official's statement highlights the precision and ambition behind the UAV strikes, which reached facilities approximately 900 km away from Ukraine. This capability to strike deep into Russian territory emphasizes the strategic use of drones by Ukraine to impose financial and logistical pressures on Russia. The impact of these strikes on Russia's energy sector is significant, with disruptions affecting at least 10 percent of the country's refinery capacity. The immediate effects on the domestic fuel market could escalate, as major repairs might be required for the damaged facilities. These operations are complicated by international sanctions, which could further delay and increase the cost of sourcing necessary replacement equipment. In response to these UAV attacks, a Russian Energy Ministry official disclosed plans to deploy Pantsir-S1 air defense systems to protect the oil refineries. However, the extensive nature of Russia's energy infrastructure presents a considerable challenge in securing all vulnerable facilities against such aerial threats. Analysts suggest that these attacks are not merely aimed at causing economic damage but also serve a tactical purpose. By targeting the fuel supply chain, Ukraine seeks to impede the logistical capabilities of Russian forces deployed in Ukraine, potentially slowing down the movement of troops and the launch of new offensives. The impact of a fuel shortage on Russian military operations in Ukraine could be profound, with far-reaching implications for logistics, operational tempo, and strategic flexibility. Fuel is the lifeblood of modern military operations, powering everything from tanks and armored vehicles to aircraft and support vehicles. A disruption in fuel supply due to Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries would present significant logistical challenges. The immediate effect would be on the ability to sustain operations at current levels. Without a steady supply of fuel, the operational reach of Russian forces could be severely limited, reducing their ability to maneuver, conduct offensive operations, and resupply forward positions. Moreover, the operational tempo, or the speed at which military operations can be conducted, would likely slow down. This slowdown could lead to missed opportunities on the battlefield and give Ukrainian forces more time to prepare and counteract Russian moves. In a broader strategic context, a fuel shortage could force Russia to rethink its military strategy in Ukraine. It might lead to a greater reliance on non-mechanized units or a shift in focus to defending currently held positions rather than expanding control. Additionally, the need to secure alternative fuel supplies could divert resources from frontline operations, further complicating Russian military efforts. In the longer term, the inability to adequately fuel military operations could erode the combat effectiveness of Russian forces in Ukraine. This could lead to a stalemate or gradual loss of territories if Ukrainian forces capitalize on Russian logistical vulnerabilities. Overall, the strategic implications of a fuel shortage for the Russian military in Ukraine would not only hinder immediate operational capabilities but could also lead to a significant reevaluation of Russia's military objectives and strategies in the conflict. News Russia Ukraine War The new German edition of The Marriage, from Wolke Verlag with an ingenious cover When I embarked on my novel The Marriage: The Mahlers in New York, I felt I possessed a pretty good understanding of Gustav, and none at all of Alma. Nor are the various biographical treatments of Alma adequate she escapes portraiture, and the basis of her legendary allure remains inscrutable. My only way forward was to endeavor to experience Mahlers glamorous spouse, and her bewilderingly new surroundings, as best I could. As I have earlier testified in this space, I learned the most when juxtaposing her with women of high professional achievement in particular, with the Wagnerian soprano Olive Fremstad (the Callas of her time) and the young Natalie Curtis, who documented the music of Native America. In these encounters, as I re-imagined them, Alma clarified her insecurities. And of course in narrating the volatility and vulnerability of her husband (my book is not hagiography), I incidentally rendered Almas vicissitudes more understandable. But it has come as a complete surprise that all reviews of The Marriage discover something like a breakthrough account of Gustav Mahlers wife. The latest, by Kenneth Woods (a gifted Mahler conductor and scholar) in The American Purpose, reads in part: In a novel of so much value, the central triumph is not Horowitzs ability to humanize Mahler, but to have provided readersfor the first time in my experiencewith a nuanced, believable, balanced, and compelling portrait of Alma Mahler. Like her husband, Almas was a complex and contradictory personality, and this has made it easy for writers to appropriate her for their own ends. To some, Alma remains the villain in Mahlers life storythe woman who broke his heart and his health, and whose writings were so full of misleading and dishonest details about the man that she damaged his posthumous reputation far more than any critic. Her antisemitism and alcoholism have not made her a particularly sympathetic figure, either. To others, she was the innocent victim of Mahlers misogyny, a woman denied the opportunity to exist on her own terms and forced instead to be wife and mother to the great man, to serve the cause of his genius. Neither of these extremes is credible. Horowitzs Alma is the first incarnation of her this author has encountered that actually seems like a real person. And, fittingly for a book entitled The Marriage, the novel is as much, if not more, hers as her husbands. There are so many questions about Alma and her marriage to Mahler, and most of them begin with Why? This was the first book in which I felt like I was getting believable answers. Lower down, Woods writes of my portrayal of Mahlers crucial New York predecessor, the conductor Anton Seidl, that his shadow looms over the tragic events Horowitz captures so poignantly. As such, he emerges as perhaps the figure one most looks forwards to learning more about. A protege of Richard Wagner, in effect Wagners surrogate son, Seidl is in fact the central character of my next book another historical fiction thats a prequel to The Marriage: The Disciple: A Tale of New York in the Gilded Age. You can read the rest of Kenneth Woods review here. Related news: a handsome German edition of The Marriage has just been published by Wolke Verlag (the ingenious cover sits atop this blog). A Korean version is forthcoming. I will offer a talk on Mahler and Schubert (Taverns in Paradise) at the Colorado Mahlerfest this May 18. And Mahlerei my bass trombone concertino adapting the Scherzo of Mahlers Fourth Symphony for David Taylor will receive a Mahlerfest performance three days ahead of that. This came a day after the CBI booked Moitra on the orders of the Lokpal Security personnel and other officials during a CBI raid at TMC MP Mahua Moitra's election office at Krishnanagar, in Nadia district, Saturday, March 23, 2024. (PTI Photo) Kolkata: The CBI on Satruday raided two addresses of Trinamul Congress expelled MP Mahua Moitra, to probe the cash for query' scandal. Moitra is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Krishnanagar in Nadia district for the second time. This came a day after the CBI booked Moitra on the orders of the Lokpal. It also has plans to summon her for questioning later. One of the raided addresses belongs to her parents, Dipendralal and Manju Moitra, in Alipore of south Kolkata. The aged couple was not present when a CBI team visited there at around 7 am. Moitras mother came after getting calls from the caretaker. She opened the flat which the CBI team searched for over six hours before leaving at around 1.30 pm, empty-handed. Another CBI team searched Moitra's party office at Siddheswaritala in Krishnanagar in the afternoon. They were accompanied by Central forces jawans. This address was used by Moitra for her LS poll campaign in 2019. CBI raids Mahua Moitra's addresses in 'cash for query' case. Defending Moitra, state industry minister Shashi Panja claimed, Ms Moitra had stumped BJP and the Central government. Now she is being harrassed amid her poll campaign as a candidate. She will definitely look into it. OBC leader and former legislator Prakash Shendge, who has floated an outfit, met the VBA chief with a proposal to form an alliance Mumbai: Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Saturday gave an ultimatum to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to resolve their seat sharing issues by March 26 or else he will announce his outfit's future plan. He also announced support to Shahu Maharaj Chhatrapati, head of Kolhapur royal family, in Kolhapur Lok Sabha seat. The announcement comes two days after the Congress party gave him the election ticket. Mr. Ambedkar said that he was not responsible for the stalemate in the MVA and questions regarding seat sharing should be asked to Congress, Shiv Sena UBT and NCP (SP). I do not know anything about what discussions are being held by them, he said. OBC leader and former legislator Prakash Shendge, who has floated an outfit, on Saturday met the VBA chief with a proposal to form an alliance. Referring to this meeting, Mr. Ambedkar said that a list of seats have been shared with him by Mr. Shendge. He said he cannot say much about Mr. Shendges proposal as his talks with the MVA have not been concluded yet. However, the meeting between the two leaders went on for one and half hours. Mr. Ambedkar said he would continue to have dialogue with Mr. Shendge. It has been decided to have a meeting with him (Mr. Shendge) in coming days, the VBA chief said. According to the VAB chief, there are disputes among the MVA over 15 Lok Sabha seats and it has delayed their seat distribution. If the dispute among the MVA constituents will not be resolved, we will announce our future action plan on March 26, he said. Announcing support to Shahu Maharaj, Mr Ambedkar also said, The VBA will give its full support to Shahu Maharaj Chhatrapati for Kolhapur Lok Sabha constituency. We have immense respect for the descendants of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur. We will make every effort to ensure his victory he said. Senior Congress leader Satej Patil has welcomed the VBA chiefs decision. Thank you, Prakash Ambedkar for supporting Shahu Maharaj. The idea of equality and your support to preserve the constitution will definitely give us strength. Also, we expect that you (Ambedkar) will participate in the MVA in the state, Mr. Patil said on X in Marathi. Speculation is rife that Ms Kejriwal is likely to be unleashed by AAP to spearhead the partys campaign during the ensuing Lok Sabha polls NEW DELHI: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday moved the Delhi high court, challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate and a trial court's six-day remand order in the money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. While Mr Kejriwals legal team sought an urgent hearing, which was declined by the high court, his wife Sunita Kejriwal read out his message sent from the ED custody in which the AAP chief said he cannot be kept behind bars for long. In a related development, India summoned the German deputy chief of mission here and lodged a strong protest against the country's foreign ministry's "fair and impartial trial" remarks on the arrest of Mr Kejriwal. In his high court plea that seeks an urgent hearing, Mr Kejriwal, who was arrested by the ED late on Thursday evening, contended that his arrest and remand are illegal and he is entitled to be released from custody immediately. Earlier in the day, Mr Kejriwal's legal team requested the high court for an urgent hearing on his plea. The high court, however, turned down the request for an urgent hearing. The court said that the matter will be listed for reopening on Wednesday, the first working day after the two holidays, on account of the Holi festival. Meanwhile, Mr Kejriwal's wife, in a video statement, read out his message sent from ED custody. Ms Kejriwal, a former IRS officer who has so far maintained a distance from active politics, quoted her husband, "Every drop of my blood is dedicated to the country... No jail can keep your brother, your son inside for long. I will soon come out and fulfil my promise. Mr Kejriwal's wife met him, along with his personal assistant Bibhav Kumar at the ED office later in the day. Apart from his lawyers, the court has allowed Ms Kejriwal and Mr Kumar to meet the Delhi chief minister every day for half-an-hour between 6-7 pm. Speculation is rife that Ms Kejriwal is likely to be unleashed by the AAP to spearhead the partys campaign during the ensuing Lok Sabha polls to garner sympathy. Dubbed as the possible replacement of the Delhi chief minister, Ms Kejriwal, according to AAP sources, could lead the party in the absence of her husband. Amid a growing BJP clamour for his resignation, the AAP chief said that the "BJP people" need not be hated for his arrest. Mr Kejriwal said that he was born to wage struggles and is destined for bigger challenges in the future as well, so he was not surprised by his arrest. He asserted that India has to be shaped into the strongest and greatest country in the world. While Mr Kejriwal's arrest triggered political protests at the national level, Germany waded into the controversy by calling for a "free and fair trial". We assume and expect that the standards relating to the independence of judiciary and basic democratic principles will also be applied in this case, the German foreign ministry official said. Responding to it, the ministry of external affairs told the German envoy that his foreign ministry's remarks were an interference in India's judicial process and any "biased assumptions" were "most unwarranted". "The German deputy chief of mission in New Delhi was summoned today and conveyed India's strong protest on their foreign office spokesperson's comments on our internal affairs. We see such remarks as interfering in our judicial process and undermining the independence of our judiciary. India is a vibrant and robust democracy with the rule of law. As in all legal cases in the country, and elsewhere in the democratic world, law will take its own course... Biased assumptions made on this account are most unwarranted," foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. It is pertinent to mention that the AAP-led Delhi government and the German government have collaborated on exploring several avenues, including infrastructure development, waste management and energy sectors. Further, they have signed an agreement over teaching German in the city government-run schools. Beside this, 308 weapons have been seized as they were found without licences Mumbai: After the model code of conduct (MCC) came into force on March 1, the state authorities have so far seized 699 kg drugs worth crores of rupees and Rs 23.70 crore in cash from various parts of the state. Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S. Chockalingam on Saturday said that the State machinery has also seized 17 lakh litre liquor. Beside this, 308 weapons have been seized as they were found without licences. Preventive actions have been taken against 13,141 persons, he said. Speaking with the reporters on Saturday, Mr. Chockalingam said that a total licenced arms in the state are 77,148. During the review, 308 weapons have been seized. The weapons that have been verified, will be asked to be surrendered or allowed to remain with the license holders after reviewing the security threats to them so far. The authorities are still doing reviews with the remaining licenced arms, he said. The Maharashtra CEO also said that since the MCC came into force, preventive actions have been taken against 13,141 persons under sections 107 and 110 of CRPC and various sections of MPDA (Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities) Act. He also said that of Rs 23.70 crore cash that has been seized, Rs 3.60 crore, which is the highest in the state, was seized from Mumbai suburb. The authorities have seized 17 lakh liters of liquor, worth Rs 14.84 crore and 43.97 Kg precious metal worth Rs 18.60 crore. Speaking about the the first phase of election, Mr.Chockalingam said five general observers, six expenditure observers and three police observers have been appointed for Ramtek, Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondia, Gadchiroli-Chimur and Chandrapur Lok Sabha constituencies which will go to poll in the first phase on April 19. The State branch of ECI has also appealed to the private industries to give a paid leave to citizens on the day of polling. We are roping the labor department to hold a dialogue with the association of industrial units to give a paid leave to their employees on the day of polling so that the employees can exercise their franchise, he said. Officials said that the labour department has issued a notification in this regard. by Nirmala Carvalho On the strength of their triumph in Ayodhya, nationalists linked to the BJP took the case of the Kamal Maula, an Islamic place of worship that allegedly stood where there was a temple of the goddess Sarasvati in the 11th century, to the local High Court. Local Muslims: we will continue to pray here five times a day. Bhopal (AsiaNews) - Escorted by the police on Friday 22 March, a team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) began inspecting the historic Bhojshala/Kamal Maula complex in the city of Dhar, a new case of a mosque in India which Hindu nationalists believe it was built on a pre-existing Hindu temple. The case mirrors that of Ayodhya, the disputed site in Uttar Pradesh where just a few weeks ago Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the monumental Ram Mandir, a Hindu temple built after a mosque was razed to the ground by nationalists who claimed it because it was there according to tradition the god Ram would be born. In the case of the Dhar mosque, Hindus claim that it was originally a temple of goddess Sarasvati built by King Parawara Bhoja in the 11th century AD. The mosque was built using the structures of the temple and according to nationalists, some slabs with inscriptions from Sanskrit literary works, the sacred language of the Hindus, are still visible in the Muslim building. Known as a great patron of art and literature, Bhoja founded a school, known as Bhojashala. Strengthened by the outcome of the Ayodhya affair, the local Hindu nationalist groups - in government with the BJP in Madhya Pradesh - raised the issue to the local High Court, which ordered the inspection of the national archaeological body. The ASI team conducted a thorough inspection inside the sacred complex, accompanied by Ashish Goyal and Gopal Sharma, two members of the local Hindu community. The archaeologists refrained from making any comments and left around midday, before Friday prayers. Both Goyal and Sharma instead stressed that the signs and evidence found inside the Bhojshala "are indicative of its status as a Hindu temple". Meanwhile Qazi Waqar Sadiq, representative of the Muslim community of the Kamal Maula mosque, has raised serious accusations against the body carrying out the investigation. He claimed that neither a person from his community nor a member of the Kamal Maula Committee was summoned by the ASI for consultation. Stating the importance of the mosque, Sadiq said they will continue to pray there five times a day. He also expressed his willingness to take the issue to the Madhya Pradesh High Court and the New Delhi Supreme Court, asking for legal recognition of the Muslim place of worship. Today's news: Israel decrees 800 hectares of "state land" in the Jordan Valley, a premise for new settlements; Chinese coast guard damages Philippine vessel with water cannons in disputed sea area; In one area of India, half of the farm workers have undergone hysterectomies; New clash between Seoul and Tokyo on Japanese history books; In Tajikistan a law decrees that students must walk to school. RUSSIA The number of people killed in last night's terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, a packed concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow, has risen to at least 93, Russia says. Over 100 people were injured. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State which claims that the commando managed to escape. The Russian government has so far not commented on the claim, but the security services announced this morning that they had arrested four people who were allegedly involved in the action. ISRAEL Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich - a member of the settler movement - has adopted a measure declaring 800 hectares of land in the West Bank as "state land", the step always used by Israeli governments to acquire new land for settlements. The area - which is located near the settlement of Yafit, in the Jordan Valley - is the largest ever affected by a similar provision since the years of the Oslo Accords, when the then Israeli Prime Minister Rabin decreed a crackdown on this practice . CHINA-PHILIPPINES The Chinese Coast Guard this morning used water cannons against a Philippine supply vessel that was en route to the BRP Sierra Madre, a makeshift Philippine military outpost in Ayungin Shoal. According to reports from the Philippine army, the Unaizah May 4 - a wooden boat - suffered serious injuries. The Sierra Madre is a World War II ship that purposely ran aground in 1999 in the Ayungin Shoal, an area of the South China Sea that lies within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ), not recognized by Beijing. CHINA-UN The Chinese delegation yesterday interrupted the attempt by several non-governmental groups to pay homage to a Tibetan activist at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. The groups wanted to honor Cao Shunli, who died 10 years ago after being detained for staging sit-ins outside China's Foreign Ministry. NGOs called her death a deadly retaliation, claiming that the denial of medical care led to her death. China denies this, saying the woman had been ill for some time and that she died despite treatment. INDIA Years of failed monsoons, extreme heat and drought have pushed residents of Beed - a district of Maharashtra - to abandon their fields to become day laborers on sugarcane plantations. According to research by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), more than half of migrant women in Beed have undergone surgery to remove their uterus, compared to less than a fifth among families who remained in the district. Contractors cut a day or two of wages and women feel they have no choice but to have their uterus removed to prevent menstruation or pregnancy from preventing them from working, said Ritu Bharadwaj, author of the report . SOUTH KOREA-JAPAN South Korea has summoned Tokyo's ambassador over Japan's approval of school textbooks that dilute the war's atrocities and strengthen its territorial claims to the Dokdo islets. Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has approved 18 school textbooks in the social studies category, which includes geography, civics and history, for use in middle schools starting in 2025. TAJIKISTAN The parliament of Tajikistan has approved a new law "On education", which among other things prohibits students from going to school by motorcycle, car or any "mechanical means of transport", including electric scooters, it is not clear whether for ecological, safety reasons or more likely to equalize the social status of children. The vast majority are in Russia and the People's Republic of China, despite being banned by the resolution against the North Korean nuclear programme. Part of their salary is retained by the agencies that expatriated them and goes to finance the North Korean government, which would like to increase this contingent to 400,000. New York (AsiaNews/Agencies) Around 100,000 North Koreans worked abroad in 2023, earning around 500 million dollars for Pyongyang's coffers, thus allowing them to circumvent sanctions. This is supported by a report from the United Nations Security Council group of experts relating to the period between July 2023 and January 2024. The workers would have been sent to work in the construction, tourist hospitality, medicine and IT in around 40 countries, but the vast majority would be found in Russia and the People's Republic of China. These workers are initially sent on student or tourist visas; some use false nationalities and identity cards, the report reads. But workers can only keep a portion of their earnings. The rest is taken by their employment agency and in many cases used to purchase goods for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The report also said Pyongyang would have ready contracts to send around 400,000 workers abroad once the border with China opens further after being closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2397, aimed at depriving Pyongyang of money and resources that could be channeled into its nuclear and missile programs, all North Korean workers were supposed to return home by the end of 2019 and have not since new work visas would be issued to North Korean citizens. Many of the workers who were overseas before the deadline would have been stranded in China or Russia once North Korea closed its borders in January 2020 due to the pandemic. Baek Kwang-soon, the South Korean evangelical missionary whose arrest in Vladivostok on charges of "espionage" was made known a few days ago by the Russian authorities, dedicated himself to assisting these workers. In that region the Rev. had said on that occasion. Lee Seon-gu of the Love Rice Sharing Foundation, the organization for which the arrested man works - "there are Russian, Thai and North Korean workers who are poor, needy people, and we provide them with clothes, food and the Gospel". Photo: SH Proshots In the meantime, the testing and fine-tuning phase continues, with the Korean brand testing it in different environments worldwide. The model is expected to copy the looks of the smaller Santa Fe, up to a point, and for now, the exterior remains under wraps, with the fake cladding and thick camouflage preventing us from seeing its design traits.Compared to the outgoing Hyundai Palisade, the new one has a boxier appearance, and it seems that it has a longer wheelbase, which translates to a more spacious interior. The new infotainment system and digital gauge cluster sit behind a single glass pane. Spy shots have also revealed the new steering wheel and other aspects, yet the cockpit was under wraps just like the exterior.It's been reported that the company's flagship crossover uses a different platform. However, we don't know anything about it for now. Rumor has it that the powertrain family will comprise a different V6, perhaps one with a 3.5-liter displacement. This turbocharged lump might join a partially electrified 2.5L unit. Front-wheel drive will likely be standard, whereas all-wheel drive should be an option.Now, while Hyundai keeps testing and fine-tuning the all-new Palisade , the model has unofficially lost its camouflage a few times so far. The latest encounter with the naked model came from vburlapp on Instagram. The digital illustration was shared on social media a few days ago, and from what we can tell, it tries to stay true to the real thing, albeit with a heavy dose of uncertainty, as no one who is not directly involved in its development knows what it looks like.In this instance, the 2026 Hyundai Palisade has a straight roofline ending with a discreet spoiler above the angular tailgate. It also features new taillights, and we can see the muscular profile defined by the fat wheel arches. The model has beefy side skirts and hidden door handles, and from what we can see, it is an interesting proposal, so we can only hope that the real one looks at least similar to this rendering.We should find out if that's indeed the case or not in less than a year. By then, the outgoing one should be in the 2025 model year, with a few insignificant updates and perhaps a special edition sending it off. Its cousin from Kia, the Telluride, should join it around the same time, as there is no reason to believe this model won't get a replacement. So, are you excited about the new Hyundai Palisade Whether we like it or not, the world around us constantly changes. With time, we must say goodbye to loved ones, pets, and even inanimate objects close to our hearts. My grandfather's car is rotting away in a garage, and I can't afford to rebuild two vehicles simultaneously. 1970 Plymouth Superbird Photo: eBay/User sscamarol99 Dodge Viper GTS Photo: eBay/User California Collectibles LLC '50s Chevy Truck Photo: eBay/User distransdog COE Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Photo: eBay/User distransdog '57 Buick Photo: eBay/User htnttf1 One of the things life will teach you is that you have to let go. Some are stubborn enough to resist, but let's not forget that you cannot reverse entropy. (at least as far as we know). The more you learn about Hot Wheels cars, the more you'll realize how vast Mattel's tiny Universe is. Each year, the manufacturer develops new castings, series, and designs for existing models.With such an influx of collectibles, some existing projects will halt. There are several reasons for that: outdated casting, licensing issues, poor sales, or the appearance of a more exciting successor. Today, I will look at five long-gone cars that deserve to return with new variations.This nostalgic list of castings was almost an all-American affair. The 1970 Plymouth Superbird is one of the two oldest models in today's story, debuting in 1998. Larry Wood designed it, and the First Edition was part of the Petty Racing Family 3-Car Set. It was phenomenal in light blue, with an uncomplicated livery, an opening hood, and Goodyear Real Riders wheels.I'm shocked you can buy the 3-Car set for anywhere between $24 and $45, given that you also have the 1957 Oldsmobile Stock Car and the Pontiac Grand Prix Stocker inside. The 1970 Plymouth Superbird was a Premium-exclusive design, with eight variations from El Segundo between 1998 and 2008. I am perfectly aware of Phil Riehlman's Plymouth Superbird, which is still around today but doesn't have an opening hood.As for the Premium model, it's one of the few castings I've ever seen that feels perfect with every new iteration. I'd love a green or a yellow one, but it feels tempting to go after the entire collection. Some will cost $60 apiece, but that's not as daunting as something like the Super Treasure Hunt line-up.Although the Dodge Viper GTS debuted around the same time as the Plymouth Superbird , it was only available briefly. Still, Mattel developed 12 variations before the casting's demise in 2004seven of those used Pro Circuit 6-Spoke wheels with plastic tires.The company would drop that design by 2002. Just like with the Superbird, the Viper GTS featured an opening hood, which provided a glimpse of the V10 engine underneath. If you're keen to have a rare iteration, look for the 1998 Viper Club of America release: there are only 10,000 units worldwide.Somehow, prices range between $30 to $70, which sounds like a bargain. There are at least eight other Viper castings to consider if you're a hardcore enthusiast, and I might just dive deeper into the topic with a future story.The '50s Chevy Truck has been off the shelves for over a decade. The Crewcabmodel had 18 variations between 2006 and 2012, some particularly special. Ultra Hots saw five iterations in 2006 alone, but the two yellow ones were nearly identical. It's also worth pointing out that one of the latter releases was a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive, with just 3,000 units coming out of the factory in Malaysia.I spotted two listings on eBay for this collectible, each with an asking price of over $100. The 21st Annual Hot Wheels Collectors Convention edition in white and gray was just as rare, but it's slightly more affordable. Collectors fought over 11,000 HWC.com Series 6 '50s Chevy Truck units, which was pretty impressive in Spectraflame Brown.Still, I've seen this going for as cheap as $47, a fraction of what you'll have to pay for the 2012 Final Edition Fruit Brute design. With only 1,800 units, it's no wonder some people ask as much as $350. I've never met anyone with this casting in his collection.I've encountered the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia before but haven't found the time to dive deeper into the topic. It's the only casting on the list that doesn't have Larry Wood's name on it, as Phil Riehlman was in charge of its design. Running between 2006 and 2016 was enough for Mattel to develop 16 variations, only some of which featured Real Riders wheels.There are 10,000 units of the 2007 RLC sELECTIONs model in Spectraflame Orange, but prices are not as prohibitive as you may think. You can buy one for $35 if you don't mind purchasing loose Hot Wheels. The 8th Annual Hot Wheels Collectors Nationals Karmann Ghia finds itself in the same price range despite being much rarer at 3,000 units.But I'd much rather purchase these two than the 2013 HWC Special Edition iteration in Spectraflame Green. New Redline wheels may be all the hype for some collectors, but they will never look as good as the Real Riders collection. It's a real shame Mattel never came up with a new design after the 2016 Car Culture release, but who knows what surprises are in store for the 2024 collection.The final item on today's list is the '57 Buick. As we've seen with many other older Hot Wheels casting, it featured an opening hood. We only had seven iterations between 2007 and 2015. The 2010 RLC sELECTIONs Buick in Spectraflame Ice Blue is the rarest one you can buy, with a limited run of 3,455 units.It's no wonder prices can go up to $280. Frankly, I'd be just as happy with the 2007 First Edition Ultra Hots release in Orange, and you can add that to your collection for less than $15. If you have ever enjoyed eating Cocoa Puffs, let me tell you something. The 2010 Nostalgia: General Mills set featured a '57 Buick with that branding, and I'm certain this would make a fine treat for any adult collector today.I'll dig up more castings that deserve to make a comeback, as there are plenty of them out there. And I promise I won't start crying about the Vector W8 Twinturbo again, as I've heard some interesting rumors about it. What you're looking at is not a slice of Swiss cheese with wheels but, rather, a French startup project that's even supported by Renault. This is the story of the Evol BMX e-bike. EV Photo: Renault / Evol Photo: Renault / Evol Photo: Evol Folks, take a nice long look at the e-bike before you. Check out the way the frame is built, the sort of tires on this bugger, that saddle, and above all, the fact that Renault recently unveiled this machine at 2024's Geneva International Motor Show. It's time to dive deeper into what the hell this automotive group is up to and how an e-bike got thrown into the mix.Now, if you're up to date with this year's show, you're aware of the fact that Renault unveiled their R5 E-Tech, their "reinterpretation of the pop icon," the Renault 5. Well, alongside the E-Tech, Renault invited five brands - manufacturers of EVs from an array of industries, including urban mobility, personal watercraft, and even snowsports - to show the beautiful and 'green' network that electrification can bring about.Well, one of the crews to share Renault's stage is none other than French e-bike manufacturer Evol. Yet who is Evol, and how the heck did they wiggle those elbows to bask in Renault's audience? To answer that question, I dove deeper, and in doing so, I learned why Evol might just be the next big urban mobility thing While I don't expect you to know who this crew is - after all, they're active over in Europe - it's important to note that Evol has been active in the e-bike industry since 2021. Yet, what sets them apart from basically every other e-bike manufacturer out there is the way they build their machines: they're based upon a BMX frame and design, with a few modern touches.For starters, take a nice long look at the frame that Evol has created for their mobility machines. As you can see, it's all shaped around a mid-mounted motor, and if you know anything about this sort of e-bike style - the other is a hub-mounted motor layout - you're aware of the fact that this is what you want in terms of a setup that'll last you ages, is comfortable, has the right riding dynamics, and transfers power the best As standard, each frame is built around Bafang's M600, M560, and M510 motors. I've personally tested the M600, and all I can say is that it has plenty of power for an urban and even off-road setting. The only downside may appear when you start encountering hilly streets; being a BMX, just a single speed is in place.But what about that whole Swiss Cheese look that the Evols have going on? Well, there's actually some method to the madness you see, and part of the story is all about strengthening the frame to the point where it can handle the added weight of a motor and a battery pack. Yet, the holes are all about keeping weight down to a minimum, not to mention giving this EV its signature look and appeal.I do want to direct your attention to the section running along with what a seat post would be. It's here that each Evol bike hides a battery pack, and while we don't know just how much juice is in that battery pack, it's suitable for up to 40 km (25 mi). Furthermore, these babies can hit a top speed of 45 kph (28 mph), or at least the Renault version can.As for the rest of the magic we see, Evol allows future owners to basically customize their BMXs to their liking. It's one of the reasons why we see countless styles and colorways being depicted in the image gallery. Even Renault has its own colorway for the Geneva event, in striking bumblebee yellow, the same as the new R5 showcased.There's just one problem I have with what Evol shows us on their website. Currently, I was unable to purchase a complete bike; only a bare frame is available, and it doesn't even come with a seat. In all, we're being charged 800 ($870 at current exchange rates) for this hunk of aluminum, and once we begin to add a motor, battery, wiring, and all the other goodies needed to make this thing go.Yet, in my digging deeper into the Evol, I was able to find several sources that do have complete machines up for grabs, and on average, these puppies are selling for at least 4,200 ($4,600 at current exchange rates). Quite a whole lot if you ask me, but then again, Evol is a startup, so let's try and support the little guy.As for what Renault's part is in all this, it seems to be that they're shedding precious light on Evol and four other French startups that are bent on eco-friendly and electric mobility. The question then becomes, does Evol have what it takes to survive without hitching a ride on Renault's fanbase? Feel free to comment on that. The early '70s were full of ups and downs from a production perspective for the Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The GM brand produced 145,976 units in 1970, with the SS 454 remaining a popular choice, accounting for 3,823 units. The 1971 model year brought a steep decline for the Monte Carlo. Only 128,600 cars were produced, and the SS 454 production fell to only 1,919 units.Sales recovered next year when Chevrolet sold 180,819 units, albeit the SS 454 was no longer available. The company discontinued the model but continued to offer the 454 as an option for Monte Carlo buyers interested in a big-block engine. Only 1,268 customers ordered the 454 on their Monte Carlo.One of these rare big-block Monte Carlos is here fighting for a chance to return to the road. The car spent the last 11 years inside, with eBay seller Resurrection Classics Auto Parts explaining that the block is still around, albeit out of the vehicle.A Monte Carlo 454 is already rare, but what makes this example stand out from the crowd even more is the paint. The vehicle rolled off the assembly lines wearing a Pewter Silver finish (paint code 14), with the interior also in Pewter. I don't have any numbers to back my claims, but I believe it's the rarest color for the 1972 Monte Carlo please share your numbers in the comment box below if I'm wrong.You can tell the car needs a complete restoration, and you can see it in detail in the walkaround video below. However, you should also order a third-party inspection or go see it yourselves if you're committed to a purchase.Restoring a rare car isn't easy, and a 1972 Monte Carlo 454 could become a rare collectible with the right overhaul. You'll spend some time dealing with the metal problems, though I think the driver's quarter is the worst part. The owner says it'll need urgent repairs or a replacement "as it was repaired in the past with lots of bondo."The bidding is underway, but the owner has also enabled a reserve, and unlocking it might be quite a challenge for interested buyers. The seller didn't share specifics on the reserve's value, but it's safe to assume it's not low. The top offer has already surpassed $1,000, but the reserve is still in place.The auction will end in approximately one day, so the chances are that this Monte Carlo will fail to find a new home this time. I expect the car to return to eBay in the coming weeks, so I'll let you know when you can get your hands on the car again.The vehicle is parked in Vancouver, Washington, and you'll need a trailer to take it home should you win the auction. The first-ever Cybertruck, reportedly cleared by Tesla for resale, did not sell. It might be an indication that the Cybertruck flipping frenzy has come to an end after some sold for more than double their price. EV This 2024 Tesla Cybertruck must have been the most talked about vehicle ever listed on Cars and Bids. However, after a gazillion comments and 19 bids, the Cybertruck failed to sell.The bidding did go over the price the seller paid for it. It is the Cybertruck Foundation Series, which is a $120,000 affair. The final bidding reached $158,000 and stopped there without meeting the reserve, information that the owner did not provide.Those following the online auction and interested in purchasing the vehicle kept asking for documentation that showed that it was indeed cleared by Tesla for sale The seller did say he had it but did not show any proof of it, so this must have counted. We are talking about the model that sold for $244,500 about a couple of weeks ago when a Porsche dealership in Orlando purchased it and decided to re-flip it a few days later for over $290,000.The Cybrtrucks that followed sold for much less than that, which shows an obvious decline in interest.A Ford dealership bought another one and the Cybertruck even made it to Dubai , even though Tesla has only been delivering the model to customers in the United States since November 30. The one selling in the United Arab Emirates was way under what sellers ask for Cybertrucks across America: 520,000 Dirham, which translates to $141,577.At the online auction on Cars and Bids, the price bidding reached $150,000 with three days to go. However, in the last three days, it only went up by $8,000 as the bidding started to lose pace.It looks like the Cybertruck-mania has passed and people who want one decided to do it the right way: reserving, speccing, and waiting for the delivery of one.It is, though, strange that the seller refused to sell his vehicle for $158,000, considering that it is $38,000 over the MSRP. Furthermore, having Tesla's approval to sell it, he would not be subject to paying penalties for reselling the Cybertruck as Tesla imposes on customers who decide to list their vehicles without having its written consent.Those will have to offer Tesla $50,000 or whatever profit they make, whichever is greater, according to the purchase contract. So, did he really have the automaker's approval, or did he just turn out to make a profit from the car flipping?Themaker has already blacklisted a customer that tried to sell his Cybertruck without asking for permission. Furthermore, it also canceled the reservations that he had pending, and he will not be permitted to buy a Tesla ever again. For most people, a round trip to "space" that promises to be the most Instagrammable experience possible would be enough of a brag. For those for whom this isn't enough, there's always that same round trip with a Michelin fine dining option. Photo: Space Perspective Photo: Space Perspective Photo: Space Perspective Photo: Space Perspective These past few years, the concept of space tourism has really taken off (heh), with private companies and a handful of startups promising that it would mark a new era for humanity, putting the focus back on sustainability and progress. Democratizing space travel is more than just shooting normies into space: it's a way of making them understand how badly our planet needs collective action before it's too late.This will be possible thanks to the Overview Effect , a concept created by author Frank White in 1987 that refers to the cognitive shift experienced by astronauts when viewing our planet from space. Put in very simple terms, seeing the Earth from space creates an existential perspective shift that results in the realization of individual insignificance, which ultimately transforms into a better appreciation of our planet.One could argue that the result is similar to a near-death experience: the moment you realize you're nothing in the grander scheme of things, you get to appreciate the little wonders of life better. But in space.So what if you could enjoy a finely curated meal whilst thus engaged in existential perspective shifts? That's the premise of SpaceVIP, an offshoot of Space Perspective , which plans to put regular untrained humans in "space" with a space balloon within the next few years.Space Perspective has already started test flying for Neptune, but it's not even close to manned launches. As of the time of writing, it's perhaps the closest to reaching the finish line, so it's preparing for the moment when it beats the competition to it.Space Perspective proposes flights to an altitude of 41.419 km (25.736 miles) onboard Neptune, a capsule attached to a space balloon traveling at a speed of about 12 mph (19.3 kph). Each trip lasts six hours, two hours each for the ascent, hovering in position to take in the curvature of the Earth and the descent.Because the flight happens by space balloon and the capsule is reusable, it's definitely a less polluting means of going to space, though technically, it's not space-at that altitude. The company plans to make up for that by offering a premium experience, including a fancy lounge in the capsule, a proper restroom, panoramic windows, WiFi to stream the experience online, a bar, and fine dining.The experience will include more than just fine dining, it's been revealed. SpaceVIP will provide the eight-person crew ("training" astronauts, as the space tourists will be called, and one captain) with tailor-made outfits by Ogier and fine dining by chef Rasmus Munk, who will personally be on hand to plate, garnish, and serve the dishes.Munk is a Michelin-starred chef and founder of the Alchemist restaurant in Copenhagen, perhaps one of the most divisive restaurants opened in recent years but which still ranked fifth in the World's Best 50 Restaurants guide for 2023. He is a fan of holistic cuisine, so his dishes often blend science, art, and activism in the most unexpected form. Now, he will be doing the same in space.Some food components will be prepared beforehand for the obvious reasons of not being able to use an open flame onboard Neptune, but Munk will have a "mini-kitchen" to put together his dishes. The menu hasn't been set yet, or, at the very least, it hasn't been announced. Munk promises it will be out of this world, both literally and figuratively.It will also be painfully expensive at $500,000 per head, on top of the $125,000 space tourists have to pay for the seat on Neptune. This amount includes the meal, which will take place during the 2-hour hover period, putting an incredible spin on the idea of dining with a view, as well as beverages and wine, though presumably not for the captain.The announcement that the first flights on the Neptune capsule will include what will officially be the world's most expensive meal was met with the expected amount of surprise and disappointment. All this talk about sustainability and the democratization of space exploration, and this is still just another experience for the one-percenters while a big chunk of the world population is effectively starving."We're aware that it's an expensive first journey. But this is after all the first launch with these food experiences on board," Munk says , adding that the plan is to introduce more affordable dining experiences as these flights become more frequent.Until that happens, though, the world's richest will be able to say they've had the best meal in the world. And hopefully realize right after that our planet belongs to all of us."Immersiveness is central to [the concept of] Holistic Cuisine, and my ambition is to blend gastronomy with art and science to create awareness about social and environmental issues," the chef adds. "In this experience, I want to highlight food as a common thread in our human existence, and it will be truly meaningful to serve it while gazing down at the Earths curvature." Even though the Detroit Three carmakers appear to backtrack on their EV plans, the EV market is far from slowing down. New models are launched every month, each bringing improved characteristics and more affordable prices. As the range is one of the most important criteria for choosing an electric vehicle, it's worth checking out the longest-range models in the US that you can buy for under $50,000. EV ICE 1. Hyundai Ioniq 6 RWD Price: starting at $42,450 Power: 225 horsepower Battery capacity: 77 kWh Range: 361 miles IRA tax credit: No Photo: Chase Bierenkoven / autoevolution AWD kW 2. Tesla Model 3 LR AWD Price: starting at $47,740 Power: 395 horsepower Battery capacity: 82 kWh Range: 341 miles IRA tax credit: No Photo: Tesla 3. Polestar 2 RWD Price: starting at $49,900 Power: 299 horsepower Battery capacity: 82 kWh Range: 320 miles IRA tax credit: No Photo: Polestar FWD 4. Chevrolet Equinox EV RWD Price: $34,995 Power: 210 horsepower Battery capacity: 75 kWh Range: 319 miles IRA tax credit: $7,500 Photo: Chevrolet 5. Kia EV6 RWD Price: $45,950 Power: 225 horsepower Battery capacity: 77.4 kWh Range: 310 miles IRA tax credit: No Photo: Kia 6. Tesla Model Y LR AWD Price: $48,990 Power: 384 horsepower Battery capacity: 82 kWh Range: 310 miles IRA tax credit: $7,500 Photo: Tesla 7. Nissan Ariya FWD Price: $47,190 Power: 238 horsepower Battery capacity: 87 kWh Range: 304 miles IRA tax credit: no Photo: Nissan kWh 8. Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD Price: $45,850 Power: 225 horsepower Battery capacity: 77.4 kWh Range: 303 miles IRA tax credit: No Photo: Hyundai 9. Volvo EX30 Single Motor Extended Range Price: starting at $34,950 Power: 268 horsepower Battery capacity: 69 kWh Range: 275 miles IRA tax credit: No Photo: Volvo 10. Volkswagen ID.4 Pro Price: $43,995 Power: 201 horsepower Battery capacity: 82 kWh Range: 275 miles IRA tax credit: $7,500 Photo: Volkswagen If you've read the media recently, everyone discusses a slowing down inadoption. This narrative is mainly pushed by legacy carmakers to justify their reluctance to commit to electric vehicles. It's easy to see why this happened. American carmakers make the most of their profits from sellingpickup trucks and SUVs. At the same time, they lose a lot of money on electric vehicles, with an industry average estimated by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) at more than $6,000 per vehicle sold.The truth is that EV adoption is accelerating, while ICE sales have plateaued in the past years. About 7% of all passenger vehicles sold in the US last year were electric, increasing from 5.5% in 2022. Analysts predict EVs will surpass 10% of the light-vehicle market in 2024. Based on what happened in other markets like China and Europe, this marks a psychological tipping point. The more people are exposed to electric vehicles, the more likely they are to also choose an electric model.This clearly shows that EV adoption is not slowing, on the contrary. As a famous Hemingway quote says, this will happen "gradually, then suddenly." At that point, legacy carmakers will regret not moving faster with their EV plans. Of course, not all are equally opposed to building EVs. Korean brands, such as Hyundai and Kia, are moving at almost startup pace, while Japanese carmakers are trying to ignore the EV trend completely. European and American companies are somewhere in the middle.Despite having second thoughts, everyone is aware that the future is electric. EVs might be expensive now, but they're far more efficient than combustion vehicles. They are faster, and, generally speaking, they are better. And there's no way the better product will fail. We already see new models offering faster charging, longer range, and more affordable prices. This is why it's worth checking out the longest-range models in the US that you can buy for under $50,000.Although Tesla is the undisputed efficiency champion, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 remains the longest-range electric vehicle you can buy for under $50,000. Reasonably priced and feature-full, the Ioniq 6 is a compelling proposition if you don't want to worry about range. The longest-range variant is rear-wheel drive, whereas themodel has 316 miles of range.The design might not be to everybody's liking, but it's a direct result of aerodynamic optimizations. The Ioniq 6 boasts an impressive 0.22 drag coefficient, one of the industry's best. Using the same E-GMP platform as the Ioniq 5, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 can go almost 60 miles further, which is nothing to scoff at. This is more than most people need during their daily commutes.Despite its streamlined design, the Ioniq 6 is sleek and modern, offering decent space for passengers and their luggage. The Korean electric sedan is one of the few models in its class that offer bi-directional charging. It also comes with an impressive driver-assistance package. Thanks to its 800-volt architecture, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 is one of the fastest-charging EVs on the planet, needing only 18 minutes to go from 10% to 80% when hooked to a 350-charger.Until Tesla launches the Model 3 Performance, the Long Range AWD will be the most powerful and longest-range Model 3 you can buy. Unlike other brands, where opting for a less powerful variant yields more range, Tesla makes sure you're not punished for wanting more performance from your EV. This is probably why the Model 3 LR AWD is in high demand, with an estimated delivery window of May-June.Tesla recently hiked the price of the AWD Model 3 by $750, although it kept the RWD price unchanged. Since no Model 3 version qualifies for the federal tax credit, you might get a better deal buying a Model Y instead. However, the electric crossover ranks lower in our top, with an EPA range estimate of 310 miles. The market seems to prefer the Model 3's fresher design if the rumors about Model Y slowdown sales prove true.It's not only the design that attracts more buyers but also newer technologies and features. Tesla improved safety, comfort, and efficiency compared to the outgoing model. There's not much you might hate about the refreshed Tesla Model 3 , with the stalkless design being the only complaint. Hopefully, Tesla will listen to customer requests and bring back the stalks, at least as an option.Although Polestar increased deliveries, the Swedish carmaker is still not profitable, which is why Volvo withdrew its backing. The only EV startup founded by a legacy carmaker now relies on Geely to support its growth with a new model portfolio that is increasing fast. However, only the Polestar 2, the brand's first model sold in the US, can be bought for under $50,000.The Polestar 2 follows a similar path as the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, which are difficult to classify as a body style. Polestar says it's something between crossover, coupe, and hatchback, with an undeniable Scandinavian charm thrown in for good measure.The 2024 model year came with a new RWD variant that replaced the previousoffering. It's also more powerful, at 299 horsepower. The upgraded battery pack allows the Polestar 2 RWD to travel 320 miles (515 km) on a charge. The Polestar 2 is the most expensive EV in our lineup, barely below the $50K mark. Still, it's worth it, considering the original design, well-equipped interior, and great technological package.While the Chevrolet Equinox EV is not yet available to buy, it should start deliveries in the coming months. The upper trims 2LT, 3LT, and 2RS can be ordered now, while the base version 1LT is set to arrive "later in 2024." Either variant is available with front-wheel drive, which allows it to travel up to 319 miles (513 km) between charges. The best part? All Equinox EV models are priced below $50,000, with the most affordable at $34,995.An optional eAWD variant with a range of 285 miles (460 km) will also be offered, although Chevrolet hasn't communicated the price premium of the dual-motor trim. With the 1LT trim, Chevrolet offers 19-inch aluminum wheels and Google Built-in for the 17.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The feature list also includes an 11-inch digital instrument cluster and manual adjustments for the front seats.Hopefully, GM will build the Equinox EV in significant quantities. So far, the Ultium EV production is not going well. Last year, the Chevrolet Blazer EV was hampered by a stop-sale order because of its software problems, and deliveries were only recently restarted. On the plus side, Chevrolet lowered the Blazer EV's price, making me confident it could also launch the Equinox EV at the announced $34,995 starting price.Kia has always played the hip, trendy carmaker role, whereas sister-brand Hyundai has been more conservative. The Kia EV6 is the perfect example, with an unconventional design that blurs the lines between crossover and hatchback while keeping all the advantages of Hyundai's E-GMP platform.Thanks to the 800-volt architecture, the Kia EV6 boasts very short charging times when plugged into a 350-kW charger, needing only 18 minutes to charge from 10% to 80%. This is as fast as you can get on a volume model and is one of its unique selling points. The RWD variant may seem underpowered, with only 225 horsepower, but it has the advantage of a 310-mile (500 km) range.The Kia EV6 looks aggressive and posh, but the designers focused more on its sporty appearance than its practical features. While cabin space is not a problem, the trunk is not very big, and the visibility toward the rear could've been better. The Kia EV6 compensates with quality materials and a comprehensive technology package.The best part of owning a Tesla is that you have plenty of chargers, thanks to the Supercharger network. This is why Tesla has not focused too much on improving range. Elon Musk dismissed Lucid Air's achievements as not necessary, impacting efficiency. However, the Model Y has been the best-selling car in the world despite having "only" 310 miles (499 km) of range in the LR AWD variant.Despite its success, the Model Y has grown a little long in the tooth, and demand hasn't been very strong in the past months. The Tesla Model Y started deliveries relatively recently, in 2020, but it sported the same design as the Model 3, launched in 2017. The recent Model 3 refresh may have contributed to the Model Y's struggles. The fact that Tesla is preparing the Juniper refresh doesn't help with the current model's sales.The Model Y LR AWD was previously listed with 330 miles of range but lost 20 miles after the EPA reconsidered its testing criteria. There are no changes under the hood, just the way the range is calculated, and you should get similar results in real life regardless of whether you bought the 330-mile model or the more recent 310-mile Model Y.Despite being one of the first to launch an electric vehicle (Leaf, in 2010), Nissan has lost steam in the EV market. Leaf is still on sale, although it doesn't stand a chance against rivals, forcing Nissan to consider retiring it. Instead, the Japanese carmaker hopes the Ariya crossover will be more successful. Nissan Ariya has competitive specs, although availability is an issue due to production issues.The Nissan Ariya is roomy and comfortable, making it a decent proposition . Connectivity features and safety assist systems abound, and it doesn't lack comfort features either. Still, the pricing is rather bold, especially when pitted against the Tesla Model Y. Also, with no tax credit in sight, it could be a tough buy.Thankfully, the Ariya has decent performance and the range to ensure road trips are not ruined by range anxiety. The 87-battery pack allows it to travel up to 304 miles (489 km) on a charge in the FWD Venture+ trim. Still, charging is limited to 130 kW, which leads to long charging times. Nissan claims 40 minutes are needed to charge the big battery from 10% to 80%.Just by looking briefly over the numbers above, you notice that the Ioniq 5 is less efficient than the Kia EV6, which has identical characteristics. The boxier shape makes the Hyundai compact EV lose 7 miles of range compared to its Kia cousin. Similar to the latter, you need to choose the less powerful RWD variant if you want the best range.The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has the same 77.4 kWh battery pack and the same 800-volt architecture, a defining characteristic of the E-GMP platform. Therefore, it can charge from 10% to 80% in less than 20 minutes. With a full battery, it travels up to 303 miles (488 km), thus retaining a place in the "over 300 miles" club.With its classic hatchback shape, the Ioniq 5 has strong Hyundai Pony vibes, being ready to capitalize on the retro trend. Especially after Rivian introduced the R3 with a similar design, America noticed the charm and practicality of the European hatchbacks. Expect lots of space in the cabin, as well as in the trunk, and lots of convenience and safety features. The Ioniq 5 is also one of the most comfortable EVs in the compact segment.Volvo impressed everyone when it launched the EX30 small crossover in the US, especially as it was priced at $34,950. Despite being priced at $40 under the Chevrolet Equinox EV, the Volvo crossover comes with premium features and safety tech normally found on luxury vehicles of the upper class. Add the more powerful motor and sporty performance (0-60 in 5.1 seconds), and you see why people were wowed.The downside is that the Volvo EX30 is one of the smallest electric crossovers on the market. A small form factor has many disadvantages, including limited cabin and trunk space. Also, you cannot buy one yet because of production delays, but that is also true for the Chevy. Despite having a relatively small battery capacity of 69 kWh, the EX30 can travel up to 275 miles on a charge. EPA tests are in progress, so this number might change when deliveries start later this year.As a Volvo, you shouldn't be surprised that the EX30 is one of the safest and most feature-packed electric cars on the market. Volvo fitted the EX30 with a 360-degree camera system with a 3D view, Pilot Assist with Land Change Assistance, and Park Pilot Assist, among other driver-assistance systems. Above all, you'll be introduced to the world of the understated Scandinavian luxury.The Volkswagen ID.4 is, alongside the Tesla Model Y and the Polestar 2, the oldest models on this list, being launched in 2020. The MEB architecture shows its age, especially in terms of efficiency and charging performance. Owners also complained about software issues, although these seem to have been mostly sorted out with recent updates.Volkswagen offers a wide range of features and trims, but we're only here for the longest range provided by the ID.4 Pro with rear-wheel drive. The 201-horsepower crossover has an 82-kWh battery that offers a range of 275 miles (443 km). Fast charging is limited to 135 kW, and it takes about half an hour to charge the battery from 10% to 80%.Not everything is bad about the German crossover: it has one of the most spacious interiors in its segment. The cargo space measures 64.2 cu-ft (1,818 liters), enough for most families. The ID.4 is also more comfortable than other EVs in its segment. Even better, it's one of the few that still qualify for the federal tax credit in 2024, making it more attractive. 23 March 2024 08:30 (UTC+04:00) By Shahin Shukurov / AZERNEWS Looking at the process of normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations from the angle of the West, it becomes clear once again that it is not worth waiting for any positive result related to ensuring security in the region at the last moment. The point is that Armenia interests not only France, but also some politicians from England and the European Parliament to pro-Armenian politicians in the US Congress. Even in the British Parliament, there have been politicians who care more about Armenians than Armenians do themselves, tell blatant lies and make biased claims against Azerbaijan. Timothy Loughton, a politician from the conservative party in the British Parliament and also known as a banker, has emerged as another figure who fanatically defends Armenians. Loughton, who did not know what he was talking about, called the anti-terrorist measures in Garabagh ethnic cleansing, following the footsteps of other pro-Armenian politicians like him. T. Loughton says that Armenians who in fact left Garabagh on their own volitions are refugees and ethnic cleansing policy was implemented against them. In the face of such a thinking mentality, there is nothing left to say. Those who were actually killed by Armenians in Garabagh in the 1990s are left aside, suffering the pain of the living is literally a bitter scene for a dump politician. Loughton, who is the head of the UK-Armenian friendship group, then touched on the issue of separatist leaders imprisoned in Baku to add some excitement. Loughton simply does not know or does not want to know that Arayik Harutyunyan, who is in prison, is responsible for the cluster bombs that were dropped on the city of Ganja. He is one of the authors of the cunning operation that caused killing of civilians in the Second Karabakh War in 2020. Loughton tries to pretend to be part of the crime by defending Armenian separatist criminals in jail. Double standards and the hypocrisy of the West Azerbaijan has several times called on the European Union and the United States to put an end to double standards. This has been uttered through a number of statements in response to their frequent attempts to bend the rules and act behind the scene with Armenia against Azerbaijan. They think that Azerbaijan is not aware of what they are doing behind the scenes. However, official Baku understands very well the essence of the Brussels meeting planned between the USA, the EU and Armenia on April 5. In fact, any meeting held in the context of peace without the participation or official permission of Baku is considered insignificant. This is not only an illegal step taken against Azerbaijan, but it is also considered against the principles of law. While both Azerbaijan and Armenia are thinking about the future of the South Caucasus, then the purpose of this secret tripartite meeting planned to be held in Brussels remains under direct question. Azerbaijan believes that the Brussels meeting, against the background of the recent hostile campaign aimed at Azerbaijan by some circles, especially the attempts to provide military aid to Armenia through the "European Peace Facility" (EPF), does not serve to advance the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and it is a wrong step. Thus, the West has once again undermined its credibility in front of Azerbaijan by acting on double standards, and in response to this, official Baku may consider the participation of the West in the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace negotiations process undesirable. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 March 2024 23:57 (UTC+04:00) President of the Argentine Republic Javier Milei has sent a congratulatory letter to Ilham Aliyev on his re-election as the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azernews reports. "I was very pleased that the foreign ministers of our countries recently had a very productive telephone conversation that served the development of our bilateral relations," the Argentine President noted. "Based on the principles of friendship and respect that underpin our relations, I would like to reiterate that I will continue to spare no effort to strengthen our bilateral cooperation and economic relations in areas of mutual interest for the welfare of our countries. I once again convey my sincerest congratulations to you on your new presidential term and, avail myself of this opportunity to express my deep respect and consideration to you," President Javier Milei emphasized. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 March 2024 10:34 (UTC+04:00) On March 22, on the seaside boulevard of Aktau, an event called "Azerbaijan Yurtasi" was organized by the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in this city and the Azerbaijani community, on the occasion of Novruz holiday, Azernews The governor of Mangistau province Nurlan Nogayev, who visited Azerbaijan as a high-ranking guest, conveyed his congratulations to Azerbaijani people on the occasion of the holiday and expressed his good wishes for Azerbaijan. The head of the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Aktau, Elchin Mammadov, and the head of the Azerbaijani community, Shamseddin Huseynov, the chairman of the national cultural society "Dostlug", thanked the governor for his kind words and sincerely congratulated the fraternal Kazakh people. At the same time, representatives of regional and city administrations, advisory councils, People's Assembly, local executive bodies and city residents were guests of event. At the event, samples of Azerbaijani national music were played, dances were demonstrated, Azerbaijani dishes and national souvenirs were presented to the guests. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 March 2024 13:15 (UTC+04:00) On the occasion of National Day, the national flag was hoisted at the Pakistan Embassy in Azerbaijan, accompanied by the country's national anthem, Azernews reports. The embassy employees, members of the Pakistani community in Baku and citizens of Azerbaijan attended the event. Messages from the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan were read to those gathered, emphasizing the significance of this day for the Pakistani people. Prayers were also offered for the peace, prosperity and development of Pakistan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 March 2024 12:23 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev congratulated his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari on the National Day of Pakistan, Azernews reports. The letter reads: "Dear Mr. President, It is my pleasure to cordially congratulate you and your brotherly people on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of the National Holiday of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan - Pakistan Day. We are delighted that the relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan are steadily developing. The day-by-day expansion of ties between our countries, built on solid foundations such as religious and cultural roots and brotherhood, and the enhancement of our strategic partnership based on mutual confidence and support, are gratifying. Today, our fruitful cooperation in political, economic, military, humanitarian and other domains serves the interests of our countries and peoples, bringing them even closer to each other. The active political dialogue between us plays a significant role in the development of our mutually beneficial cooperation. We express our appreciation for Pakistan's constant support and fair stance towards the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of Azerbaijans internationally recognized borders. I am confident that we will continue to consistently and decisively implement our joint efforts to develop multifaceted relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan, and expand our cooperation. On such a festive day, I convey my best wishes to you, and wish everlasting peace and prosperity to the brotherly people of Pakistan. Sincerely, Ilham Aliyev President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku, 19 March 2024" --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 March 2024 13:50 (UTC+04:00) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan (MFA) congratulated Pakistan on the occasion of the National Day, Azernews reports, citing the post shared by Foreign Ministry on its official X account. We cordially congratulate the people and the government of brotherly Pakistan on the occasion of their National Day and convey our best and warmest wishes! Happy Pakistan Day! said ministry. We cordially congratulate the people and the government of brotherly #Pakistan on the occasion of their #NationalDay and convey our best and warmest wishes! Happy #PakistanDay! @ForeignOfficePk pic.twitter.com/aADLG3AH8l MFA Azerbaijan (@AzerbaijanMFA) March 23, 2024 --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 March 2024 15:58 (UTC+04:00) Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov has sent a letter of condolences to Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin, Azernews reports. In his letter, Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov said he was deeply saddened by the news of numerous casualties and injuries as a result of a terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Moscow. PM Ali Asadov extended his sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of those who were killed and wished the injured a speedy recovery. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 March 2024 17:17 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov made a phone call to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Azernews reports, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan. Minister Jeyhun Bayramov expressed his deep sadness over the terrible terrorist attack that resulted in numerous casualties at the Crocus City Hall center in Moscow on March 22. The minister expressed condolences to the families and relatives of those who lost their lives, the people and government of Russia and wished the injured a speedy recovery. It was emphasized that the Republic of Azerbaijan, as a state suffering from terrorism, categorically condemns all its forms and manifestations. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 March 2024 18:12 (UTC+04:00) Russian President Vladimir Putin declared March 24 a day of national mourning in Russia for those killed in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, Azernews reports. The terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall last evening has left 150 people dead. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 March 2024 18:43 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani citizens are visiting the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Baku to commemorate those who were killed in a terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in the city of Moscow, Azernews reports. The citizens lay flowers in front of the embassy and pray for the souls of the dead. An online book of condolences has been opened by the embassy. Due to the tragedy, the national flag of the Russian Federation was lowered to half-mast at the embassy. The death toll in a terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Moscow has risen to 115. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 March 2024 23:02 (UTC+04:00) President of the Argentine Republic Javier Milei has sent a congratulatory letter to Ilham Aliyev on his re-election as the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. According to Azernews, the letter reads as follows: His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Dear Mr. President, I sincerely congratulate you on your re-election as the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. I was very pleased that the foreign ministers of our countries recently had a very productive telephone conversation that served the development of our bilateral relations. Based on the principles of friendship and respect that underpin our relations, I would like to reiterate that I will continue to spare no effort to strengthen our bilateral cooperation and economic relations in areas of mutual interest for the welfare of our countries. I once again convey my sincerest congratulations to you on your new presidential term and, avail myself of this opportunity to express my deep respect and consideration to you. Sincerely, Javier Milei President of the Argentine Republic --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 March 2024 12:43 (UTC+04:00) Flower bouquets were laid in front of the Russian embassy in Azerbaijan related to the terrorist act that took place in Moscow on 22 March, Azernews reports. According to the information, people who put flowers in front of the embassy building read prayers in memory of those who died in yesterday's tragedy. An online memorial book was opened at the embassy. Yelizaveta Glerezka, the head of the press service of the Russian Embassy in Azerbaijan said that the whole of Russia was shocked by the incident. She noted that Baku residents brought bouquets of flowers in front of the embassy in connection with the tragedy. We express gratidute to everyone who did not ignore the incident and sincerely shared this pain with us. The official of Embassy thanked the official Baku, as she reminded that the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the Prime Minister Ali Asadov and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expressed their condolences to Russia. Recall that forty people have been killed and more than 100 others have been injured, according to preliminary data, in a terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow, TASS reports citing Russias Federal Security Service (FSB). "According to preliminary data, as a result of the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall building 40 people were killed and over 100 were injured," the FSB said. Special services are conducting a search effort, measures are underway to provide assistance to those injured. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 March 2024 14:20 (UTC+04:00) The names of 41 people killed in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall have been identified, the Ministry of Health of the Moscow Region said, Azernews reports. The list includes the name of an Azerbaijani named Vugar Huseynov, born in 1983. To note, Russia's Investigative Committee has announced that the death toll in a terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk in the Moscow Region of the Russian Federation has risen to 115. According to Russia's Health Ministry, the condition of 44 people, including 2 children, who were injured in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, are assessed as serious. 12:40 Unidentified people have conducted a terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk in the Moscow Region of the Russian Federation, and, more than 60 people were killed, and another 100 were wounded, TASS reports citing the latest figures. Security has been tightened in Moscow and regions, with mass evens being cancelled. Leaders of other countries have expressed condemnation of the terrorist attack and offered condolences due to peoples death. TASS has collected the main facts about the incident at the moment. A group of unidentified gunmen armed with assault rifles went on a shooting spree in the lobby and then inside the concert hall just before a concert by the rock band Picnic, eyewitnesses said. Later an explosion took place in the building and a fire started. The fire at Crocus City Hall consumed an area of 12,900 square meters, according to the latest information, with the roof starting to partially collapse. In particular, helicopters were used to extinguish the fire. The Emergencies Ministry reported at around 01:00 a.m. Moscow time on Saturday that the fire had been localized. According to the latest figures provided by the Investigative Committee, more than 60 people died in the terrorist attack. The death toll may rise, the Investigative Committee noted. Some 115 people were hospitalized, including 5 children, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said. More than 30 people have requested ambulatory care. Sixty people are in severe condition. Almost all surgeries necessary have been performed, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said. Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed about the incident a few minutes after it started, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. The president is constantly supplied by all relevant services with information and he has given "all the necessary instructions," Peskov stressed. 01:10 Forty people have been killed and more than 100 others have been injured, according to preliminary data, in a terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow, TASS reports citing Russias Federal Security Service (FSB). "According to preliminary data, as a result of the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall building 40 people were killed and over 100 were injured," the FSB said. Special services are conducting a search effort, measures are underway to provide assistance to those injured. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 March 2024 22:36 (UTC+04:00) Ukraine has nothing to do with the shooting and explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia), Azernews reports, citing the post shared by Mykhailo Podolyak, Advisor to the Head of the Office of President of Ukraine on his official X account. He said they expected Russian officials' version of the "Ukrainian trace" in the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall. "Primitivism and predictability are ideal characteristics of the Russian security services." "But it is still necessary to emphasize the facts once again. In the central region, a group of armed men pass into a place of large concentration of people. Without any inspections... For more than 1.5 hours this group was actively shooting people. There is no intervention of law enforcers. In parallel - they undermine the building... A group of terrorists in full composition calmly leaves the building and on the same cars that arrived at Crocus leaves in the direction of... the front line. Once again - does it on the already recognized cars... Preliminary data and witness statements give portraits of the attackers and quite clearly link them to Islamic radicals... " he said. "The wanted men are moving toward blocked border crossings where there is active fighting and where every meter is saturated with Russian security forces in order to make a manifest, demonstrative crossing... The conclusion is obvious: any attempts to connect Ukraine to the terrorist attack are absolutely untenable," he said.' --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz A unanimous state Court of Appeals panel has ruled in favor of the city of Raleigh in its dispute with 37 police officers over disputedOfficers in the city's selective enforcement and homicide units claimed that they had been passed over for the extra pay. A trial judge disagreed last year and ruled in favor of the city.wrote Appeals Court Judge John Arrowood in an unpublished opinion released Tuesday. Unpublished opinions carry little weight as precedents for future cases.Arrowood also rejected the police officers' claims that the city violated their constitutional rights by awarding stand-by pay to some officers and not others. He backed arguments from the city, which is labeled thein the case.Arrowood wrote.Judges Chris Dillon and Michael Stading joined Arrowood's opinion.The officers initially filed grievances in the pay dispute in July 2017. They took their case to court in 2021. A trial judge ruled against them in September 2022.A 2018 change in city policy expanded stand-by pay to additional officers. The ongoing legal action applies only to officers' service prior to that change.The dispute involves a city policy titled SOP 300-7, adopted in 1985. Section 4.0 of that policy says Raleigh will payaccording to a Raleigh brief filed in July. The policy requires a specific procedure involving the department head and the city manager.city lawyers wrote.Other police officers face a different set of rules, according to Raleigh's brief.the brief explained.The legal action stemmed from a March 2017 incident involving an evidence technician on stand-by duty who failed to respond promptly to calls. A series of follow-up departmental memos raised questions about whether members of the police selective enforcement and homicide units should get stand-by pay. Both units won approval for stand-by pay in 2018.according to the Raleigh brief.city lawyers argued.In their own brief, filed in May, the officers argued that their roles entitled them to back stand-by pay.The police plaintiffs argued that Raleigh violated its own policies.police officers' lawyers' wrote. Lib Campbell: Above In 2023, it seemed that a war against women was happening. Roe v. Wade was repealed after 50 years of precedent. Governors and Legislatures across the country put the clamps on abortion. Many states set such restrictions that pregnant women were in danger of not only losing their babies, but their own lives. We saw the trauma play out on national TV.The cruelty and heartlessness of blocking pregnancy care, which sometimes includes abortion, is a direct assault on women. And for all who claim to be pro-life, nowhere in the Bible is there a place where all life is not valued. Nowhere is abortion elevated to a place above a mother's health and well-being. The word abortion is not in the Bible. Nowhere in the Bible is there language demonizing women who might find abortion necessary to maintain their own lives.In fact, according to Tim Alberta, it was Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority who gave political valance to the issues ofIt was Jerry Falwell, in the 1970s, who first conjoined the political with the faith. That's when Christian nationalism began.Jeremiah 1: 5, frequently quoted to protect zygotes and non-viable fetuses, speaks to the sanctity of all life and about how God creates us for a particular purpose. To use Jeremiah as a battering ram against abortion diminishes the fullness of all life - life of the prisoners on death row, life of the LGBTQ community, life of Black America and life of the immigrant. God is not that narrow.To rally around protection of life that is non-viable circumvents natural order. All matter, every cell, every molecule is sacred but, in the instances when I have been with people who are anguished in the necessity of abortion, there is acknowledgment of life lost, life that could have been. Women bear the brunt of the abortion issue, yet it's mostly men making the decisions about abortion.Women around the country are awakening to the fact that they need to speak out, rally, and vote to keep rights they thought were secure. Women's right to vote may be next. The original language of the Constitution does not include women or Black people as voting members of the union. But here is a caution to any who find glee in sticking it to women: 2024 will be a year of the woman. Women will rise up in protest. It started with the ongoing trial of E. Jean Carroll.Donald Trump has already been convicted of sexual assault and defamation. If that conviction were not enough, he continues to defame Ms. Carroll, sitting across from her in the courtroom. The judge has scolded him. And Ms. Carroll's attorneys are asking,The price is not yet determined. The judge says Mr. Trump simply cannot control himself. We have all seen Trump unleashed. Everybody is fair game. And to cross him or criticize inflames him to rachet up his worst impulses. We all ask, is there anything that can stop him?E. Jean Carroll may have lost her former reputation as a columnist and writer, but she will go down in history and lore as a woman who'd had enough of Trump's venom and made herself vulnerable by telling and proving the truth trying to curb him. We can only hope loss of money will at least put a crimp in his style. Even at 80, a woman fighting back at a powerful and ruthless man is a sign of strength and hope for all women.The summer of 2023 was dubbed by the Washington Post asBetween the Barbie movie, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, and Beyonce's Renaissance tour, women were celebrated everywhere. The articlespeaks to the rise of women in financial circles. Women are a growing financial base. Brittany Shammas says,The McKinsey business consulting group reports that by the end of the 2020s,The article states this will be a seismic shift in how money is used. Women have different priorities than men. That alone should be cause for alarm, because women have long memories. Hit it, Santa!Mama used to say,The cocktail napkins I pull out from time to time have a saying I find both hilarious and true.Wait for it. In its latest illegal alien invasion coverup, the Biden regime has blocked the media from the site of the recent mass border breach by hundreds of illegal aliens and ordered the media not to talk to migrants. The New York Post which first reported the swarm of illegal aliens rushing the border and in some cases assaulting law enforcement personnel to force their way through decried the effort by the Biden regime to block further press coverage of the incident. Some of the migrants involved in the border breach were armed and some sported gang tattoos. Major foreign media like the Daily Telegraph of London blasted the action of the Biden regime in suppressing media access. https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2024/03/23/hiding-the-evidence-media-blocked-from-scene-of-border-storming-in-el-paso-n2171791 https://redstate.com/jeffc/2024/03/21/horde-of-illegal-immigrants-riot-at-border-crossing-clash-with-national-guard-troops-n2171721 https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/biden-censorship-regime-blocks-media-access-border-over-embarrassing-invasion-video-shocked What is needed is application of more force to stop such breaches. When Latvia was being invaded by Middle Eastern and African illegal aliens crossing from Belarus a couple of years ago, its Interior Minister gave rules of engagement to border police and armed forces on the border to use whatever level of force was necessary to stop illegals from crossing the border, including deadly force. Hungary and Greece had very similar incidents to that at El Paso where an organized group of hundreds of illegal aliens tried to rush the border. In both cases, border troops opened fire on the attacking migrants with their rifles and the migrants turned around and retreated. In the Greek incident, migrants were killed. During the 2015 migrant crisis in Germany, polls showed that a plurality of Germans beleived that border guards should use their guns to stop the migrants from crossing the German border, but Merkel lacked the backbone to do it. Since joining with United Surgical Partners International in 2015, Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare has helped propel USPI to prominence in the ASC industry. As of 2024, USPI has interest in more than 480 ASCs and surgical hospitals throughout 35 states, making it the largest ASC chain in the U.S. However, that was not always the case. Since its founding in 1998, USPI has partnered with more than 50 health systems and 6,000 physicians. One of the company's first health system partners was Dallas-based Baylor Health Care System. USPI has grown nearly 126% since 2011, when it had 204 ASCs in its portfolio. After partnering with USPI in 2015, Tenet acquired more than 90 ASCs from SurgCenter Development for approximately $1.2 billion in 2020 and 2021, paving the way for USPI to market dominance, all the while increasing its ownership stake in the company. By the end of 2019, USPI overtook AmSurg as the largest ASC chain in the U.S., ending the year with 264 facilities compared to AmSurg's 258. In 2022, Tenet paid $406 million to acquire Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health's 5% equity position in USPI. (Baylor Health Care System and Scott & White Healthcare merged in 2013 to form Baylor Scott & White.) Last year, USPI added 30 ASCs and reported a net revenue of $3.9 billion. Looking ahead, Tenet CEO and Chair Saum Sutaria, MD, does not expect the growth to stop there. "[Tenet is] very confident in the long-term growth rates of this business," Dr. Sutaria said in a Feb. 8 earnings call transcribed by Seeking Alpha. USPI now has more than 30 de novo ASCs in development and aims to have 575 to 600 facilities by the end of 2025. "Tenet is entering a new era with a greater proportion of our performance coming from our highly efficient ambulatory surgical business and a reduced debt profile," Dr. Sutaria said. "We will have significant financial and capital flexibility to increase shareholder value over the long term." Unions are calling for an overhaul of the minimum wage system after research suggested young workers are being left out of pocket. The TUC said its analysis of official data showed that more than 700,000 workers aged 18-20 face a penalty of thousands of pounds a year due to being paid a lower rate of the minimum wage. Workers aged aged 18-20 face losing out on an estimated 2,438 a year, or 47 a week, because of the lower minimum wage rate for their age group, said the TUC. The union organisation said that paying a lower rate to younger adults is unfair, and that the tiered rates system must be overhauled. The main minimum wage rate is currently 10.42 an hour for those 23 and over, 10.18 for 21 to 22-year-olds, 7.49 for 18 to 20-year-olds and 5.28 for under 18s. From April, the minimum wage rises to 11.44 and will be extended to those aged 21 and 22. TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: Everyone should be paid fairly for the job they do, but too many young workers are still being left hugely out of pocket because of outdated youth rates of the national minimum wage. More than 700,000 workers aged 18-20 face this pay penalty they are getting less than older workers for doing the same job. Young people up and down the country are being hammered by the cost-of-living crisis like everyone else, they need more money in their pockets now. Thats why were backing Labours New Deal, which has pledged to introduce a real living wage for workers as well as banning zero hours contracts which blight the lives of many young workers. Its time to put an end to low pay Britain. Detectives believe man bundled into car in Belfast was about to be murdered by gang The man whose life was saved when armed garda officers intercepted the car he was being held prisoner in on the M50 is refusing to co-operate with the investigation. The 35-year-old, from Belfast, is facing serious charges in Northern Ireland in relation to organised crime offences after being charged with being involved in the supply of cocaine and amphetamines. He is also facing charges connected with multiple fraud and money-laundering offences involving tens of thousands of pounds worth of criminal cash. Armed gardai stopped a BMW on Dublins M50 at Junction 4 near Ballymun at around 10pm on Thursday night. It is believed the matter is linked to organised crime and that a south Dublin gang may have ordered the mans abduction. A strong line of inquiry is that the man was about to be murdered. Read more Four men held and gun seized after armed gardai foil kidnapping of Belfast ex-sportsman Detectives are investigating whether the gang had outsourced the abduction to a gang of four male criminals who were still being questioned in north Dublin garda stations last night. The suspects are all aged in their 20s. Three had been living in Galway and the other in the Clondalkin area of the capital. One of the Galway-based suspects is a convicted drug dealer who served a lengthy jail sentence after being caught with a large amount of assorted drugs. The Clondalkin-based suspect, who is 28, previously lived in Co Kildare and has convictions for assaulting a garda and a number of other offences. What is believed at this stage is that the individual who was abducted in Belfast had a very lucky escape, a source said. It is understood the victim is on bail in relation to charges in the North. He was not injured in the abduction, which began a number of hours earlier in Belfast when he was bundled into the car at gunpoint. Gardai responded after the PSNI provided them with details of the vehicle. When gardai carried out the interception of the vehicle, they found a firearm in it. An Garda Siochana continue to liaise closely with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, a garda spokesperson said. Before the arrests were made, the Dublin Roads Policing Unit had sent out officers to set up checkpoints and search for the car. The King is "so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did" and remains in the "closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law", Buckingham Palace said following the Princess of Wales's cancer treatment. "Following their time in hospital together, His Majesty has 'remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks, a statement added. "Both Their Majesties 'will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time'." It comes as the Princess of Wales has revealed she is in the early stages of cancer treatment after a shock diagnosis. The King was diagnosed with a form of cancer in February. Kate Middleton thanked the public for the wonderful messages of support and your understanding whilst I have been recovering from surgery since January 16. "It was thought that my condition was non-cancerous, she said. "The surgery was successful. "However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. "My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have also reacted to the emotional video message released by Kate on Friday evening. We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace, Harry and Meghan said in a statement. The princess said it has been an incredibly tough couple of months for her entire family as she expressed gratitude for the fantastic medical team who have taken great care of me. The revelation comes after Kate underwent major abdominal surgery in London. This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family. As you can imagine, this has taken time. "It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. "But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be ok. As I have said to them; I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits. Kate also thanked the Prince of Wales for his support over the past number of months as she asked the public to give them space. "Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance too, she said. "As is the love, support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you. "It means so much to us both. We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment. "My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery. At this time, I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. "For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. "You are not alone. Online speculation had been mounting after irregularities were spotted in a Mothers Day photograph of Kate and her children. It led to the princess admitting to editing the image and apologising for any confusion caused. The future Queen has been photographed in public twice since her operation. Earlier this week an investigation was launched at The London Clinic over claims staff tried to access the Princess of Waless private medical records. At least one member of staff tried to access Kates notes while she was a patient at the private hospital in central London. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak led messages of support for the Princess of Wales from across the political spectrum. He praised Kate's "tremendous bravery" after she revealed that she had been diagnosed with the disease and was in the early stages of chemotherapy following mounting speculation about her health. He said the royal has "the love and support of the whole country" and called for her to be given privacy as she continues treatment, criticising the "intense scrutiny" she has been subjected to in recent weeks. In a statement released shortly after Kate's announcement, the PM said: "My thoughts are with the Princess of Wales, Prince of Wales, the royal family and in particular her three children at this difficult time. The Princess of Wales has the love and support of the whole country as she continues her recovery. "She has shown tremendous bravery with her statement today. In recent weeks she has been subjected to intense scrutiny and has been unfairly treated by certain sections of the media around the world and on social media. "When it comes to matters of health, like everyone else, she must be afforded the privacy to focus on her treatment and be with her loving family. "I know I speak for the whole country in wishing her a full and speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her back in action when she's ready." Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the princess has "the love and support of not just her whole family, but the whole nation too" during this "distressing time". The Labour leader also condemned "lurid speculation" that has surrounded her condition, saying: "Any cancer diagnosis is shocking. But I can only imagine the added stress of receiving that news amid the lurid speculation we've seen in recent weeks. "Their Royal Highnesses are entitled to privacy and, like any parents, will have waited to choose the right moment to tell their children. "I am heartened by The Princess of Wales's optimistic tone and her message of faith and hope. Her Royal Highness will be in our thoughts and prayers as she progresses through her treatment with the love and support of not just her whole family, but the whole nation too." A Limavady man appeared in court on Saturday accused of an alleged machete attack three weeks ago. Appearing at Ballymena Magistrates Court by videolink from police custody, 21-year-old Curtis Ireland confirmed that I do indeed understand the four charges against him. Ireland, from Coolessna Walk in the town, is accused of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, attempting to cause GBH with intent, affray and possessing a bladed article, namely a machete, on Donalds Way in Limavady on March 4 this year. Issuing a press release at the time of the incident as they appealed for information, a police spokesperson said they received a report of an altercation involving three men - one believed to be armed with a machete - in the Donald's Way area of the town shortly before 13:45 GMT that Monday. One man suffered stab wounds to his arm and was taken to hospital for treatment, the police have said. Giving evidence to the court Detective Constable Marshall said she believed she could connect Ireland to each of the charges and defence solicitor Ciaran Maguire confirmed that whole he was not applying for bail at this stage, the defendants prison release licence has been revoked. He understands that and he understands that he will be remanded into custody, said Mr McIvor. Commenting that I dont think I have seen this before, District Judge Nigel Broderick said there was a letter in the court papers which indicated that the police have the power to arrest him and take him straight to custody if they suspect the licence has been breached. Remanding Ireland into custody, he adjourned the case to 15 April by videolink at Coleraine courthouse. Pamela Ballantine has praised Kate Middleton's bravery for going public with her cancer diagnosis Princess Kate has a "tough time ahead", says UTV's Pamela Ballantine, who received successful chemotherapy treatment after her own cancer diagnosis last year TV presenter Pamela Ballantine has praised the brave Princess of Wales for going public with her cancer diagnosis. The broadcaster, who received successful chemotherapy treatment for her own illness last year, expressed shock and surprise after Kate Middleton released a personal video message on Friday evening. I think its very brave of her to talk about what shes going through, Ms Ballantine told the Belfast Telegraph. I didnt want to go public until I knew my prognosis, but I think her hand has been forced as a result of the intense speculation, she said. Rumours and conspiracy theories have been swirling after irregularities were spotted in a Mothers Day photograph of Kate and her children earlier this month which led to the princess admitting to editing the image and apologising for any confusion caused. Global speculation increased as the future Queen had only been photographed in public twice since undergoing abdominal surgery in January. The Princess of Wales announces she is being treated for cancer in an emotional message Then, earlier this week an investigation was launched at The London Clinic over claims staff members tried to access the future queens private medical records. On Friday she confirmed the operation on January 16 was successful and said it was initially thought her condition was non-cancerous. However, subsequent tests found cancer had been present. The 42-year-old mother-of-three confirmed she is in the early stages of preventative chemotherapy following the diagnosis which she said came as a huge shock. Ms Ballantine said its a shame she has had to go through all that [speculation] as she urged the public to comply with Kates request for privacy. People should respect her wishes because what she is dealing with is not pleasant and she has a tough time ahead. The UTV star previously went public with her own breast cancer diagnosis and appealed to women to have breast screening tests. Nothing can prepare you for the news, she previously said, after revealing she had received radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This whole process has felt like its happening to somebody else Ive never been a person to lie down and wallow. Ms Ballantine underwent surgery to remove tumours in her breast and lymph nodes. Last September she rang the bell at Belfast City Hospital to signal the end of her treatment. I just didnt want to draw attention to myself, but theres a reason people are ringing the bell, its to put the message out there, Ms Ballantine said at the time. Its just so lovely, and everyone is so sweet, so I brought my sister up to be my videographer for me ringing the bell. Its another milestone, another box ticked on my road to recovery. The princesss chemotherapy began in late February, although it is unclear when it will end. Kensington Palace said it would not be sharing the type of cancer because the princess has a right to medical privacy, as we all do. It is also unclear when Kate will return to official duties. The palace said it will be when she is cleared to do so by her medical team. Confirmation of Kates illness comes less than two months after 75-year-old King Charles revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer after he received treatment for an enlarged prostate while in the same hospital as his daughter-in-law. Similarly, it is not known what type of cancer he has or what stage it is at. Queen Camilla meets Zoe Salmon and her husband - the owner of Knotts Bakery - William Corrie as well as, most importantly, their son Fitz Former Blue Peter presenter Zoe Salmon said she cant believe the attention son Fitz is getting after becoming the star of the show during the Queens visit to Belfast. The former Miss Northern Ireland and her son were visiting Knotts Bakery to support Zoes husband, William Corrie, while Queen Camilla visited the bakery. But the Belfast toddler quickly stole the show on the day, after being featured across the front pages of some of the worlds press. Its really lovely, hes just the nations wee sweetheart for the day, Zoe explained. Its been a great, nice positive experience, we really went down to support Fitzs daddy. As a family we were delighted to be there and see the Queen Consort but we didnt anticipate any of the media attention for Fitz. We really cant believe the attention he is getting. Hes been on the front cover in the papers, its just been brilliant and if he isnt on the cover, he is in the next few pages. And its across the range of papers too, it was the cover of The Times and The Mirror so its across both broadsheets and tabloids. Zoe Salmon's son Fitz during the Queen's visit to NI Zoe thinks Fitz was so sociable as a result of how warmly Queen Camilla greeted the toddler. She was so lovely. She asked his name and commented on his wee tux and I think he just automatically felt really at ease around her. Zoe said she wasnt surprised by how sociable Fitz was during the visit. He was loving the environment, he is such a wee boy, he loves exploring and being in the thick of everything, so he really loved it, she said. I think it was the Queen that said oh hes a natural and then someone else said we have got a future royal correspondent here so everyone was really lovely and it was just a lovely atmosphere for everyone. Zoes main hope is that the videos and photos from the bakery can help brighten everyones day. We just take it as a bit of fun, during a time when the news is full of such sad and serious things. Its just a wee bit of fun, a toddler in a tux. At Knotts Bakery, the Queen learned how a team of skilled bakers continue to use traditional baking methods with no machinery involved. In 2022, the Corrie family, a third-generation family of butchers and farmers, purchased the business, which now employs 120 people. However, William isnt even slightly jealous that his son stole the spotlight away from the achievements of his bakery, according to his wife. We went down to support Knotts, to support the business but we are just delighted with everyones response to Fitz, we are proud parents, Zoe added. We are just so mad that everyone is getting to see a little bit of what we see on a day to day basis so we are just sitting back and smiling like proud parents. Zoe admits though that sometimes even she is surprised by Fitzs sociable nature. He loves it all, he loves going out and about, he is very sociable and very chatty, even though he is not even two and he doesnt have many phrases yet. I often think where do you get this from? and people will laugh and say its obviously you but I dont think it is. I just think its our Fitz, hes got his own wee personality. When asked if she thinks Fitz will follow in her presenting footsteps, Zoe admitted she wasnt quite so sure. Fitz can do whatever he wants to do, we will fully support anything that he wants to do. I have done a mixed bag of things and I have so many happy memories from it all, so if he wanted to go along the way of presenting then we would fully support that. Even during my law days, I always saw law as a performance, so I could see him performing in a court. Whatever industry he goes into, Zoe is excited to tell him all about the time he stole the spotlight from the Queen while she was visiting Belfast. In years to come, we will be able to show him all the footage, Zoe added. The incident occurred on Wednesday evening. The incident took place on board a British Airways flight from London to Belfast on Wednesday Sir Jeffrey Donaldson speaking in the Commons on the day of the incident. Pic: UK Parliament/Maria Unger/PA Wire A passenger was removed from a flight to Belfast on Wednesday following an incident involving DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson. Passengers on board the British Airways BA1420 5:10pm flight from London to Belfast were delayed by an hour after a verbal incident. The captain reportedly told passengers that paperwork issues were holding them up. Mr Donaldson had alleged that a man walking by him had swore at him. The witness said he then got up, went over and had a heated exchange with the man. When police came on to the plane to take the man off the flight he said you are taking me off the plane? When he was one putting his finger in my face as I sat here. Sources close to the DUP leader dispute this version of the exchange. Police then escorted the man from the plane. The witness said the man was very calm being taken off the flight. Minutes later Jeffrey returned to his seat and when asked by another passenger what happened said: "That man swore at me as he walked by and I am not a punchbag. "I didnt get him removed it was BAs decision. Hopefully he will learn his lesson. The flight was delayed by one hour as a result of the incident. The incident took place on board a British Airways flight from London to Belfast on Wednesday The passenger, who observed the incident, and did not want to be identified, said: The flight was delayed for one hour and the passenger taken off the flight by armed police because a he allegedly swore at the DUP leader. "The man taken off the flight did not seem in any way drunk or anything like that, and was calm and polite to police considering what was happening. Londons Metropolitan Police said no arrests were made following the incident at Heathrow Airport. "At around 17:30hrs on Wednesday March 20, airline staff at Heathrow Airport made police aware of a verbal altercation involving two male passengers during boarding, said a spokesperson. "One man was removed from the flight. There were no arrests. When contacted by the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Donaldson directed the query to the DUP press office, who have been approached for a response. It comes after a Co Tyrone man was fined earlier this year for saying Up the Ra to former DUP leader Edwin Poots while on a flight between Scotland and NI. Mark Gallogly (35) pleaded guilty at Paisley Sheriffs Court to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on the aircraft as it travelled between Glasgow and Belfast on December 12 2022. Mr Poots had contacted a friend while on board the flight, who had arranged for police to be waiting when the flight landed in Belfast. Gallogly, from the Glen Road, Drumquin, had initially been arrested for a hate crime, but was later charged with threatening or abusive behaviour. He was fined a total of 850 in relation to the incident. William and Kate have focused on their children after her diagnosis (Ashley Crowden/PA) Experts on child mental health have praised the Princess of Wales in facing the unenviable task of telling her children about her cancer diagnosis. University of Oxford associate professors Louise Dalton and Elizabeth Rapa stressed the importance of speaking honestly to children and young people about serious illness. The academics, whose area of research specifically focuses on talking to children about serious illness, praised Kate for her powerful and personal announcement which highlighted the challenging conversation facing millions of parents around the globe. William and Kate have focused on their children, taking the time to sensitively share the state of the princesss health with Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five. In a video released on Friday, Kate said: It has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK. It is understood the video was released on the day William and Kates three children began their Easter school holidays, to take advantage of the break to shield them from coverage of their mothers health. When children are not told about what is happening they can reach their own conclusions and mistakenly feel they are in some way responsible or to blame, Prof Dalton said. She continued: Despite adults understandable desire to protect children from upsetting or worrying news, it is important to talk honestly to children and young people. Even very young children notice when the adults around them are more stressed or start taking telephone calls behind closed doors. Research shows that children want to know about what is happening when an adult they love is ill and that effective communication with children about illness is associated with better psychological functioning. The Princess of Wales has supported a number of childrens charities (Yui Mok/PA) The academics lead a programme of work focused on the importance of communicating with children about a loved ones serious illness such as cancer. Research suggests that when children are given an explanation of what is happening in their family, it can lead to better family functioning and mental health outcomes. Prof Rapa said parents must also talk about some of the emotional impact of the news with their children. She added: Its important to include children in conversations about illness in the family as soon as possible so that they have time to understand and make sense of the situation and they are not left to worry alone. The powerful and personal announcement by the Princess of Wales today highlights the unenviable task facing millions. First Minister of Scotland and SNP leader Humza Yousaf said he commended the Princess of Wales (Andrew Milligan/PA Wire) First Minister Humza Yousaf said he commended the Princess of Wales for revealing her cancer diagnosis and said he hoped it would encourage other people to come forward and get checked. The First Minister attended a rally to celebrate the SNPs national council tax freeze in Greenock, Inverclyde, less than a week before the anniversary of becoming the partys leader. Mr Yousaf paid tribute to the Princess of Wales, who revealed her cancer diagnosis on Friday, and said: My thoughts are very much with the Princess of Wales, but also with the Royal family. When asked by the PA news agency if disclosures from the Princess of Wales and the King about their cancer diagnoses could spark more people getting tested and put pressure on the NHS, Mr Yousaf said: No, Im certainly not worried. Mr Yousaf said: I hope people do come forward if theyve got any concerns about any aspects of the health including, of course, particularly cancers. Weve invested in rapid cancer diagnostic services here in Scotland, in a number of health ward areas to try to improve cancer diagnosis. I commend King Charles and indeed the Princess of Wales for talking so openly about a cancer diagnosis. I hope it will encourage other people to come forward should they have any concerns about that. Speaking to around 50 activists who gathered outside Inverclyde Councils building, Mr Yousaf said it was the greatest honour of his life to lead the SNP. He praised grassroots activists for climbing the tenements, putting the leaflets through doors, whatever the weather, and said their role was absolutely crucial ahead of the General Election. View of Greenock, Inverclyde, where Humza Yousaf gave a speech to SNP activists (Jane Barlow/PA Wire). Mr Yousaf added: None of us gets elected without the drive and hard work of activists. Rebel regions Inverclyde Council and Argyll and Bute Council both initially refused to adopt the council tax freeze but later U-turned, sparking a celebration rally by the SNP, which was also attended by Ronnie Cowan, SNP MP for Inverclyde. Mr Yousaf said he felt a decision by leader of Inverclyde Council, Labour councillor Stephen McCabe to increase council tax rates was driven by spite and hate of the SNP, and branded the policy U-turn embarrassing. He urged Mr McCabe to step aside and let the SNP group run the council, adding: Theyll happily run the council with a far better job than he is doing. However, Mr McCabe described the rally as sad, and wrote on wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: How sad that the First Minister of Scotland travelled all the way from Dundee to Greenock on a Saturday afternoon to stand outside a closed Council headquarters to get his photo taken. Speaking to the press, Mr Yousaf refused to comment on the future of the SNPs campervan, currently impounded by Police Scotland due to Operation Branchform, an investigation into possible fraud which began in 2021. First Minister Humza Yousaf with Westminster candidates, local Hillhead SNP by-election candidate Malcolm McConnell and activists in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow (Andrew Milligan/PA Wire) The SNP leader also refused to comment on former health secretary Michael Matheson, who stood down after an 11,000 bill was run up on a work-issue iPad while on holiday, which was initially paid by the taxpayer. Mr Yousaf said he could not comment on a live police investigation, and added: Of course, when it comes to other matters, obviously theres ongoing processes at the parliament. Ahead of the visit, Mr Yousaf said: In October last year I promised a national council tax freeze for households across Scotland and that is what the SNP is delivering. Despite Labours attempts to stop people in Inverclyde from receiving this support, I am delighted that we are succeeding in delivering it. Council tax bills will be effectively frozen in all 32 local authorities next year. Council tax bills in Scotland are already hundreds of pounds a year lower than they are in England and this fully-funded council tax freeze gives people even more relief whilst they grapple with increased costs. One of the lions at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, having been transferred from Ukraine (YWP/PA) A lion and her three cubs have been saved from a war-torn part of Ukraine and are starting new lives in Doncaster. Three-year-old Aysa was in a private collection in the Donetsk region when the Russians invaded, according to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park (YWP), where she is now adjusting to new freedoms. The park said Aysa was alone, malnourished and traumatised by bombings when she was rescued by the Wild Animal Rescue sanctuary in Kyiv, where she gave birth to cubs Emi, Santa and Teddi, before they were all moved to a temporary facility in Poland through work by International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). Lion cubs rescued from Ukraine have now arrived at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park (YWP/PA) YWP said Aysa was separated from her cubs, now 15 months old, at Poznan Zoo in western Poland as they had to be held in adjacent 15ft square concrete holding pens. On Tuesday, they were driven the 1,000 miles to Yorkshire, arriving at the YWP on Wednesday night and unloaded at their new home on Thursday. The park said the lions will spend their first few weeks being evaluated and rehabilitated before they are introduced to the public in the Lion Country reserve. Deputy head of carnivores Colin Northcott said: Im over the moon, overjoyed they are finally here. Now I cant wait until they are settled enough to walk on the grass and smell the fresh Yorkshire air. Its overwhelming to finally have them here with us, just amazing. Our visitors are going to love them. This is a massive new world for them. Mr Northcott said: Even the language they hear will be different. Im trying to learn a few words in Polish to make them feel more at home. But I cant wait for them now to run around playing, walking on grass for the first time, seeing the water and the sky. Its going to be incredible. Mr Northcott paid tribute to Poznan Zoo who did an amazing thing by rescuing them. But he said: The rangers over there were also really keen for them to get more space. Mr Northcott said: When we first encountered them, they were extremely distressed, cowering on top of each other and hissing at anyone who came near. I am so happy they are finally here safe. YWP, which is also home to polar bears and tigers, has made a name for itself rescuing animals from difficult conditions around the world. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content In 2010, it brought 13 lions to Yorkshire from in a run-down Romanian zoo. Chief executive John Minion said: Its a really exciting and emotional time for us. It takes me back to 14 years ago when we rescued those 13 lions from Romania. Welfare is at the heart of everything we do here. The Romanian rescue was the beginning of Yorkshire Wildlife Park and put us on the map. Mr Minion said: Sadly most of our Romanian lions have died over the years so with just two of the original lions, Carla and Crystal remaining, we now have the space. And welfare is at the heart of what we do here. The park said it will post regular updates on the lions progress on social media. IFAW worked with Wild Animal Rescues Natalia Popova to get the lions out of Ukraine after their owner fled the war. Ms Popova said: Its a scary time for everyone here in Ukraine. But for these big cats that were in the conflict zone they must have been so frightened and confused. Although there are many more animals that need rescuing, I am relieved these lions now have a better life ahead. Natalia Gozak, wildlife rescue field officer (Ukraine) at IFAW said: At long last, this family of lions, who have been the unlikely victims of this invasion, are safe and sound. Yorkshire Wildlife Park is well placed to offer these big cats a good life in the parks Lion Country area, where they have housed numerous lions, often rescued from traumatic situations. They will be safe, secure and most importantly out of the warzone. A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia (Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP) Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall on the edge of Moscow and sprayed visitors with automatic gunfire, injuring an unspecified number of people and starting a massive blaze in an apparent terror attack. It comes days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the raid, the worst terror attack in Russia in two decades that came as the fighting in Ukraine dragged into a third year. A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall (Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP) Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the attack as a huge tragedy. Russias top domestic security agency, the Federal Security Service, said there are dead and wounded but did not give any numbers. Russian news reports said that the assailants threw explosives, triggering a massive blaze at the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow. Video posted on social media showed huge plumes of black smoke rising over the building. The attack took place as crowds gathered for a concert of Picnic, a famed Russian rock band, at the hall that can accommodate more than 6,000 people. Russian news reports said that visitors were being evacuated, but some said that an unspecified number of people could have been trapped by the blaze. The prosecutors office said several men in combat fatigues entered the concert hall and fired at visitors. Extended rounds of gunfire could be heard on multiple videos posted by Russian media and Telegram channels. One showed two men with rifles moving through the mall. Another one showed a man inside the auditorium, saying the assailants set it on fire, as gunshots rang out incessantly in the background. More videos showed up to four attackers, armed with assault rifles and wearing caps, who were shooting screaming people at point-blank range. Andrei Vorobyov, the governor of the Moscow region, said he was heading to the area and had set up a task force to deal with the damage. He did not immediately offer any further details. Russian media reports said that riot police units were being sent to the area as people were being evacuated. Russian authorities said security was tightened at Moscows airports and railway stations, while the Moscow mayor cancelled all mass gatherings scheduled for the weekend. White House national security adviser John Kirby said he could not yet speak about all the details but that the images are just horrible. And just hard to watch. Our thoughts are going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack, Mr Kirby said. There are some moms and dads and brothers and sisters and sons and daughters who havent gotten the news yet. This is going to be a tough day. The attack followed a statement issued earlier this month by the US embassy in Moscow that urged Americans to avoid crowded places in the Russian capital in view of an imminent attack, a warning that was repeated by several other Western embassies. Mr Putin, who extended his grip on Russia for another six years in the March 15-17 presidential vote after a sweeping crackdown on dissent, earlier this week denounced the Western warnings as an attempt to intimidate Russians. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres visited the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip (AP) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said it is time to truly flood Gaza with life-saving aid, calling the starvation inside the enclave a moral outrage. Mr Guterres also called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. He spoke on the Egyptian side of the border not far from the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where Israel plans to launch a ground assault despite widespread warnings of a potential disaster. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content More than half of Gazas population has taken refuge there. The UN chief said: Any further onslaught will make things even worse worse for Palestinian civilians, worse for hostages and worse for all people in the region. He spoke before a long line of waiting trucks, a day after the UN Security Council failed to reach consensus on the wording of a resolution supporting an immediate and sustained ceasefire. Egyptian armoured vehicles near the Rafah border crossing (AP) Mr Guterres repeatedly noted the difficulties of getting aid into Gaza, for which international aid agencies have largely blamed Israel. Here from this crossing, we see the heartbreak and heartlessness a long line of blocked relief trucks on one side of the gates, the long shadow of starvation on the other, he said. He added: It is time for an ironclad commitment by Israel for total access for humanitarian goods to Gaza, and in the Ramadan spirit of compassion, it is also time for the immediate release of all hostages. Hamas is believed to be holding around 100 hostages as well as the remains of 30 others taken in its October 7 attack that killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and sparked the war. When asked about Mr Guterres comments, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to a social media post by foreign minister Israel Katz accusing the UN chief of allowing the world body to become antisemitic and anti-Israeli. An estimated 1.5 million Palestinians now shelter in Rafah. Mr Guterres also called for an immediate ceasefire (AP) On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said an Israeli ground assault on Rafah would be a mistake and unnecessary in defeating Hamas. That marked a shift in the position for the United States, whose officials have concluded there is no credible way for getting sheltering civilians out of harms way. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to press forward with military-approved plans for the offensive, which he has said is crucial to achieving the stated aim of destroying Hamas. The military has said Rafah is Hamas last major stronghold and ground forces must target four battalions remaining there. Smoke from Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip (AP) Israels invasion has killed more than 32,000 people, according to Gaza health officials, while leaving much of the enclave in ruins and displacing some 80% of the enclaves 2.3 million people. Gazas health ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but has said women and children make up the majority of the dead. Israel blames Hamas for civilian deaths and accuses it of operating within residential areas. Fighting raged on Saturday around Gazas largest hospital. Israels military said it had killed more than 170 militants in Shifa hospital since the start of their raid five days ago. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Nearby Gaza City residents told the Associated Press that Israeli troops had blown up several residential buildings. Gazas health ministry said the raid on the hospital complex had torched its departments treating patients with vascular disease. It said Israels military had detained health workers, patients and relatives inside the complex. The late-night approval has avoided the need for a US government shutdown (AP) The US senate has passed a 1.2 trillion dollar (952 billion) package of spending bills in the early hours of Saturday morning, pushing any threat of a government shutdown back to the autumn. The bill now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. The vote 74-24 came after funding had expired for the agencies at midnight, but the White House sent out a notice shortly after the deadline announcing the Office of Management and Budget had ceased shutdown preparations because there was a high degree of confidence that US congress would pass the legislation and the President would sign it on Saturday. The statement said: Because obligations of federal funds are incurred and tracked on a daily basis, agencies will not shut down and may continue their normal operations. There may be an attempt to oust US house speaker Mike Johnson (AP) Prospects for a short-term government shutdown had appeared to grow Friday evening after Republicans and Democrats battled over proposed amendments to the bill. Any successful amendments to the bill would have sent the legislation back to the house of representatives, which had already broken up for a two-week recess. But shortly before midnight, senate majority leader Chuck Schumer announced a breakthrough. Mr Schumer said: Its been a very long and difficult day, but we have just reached an agreement to complete the job of funding the government. It is good for the country that we have reached this bipartisan deal. It wasnt easy, but tonight our persistence has been worth it. Mr Biden is expected to sign the bill into law (AP) While US congress has already approved money for veterans affairs, interior, agriculture and other agencies, the bill approved this week is much larger, providing funding for the defence, homeland security and state departments and other aspects of general government. The House passed the bill on Friday morning by a vote of 286-134, narrowly gaining the two-thirds majority needed for approval. More than 70% of the money would go to defence. The vote tally in the house reflected anger among Republicans over the content of the package and the speed with which it was brought to a vote. House speaker Mike Johnson brought the measure to the floor even though a majority of Republicans ended up voting against it. He said afterward that the bill represents the best achievable outcome in a divided government. In sign of the conservative frustration, Republican representative Marjorie Taylor Greene initiated an effort to oust Mr Johnson as the house began the vote, but held off on further action until the house returns in two weeks. It is the same tool that was used last year to remove the last Republican speaker, Kevin McCarthy of California. The process has led to frustration, especially among Republicans (AP) The vote breakdown showed 101 Republicans voting for the bill and 112 voting against it. Meanwhile, 185 Democrats voted for the bill and 22 against. Kay Granger, the Republican chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee that helped draft the package, stepped down from that role after the vote. She said she would stay on the committee to provide advice and lead as a teacher for colleagues when needed. Mr Johnson broke up this fiscal years spending bills into two parts as House Republicans revolted against what has become an annual practice of asking them to vote for one massive, complex bill called an omnibus with little time to review it or face a shutdown. He viewed that as a breakthrough, saying the two-part process was an important step in breaking the omnibus muscle memory. Still, the latest package was clearly unpopular with most Republicans, who viewed it as containing too few of their policy priorities and as spending too much. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content The bottom line is that this is a complete and utter surrender, said Eric Burlison. It took legislators six months into the current fiscal year to get near the finish line on government funding, the process slowed by conservatives who pushed for more policy mandates and steeper spending cuts than a Democratic-led senate or White House would consider. The impasse required several short-term, stop-gap spending bills to keep agencies funded. The first package of full-year spending bills, which funded the departments of veterans affairs, agriculture and the interior, among others, cleared congress two weeks ago with just hours to spare before funding expired for those agencies. When combining the two packages, discretionary spending for the budget year will come to about 1.66 trillion dollars (1.31 billion). That does not include programmes such as Social Security and Medicare, or financing the countrys rising debt. Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer (AP) On Ukraine aid, which Mr Biden and his administration have argued was critical and necessary to help stop Russias invasion, the package provided 300 million dollars (238 million) under the defence spending umbrella. That funding is separate from a large assistance package for Ukraine and Israel that is bogged down on Capitol Hill. Mr Biden, in his statement, again pressed Congress to pass additional aid. The House must pass the bipartisan national security supplemental to advance our national security interests and Congress must pass the bipartisan border security agreement, the toughest and fairest reforms in decades, to ensure we have the policies and funding needed to secure the border. Its time to get this done. A bipartisan border package collapsed last month when Republican senators scuttled months of negotiations with Democrats on legislation intended to cut back record numbers of illegal border crossings. To win over support from Republicans, Mr Johnson touted some of the spending increases secured for about 8,000 more detention beds for migrants awaiting their immigration proceedings or removal from the country. That is about a 24% increase from current levels. Also, Republican leadership highlighted more money to hire about 2,000 Border Patrol agents. Democrats, meanwhile, are boasting of a one billion dollar (792 million) increase for Head Start programs and new child care centres for military families. They also played up a $120 million increase in funding for cancer research and a 100 million dollar (79.2 million) increase for research into Alzheimers. There has been a London power grab over Irish Sea border - why haven't DUP or Sinn Fein opposed it? Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is absurdly claiming that it is a great victory for him to give up much of Stormont's control over the Irish Sea border but this is awkward for Sinn Fein, too This move is bad for the political interests of the DUPs voters. But that doesnt necessarily mean it is therefore good for Sinn Fein. Sam McBride Sat 23 Mar 2024 at 09:00 Three days ago, a remarkable Westminster power grab took place but the DUP and Sinn Fein were in complete acquiescence. Pat McArt knew both Martin McGuinness and John Hume well Pat McArt in the Journal office with John Hume, Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald and the Republic's Foreign Minister Peter Barry Former Derry Journal Editor Pat McArt who has just published his memoir, 'War, Peace and the Derry Journal' Donegal native Pat McArt steered the ship as editor of the largest newspaper in the North West for 25 years during the height of the troubles. At the time, the eyes of the world were on Londonderry. It was home to IRA commander and Sinn Fein chief negotiator Martin McGuinness and key architect of the Good Friday Agreement John Hume. McArt was a trusted critic and counsellor of these local giants. His new book, titled War, Peace and the Derry Journal chronicles Derrys transition from the devastation of the troubles towards peace. Belfast Telegraphs Derry reporter Garrett Hargan is joined by the former editor and writer to discuss his extraordinary career. Judge warns 42-year-old hell be resentenced if he commits more crimes or breaches probation A drug dealer who supplied pregabalin to a man who was later found dead has narrowly avoided a custodial sentence. District Judge Nigel Broderick handed Mark Hayes (42) a combination order of 12 months probation and 100 hours of community service following a hearing at Ballymena Magistrates Court. He said: Be under no illusions, supplying drugs to anyone else is a serious matter and will be dealt with accordingly by the courts. Hayes, from Westbourne Crescent in Coleraine, had earlier entered guilty pleas to possessing pregabalin with intent to supply and supplying the class C drug to another on August 25 last year. He was charged last August following a sudden death at the Lighthouse Hostel in Ballymena, with a man being found dead in his room with a box of pregabalin next to him. When Hayes room was searched, cops found tablets that appeared to come from the same box. Officers also found 145 in and a list of names and numbers including the dead mans. A prosecutor told the court an examination of Hayes phone uncovered messages suggesting he was involved in the supply of drugs. Arrested and interviewed, he denied he was a dealer and claimed the list was of people he had loaned money to. He admitted travelling into Belfast to buy three strips of pregabalin, claiming he had consumed two and given the third to a friend. Defence counsel Michael Smyth said while his client had previous convictions, he had since moved in with his father and was attending drug addiction counselling. He added Hayes still took drugs but at a reduced rate. Releasing the defendant, Judge Broderick warned him that any breach of probation, committing of further offences or failure to comply with instructions would result in him being brought back to court and resentenced. Republicans bussed in for poorly attended demonstration A protester pastes a poster of Dermot Burke onto the wall of Gerry Kelly's office (Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX) Dissident republicans were bussed in from Derry to take part in a protest outside the office of Sinn Feins North Belfast MLA Gerry Kelly on Saturday. Almost 30 protesters braved the rain to picket the closed Antrim Road premises in Glengormley. Among them were members of the New IRAs political wing Saoradh, including Dee Fennell, and Derry hardliners Christy OKane and Barry Millar. The partys chairperson Brian Kenna also travelled from Dublin to take part in the poorly attended protest. It was organised by the Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association, which is linked to Saoradh. The dissident group held flags in support of New IRA-linked prisoners and images of Dermot Burke, who is on protest in Maghaberry Prison over a refusal to place him on the segregated republican Roe House wing. Burke is being held on remand and is charged with making threats under the name of the New IRA in several pubs in Dungiven. Mainstream republicans believe the protest outside the Sinn Fein office, which is in the religiously mixed commuter village of Glengormley on the edge of north Belfast, is designed to whip up sectarian tension. The shutters on Gerry Kellys premises were closed yesterday, with Saoradh opting to demonstrate there instead of other Sinn Fein offices, including the partys headquarters on the Falls Road in west Belfast, which were open. Christy OKane, who was pictured at the protest, is currently on bail facing charges in connection with the PSNI data breach. The 50-year-old, who has a bombing conviction from the 1990s, is accused of possessing information likely to be of use to terrorists. Barry Millar, who travelled with him from Derry, was recently fined for taking part in a dissident republican protest outside Maghaberry Prison. He has a previous conviction for wearing paramilitary style-clothing and taking part in an illegal parade in support of the New IRA. Also in attendance was Stephen Murney, from Newry, who last year was charged with encouraging and inciting support for a proscribed organisation and making a speech which encouraged support. Thug ordered to pay victim 450 in compensation and complete 200 hours of community service A crystal meth user who battered his girlfriend in a bar after throwing a pint glass at her has avoided prison. Robert McConachie punched the woman a number of times before pushing her into a barrel and chasing her into the street as horrified onlookers scrambled to call the cops. The 34-year-old narrowly avoided jail earlier this month at Laganside Magistrates Court in Belfast after he pleaded guilty to common assault, criminal damage and possession of a class C drug. He was ordered to pay his victim compensation totalling 450 and complete 200 hours of community service as an alternative to prison. The court heard police were called to a bar in Belfast over reports of a man throwing a glass at his girlfriend and punching her. McConachie was seen throwing his victim over a barrel in the smoking area of the pub, with the incident captured on CCTV. According to prosecutors, the footage showed him storming to the outside space before launching the attack. They said: Upon his arrival outside, she instinctively puts her phone behind her back and he throws his pint glass against the wall beside her. He then pushes her repeatedly against a barrel, punches her several times and repeatedly pushes her head, which is being thrown backwards, a number of times. Both exit the premises and the defendant runs ahead of her into the road (to cut her off). Onlookers phoned the police because they were so concerned for her safety. (McConachie) was arrested and interviewed. The injured party initially denied the offences took place, but after speaking with her mother, she spoke to the police again. Solicitors for McConachie, from Mount Pleasant in Bushmills, told the court he was battling mental health problems and had expressed genuine remorse. They continued: He is now drug-free. His brother died of an overdose, so he is very aware of the pain and trauma drugs can cause. The CCTV is undeniably unpleasant viewing. McConachie, who walked out of court with a female companion, was told in no uncertain terms how lucky he was not to be going to Maghaberry Prison. District Judge Steven Keown said: Its genuinely upsetting to watch the footage because it is just stomach-churning. The only reason I am not going to jail you is because you have pleaded guilty and you have expressed your remorse. But if anything like this happens again, you will be going to custody. Almost 90,000 cows have been culled in Northern Ireland in the last five years for having tuberculosis (TB). Not a single badger widely blamed for the spread of the disease was legally killed during the same period. DUP Upper Bann MLA Jonathan Buckley described the figures as absolutely scandalous and said many farmers believed the political classes no longer cared about them. Mr Buckley also warned that dealing with TB cost the taxpayer around 50m a year. There have been targeted culls in England that have had positive results in bringing the numbers down, yet we in Northern Ireland still sit on our hands rather than get on to try to support the farming industry, he said. Not one badger has been legally culled in Northern Ireland. That is absolutely scandalous. In the last five years, 89,000 dairy and beef cows have been culled for having TB. That is ridiculous and an indictment of the political classes that put the need for a targeted cull of badgers, which is a small number, over and above the livelihoods of farmers in Northern Ireland. It is high time that we got a grip of the issue. Animal rights activists argue there is no definitive evidence badgers cause TB in cows, and some claim the reverse is true. Last year the High Court quashed a decision by former agriculture minister Edwin Poots for a limited cull on the grounds that a consultation by his department was flawed. Campaign groups including Wild Justice argued that allowing farmers to use rifles to kill up to 4,000 badgers a year was inhumane and ineffective. The department said it would carefully consider the courts decision and its next steps. Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has yet to give his verdict. The North Down Alliance MLA said he would be guided by the evidence and the science in any decision. He acknowledged that the costs of tackling the disease were unsustainable. Mr Muir also said he had asked chief veterinary officer Brian Dooher to take a fresh look at the matter.